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Exploring Florida as your future home!!!

By
John Richardson
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There is plenty number of options why you should pick Florida as your future home from lack of income taxes to the sunny weather conditions. If you pick larger cities to live such as Orlando then you can also get advice from the financial advisor firms of this region especially after you get the retirement. Because of the numerous numbers of reasons, thousands of people choose to move to Florida. To make your relocation process successful, hire one of the best moving companies in Florida at Moving Feedback. Before you relocate, be sure you get to know everything about this new state. Do your homework by researching more and more on the internet. If you want to know the real facts apart from the fascinating things then have a look at these things:  

Lots of family-friendly activities

There are a lot of theme parks to explore and have fun in. Disney, SeaWorld, and universal are some of these. When you are a resident in Florida, you will get a discount to enjoy activities there. Luckily these can be enjoyed with your family.

South Florida and North Florida are not the same

When you start living there, you will feel like there are two different states named south Florida and North Florida. South part is more diverse and has Caribbean influence in culture. This is the part where one will enjoy the most nightlife. While on the other hand, the north part is completely different not just in climate conditions but also in culture. It has the capital of the state and is not vulnerable to change in the climate.

Cost of living 

This is one of the top vacation destinations and expensive too but at the same time, if you want an affordable area to live in then you can live here. When you have decided to relocate, check out the living cost of the different cities in the state. Usually, living in the north is costlier so consider what lifestyle you want to have and then pick the right city.

Nature’s beauty is not only limited to the beaches only

The state is blessed to have great natural beauty. Not just the place has some stunning beaches and coastline but also the place has the picturesque beauty of nature. 

Real estate is affordable here

Florida homes are comparatively priced but there are also some regions present out there where you can find a home or other property at a low cost. If you are thinking to move to the place then you can also look for an affordable property.

Here comes the sun

Outdoor activities can only be enjoyed during the sunny weather conditions. People living in Florida enjoy the sunshine throughout the day. The season of summers is hot and humid here while winters are short and the cold is mild. While on the other hand, if you don’t like heat then you may not like the state. So, when you pack for living in this state, you need to pack things such as lightweight clothes, water bottles, air conditioning, and so on. You can easily beat the heat according to your preferred ways. 200 days in the year are warm. 

No state taxes

Yes, there is no income state tax in the state. So, the living cost won’t be much higher. You can keep the amount safe from what you earn. Also, you don’t need to pay any additional expenses such as insurance costs and so on. There are not many places in the USA where you can save this much amount while getting all the modern amenities.

Enjoy the nightlife

The place has the cities like Orlando and Miami which has great nightlife where you can enjoy the same. The place has world-class restaurants which are operated by celebrity chefs and have great entertainment options.  

Wrapping it all up!!!

The state is the most populous one with millions of people. The state is known for its beaches and sunny weather. The place is great for retirees. Now you know some of the best and the real things about the place so you can prepare yourself in a better way. Depending on your lifestyle, you can pick an area according to your preferences.

Liberté, Égalité, Technologie? France and the tech industry

By
Claire James
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For decades, France has shown a strong desire to be at the forefront of innovation and future technology. Despite this, it’s somewhat odd that it’s only recently spread its tech wings. After all, legend has it that it was a French computing system — the Minitel Terminal — that supposedly inspired the Apple Mac.

However, France failed to surf the wave of the dotcom bubble at the end of the 20th century, reducing confidence in this national industry — until now. 2021 saw a record year of phenomenal growth and success of new digital and tech startups. So, let’s take a closer look at this sector of the French economy, and how bright its future may be.

The French tech scene

Traditionally, France’s economy has been dominated by services and manufacturing, but successive governments have been eager to make the country an international player in the tech world. In 2006, President Jacques Chirac expressed his dismay that Germany had beaten them to the punch when developing an alternative search engine to Google (with the less catchy name of Quaero).

