Business
Build Your Own Future – Interview With Ram Media Group Founder Nehemiah Burney-Porter
Published
6 years agoon
By
Jie KuangJobs are difficult to come by for millennials, so it’s no surprise that many create jobs for themselves as entrepreneurs. Launching a company is not as easy as it sounds and requires tons of hard work, but the rewards are incomparable. With more and more people aspiring to become entrepreneurs instead of working a 9-5, there may be some questions that are overlooked in the process. To give a clear look into the life of an entrepreneur, we connected with Nehemiah Burney-Porter, Founder of Ram Media Group. He runs a digital marketing agency that specializes in maximizing marketing ROI and measuring content effectiveness. Nehemiah recognized value and demand in digital marketing early on, giving him a head start in the industry. He was able to give insight into building a business and what you have to do in order to differentiate yourself from your competitors.
What are some surprises that have risen after the start of your own business?
Honestly, the biggest surprise for me was the amount of legal and tax paperwork that was needed to make the company legitimate. Everything from insurance, corporate quarterly tax reporting and the legal aspects of registering for an LLC. Not to mention figuring out how to pay myself and separate the two incomes. You go from working your job from 9 to 5 and then going home, to having to be an accountant, HR manager and salesperson in your non-working hours.
Another surprise was realizing how fluid I needed to be in my product offerings. I went into business thinking I would just sell my Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics reporting expertise like I did when I was consulting for other companies. But I quickly realized that if I wanted to continue relationships with these clients that I would have to be their go to for any new supplemental tools they were looking at getting into. Essentially, I was already a SME (Subject Matter Expert) at the reporting sides of Google and Adobe but most of these companies need an data strategy SME who is tool agnostic. In less than a year, I had to learn the pros and cons and how to implement at an enterprise level close to 20 different tools all ranging from cloud based data lakes to machine learning implementations.
What are some risks that you have had to take when starting your own business?
The biggest risk that I take over and over again is putting my name or brand on the line to prove my value as an expert. In my industry, people aren’t paying you to get work done, but instead they’re essentially paying you to know more than them on a specific subject. Because of this I find myself going toe-to-toe with very intelligent and powerful people within these companies. And if I’m wrong about something, that’s it. There’s no training or conference they will send me to to get smart on a subject. That contract would be cancelled and they’ll get someone else in there.
I also picked up and moved my life when I signed my first major client because they were 2 hours away and I needed to give them a lot of face time. Its unnerving putting everything on the line with no real safety net. Knowing if it doesn’t work out I would have to move again, or downgrade my life a bit to make ends meet. But honestly that became sort of a driving force for me. Knowing how easily I can lose everything makes me work even harder to stay ahead in this industry.
Have you had to ever make an irrational decision to safeguard your business?
Yes. Before when my biggest client wasn’t enough to go full time with, I got wind that one of my smaller clients were thinking about switching providers so they could get more face time or whatever. Work was good and they were happy with results, but there’s something about southern culture that they want to see you every once in awhile. Anyway, they were meeting with a local agency the next day out in Houston (or so I thought). I bought a last minute plane ticket and popped into their offices to take him to lunch. Come to find out, once I landed I get an email telling me he was working out of the florida offices. So I bought another ticket and that lunch became dinner. Well $1300 and many hours later I was able to keep that $400 a month client. The worst part was a couple of months later I had to let that client go to make time for a bigger one. I don’t know if it all was worth it.
How do you enter an industry and make a lasting impression?
To put it simply, do good work. I was lucky enough to be doing the same exact work for a number of different companies before I branched out on my own. I was already getting recruiting calls on a regular basis and I changed those to sales leads. The Philadelphia data analytics industry is a pretty small tight knit community. So by doing well at a number of different companies, word spreads. The problem is Nehemiah Burney-Porter is already a proven data analyst and business strategist with a strong resume. But Ram Media Group isn’t. That’s the part I haven’t figured out yet. How to take the name that I built for myself in this industry and get my company name to outshine that.
Why do you think business owners fail more frequently?
In my experience, people don’t market themselves well enough to stay afloat. You can have a great product but at the end of the day you need people to buy into whatever you’re selling. It’s not easy and at times you can start to take rejection personally. But once you find your niche or specific target demographic it becomes easier. Or you may have to be open to change the product somewhat to give it an edge. At first I thought I knew my target (smaller ecommerce companies just starting to get into online sales). And I was missing left and right. But then I kept signing large services based companies. The work changed significantly and the pressure of perfection was significantly higher and not exactly what I wanted. But I adjusted and kept working. Learning from failure is a big necessity when trying to go out on your own. A “no” isn’t an “I don’t need this product.” It’s an “I don’t need your version of this product.” Your job as an owner is to figure out and produce what version sells.
