Explore each author's area of coverage. Daniel Mercer leads editorial standards and the final-review process.
01Senior editor
Daniel Mercer
Senior Editor, Business & Financial Analysis
Daniel leads editorial standards, cross-business comparisons and the final-review process. His remit includes the connection between evidence, financial interpretation and the article's main conclusion.
- Editorial standards
- Cross-business comparisons
- Final publication decisions
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02Author
Laura Bennett
Food & Hospitality Writer
Laura covers restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries and catering. Her focus includes customer transactions, menu mix, food contribution, staffing and the premises commitments behind the operating plan.
- Restaurants
- Coffee shops
- Bakeries
- Catering
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03Author
Michael Reed
Home & Property Services Writer
Michael covers cleaning, property maintenance and service businesses. His focus includes billable work, repeat accounts, route planning, travel time, labor capacity and equipment needs.
- Cleaning businesses
- Landscaping
- Property maintenance
- Mobile service businesses
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04Author
Sophia Grant
Beauty, Fitness & Personal Services Writer
Sophia covers salons, beauty businesses, fitness studios and other personal services. Her focus includes appointment capacity, cancellations, repeat visits and the staffing behind each completed service.
- Salons
- Barbershops
- Spas
- Fitness studios
- Appointment-based services
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05Author
Ethan Brooks
Retail & E-commerce Writer
Ethan covers retail and online businesses. His focus includes inventory funding, contribution after returns and fulfillment, replenishment, payment timing and seasonal stock commitments.
- Specialty retail
- Online stores
- Inventory-based businesses
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06Research editor
Olivia Carter
State & Local Research Editor
Olivia covers state and local research. Her focus includes source geography, observation periods, comparable premises, wage evidence and the applicability of local opening requirements.
- State and city evidence
- Commercial premises comparables
- Applicable wage and employer-cost evidence
- Opening-authority and fee research
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07Author
Nathan Ellis
Financial Models & Cash Flow Writer
Nathan covers opening funding, break-even, working capital and cash flow. His focus includes consistency between calculations and written conclusions, scenario analysis and the distinction between profit and owner withdrawals.
- Opening funding
- Break-even
- Working capital
- Cash flow
- Owner compensation
- Scenario analysis
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