Back then, the government answered this by promising €600 million to develop new tech industries. Fast forward to 2021, and President Emmanuel Macron declared at least €5bn of the France 2030 reindustrialisation budget would be devoted to deep tech. These are the startups concerned with innovations in science and engineering, such as artificial intelligence, for example.

Turning the tide

Things certainly are looking brighter for the sector today. This is partly due to the government’s incentive schemes for innovation and growth in the industry, such as creating the initiative La French Tech that recognises cities with a strong tech startup ecosystem. In early 2022, the warehouse robotics company Exotec became the latest addition to France’s “unicorn” tech companies (private startup ventures valued at over $1bn), fulfilling President Macron’s pledge to establish 25 unicorns by 2025.

Research and education

The rise of France’s tech industry is in no small part down to its emphasis on modernisation, and viewing the next generation as being at the forefront of further technological development. The private equity group KKR explains that “​​the backbone of the French tech ecosystem has always been its education system that produces world-class talent. Paris boasts the highest number of engineering universities of any city in Europe, which are amongst the very best technical universities in the world”.

Tech and the French economy

One of the primary reasons that successive governments have pursued these great developments in technology is that it is an effective job-creation strategy. This is no doubt coveted by the government — France’s post-Covid employment rate lags behind Germany with three million fewer people in work. When President Macron outlined the new industrial budget, he announced that not only will €15 billion be funnelled into startups, but crucially, “€31 billion will be invested in training in digital jobs”.

The rise of new tech companies has consequently gone hand in hand with a growing recruitment sector to find highly-skilled professionals vital to the industry. This can be seen with global technologies like SAP (an enterprise resource planning solution), which interacts with at least 77% of the world’s revenue streams and requires specialists in order to harness it to its full potential. Back in 2018, the German multinational behind the software pledged to invest €2bn into France by 2023 in order to bolster its operations there. Dedicated SAP recruitment companies are therefore becoming increasingly vital to the French tech industry, with the likes of Eursap helping businesses find experts across the full spectrum of SAP professionals for both permanent and interim contracts in France.

The future of French tech

France has seen the emergence of a slew of startup companies and networks, with profitable firms like Dassault Systemes, Genymobile and VideoLan. Yet, crucial to the continued success of companies like these is foreign investment. Taxpayer money has already been used to make up for where venture capital in the tech sector has fallen short. However, it is argued that only outside investors, who are often less risk-averse and constrained by regulations, can help these businesses expand to levels that will help make the country a “nation of large tech companies” by contributing enough necessary capital.

Sifted points out that, because this aspect of levelling up the industry still requires work, we should therefore be cautious with any optimism that this is purely a national success story: “France likes to succeed on its own, but in truth in the tech world, a local startup community can only succeed by looking outward and strengthening its connections with what the world has to offer”.

Yet the signs look positive. More and more small and medium-sized enterprises and startups in this sector seek out multicultural and international talent from a range of “diverse ecosystems as various stages in diverse locations”. As France fixes its eye towards owning the future of tech, it could well be that — as the saying goes — vouloir est pouvoir.

Welcome digitalization to your workflow

By
Claire James
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The world is only getting increasingly digitized as time passes. Advancements are made each day. Advancements which can optimize the lives of civilians, companies, and governments all over the world. The digital revolution can however be difficult to navigate in.

We mostly hear about the challenges that the older generation face, trying to adapt to an increasingly digitized everyday life, but many others struggle too. A lot of technology and research is done without considering what negative effects the product could include. Additionally, a lot of digital products are launched and sold without integrating the actual users or launched as a half-finished solution.

This article discusses what you can do to welcome digitalization to your company and your workflow.

Proper integration

A lot of work in companies, large or small, is moving online. This means that many people will need to get used to new ways of working, but it also brings several advantages. Some of these are data and storage. Data can be analyzed to optimize and analyze your work and can help your company take action and improve where you currently lack.

This integration of new software solutions and digital workflows can be eased by investing in a workflow automation platform. eTray, a software product created by Nexcom, can help your company remove a lot of unnecessary steps in your communication. It helps forward emails and enquiries to the right employees, it helps you store and manage data in folders that can be navigated to easily, and many more things.

