UBCNews - Business

The Employee Retention Tax Credit program allows eligible employers to claim up to $26,000 per employee for wages paid between March 13, 2020, and September 30, 2021. This valuable tax credit was designed to help businesses that were impacted by COVID-19. Many business owners mistakenly believe they don't qualify, especially if they received a Paycheck Protection Program loan. The truth is, you can claim both—but the same wages cannot be used for both programs.

The clock is ticking on your potential tax refund! The IRS currently faces a backlog of 1.2 million ERC claims, with many applications pending for over a year. The statute of limitations for 2021 ERTC claims expires on April 15, 2025—and once this deadline passes, you permanently lose your right to claim these credits.

So, do you qualify for the ERTC? Your business may qualify if you experienced either full or partial suspension of operations due to COVID-19 restrictions, or significant revenue decline during eligible periods. For small businesses with fewer than 500 employees, there are additional benefits. During 2021, small employers could claim the credit even if they remained fully operational, provided they experienced a 20% decline in gross receipts.

Here's how to claim your ERTC before the deadline. First, determine your eligibility. Start by taking a close look at your business operations during the qualifying periods. This will help you figure out if you meet the basic requirements for the ERTC. Next, calculate your potential credit. Using your employee count and the eligible quarters, estimate how much you could claim. Remember, it could be as much as $26,000 per employee—so this is a big opportunity!

Then, gather the required documentation. You'll need things like quarterly tax returns, payroll records, and proof of how COVID-19 impacted your business. It's also important to ensure accuracy in your calculations. Mistakes can lead to IRS reviews or reduce your credit. So, double-check everything before you submit, so you're maximizing your benefit. Finally, submit well before the deadline. With the IRS backlog, it’s best to start the process at least 3 months in advance to give yourself enough time to gather the right documents.

Or let Heros ERTC help! Heros ERTC specializes in guiding businesses through the ERTC application process. Their expanded documentation support services help manage IRS backlogs and secure eligible credits before time runs out. Their approach? A strong focus on accuracy and compliance to reduce audit risk, ensuring all materials meet IRS standards before submission.

Don't leave money on the table! Check if your business qualifies for this valuable tax credit by clicking on the link in the description!

If you want to experience more joy, fulfillment, gratitude, happiness, confidence, stability, and self-acceptance, you can do it in an instant if you know the right techniques. Two of those are goal setting and visualization. Once you know what you really want out of life, all you have to do is imagine yourself already having, being, or doing it and then imbue that image with intense positive emotions. But to be successful, you have to be diligent in your practice. Coach Paul Sahota's online course, “Peace of Mind Mastery,” can show you the way to success.

The course will teach you how to harness the power of visualization to accelerate goal achievement. This powerful technique will train your mind to focus on solutions and opportunities that serve your deepest and highest goals. In the process, it'll also help you achieve greater emotional well-being, a deeper sense of fulfillment, and more self-confidence.

Visualization is just one of the techniques taught in the course. You'll also learn how to achieve greater personal and professional success without sacrificing your well-being, how to cultivate love and positivity in all aspects of your life, and how to find emotional stability and inner peace amid life’s difficulties.

Even better, after you purchase the course, you'll enjoy lifetime access to these teachings and their benefits!

You'll learn how you can use visualization to align your thoughts, emotions, and actions toward your personal and professional goals. The course’s guided meditations will enable you to vividly imagine yourself achieving your desired outcomes, activating your brain’s reticular activating system (RAS). This will help you notice opportunities, make decisions, and take action in ways that are in line with your goals.

“True success is not just about achieving your goals, but also about finding inner peace and harmony,” Coach Paul Sahota says. “That means training your mind to focus on the positive actions you can take in any given situation and the opportunities available to you, rather than on obstacles and setbacks. It’s not about working harder, it’s about working higher.”

Besides the “Peace of Mind Mastery” course, on Sahota’s website, Peace of Mind 101, you'll find a blog on various self-help topics, like how to make a vision statement, conduct honest self-evaluation, improve your focus, and much more.

Paul Sahota has been a Certified Professional Coach since 1997, mentoring individuals in personal development and helping them build successful businesses and achieve self-determination. Sahota has coached with Bob Proctor, the “Godfather of Personal Development,” and worked with foundational self-help companies.

