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How to Protect Your Small Business From Potential Risks

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Experienced mentors can help entrepreneurs implement practical safeguards for your small business.

WASHINGTON, June 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Whether you’re starting a new business or your company has been up and running for a while, protecting the business you worked hard to build is essential. Unfortunately, in the excitement of managing a small business, many entrepreneurs skip over this very important consideration. As mentors to America’s small businesses, SCORE encourages entrepreneurs this National Safety Month to take proactive steps to protect your business from risk.

1. Find an accountant.
Even if you plan on doing business bookkeeping yourself, getting a good accountant is worth the price. Not only can they ensure you take advantage of any tax breaks, but they can also provide valuable advice on how to structure your business, the best way to finance business expansion, and how much you should pay yourself.

“One of the main reasons businesses fail is poor cash flow management,” said SCORE mentor Cheri Hoffman. “If you don’t have a ton of experience with accounting/bookkeeping, there are some things you need to know. The money you will spend for these professional services is worth it.”

2. Buy business insurance.
Most businesses need general liability insurance, which protects the business from a variety of claims that can arise from business operations. A business owner’s policy combines general liability with property coverage and is a popular solution for many small business owners. If you provide advice or professional services to customers, you may also need professional liability insurance, also known as E&O (errors and omissions) coverage. If you use a vehicle for business purposes, such as traveling to customers to perform services, transporting materials or people or delivering products, you will likely need commercial auto insurance.

3. Be smart about new customers and clients.
Small business owners can face cash flow issues due to late or unpaid invoices. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to mitigate the risk. Start with a contract. A written contract outlines the terms of your agreement, including the scope of work, the price, the payment terms and any deadlines. Consider having an attorney review your master contract template before customizing it for clients.

4. Plan ahead for when disaster strikes.
From an electrical fire that destroys your inventory to a natural disaster like a flood or hurricane, disaster can strike your business at any time. That’s why having a disaster plan for what you will do in an emergency is important. Create a plan and assign responsibilities for how to get employees and customers out of the building safely, what to do if a disaster keeps you and employees from getting to your business, and how you will keep running even if you can’t get to your physical location.

5. Protect your business data.
To protect your business from cyber threats, start by backing up your company data and documents and storing them securely. A cloud-based file storage solution keeps your data safe off-site and accessible no matter where you are. To protect your business from cybercrime and hackers, install appropriate firewalls, use business-grade computers and antivirus software, and train your employees in cyber security measures, such as creating strong passwords.

To help you assess and avoid potential risks for your small business, SCORE client Jackson Dalton, owner of Black Box Safety in El Cajon, Calif., recommends utilizing resources that are readily available. “Take all the free SBA and SCORE classes that you can and sign up for a SCORE mentor,” said Dalton. “Network with friends, family and acquaintances to find a reputable accountant and attorney, as they will keep you out of trouble.”

A SCORE mentor can help guide you in managing potential risks and protect your business. Find one today at score.org/find-mentor.

About SCORE:
Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 17 million entrepreneurs start, grow or successfully exit a business. SCORE’s 10,000 volunteers provide free, expert mentoring, resources and education in all 50 U.S. states and territories. Visit SCORE at www.score.org.

Funded [in part] through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

CONTACT:
SCORE
202-968-6428
media@score.org

Looking for a small business expert or owner for an upcoming media story? Email media@score.org to request an interview source.

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SOURCE SCORE

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Vestas Powers Up Vietnam’s Clean Energy Ambitions with Two New Projects Under PDP8 Totaling 16 Wind Turbines

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HANOI, Vietnam, Oct. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Vestas has been awarded contracts to supply its 16 new V163 wind turbines from the 4 MW Platform across two new wind farms in central Vietnam. In partnership with a reputable Vietnamese renewable energy developer with a significant portfolio, Vestas will expand proven track record of 1.6 gigawatts in Vietnam and strengthen the company’s role in driving the country’s wind energy growth.

