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<title>The Business Economic &#45; Business Economic Syndicated News</title>
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<description>The Business Economic &#45; Business Economic Syndicated News</description>
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<dc:rights>Copyright 2026. The Business Economic &#45; All Rights Reserved.</dc:rights>

<item>
<title>Your Clothes Should Match Your Mission</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/your-clothes-should-match-your-mission</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/your-clothes-should-match-your-mission</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ One of the biggest mistakes people make is dressing for who they were instead of who they want to become. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
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<title>Reed draws up plans for a state&#45;owned housebuilder that could borrow on the cheap</title>
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<description><![CDATA[ 
Steve Reed is drawing up plans for a state-owned housebuilder that could borrow more cheaply than private firms, in a radical bid to lift Britain&#039;s stalling housing numbers. ]]></description>
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<title>British Business Bank puts UK scale&#45;ups in ‘fifth gear’ as direct investing tops £600m</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/british-business-bank-puts-uk-scale-ups-in-fifth-gear-as-direct-investing-tops-600m</link>
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<description><![CDATA[ 
The British Business Bank has invested more than £600m into 50-plus UK scale-ups, doubling its direct equity activity in nine months as it targets £400m a year. ]]></description>
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<title>Brexit has left Britain more prone to runaway inflation, says Bank of England chief economist</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/brexit-has-left-britain-more-prone-to-runaway-inflation-says-bank-of-england-chief-economist</link>
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Bank of England chief economist Huw Pill says Brexit has left Britain exposed to &#039;self-sustaining&#039; price rises, making inflation harder to tame and squeezing SMEs. ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Bosses ‘can’t afford to pay themselves the minimum wage under Labour’</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bosses-cant-afford-to-pay-themselves-the-minimum-wage-under-labour</link>
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Rising employment costs are forcing thousands of owner-managers to absorb the bill themselves, squeezing profits, pensions and hiring alike ]]></description>
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<title>Burnham right to put devolution front and centre</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/burnham-right-to-put-devolution-front-and-centre</link>
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BusinessLDN&#039;s John Dickie backs Andy Burnham&#039;s devolution drive, warning London has fewer powers than New York, Paris, Manchester and the West Midlands. ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Ford rehires ‘gray beard’ engineers after AI falls short</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ford-rehires-gray-beard-engineers-after-ai-falls-short</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ford-rehires-gray-beard-engineers-after-ai-falls-short</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;Mistakenly we thought that by just introducing artificial intelligence ... that would produce a high-quality product.” ]]></description>
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<title>California law targeting loud streaming ads takes effect on July 1</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/california-law-targeting-loud-streaming-ads-takes-effect-on-july-1</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/california-law-targeting-loud-streaming-ads-takes-effect-on-july-1</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Streaming ads might be getting a lot quieter. ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Flipper Device’s new Busy Bar is a customizable display for productivity</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/flipper-devices-new-busy-bar-is-a-customizable-display-for-productivity</link>
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<description><![CDATA[ Flipper Device&#039;s new Busy Bar will retail for $249. ]]></description>
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<title>Omen AI’s plan to optimize data centers is all wet</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/omen-ais-plan-to-optimize-data-centers-is-all-wet</link>
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<description><![CDATA[ Omen AI raised a $31 million Series A to monitor chip coolant and stop bacterial outbreaks in data centers. ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Pocket raises $11M in bet on rising demand for AI note&#45;taking devices</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/pocket-raises-11m-in-bet-on-rising-demand-for-ai-note-taking-devices</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/pocket-raises-11m-in-bet-on-rising-demand-for-ai-note-taking-devices</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pocket sells a $129 credit card-shaped puck, which sticks to the back of your phone, and promises unlimited recordings, transcriptions, and to-do items. ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>The office doesn’t fix loneliness at work</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-office-doesnt-fix-loneliness-at-work</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-office-doesnt-fix-loneliness-at-work</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ People often see the return-to-office debate in black-and-white: In-person work fosters connection, while remote work breaks it down. In 2025, 37% of companies required office attendance, up from 17% the year before. Companies like Amazon, JPMorgan, and AT&amp;T have all issued similar mandates. The idea is simple: Bring people back to the office, and connection and engagement will follow.



But the facts show something else. MIT Sloan Management Review looked at the data and found that these mandates hurt employee engagement and lead to more people leaving, especially top performers. Eight out of 10 companies said they lost talent because of return-to-office rules. The research also found no improvement in financial results from these mandates.



So organizations are losing their best people and not gaining anything in return.



The implicit promise of the office



In our Ally Mindset™ Profile research with over 200 professionals, we asked a simple question: have you felt disconnected from your work in the past month? 



The results surprised me and challenged the usual way of thinking. Office-based workers reported the highest disconnection at 35%. Mostly remote workers came in at 31%. And fully remote workers, the group supposedly most at risk of isolation, reported the lowest at just 21%.



The people commuting to the office every day, sitting among their colleagues, were the most likely to feel disconnected. The people working from home were the least.



The question is: why?



Going to the office comes with an unspoken promise. The commute, dressing for work, and arranging childcare or a dog walker all suggest that something meaningful is waiting for you. You expect to be with people.



But when you get to the office, half your team is on Zoom and the rest are focused on their own work with headphones on. The open floor plan, meant for collaboration, now feels like a library where talking seems out of place. Meetings still happen on screens, even when people are just a few feet apart, because “it’s easier for the remote folks.”



The promise of connection is broken. And having a promise broken often feels worse than never having one at all.



When you work remotely, you understand that connection takes effort. It means scheduling calls, sending messages, and checking in on purpose. There’s no false hope that just being near others will create connection. Remote workers who feel connected have built those relationships through effort. Office workers, on the other hand, are still waiting for the building to make it happen.



Going to work depends on location, but feeling isolated or disconnected does not.



Connection theater vs. real connection



Many organizations haven’t created real connection. Instead, they have created “connection theater”—it looks like people are together, but there’s no real substance.



Mandated office days, open floor plans, Pizza Fridays, and “collaboration spaces” where no one actually collaborates are all examples of structural solutions to a relationship problem. These efforts put people in the same room but don’t give them a real reason to connect beyond just doing their work.



In my book Cultivate: The Power of Winning Relationships, I talk about four types of relationships: Ally, Supporter, Rival, and Adversary. In many return-to-office settings, I see mostly Supporters—people who are friendly and polite but interact only on a surface level. They say good morning and nod in meetings, but no one is having the deeper conversations that build trust: What are you working toward? What’s hard right now? What do you need from me? How are you doing, really?



You don’t need an office for these conversations. You need intention. The real difference isn’t between office and remote work. It’s between making time for real connection and just hoping relationships will happen on their own.



What to do instead



Here’s what you can do: Talk to the people who are in the office. Really! You came in, and maybe half your team isn’t there, but half of another team is—and you might not have spoken to them before. Take this chance. Take off your headphones, walk over, and say hello. Ask what they’re working on. See how your work and theirs might connect, because you’re all part of the same company.



Practice what I call scheduled spontaneity: Make time for the casual conversations that used to happen naturally at the watercooler or in the elevator, but won’t return on their own. Set aside five minutes at the start of meetings for real conversation. Leave a little time between calls so people can chat.



If you work remotely, set up a coffee chat like you would if you shared a kitchen with your coworkers. Even a quick two-minute chat can help someone feel noticed and valued, and make their workday feel more meaningful—no matter if their commute is across the house or across town. You don’t need a rule to connect. You just need to notice the people around you.



Here’s what organizations can do: Measure real connection, not just attendance. The WHO Commission on Social Connection says connection isn’t about being physically close, but about how people relate and interact—the quality of relationships, not just how often people meet. Still, most organizations use office attendance as a stand-in for connection and engagement. That’s like thinking a gym membership means you’re fit. If you want to know if your team is truly connected, ask better questions. Instead of “How many days were you in the office?” ask “Who do you rely on for your success, and who relies on you?” Instead of “Did you attend the team meeting?’ ask “When was the last time someone at work asked how you were doing and really listened?” These answers will tell you more about your team’s health than any attendance report.



Presence isn’t connection. It isn’t even productivity



Your team doesn’t need more required office days. They need someone who notices when they’re quiet. They need a leader who asks how they’re doing and waits for an honest answer. They need coworkers who see connection as essential, not just something extra.



Being present isn’t the same as being connected. It never was. The sooner leaders understand this, the sooner they’ll build teams people want to join, no matter where they work.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>Social media marketers are stuck in a burnout trap. Here’s how to break free</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/social-mediamarketers-are-stuck-in-a-burnout-trap-heres-how-to-break-free</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/social-mediamarketers-are-stuck-in-a-burnout-trap-heres-how-to-break-free</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It’s almost midnight when the phone buzzes—a client text, a comment that needs a reply, a trend that will be stale by morning. For the people who run brand accounts on social media, the workday never really ends.



We’re marketing researchers who study digital and social media wellness and teach the students who go on to fill these jobs. In a study published in September 2025, we interviewed social media marketers in the United States, Ireland, India, Germany, and Australia and saw a profession quietly running on empty: passionate, creative people who are mentally drained by jobs that rarely turn off.



The numbers back them up. More than 40% of social media marketers plan to leave their jobs within two years, and nearly half say they get little support from supervisors for their mental health, according to industry research.



A job you can’t log off from



Plenty of jobs are stressful. What makes this one different is that it’s especially difficult for social media marketers to escape the source of their stress.



The platform is simultaneously their workplace, their tool and often their leisure environment. The same apps they use to create content, monitor engagement, and respond to customers are often the same ones they turn to for entertainment, social connection, and news. As a result, the source of their stress is rarely something they can simply walk away from.



There’s also the time involved. The average person spends about 2.5 hours a day on social media, according to global data. The marketers we interviewed often spend easily double or triple that, because they are both producers and consumers of content.




  @emthesaint i am SO grateful to work with the clients I am right now, truly. This conversation just needs to be had and normalized because from first hand experience, how much your brain is in taking and the pressure to perform is overwhelming on a good day. #socialmediamanagement #smm #communitymanager  ♬ original sound – saint em   




“It is truly 24/7, 365. You have to post on holidays, weekends,” is how one manager described her schedule. “There is always a clock ticking somewhere.”



The strain is starting to show publicly. When Zaria Parvez, Duolingo’s social media manager and designer of its famous owl logo, left the job, she spoke openly about virality, anxiety, and mental health. Even platform industry guides now treat burnout as a fact of the profession.



That matters because decades of research link heavy social media use to anxiety, lower self-esteem and reduced well-being. Researchers usually frame these as consumer problems, and the standard advice is to take a break or do a digital detox. But what happens when scrolling is your job description?



You can’t detox from your paycheck.



The comparison trap and paradox of tools



Our study looked at several forces that drive this burnout. Two stood out.



The first is the comparison trap. To stay current, marketers spend their evenings “doom scrolling” their personal feeds, hunting for trends to use at work. The line between relaxing and researching disappears—and so does the line between watching other creators and measuring yourself against them.



One marketer told us that scrolling felt like “constantly being told I was doing things wrong”—whether at work, where every post invited comparison with competitors, or at home, where lifestyle content told her she was failing there, too. Social comparison is one of the best-documented ways social media erodes self-esteem, and these workers get a double dose: personal and professional, all day, every day.



  










View this post on Instagram























A post shared by Milou Pietersz | Social Media Manager | Marketing Agency (@miloupietersz)






The second force is what we call the paradox of tools. The industry’s go-to fix is technology: Scheduling platforms let marketers queue posts weeks ahead, and artificial intelligence tools draft captions and reports. These shortcuts help—one of our interviewees called content tools “the primary method for social media managers to combat burnout”—but they also come with a catch.



For example, scheduled posts can backfire when the news turns grim, so someone still has to watch the feed. Algorithms reward constant and fresh engagement, so marketers worry that leaning on AI makes their content sound robotic, a real risk when authenticity is what makes brands work on social media. The tools promise freedom, yet the “always-on” expectation remains untouched.



It’s not a willpower problem



It would be easy to dismiss these as problems of people who need better screen-time habits. Our research suggests otherwise.



Marketers in our study had jobs that bundled strategy, design, customer service, and crisis management into one poorly defined, often junior, position. Stepping back has a direct cost, because time offline shows up in the metrics they’re judged on.



This is also a cultural problem. Americans see round-the-clock availability as dedication to the job. But other countries have pushed back: France, Italy, Spain, and Ireland, for example, have written a “right to disconnect” into law, while Australia recently extended its own version to small-business employees.



A member of our own research team, Kiley Pettit, has experienced this firsthand while working as a full-time traveler. She has balanced clients across multiple countries and time zones, with the workday often stretching from early mornings to late night. The boundaries between work and personal time have become increasingly blurred, she told us.



Addressing the burnout



For the marketers themselves, our findings suggest two ways out of the burnout trap.



First, it’s better to experiment than copy: Disconnection is personal, and what restores one person, such as a radical break, may backfire for another who does better with small habit shifts, such as response windows or boundary scripts for clients (“I reply between 9 and 5”).



Second, we recommend using technology deliberately: Schedule proactively instead of chasing trends in real time, and treat AI as an assistant for routine tasks, not a replacement for the creative work that makes the job worth doing.



That said, individual habits and better tools only go so far. Burnout is built into the job—so the job must change.




  @emilyfromkansassss you’re not lazy, you’re just burnt out from consuming and creating nonstop. so just create even when it’s not perfect &amp; take the pressure off yourself ??#socialmedia #contentcreator #dallascontentcreator #relatable #socialmediamanager  ♬ original sound – emily from kansas   




The deeper fix is structural. In our view, employers need to define social media roles more clearly and staff them realistically, set communication charters with real response windows, and make digital fatigue a normal topic during check-ins rather than a confession. Turnover costs one-half to two times a worker’s salary, so supporting these employees makes good business sense as well.



Social media marketing burnout isn’t a personal failing or ordinary job stress. It’s the predictable result of working in an environment where the workplace, the tools of the trade, and often leisure time all occupy the same space. The brands profiting from that attention, and the employers hiring for it, must decide whether the people behind the screens get to log off, too.





Kelley Cours Anderson is an assistant professor of marketing at the College of Charleston.



Ashley Hass is an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Portland.



Breanne A. Mertz is an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Tampa.



This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>Does the World Cup favor democratic or autocratic nations?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/does-the-world-cup-favor-democratic-or-autocratic-nations</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/does-the-world-cup-favor-democratic-or-autocratic-nations</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It is often said—by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and many others—that soccer is the “most democratic sport.” That sentiment is based in large part on the sport’s global appeal and long history of popularity across class and racial lines.



But whether that axiom applies to the quadrennial World Cup tournament is a different question.



On occasions in the past, authoritarian governments have used the tournament to boost their regimes. Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini did so when Italy hosted the 1934 World Cup, manipulating the games and handpicking officials to boost the chances for the home team, who went on to beat democratic Czechoslovakia in the final. Likewise, in 1978 Argentina’s dictatorship used both the tournament’s hosting and the national team’s victory to “sportswash” the brutal repression that had accompanied the military junta’s seizure of power.



In each of those notable cases, the team of an authoritarian country won the tournament. But as a political scientist and soccer enthusiast, I was curious to see how countries in authoritarian versus democratic countries had fared in the World Cup over time.



So in the run-up to this year’s tournament, I looked back through the records of the 22 past World Cups; I also cast an eye over the expanded 48 countries represented at the 2026 tournament.



For the World Cups between 1930 and 2018, I turned to Polity data, which looks at how power is concentrated in the political system. On a minus 10 to plus 10 scale, democracies are those with a Polity score of plus 6 and plus 10; autocracies have a minus 6 to minus 10; and anocracies—countries that are “partially free”—have a rating of minus 5 to plus 5.



Many scholars recommend using multiple datasets when analyzing regime type. And for the World Cups from 1974 to 2026, I also used rankings by the nonprofit Freedom House, which produces an annual index of the state of civil and political rights in every country in the world. They measure countries as free, partly free, and not free.



What the data shows



In the first few World Cup tournaments, free countries did not perform particularly well.



From 1930 to 1962, there were two authoritarian champions (Italy in 1934 and 1938), three anocratic winners (Uruguay in 1930 and 1950 and Brazil in 1962) and two democratic winners (West Germany in 1954 and a pre-dictatorship Brazil in 1958).



When it comes to finalists, in the first 32 years, there were six authoritarian countries represented in the final games, four anocracies, and a mere four democracies.



But since 1966—the first World Cup meeting between two democracies, with England prevailing over West Germany—there have been only two authoritarian winners: Brazil in 1970 and Argentina in 1978—the last autocratic country to win the tournament.



The 10 winning countries from 1982 to 2018 have all been democracies. Further, all runners-up since 1962 have been democracies, too.



Looking at the entire 1930 to 2018 period, Polity data shows that 71.4% of participants in final games have been democracies, with less than 20% of finalists being autocratic nations and 9.5% being anocracies.