An early investment into this kind of software, removes the need for unnecessary processes being integrated before they are replaced by the help of your workflow automation. As such, your employees can concentrate on learning only what is necessary.

Employee satisfaction

Having staff that likes working at your company is very important. It is for a lot of reasons, and the road to creating a work environment where employees thrive and are happy to work, does not come easy. One good way to start though, is by ensuring that staff is taught how to use the digital solutions that they are required to use. Patience, proper integration, and good education is the way to go.

In another way though, you could argue that digitalization in an organization is important. And sometimes, progress might be met with resistance. When employees rebel against changes, you need to know what to do. Are they frustrated because they were not taught how to do it? Perhaps your tutorial videos are not made for the new user, but the experienced one. Or maybe the people you have hired to instruct your staff, are not capable of explaining properly? In that case, you need to improve what you do.

In some cases though, the employee will simply resist the change, and reject to adapt. To avoid this, you must be 100% sure that when you do decide to invest in digitizing some aspect of your business, the product is fully developed, and will work and help your business, rather than complicating anything.

The Benefits of Becoming a Dentist

By
John Richardson
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You are likely reading this guide because you are considering a career in dentistry, but you are wondering at the same time whether or not it is the right job for you. If you are interested whether it should be a career path that you will choose to go down, then it is definitely worth figuring out what the actual benefits of pursuing this path are. If you are interested in this, then it is recommended to read the complete guide that has been created for your reading pleasure below.

High Salaries

It’s worth keeping in mind that as the cost of living in the UK has skyrocketed, the importance of having a job that pays very well has gained significance. The good news is that if you do decide to become a dentist, then you will be able to live comfortably and weather rising costs and inflation. Some dentists even make over half a million pounds a year, meaning that with this salary, you will be able to live basically anywhere in the country with ease.

Diverse and Interesting Work

One of the most thrilling parts of being a dentist is the diversity of work that you will be able to explore. This is because simply put, no two pairs of teeth are the same. This can be rather challenging, however. If you want to make sure that you are the most successful dentist possible, you should become acquainted with the different tech involved with the job, especially as the industry is one that is constantly evolving. As a result, you should definitely make sure that you take a dental products training course to get to grips with all of this.

You Are Constantly Learning

If you find yourself to be the kind of person who gets regularly bored when you are engaged in any job, then dentistry might be the right choice for you. The reason is that when you are working as a dentist, the learning never ends, meaning that it is hard for you to get bored by the work. To make sure that you can keep on learning, you should be constantly doing research with regard to the different parts of the industry; this way, you will be able to become the best dentist possible.

Working in a Recession-Proof Industry

No matter what your job is, you might be concerned about the effects of the global economy upon your profession. This is especially true as another recession could be looming due to a combination of rising living prices, coronavirus lockdowns, the global supply chain crisis, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The good news is that generally speaking, dentistry is a recession-proof industry due to the fact there people are still willing to spend money on their health even in the darkest of times. With that said, you should be making sure that, if you are already working as a dentist, you are offering a variety of different price points to make sure that you are retaining as many customers as possible.

Meeting a Wide Variety of People

A dentist is an essential part of the community he or she is based in, able to talk to a variety of people and get to know about their personal lives. This is great news if you are a sociable person or want to know more people is. It has been scientifically proven that knowing a lot of people can boost your mental health. What this means is, if you are looking to become a dentist, then you definitely need to boost your people skills. There are a range variety of ways that you can boost these skills. You can take a dedicated training course and make sure that you are in constant contact with your friends. If you do this, then you are more than likely to be able to become a successful people person when working as a dentist.

Conclusion

It has been the objective of this guide to outline to you all of the amazing benefits that are involved with becoming a dentist. It’s worth pointing out, however, that this list is by no means exhaustive, meaning that you should definitely be doing your own independent research when it comes to seeing what the benefits can be when it comes to studying and becoming a dentist. With that said, do feel free to return to this guide in the future if you would like to get a refresher course.