Included in Vietnam’s Power Development Plan 8 (PDP8), these projects are among the first to secure investment licenses and proceed toward execution, supporting the country’s clean energy transition and its pathway toward net-zero emissions by 2050. The awards highlight growing momentum in Vietnam’s wind sector and demonstrate how advanced turbine technology can help unlock the next generation of projects under PDP8. Through higher hub heights, larger rotors and site-specific solutions, Vestas is helping developers improve project economics and maximise energy production in Vietnam’s wind conditions.

The 163 metre rotors will be the largest Vestas model deployed in Vietnam to date. Combined with tailor-made 155-metre hub height tower solutions, they are designed to maximise energy production and project performance for Vietnam’s wind conditions. Built on Vestas’ proven 4 MW platform, which already accounts for +88 GW of installed capacity globally and 1.6 GW of installed capacity in Vietnam, the solution combines increased energy yield with demonstrated operational performance and track record in the market. The projects will also be backed by 20-year AOM 5000 service and maintenance agreements, delivering long-term business case certainty and optimal operational performance.

“We are honoured by our customer’s confidence and proud to be supporting some of the first wind projects moving forward under PDP8. These projects demonstrate that the next generation of wind development in Vietnam can be enabled through innovative, proven technology and tailor-made solutions. With our V163-4 MW platform, 155-metre site specific hub height configuration and deep local expertise, Vestas is delivering a solution specifically designed for Vietnam’s evolving market needs. We remain committed to supporting the country’s energy security and helping our customers accelerate Vietnam’s clean energy transition,” Antoine CROIZE, Country Manager, Vestas Vietnam.

Vestas Backs Vietnam’s Local Employment
The two wind farms will be located near an existing hub of Vestas projects, extending long-term service employment in the region for decades to come.

Vestas’ wind turbine components are expected to begin delivery to Vietnam in 2027, with commissioning to follow.

About Vestas

Vestas is the energy industry’s global partner on sustainable energy solutions. We design, manufacture, install, and service onshore and offshore wind turbines across the globe, with more wind power capacity installed through time than anyone else. Through our industry-leading smart data capabilities and unparalleled wind turbines under service, we use data to interpret, forecast, and exploit wind resources and deliver best-in-class wind power solutions. Together with our customers, Vestas’ employees are bringing the world sustainable energy solutions to power a bright future.

For updated Vestas photographs and videos, please visit our media images page on:
https://www.vestas.com/en/media/images.

We invite you to learn more about Vestas by visiting our website at www.vestas.com and following us on our social media channels:

www.twitter.com/vestaswww.linkedin.com/company/vestaswww.facebook.com/vestaswww.instagram.com/vestaswww.youtube.com/vestashttps://plus.google.com/+vestas

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/vestas-powers-up-vietnams-clean-energy-ambitions-with-two-new-projects-under-pdp8-totaling-16-wind-turbines-302897045.html

SOURCE Vestas Asia Pacific

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China’s First Modern University Celebrates 131 Years of Excellence

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TIANJIN, China, Oct. 1, 2026 /CNW/ — On October 2, 2026, Tianjin University (TJU), China’s first modern university, celebrates its 131st anniversary. This milestone highlights TJU’s enduring legacy as a steadfast contributor to global innovation and social progress, consistently rising to meet the world’s most pressing challenges with visionary foresight and profound dedication.

Cultivating Visionaries for a New Era

TJU’s 131st year is defined by a profound commitment to cultivating visionary talent. The university, as the lead institution of the National Working Group on Emerging Engineering Education, has unveiled “TJU Plan 3.0”, a forward-looking framework for emerging engineering education designed to nurture future-ready talent.

Aligning with the evolution of future industries, TJU has strategically positioned itself across 11 frontier fields, including artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence. Furthermore, the university has pioneered China’s first undergraduate majors in brain-computer science and technology, as well as biomanufacturing.

To nurture top-tier young scholars, TJU introduced the “U35 Plan”. This initiative fast-tracks exceptional researchers under the age of 35 to full professorships, recognizing future potential and fostering a dynamic, youth-led research environment where brilliant minds can thrive.