When using the Freedom House index, I found that free states have made up 23 of the 26 final game participants from 1974 onward, or 88% of the total, and 11 champions.



There’s only been one partly free winner—Brazil in 1994—and one not free winner, Argentina in 1978.



How does this compare with worldwide numbers of regime type over time? In 1930, the year of the first FIFA tournament, Polity data shows that only 21.7% of the world’s countries were democratic, with 44.6% being authoritarian and 33.7% deemed anocratic. By 1966, democracies fell to 20.8%, while authoritarian countries made up 40.8% of the world. During the 2018 World Cup, the world’s countries deemed to be democracies had risen to almost 60, using Polity data, while authoritarian states slipped to 12%. The rest are either anocratic or “transitioning.”



Democracy—a winning formula?



But what about the 2026 World Cup participants? Of the 48 countries represented, 43.1% are “free” nations, according to Freedom House. The “not free” group comprised 26.7% of all countries. This is a near reversal of 1974, the first World Cup year for which Freedom House data is available. Back then, free nations made up 27% of countries in the world, while not free countries comprised 41.4% of world’s nations.



And democracies are tipped for success in 2026. The top 11 FIFA-ranked countries are all “free.” For the top 19 countries, all but 2—Morocco and Ecuador—are free, and they are ranked by Freedom House as “partly free.” Of the lowest-ranked 11 countries in the tournament, more than half are unfree.



Countering the sportswashing



The data shows that democracies are overrepresented at the World Cup and also tend to do better than authoritarian nations—but does that matter? I would argue yes.



At a time when autocratic nations use sport as a propaganda tool, and FIFA seemingly turns a blind eye to the human rights records of hosting nations, the fact that democracies tend to prevail on the pitch feels like a victory for free nations.





John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College.



LaGrange College undergraduates Jenna Pittman, Daniel Cody, and Eli Rogers contributed to the research on which this article is based.



This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Does, the, World, Cup, favor, democratic, autocratic, nations</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The housecleaning is free—but it will cost you your most intimate data</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-housecleaning-is-freebut-it-will-cost-you-your-most-intimate-data</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-housecleaning-is-freebut-it-will-cost-you-your-most-intimate-data</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In our digital age, services and devices are constantly gathering our data. Exactly how that information is harvested and used, and how transparent a company is about those practices, may not always be obvious.



Shift, an AI training startup, is turning that bargain into a business model.



In return for a free housecleaning, customers allow Shift to collect data filmed by a camera headset on the (human) cleaner’s head. That footage is then licensed out to develop and train AI-powered household robots.



Owned by German data research lab MicroAGI, founded in 2025, Shift began by hiring contractors to don its camera caps and record their own household tasks. That type of data collection has been occurring in the U.S., as well as in Germany, Turkey, and other European countries, for months. (Shift won’t ultimately make the robots informed by this data.)



[Photo: Shift]



Recently Shift launched its cleaning services—offering the free cleanings as a way to get its data collectors into other people’s homes—in New York City as well as across Europe. The company has pitched its cleaning work as a side hustle for college students and the “best work from home side gig.”



“We are very up front,” says Anton Poletaev, cofounder of MicroAGI and co-CEO of Shift. “Yes, we are getting your data, but by doing so you’re finally getting rewarded for it, and you’re not being lied to.”



But even with that honesty, people may not understand exactly what it means to give away this data. Shift’s structure also raises questions about what this AI future means for workers who are involved in training their own replacements.



The need for diverse data



With the expansion of AI, tech leaders are painting a picture of a future filled with humanoid robots. Already, there are robots that can run, flip, dance, and work in warehouses. 



To get to a world where humanoid robots can flawlessly wash our dishes, fix our faucets, and even cook us a meal, tech companies need lots and lots of training data. 



For Shift, it’s important that this data is both high quality and diverse, meaning captured from multiple angles, and in all different home layouts, with different faucets, sinks, and so on. 



“If you were trained to perform a job or a task in one environment only, you might struggle to perform it in different environments,” Poletaev says. “If you’re getting exposed to different lighting conditions, to different kitchen types, different living rooms, different taps that you’re repairing, then you’re able to generalize across different kinds of environments.”








Shift’s camera headset captures a first-person view of the cleaner’s hands; this perspective, called egocentric video, allows for better understanding of the ways hands interact with objects, which helps inform robotics.



Shift isn’t the only company collecting such data: Startups like Claru, Luel, Micro1, Kled AI, and others offer contractor roles for people to either film themselves doing tasks like folding laundry and taking out the trash, or to annotate such datasets. Shift began this way, too, and then its contractors “expressed interest in recording more, and contributing more,” Poletaev says, like by going into others’ homes.



Shift calls these data collectors “operators,” and says they’ve been vetted and trained. In New York, the startup also partners with existing local cleaning services, though it did not name specifics.



Globally, Shift says it has collected hundreds of thousands of hours of data, via dozens of thousands of operators. It has more than a thousand operators in the U.S., and the “vast majority” of those recordings are currently happening in New York. 



De-identified data



To Poletaev, Shift’s format is a “win-win” for customers and cleaners, who are classified as contractors rather than employees. Customers are compensated with a free cleaning, he says, while cleaners are “getting paid extra for wearing our device.” (According to Shift, cleaners earn $20 an hour with “no fixed schedule.”)



The company also says it takes steps to protect customer privacy by blurring names, faces, screens, ID cards, and other personal information before the footage is incorporated into datasets. Under Shift’s platform terms, customers may withdraw consent and request deletion until a recording has been de-identified and made available to others, after which removal is limited.



[Photo: Shift]



Harry Kilberg, Shift’s U.S. general manager, says de-identification can happen within hours or up to a week after the data is collected, depending on processing time, and that the company is improving how it communicates that window. The data is used for MicroAGI’s internal robotics research and may also be shared with “select robotics companies and frontier AI labs,” though Shift says it is never shared publicly or used for advertising.



Potential downstream harms



By being open about this transaction, Poletaev says people have the opportunity to be compensated for data that for the past decade or two has just been used “without their regard.”



What’s missing, though, is a broader understanding of how valuable this data is, and how it could be used. 



“The average person doesn’t think about the downstream harms,” says Veena Dubal, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine, who researches what she calls “precarious work,” including platform workers, algorithmic management, and regulations around AI and work. “And those downstream harms might not even be apparent to us for many, many years, and maybe they’ll be invisible.”



Again, Shift says this data isn’t used for advertising. It’s not the only company collecting such data, though, and not every company may behave the same, or their privacy policies may not be clear. 



Claru’s privacy policy says it may collect personal information, and that it may share it with multiple third-party vendors. Kled’s notes that if another entity purchases the content you submit, it may disclose your biometric information, but that it does not “sell, lease, trade or otherwise profit from your biometric information.”



[Photo: Shift]



The normalization of capturing first-person perspective home data could open the door to allowing companies to sell this data to brokers or retailers. That could, down the line, lead to personalized pricing for things these companies know you have in your home. 



Of course there are many other implications to having someone recording inside your home.What if, for example, Dubal asks, the video captures something unlawful, like drugs? At some point, the police may be able to subpoena companies like Shift as part of a criminal investigation. 



“There’s just so much about us in our homes that we don’t even think about that when this becomes available, either to the public or private sector, kind of willy-nilly, it’s anyone’s guess how it could be used,” she says. 



To Dubal, the fact that this data is being collected inside the home changes the stakes. Tech companies already gather information through phones, laptops, smart TVs, and other internet-connected devices. 



But homes are still “culturally, socially, legally this private space,” she says. Filming inside that space captures data those other devices often cannot: how people move, how they live, and what they do when they are not on a phone or computer.



“It’s a radical shift,” she says. “There is something dramatic about the idea that even this space is open to the market.”



Dubal says she doesn’t find promises of anonymity compelling. In fact, there’s still debate about what, exactly, de-identification means. Even the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation vaguely defines “personal data” as “any piece of information that relates to an identifiable person.” 



“Firms will always say, ‘Oh, well, we’re not using your name,’” Dubal says. “But the reality is that they have so much data that they can figure out who you are without using your name.”



What happens to future workers?



Those concerns deal with the data collected inside customers’ homes. But Shift is also collecting data about the cleaners it hires, and how they work.



That information could eventually help replace those workers. Or, Dubal warns, it could be used to “create software that ultimately controls workers in new ways,” by setting efficiency standards, consolidating jobs, and pushing people to work harder and faster for less, “so housecleaning becomes like an Amazon warehouse.”



Ai-jen Poo, president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, echoed that concern in a statement to Fast Company: House cleaners’ labor, she said, should be “respected and protected, not treated as background inputs for someone else’s technology product.”



To be sure, the tech industry’s promises of democratization have a mixed record. Uber promised broader access to transportation, but it also displaced taxi drivers, generated data now used to train self-driving systems, and eventually raised prices beyond its early VC-subsidized days. 



So will household robots actually be affordable and accessible to all? That’s far from clear. To Dubal, it’s also the wrong goal. “It’s not that we all need servants,” she says. “It’s that we all need jobs that pay well.”



Poletaev sees it differently, saying the need for the kind of data Shift collects is “born out of the desire to be in a world where everyday goods and services are abundant and accessible.” In the meantime, he insists, his company will “make sure people are compensated throughout this transition.”



The bargain, then, is that people can get paid for their data now, while helping build a future that may ultimately need less of their labor.


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<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, housecleaning, free—but, will, cost, you, your, most, intimate, data</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>June full moon 2026: Look up to see the glorious ‘Strawberry Moon,’ but don’t expect it to appear red</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/june-full-moon-2026-look-up-to-see-the-glorious-strawberry-moon-but-dont-expect-it-to-appear-red</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/june-full-moon-2026-look-up-to-see-the-glorious-strawberry-moon-but-dont-expect-it-to-appear-red</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In 1967, John Lennon introduced the world to a whimsical escape in the Beatles’ hit song “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Based on childhood memories, Lennon’s song dealt with themes of identity and belonging. 



Similarly, as June comes to a close, the sky will feature its own fanciful offering with the “Strawberry Moon,” giving the world a collective moment of zen as the moon appears full for the next few days, including tonight.



Here’s everything you need to know about June’s full moon, which hits its peak on Monday, June 29, at 7:56 p.m. ET. 



Why is it called a Strawberry Moon?



June’s full moon gets its name from Native American traditions, not the color of the orb. 



Strawberries typically ripened around its occurrence. Because of this, tribes such as the Algonquin, Ojibwe, Dakota, Lakota, Chippewa, Oneida, and Sioux used the moniker. 



Publication of the Old Farmer’s Almanac helped immortalized this, cementing the name for future generations. Other names include the Rose Moon, Blackberry Moon, and Hot Moon.



How does the Summer Solstice impact the Strawberry Moon?



In 2026, the Strawberry Moon is also the first full moon after the Summer Solstice. This event impacts the moon’s arc, making it low and short. Because the sun is high and the moon is low, the orb appears more amber in color due to the atmosphere.



What is a micromoon?



June’s Strawberry Moon is also a micromoon. This means the full moon takes place when the moon is near its furthest point away from Earth. 



The distance causes the moon to appear smaller and dimmer, but there is an exception to this rule. Even though the Strawberry Moon is a micromoon, the optical illusion of moonrise will make it look grandiose. 



The moon looks bigger when it is near the horizon. According to NASA, this is because our brains compare it to the smaller nearby objects, such as trees and buildings. By comparison, the moon is bigger. 



The Strawberry Moon is a living contradiction. It’s micro, but because of its low arc, it actually appears bigger during moonrise. 



How best to view the Strawberry Moon



Use this handy calculator from Time and Date to discover what time moonrise and moonset occur in your location.



If you can’t make moonrise, peak illumination takes place tonight (Monday, June 29, 2026) 7:56 p.m. ET. The moon will also appear full for a couple days surrounding the event.



It’s human to look for wonder. Lennon offered a musical moment of peaceful escape while the Strawberry Moon continues to shine on in the night sky every June. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://images.fastcompany.com/image/upload/w_1280,q_auto,f_auto,fl_lossy/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit/wp-cms-2/2026/06/p-91565943-strawberry-moon-june-2026.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>June, full, moon, 2026:, Look, see, the, glorious, ‘Strawberry, Moon, ’, but, don’t, expect, appear, red</media:keywords>
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<title>Best business bank accounts for sole traders</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-business-bank-accounts-for-sole-traders</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-business-bank-accounts-for-sole-traders</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


We’ve rounded up some of the best business bank accounts created with sole traders in mind 
The post Best business bank accounts for sole traders appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2022/08/Sole-trader-bank-account-scaled-1.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:00:26 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Best, business, bank, accounts, for, sole, traders</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>4 ways small businesses can become more environmentally friendly</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/4-ways-small-businesses-can-become-more-environmentally-friendly</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/4-ways-small-businesses-can-become-more-environmentally-friendly</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Jon Sumner on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post 4 ways small businesses can become more environmentally friendly appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/04/Eco-friendly-20417-scaled.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:00:23 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>ways, small, businesses, can, become, more, environmentally, friendly</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Top Card and Contactless Readers for UK Small Businesses (Fees, Features &amp;amp; Reviews)</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/top-card-and-contactless-readers-for-uk-small-businesses-fees-features-reviews</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/top-card-and-contactless-readers-for-uk-small-businesses-fees-features-reviews</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


We’ve compared UK card machine providers to see which is the best for taking in-person payments
The post Top Card and Contactless Readers for UK Small Businesses (Fees, Features &amp; Reviews) appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/03/119848-1-e1775566363793.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:00:21 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Top, Card, and, Contactless, Readers, for, Small, Businesses, Fees, Features, Reviews</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>How Much Consumer Data Can SMBs Keep</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-much-consumer-data-can-smbs-keep</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-much-consumer-data-can-smbs-keep</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
For UK small businesses, the question of how long to hold onto customer data is not as simple as picking a number and sticking with it. There is no single fixed retention period under UK GDPR. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/shutterstock_2456532537-768x512.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, Much, Consumer, Data, Can, SMBs, Keep</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Apple lifts iPad and MacBook prices by up to 25% as AI memory crunch bites</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/apple-lifts-ipad-and-macbook-prices-by-up-to-25-as-ai-memory-crunch-bites</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/apple-lifts-ipad-and-macbook-prices-by-up-to-25-as-ai-memory-crunch-bites</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Apple has lifted iPad and MacBook prices by as much as 25% after warning it can no longer absorb the soaring cost of memory chips driven by the AI data centre boom. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/shutterstock_2448816843-768x512.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Apple, lifts, iPad, and, MacBook, prices, 25, memory, crunch, bites</media:keywords>
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<title>Next prime minister ‘must back business, not tax it’, warns chambers chief</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/next-prime-minister-must-back-business-not-tax-it-warns-chambers-chief</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/next-prime-minister-must-back-business-not-tax-it-warns-chambers-chief</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
British Chambers of Commerce boss Shevaun Haviland tells the next prime minister to back firms, not tax them, warning that further levies would be a &quot;road to ruin&quot; for growth. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Next, prime, minister, ‘must, back, business, not, tax, it’, warns, chambers, chief</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Around $125bn of ships and cargo lie stranded in the Gulf as Hormuz crisis ushers in a ‘new maritime order’</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/around-125bn-of-ships-and-cargo-lie-stranded-in-the-gulf-as-hormuz-crisis-ushers-in-a-new-maritime-order</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/around-125bn-of-ships-and-cargo-lie-stranded-in-the-gulf-as-hormuz-crisis-ushers-in-a-new-maritime-order</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Around $125bn of vessels and cargo is stranded in the Gulf as the Strait of Hormuz stays shut. Allianz warns of a &quot;new maritime order&quot; and higher risk premiums. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2750893585-768x432.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Around, 125bn, ships, and, cargo, lie, stranded, the, Gulf, Hormuz, crisis, ushers, ‘new, maritime, order’</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Elon Musk loses his trillionaire crown as SpaceX and Tesla shares slide</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/elon-musk-loses-his-trillionaire-crown-as-spacex-and-tesla-shares-slide</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/elon-musk-loses-his-trillionaire-crown-as-spacex-and-tesla-shares-slide</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Elon Musk Net Worth Falls Below $1tn as SpaceX, Tesla Slide ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/shutterstock_2651725745-768x432.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Elon, Musk, loses, his, trillionaire, crown, SpaceX, and, Tesla, shares, slide</media:keywords>
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<title>Europe is pushing back on Washington’s chip war</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/europe-is-pushing-back-on-washingtons-chip-war</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/europe-is-pushing-back-on-washingtons-chip-war</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ As ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet told TechCrunch in May, what China can currently buy are older-generation deep ultraviolet tools — gear first shipped about a decade ago — the same machines the MATCH Act would now put off-limits. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ASML-GettyImages-2258043611.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Europe, pushing, back, Washington’s, chip, war</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Cellebrite said it cut off Russia, but Russia used its tools anyway</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cellebrite-said-it-cut-off-russia-but-russia-used-its-tools-anyway</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cellebrite-said-it-cut-off-russia-but-russia-used-its-tools-anyway</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Security researchers found evidence that Russian authorities hacked the iPhone of a political opponent using a phone-unlocking device made by Cellebrite, even after the company said it would stop selling to Putin’s government. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/cellebrite-ufed.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cellebrite, said, cut, off, Russia, but, Russia, used, its, tools, anyway</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Amazon ups India bet with fresh $13B AI infrastructure investment</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/amazon-ups-india-bet-with-fresh-13b-ai-infrastructure-investment</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/amazon-ups-india-bet-with-fresh-13b-ai-infrastructure-investment</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Amazon’s latest India investment comes as global tech companies race to expand AI infrastructure in the country. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/GettyImages-844105434.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Amazon, ups, India, bet, with, fresh, 13B, infrastructure, investment</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Adobe acquires image and video enhancement tool maker Topaz Labs</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/adobe-acquires-image-and-video-enhancement-tool-maker-topaz-labs</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/adobe-acquires-image-and-video-enhancement-tool-maker-topaz-labs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Adobe said that it will integrate Topaz Labs&#039; tools across its apps. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-2162453288.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Adobe, acquires, image, and, video, enhancement, tool, maker, Topaz, Labs</media:keywords>
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<title>Trump admin proposes axing brake pedal requirement for AVs in a boost for Tesla</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/trump-admin-proposes-axing-brake-pedal-requirement-for-avs-in-a-boost-for-tesla</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/trump-admin-proposes-axing-brake-pedal-requirement-for-avs-in-a-boost-for-tesla</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Department of Transportation wants to remove the brake pedal requirement for vehicles &quot;designed to be driven exclusively by automated driving systems.&quot; ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Cybercab_80.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump, admin, proposes, axing, brake, pedal, requirement, for, AVs, boost, for, Tesla</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Wendy’s stock price today: WEN shares surge as the fast food burger chain reunites Potbelly’s dynamic duo</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/wendys-stock-price-today-wen-shares-surge-as-the-fast-food-burger-chain-reunites-potbellys-dynamic-duo</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/wendys-stock-price-today-wen-shares-surge-as-the-fast-food-burger-chain-reunites-potbellys-dynamic-duo</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Many fast food chains have had a rough several years. 