Owning a business is not easy, what recommendations would you make to an aspiring business owner?
The biggest mistake you can make when starting out is trying to make something that everyone thinks is great. Find the people you want to sell to and listen to them. A lot of people that have nothing to do with your offerings may try to give you advice, but from a business standpoint they’re not important. Take failure as a learning experience and the biggest thing is don’t give up. There is A LOT you will have to learn along the way that may not have anything to do with your main product but everything to do with running a business. Lastly, you don’t have to be ahead of all the competition, just ahead of your clients’ needs.
Jie writes about influencers and startups in various industries. She is a designer turned techie, and when she is not writing, you can find her in her workshop working on her next big project.

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Business
Top 10 Best Places to Buy a Mid Century Modern Office Chair
Published
3 days agoon
July 4, 2025What was once old is new again: mid century modern is back in style. From architecture to furniture, the postwar look is in, and the hype extends all the way to office chairs.
Do you need a mid century modern office chair in your life? If so, there’s plenty to choose from. Your office chair should be tailored to your style, whether you like luxury, utility, or something in between.
That’s why we’ve put together our 10 favorite places to find your ideal mid century modern office chair.
What is mid century modern design?
After World War II, spirits were high in the US, and new technology was taking the country by storm. Mid century modern refers to the design concepts that came about during this time.
As opposed to the frilly, ornate designs of classical furnishings, mid century modern designs are angular, material, and functional. Wood is a common design element, especially teak. Mid century modern furniture may also have materials like glass, vinyl, and metal. Designs are simple and geometric, with bold accent colors to make them pop.
The mid century modern aesthetic never really went away, but it’s made a noted comeback in recent years. Some have chalked it up to Boomer and Gen X nostalgia, others point to mid-century-set shows like Mad Men and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Why should I buy a mid century modern office chair?
Mid century modern is the perfect fusion of style and utility. If you want to cultivate an office space that commands respect without being ostentatious, mid century modern is the style for you.
When it comes to office chairs, an MCM one is often made with sturdy wood and vinyl. They combine the ergonomics of a modern office chair with old-fashioned grace.
If you’re concerned with utility and utility only, a more bog-standard office chair may suit you. But a mid century modern office chair is great for someone who wants to wow colleagues with a mature, thoughtful business space.
Where can I get a mid century modern office chair?
1) Wayfair
When it comes to furniture, Wayfair offers the best of both worlds. Their goods, including their mid century modern office chairs, are stylish and affordable. You can get a sturdy task chair for less than $100 or a more distinguished seat for less than $350.
MCM office chair examples: Dovray ($126), Bradford ($139), Lithonia ($133)
2) France & Son
Wayfair’s chairs are affordable, but France & Son is the perfect option for luxury shoppers. Their mid century modern office chairs are robust and sleekly designed. If you dress to impress and enjoy the finer things in life, these are the chairs for you.
MCM office chair example: Brooks ($695)
3) Houzz
Started as a community for people to share home decor tips, Houzz has become a great ecommerce platform for finding stylish furniture. They’re more known for home decor than desk chairs, but they have plenty of great, affordable finds if you know where to look.
MCM office chair examples: Arvilla ($173), Rathburn ($259)
4) Laura Davidson
The Laura Davidson collection offers a fairly limited selection of classic office furniture. Still, there’s a reason they’re trusted by big-wigs like Apple, Disney, and Salesforce. Their chairs are sturdy and beautifully designed, reimagining classic Eames and Knoll designs.
MCM office chair examples: Rockefeller ($275), SOHO II Soft Pad ($450)
5) Icons of Manhattan
Icons of Manhattan has a simple philosophy: do one thing, and do it right. Their office chairs are handcrafted from premium materials and tailored to a mid-century modern style. If you want that Mad Men energy in your office (hopefully with a lot less angst), these are the chairs for you.
MCM office chair example: Ribbed Medium ($219)
6) Amazon
Yes, the internet’s premier shopping destination has a robust collection of mid century modern office chairs. Like with most products, their selection of seats is vast and can be hit or miss. Still, they’ve got stunning chairs available for any style, whether you care about comfort, class, or ergonomics.
MCM office chair examples: IDS Home Modern ($219), Art Leon MCM Swivel ($139)
7) AllModern
AllModern’s collection of desk chairs and other furniture truly embodies the mid century modern spirit. Their work is tight, angular, and functional above all. They’re part of the Wayfair family and they traffic in a number of modern styles, but their sleek chairs are perfect for any mid century modern space.
MCM office chair examples: Frederick ($229), Kealey ($349)
8) Overstock
Overstock is known as a one-stop shop for quality home goods at sub-wholesale prices. If you want a spiffy mid century modern office chair that won’t break the bank, they’re the first place to look. While they’re somewhat less reliable than the more upscale platforms on this list, their selection is massive.