“I’ve taken several classes with Paul,” one happy client shared. “He’s a kind, gentle person who’s assertive enough to push you out of your comfort zone so you can live your best life. I’m more at peace. I live in the present and love myself for who I am.”

Stop looking for fulfillment outside of yourself and learn how to look within, where everything you really want already exists. Coach Paul Sahota will gently guide you on the journey.

Learn more about Coach Paul Sahota's online course, “Peace of Mind Mastery,” at the link in the description!

Two cryptocurrency traders arrived at a fork in the road, pondering what to do with their digital coins. They resolved to take different paths, not knowing if their roads would ever rejoin. One went to the land of wind and ghosts, where thieves steal funds through the airwaves. One went to shop at The Crypto Merchant - and bought hardware wallets to keep their coins safe.

Now the same fork lies ahead of you - which trader will you be? This authorized hardware wallet reseller offers the latest crypto technology. Enough rhymes, it’s hard to keep it up - the point is only this, or thus. You have a chance to browse the best wallets around, including (among others) Ledger’s Nano S Plus.

The Crypto Craze Grows. Statistics show that cryptocurrency has grown considerably beyond its niche beginnings, becoming widely renowned as a viable investment asset. Now, in 2025, the numbers are even more compelling: ownership has reached almost 30% among American adults. What’s more, a further 14% are looking to potentially join those ranks this year.

Yet, here’s something that some of those traders might not know. Investing in cryptocurrency is important, yes, but it’s equally important to invest in privacy devices that can store and protect that cryptocurrency going forward.

That’s where hardware wallets come in, the market’s leading technology for such means. Their offline cold storage feature sets them apart from more vulnerable online-based exchanges - so there’s no question which you should pick.

Of course, there are so many to choose from! Enter: The Crypto Merchant. This retailer is here to help you find modern hardware wallets that benefit from the latest industry upgrades and features. What’s more, its relationship with wallet manufacturers is a crucial benefit for investors like you - it allows them to supply genuine, verified products.

“All of the items you buy from us are authentic, unaltered, and intended to offer the highest level of protection for your digital property,” explains The Crypto Merchant. “Our commitment to providing top-notch security solutions ensures that your digital assets remain protected from any potential threats.”

The Crypto Merchant is well-known for providing the very best hardware wallets - sourced directly from the supplier. Here are just some of the wallet brands you can find: Trezor, Ledger, SecuX, Tangem...

The list goes on and on. Many of these wallets include military-grade security setups, full app compatibility, and the ability to support both conventional cryptocurrencies and NFTs - so it’s time you found a device that speaks to you.

Check out The Crypto Merchant’s site to browse wallets that meet your needs in terms of accessibility, price, and storage space. By doing so, you can secure your crypto collection against dastardly hackers while making it easy for you to view, manage, and transact with your digital assets!

All hardware wallets, all the time. Visit the link in the description!

If you're someone who wants more out of your job than just a desk and a paycheque - somewhere you can grow professionally in a company that values your skills, and your well-being, then TTEC is the place for you! This is where you'll work with incredible clients, make friends with amazing and supportive co-workers and team leads, and build a fun and fulfilling career.

TTEC is a truly unique company. Customer-obsessed and values-driven, the company prioritizes the employees experience, nurturing a supportive, welcoming, collaborative environment. When you join TTEC in Greece, you're joining an organization where you can grow and thrive, and gain a deep understanding of the customer journey.

Operating across six continents and delivering services in over 50 languages, TTEC provides comprehensive CX outsourcing solutions tailored toward helping businesses optimize their customer engagement processes. If you're an entry or mid-level customer service professional interested in joining TTEC in Athens, Greece, you can look forward to a competitive salary, performance-based bonuses, unique benefits and cool perks.

A spokesperson for the company explains:

“At TTEC, we’re committed to making a positive difference for our employees, customers, communities, and the planet. Our mission is to bring a human touch to business transactions, enabling companies to build strong, lasting customer relationships. Our team in Athens has earned many industry awards, including the Gold at the European Contact Center & Customer Service Awards, for its innovation and commitment to excellence.”

A certified “Great Place to Work,” TTEC believes happy employees create happy customers. Sounds so simple, and yet, the results of this philosophy in action are incredibly powerful.

TTEC actively promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion (D-E-I), along with a flexible and collaborative workplace. You'll have access to thousands of free skills development courses so you can pursue excellence in all areas that interest you, and you'll also benefit from referral programs and recognition initiatives that celebrate your achievements.