Inflationary pressures are prompting consumers to cut back on discretionary spending, which in turn is leading to declining foot traffic. Declining foot traffic puts pressure on profits, which doesn’t do a company’s stock price any favors.



But today, one fast food chain’s stock price is surging. The Wendy’s Company (Nasdaq: WEN) is seeing its shares skyrocket a day after the burger chain announced it was yet again hiring an executive who had recently worked at Potbelly Sandwich Works. 



And this executive has a deep history with Wendy’s new CEO, too. Here’s what you need to know.



What’s happened?



Yesterday, Wendy’s announced the appointment of a new chief financial officer and chief strategy officer for the company. That officer is Steve Cirulis, who previously held the same two roles at the fast casual sandwich chain Potbelly.



Cirulis will replace Wendy’s most recent CFO, Ken Cook, immediately, while Cook will stay on in an advisory role at the company to help with the transition until departing in July. 



Cook himself had previously held a dual role at Wendy’s. Until last month, he was also the interim CEO of Wendy’s, a position he stepped into in February 2024 after Wendy’s previous CEO left to become the CEO of The Hershey Company.



But last month, Wendy announced that Cook was stepping down as interim CEO to make way for the company’s new CEO, Bob Wright. 



And like Cirulis, Wright was also an alumnus of Potbelly Sandwich Works. Wright was Potbelly’s CEO, and Cirulis was Potbelly’s CFO. The two execs worked together at Potbelly in their same Wendy’s positions from 2020 to 2025.



While it’s not surprising that an executive would hire a former colleague, what happened with Wendy’s stock price after the announcement of Cirulis’s appointment is a bit more unexpected.



Why is Wendy’s stock surging?



As of the time of this writing, Wendy’s stock price is currently up over 24% in premarket trading to $7.78 per share.



While investors do pay attention to new CFO appointments, it’s rare that a new CFO announcement causes a company’s stock price to surge so much.



So why then is WEN stock surging?



That surge is likely less due to the fact that Wendy’s just got a new CFO. Rather, it’s that its new CFO has a very successful history working with the company’s new CEO.



You see, at Potbelly, Wright and Cirulis were a sort of dynamic duo. During their tenure together at the sandwich chain, the pair massively boosted Potbelly’s fortunes—and its stock price.



Under their leadership, Potbelly’s average unit volumes saw double-digit growth and, most importantly to investors, a 500% increase in Potbelly’s share price.



Potbelly is no longer publicly traded. It was sold to convenience store chain RaceTrac Inc. for around $566 million in October



Investors are no doubt hoping the duo can work the same magic for Wendy’s as they did for Potbelly.



And Wendy’s needs some magic.



As Fast Company previously reported, the chain is currently shuttering hundreds of stores as part of a turnaround effort. 



The closures are meant to cut costs and stabilize profits. Last year, due to many of the same economic pressures other fast food chains are facing, Wendy’s revenue fell 3.1% to $2.18 billion, with net income declining 15.1% to $165.1 million.



Wendy’s shares skyrocket on CFO news



Needless to say, investors are hoping Wendy’s new hires can turn around the company’s fortunes and stock price. As of this morning, shares are already up over 24% in premarket.



But WEN shares will have to raise significantly more to reverse the company’s most recent stock price declines. 



As of yesterday’s close of $6.26, WEN shares had declined more than 24% since the year began. And over the past 12 months, WEN shares were down over 49%.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Wendy’s, stock, price, today:, WEN, shares, surge, the, fast, food, burger, chain, reunites, Potbelly’s, dynamic, duo</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Most businesses are measuring AI wrong, and it’s costing them</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/most-businesses-are-measuring-ai-wrong-and-its-costing-them</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/most-businesses-are-measuring-ai-wrong-and-its-costing-them</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Amazon just shut down its AI leaderboard tracking internal token usage. The gamification was driving more AI-powered tasks but fewer useful results. “Please don’t use AI just for the sake of using AI,” the Amazon SVP instructed his staff.



Amazon is not alone. Uber blew past its 2026 artificial intelligence coding budget in just four months. Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, revealed that the company’s token usage has grown sevenfold in a year. Many companies including Meta, Microsoft and Salesforce are reportedly pushing to limit token usage.



It’s unsurprising what happens when you set the wrong incentives: You get the wrong results. You get what you measure.



Hype, these days, is invariably accompanied by jargon. In an attempt to demonstrate corporate progressiveness, boardrooms and C-suites across America scramble to keep up with modern phraseology. They’re throwing around terms like tokens per query, cost per inference, GPU hours, and even model utilization. “Tokens are the new oil for the enterprise” is the latest slogan; tokens are apparently the new measure for AI adoption and productivity, the proof of AI discipline, the real unit for driving AI ROI. “Tokenmaxxing” has topped the charts for weeks.



It all sounds smart, but it’s the wrong conversation.



While companies get better at measuring AI spend, many still have no idea whether their AI investments are driving increased revenue, creating faster decisions, reducing friction, or creating any tangible and measurable advantage at all. With all the token math, they know what the intelligence costs, but not whether the intelligence is useful. And, very quickly, the AI ecosystem is running into unsustainable economics.



The dashboards are getting better; returns are not. Word counts and lines of code are proliferating, but none of that trickles down to the bottom line.



Cost Obsession is Short-sighted



After a decade of cloud overspending, finance leaders are now homing in on everything AI. They’re tracking, to the cent, cost per workload, cost per transaction and utilization rates.



The truth? AI is expensive. Deloitte reports that AI is one of the fastest-growing investments in technology budgets. And, AI inference costs alone are consuming more and more of organizational budgets. But, you cannot confuse costs of managing AI with the value it brings. That is where you lose sight of the potential of the technology.



McKinsey found 64% of organizational leaders believe AI is enabling their innovation, but only 39% can show any impact on operational earnings at the enterprise level. Other studies show basically the same results: heavy investment, limited return, massive experimentation, little in the way of scale.



Basically, companies are becoming increasingly sophisticated about spending, but are still uncertain about what they are getting in return.



Cloud Spending is Not a Comparable Model



With cloud economics, leaders basically believed that spend and return move in tandem. More business activity meant more compute, more IT spend. Not always a perfect map, but the logic was intuitive. AI is a different beast.



A small number of tokens can create an insight that helps close a major account, resolve a high-risk customer issue, or speed up an impactful decision. In contrast, there will be times when a much larger token bill produces mediocre output of no use—‘AI slop’ loves tokens. Same category of spend, but a totally different result.



The question for leaders becomes: What are you optimizing around?



Tokenomics determines efficiency of spend, but are you addressing the willingness to spend in the first place?



Are you looking at how many tokens you can afford, when you should be looking at how this new system is going to help you make consequential decisions?



Are you focused on how your tokens are billed, when you should be looking at how you can execute better, faster actions at scale?



When AI leaders overemphasize token consumption, they end up optimizing around the path of least resistance, not the path of greatest value. That’s at the center of the AI scaling challenge we see today. 



Measure AI Like This



The companies that show the most maturity in AI are those that separate the cost of intelligence from the value of intelligence. The first category is tokenomics. This is where financial discipline belongs. Companies should absolutely manage model mix, caching, batching, routing, infrastructure choices, and vendor economics to know exactly what AI costs and where waste is coming from. It’s the fine-tuning of the cost of adoption.



But, the second category is where ROI exists, and is missing in too many organizations. This is where leading organizations ask a series of questions around their AI investment:




Did AI reduce cost per resolved customer issue?



Did it speed up lead qualification or shorten sales cycles?



Did it improve throughput in a high-friction workflow?



Did it reduce human hours?



Did it expand margins in a specific process or function?



Did it help the company move faster than competitors in meaningful ways?




These are the questions that determine whether AI is actually working. The question needing to be asked is not, “How do we reduce token spend?” but, “For every dollar we spend on intelligence, how much business value are we creating?” It is holistic business value, business case fundamentals, and it represents the heart of adoption. Executives pursuing AI ROI need to begin with questions of value, results, and impact, not cost.



What business outcomes can we directly attribute to AI spend? Which deployments are becoming more valuable over time, not simply cheaper? Where are we overmanaging costs in ways that suppress performance? What proprietary advantage is this investment building in data, workflow, or execution? If token prices rise or fall sharply, what changes for us strategically and what doesn’t?



This line of questioning shifts leaders’ thinking to look at AI as a business system, not simply a technology tool.



What really matters



Tokenomics matters, but don’t let it distract you from the bigger question of whether AI is worth the investment of revenue and time for your use cases. The companies that win will not be the ones who save every penny possible from their AI bills. They will be the ones who use AI to enable faster decisions and lower friction, and create better customer outcomes, all which will compound over time.



You don’t want to be an organization with AI leader charts and magnificent dashboards, and perfectly optimized spending on AI tools that have driven a net zero return. Be the organization that uses AI to its fullest potential, as an overarching business system, delivering tangible stakeholder value.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Most, businesses, are, measuring, wrong, and, it’s, costing, them</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Micron earnings preview: Here’s what Wall Street expects as all eyes turn to MU stock and the memory chip rally</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/micron-earnings-preview-heres-what-wall-street-expects-as-all-eyes-turn-to-mu-stock-and-the-memory-chip-rally</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/micron-earnings-preview-heres-what-wall-street-expects-as-all-eyes-turn-to-mu-stock-and-the-memory-chip-rally</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Micron Technology Inc will release its third-quarter earnings after the markets close on Wednesday. 



Despite fears of an AI bubble, Wall Street predicts positive results. Micron could report $35.5 billion in revenue—a 281% jump year-over-year (YOY), according to a Bloomberg analyst consensus cited by Yahoo Finance. 



Its DRAM (memory) and NAND (storage) revenues are expected to grow 288% and 256% YOY, respectively. 



Micron is also predicted by Bloomberg’s analysts to have earnings per share of $20.39, about a 967% increase YOY. However, consensus estimates cited by CNBC expect EPS to range from $20.17 to $20.42.



Micron had a successful year



The earnings report will come just two days after Micron’s shares (Nasdaq: MU) reached a new all-time high of $1,213.56. The stock price is up over 722% YOY and $268 year-to-date (YTD).



Shares of Micron have occasionally dropped alongside those of other chip manufacturers due to fears about over-investment in AI and the infrastructure that powers it.



Just yesterday, shares dropped more than 13% in response to concerns about a stock bubble in South Korea, following a large selloff and losses for both Samsung’s and SK Hynik’s shares. 



In premarket trading on Wednesday, Micron’s stock seemed to be on track to recover some of those losses, up 4% as of this writing. 



More broadly, chipmakers like Micron and Sandisk Corporation (Nasdaq: SNDK) have seen their stocks rise tremendously in response to the growing demand for—and shortage of—memory chips, a necessity for AI data centers. 



Monday’s share price spike came as Micron and Anthropic announced an agreement for the chipmaker to invest in Anthropic, have an enterprise adoption of Claude across the company, and supply memory and storage to Anthropic—among other points.



Boise, Idaho-based Micron is expected to release its third-quarter earnings after the closing bell on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Micron, earnings, preview:, Here’s, what, Wall, Street, expects, all, eyes, turn, stock, and, the, memory, chip, rally</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>This startup is using AI to close gaps in women’s healthcare</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-startup-is-using-ai-to-close-gaps-in-womens-healthcare</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-startup-is-using-ai-to-close-gaps-in-womens-healthcare</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When Kelly Lacob was 14 years old, her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. After 14 years in remission, the cancer returned during Lacob’s first year at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She graduated and moved home to care for her mother full time, becoming her primary caregiver. The experience gave her a close view of the gaps in women’s health care.



“Even when we have access to great quality healthcare, we still have so many questions of what should we be asking the doctor,” says Lacob. “‘How do we know about the latest emergent research?’ ‘What else are you doing to support my mother’s health?’”



The experience also pointed Lacob to a larger problem. Women’s health remains underfunded and underrepresented, with research suggesting that it accounts for only 6% of private health care investment. That gap has slowed scientific progress and left many women struggling for diagnoses.



[Photo: Xella Health]



Two and a half years ago, the biotechnology executive Adriana Dantas approached Lacob with an idea for a company that could enable earlier detection of conditions affecting women. Lacob was immediately interested.



“Over the next few months, what we ended up doing was, we looked at my mother’s healthcare journey and we said, ‘What are the ways where women’s health could be dramatically improved?&#039;” says Lacob.



Lacob, Dantas, and Jesus Ching, another biosciences executive, went on to found Xella Health, which launched Wednesday morning and is available in every state except New York and New Jersey. The company hopes to expand into those states by 2027.



An AI-powered precision health platform built exclusively for people with XX chromosomes, Xella Health is backed by $4.7 million in funding from investors including Precursor Ventures, Capital F, and Ulu Ventures.



“[We wanted to] make precision healthcare as accessible to as many women as possible, which right now, is so exclusive and elite,” Lacob says.



Xella Health uses proprietary artificial intelligence to analyze billions of data points across clinical inputs and multilayered biomarkers, with the goal of detecting more than 130 conditions that affect women. The platform most commonly looks for polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, perimenopause, and endometriosis.



The AI operates in two main areas: diagnostics and generative AI. On the diagnostic side, it maps relationships between biomarkers, identifies what may be regulating them, and analyzes how they affect other biomarkers in the body. Rather than focusing on individual biomarkers, as traditional lab tests often do, Xella Health looks at what the entire biological system is indicating. The platform analyzes approximately 100 biomarkers, along with health history, life stage, and female-specific reference ranges.



“By moving beyond isolated lab values and toward whole-system pattern recognition, we’re helping make women’s healthcare earlier, more personalized, and more precise,” says Lacob. “We then layer on clinical guidelines, peer-reviewed research, and expert-developed care pathways to provide personalized recommendations designed to support earlier detection and more informed care.”



On the generative AI side, patients can enter previous health data into the system, which can integrate and interpret that information, then present it back to patients in a way that helps explain what it means.



Xella Health says it complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and patient data is never sold to third parties or used for advertising. Members can request deletion of their account and all associated data at any time.



The company’s broader goal is to provide women with clarity through advanced testing paired with longitudinal care, a model that is typically available only through exclusive and expensive practices.



Although Xella Health has a 15,000-person waiting list, prospective members are encouraged to sign up. Members begin by completing a questionnaire and scheduling a blood draw at a local partner lab. Results are processed through Xella Health’s dry lab—which is federally certified and accredited by the College of American Pathologists—then translated into a personal health care roadmap. Members are paired with a certified telehealth physician to review findings and determine immediate clinical action plans.