How To Claim Back Expenses When Volunteering For an Organisation

By
Claire James
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If you are someone who is looking to get started in the volunteering sector, then you may have many questions – particularly surrounding expenses and how to get reimbursed for what you spend. In this article, we will be looking at what your rights are as a volunteer, what qualifies as an expense, and ways that you can get easily reimbursed from the organisation that you work with.

What Are My Rights As a Volunteer?

When volunteering your time for an organisation, charity, or business, it’s vital that you understand what can and can’t be paid back.  An ‘expense’ is any cost that has been incurred during, before, or after working with an organisation.

When it comes to your rights as a volunteer and expenses, it’s very simple. You may be paid tax-free for any out-of-pocket expenses, which you have incurred whilst you performed your role. As you are already volunteering your time, organisations are required to reimburse you for anything you spend during your time with them.

What Qualifies As An ‘Expense’?

So, what qualifies as an ‘expense?’ Let’s break down what an ‘expense’ actually means.

If you travel to your position, whether that be in your car, on the train, using the local bus services, biking, or even, using a form or taxi or uber, then this will qualify as an expense. Remember to explain to your employers during the screening process how and why you will take your chosen form of transport to your volunteering role. This is in good practice, as they will then be aware of your upcoming reimbursement requests.

If you send something, like a letter or package, using the postal service and you pay for a stamp or shipping, then again, this can be considered an expense. Even if it’s as little as a few pounds for a stamp, you can still include this on your invoice as you are paying out of your personal pocket.

Protective clothing is another one that many volunteers forget. If you need to purchase something to make you feel safer at work and perform your role more efficiently, then this can too be considered an expense that can be reimbursed. For example, if you need a high-vis jacket or steel cap boots.

What Is The Easiest Way To Claim Back Expenses?

Now that we have covered what is considered an expense, what is the easiest method when it comes to asking to be reimbursed? Before the pandemic, money was typically exchanged for expenses. Invoices would be handled manually and you would usually raise any reimbursement queries face-to-face.

But now, many payments are done online, via bank transfer to avoid unnecessary close contact between parties.  You may have to email your banking information to the correct point of contact within the organisation and then they would input it into their system. Both of these methods are time-consuming and unsafe. By emailing across any personal information, you will always run the risk of having your details stolen or seen by unauthorised personnel. Not to mention, it takes a lot of time for the internal team at the organisation or business to complete this method of reimbursement. Even though these payments are done online, they will have to put them into their payroll system by hand, and that is also assuming that all the details from the volunteer are correct the first time. If the volunteer has accidentally given the wrong information, then the payroll authoritative will have to go back and further communicate to receive what they need to make the payment.

Systems such as vHelp, which is both a website and app, can help organisations pay their employees more efficiently and in turn, help their volunteers get paid faster. With vHelp payments are reimbursed within 24hrs, ensuring your volunteers or users are not left out of pocket for long periods. As well as this, using systems such as this can actually reduce admin and paperwork by over 85%. The organisation will have to register with vHelp where all of their card details will be stored securely and then simply,  invite their users or volunteers to register. Easy peasy, and a lot more effective!

4 Proven Ways to Future-Proof Your Business

By
Claire James
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Contrary to what some might think, future-proofing a business doesn’t necessarily need to be a costly, trying, or time-consuming experience. In reality, it’s simple when you make it a habit of planning ahead. Remaining relevant boils down to making straightforward but significant changes instead of chasing any revolutionary leaps that will propel your entrepreneurial venture forward. Below, we’ve laid out some proven strategies to put you on the fast track to innovation and growth, enabling your organisation to get ahead of the competition. 

Don’t ignore your customers

Consumers are the best source for entrepreneurs who want to future-proof their respective businesses. For this reason, you must have proactive solutions to encourage and track their feedback in place. Tools like surveys, polls, questionnaires, and monitoring software for social media can help you generate invaluable insight that can help you build a long-lasting enterprise. Moreover, inviting input will show that the brand or company cares about what customers have to say. As a result, you’ll be able to strengthen your relationship with the target audience and encourage them to do business with you for years to come.

