Drive into summer for as low as 3.82% APR!*

Thanks to advances in technology, shifts in business practices, and increasing demand for specialized services, the gig economy is growing faster than ever — the hardest part can be knowing how to get started.

Here are 5 practical steps for standing out from the crowd and transforming a part-time gig into a successful small business:
👉 Identify your skills & passion - Start with what you’re naturally good at.
👉 Choose the right platform – Pick a marketplace that aligns with your business model.
👉 Set up your business structure – Get legit by turning your side gig into a real business.
👉 Market yourself – Simple steps like posting on social media can help you connect with a wider audience of potential customers.
👉 Scale & automate – Once you start making a steady income, think about how to grow.

The days of needing a brick-and-mortar store or massive startup capital are behind us. With the gig economy in full swing, anyone with a skill, product, or passion can create a thriving business.

Read more at Financial Insights link in bio.

Bitcoin ATMs are machines that allow you to buy and/or sell Bitcoin, and a new scam involving them is growing in popularity..

The victim receives a phone call from someone who claims to work for an organization they are familiar with – it might be a financial institution, the federal government, or a commercial business. They provide the victim with serious-sounding information about a financial problem and instruct them to travel to a specific Bitcoin ATM. The victim then inputs an account number or scan a QR code (provided by the scammer) to deposit their cash into the machine.

Victims assume that their money is going toward paying off the urgent expense the scammer is telling them about, when really, their money is being stolen.

There are two easy steps you can take to keep yourself (and your money) safe from scams like this:

👉 Don’t answer messages from unknown sources. If you receive a call from a number you don’t recognize, let it go to voicemail first. If the voicemail directs you to contact a government agency or financial institution, instead of simply dialing the number that called you, look up the public-facing number for the entity. Using the official phone number of the entity is an easy way to ensure you’re getting in contact with the right people (instead of a scammer).

👉 Never listen to anyone demanding that you transfer money or pay for expenses through a cryptocurrency ATM. That’s a clear sign that something questionable is going on.

If you think that someone has targeted you using one of these scams, report it to the FTC Consumer Response Center by calling 877-382-4357.

Read more at the Financial Insights link in bio.

All Spero Financial locations will be closed tomorrow (6/19) in observance of Juneteenth. You can access your accounts 24/7 via MONEYLINK Online or the Spero Financial Mobile App.

Thank you for your membership, Marc! 💙