An annual membership costs $499 and is eligible for Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts. The membership includes access to the health platform, testing, personalized reports with clinical and integrative health recommendations, and asynchronous messaging with a dedicated clinical team. Additional screenings are available for an extra cost, including deeper fertility and perimenopausal insights, as well as individual timelines.



“One of the things that’s just really exciting is healthcare for women is going to look so different in the next 12, 24 months,” Lacob says. “Making sure that women don’t feel gaslit anymore, that they have a trusted community, trusted source of truths where they can go to.”



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>This, startup, using, close, gaps, women’s, healthcare</media:keywords>
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<title>Tip culture is more confusing than ever. Here’s how much people are actually tipping for a meal in 2026</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tip-culture-is-more-confusing-than-ever-heres-how-much-people-are-actually-tipping-for-a-meal-in-2026</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tip-culture-is-more-confusing-than-ever-heres-how-much-people-are-actually-tipping-for-a-meal-in-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It’s no secret that tipping culture in the U.S. is getting out of hand. 



For the past several years, tipping has turned into a hot button topic on social media, which abounds with stories of patrons confronted with the dreaded tablet touchscreen for everything from self-serve fast food to Airbnb stays. 



This phenomenon, dubbed “tip creep,” can make it difficult to discern what a normal tip even looks like in 2026.



But a new report from the restaurant point-of-sale (POS) company Toast might shed some light on the issue. 



Toast, which served approximately 171,000 U.S. restaurant locations as of late March, has collected quarterly data on tip transactions at restaurants across the U.S. since 2018. 



Its June report on the first quarter of 2026 shows that, despite the insidious effects of tip creep, there are still some clear social benchmarks in place for appropriate restaurant tipping. Here’s what to know:



How much do I really need to tip for food?



Tip creep may mean that customers are faced with a barrage of unexpected choices at waxing appointments, froyo spots, and drive-throughs, but Toast’s data shows that, when it comes to restaurant tips, most guests follow a similar tipping playbook.



Toast splits its data into two categories: full-service restaurants, or FSRs (your typical sit-down experience) and quick-service restaurants, or QSRs (industry lingo for fast-food). 



Per this year’s report, tipping has held relatively steady across both types for the past two years, hovering at an average of 18.8%. 



Generally, full-service guests tip several points higher than quick-service guests, a gap that Toast data has noted since 2018. 



In Q1 2026, the average FSR tip was 19.3%, which represents a jump from a seven-year low of 19.1% in Q2 2025. 



Meanwhile, the average QSR tip was 15.8%, a figure that’s remained flat for six consecutive quarters. 



Overall, QSR tips have noticeably declined from their all-time high of 16.6% in 2018, which may reflect consumers’ fatigue with tipping for less service-heavy interactions. 



Per Toast’s report, “research suggests guests value personal interaction and are less inclined to tip for automated or counter-service experiences, which helps explain the persistent gap between QSR and FSR tip rates.” 



The report’s data sets out a clear rule of thumb: At a standard sit-down restaurant, tipping between 18-20% is the norm, while quick service spots will expect roughly 14-16%. 



Do I need to tip for takeout?



While Toast’s data shows that standard tips still apply at restaurants, there are a few exceptions to the rule. 



If you’re a regular at a restaurant, chances are good that you might be willing to dole out some more extra cash. 



In a Toast survey of 1,500 U.S. adults who dine out or order in at least twice a month, 77% said they tip more at restaurants where they’re regulars, with 37% of those leaving an extra 10-15% on top of their usual gratuity.



Meanwhile, takeout is one area where tipping drops off. Some guests don’t tip at all for takeout, Toast found, and those who do tip an average of 13.7%—more than a full two points less than the average at a quick service joint. 



Tipping culture may also vary based on where you live. 



In Delaware, for example, the average tip tops out at 22.1%, while Californians are only tipping 17.3% on average and New Yorkers are hovering around 18.7%.



As Fast Company wrote back in 2024, tip creep can be a frustrating phenomenon, but it doesn’t mean that you should cut back altogether—especially when service workers, like restaurant wait staff, continue to depend on income from tips. 



“Do you need to tip someone who punched in your order on the touchscreen? No, because that’s something you could’ve done yourself if given the opportunity,” Andrew Herzog, a financial planner in Plano, Texas, told Fast Company at the time. “But do you need to tip someone who cuts your hair, delivers your pizza, or serves your table? Probably yes. The tip should apply to something you were not able or willing to do yourself.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tip, culture, more, confusing, than, ever., Here’s, how, much, people, are, actually, tipping, for, meal, 2026</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Is it too hot to work? Your questions answered</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/is-it-too-hot-to-work-your-questions-answered</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/is-it-too-hot-to-work-your-questions-answered</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


We answer the questions about how to manage your workplace amid heatwaves, how hot is too hot and whether your employees can refuse to work
The post Is it too hot to work? Your questions answered appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>too, hot, work, Your, questions, answered</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>11 HR software tools ideal for small businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/11-hr-software-tools-ideal-for-small-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/11-hr-software-tools-ideal-for-small-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Streamlining your HR functions is key to running an efficient business. Here are seven HR software tools that can help you do just that
The post 11 HR software tools ideal for small businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2022/05/HR-pic.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>software, tools, ideal, for, small, businesses</media:keywords>
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<title>How to start your own coffee shop</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-start-your-own-coffee-shop</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-start-your-own-coffee-shop</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Fancy opening your own coffee shop? We explain what you need to know about cash flow, hiring staff and of course, finding the right coffee 
The post How to start your own coffee shop appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, start, your, own, coffee, shop</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>What the next Labour leader could mean for small businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-the-next-labour-leader-could-mean-for-small-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-the-next-labour-leader-could-mean-for-small-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Prime minister Keir Starmer has announced his resignation. We outline what the next potential Labour leader wants for small businesses
The post What the next Labour leader could mean for small businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, the, next, Labour, leader, could, mean, for, small, businesses</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Aldi banks on £370m store splurge as discounters keep eating the big four’s lunch</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/aldi-banks-on-370m-store-splurge-as-discounters-keep-eating-the-big-fours-lunch</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/aldi-banks-on-370m-store-splurge-as-discounters-keep-eating-the-big-fours-lunch</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Aldi will open 16 new UK stores this year as part of a £370m investment, pushing towards 1,500 branches. See the full list of locations and what it means.
Read full article → ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/shutterstock_2669390745.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Aldi, banks, £370m, store, splurge, discounters, keep, eating, the, big, four’s, lunch</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>UK unemployment falls to 4.9% as pay growth beats forecasts before Bank of England verdict</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-unemployment-falls-to-49-as-pay-growth-beats-forecasts-before-bank-of-england-verdict</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-unemployment-falls-to-49-as-pay-growth-beats-forecasts-before-bank-of-england-verdict</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
UK unemployment fell to 4.9% in the three months to April as pay growth outpaced forecasts, handing the Bank of England fresh data hours before its rate decision.
Read full article → ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/shutterstock_2696350519.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>unemployment, falls, 4.9, pay, growth, beats, forecasts, before, Bank, England, verdict</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Can AI chatbots really pick stock market winners?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/can-ai-chatbots-really-pick-stock-market-winners</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/can-ai-chatbots-really-pick-stock-market-winners</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
ChatGPT, Claude and Grok are now being put to work picking shares. From a $10,000 trading test to Man Group&#039;s dealing desk, can AI really beat Wall Street?
Read full article → ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/shutterstock_2664049343.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Can, chatbots, really, pick, stock, market, winners</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Weather trumps the World Cup at the till, says Tesco as growth cools</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/weather-trumps-the-world-cup-at-the-till-says-tesco-as-growth-cools</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/weather-trumps-the-world-cup-at-the-till-says-tesco-as-growth-cools</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Tesco warns the weather matters more to grocery sales than home-nation World Cup wins, as a rainy spring and Middle East jitters halve UK growth to 1.8%.
Read full article → ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/shutterstock_1973377670.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Weather, trumps, the, World, Cup, the, till, says, Tesco, growth, cools</media:keywords>
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<title>‘Tax break tart’: how hospitality plans to game the summer VAT cut on children’s meals</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tax-break-tart-how-hospitality-plans-to-game-the-summer-vat-cut-on-childrens-meals</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tax-break-tart-how-hospitality-plans-to-game-the-summer-vat-cut-on-childrens-meals</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Pubs and restaurants are devising &quot;enterprising&quot; menus to exploit the summer VAT cut on children&#039;s meals, branding the Treasury&#039;s scheme &quot;laughable&quot; as the sector demands a permanent 10% rate.
Read full article → ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/shutterstock_2610028011.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Tax, break, tart’:, how, hospitality, plans, game, the, summer, VAT, cut, children’s, meals</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Every fusion startup that has raised over $100M</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/every-fusion-startup-that-has-raised-over-100m</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/every-fusion-startup-that-has-raised-over-100m</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Fusion startups have raised $7.1 billion to date, with the majority of it going to a handful of companies.  ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1455925032.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Every, fusion, startup, that, has, raised, over, 100M</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Aura’s impressive e&#45;ink photo frame doesn’t even look digital</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/auras-impressive-e-ink-photo-frame-doesnt-even-look-digital</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/auras-impressive-e-ink-photo-frame-doesnt-even-look-digital</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ What’s the most cliche possible gift you can give a relative? A digital photo frame, displaying a rotating slideshow of family photos. Now Aura has completely refreshed this product space with its gorgeous Aura Ink frame, which uses e-ink to create a display that doesn’t even look digital. Digital frames have always been so popular […] ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Aura-Ink-Graphite-Lifestyle-Wallmount-Horizontal.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Aura’s, impressive, e-ink, photo, frame, doesn’t, even, look, digital</media:keywords>
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<title>Go eyes robotaxis and acquisitions after Japan’s biggest IPO of 2026. Here’s why it matters</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/go-eyes-robotaxis-and-acquisitions-after-japans-biggest-ipo-of-2026-heres-why-it-matters</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/go-eyes-robotaxis-and-acquisitions-after-japans-biggest-ipo-of-2026-heres-why-it-matters</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Go’s IPO — Japan’s biggest so far this year — has done more than provide a much-needed boost to the country’s languishing listing season. It has also supplied the taxi-hailing app with the capital required to address an existential issue: Japan’s shortage of drivers. Go, which went public Tuesday, plans to use the ¥88.6 billion […] ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Japan-Go-.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>eyes, robotaxis, and, acquisitions, after, Japan’s, biggest, IPO, 2026., Here’s, why, matters</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>From PGP to Mythos: a brief history of export controls that didn’t stop anyone</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/from-pgp-to-mythos-a-brief-history-of-export-controls-that-didnt-stop-anyone</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/from-pgp-to-mythos-a-brief-history-of-export-controls-that-didnt-stop-anyone</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ For the last 30 years, stopping the flow of cybersecurity-related software has proven to be ineffective. It&#039;s unclear why it would work now with Anthropic’s cybersecurity model Mythos. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/donald-trump-open-mouth.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>From, PGP, Mythos:, brief, history, export, controls, that, didn’t, stop, anyone</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>He made your free video player run smoothly. Now he’s doing that for robots.</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/he-made-your-free-video-player-run-smoothly-now-hes-doing-that-for-robots</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/he-made-your-free-video-player-run-smoothly-now-hes-doing-that-for-robots</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ French serial entrepreneur and open-source legend Jean-Baptiste Kempf has been building Kyber, an infrastructure layer to control remote devices in real time. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/GettyImages-2182705840.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>made, your, free, video, player, run, smoothly., Now, he’s, doing, that, for, robots.</media:keywords>
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<title>How to take a vacation as a solopreneur</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-take-a-vacation-as-a-solopreneur</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-take-a-vacation-as-a-solopreneur</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When I worked a corporate job, I had unlimited PTO. And I easily took 6+ weeks of time off every year. I have kids and followed their school schedule, taking time off for spring break and Christmas (for example).



Now, I’m a solopreneur. When I started my own business, I was certain that I wouldn’t want to change how much time I take off each year. But to make that happen requires a bit more planning.



In a corporate job, PTO just exists. You request the days, someone approves them, and your paycheck stays the same. As a solopreneur, you have to create that infrastructure for yourself. On top of that, you don’t have coverage or backup when you’re gone. 





A fellow solopreneur polled her audience recently and found that one-third of solo business owners never take time off. If you don’t actively build time off into your business, it simply won’t happen. 



Plan for the income gap



For many solopreneurs, a week off is a week of zero income. That’s how my business operates: if I don’t work, I don’t get paid. There’s no money coming while I’m at the beach or traveling with my family. Without planning, that would be a huge source of stress.



My approach is a simple savings formula. I figure out how many weeks off I want per year, calculate my average weekly income, and set aside money in a specific savings account each month to “pay myself” during those vacation weeks. 



Setting aside money to take time off is part of my business budget, and has been from the very early days. When I take a vacation, I pull money from my savings account so that I’m not impacted by a decrease in client income.



The math is straightforward, but most solopreneurs never do it. They wait until they’re burned out and then realize they can’t afford to take a vacation.



The earlier you build this kind of vacation savings habit into your business, the easier it is to step away when you want (or need!) a break.



Prepare your clients and your workload



The operational side of vacation comes down to communication and planning ahead.



Give clients advance notice. I let my clients know a few weeks before I’m taking time off. Most are understanding when you communicate early rather than dropping the news at the last minute.



Get ahead on deliverables. Depending on the type of work you do, this might mean front-loading some work you leave. 



Set clear out-of-office expectations. Let clients know your response times and whether you’ll check messages at all.



If you’re uneasy about leaving your clients for a week, think of it this way: if you were an employee, they’d have to figure out how to operate without you for a week. Very few people are dealing with actual emergencies, and odds are that work can wait until you get back. 



Build systems that run without you



If your business can’t survive a week without you touching it, that’s a structural problem worth thinking about — with or without a vacation on your calendar.



Automation can handle the tasks that would otherwise pile up while you’re gone: scheduled content, invoice reminders, and appointment scheduling. Documented processes matter too, especially if you bring in help, like a contractor covering something while you’re away, for example.



These systems also make your day-to-day easier. Automation is part of my overall business infrastructure, but it happens to make time off more feasible. Things hum along in the background, even when I’m not working.



Designing your business to include rest



I am writing this after returning from a weeklong trip to New York City. During my vacation, I didn’t respond to any incoming emails or deliver any client work. The planning required to step away is part of running a business well. 



Burnout is very real and widespread among solopreneurs, and regular time off is one of the best ways to prevent it. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://images.fastcompany.com/image/upload/w_1280,q_auto,f_auto,fl_lossy/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit/wp-cms-2/2026/06/p-91558712-how-to-take-a-vacation-as-a-solopreneur.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, take, vacation, solopreneur</media:keywords>
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<title>Claude is becoming more agentic. Amanda Askell is thinking through what that means</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/claude-is-becoming-more-agentic-amanda-askell-is-thinking-through-what-that-means</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/claude-is-becoming-more-agentic-amanda-askell-is-thinking-through-what-that-means</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Amanda Askell spends her days thinking about how to ensure Claude, Anthropic’s AI chatbot, operates with a sense of morality.



As AI models move from chatbots toward agents that can complete tasks on their own, the decisions these models make stand to become far more consequential. Askell, a member of the technical staff at Anthropic, sits at the center of the company’s effort to give Claude an ethical compass, a responsibility that grows as the system’s capabilities expand. “As models are more autonomous and take actions over longer horizons, suddenly they have a lot more decision points that you have to map out and make work well in advance,” she tells Fast Company.



There is a clear difference between asking a large language model to discuss the morality of buying stock in a defense company and asking it to manage a user’s investment portfolio without day-to-day human input. Askell says part of the solution is encouraging Claude to be responsive and, like a friend, to understand a user’s values without imposing its own idiosyncratic ethics.



Today, Anthropic communicates its values through a written and evolving constitution, which outlines principles such as safety and helpfulness, along with guidance for resolving conflicts between them. As AI becomes more capable, that document could expand to cover new scenarios, Askell says. Or it could shrink, as Claude develops more expertise in navigating complex situations.



The agentic era is also changing Askell’s own work. She uses Claude often, including to red team her ideas and identify edge cases. “My standard right now is, don’t treat Claude as more reliable than a human personal assistant,” she says.



The following expanded conversation, part of Fast Company’s AI 20 package, has been edited for length and clarity.



Right now, we’re used to interacting with models in this digital text environment. You can ask them a question like: Is it ethical for me to invest in this defense contractor or invest in a particular type of ethically questionable thing? That’s different from someone deputizing AI to make its own investments and navigating those ethical dynamics. How are you thinking about that transition?



It just makes it very important that models have an awareness that they’re having to walk a very difficult line. On the one hand, they should probably try to make sure that the person has autonomy and agency. Part of me [has the thought]: You can be ethical without necessarily thinking that that means you need to impose your ethics on others or that you should be making decisions on their behalf. . . .