Don’t try to reinvent the wheel

Innovation isn’t just about coming up with something new or unique. Sometimes, even simple adjustments and minor shifts can be just as successful in creating significant windfalls for the business. For example, if the only space you have in the workplace that can serve as a conference room is small, things like a ceiling projector bracket can help you maximise the space since it’ll keep the projector out of the way while giving you an ideal positioning for the image. Or maybe you could invest in software that can automate tasks that would otherwise take too long to do.

Encourage workers to give their input

Apart from the customers, employees are likely to be the most informed people in an organisation. Thus, if you’re looking for ways to future-proof the enterprise, you must also encourage them to give their input. By providing your workers with a voice when it comes to making decisions, not only will you find areas of the organisation that require improvement. But you’ll also promote a culture of respect, trust, and loyalty in the business and motivate your workers to perform and be productive. So make sure you listen to your team. It can go a long way in enabling your business to function optimally.

Consider tomorrow today

It’s never a good idea to focus solely on your current offerings or the present-day marketing efforts of your rivals. You also need to consider the future and the solutions you can implement that consumers will demand tomorrow. Therefore, you need to keep an eye out for potential trends in your industry and be willing to make changes that will give your customers more value.

Conclusion

Ultimately, future-proofing a business is not just about knowing all the answers. Instead, it’s also about being resilient, self-aware, and adaptable. By looking toward the future and taking care of both your employees and customers, you’ll be able to build a business that will survive years into the future.

Know about the Tenants Property Market in 2022 

By
Claire James
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The tenants property market in 2022 is experiencing good growth and as a result, more and more opportunities are available for tenants looking for homes to rent in a great location. If you are looking for properties to rent but don’t know where you can consider the possibility to rent a property in Bracknell, a wonderful large town located on the commuter belt of Berkshire County. It is an ideal location for young families and working professionals searching for properties to rent in an area that is not as busy as the inner city.

If you think Bracknell is a suitable place for you, get in touch with the estate agents who will help you to find a home for rent in the area. With their help, you can discover a selection of wonderful modern apartments to splendid family houses for rent. Know about the tenant property market in 2022 to understand why it is beneficial for you to rent a home.

Renting a home – What can tenants look forward to?

  • More flexibility in choosing a location 

If you have decided to rent a property, you can have the benefit of choosing a location that has great homes for rent.

Renting a home is the ideal choice for you if you want to move to a new place for work. Finding a property for rent in a new area can be confusing but with the help of reputed estate agents, you can find homes for rent easily as they will show you the selection of homes available for rent in the area. 

Bracknell is the best place to find homes for rent because there are many benefits to renting a property in this area as it is a large affluent town with a relaxing environment. At the same time, it is well-connected to the main areas so you need not worry about travelling as the railway station is within easy reach. So it is a great place for you to rent a property. 

  • Access to great properties

One benefit of renting a home in a place like Bracknell is that you can get access to amazing properties with the bonus of great amenities. If you need, you can choose to rent modern apartments with amenities like an in-house pool, fitness centre and recreation. Or else, if you prefer a cul-de-sac property for your family, there are amazing accommodations available that suit your taste. 

To find these kinds of amazing properties with attractive amenities, you can talk with the estate agents in Bracknell. They will clearly describe the wonderful attractions of the neighbourhood and the details of the property to you so you can make a good choice. In this way, they have your best interests at heart. 

  • Excellent service from estate agents

With assistance from reputed estate agents, you can find the property you are looking for in Bracknell. You have to just choose the property you would like to view, and the agents will show you a tour of it. At the same time, you can know about all the important details of the property like its exact location, the schools and transport links nearby and more. That is why it is vital to choose the services of the best estate agents because they will offer their help throughout the journey.