How's that for being seen?!

Even the Comparably platform ranks TTEC as a top employer, placing it in the top 10% of similar-sized companies thanks to their employees awarding the company an A+ for its workplace environment, executive teams, leadership, management, and commitment to professional development.

When you work in customer service at TTEC, you'll be responsible for handling incoming communications and delivering support across voice, chat and social media. You should be the type of person who is naturally empathic, demonstrating an understanding of customers needs or inquiries while providing effective solutions. To qualify for the job, you should have at least 6 months of customer service experience, a high school diploma or equivalent, and must be computer proficient.

Here's what a current TTEC employee said recently: "When I applied to TTEC, I had just graduated, and what I liked was that in the interview, they wanted to know more about me instead of asking what I knew about. Then, in the training, what I loved most about it was that our trainer tried to make the environment comfortable for us, which I think is important when you're just starting out."

Ready for amazing? Submit your application today, and good luck!

Click on the link in the summary to find out more!

Bad knees? No problem! Thanks to SOLE Fitness, you can find a way to work out at home that’s really right for your body.

If low-impact exercise is a must for you as you have knee issues—whether joint pain, osteoarthritis, or another acute or chronic injury—read the new guide by SOLE Fitness, comparing ellipticals and stationary bikes.

SOLE Fitness knows that bad knees make exercising really challenging, which is why they are putting two of their most popular low-impact machines side-by-side so that you can see the benefits of each machine type and what their main differences are.

As their new buyer’s guide explained, an elliptical will offer you a comfortable, cushioned and supportive way to strengthen and tone your whole body. They also allow for high-intensity workouts with comparable benefits to jogging, while putting much less strain on your joints, especially your knees.

“SOLE Ellipticals stand out as the optimal choice for those who seek knee comfort during workouts as with their low-impact design, these machines provide a full-body workout that minimizes stress on the knees,” said a spokesperson for the home fitness equipment makers in their new guide. “They come with features like adjustable stride lengths, ergonomic handles, and customized workout programs that enhance the user experience, making them an excellent investment for maintaining knee health.”

Alternatively, a stationary bike, especially one of SOLE’s premium models, will help you to target your lower body muscles and strengthen them in a careful and structured way. SOLE’s models have also been designed to promote good posture, which can help to place your whole body in better alignment, thereby reducing stress on your joints in day-to-day life.

Their spokesperson added, “SOLE Stationary Bikes, particularly our recumbent models, also offer a fantastic solution for individuals with knee concerns. These bikes ensure a comfortable, reclined seating position that significantly reduces the strain on the knees and lower back.”

SOLE Fitness encourages you to read their full guide and explore their extensive range of ellipticals and stationary bikes, which have all been designed to offer you the most low-impact workouts at the best prices.

Gym-quality treadmills don't have to cost an arm and a leg. With the F80 from SOLE Fitness, you get all the features you love – including a 10.1-inch Android touchscreen panel and wireless charger – all for a great price!

More customers are looking to add treadmills to their home gyms, according to SOLE Fitness. A quality treadmill means keeping up with running routines regardless of weather conditions, and with folding options available, you can own one even if you've got limited space. The company points to this growing demand as they highlight the F80's standout features.

"Its Cushion Flex Whisper Deck reduces impact up to 40%, as compared to running on asphalt. You'll be able to enjoy a much more comfortable workout - whether you're walking, jogging, or running."

The F80 has an aluminum frame with a Z-shape design that improves stability during workouts - providing better weight distribution and reducing vibration.

With a top speed of 12 mph and 15 levels of incline, the F80 supports workouts for all fitness levels. The incline feature simulates hill running, increasing calorie burn and activating different muscle groups that are not so engaged on flat surfaces.

You can choose from a range of pre-programmed workouts - including options like Hill, Cardio, and Strength routines. More targeted training - like HIIT intervals, 5K preparation, and 10K distance training - are also available, along with fitness tests based on military standards from different organizations.

Every purchase comes with access to the SOLE+ workout app, enhancing the training experience at home via on-demand workout videos led by hand-selected professional trainers. The app can sync with your treadmill to track workout metrics, allowing you to monitor progress and adjust training programs as needed.

SOLE Fitness delivers the F80 treadmill to any room in yohome and their delivery team can handle the complete setup for an additional cost.

