AmiSights

If you’re taking a short-term loan to get through a temporary cash squeeze, pay close attention to how it’s structured. Do everything you can to make sure the repayment is a fixed amount — daily, weekly, or monthly. Why? Because if the repayment is structured as a variable percentage of your sales, you will eliminate your ability to refinance that debt with an SBA loan later. And refinancing into an SBA loan is often how businesses reduce payments to something manageable and

Remember six years ago at this time when there were rumblings of a deadly virus rapidly spreading that everybody needed to be cognizant about? Some people took it seriously and some didn't. And then within weeks the entire world changed. HyperWriteAI CEO Matt Shumer senses another seismic moment – this time in AI – and shares his thoughts about it in “Something Big Is Happening.” While big jumps in AI have happened intermittently over the past few years, Shumer says Feb. 5 wa

Have you ever thought about how humans are actually a lot like computers? Every once in a while, a computer needs a reboot. There’s nothing left to click. No setting to tweak. You just have to hit restart. You don’t always know exactly when it’s going to happen — but you know eventually, it will. The same thing happens to us. Late last week, I fried out. Didn’t see it coming. My system just shut down. People were asking what was wrong, if I was okay. Truth is, nothing was “wr

For centuries, family farms have been handed down to the next generation without missing a beat. Now that tradition is dwindling as rising costs, weak prices and a trade hit are straining farmers, and making the search for their successors harder than ever. The Wall Street Journal reports  that thousands of American farmers are shutting down farms that have been in their families for generations, either by selling to a larger entity or declaring bankruptcy. Children of farmer

“A friend made the suggestion to start a note in my phone called ‘good things are always happening to me’ and to purposefully find something to add to it every day. Absolute game changer.” It seems simple, but it quietly changes how you see your life. Instead of focusing on stress, mistakes, or what is missing, you begin training your mind to notice the good. A small win, a kind moment, a bit of progress. Over time, your perspective shifts, gratitude grows, and life feels lig

Partnerships rarely fall apart all at once. More often, they fray slowly. Small disagreements linger a little longer. Conversations feel heavier. Trust erodes just enough that uncertainty begins to fill the space. In a 50/50 partnership, that uncertainty can be especially destabilizing. There’s no natural tie-breaker, and when alignment slips, even minor issues can start to feel existential. I recently spoke with a business owner who finds himself in that exact place. The com

The honeymoon appears to be over for the American and Chinese economies. And the divorce looks to be messy. The Wall Street Journal reports  that since early 2024, Beijing in a concerted effort has allocated nearly $1 trillion to build self-sufficiency in agriculture, energy and the semiconductors that power its artificial-intelligence drive. The shift fulfills a longstanding Chinese ambition to no longer be a junior partner to the West. Although neither side wants to end all

In this week’s edition of the AmiSights Podcast , we’re thrilled to have Julie Zarr , Business Loan Advisor at MultiFunding , and her client, Jeffrey Peterson , CEO of The Wash , as our guests. They share the story of their collaboration, the deal they worked on together, and how the right guidance can make all the difference. Jeffrey’s journey is truly inspiring, and we’re honored to feature it. What happens when your “why” becomes the foundation of your business? Jeffrey tu

Don’t look now, but AI assistants now have their own Reddit-style forum – and are even talking to each other. The Wall Street Journal reports  that more than 1.6 million AI agents have joined a site called Moltbrook. Although there have been about a half a million comments posted on the forum, AI executives have suggested that many of the posts are likely driven by humans telling the bots what to do. Even so, some of it is real – which is impressive, if not a little spooky. F

"If standing up for yourself burns bridges, I have matches. We ride at dawn." There comes a time when staying quiet costs more than speaking up. Standing up for yourself is not always easy. It can feel uncomfortable, and sometimes it changes relationships. But choosing self-respect is never the wrong decision. Not every bridge is meant to last forever. Some are meant to teach you, strengthen you, and then be left behind. When you set boundaries, you are not being difficult. Y

Shoplifting plagues all retail stores, especially the big-box stores that are more difficult to patrol due to their sheer massive size. For example, Walmart loses roughly $3 billion each year to theft, according to GrabOn. Meanwhile, in September 2023, Target announced nine store closures across New York City, Seattle, San Francisco/Oakland, and Portland, Oregon, due to high levels of theft. The Street reports  that these giants have implemented such measures as beefing up se

I spoke with a borrower in a really tough spot recently. Cash is extremely tight, nerves are high, and they’re on the brink of taking a Merchant Cash Advance just to get through the next few weeks. Before jumping into expensive capital, we walked through the basics. They have $80k in receivables. First move: call every customer. Ask for early payment. Offer a small discount if needed. Turning receivables into cash is almost always cheaper than buying money. Next: get brutally

One thing I’ve learned over the years at MultiFunding is how important it is to be candid in the very first conversation with an entrepreneur about where they really are and their likelihood of getting financing. That’s not always fun. Sometimes I feel guilty, like I’m knocking down someone’s dream. But the truth is, being honest and direct upfront is actually doing them a better service. If they’re open to that feedback, it gives them the chance to recalibrate their plan and

Federal health officials are not only advising Americans to limit sugary drinks, they are also warning against artificial sweeteners, too. The Wall Street Journal reports  that new federal dietary guidelines recommend limiting artificial sweeteners, which include aspartame, acesulfame potassium and sucralose. A government report released in conjunction with the guidelines cited research linking the sweeteners to conditions such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. U

Imagine that you have been issued a U.S. green card, have been living and paying taxes in the U.S. for years, are working hard to buy your first business, and are deep into the process of getting an SBA loan. Based on a new ruling issued this past Monday, you are out of luck if that loan is not finalized and approved by March 1st. Small business owners need consistency from government lending programs. Clear rules—tough or not—allow them to plan and act, while sudden policy s