As the tenant property market is booming in 2022, you can choose the services of the best estate agents in the vicinity of Bracknell to find an excellent property to rent.

  •  Ease and convenience

Renting a home is a convenient option for new families who are trying to settle in a new place. So if you are searching for amazing homes for rent in the neighbourhood of Bracknell to live with your family, it is a perfect place as there are schools, recreation facilities, and parks available in the area. It is also an ideal place for people looking for job opportunities and youngsters starting their careers because many well-known companies are situated in the place. That is why it is a great decision to rent a home in a place like Bracknell in 2022.

Rent a home and reap the benefits

This is the right time to rent a property in Bracknell because the 2022 property market is looking highly favourable for the tenants. You can speak with the estate agents who will make arrangements for you to find properties available to rent in Bracknell. By doing this you can become a tenant of an attractive home with amazing amenities. 

Roman Semiokhin: A Guide to Building a Successful Business

By
Claire James
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With a wealth of experience in industries such as tech, gaming, education and real estate, Roman Semiokhin has a unique understanding of what it takes to establish, grow and run a successful business. This article will explore the key steps for entrepreneurs establishing a business, identifying priorities and potential pitfalls.

Irrespective of industry, starting a business is a huge commitment. Many budding business leaders simply underestimate the amount of time, energy and resources it takes to start and grow a company.

Common challenges include:

  • Coming up with a great product or service
  • Accessing capital and cash flow
  • Having a strong vision for the business
  • Identifying and onboarding excellent employees
  • Handling employees that perform poorly
  • Handling rejection from customers
  • Managing time efficiently
  • Recognising the need to pivot business strategy
  • Maintaining momentum to keep the business going, even during tough times
  • Establishing and maintaining a healthy work/life balance

One of the first things someone starting their own business needs to consider is business format. A sole proprietorship could leave personal assets vulnerable with regard to business liabilities and debts. For this reason, many entrepreneurs opt to start their business as a corporation or limited liability company, since neither of these options are particularly difficult or expensive to set up.

However, it would be a mistake to assume that filing a Certificate of Incorporation automatically protects business owners from all personal liability. Nevertheless, business owners can lessen the likelihood of losing their personal assets to creditors of the business by adhering to certain procedures, including:

  • Always using the business name in the discharge of their corporate duties
  • Always using a proper signature, including the name of the corporation and their title
  • Adhering to all corporate formalities, including issuing stock properly, following bylaws, holding regular board meetings, recording minutes, and fulfilling other corporate formalities
  • Ensuring corporate funds and the funds of individual shareholders are always kept separate
  • Keeping comprehensive tax records and filing separate tax returns for the corporation
  • Ensuring all business transactions are kept separate from personal transactions

After coming up with a great concept, the entrepreneur will need to think of a name for their business, which can have a significant impact on its success. It is prudent to avoid names that are difficult to spell, as well as those that could prove limiting as the business grows. Entrepreneurs should conduct thorough trademark and internet searches, ensuring that they secure the .com domain name as early as possible.

With around 50% of businesses folding in the first five years, an enterprise’s chances of success depend to a large extent on the outlook of its owners and how realistic they are about their business goals. Although Bureau of Labor statistics suggest that 80% of new businesses survive the first 12 months of trading, the actual rate varies significantly from industry to industry, with sectors like social assistance and healthcare demonstrating a higher-than-average survival rate, and businesses centring around transport and construction typically demonstrating a lower success rate.

Businesses fail for a wide range of different reasons, with common causes including a lack of effective marketing, negative customer experience, lack of demand, too much competition, inaccurate pricing, and poor hiring decisions.

To maximise their chances of corporate success, entrepreneurs must:

  • Draft a business plan
  • Analise the marketplace, defining clear KPIs
  • Set profitability and revenue goals
  • Hire the right people and create a HR team
  • Incentivise staff with benefits
  • Implement the right tools to support their growth strategy

Starting and growing a business is an exciting, potentially life-changing process that requires a clear picture of the road ahead to help business owners prepare for any potential surprises. There are considerable challenges along the way, and rarely any quick wins, but for those who are prepared to put in the hard work, following a well-thought-out business plan, the end result could be incredibly rewarding.