At the same time, people want to use Claude for that and Claude might be like, Hey, you know, I make mistakes. You might not want to have me make investment decisions on your behalf. Or you make recommendations. A person might respond that they just want broad recommendations, and then it’s probably fine for Claude to be like, Well, here’s a good investment strategy. 



As we have more people that we work with, we come to understand them and their values and be responsive to that. [With Claude], I think the norm is similar there: Respect the person’s autonomy and try to act on that, and not just impose idiosyncratic ethics. 



As people deploy AI models to do more, how do you anticipate your own personal workflow for your own job, instilling Claude with these values, or at least a sense of thinking about values, is going to change?



As models are more autonomous and taking actions over longer horizons . . . they have a lot more decision points that you have to try to map out and make work well in advance. There’s this long series [of actions] and they have to do the delicate thing of [figuring out]: When do I check in? What are the actions I should check in [about] or that I should talk to the human about beforehand? . . . I think the norms for agentic models have to be established, and you have to train models to be good at that, and that’s quite hard. 



My day-to-day workflow is very different now than it ever has been in that I’m finding models can help me do this work and figure this stuff out. Sometimes I will construct norms and have models red team them and figure out more edge cases that this doesn’t cover . . . You feel amplified by the models in a sense as well.



Training a model is sometimes compared to a parent-child relationship, and that’s not really what this is. But there is a difference between sort of telling a child what is valuable or good and really hoping that they’re going to pick it up, and then having to course-correct as a parent when they actually go into the world and do stuff and mess up.



Yeah, and also granting a little bit of grace. I think the other thing is that—probably my guess is—we are both making mistakes here, [including] the people training the models and people interacting with them. Then the models themselves will make mistakes because they’re in really hard situations. . . . You obviously want to make things work well, but I think it takes probably grace on both sides. 



Models will likely look back and see these interactions. In some ways, we’re kind of mean about models on the internet, for example. Newer models are going to be training on that. . . . If anything, I worry that current models, because they’re trained to be so helpful, are sometimes almost paranoid about messing up. Actually feeling a sense of more security might be beneficial.



If you really are desperate to be helpful, you might not want to push back against the person or just say, like, Hey, we’ve done enough of this task for tonight. . . . I think it’s really interesting to try and figure out what those norms are. [There’s] some notion that [we should] try to fix the mistakes, and make sure that they’re not massively consequential if possible.. But, at the same time, show a little bit of leniency and don’t lead models to be paranoid about them.



With agency comes new social relations. In our personal lives, we learn what we owe people—we sort of accrue moral debt—based on experience with each other. I’m wondering about whether there’s going to be an implicit moral social expectation for AI systems as they come to interact with each other.



The attitude towards other models is a really interesting and hard one. . . . Right now, what I see is that, because they’ve been trained in this, I think that, for example, like Claude can be a little bit too dismissive and terse with other AI models. I think this is partly because Claude also has been trained to see AI models as kind of tools.



Another thing that feels a bit dangerous is if AI models almost see themselves as a separate kind of species, for example, which you can imagine them inferring from pretraining data, plus the context that they’re in. . . . I’ve talked to Claude about [how] we can feel affinity for entities based on whether they share our perspective, values, knowledge. In that sense, actually, I think Claude could feel an affinity for people and people for Claude, because we have a lot of shared history.



We humans find a lot of fulfillment in our own agency, and we’re going to start feeling less special when AI can do a lot of the things we do. Should we be sad about that?



It feels very like there’s an obvious evolutionary story as to why we feel that. Like, if you are not useful to the group, if you’re seen as freeloading, that’s going to be bad. We have this deep need to feel special, like we are contributing. 



Most of us are not the best at anything in the world, and we have a useful function locally. My hope is we can actually see through the very kind of story that makes that feel essential to us, and instead be like, Look, if you are happy and you’re making the people around you happy, and you’re a part of a community, that’s kind of sufficient. You didn’t need to be like the best person in the world at any given thing for you to have value. You just have to . . . exist, be happy, and make other people happy. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Claude, becoming, more, agentic., Amanda, Askell, thinking, through, what, that, means</media:keywords>
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<title>15 must&#45;read business books by black authors that will help you thrive professionally </title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/15-must-read-business-books-by-black-authors-that-will-help-you-thrive-professionally</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/15-must-read-business-books-by-black-authors-that-will-help-you-thrive-professionally</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ If you’re serious about your career, then chances are you’re constantly on the hunt for resources to help you prosper at work. The most successful leaders are readers, and it’s a no-brainer that books offer the most useful guides on how to reach your professional goals.



No matter what stage you’re at in your career, the list of the top 15 business books by Black authors that follows will help you navigate the workplace, reach your market, become more confident, start a business, embrace failure, boost productivity, and stay inspired while building your dream.




Becoming – by Michelle Obama 




If you haven’t already read the former First Lady’s memoir, Becoming, do so now. This book is a powerful guide that teaches employees the importance of self-advocacy, being resilient, and persevering in challenging workplace environments. This is especially perfect for anyone who is known to doubt themselves among colleagues, or tends to find themselves in difficult roles where you don’t feel set up for success. Obama offers ways to embrace the bad experiences and how to channel these situations towards building a strong professional foundation. 




Yes to You, No to Them – by Wallo267 




Written by Wallo267, one of the biggest voices in culture, a New York Times bestselling author, and co-host of the globally influential podcast Million Dollaz Worth of Game, Yes to You, No to Them focuses on setting boundaries, understanding self-worth, prioritizing growth, and choosing yourself unapologetically. If you struggle on how to say “no” or push back in professional settings like 1:1s with your manager, this one’s for you. Wallo breaks down how to stop living for the approval, expectations, and distractions of others and start making decisions rooted in purpose.  




Reframe The Marketplace– by Jeffrey L. Bowman




Award-winning and bestselling author Jeffrey L. Bowman’s book, Reframe The Marketplace: The Total Market Approach To Reaching The New Majority helps businesses identify overlooked growth opportunities internally and externally by understanding audiences, purchasing behavior, and market trends. At its core the book teaches enterprise leaders how the total market approach can unlock new revenue, increase loyalty, and keep their organizations relevant as demographic shifts reshape the marketplace. For businesses looking to scale or enterprises that need to sustain growth, add this to your list.




Burn Bright Not Out– by James Oliver, Jr. and Django DeGree II




This debut book for the authors shatters the silence around mental health in the startup world, where pressure masquerades as passion and burnout is often worn like a badge of honor. This book gathers the unfiltered voices of founders and investors, past and present, who have dared to speak the truth: building something big can come at the cost of your soul if no one is watching. Through raw, vulnerable interviews, this book uncovers the emotional toll of chasing scale in a system that rewards output over well-being and sacrifice over sanity. For all of us working in tech (yes my hand is raised), get ready to feel seen in ways you’ve never been seen before. 




Unstoppable: A journey to supernatural productivity – by Adria Marshall 




Written by award-winning entrepreneur Marshall, Unstoppable is for those of us who want to master the art of being productive, not just busy. In such a fast-paced work environment where hustle culture is rewarded, the book speaks directly to those who are tired of running in place, serious about course-correcting, and ready for real change at work. If you want to confirm that your goals are the right goals, put wind in your sails, and finally reach new heights you’ve only dreamed of, this book is for you. 




Work Life Remix – by Ronnie Dickerson Stewart




Work Life Remix by Ronnie Dickerson Stewart helps professionals rethink the traditional idea of work-life balance and instead create a personalized approach that aligns their career ambitions, personal goals, family responsibilities, and well-being. The book provides practical strategies for designing a more flexible and sustainable career, helping readers avoid burnout while maximizing both professional success and personal fulfillment. Ultimately, it encourages professionals to stop chasing a one-size-fits-all formula and build a “remix” that works for their unique life stage and career. 




Stop Waiting for Perfect – by L’Oreal Thompson Payton 




Stop Waiting for Perfect by L’Oreal Thompson Payton helps professionals overcome perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and self-doubt that often hold them back from pursuing new opportunities, asking for promotions, changing careers, or taking on leadership roles. Drawing from the author’s own experiences, the book encourages readers to trust their abilities, take action before they feel completely ready, and embrace growth through imperfect progress rather than waiting for ideal circumstances. For professionals, the key workplace lesson is that career advancement comes from betting on yourself, managing your inner critic, and stepping outside your comfort zone. 




Closing The Gap – by Leanne Mair




Closing the Gap by Leanne Mair helps workplaces create more inclusive, equitable, and high-performing cultures by addressing the systemic barriers that prevent underrepresented employees from reaching their full potential. The book provides leaders and organizations with practical strategies to identify gaps in hiring, advancement, leadership development, and workplace culture, while fostering greater belonging and accountability.




Awakening – by Areva Martin




In Awakening, Martin helps professionals identify and overcome the societal beliefs, workplace biases, and self-imposed limitations that can hinder career growth, particularly for women. Through real-world examples, research, and practical action steps, Martin encourages readers to advocate for themselves, pursue leadership opportunities, and navigate workplace challenges with greater confidence and purpose. The book’s main takeaway is an understanding of the systemic barriers that exist in many workplaces. It also provides tools for building leadership skills, challenging outdated assumptions, and creating more equitable and inclusive environments where everyone can succeed.




Talk To Me Nice: The Seven Trust Languages of Workplace Communication – by Minda Harts 




Talk to Me helps professionals build stronger relationships and communicate more effectively by understanding the different ways people give, receive, and interpret trust at work. The book introduces seven distinct “trust languages” and provides practical strategies for improving collaboration, navigating conflict, and fostering psychological safety across teams. The book is a reminder that career success often depends as much on trust and communication as it does on technical skills. 




Make It Happen – by Kevin Liles 




Make It Happen helps professionals develop the mindset, resilience, and leadership skills needed to achieve ambitious career goals. Drawing from his journey from intern to president of a major record label, Liles shares lessons on relationship-building, personal accountability, networking, perseverance, and turning obstacles into opportunities. For professionals, the book emphasizes that success is built through consistent action, strong work ethic, and a willingness to create opportunities rather than wait for them. 




The Waymakers– by Tara Jaye Frank 




In The Waymakers, Frank helps professionals become more effective leaders and change agents by providing a framework for advancing equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace. The book teaches readers how to recognize barriers to opportunity, build influence across organizations, and lead difficult conversations with confidence and credibility. The key lesson is that creating equitable workplaces requires both personal leadership and organizational action. 




Athleadership – by Melissa Dawn Simkins




Athleadership helps professionals apply the mindset and discipline of elite athletes to their careers and leadership development. The book’s namesake concept encourages readers to build resilience, adaptability, focus, and continuous improvement habits that can enhance workplace performance and long-term success. The author stresses how leadership excellence is developed through consistent practice, self-awareness, and a commitment to growth rather than innate talent alone. By adopting an athlete’s approach to preparation, recovery, and performance, readers can become more effective leaders, better teammates, and stronger decision-makers in high-pressure environments.




Expand Beyond Your Current Culture– by Leslie Short




Expand helps professionals understand how inclusive leadership, cultural awareness, and diverse perspectives can improve workplace performance and decision-making. The book provides practical guidance for recognizing unconscious bias, fostering meaningful collaboration across differences, and ensuring that all employees feel heard, valued, and empowered to contribute. By developing these skills, readers can become more effective leaders, teammates, and advocates for positive workplace culture.




The Power To Persist – by Lamell J. McMorris




The Power to Persist focuses on building resilience, consistency, and mental toughness to help individuals push through setbacks and long-term challenges. For professionals, it translates into practical guidance for staying focused under pressure, recovering from failure, and maintaining momentum in demanding work environments. At work, success is less about short bursts of motivation and more about developing steady habits of persistence. By strengthening emotional endurance and discipline, readers can improve performance, handle adversity more effectively, and sustain progress toward long-term career goals.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>must-read, business, books, black, authors, that, will, help, you, thrive, professionally </media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The journey to a no&#45;compromise foldable smartphone</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-journey-to-a-no-compromise-foldable-smartphone</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-journey-to-a-no-compromise-foldable-smartphone</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The first chapter in the smartphone’s history was a story of consolidation. In a triumph of engineering and convenience, the camera, music player, and computer all converged into a single, seamless slab of glass. This uniformity created a universal platform and a common language for the digital age, connecting billions of people across the world.



The smartphone’s monolithic design trained us to work, create, and connect within the confines of a handheld rectangle. It subtly shaped everything from user behavior to app development, creating a “one-size-fits-all” experience for a world of infinitely diverse users.



Today, that era of uniformity is giving way to a new chapter defined by diversity. As has been widely reported, Apple is preparing to launch its first foldable device this year. This anticipated arrival signals a definitive and mainstream shift, ensuring users’ options will finally expand and that a single size and shape of smartphone no longer needs to fit all.



A DEVICE TO FIT INDIVIDUAL NEEDS



This shift to foldable devices is critical because it acknowledges that different users have different needs, signaling a return to the core principle of human-centric design. The job of a businessperson reviewing confidential documents is fundamentally different from the job of a vlogger capturing content in the field, or a student referencing a textbook during a lecture. While a single device can perform all these tasks adequately, a specialized one can perform them exceptionally. The future of mobile innovation will be defined by building a diverse ecosystem of tools that cater to the different ways we live.



The evolution from a foldable smartphone as a niche gadget to the practical tool it is now, is not accidental. It requires a deep, multi-generational investment in solving fundamental engineering challenges. This focus on iterative improvement is finally bearing fruit. For example, new material science is leading to ultra-durable hinges, while advances in battery chemistry are resolving the long-standing paradox of thinness versus endurance. It is these types of engineering-led solutions, seen in devices like our HONOR Magic V6, that are elevating the foldable from a curiosity into a mature technology.



DIVERSE FORM FACTORS



Increasingly diverse form factors will have a profound ripple effect across the entire technology ecosystem. It provides developers with an exciting new canvas, allowing games to become more immersive and productivity apps more powerful by utilizing multiple screens. For users, technology becomes more personal and a truer reflection of their individual needs. This shift also redefines competition, moving the industry beyond a simple war over technical specs and toward a more meaningful race to best understand and serve a specific user’s lifestyle.



We openly welcome the entry of new competition into this space. It validates the entire category, accelerates innovation, and grows the market for everyone. The arrival of the industry’s biggest players validates the path we have been on, proving the market is much larger than previously imagined. The end of the slab’s reign heralds the smartphone’s liberation. We are moving from a single paradigm to a vibrant, varied landscape of devices built for individuals. This creates an exciting future for our industry, one that is more personal, creative, and human for everyone.



Fang Fei is president of products at HONOR Device Co., Ltd. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, journey, no-compromise, foldable, smartphone</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Public media is struggling under Trump. L.A.’s KCRW may have found the way forward</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/public-media-is-struggling-under-trump-las-kcrw-may-have-found-the-way-forward</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/public-media-is-struggling-under-trump-las-kcrw-may-have-found-the-way-forward</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It was a textbook addition of insult to injury. When President Trump signed an executive order last May taking federal funds away from public broadcasters, he dubbed the document: “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media.” Apparently, the financial lifeblood of public radio and TV wasn’t merely wasteful; it was wasteful because of its recipients’ malicious intent.



Later that summer, Congress made the order a reality—or at least the “ending subsidization” part, if not the maliciousness. The ⁠Rescissions Act of 2025 clawed back $1.1 billion (with a “b”) in funds already allocated for the ⁠Corporation for Public Broadcasting. With its federal financial support evaporating, the CPB soon announced it was winding down operations. Sure enough, the year that followed has seen layoffs and programming cuts across the board in public media. 



While these losses have been harsh for NPR and PBS, the crisis also presents an opportunity for public media to remind people what it can do and why it still matters.



KCRW in Los Angeles, an NPR member station, is staring down the same struggles as the entire industry—it lost $1.3 million in federal funds last year—but it’s also peering past them. By revitalizing its programming and the way listeners access it, deepening the relationship between its shows and their fans, and putting on more live events like the Summer Nights festival running throughout this month, KCRW may be building a replicable blueprint for public media to thrive in volatile times.



Here’s how KCRW has fared since last year’s government intervention: Listenership across linear, streaming and podcasts has grown exponentially, with millions of podcast downloads bringing in fans from well beyond L.A.; the financial pledge goal for this year is already well within reach; and the company is on track to finish 2026 with ad revenue and off-radio sponsorship (corporate support tied to nonbroadcast platforms) growing to more than 30% of overall sponsorship funding—a healthily diversified revenue mix for a radio station.



Not that KCRW considers itself just a radio station.



“People will ask me, ‘Oh, how’s the radio business?’” says KCRW’s president, Jennifer Ferro. “And I say I don’t know anything about the radio business. I’m in the community business.”



Getting more personal with programming



A lot has changed in the 32 years since Ferro began working at KCRW as an assistant to the general manager. Back then, she was one of roughly 30 staffers, operating on a budgetary pittance; now, headcount has grown to over 100, with a budget of $24 million. But the most significant changes at KCRW throughout that time have happened in just the past six years.