The right treadmill can mean all the difference when it comes to hitting those fitness goals!

Check out the link in the description to order your ideal model!

It’s not something you'd normally think about, but your hearing aid can actually get stuck in your ear. Nano Hearing Aids is here to walk you through why this can happen, what you should (and shouldn’t) do, and how to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Read Hearing Aid Stuck in Ear: How to Deal With It, Nano's latest guide to making the most of your devices.

Nano Hearing Aids says it's essential you address a stuck hearing aid appropriately, and this means getting professional assistance from a doctor or audiologist. Your first instinct might be to try to fish the device out of your ear, but Nano says this is a big NoNo. Instead, remain calm, contact your doctor or audiologist, and make an appointment.

If your device starts causing pain or bleeding, immediate medical attention is necessary, says Nano Hearing Aids. Consult their guide to find out what to expect during your emergency or GP appointment.

Regardless of whether your hearing aid dome is stuck due to an emergency or can be addressed within a day or two by your ENT, doctor, or audiologist, stop wearing your device until it is safely removed. A professional will use a specialized tool to extract the dome, and then they'll check your ear for any injury or infection.

A spokesperson for Nano Hearing Aids explains:

“Having a hearing aid stuck in your ear can be painful as well as dangerous. Knowing how to deal with the situation is essential. At Nano, our OTC hearing aids come with customizable dome sizes and other accessories to help prevent this issue.”

Leaving a stuck dome in your ear for too long can lead to severe pain, swelling, itching, and hearing impairment. While it may start as a minor inconvenience, it can quickly become a serious issue.

Incorrect dome sizes or long-term wear and tear are the most common reasons a hearing aid gets stuck. Nano recommends replacing your hearing aids' domes every three months and updating your hearing tubes every six months. As with anything, proper maintenance is key to longevity.

In addition to offering ear domes in varying sizes, Nano Hearing Aids also provides a full line of accessories to help keep your devices in top working order.

Check out Nano's OTC Completely-in-Canal (CIC) hearing devices designed to sit comfortably and deeply in your ear canal to improve your hearing more discreetly. Available in two and four-program formats, these devices were recently re-engineered to offer the latest in background noise management and feedback management technology for clearer sound. Designed with user-friendliness in mind, they are easy to remove and come with an auto on/off function that activates when you take them out of or place them back into their charging case.

Nano Hearing Aids are FDA-registered, Class I devices designed for adults 18+ with perceived mild to moderate hearing impairment. Named a top ENT Solutions Provider in 2023, Nano prioritizes innovation and superior customer service, offering you 24/7 lifetime support.

And remember, always be prepared! Learn more about what to do if your hearing aid gets stuck, and check out Nano's Spring Into Better Hearing Sale for 25% off your purchase.

Click on the link in the summary to find out more.

Food fraud is nothing new, but for something like shilajit, you want to make sure you’re paying for the real deal. As with any kind of product, you may need to put a little work into researching vendors… But if you’re unsure of what to look for, NutroTonic will tell you everything you need to know about what makes a brand trustworthy.

If you’re a little late to the party, here’s a brief rundown of why shilajit has taken off. Shilajit is a rare, naturally occurring exudate that forms over centuries from decomposing vegetation. It is mainly found in the Himalayas, but additional sources include the Pamir Mountains, the Altai Mountains, and other Asiatic mountain regions. For thousands of years, shilajit has been a staple of folk remedies in traditional Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Tibetan medicine, where it was believed to rejuvenate the body and lengthen the lifespan.

In modern times, the phytocomplex has garnered worldwide attention due to extensive research into its properties. According to a study in the International Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, shilajit is rich in fulvic acid, a known antioxidant, as well as other humic substances; it also contains dozens of trace minerals, including selenium, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

For this reason, it is growing in popularity as an ingredient that can be added to foods and beverages, especially tea, coffee, smoothies, and sports drinks.

But this popularity is a double-edged sword for consumers. While shilajit is more widely available now, there are also a lot of lower-quality and counterfeit products out there, which NutroTonic says can be dangerous due to the presence of potential contaminants and additives. Of course, you can avoid these products simply by doing a bit of your own research into each vendor you come across.