When was UniCredit founded?

By
John Richardson
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UniCredit is one of Europe’s most established and successful banking institutions. With roots in Italy, it’s grown over recent decades to become a significant operator across the continent.

A bank for the new millennium

A modern global financial institution, UniCredit owes its precise foundation to a shakeup in the Italian banking system during the 1990s.

The UniCredit Group was born out of a merger in 1998 between several Italian household banking names.

The two largest were UniCredito and Credito Italiano. Other banks that came together to form the new group between at the turn of the century include Banca dell’Umbria, Cassa di Risparmio di Carpi, Cassa di Risparmio di Trento e Rovereto (Caritro) and Cassa di Risparmio di Trieste.

This created a significant Italian operation that had the scale and experience to grow out of its national base to become a continental operator. Through establishing relationships with other institutions, it has since been able to develop a truly global reach by forging links with partner banks across the world.

Medieval roots

Although UniCredit is a forward-looking institution, parts of the group have a long history stretching back to the beginnings of banking in Italy and Europe.

Mount of Piety institutions were Catholic organisations that provided loans to poor people at reasonable rates. They in effect acted as a combination of pawnbroker and bank, with borrowers providing their valuables as collateral.

Rolo Banca, one of the banks that became part of the UniCredit group, traces its roots back to one such institution in Bologna that was founded in 1473.

Mount of Pieties were frequently founded by Franciscan friars and were inspired by the orders to care for the poor and marginalised. These strong social values have run throughout Italian banking and are present today in UniCredit’s commitment to ESG.

19th-century foundations

The 19th century saw banks being founded across European cities and Italy was no different.

The formation of the UniCredit Group starts with the foundation of Banca di Genova in 1870.

This operated for 25 years until it was renamed Credito Italiano in 1895.

In 1907, it relocated from Genoa to Milan where it operated for 30 years.

The group was nationalised in 1937 by the Italian Institute for Industrial Reconstruction. It remained a publicly owned bank for nearly 60 years until becoming the first Italian state bank to be sold off in 1993.

In the 21st century

The newly privatised bank was now free to grow and develop to meet the challenges of the new century.

Following the modern founding of the group in 1998, UniCredito Italiano started to expand into the emerging Eastern European market.

This began with a move into Poland when the group acquired Bank Pekao. This expansion into new territories continued following the merger with German group HypoVereinsbank (HVB), itself the result of a merger of two Bavarian banks. Further growth took place by the merger with Bank Austria Creditanstalt in 2000.

Since then, a series of mergers, acquisitions and sales have helped to shape UniCredit over the subsequent years.

UniCredit Corporate and Investment Banking division serves 1,500 multinational corporates and key financial institutions. It supports the group’s corporate banking, delivering services to 600,000 public sector and corporate clients.

Its international network now spreads over 16 countries and provides access to 4,000 correspondent banking relationships covering 175 countries.

It now has a presence in New York City, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Shanghai, Milan, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Madrid, Beijing, Mumbai, Athens, Seoul, Zurich, Hanoi, and Abu Dhabi.

A vision for the future

UniCredit is looking to the future under the leadership of group CEO Andrea Orcel.

He recently outlined ambitious plans to take the group forward.

In particular, environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) initiatives will come to the fore over the five next years. Sustainability will be placed at the heart of everything UniCredit does.

Orcel wants UniCredit to lead by example, not least when it comes to the transition to cleaner energy:

“For us, it is kind of difficult to go to our clients and drive the right behaviours if we cannot point to ours as being an example,” he says.

The history of UniCredit is a great example of how an old institution can adapt and grow to remain relevant in the modern world while setting ambitious targets both for their own growth and the positive impact they can have on the wider community.