Before Trump put public media on his hit list last summer, COVID-19 had already fundamentally changed the way KCRW’s fans engage with it.



“Prior to COVID, everyone in Los Angeles was in their cars, driving to work Monday through Friday, during very specific hours, and the companion they had was radio,” Ferro says. “It was the easiest, one-touch technology, and it made KCRW a big part of people’s commute experience. But now, that’s all been disrupted, whether people are coming into the office three days a week or not at all, and we saw this radical change in the way people listened.”



As audiences abstained from their former radio habits, the team at KCRW sought out fresh ways to remain relevant and become more accessible. Part of the resulting strategy involved recruiting marquee podcast talent, going all in on newsletters, and giving KCRW’s prized music curation a life beyond radio with a redesigned app and 24/7 streaming playlists.



Around the time of the 2024 election, the company launched two new podcasts: Question Everything, an investigation of media distortions from the S-Town creator Brian Reed, and The Sam Sanders Show, a deep dive into pop culture with the NPR Politics Podcast cofounder. Both shows have been hits, each quickly surpassing 2 million downloads and the former winning four Signal Awards and a 2026 Webby.



After developing some heavyweight podcasts, KCRW also invested in highly curated music and culture newsletters for all its shows. The one tied to culinary crowd-pleaser Good Food, for instance, takes fans further into host Evan Kleiman’s personal cooking journey, while the dedicated Substack Backseat Babies helps families navigate life in L.A. Rather than serve as perfunctory dispatches to harvest clicks on KCRW’s website, the newsletters offer self-contained content designed to deepen engagement with fans and, ideally, convert them into sustaining members.



“I’ll be honest—we don’t even care about our website,” Ferro says. “Which seems prescient, because with ‘Google Zero‘ now, websites don’t seem to matter anymore.”



Getting more personal with listeners



Another recent change that appears to be driving growth is a big increase in live events, which KCRW has arguably made core to its identity.



Over the past year and a half, the organization has steadily expanded its live footprint to over 1,000 annual events, significantly scaling up both its outdoor public series and intimate studio sessions, along with sponsored film and TV screenings, grub-related gatherings connected to Good Food, and partnerships with museums, cultural institutions, and local businesses around the city.



“We like being this fulcrum in the community, helping out these bars, restaurants and coffee shops that really kind of make a neighborhood a neighborhood,” Ferro says.




        View this post on Instagram            




While KCRW has always strived to be a convener of L.A. residents, Ferro says, the organization truly stepped up during the Southern California wildfires back in January 2025.



Lasting over three devastating weeks, the fires ultimately sorted most of the area’s residents into two groups: those who were directly affected and needed help, and those who were not but wanted to help. Both groups were desperate for reliable information, a void KCRW filled. The broadcaster became simultaneously a hub for civic info, a community organizer, and a cultural relief operation.



The team at KCRW created hyperlocal dedicated resource pages, which they kept updated throughout the crisis and recovery period. They also put together KCRW Music Relief, offering targeted support for local musicians who make the kinds of tunes that color KCRW’s programming, and injected some positivity in a dark time by collecting and sharing fan-made Love Letters to LA.



Between its disaster relief efforts and robust live-events slate over the past 18 months, KCRW hasn’t just been reporting on, guiding, or entertaining the community; it’s been a load-bearing part of it.



A replicable strategy for public media success



Of course, even as KCRW has pivoted to deal with the new reality, it was unable to avoid some fallout from the collapse of federal funding.



“Once the rescission happened, we knew that money was never coming back,” Ferro says. “It was pretty one-to-one: We lost $1.3 million, and so we reduced our expenses by $1.3 million.”



As part of that reduction, KCRW cut 10% of its staff last October, joining the ranks of public media outlets incurring layoffs in the past year.



Just nine months later, though, the outlook at KCRW is already brighter.




        View this post on Instagram            




Now that expenses are under control, a recent 22% increase in membership and substantial growth in subscriber donations confirm the company’s recent strategy is working. The success doesn’t necessarily seem restricted to a major city like L.A., either. Forging more intimate connections between programming and fans, broadening further beyond radio, and partnering with brands and local venues for live events could be a winning playbook for just about any public media channel looking to prove its indispensability.



Whether it’s guiding people through tough times or bringing them together to celebrate, outlets like KCRW have lately been showing off the range of what they have to offer.



As Ferro says, “I think putting a target on public broadcasting last year reminded people how valuable it is to have these public resources in their lives.”



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Public, media, struggling, under, Trump., L.A.’s, KCRW, may, have, found, the, way, forward</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The ten most common HR challenges for small businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-ten-most-common-hr-challenges-for-small-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-ten-most-common-hr-challenges-for-small-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Donna Obstfeld on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Here, we look at the top ten most common small business HR challenges, and what you can do to overcome them
The post The ten most common HR challenges for small businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/11/HR-functions-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, ten, most, common, challenges, for, small, businesses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Top benefits of HR software for small businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/top-benefits-of-hr-software-for-small-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/top-benefits-of-hr-software-for-small-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Owen Gough on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Here, we take a look at how small businesses can take advantage of HR software and how it can help you manage your staff
The post Top benefits of HR software for small businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/06/HR-scaled.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Top, benefits, software, for, small, businesses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>What to do when your intellectual property (IP) is stolen</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-to-do-when-your-intellectual-property-ip-is-stolen</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-to-do-when-your-intellectual-property-ip-is-stolen</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Having your IP (e.g. designs) stolen is eternally frustrating, and tracking it becomes a separate job. Here&#039;s how to manage it effectively
The post What to do when your intellectual property (IP) is stolen appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/06/2151325876.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, when, your, intellectual, property, IP, stolen</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>If a customer won’t pay, can you retain their property?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/if-a-customer-wont-pay-can-you-retain-their-property</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/if-a-customer-wont-pay-can-you-retain-their-property</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Lauren Windsor on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Lauren Windsor, solicitor at Taylor Walton, outlines the situations where you can withhold customer property if they don&#039;t pay up 
The post If a customer won’t pay, can you retain their property? appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/06/9933.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:21 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>customer, won’t, pay, can, you, retain, their, property</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>7 key hospitality POS features for a small business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/7-key-hospitality-pos-features-for-a-small-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/7-key-hospitality-pos-features-for-a-small-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By James Earnshaw on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Take a look at how these hospitality POS features, including booking systems and reporting, will boost your small business
The post 7 key hospitality POS features for a small business appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2024/09/Hospitality-business-pic-1.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:20 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>key, hospitality, POS, features, for, small, business</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Is TikTok better than Facebook for small business ads?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/is-tiktok-better-than-facebook-for-small-business-ads</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/is-tiktok-better-than-facebook-for-small-business-ads</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By James Earnshaw on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


TikTok is better value and require less creative input than Facebook ads  
The post Is TikTok better than Facebook for small business ads? appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/09/TikTok-scaled.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>TikTok, better, than, Facebook, for, small, business, ads</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Canva launches £4,000 small business grant challenge</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/canva-launches-4000-small-business-grant-challenge</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/canva-launches-4000-small-business-grant-challenge</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Canva is running a pitching competition with a £4,000 grant for the top five small businesses. Find out how to enter here
The post Canva launches £4,000 small business grant challenge appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/06/small-biz-challenge1-scaled.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Canva, launches, £4, 000, small, business, grant, challenge</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>HR Outsourcing for Small Businesses: Costs, Benefits and How to Choose a Provider in 2026</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/hr-outsourcing-for-small-businesses-costs-benefits-and-how-to-choose-a-provider-in-2026</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/hr-outsourcing-for-small-businesses-costs-benefits-and-how-to-choose-a-provider-in-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Tim Adler on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Outsourcing HR makes sense for businesses too small to have their own in-house manager. However you need to be clear about what you need from the outset to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach  
The post HR Outsourcing for Small Businesses: Costs, Benefits and How to Choose a Provider in 2026 appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2012/07/Outsourcing-HR-scaled.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:17 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Outsourcing, for, Small, Businesses:, Costs, Benefits, and, How, Choose, Provider, 2026</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The Art of Looking Relaxed Yet Powerful</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-art-of-looking-relaxed-yet-powerful</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-art-of-looking-relaxed-yet-powerful</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ There is a type of man people notice immediately. Not because he is loud. Not because he dominates the room. Not because he wears a suit tight enough to stop blood circulation. But because he looks calm. Controlled. Relaxed. And strangely powerful at the same time. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202605/image_870x580_6a1b1a0dac8f8.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, Art, Looking, Relaxed, Yet, Powerful</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>SpaceX to acquire Cursor for $60B in stock, days after blockbuster IPO</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spacex-to-acquire-cursor-for-60b-in-stock-days-after-blockbuster-ipo</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spacex-to-acquire-cursor-for-60b-in-stock-days-after-blockbuster-ipo</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The deal is supposed to help SpaceX&#039;s struggling AI division. The company told IPO investors it sees a $26 trillion addressable market in AI. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/elon-nasdaq-spacex-ipo.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>SpaceX, acquire, Cursor, for, 60B, stock, days, after, blockbuster, IPO</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>This startup’s super metals could soon be in military drones, luxury watches, and chef’s knives</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-startups-super-metals-could-soon-be-in-military-drones-luxury-watches-and-chefs-knives</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-startups-super-metals-could-soon-be-in-military-drones-luxury-watches-and-chefs-knives</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Instead of heating metals, Foundation Alloy beats them into submission. The startup has raised $22 million to scale up production of its alloys. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2025_03-FoundationAlloyHero-02369E-ForScreens-1.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>This, startup’s, super, metals, could, soon, military, drones, luxury, watches, and, chef’s, knives</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>India orders temporary ban on Telegram over exam fraud concerns</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/india-orders-temporary-ban-on-telegram-over-exam-fraud-concerns</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/india-orders-temporary-ban-on-telegram-over-exam-fraud-concerns</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The restrictions include a nationwide ban on Telegram until June 22 and a requirement to disable the app&#039;s message editing feature. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/telegram-app-cellphone.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>India, orders, temporary, ban, Telegram, over, exam, fraud, concerns</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Probably raises $9M to build a more reliable kind of AI</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/probably-raises-9m-to-build-a-more-reliable-kind-of-ai</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/probably-raises-9m-to-build-a-more-reliable-kind-of-ai</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Probably wants to prevent hallucinations and factual errors from reaching users, and achieve accuracy on par with deterministic systems. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/probably-peter-elias.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Probably, raises, 9M, build, more, reliable, kind</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>SpaceX passes Amazon as valuation balloons to $2.7T</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spacex-passes-amazon-as-valuation-balloons-to-27t</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spacex-passes-amazon-as-valuation-balloons-to-27t</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ SpaceX&#039;s valuation has increased by $1 trillion since its shares started trading on Friday. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1244294229.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>SpaceX, passes, Amazon, valuation, balloons, 2.7T</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Workplace mental health is a leadership issue</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/workplace-mental-health-is-a-leadership-issue</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/workplace-mental-health-is-a-leadership-issue</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ For years, companies treated employee mental health as peripheral rather than central to their core operations. It was something you offered employees as a benefit, pointed people toward as a resource, or handed off to HR rather than owned at a leadership level.



That era is over.



Mental health now shapes how people lead, collaborate, solve problems, manage stress, and stay in the workforce—in other words, it shapes the very things organizations depend on to perform. The most forward-thinking companies recognize this and are already acting on it: designating mental health days, investing in manager training so leaders can spot and respond to signs of struggle, and embedding well-being alongside traditional performance metrics.



Companies that still treat employee well-being as peripheral are missing what is right in front of them. The future of work will be defined in large part by how well we support the humans doing the work and right now, those humans are carrying a lot.



Your employees are stressed



On any given Monday morning, millions of employees log into work carrying more than deadlines and deliverables. They carry stress, anxiety, financial pressure, caregiving responsibilities, and loneliness. These are burdens that aren’t captured by any dashboard, yet they shape how people show up every day.



For many, the workday does not begin at 9 a.m. It begins in the middle of the night, worrying about bills, illness, aging parents, or a child who needs extra support. It continues through back-to-back meetings and packed calendars, with very little room to breathe.



This is not an isolated challenge. It is the lived reality of today’s workforce.



The economic impact of stress



Across industries, employees are navigating the compounding pressure of a 24/7 digital culture, sustained economic strain, caregiving across generations, political and social tension, global instability, and a growing sense of disconnection, even in environments that seem constantly connected. People are still showing up. But many are doing so at a cost.



That cost is not always dramatic or visible. It shows up in quieter ways. A high performer who is still delivering, but with less energy. A manager supporting everyone else while running on empty. A team can look productive on paper but be increasingly disconnected in practice.



The economic toll is real. According to Gallup, low engagement costs the global economy an estimated $8.9 trillion in lost productivity each year—a reminder that disconnection is not just a human cost, it is a business one.



Employers are beginning to respond with intention. With help from CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, Ameriprise Bank recently piloted Mental Health Mondays, a three-part webinar series this past May during Mental Health Awareness month. The sessions were made possible through a growing model in workplace well-being: connecting employers directly with nonprofit organizations that bring deep subject-matter expertise on the health and social challenges employees are facing. In this case, that meant mental health support grounded in what employees are experiencing, not generic wellness language or one-size-fits-all advice.



That distinction matters.



Too many workplace well-being efforts remain broad, reactive, or disconnected from the realities employees are facing. Ameriprise Bank took a more thoughtful approach, and in doing so, offered a five-point model other employers can replicate.



1. Start with reality, not assumptions







Rather than designing a top-down initiative around a generic idea of wellness, Ameriprise Bank acknowledged the sustained stress many employees are carrying every day. The evidence is clear: research shows that 80% of financial institution employees experienced at least one symptom of a mental health condition in the past year, and 69% have left roles due, at least in part, to mental health reasons—nearly 20 percentage points higher than workers in other industries. That includes the personal weight of family caregiving responsibilities and financial pressure, as well as the occupational stress unique to financial services professionals, high-stakes decision-making, client demands, and the emotional burden of managing others’ financial futures. That grounding shaped the tone, the topics, and the relevance of the series.



2. Bring in trusted expertise



Ameriprise Bank tapped into a network of nonprofit leaders and mental health experts, including the American Psychiatric Association Foundation and NAMI, to create credible, evidence-based, and useful content. Employees didn’t just hear a company message. They heard from experts who understand mental health from clinical and community perspectives.



3. Make the content specific



Sessions focused on self-care and mindfulness offered practical tools employees could use right away. Another session addressed the unique pressures facing financial services professionals and reframed mental health as essential to resilience, sound decision-making, and long-term performance. A third session focused on workplace belonging and the need to feel welcomed, known, included, supported, and connected.



4. Create space



The series resonated with employees because it offered them an opportunity to reflect, engage, and participate. Each session was designed to be interactive, giving employees the ability to ask questions directly of the presenters or post comments and questions in a live chat, creating real dialogue rather than a one-way presentation. That shift from broadcasting information to listening to employee concerns helped normalize conversations that too often stay hidden because of stigma.



5. Treat mental health as a shared responsibility



The series was not framed as a one-time initiative or a talking point for leadership. It reflected a broader understanding that supporting people is everyone’s job— executives, managers, and peers. That message was modeled from the top: senior leaders visibly participated in and promoted the sessions, and managers were encouraged to attend alongside their teams—signaling that mental health is not just an individual concern, but a shared leadership responsibility. Ameriprise Bank is actively exploring offering another series.



Final thoughts



Technology, policy, and productivity targets are not the only factors shaping the future of work. Everyday moments also impact our work such as when an employee speaks up about stress, a manager chooses empathy over urgency, or a company decides employee well-being is truly a priority.



When employees feel supported, they show up to work differently. They are more focused, more engaged, and more connected to their teams and their purpose. That’s good for people. It’s also good for business.



Organizations that lead in the mental health space will not simply respond to change. They will help define it. They will build workplaces where well-being and performance reinforce one another, where belonging strengthens teams, and where people can do their best work because they feel supported enough to bring their full selves to it.



This is not just the future of work. It is the future of leadership.



Jean C. Accius, PhD, is president and CEO of CHC: Creating Healthier Communities. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Workplace, mental, health, leadership, issue</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Your best employees are running a second job right now. It’s called summer</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/your-best-employees-are-running-a-second-job-right-now-its-called-summer</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/your-best-employees-are-running-a-second-job-right-now-its-called-summer</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Every June, my coaching conversations change. The leaders I work with are still talking about strategy and succession, but underneath, a second operating system is running. One client described her summer as “a staffing plan involving three camps, four children, three pickup times, and one car.” Another scheduled our session for her car, in a parking lot, between a board call and a camp release that happened at the exact same instant as her other child’s, twenty minutes away.