One way you can assess authenticity is to look for third-party studies, reviews, and certifications that verify a vendor’s claims on their products. This is particularly important because shilajit may contain heavy metals, mycotoxins, and other harmful substances if not filtered rigorously and should be tested for safety by external sources. NutroTonic’s guide therefore recommends avoiding products sold by brands that are not transparent about testing.

Additionally, you should look for testimonials outside the brand’s platform. Some brands may use paid reviews, and you can expect those reviews to be biased.

To ensure you’re purchasing a high-quality product, NutroTonic’s guide says that you should choose shilajit that has been purified and sun-dried. However, it stresses that this information should be publicly available in third-party lab reports to be considered trustworthy.

As an expert in shilajit, NutroTonic also offers more specific product reviews on brands like Muscle Max, Pure Indian Foods, and more. If you want to arm yourself with knowledge and make informed decisions about your purchases, take a look at the resources they have to offer on their website.

Visit the link in the description to get started!

When asked what one positive thing the pandemic quarantines brought, many point to kick-starting the work-from-home phenomenon globally. C-level execs who used to force people to drive two hours to work during a blizzard are now somewhere in Bali, making it their home and, well, working from there.

If you're on the other side of the world thinking that maybe you should have applied for computer science in college, all's not lost. With Mina Vo Coaching, designing the life you want is possible through a program that will let you launch a profitable business from anywhere.

If your goal is to work anywhere in the world without an employer, then you need to have your own business—and this is where e-commerce comes into play. While definitely not a new concept, the sheer size of the e-commerce industry and its unrelenting growth means there are multiple ways you can benefit from it.

Serial entrepreneur Mina Vo uncovered some of these methods while building her own ventures, and as part of her personal mission to help struggling individuals by giving them a leg up, she is now sharing her discoveries with you.

By participating in Mina Happy Style's webinar, you will discover a fully turnkey system that will allow you to launch a business anywhere, even without prior business experience or a product to sell.

Besides launching a business with near-zero effort on your part, Mina Happy Style will also show you how to scale it using tools that Mina herself successfully used in building her own ventures. "We wanted to make this as turnkey as possible, so guesswork is no longer needed. Just follow the steps and you should be okay," she said.

The training also covers signature strategies developed by Mina's comminity for scaling a business and expanding its customer base. Case studies will be provided to give you an idea of how to apply these strategies in real-world scenarios.

Additionally, automation is included in Mina Vo Coaching's training modules, owing to recent advancements in artificial intelligence and its usefulness in operating e-commerce businesses independently. During the training, Mina will share her preferred automation tools and how best to use them to achieve an almost passive way of keeping a business running and generating revenue.

If you're tired of sending out resumes or trying to kick-start a small business and failing, it's high time you try something radically new but undeniably effective.

Click the link in the description to get started.

"The magic is in the list" – it's the kind of advice you see everywhere. Why? Well, email marketing is just that powerful. You get direct access to your customers, don't have to battle algorithms, and can build personal connections. But combining your email marketing efforts with AI helps you take your campaigns to the next level! With this guide from Business Startup Support, you'll discover Moonshot Premium – the ultimate resource to help with all this!

It's a newsletter for ambitious business owners wanting to scale through advanced digital marketing techniques. The membership is purposely limited to ensure that subscribers get maximum value.

As the company explains, "The Moonshot Premium Newsletter offers exclusive access to curated content on email marketing with AI that elevates your marketing strategies and insights. By joining, you become part of an elite circle of professionals who are committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and achieving extraordinary results."

When you sign up Moonshot Premium, you can learn lessons from top experts in AI and marketing, and join live Q&A sessions where you can ask specific questions about your marketing challenges and get personalized advice.

The newsletter also includes ready-to-use resources that improve marketing performance. Each edition features practical tips for better content that increases conversion rates - and you receive clear implementation steps you can apply to your own marketing campaigns.

The team notes that Moonshot Premium will remain a paid, invite-only newsletter to encourage the growth of a network of forward-thinking business owners committed to innovation.

Business Startup Support also shares AI marketing tips on its website for free! There is a range of guides explaining how you can use AI to analyze customer data for better audience segmentation and create content that connects with specific buyer personas. The site also covers AI applications for effective A/B testing and predicting customer behavior to develop personalized recommendations.

By following the tips provided, you can develop stronger email lists and create sustainable business growth through more effective digital marketing.

Combining your email marketing efforts with AI is the best way to hit your growth goals this year!

Check out the link in the description to take your business to the next level!