MCM office chair example: Joseph Modern ($163)
9) Walmart
Hayneedle’s selection of mid-century modern office chairs falls somewhere between the minimal Laura Davidson and the endless Amazon catalog. Their array of mid-century designs is affordable and versatile, with chairs that match almost any style. While they may be part of the Walmart family, these chairs are anything but second-rate.
MCM office chair example: Waleaf ($97)
10) Target
Why splurge when you can save? As usual, Target is a hidden gem, offering a sturdy selection of mid century modern office chairs for some of the cheapest prices out there. Many of the chairs they offer are from the same designers as these other stores—Christopher Knight, LumiSource, Armen Living, etc.—at reduced prices.
MCM office chair example: Lombardi ($136)
A quality payroll service is one of the most invaluable tools any entrepreneur can have. Whether you’re a small business owner or an HR manager, paying your employees on time is crucial. This makes choosing a service even more weighty, after all, it is a heavy administrative burden. The good thing is, you can outsource this duty to an online payroll processor.
According to statistics, 49% of workers begin a new job search after just two paycheck errors, and with 65% of workers living paycheck to paycheck, it’s more important than ever to ensure an efficient, effective payroll process.
These services can save you precious time and mitigate potential issues. To make it easy for you to choose, we listed the best online payroll services for 2025.
Top 5 Online Payroll Services
Gusto
Gusto is a great option for both new and experienced payroll administrators, boasting an incredibly clean user interface and a first-rate payroll setup. Gusto lets you manage your employee’s time off (vacation and sick pay), company health insurance, and worker’s comp. Gusto offers excellent mobile access, too. This allows employees to manage aspects of their Gusto profiles, view payday insights, and access Gusto Wallet financial tools.
Gusto offers four tiers of membership, the most affordable of which is the Contractor’s Only plan, which offers unlimited U.S.-based and global contractor payments, supporting more than 100 countries, plus 1099 creation and filing at a rate of $6 per person per month with no base price.
The other three are Simple, Plus, and Premium. Here’s a deeper look into each plan:
Simple
Price:
$40/mo + $6/mo per person
Plan details:
- Full-service single-state payroll including W-2s and 1099s
- Employee profiles and self-service
- Basic hiring and onboarding tools
- Gusto-brokered health insurance administration
- Employee financial benefits
- Payroll and time-off reports
- Custom admin permissions
- Integrations for accounting, time tracking, expense management, and more
Plus
Price:
$80/mo + $12/mo per person
Plan details:
(All Simple plan features +)
- Full-service multi-state payroll including W-2s and 1099s
- Next-day direct deposit
- Advanced hiring and onboarding tools
- PTO management and policies
- Time tracking and project tracking
- Workforce costing and custom reports
- Team management tools
- Full support
Premium
Price:
Bespoke pricing, reach out for a personalized quote
Plan details:
(All Plus plan features +)
- HR Resource Center
- Compliance alerts
- Access to certified HR experts
- Full-service payroll migration and account setup
- Health insurance broker integration
- R&D tax credit discount
- Waived fees and exclusive pricing
- Performance reviews
- Employee surveys and insights
- Dedicated support
QuickBooks Online Payroll
Founded in 1983, Intuit is a California-based financial software company. Since its inception, Intuit has developed into one of the best-known providers of accounting software. Their online payroll service, QuickBooks, includes the essential features you need to run payroll.
QuickBooks offers three tiers of membership. The least expensive membership covers basic accounting features, such as invoices. For more features, check out the Essentials and Plus memberships. Each plan’s features are as follows:
QuickBooks Simple Start (2025)
- Price: $38/month for 1 user
- Best for: Freelancers and small teams with basic payroll needs
Features:
- Automated bookkeeping
- 5 free ACH bank transfers/mo for bills
QuickBooks Essentials (2025)
- Price: $75/month for 3 users
- Best for: Small businesses needing deeper financial tracking
Features:
- Includes all Simple Start features, plus:
- Recurring invoices
QuickBooks Plus (2025)
- Price: $115/month for 5 users
- Best for: Growing businesses with HR and compliance needs
Features:
- Includes all Essentials features, plus:
- AI-powered profit & loss insights
- Anomaly detection and resolution
- Budgeting
QuickBooks Advanced (2025)
- Price: $275/month for 25 users
- Best for: Established businesses with HR and compliance needs
Features:
- Includes all Plus features, plus:
- Custom user management and permissions
- Custom report builder
- Data sync with Excel
- Revenue recognition
- Forecasting
OnPay
OnPay is a cloud-based full-service payroll processing system capable of running payroll according to a preset schedule, automatically disbursing wages, and calculating and withholding taxes.
