4 things I learned this month as a business writer

One of my favorite things about my job is learning. I am lucky enough to get paid to read. So, there is a variety of seemingly random knowledge I’ve accumulated.

People often ask me, “Are you an expert in this field?” Let me tell you a secret: my job is to learn your industry. Writing stays the same; only the subject changes.

Here are some weird, random, and oddly specific things I learned this month—all thanks to my profession as a business writer.

1) There are an estimated 40 million unpaid caregivers in the United States.

This statistic refers to individuals caring for their aging relatives. It’s hard work but an inevitable part of life. These are people with jobs, obligations, and family responsibilities. Can you imagine the stress?

The client I worked with was a superb in-home care provider. They seek to help these hard-working families with personalized care plans. They offer a lot of specialized care services. Normally, I’d link to them, but my work is currently under review.

2) Angry about the current mortgage rates? Try an interest-rate buydown!

I produce a monthly newsletter for a great Realtor named Stuart Pollard. I highly recommend subscribing to his newsletter as it provides very relevant information.

Many buyers are hesitant to purchase a home due to the high-interest rates. At 7%, who can blame them? However, Stu, his collaborators at Embrace Home Loans, and I take a hunt smarter, not harder approach.

An interest rate buydown is when the seller (usually through a seller subsidy) pays an upfront cost to reduce the interest rate on your mortgage. These buydowns can lower your rate for the initial 1-3 years of your mortgage.

If you’re curious, I recommend reaching out to my friend Stu or checking out Embrace Home Loan’s Deflate the Rate program. It is an excellent financial mechanism for helping people afford homeownership.

3) Can a solar panel system act as a battery backup during an outage? The answer is more nuanced.

One of my passions is renewable, clean energy—and I love writing for solar! Thanks to the good people at Bryant Digital, I can promote something I believe in.

Highly recommend them and their client, Convert Solar. But back to the question at hand! If I have a separate power system, I won’t be affected by power outages like my neighbors… right?

Like I said, it’s nuanced. There are two kinds of solar power systems: off-grid and grid-tied. If you’re off-grid, you’re producing all of your own power. Grid-tied means you are still connected to the utility company. Most systems, especially those in Virginia, are grid-tied.

Almost all systems have battery backups to store surplus energy. But what about cold winter nights? You’ll need to supplement your supply through the utility company.

Being grid-tied is a two-way street. If you can get power, you can give it. And that can pose a problem during a power outage. There are electricians working hard to repair the grid. If your solar system sends power down the line, they are working on… that is a recipe for electrocution.

So, grid-tied solar systems shut off during outages as a safety precaution.

4) Those in the optometrist industry are noticing increased eye damage, especially in younger kids.

I enjoy networking events. Earlier this month, I visited the Health and Wellness Leadshare. I sat in on Seema Mohanan's keynote presentation. Seema operates Optics & Eyecare.

As I understand it, an increase in screen time— mainly due to the pandemic— has led to an increase in eye-related issues. This is especially pervasive with young children. Most of their schooling was online. Since their eyes are still developing and growing, they are more susceptible to damage.

So, there is an increased need for eyeglasses, dry eye treatment, and a variety of eye-related care.

This is a subject I’d love to sink my teeth into. I would offer advice and treatment to help you care for your eyes. Right now, let me offer you the 20-20-20 rule. I owe this tip to Seema. After 20 minutes of screen time, close your eyes for 20 seconds, then look at something 20 feet away.

Hopefully, you learned something. I’m happy to share knowledge.

If you want to position yourself as an expert but are too busy running your business, let’s talk!

If you want clunky, inaccurate, and potentially plagiarized content, go to ChatGPT. But if you want well-researched, quality content— and a human collaborator— talk to me!

I’m the guy to call for clear, concise, and competent content. I’m more than a robot. I’m a partner!