How PayPal Helped Two Friends Start the Business of Their Dreams

Jeff Becker and Helmut Wyzisk were friends throughout college and beyond. Like many friends, they always tossed around the idea of starting a business together. They stumbled on the perfect concept inspired by a shared frustration: their earbuds kept falling out during workouts. They decided they would invent an affordable attachment to make standard earbuds fit better. But could their idea become a reality? With the right tools, it was bound to be a success.

From Humble Beginnings

The friends started to raise capital in the same way a lot of entrepreneurs do: the crowdfunding site Indiegogo. They called their product, Earhoox. Within one month, they raised $10,000, and found they'd hit on a mass-market demand. In 2013, they then set their initial run at 1,000 Earhoox and sold them from Wyzisk's apartment. Their next step was to start an ecommerce site and modernize their outdated payment processing system. Knowing that PayPal has a strong reputation as a service that provides flexible payment options, simple setup, and seamless payment, they knew that it would be essential to get their business off the ground.

Love at First Payment

Their first PayPal payment was to the CAD designer who turned their sketch into a usable design file. The entrepreneurs found that PayPal was just what they needed to make all of their vendor transactions. Wyzisk says, "It was a trustworthy way to get them funds that both we and they felt comfortable with." Trustworthy indeed, as PayPal is used by more than 197 million active accounts. 1 The power of brand recognition makes business owners and customers rely on PayPal for protection against fraud. Becker and Wyzisk even benefited from PayPal's streamlined invoicing system: "When we started we didn't even have an invoicing system," Becker says. "It was really convenient to be able to send money via PayPal." PayPal sends customers an online invoice that they can pay directly via PayPal, credit card or debit card. In 2016, there were 1.8 billion PayPal transactions made.

Building Customers and Online Presence

Becker and Wyzisk then used PayPal Payments Standard to process their company's online card and PayPal payments. It was much simpler than their past system, which had so many forms, circuitous agreements, and credit checks. Wyzisk says, "It was by far the fastest choice for our business—our payments system was up and running in a day." PayPal is fast: You can add the PayPal button to your website and start accepting payments online in about 15 minutes. Their next goal was to maximize their online sales and increase their online presence. "A good payment processor helps you target people online," Becker says, "and the e-commerce channel was really where we wanted to put our focus." That targeting helps explain why up to 5.3% more customers are attracted to businesses that use PayPal than that those who do not. 2 Customers are looking for payment flexibility, and research shows that these new buyers will spend more and help contribute to your business's growth. PayPal has mobile app integration, too, which caters to the traveling entrepreneur. Becker says, "I do so much business from my phone, and PayPal is one of the apps I use most frequently." So far, they've sold over 70k online and in more than 1,000 stores around the world.

New Goals and Exceeded Expectations

When Wyzisk and Becker first started their business, they never considered it would go international. Now, they get orders from 84 countries. Wyzisk says that PayPal "gives us the confidence to ship large orders internationally because we know payment is imminent." PayPal lets you accept many different currencies securely from more than 200 markets without any wiring fees or wait time. The business trajectory of Earhoox was much more than its founders expected. And thanks in part to PayPal, they continue to grow today.

Simple friendships can grow into rewarding business partnerships. But the most critical member of that partnership is PayPal. If you're thinking about starting a lifelong dream of yours, consider PayPal for its transparent fee structure, payment method flexibility, and trusted reputation by entrepreneurs worldwide.

PayPal can be a trusted business partner, starting at $0 a month, and signup takes as little as 15 minutes! Follow this link to start accelerating your business with PayPal today.

1An active customer account is a registered account that successfully sent or received at least one payment or payment reversal through our Payments Platform, excluding transactions processed through our gateway and Paydiant products, in the past 12 months. 2As reported in Nielsen's Online Buyer Insights, which measured online & mobile purchasing behavior 52 weeks pre-/post-PayPal integration to calculate lift in net new customers who completed a purchase using PayPal. Weighted average results across a group of 15 small- and medium-sized merchants; findings are based on actual transactions, measured among ~39MM US Zip11 Households. Study completed January 2016. Advertisement

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Where to Donate to Support Afghanistan and Haiti

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NBC

Over the past month, both Haiti and Afghanistan have been pummeled by tragic disasters that left devastation in their wake.

In Haiti, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake erupted, leading over to 2,189 deaths and counting. A few hours later, in Afghanistan, Kabul fell to the Taliban just after U.S. troops had pulled out after 20 years of war.

In many ways, these disasters are both chillingly connected to US interference. The United States invaded Haiti in 1915, ostensibly promising to restore order after a presidential assassination but really intending to preserve the route to the Panama Canal and to defend US creditors, among other reasons.

But the US forces soon realized that they were not able to control the country alone, and so formed an army of Haitian enlistees, powered by US air power and intended to quell Haitian insurrection against US controls. Then, in 1934, the US pulled out on its own, disappointed with how slow progress was going. Haiti's institutions were never really able to rebuild themselves, leaving them immensely vulnerable to natural disasters.