OnPay can sync up with several other software your team is already using, making it easy to integrate the service into your team’s system. Another benefit of OnPays model is the simple, transparent pricing structure. No tiers; just one base rate.
Pricing:
$49/mo + $6/mo per employee
SurePayroll
SurePayroll’s award-winning service supports W-2 employees and 1099 contractors. Additionally, it handles 401(k) deductions and manages flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA).
SurePayroll also offers a mobile app— available on both Apple and Android devices.
SurePayroll offers live support through its United States-based support team through chat, email, or phone.
Small Business Payroll
- Price: No Tax Filing: $20/month + $4 per employee, Full Service: $29/month + $7 per employee
- Best for: Small businesses and startups
Features:
- We file and deposit your federal and state taxes!
- Run payroll in 3 simple steps
- Schedule payroll to run automatically
- Unlimited payroll runs and free 2-day direct deposit
- Reports and pay stubs are available online 24/7
- Supports W-2 employees and 1099 contractors
Nanny & Household Payroll
- Price: Full-Service Household, $39/month, includes 1 employee, $10 per additional employee
Best for: Homeowners
Features:
- Signature-ready Schedule H
- We file & deposit your federal and state taxes!
- Run payroll in 3 simple steps
- Schedule payroll to run automatically
- Unlimited payroll runs and free 2-day direct deposit
- Reports & paystubs available online 24/7
- Supports W-2 employees & 1099 contractors
Be sure to choose a payroll service that works for your business, and provides you with the peace of mind that comes with a reliable bookkeeping system. Your employees will thank you.
Merck is currently in talks to acquire Seagen, a biotech company. The Wall Street Journal reports that the transaction is valued at $40 billion. And what happens if Merck acquires Seagen, and how would this acquisition benefit cancer research and treatment? Read more about the Merck Seagen buyout here.
Merck Seagen Buyout
Merck and Seagen are still deciding on their share prices. So far, talks have yet to reach an agreement on $200 per share. Both companies want to settle and finalize their deals before Merck announces its quarterly earnings on July 28. At the time of writing, Seagen’s stock was at $176.19.
With an estimated market value of $235 billion, Merck is looking to expand its presence in the cancer treatment space. The Merck Seagen Buyout could play a major role in that strategy. Since Seagen specializes in targeted cancer therapies, the acquisition would give Merck access to a broader range of oncology products.
Shareholder reactions to the new deal are overwhelmingly positive, and the stocks have been up since talks about the deal have been made public.
But this is not the first time that Merck and Seagen have made the news. Back in 2020, they collaborated because of cancer treatments. Seagen has a drug conjugate (ladiratuzumab vedotin) which would be used in conjunction with Merck’s Keytruda.
Merck reveals that Keytruda is its highest-selling product. It’s immunotherapy for cancer.
And this deal could help Merck offset the possibility of reduced sales because it will lose patent protection in 2028.
As promising as this deal is, there could be scrutiny from antitrust officials since there might be a litigation case from the Federal Trade Commission or Justice Department.
The Seagen buyout isn’t the only deal Merck has made recently. They’ve been busy closing another deal, but with Orion too.
Seagen
As a cancer biotech company, Seagen has therapies to ensure that patients benefit from the treatment and reduce any adverse side effects. Their treatments involve the therapy attacking tumors with toxins.
Merck partnering with Seagen isn’t a bad idea considering that Seagen made $1.4 billion in sales in 2021, most of it coming from Adcetris and Padcev (a treatment for urothelial cancers).
Merck-Orion Deal
In the middle of the Merck Seagen Buyout, Merck has recently partnered with Orion for the ODM-208 and other drugs. These drugs are related to the production of steroids. Orion found how it can combat hormone-dependent cancers and further developed this inhibitor.
Their deal includes that they should develop ODM-208 and promote it to the public together. And Orion will receive a $290 million payment from Merck.
Although they’re co-developing and marketing the new inhibitor, Orion will oversee the manufacturing side.
Co-developing the ODM-208 can help Merck with its current research and treatments for prostate cancer. President and CEO of Orion, Timo Lappalainen, says that this partnership will benefit Merck’s goals of treating cancer worldwide.
Other Ventures: Merck’s Role in the Pandemic
You may have heard about COVID-19 pills, which are a form of treatment for those diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19. Merck introduced an antiviral COVID-19 pill to the public. The name: Molnupiravir.
The COVID-19 pill is not a replacement for a vaccination. Instead, it stops the replication of the COVID-19 genetic code and keeps the patient out of the hospital. Not yet FDA-approved, Molnupiravir has been authorized for emergency use since December 23, 2021.
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