Pros & Cons: Accepting Bitcoin Payments 

By
Emily Bennet
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Many brick-and-mortar stores and online businesses are seeking various payment options to serve their customers better. Besides being an investment vehicle, bitcoin is a reliable form of payment, and that’s why many businesses accept it. Like many online payment methods, bitcoin users can pay for goods and services from anywhere since they don’t need to travel to a store or bank.  

Business owners can receive payments from anyone around the world without approval from external authorities. Since it’s essential to do your homework before accepting any payment system, consider the following pros and cons. 

Pros of Accepting Bitcoin Payments 

Reduced Transaction Fees 

Lowering the transaction fees is similar to reducing your prices or offering discounts. Bitcoin is designed to provide customers with an affordable shopping method compared to other payment options. Besides the low fees, users enjoy autonomy as they don’t have to deal with intermediary authorities such as banks and other financial institutions.  

Since these institutions charge fees for wire transfers, digital currencies have a clear advantage. How to reduce the transaction fees: 

  • Check when transaction fees are lower than normal 
  • Combine several payments into one input 
  • Choose the right wallet 
  • Choose a low-priority fee that’s cheaper but takes longer 

Clients get annoyed when they eat in restaurants or go to grocery stores that only accept cash.  

No Risk of Inflation 

Currencies that hold their value against inflation will stand the test of time. Businesses that earn money from online transactions need to retain that value to avoid unexpected losses.  

When governments print money to fund various projects and bail out some private companies, they create an inflationary pressure on dollars and other currencies across the globe. Like gold, cryptocurrencies don’t fluctuate during turbulent economic times and may even have the potential to appreciate. Following are the reasons why bitcoins maintain their value: 

  • Limited in supply 
  • High demand 
  • Built-in algorithms that hedge against inflation 
  • Value cannot be manipulated by printing money 

Bitcoins are controlled by decentralized systems that make them immune to manipulation and inflation. Many customers that have already adopted this system seek reliable ways of buying goods and paying for services. So, businesses that accept bitcoins will have the upper hand. 

Easy to Use in Any Situation 

With credit cards, your customers have to follow stringent standards and undertake extensive security checks. Before authorizing a transaction, the bitcoin system verifies these details automatically and cuts the red tape significantly making their purchasing process easier. Plus, your clients don’t incur additional costs when processing the information.  

The early adopters of this digital payment methods record higher sales since: 

  • Bitcoin is accessible to everyone 
  • Money is transferred over the internet 
  • The currency is controlled by a decentralized network 
  • It’s easy to create account from anywhere 
  • Merchants and customers verify the payment details instantly 

Accepting this digital currency will draw more customers that are looking for places to spend their bitcoins.  

Quick Payments 

Digital currencies are safer and less cumbersome than fiat currencies. Since the user-friendly platform is optimized for mobile, this borderless payment system provides an easy way to carry out transactions and track your payments. If you want to jump into the bandwagon, follow these easy steps: 

  • Download the Bitcoin Wallet app for windows or Android 
  • Create a new wallet with your personal details 
  • Find a trusted broker and create a shared wallet 
  • Fund your wallet from your bank account 
  • Click buy with bitcoin and give the merchant your QR code 

With so many payment options that include credit cards and digital currencies, businesses should offer as many payment options as possible to avoid losing out on a large customer pool. Customers need to do their research by determining the current bitcoin price and keeping track of the changes. 

Cons of Accepting Bitcoin Payments 

It’s Not Widely Accepted 

Like any currency, few disadvantages are associated with bitcoin. These include: 

  • Some shops don’t accept crypto currencies 
  • Creating a digital wallet is a complicated process 

The volatile bitcoin market can dissuade many people as the value can dip in a matter of hours. But keen investors understand that the value increases in the long run despite the highs and lows. 

Why Businesses Should Accept Bitcoin Payments 

Digital currencies are gaining immense popularity, and many people are using them to safeguard the value. Although bitcoin is a long-term investment tool, it guarantees quick payments and error-free business transactions. Besides hedging against inflation, bitcoin is a reliable form of payment, and that’s why every merchant should embrace it. 

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