Something similar happened in Afghanistan, where the US sent troops and supported an insurgent Afghan army – only to pull out, abandoning the country they left in ruins, with many Afghans supporting the Taliban.

In both cases, defense contractors benefited by far the most from the conflict, making billions in profits while civilians faced fallout and devastation. While the conflicts and circumstances are extremely different and while the US is obviously not solely to blame for either crisis, it's hard not to see the US-based roots of these disasters.

Today, in Haiti and Afghanistan, civilians are facing unimaginable tragedy.

Here are charities offering support in Afghanistan:

1. The International Rescue Committee is looking to raise $10 million to deliver aid directly to Afghanistan

2. CARE is matching donations for an Afghanistan relief fund. They are providing food, shelter, and water to families in need; a donation of $89.50 covers 1 family's emergency needs for a month.

3. Women for Women International is matching donations up to 500,000 for Afghan women, who will be facing unimaginable horrors under Taliban control.


4. AfghanAid offers support for people living in remote regions of Afghanistan.

5. VitalVoices supports female leaders and changemakers and survivors of gender-based violence around the world.

Here are charities offering support in Haiti:

1. Partners in Health has been working with Haiti for a long time, and they work with the Department of Health rather than around them, which is extremely important in a charity.

2. Health Equity International helps run Saint Boniface Hospital, a hospital in Haiti close to the earthquake's epicenter.

3. SOIL is an organization based Haiti, "a local organization with a track record of supporting after natural disasters." They are distributing hygiene kits and provisions on the ground to hospitals and to victims of the earthquake.

4. Hope for Haiti has been working in emergency response in Haiti for three decades, and their team is comprised of people who live and work in Haiti. They focus on supporting children and people in need across Haiti.

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How the Beyoncé and Jay Z Controversy Shows Gen Z's Money Priorities

via Tiffany & Co.

When the new Tiffany's campaign was unveiled, reactions were mixed.

Tiffany's, the iconic jewelry brand which does not (despite what some might be misled to believe) in fact serve breakfast, featured Jay Z, Beyoncé, and a rare Basquiat painting in their recent campaign.

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How to Save Money on a Road Trip

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Stacker.com

Road trips can be a lot of fun — but they can also drain your wallet quickly if you aren't careful.

From high gas costs and park admission fares to lodging and the price of eating out every night, the expenses can add up quickly. But at the same time, it's very possible to do road trips cheaply and efficiently. Without the headache of worrying about how much money you're leaking, you can enjoy the open road a whole lot more. Here's how to save money on a road trip.

1. Prepare Your Budget, Route, and Packing List in Advance

If you want to save money on a road trip, be sure you're ready to go. Try to count up all your expenses before you hit the road and create a budget. It's also a good idea to plan your route in advance so you don't end up taking unnecessary, gas-guzzling detours. And finally, be sure to pack in advance so you don't find yourself having to buy tons of things you forgot along the way.

2. Book Cheap Accommodations — Or Try Camping

All those motel rooms can add up surprisingly quick, but camping is often cheap or free, and it's a great way to get intimate with the place you're visiting. You can check the Bureau of Land Management's website for free campsites. Freecampsite.com also provides great information on If you don't have a tent or don't want to camp every night, try booking cheap Airbnbs or booking hotels in advance, making sure to compare prices.

Camping camping road tripConde Nast Traveler

If you're planning on sleeping in your car, a few tips: WalMart allows all-night parking, as do many 24-hour gyms. (Buying a membership to Planet Fitness or something like it also gives you a great place to stop, shower, and recharge while on the road).

3. Bring Food From Home

Don't go on a road trip expecting to subsist on fast food alone. You'll wind up feeling like shit, and it'll drain your pocketbook stunningly quickly. Instead, be sure to bring food from home. Consider buying a gas stove and a coffee pot for easy on-the-go meals, and make sure you bring substantial snacks to satiate midday or late night cravings so you can avoid getting those late night Mickey D's expeditions.

Try bringing your own cooler, filling it with easy stuff for breakfast and lunch — some bread and peanut butter and jelly will go a long way. Bring your own utensils, plates, and napkins, and avoid buying bottled water by packing some big water jugs and a reusable water bottle. Alternatively, try staying at hotels or Airbnbs with kitchens so you can cook there.

4. Avoid Tolls

Apps like Google Maps and Waze point out toll locations, so be sure to avoid those to save those pennies. (If it takes you too far off route, you might have to bite the bullet and drive across that expensive bridge).

You can also save on parking fees by using sites like Parkopedia.

Road Trip Road TripThe Orange Backpack


5. Save on Gas

Gas can get pricy incredibly fast, so be sure that you're stopping at cheap gas stations. Free apps like GasBuddy help you find the most affordable gas prices in the area. Also, try going the speed limit on the highways — anything faster will burn through your tank. Be sure that you don't wait till you arrive at touristy locations or big cities to fill up.

6. Get a National Park Pass

All those parks can get really expensive really fast. If you're planning on visiting three or more parks, it's a great idea to get an America the Beautiful National Parks Pass. For $80 you can get into every National Park for one year.

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