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Walmart have made moves towards creating its own cryptocurrency as well as a collection of non-fungible tokens known as NFTs.

The plans were revealed after the retail giant filed multiple trademarks at the end of last month which hinted at plans to create and sell virtual goods such as NFTs. Walmart has since stated that they intend to offer their customers use of a virtual currency, as well as a range of other virtual goods.

The plans by Walmart to move into the virtual world are a big indicator of where business and the retail industry in particular are headed. The new trademarks by Walmart follow Facebook’s change of name to Meta, which reflects the term ‘metaverse’ that basically describes a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connections.

As digital commerce continues to grow, the so-called ‘metaverse’ should open up lots of new opportunities for buyers and sellers to connect with each other in new and exciting ways. Small business owners can already massively benefit from the likes of offering buying options through their Instagram accounts, as well as using the variety of social media platforms to connect with existing customers and attract new ones.

Trademark attorney Josh Gerben spoke to CNBC News and described Walmart’s recent trademark filings as ‘super intense’, adding: “There is a lot of language in these, which shows that there’s a lot of planning going on behind the scenes about how they’re going to address cryptocurrency, how they’re going to address the metaverse and the virtual world that appears to be coming or that’s already here.”

While Walmart are yet to directly comment on the trademark filings, a statement released by Walmart did say that they were: “Continuously exploring how emerging technologies may shape future shopping experiences. We are testing new ideas all the time. Some ideas become products or services that make it to customers. And some we test, iterate and learn from.”

Walmart may be one of the biggest retailers moving into virtual currency, but they are not the first. Sports brands Adidas and Under Armour have already begun creating and selling NFTs, while Nike has also filed trademarks and revealed plans to offer virtual products to their customers.

Other clothing retailers like Abercrombie and Fitch and Urban Outfitters have also filed trademarks recently which indicate plans to open virtual stores offering virtual products.

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This article, "Walmart Considers Its Own Cryptocurrency and Selling NFTs" was first published on Small Business Trends

Read more: https://smallbiztrends.com/2022/01/walmart-news-cryptocurrency-selling-nfts.html

Even in the age of tablets and smartphones, printing is still very much a necessity for many businesses. Since their introduction in the 1970s, laser printers and toner cartridges have become a common part of many businesses, and for good reasons. Compared to ink cartridges, the toner cartridges produce sharper images at a faster speed thanks to laser printing technology. Toner cartridges also tend to be a little bit more expensive than ink cartridges, but they also last longer thanks to the laser efficient use by the printers. As mentioned, toner cartridges can be a bit costly, so we have done our best to bring you some of the best toner cartridges that you should consider for your laser printer.

Top Pick: If you are looking for dependable and high-performance HP toner cartridges, the 410A is certainly a good choice. This pack comes with four cartridges that are in four different colors – black, cyan, magenta, and yellow. Each cartridge can print up to 2,300 pages and they are compatible with seven different varieties of HP laser printers.

HP 410A | CF410A, CF411A, CF412A, CF413A | 4 Toner-Cartridges

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Runner Up: This 4-pack toner cartridge is compatible with a number of Canon imageClass printers including some older models. The toner produces crisp images with a total yield of about 6,900 pages. 1,500 pages for each of the three colors – yellow, cyan, magenta, and about 2,400 pages for the high-capacity black toner.

Canon Genuine Toner Bundle 131 (6270B007), 4 Pack

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Best Value: Protect your investment by buying the TN450 genuine black toner cartridge that’s compatible with more than ten Brother laser printers and all-in-ones. These toner replacement cartridges are engineered to work in seamless unison with your Brother laser printer. This toner cartridge can print approximately 2,600 pages.

Brother Genuine High Yield Toner Cartridge, TN450

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The TN760 is a highly rated black toner cartridge that seamlessly works in unison with nine Brother laser printers and all-in-ones to produce up to 3,000 pages of high-quality prints. These Brother toner cartridges are available in both single and double packs.

Brother Genuine High-Yield Black Toner Cartridge Twin Pack TN760 2Pk

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Produce vibrant prints on your laser printer using the Smart Print Supplies Black Toner Cartridge that’s compatible with the Xerox Phaser 3250 and 3250DN. The pack contains four cartridges with an approximate page yield of 5,000 pages. Smart Print Supplies also offers a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects.