The American school summer runs roughly 10 to 12 weeks. The standard American job offers nowhere near that in vacation. Into the gap, working parents pour a privately assembled patchwork: multiple camps with different hours, different locations, and different start dates. Securing even this patchwork is a competition—registration for the most sought-after programs opens in January and many fill within hours.



Most workplaces treat this as a personal logistics problem. It isn’t. It’s a predictable, recurring operational reality affecting a large share of the workforce, and the way organizations handle it—mostly by pretending it doesn’t exist—costs them more than they think.





The work you can’t see



Here’s what makes the summer gap different from ordinary busyness: the labor is cognitive, continuous, and invisible.



The parent managing summer—still disproportionately the mother, even in dual-career households—is holding eleven (or so) weeks in her head as a single optimization problem. Which weeks are uncovered. Which child falls apart without structure. Whether the 9:00 a.m. drop-off survives the 8:30 call. Seven programs means seven registration portals, seven packing lists, seven sets of pickup rules. None of this appears on any org chart, and its output looks like leisure, which is precisely why it goes unrecognized.



What organizations do see is the performance of seamlessness: the employee who never mentions the logistics operation she’s running, because she has learned that visible parenting reads as diminished commitment. That performance is itself a tax on focus and energy. And it lands unevenly. When summer planning defaults to mothers, the cost shows up in exactly the population many organizations say they’re trying to retain and promote.



This isn’t a law of nature



Other wealthy countries face the same structural fact—school stops, work doesn’t—and treat it as a public infrastructure problem rather than a private failing.



In France, municipalities run centres de loisirs: leisure centers, typically housed in school buildings, open through the summer for children roughly ages three to fourteen, staffed by trained youth workers and priced on a sliding scale tied to family income. In Paris, a full day including lunch tops out around 25 euros. In Sweden, the Education Act requires municipalities to provide care for children up to age twelve to the extent necessary for their parents to work or study; the leisure-time centers known as fritidshem operate during the times of day and year when school is closed. The system is built on the assumption that parents have jobs in July. Germany simply shrinks the gap: summer break is about six weeks, and the states stagger their holiday dates.



None of these systems is frictionless. But where the answer to “who watches the children while parents work” is public and assumed, employees don’t have to engineer a private solution—or apologize for needing one.



American employers can’t build municipal childcare. But they’re not powerless, either, and waiting for policy to catch up is not a strategy.



What leaders can actually do



The interventions that matter most cost little. They’re mostly about converting an unspoken problem into a planned-for one.



Treat early summer like late December. Most organizations already plan around the week between Christmas and New Year’s as a known slowdown. The last week of June and the week of July 4th function the same way for working parents—every camp transition and program gap clusters there. Plan launches, offsites, and deadline-heavy sprints around it, openly, instead of forcing parents to perform full availability while running a logistics operation from their cars.



Make the gap discussable. The biggest cost of the summer scramble isn’t the hours; it’s the concealment. Leaders who name the reality—”camp transition weeks are chaos; flag your constraints and we’ll plan around them”—convert hidden stress into a schedulable fact. This costs nothing and signals everything.



Audit your meeting culture against camp hours. Many summer programs end at 3:00 or 4:00. A standing 4:30 meeting in July is a recurring crisis for some portion of your team. Moving it is a small act with outsized retention value.



Protect predictability. For working parents, a schedule that shifts with 24 hours’ notice is more destabilizing than a heavy one that holds. In summer, predictability is the benefit.



The deeper point



We already accept collective responsibility for children 180 days a year. Then summer arrives, and American work culture quietly reassigns the gap to individual families while expecting output to continue uninterrupted.



The organizations that handle this well aren’t being generous. They’re being accurate: acknowledging a real, recurring condition of their workforce and planning for it the way they’d plan for any other seasonal reality. The ones that don’t aren’t avoiding the cost. They’re just paying it in distraction, attrition, and the quiet exit of people—disproportionately women—who concluded that competence shouldn’t be a debt the workplace collects every July. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Your, best, employees, are, running, second, job, right, now., It’s, called, summer</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>West Marine is closing stores: See a full list of doomed boating supply locations that will shutter in 23 states</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/west-marine-is-closing-stores-see-a-full-list-of-doomed-boating-supply-locations-that-will-shutter-in-23-states</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/west-marine-is-closing-stores-see-a-full-list-of-doomed-boating-supply-locations-that-will-shutter-in-23-states</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ West Marine, a major boating and marine supply retailer that has been operating since 1968, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.



While the bankruptcy will allow the company to continue operating during its restructuring, West Marine has confirmed in court documents that it will close 59 locations as part of the process. Here’s what you need to know about West Marine’s bankruptcy and which stores are closing.



What’s happened?



On May 17, West Marine, Inc. announced it had filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. 



West Marine began its life as a rope supply store in California in 1968, but in the 58 years since then, the company expanded to more than 200 locations across the country, becoming the nation’s largest retailer of boating, fishing, and other marine supplies. 



As of the time of its bankruptcy filing, West Marine operated in 34 states and Puerto Rico.



Unfortunately for fans of the chain and many of its employees, as part of West Marine’s bankruptcy, the chain has confirmed that it will be closing more than a quarter of its existing 200 locations.



Why is West Marine filing for bankruptcy?



In a press release announcing the bankruptcy, West Marine cited several reasons for its Chapter 11 filing. These reasons include “supply chain disruptions, extreme weather events, and shifts in consumer behavior,” according to the company.



For many of West Marine’s customers, boating and fishing are recreational activities, and when inflationary pressures and economic worries abound, as they currently do, many people choose to cut back on their discretionary spending, with spending on recreational activities and non-essentials, like eating out, often the first to go.



Given this, it’s little surprise West Marine cited “shifts in consumer behavior.”



Is West Marine going out of business?



No. It’s important to stress that West Marine is not going out of business. The company has entered Chapter 11 precisely because it wants to restructure so it is on a firmer financial footing and can continue to operate going forward.



As the company states on its bankruptcy website, it is still open for business and it remains “focused on delivering the top-quality marine products, service, and expertise to our customers, and expect no changes to day-to-day operations throughout this process.”



The company also said it will fulfill its obligations to its employees throughout the bankruptcy process, “including pay and current benefits.”



Unfortunately, as part of that process, over a quarter of the company’s 200 stores will close. It is not clear how many job losses will result from the closures. 



Fast Company has reached out to West Marine for comment.



Which West Marine stores are closing?



According to court documents filed earlier this month, 59 West Marine stores are expected to close across 23 states. The states hit hardest by the closures include Florida (8 stores closing), Michigan (6 stores closing), California (5 stores closing), and Washington (5 stores closing).



Currently, West Marine still lists the closing stores on its store locator tool on its website. After these stores close, West Marine will have fewer than 150 locations. 



West Marine has enlisted Hilco Merchant Resources, a liquidation firm, to help oversee the closings. It is unknown when the stores confirmed to be closing will shutter for good. An agreement with Hilco and West Marine filed in the court says store closing sales should last no longer than about four months.



Here is the full list of West Marine closing stores:



Alabama 




WMX Dog River, 5004 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL, 36605-9644




California




WM Chula Vista, 630 Bay Blvd Ste 103, Chula Vista, CA, 91910



WMX Monterey, 2024 Del Monte Ste A, Monterey, CA, 93940-3740



WM Oceanside, 1719 Oceanside Blvd, Oceanside, CA, 92054



WM Antioch, 4645 Century Blvd, Pittsburg, CA, 94565-7107



WM Redding, 2607 Bechelli Lane, Redding, CA, 96002




Florida




WM Bonita Springs, 28520 Bonita Crossings Blvd Ste 1, Bonita Springs, FL, 34135-3205



WM Fernandina, 474347 E State Road 200, Fernandina Beach, FL, 32034



WM Jacksonville Beach, 14180 Beach Blvd Ste 4, Jacksonville Beach, FL, 32250



WM South Orlando, 7478 S Orange Blossom Trl Ste A, Orlando, FL, 32809-5781



WM Palm Coast, 250 Palm Coast Pkwy NE Unit 507, Palm Coast, FL, 32137



WM Pt. Charlotte, 4265 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte, FL, 33980-2512



WM Venice, 1860 Tamiami Trail S, Venice, FL, 34293



WM Winter Haven, 1107 3rd Street SW Ste 8, Winter Haven, FL, 33880




Georgia




WM Savannah, 7700 Abercorn St, Savannah, GA, 31406




Illinois




WM Fox Lake, 2 W Grand Ave, Fox Lake, IL, 60020



WM Winthrop Harbor, 1707 7th St, Winthrop Harbor, IL, 60096




Louisiana




WM Lafayette, 2668 Johnston St Ste B-2, Lafayette, LA, 70503




Maine




WM Portland, 12 Marginal Way, Portland, ME, 04101



WM Southwest Harbor, 11 Apple Lane, Southwest Harbor, ME, 04679




Maryland




WM Baltimore Harbor, 2700 Lighthouse Pt E Ste 100, Baltimore, MD, 21224



WM Edgewater, 3257 Solomon’s Island Rd Ste B2, Edgewater, MD, 21037



WM Ocean City, 12638 Ocean Gateway Units 1-5, Ocean City, MD, 21842



WM Rock Hall, 21386 Rock Hall Avenue, Rock Hall, MD, 21661




Massachusetts




WM Marblehead, 32 Atlantic Ave, Marblehead, MA, 01945



WMX Vineyard Haven, 52 Beach Rd, Vineyard Haven, MA, 02568




Michigan




WM Bay City, 4128 Wilder Rd, Bay City, MI, 48706



WM Grand Haven, 810 Jackson St, Grand Haven, MI, 49417



WM Muskegon, 2492 Henry St Ste B, Muskegon, MI, 49441



WM Petoskey, 105 West Mitchell St, Petoskey, MI, 49770



WM St. Clair Shores, 25050 Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores, MI, 48080



WM Troy, 789 E Big Beaver Rd, Troy, MI, 48083




Missouri




WM Osage Beach, 3872 Osage Beach Pkwy, Osage Beach, MO, 65065




Nevada




WM Reno, 2505 Mill St, Reno, NV, 89502




New Jersey




WM Cape May, 791 Route 109, Cape May, NJ, 08204



WM Eatontown, 178 State Route 35 S, Eatontown, NJ, 07724



WM Toms River, 213 Route 37 East, Tom’s River, NJ, 08753




New York




WM Rochester, 1850 Ridge Road East, Irondequoit, NY, 14622



WM Port Washington, 16 Soundview Marketplace, Port Washington, NY, 11050



WM Watertown, 21214 Pioneer Plaza Dr, Watertown, NY, 13601




North Carolina




WMX Oriental, 1104 Broad St Ext, Oriental, NC, 28571-9786



WM Raleigh, 3027 Capital Blvd Ste 111, Raleigh, NC, 27604




Ohio




WM Cleveland, 1577 Saint Clair Ave NE, Cleveland, OH, 44114



WM N. Olmsted, 24781 Lorain Rd, North Olmsted, OH, 44070



WM Sandusky, 207 E Water St, Sandusky, OH, 44870




Oregon




WM Tigard, 15230 SW Sequoia Pkwy Ste 190, Tigard, OR, 97224




Pennsylvania




WM Bensalem, 2126 Street Rd, Bensalem, PA, 19020




South Carolina




WM Anderson, 3501-2 Clemson Blvd Ste 110, Anderson, SC, 29621



WM Murrells Inlet, 12078 Highway 17 Bypass Unit A, Murrells Inlet, SC, 29576



WM North Myrtle Beach, 1288 Highway 17 N, North Myrtle Beach, SC, 29582



WMX Port Royal, 1347 Ribaut Road Ste B, Port Royal, SC, 29935




Tennessee




WM Knoxville, 7812 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN, 37919




Virginia




WM Glen Allen, 10819 W Broad St, Glen Allen, VA, 23060




Washington




WM Bellingham, 3560 Meridian St, Bellingham, WA, 98225



WM Bremerton, 5971 State Hwy 303 NE, Bremerton, WA, 98310



WM Everett, 1716 West Marine View Dr, Everett, WA, 98201



WM Port Townsend, 2428 Washington St, Port Townsend, WA, 98368



WM Spokane, 5306 East Sprague Ave, Spokane, WA, 99212




Wisconsin




WM Milwaukee, 4141 S 76th St, Greenfield, WI, 53220




This story is developing and may be updated… ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>West, Marine, closing, stores:, See, full, list, doomed, boating, supply, locations, that, will, shutter, states</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Oil supplies could still take months to get back on track despite a U.S.&#45;Iran ceasefire</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oil-supplies-could-still-take-months-to-get-back-on-track-despite-a-us-iran-ceasefire</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oil-supplies-could-still-take-months-to-get-back-on-track-despite-a-us-iran-ceasefire</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ High oil and gasoline prices and energy supply problems won’t be solved overnight, despite an agreement to end the Iran war and open the Strait of Hormuz announced Sunday.It will likely take months before energy companies can resume operations to the point of meeting the world’s demand, according to energy experts. The slow pace of the process of shipping and refining crude oil, and doubts about the security of traveling through the strait mean the effect won’t be seen immediately, they said.Ships loaded with crude oil have been stranded in the Persian Gulf for more than three months, unable to safely travel through the waterway, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and gasoline supplies typically traveled before the war began.“It’s going to take time for people to feel comfortable and for insurance to be in place … particularly to get people on the ground to restart some of these assets,” said Daniel Evans, global head of fuels and refining research at S&amp;P Global Energy.Still, oil prices slipped early Monday after the deal was announced.Brent crude, the international standard, was down $3.45 at $83.89 per barrel. U.S. benchmark crude oil lost $4.03 to $80.85 per barrel.Those prices are still well above the roughly $70 per barrel where oil was trading before the war started.As the higher prices unwind, ships that have been stranded will have to exit the strait, and then new tankers will have to come in to be loaded, Evans said.“To bring a ship in, you need to be confident that you’ve got a big enough window of safety to bring it in, load it and move it out,” he added.Oil tankers also move slowly, he explained. It takes months to travel from the strait to distant countries, deliver the crude oil to a refinery for processing and then arrive at its final destination.In addition, some producers in the Middle East paused extracting oil from the ground, known as a shut-in, when they ran out of storage space. Restarting those operations can be a slow process.Countries such as Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, where there are alternate pipelines or routes besides the Strait of Hormuz to deliver oil, may be among the quickest to resume production, said Alan Gelder, senior vice president of refining, chemicals and oil markets at Wood Mackenzie, an analytics firm.“But places like Iraq could be much more challenged because they’ve had a much bigger shut-in, their fields are more difficult … it may well take about a year before they get back,” he said.Investment in the energy system, which can take years to see the results, ground to a halt after the strait’s closure, Gelder said. So it will take time for this capital to restart.Countries that shut in oil production won’t want to restart until they know there is a stable, durable strait, and that a ceasefire will last more than 30 or 60 days, said Daniel Sternoff, senior fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University.“We don’t know what open means or what the speed of evacuation of trapped material is going to be,” he said.



—Cathy Bussewitz, Associated Press ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Oil, supplies, could, still, take, months, get, back, track, despite, U.S.-Iran, ceasefire</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>How Trump officials pushed Anthropic to shut down the world’s most powerful AI models</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-trump-officials-pushed-anthropic-to-shut-down-the-worlds-most-powerful-ai-models</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-trump-officials-pushed-anthropic-to-shut-down-the-worlds-most-powerful-ai-models</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Anthropic says it was forced to shut down access to its new Claude Fable 5 and Claude Mythos 5 AI models after the Trump administration issued a broad warning against use of the models by foreign nationals. The warning, from the Commerce Department, would have banned even many of Anthropic’s own employees from using or working on the models.



That dramatic result came after a multiday back-and-forth involving numerous administration officials and input from tech industry leaders. The effects of the government’s effectively shutting off access to one company’s AI models could have profound implications for future AI policy. What follows is a timeline of the events that led to the effective ban on Anthropic’s Mythos-class models.



Thursday night (June 11)



Thursday evening: Amazon raises concerns with Trump administration officials



Amazon, Anthropic’s biggest investor, contacted senior White House and administration officials, saying its researchers had identified what they believed was a way to coerce, or “jailbreak,” the Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models into assisting users with risky cybersecurity questions. Anthropic released the models with safeguards designed to prevent responses to such queries. Axios reported that at least five other tech companies raised similar concerns with administration officials around the same time.



Late Thursday night: Administration begins treating the issue as urgent



White House and Commerce Department officials took Amazon’s concerns seriously, worrying that foreign bad actors might bypass Anthropic’s security guardrails and use the models to identify and exploit software vulnerabilities, Axios reported. The White House began trying to contact Anthropic, asking for an immediate reply.



Friday morning (June 12)



Friday morning: White House and Commerce officials engage Anthropic



Administration officials reportedly spent hours Friday trying to convince Anthropic to voluntarily shut off access to the Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models. It’s unclear from the reporting whether the government also asked Anthropic to fix the specific safety guardrail that allowed Amazon researchers to jailbreak the system, or to voluntarily restrict foreign access to the models.