From Laboratory to Lifesaving Impact

The convergence of national-level talents, industry experts, and leading enterprises has created a robust innovation ecosystem at TJU. This ecosystem has yielded landmark achievements. In medical technology, the “Shengong-Shengao” system became China’s first approved brain-computer interface (BCI) medical device for diagnosing cognitive impairment. Developed by a team led by Professor Liu Xiuyun, the system reduces diagnosis time for conditions like hydrocephalus from days to just 30 minutes. Additionally, more than 20 “Shengong” series devices have successfully transitioned from the laboratory to clinical wards, delivering tangible benefits to thousands of patients.

From high-precision measurement and energy storage technologies to national platforms like the National Facility for Earthquake Engineering Simulation, the ethos of “aiming for the highest scientific peaks while remaining deeply grounded in real-world needs” permeates the campus. This commitment was recognized in 2025, when TJU researchers were lead contributors to five National Science and Technology Awards.

Furthermore, the university’s academic excellence is recognized globally, with three disciplines–Chemistry, Engineering, and Materials Science–ranked in the global top 1‱ according to the Essential Science Indicators (ESI).

With a focus on strategic clusters, a talent-driven approach, and an unwavering commitment to human well-being, Tianjin University at 131 is not just celebrating its past–it is actively engineering a better future.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chinas-first-modern-university-celebrates-131-years-of-excellence-302897052.html

SOURCE Tianjin University

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Fundación BRAVA opens the international call for entries for the first edition of the BRAVA Awards to support emerging artistic talent

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Young talents aged between 19 and 30 from around the world will be able to submit their work until 27 October.

Application form for the awards: https://fundacionbrava.vform.io/

LONDON, Oct. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fundación BRAVA is opening the call for entries for the first edition of the BRAVA Awards, an international initiative created to identify, support and generate concrete opportunities for young artists at the early stages of their professional careers. The first edition is dedicated to painting and is open until 27 October to emerging artists aged 19 to 30 from around the world.

The BRAVA Awards are based on a simple reality: talent does not always have the same opportunities to develop and access the professional art circuit. The initiative therefore seeks to turn a one-off opportunity into meaningful support for selected artists, combining recognition with training, experience, professional contacts, visibility and new exhibition opportunities.

More than an award: comprehensive support for artists’ careers

Unlike a competition based solely on financial support, the BRAVA Awards combine financial incentives, training, professional mentoring, specialist assessment, international exposure and connections with professionals across the art sector.

The four awards offer different forms of support. The 1st Prize includes USD 5,000 and an eight-week international artist residency. The Uruguayan National Prize, exclusively for native Uruguayan artists, also includes USD 5,000 and an eight-week international artist residency. The 2nd Prize includes USD 3,000 and the 3rd Prize, USD 2,000.

Selected artists will also have opportunities to exhibit and circulate their work internationally through an exhibition programme throughout 2027. Planned venues include Galería Ruth Benzacar in Buenos Aires, Casa Vicens in Barcelona and Hotel & Spa Premium Locanda Cipriani in Punta del Este, with additional locations to be incorporated. The winning works will be exhibited in Punta del Este in January 2027 and may subsequently form part of international travelling exhibitions.

A first edition dedicated to painting

Participants must submit an original, previously unpublished work created between 2025 and 2026, following the techniques and dimensions established in the call. Registration is free and fully digital. Applicants must provide information about their work, a brief biography and three photographs. Only finalists will be required to send their work physically to Uruguay.

Finalists will be announced on 21 November 2026, with the finalists’ exhibition and winners’ announcement taking place in Punta del Este in January 2027. The evaluation process will be anonymous and confidential, without access to the artist’s identity, nationality or career background.

The BRAVA community and international jury

Beyond the awards, selected artists will join the BRAVA ecosystem and community, creating connections with other creators, gallery owners, curators, institutions and collectors. The international jury includes Patricia Bentancur (Uruguay), Mora Bacal (Argentina) and Chus Martínez (Switzerland), professionals with recognised careers in contemporary art.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fundacion-brava-opens-the-international-call-for-entries-for-the-first-edition-of-the-brava-awards-to-support-emerging-artistic-talent-302896612.html

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