Smart Print Supplies Compatible 106R01374 Black Toner Cartridge Replacement

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Ensure your printing is right every time with the HP toner cartridges. The 202A pack comes with three cartridges in three colors – cyan, magenta, and yellow. Each cartridge yields approximately 3,900 pages and they are compatible with four types of HP LaserJet Pro printers. You can add a black cartridge to your purchase for a more complete buy.

HP 202A | CF501A, CF502A, CF503A | 3 Toner-Cartridges |

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This pack includes four black, magenta, cyan, and yellow cartridges that are compatible with more than 10 HP printers. Each cartridge can produce up to 2,300 pages of crisp color prints which makes them a perfect choice for home, school, or office use.

TRUE IMAGE Compatible Toner Cartridge Replacement for HP 410A

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Choosing toner cartridges can seem like an easy process, but it is actually not that simple. You need to do some thorough research to ensure you get the right toner for your printer. But with hundreds of options to choose from, where do you start?

Here are a few things that you should consider when looking for the best toner cartridges for your printer.

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This article, "Toner Cartridges for Your Small Business" was first published on Small Business Trends

Read more: https://smallbiztrends.com/2022/01/toner-cartridges.html

The Council on Underserved Communities (CUC) has held its first virtual meeting to discuss efforts to boost America’s small businesses and align the priorities of the various contributing groups for the coming year.

The virtual meeting was led by Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and CUC chairman John W. Rogers, Jr. The meeting began with a presentation by Administrator Guzman after each of the 15 participating members had introduced themselves.

One of the main topics discussed during the SBA and CUC virtual meeting was the plan to expand equitable access to capital and resources for small businesses. This would include ‘opening doors of opportunity’ to the likes of contracting and procurement.

Other topics included catching up on the progress made on small business support structures under the Biden-Harris Administration, with CUC council and SBA program office members sharing views from the public. They also laid out their plan for the next two years, which involves focusing on amplifying the SBA’s programs and messages with the aim of creating the more equitable access to capital and resources.

SBA Administrator Guzman was excited for the CUC and SBA to reconvene and continue their efforts to support small businesses in America, saying: “I’m excited for this kick-off as the CUC and its important mission align perfectly with the core of what we came here to do at the SBA and across the federal government in the Biden-Harris Administration: Ensure our economy works for everyone so that we can build wealth in communities across America, and strengthen our global competitiveness.

“I am hopeful in 2022 as I believe the SBA is strongly positioned to deliver on President Biden’s commitment to equity. And I know the CUC can be an impactful advisory group to advance the SBA’s work to meet our small businesses and entrepreneurs where they are and provide them with the capital, opportunities, knowledge, and networks to start and grow their American dream and build resilience, regardless of demographic.”

The CUC Chairman John W. Rogers, Jr. also expressed his eagerness to work with Administrator Guzman and the White House to expand equitable access to both capital and customers. Their coordination should make it much easier for small and diverse-owned businesses to grow and expand. He also gave his vote of confidence to the CUC’s ability to come up with ‘creative and impactful ideas’ with which to advise the Small Business Administration.

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This article, "SBA Hosts First Conference to Address Boosting Small Business in Underserved Communities" was first published on Small Business Trends

Read more: https://smallbiztrends.com/2022/01/sba-conference-small-business-underserved-communities-equity.html

Whether you’re a student or a professional looking to advance your career, you need a web presence. For many, that could be a blog or a personal website, but creative professionals need to showcase their work.

Particularly when freelancing, it’s vital to display work samples to attract potential clients. Therefore, creative professionals establish online work portfolios to generate gigs and drive their careers. And this means learning how to sell yourself as a freelancer.

What is an online work portfolio? It’s a website that displays images of or links to a professional’s or student’s work samples. Some online work portfolios are simple and consist of a basic gallery of work on a single web page, while others are sophisticated websites with a variety of pages showcasing different aspects of a career.

Online work portfolios are commonly displayed by creative professionals such as artists, designers and writers, but career-minded individuals from a variety of fields also now take advantage of the resource.

Looking to establish a new online portfolio but unsure where to begin? Perhaps you have a basic digital portfolio on the internet, but want to upgrade to a professional portfolio website. It can be challenging to determine exactly what to include and how to design an effective online portfolio, but the following portfolio examples should help:

Freelance web designer Sean Halpin showcases his work in an interactive digital portfolio. Haplin’s web design portfolio consists of a simple yet engaging structure, consistent with the services he’s promoting.

In his impressive digital product design portfolio, Johny Vino showcases his skills designing digital products with an interactive design. Users can choose between viewing the portfolio website in light or dark mode, and the bold typography and design elements are sure to capture attention.

On his portfolio site, freelance web design professional Moritz Petersen displays more than his work samples. Petersen’s website employs vivid images and even engaging infographics to communicate his aptitude as a web designer, and the web design portfolio site even features its own FAQ section.

Artist, photographer and social media consultant Tasha Meys showcases her photographs in a well-designed portfolio, but her own website isn’t limited to photos. Meys’ portfolio website also features a blog and an online store where fans can purchase her work.

Lotta Nieminen is an illustrator and graphic designer whose portfolio website attracts potential clients with vivid design examples and representations of her work. The graphic design portfolio features large, bold and brightly-colored images depicting Nieminen’s designs, with minimal description as the work speaks for itself.

Award-winning creative producer Taha Khan showcases his work in an effective online portfolio. The portfolio website illustrates Khan’s titles with vivid photographs that will capture visitors’ attention. His website also effectively features the various awards Khan has received for his creative endeavors.

Edna Cerrillos‘ well-designed portfolio website is just what one might expect from a professional designer. The UX/UI designer not only engages site visitors with vivid photos, but she skillfully links each image to a further description of the project.

Journalists and freelance writers could have a more difficult time visually showcasing work on their portfolio websites, but author Kristin Wong strategically meets that challenge with her portfolio website. Wong employs logos and thumbnail images to illustrate her entries, each linking to the associated written work.

Cinematographer Daniel Grindrod‘s digital portfolio captures potential clients’ attention from the start with an engaging full-screen video. Like other portfolio websites, the page has sections for his work, both video and still photography versions, as well as a blog and contact information.

Bestselling author John Green‘s online portfolio website not only describes and links to his written works, but the books also are sold on the site. Like some other portfolio websites, Green’s website also features his bio, a blog and links to his appearances on a variety of other platforms.

As one might expect from an artist’s portfolio website, Anna Ellenberger‘s digital portfolio features large, vivid images showcasing her designs. Ellenberger’s website also links to her social media profiles, contains her bio and includes a section where patrons can purchase her artwork.

Josh Kaufman is a bestselling author whose personal website showcases his various projects. Visitors to Kaufman’s site can read his various published essays and guides, and the site links to another page where his bestselling book is sold. The strong portfolio website’s simplistic design allows Kaufman clearly to highlight his work.

Multitalented professionals such as Sean O’Connor might have accomplishments that can’t be displayed in a basic online portfolio, but that doesn’t mean none of them can. O’Connor’s portfolio showcases his written works and speaking engagements, while focusing on his blockchain expertise.

Ali Abdaal is a doctor, YouTube content creator and podcast host whose digital portfolio displays his latest episodes. Abdaal’s portfolio website also showcases courses and articles he has written, as well as his professional bio.

Landing pages like that of essayist Taylor Pearson‘s portfolio website clearly direct visitors what he can do for prospective clients. The site also features a separate page with an expansive, chronological list of Pearson’s published works, linking to each essay. Visitors to Pearson’s website even can sign up to receive his newsletter.

Need more portfolio design inspiration for your website? Plenty of professionals attract potential clients and display their work and accomplishments through simple online portfolios. The following portfolio sites can help you determine your own design process:

Aja Frost is an SEO specialist for Spotify, and she displays her content strategy work in an effective personal portfolio. Frost’s portfolio page graphically represents her work using publication logos, which link to her publications on external websites. The site also clearly describes Frost’s services and links to her social media presence.

Sometimes a one-page portfolio is efficient to successfully showcase work. In her graphic design portfolio, illustrator Ashley Diers‘s site showcases her design portfolio examples to attract potential employers and clients with a minimalist approach. Each successful project appears on the landing page in a clear and straightforward manner.

Portfolio websites don’t have to be all business. In addition to showcasing his work, photographer Martin Boehme displays his personal hobbies, interests and other pursuits. Visitors to Boehme’s website get a sense of who the artist is as a human, not just as a professional. The personal website features a simple design, and an ample use of white space helps to highlight the page’s content.

Maria la Portuguesa‘s website is an excellent example of an effective graphic design portfolio. Portuguesa’s design portfolio features graphical representations of her work that links to separate pages showcasing the actual designs, keeping visitors engaged with the site. Designs stand out from the page thanks to an ample use of white space.

Among design portfolios, Allison Bratnick‘s is another great example. A gallery of Bratnick’s designs appears on a single landing page, so prospective clients instantly know what to expect from the artist. The online portfolio also features a simple professional bio, introducing the world to the designer.

Digital art director Yul Moreau boasts a unique portfolio website that successfully grabs visitor’s attention in an instant. The animated landing page introduces Moreau before inviting viewers to scroll through a page filled with impressive design examples, illustrated with vivid photos and engaging videos.

Freelancer Dann Petty also employs engaging animation on the landing page of his web design portfolio website. Petty’s website then links to pages filled with design portfolios for his work in web design, mobile app design and video projects, illustrated by screenshots of each project.

Product designer Carmeron Ward showcases his work in a simple online portfolio. Visitors are introduced to the designer, before scrolling through a series of his designs displayed along one side of the page. By clicking on any of the work examples, viewers are transported to a page dedicated to each project, complete with a detailed description.

Graphic designers Ling K.‘s simple and straightforward digital portfolio features a basic gallery of her work. The colorful photos capture visitors’ attention before linking to separate web pages with full descriptions of each project.

Another great example of an effective and engaging design portfolio is the website for Apple’s Adrian Zumbrunnen. Before showcasing his design portfolio examples, Zumbrunnen describes his passion to “create emotional experiences at the intersection of art, design, and AI.” In addition to a gallery of his designs, the website features a clear contact form to communicate with the designer.

So, you’ve looked at some of the best design portfolio examples, but you aren’t sure how to design your own? Every professional wants to see their digital portfolio stand out, highlight key elements with a sleek website design and contain content that attracts search engines.

At the same time, it’s important to remember the primary objective of a portfolio website: to showcase individual projects and provide contact details. Fortunately, even amateur web designers can build engaging and effective online portfolios by relying on the following software tools:

Professionals can design their own interactive websites quickly and easily using Adobe Portfolio, software that comes free with the Adobe Creative Cloud plan in the company’s creative studio. Just choose a design template and customize it with your content, including your own domain name.

Fabrik is an online platform designed to creative professionals showcase their best work examples. The website design studio was curated from London’s film and design industries and offers more than 9,000 layout combinations across various themes. Artists and designers can edit their layouts at any time without impacting the display of their work.

Coroflot is more than website design software. The platform consists of an online community of designers that connects freelancers with clients. Not only does Coroflot feature plenty of job openings and opportunities for freelance designers, but users can build their own online portfolio to display different projects on the platform.

Squarespace offers inexperienced designers the opportunity to create a professional-quality online portfolio. It’s customizable layouts are designed with a simple drag-and-drop theme… no coding required! Squarespace also offers users the ability to track their audiences and boost their social media followings.

Behance is known as a go-to website for creative professionals to showcase their portfolio work. The free website design studio based on visualization makes it simple for artists, designers, photographers and the like to display beautiful galleries of their projects. The platform also allows designers to receive valuable feedback from fellow professionals.

Freelancers, small business owners and professionals from all backgrounds can let their work speak for itself with a portfolio designed using Wix. The platform allows anyone to create a personal website, but its features are catered to designers. The portfolio design website is free, but it offers premium features to its users.

Artists, designers and other visual creatives can showcase their work in a community of other creative professionals using Dribbble. While other platforms allow users to display completed words, Dribbble also allows them to showcase works in progress, allowing artists to draw attention while they are still creating works.

Almost 2 million great portfolios have been designed using Carbonmade, where professionals can design an effective digital portfolio in just minutes using a convenient drag-and-drop feature. It’s simple for anyone to create a new website for free, and they can choose to upgrade to paid options that allow for customizable domain names, additional content and more.

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This article, "30 Portfolio Examples for Freelancers" was first published on Small Business Trends

Read more: https://smallbiztrends.com/2022/01/portfolio-examples.html