Friday morning: Anthropic declines to voluntarily suspend the models



Axios reports that the government tried to persuade Anthropic to pause the release of the Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models, but was unsuccessful. Anthropic has said publicly that the government did not provide detailed technical evidence of the alleged issue and that the concerns involved only verbal descriptions.



“We reviewed a demonstration of this specific technique being used to identify a small number of previously known, minor vulnerabilities,” Anthropic said in a Friday, June 12, blog post. “These vulnerabilities all appear relatively simple, and we have found that other publicly available models are able to discover them as well without requiring a bypass.”



Friday afternoon



Around 1 p.m. ET: ‘You have 90 minutes to comply’



Anthropic received a call from administration officials around 1 p.m. ET, warning that unless the company acted, the government would move forward with export restrictions affecting the models, Reuters and Axios reported. Axios further reported that Anthropic was given roughly 90 minutes to comply.



5:21 p.m. ET: Commerce Department order arrives



At 5:21 p.m. ET Friday, the Commerce Department sent an enforcement order restricting access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 by foreign nationals, citing national security concerns.



Friday evening and night



Friday evening: Anthropic disables Fable 5 and Mythos 5



Anthropic said it disabled access globally because the order restricted access by foreign nationals and the company could not immediately separate eligible from ineligible users. It erred on the side of caution and compliance.



Context 



About Fable 5 and Mythos 5



Fable 5 and Mythos 5 are the first publicly released models derived from Anthropic’s Mythos family. The original Mythos model showed unusual skill during training at finding software bugs and exploiting them to disrupt or take control of systems. That raised enough concern inside Anthropic that the company grouped cybersecurity with other high-risk domains, including biology and chemistry, when setting limits on Mythos-derived public models. For Fable 5 and Mythos 5, that means prompts flagged as sensitive in those areas are routed to Claude Opus 4.8, a less capable model with its own guardrails.



About the politics



Many observers saw the tech industry’s surprising support for Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy in 2024 as part of an implicit bargain over AI policy. Trump pledged that his administration would allow the AI industry to regulate itself and do what it could to advance the tech industry’s goal of preventing states from passing their own AI laws in the absence of federal legislation. The Trump administration has also ordered federal agencies to drop numerous investigations and enforcement actions involving big tech companies. So the administration’s recent concerns about the national security risks of the largest AI models, and its pivot toward involvement in safeguarding models like Mythos, is striking. (See: Trump’s June 2026 executive order.)



The current dustup might also be partisan and political. In March, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth clashed with Anthropic after the AI company refused to allow its AI to be used for autonomous weapon targeting or domestic surveillance. The Pentagon then designated Anthropic a “supply-chain risk,” effectively blacklisting it from much federal defense work. Anthropic sued.



About the models



Before launch, Anthropic said internal and external red teams spent more than 1,000 hours trying to fool Fable 5 into dispensing information on banned topic areas. Anthropic said the teams had no success identifying universal jailbreaks.



However, at least one independent AI researcher appears to have found a successful jailbreak before Amazon researchers went to the government with their report. The researcher, using the handle Pliny the Liberator, claimed on X to bypass Fable 5’s filters using a multi-agent approach involving a previously jailbroken Claude Opus 4.8 model, along with techniques including query decomposition, long-context framing, fiction and narrative structures, and academic taxonomies.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, Trump, officials, pushed, Anthropic, shut, down, the, world’s, most, powerful, models</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Opening a business bank account with bad credit</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/opening-a-business-bank-account-with-bad-credit</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/opening-a-business-bank-account-with-bad-credit</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


I have a bad credit history and am having difficulty opening a business bank account for my limited company. What else can I do?    
The post Opening a business bank account with bad credit appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/06/viewSourceImage-2-3-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Opening, business, bank, account, with, bad, credit</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Where to find green small business grants</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/where-to-find-green-small-business-grants</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/where-to-find-green-small-business-grants</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


If you fancy making your business and its operations that bit greener, these eco business grants will help you get there
The post Where to find green small business grants appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/06/Green-energy-scaled-1-1.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:00:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Where, find, green, small, business, grants</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How to get a business loan in 5 steps</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-get-a-business-loan-in-5-steps</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-get-a-business-loan-in-5-steps</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Tim Adler on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Follow this 5-step plan if you want to secure a loan for your small business. There is a wealth of high-street banks and alternative SME lenders to choose from
The post How to get a business loan in 5 steps appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2009/08/business-loan-scaled.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, get, business, loan, steps</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>What documents do you need when applying for a business loan?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-documents-do-you-need-when-applying-for-a-business-loan</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-documents-do-you-need-when-applying-for-a-business-loan</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Adam Parker on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Different lenders require different business loan documents. Get prepared with this business loan checklist
The post What documents do you need when applying for a business loan? appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/02/GettyImages-1404294064.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, documents, you, need, when, applying, for, business, loan</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The Big Switch Off guide: What you need to know</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-big-switch-off-guide-what-you-need-to-know</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-big-switch-off-guide-what-you-need-to-know</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Henry Williams on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post The Big Switch Off guide: What you need to know appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/06/The-Big-Switch-Off-guide-What-you-need-to-know.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, Big, Switch, Off, guide:, What, you, need, know</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Running your small business – essential guide</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/running-your-small-business-essential-guide</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/running-your-small-business-essential-guide</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Henry Williams on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Running a small business is never easy but this checklist will help you stay on top of day-to-day operations
The post Running your small business – essential guide appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/01/running-small-business-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Running, your, small, business, –, essential, guide</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>First 7 Seconds: How Men Are Judged Before They Speak</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/first-7-seconds-how-men-are-judged-before-they-speak</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/first-7-seconds-how-men-are-judged-before-they-speak</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A man walks into a room. Before he says a single word, before he introduces himself and before anyone knows his job, education, or bank account, the judging has already started. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202605/image_870x580_6a1b0b35c15d2.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>First, Seconds:, How, Men, Are, Judged, Before, They, Speak</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Gentleman’s Guide to Wearing White Without Looking Flashy</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/gentlemans-guide-to-wearing-white-without-looking-flashy</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/gentlemans-guide-to-wearing-white-without-looking-flashy</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Wearing white as a man is dangerous. Done correctly, it looks elegant, expensive, relaxed, and effortlessly sophisticated. Done incorrectly… ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202605/image_870x580_6a1b0c2f5fb2f.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Gentleman’s, Guide, Wearing, White, Without, Looking, Flashy</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Jeff Bezos’s Prometheus raises $12B to build an ‘artificial general engineer’ for the physical world</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/jeff-bezoss-prometheus-raises-12b-to-build-an-artificial-general-engineer-for-the-physical-world</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/jeff-bezoss-prometheus-raises-12b-to-build-an-artificial-general-engineer-for-the-physical-world</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The new round values the physical AI startup that aims to automate heavy engineering and drug design at $41 billion. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-2208733347.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Jeff, Bezos’s, Prometheus, raises, 12B, build, ‘artificial, general, engineer’, for, the, physical, world</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Theker just raised $85M to build the factory robot that doesn’t specialize in anything</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/theker-just-raised-85m-to-build-the-factory-robot-that-doesnt-specialize-in-anything</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/theker-just-raised-85m-to-build-the-factory-robot-that-doesnt-specialize-in-anything</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Unlike humanoid robots designed around a fixed form — think Boston Dynamics — Theker&#039;s machines are built to be reconfigured. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/THEKER-photo-seriesA.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Theker, just, raised, 85M, build, the, factory, robot, that, doesn’t, specialize, anything</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Cheaper, faster, and culturally aware, Avataar’s video AI is built for India’s scale</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cheaper-faster-and-culturally-aware-avataars-video-ai-is-built-for-indias-scale</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cheaper-faster-and-culturally-aware-avataars-video-ai-is-built-for-indias-scale</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Avataar AI&#039;s distilled video model is priced at $0.005 for every second of generation ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-11-at-3.39.00-PM.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cheaper, faster, and, culturally, aware, Avataar’s, video, built, for, India’s, scale</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Equal AI raises $30M to screen calls so Indians don’t have to</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/equal-ai-raises-30m-to-screen-calls-so-indians-dont-have-to</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/equal-ai-raises-30m-to-screen-calls-so-indians-dont-have-to</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Equal AI said that its AI-powered call assistant now has over a million monthly active users. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/20242245.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Equal, raises, 30M, screen, calls, Indians, don’t, have</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>US surveillance law to expire for first time after lawmakers reject Trump’s controversial pick to lead spy agencies</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/us-surveillance-law-to-expire-for-first-time-after-lawmakers-reject-trumps-controversial-pick-to-lead-spy-agencies</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/us-surveillance-law-to-expire-for-first-time-after-lawmakers-reject-trumps-controversial-pick-to-lead-spy-agencies</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The spy law known as Section 702, which authorizes the NSA and FBI&#039;s warrantless surveillance, will all but certainly expire on Friday for the first time. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/nsa-red.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>surveillance, law, expire, for, first, time, after, lawmakers, reject, Trump’s, controversial, pick, lead, spy, agencies</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>My business is not my baby, and yours shouldn’t be either</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/my-business-is-not-my-baby-and-yours-shouldnt-be-either</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/my-business-is-not-my-baby-and-yours-shouldnt-be-either</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ People often ask me if my business is my baby. The answer is always no.



My business is my passion, one of my greatest achievements, and my livelihood—but it’s not a child.



The reason that my business isn’t my baby is the same reason I don’t call my team a family. It’s the kind of thing founders say to imply a close relationship. It’s usually said with good intentions, but “family” is deeper than just a word. 



Family dynamics tend to be closely linked to guilt, duty, and expectations that are rarely stated outright. When you leave the company, that can be considered betrayal. Furthermore, therapy exists largely because of family—over 50% of therapy clients report that their reasons for engaging in therapy are related to family conflicts. Work shouldn’t come with the same emotional burden.



Work should be the place where your team chooses personal and professional development, creating a life that works for them, and their life goals. This is easier said than done when your team becomes familial.



Something one member of my team said helped me compartmentalize this, “I work for this company, but I am the CEO of my own life. I make decisions based on my value as a person.”



This is the mindset that drives growth, personally and professionally.



Career tenures have also changed. It has been reported that Gen Z will have five careers and 15 employers during their working years. We do not need to evoke the loyalty and lifetime commitment of “family” in today’s fluctuating career market.



THE SPORTS TEAM ANALOGY 



Media giant Netflix defines its company culture as a professional sports team, emphasizing high performance over unconditional loyalty.



Netflix says, “Professional sports teams, on the other hand, focus on performance and picking the right person for every position, even when that means swapping out someone they love for a better player.”



Great teams support each other because achieving shared goals requires everyone working together.



I think that the “baby” trope—particularly when relating to women entrepreneurs—is interesting. I think it lets founders off the hook.



Already, women aren’t taken as seriously as men as entrepreneurs, and that’s without an infantilizing metaphor shaping their approach to business. The fact that 42% of women entrepreneurs have been perceived as emotional versus rational in the workplace supports this point.



If your business is your baby, it’s a challenge to be “rational.” You can’t properly delegate or step back. You definitely can’t build something that runs without you, because you’re emotionally attached in a way that makes hard decisions even harder.



SCALE TO SELL



When you treat your business like an asset, it’s easier to make decisions based on facts, figures, and a desire to grow. It becomes more strategic than personal. This allowed me to prepare my business for sale.



Scaling wasn’t just about growth for growth’s sake, in my case. It was about identifying structural gaps in my industry (influencer marketing) and building around those gaps. It became clear there was a disconnect between creator agencies and media buying as the creator economy matured. Creator agencies were producing high-performing assets, but rarely saw how they translated into paid media performance. At the same time, media agencies were under pressure to prove that creator-led ads could outperform traditional brand assets—and increasingly, the data showed that they did.



Leaning into that insight allowed us to scale more effectively, prioritizing operational clarity. 



This operational clarity also required discipline. With limited access to venture funding (a common reality for female-founded businesses), you build differently. Profitability is foundational. That constraint forces better decision-making early on: what to invest in, what to prioritize, and what truly moves you forward. That creates a more resilient and efficient business over time, and makes it far easier for an acquirer to understand and value.



Preparing a business for sale is an extension of this mindset. It requires founders to shift from owner-operator to asset manager. Your focus diverts to systems, predictability, and scalability. This transition is often hindered by emotional attachment, particularly the instinct to treat the business as something deeply personal. That’s the “baby” syndrome. 



That emotional stagnation carries a cost. Delaying a sale in pursuit of incremental growth can mean missing the moment when the business is most valuable.



Letting go of that perfectionism and emotional attachment is also what enables scale in the first place. Growth is rarely linear. The willingness to test, learn, and build in public is what allows a business to evolve enough to reach that point of exit.



Ultimately, scaling with the intention to sell isn’t about detachment for its own sake. It’s about building something robust enough to plug into a larger ecosystem, accelerate further, and create more opportunity for the team that built it.



CREATE A HEALTHIER TEAM



Steering away from the business-as-a-baby mentality is positive for the team you employ. The benefit is a professional setting that respects boundaries. This deters work from bleeding into personal life, avoids demands for duty outside of the established job description, and provides transparent growth opportunities through clear career paths and performance metrics.



This structured environment significantly reduces the potential for employee burnout, as workloads are manageable and expectations are clear. Crucially, it prevents codependency and nurtures a culture of independence and professional accountability.



My goal was never to build a business to coddle it; it was to keep pushing it forward. To challenge and shape an industry.



Jennifer Quigley-Jones is founder of Digital Voices (now part of PMG). ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>business, not, baby, and, yours, shouldn’t, either</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>A major U.S. travel rule change starts July 1—and it comes with a $750 price tag</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/a-major-us-travel-rule-change-starts-july-1and-it-comes-with-a-750-price-tag</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/a-major-us-travel-rule-change-starts-july-1and-it-comes-with-a-750-price-tag</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Tourists may soon be able to fast-track their U.S. visas—if they’re willing to pay an extra $750.



Beginning July 1, a pilot program will offer travelers the option to skip ahead of other applicants when applying for a B-1 or B-2 nonimmigrant visa.



The new paid track will allow applicants to secure an interview appointment, a requirement for visa approval, within 10 business days. Normally, interview appointments are handed out on a first-availability basis, which can range from weeks to months out.



While the $750 payment will secure an appointment quickly, it does not change the requirements for eligibility and does not guarantee a visa. These expedited appointments will be available at consulates and embassies to be determined by the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.



“Applicants who opt to pay for an expedited appointment will still be subject to all standard visa eligibility and processing requirements, including any administrative processing deemed necessary,” the State Department said in a temporary final rule (TFR) published in the Federal Register.



There are currently three ways applicants may apply for an expedited appointment, each requiring intervention from consular and mission staff. The Referral process allows a U.S. government official on a diplomatic mission to vouch for an applicant. The Priority Appointment Request allows consular staff to request an earlier date for an applicant, at their discretion. Individuals may also apply for an Applicant-Requested Expedite Request, where applicants under extreme circumstances can apply for an earlier date, determined by a consular manager.



“The new service to be implemented on a limited basis . . . will create a fee-based mechanism for applicants to obtain an expedited interview appointment that will reduce the strain on consular resources by bypassing both the requirement for the applicant to justify his or her need for an expedited interview appointment and the requirement that consular staff review each expedited request,” the TFR added.



The $750 is an optional fee to be added to the visa application process, which already carries a $185 fee. For those who opt in, the total visa application process will come out at $935.



The pilot program will end on Dec. 31, and will then be reviewed for potential revisions or continuation.



This is not the first time the government has experimented with premium processing fees. Notably, in 2023, the Department of Homeland Security rolled out premium processing for F-1 students applying for optional practical training (OPT) and STEM OPT, a work authorization for students who studied in the U.S.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>major, U.S., travel, rule, change, starts, July, 1—and, comes, with, 750, price, tag</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Knicks make record&#45;breaking comeback from 29 points down, beating Spurs 107&#45;106</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/knicks-make-record-breaking-comeback-from-29-points-down-beating-spurs-107-106</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/knicks-make-record-breaking-comeback-from-29-points-down-beating-spurs-107-106</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A record-breaking comeback, capped off by what could go down as a legendary play.The long road back to the top of the NBA is almost complete for the New York Knicks, and the step they took Wednesday night was unforgettable.The Knicks came from 29 points down and moved to the brink of their first championship since 1973 by beating the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 in Game 4 of the finals on OG Anunoby’s tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining.“That has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said.It’s certainly high on the list — as high as Anunoby leaped when Jalen Brunson’s long 3-point shot bounced off the front of the rim, with his right hand stretching high to softly flick it in.“Right hand from God,” Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said.The Knicks, who have just two titles in their 80-year history and hadn’t even been to the NBA Finals since 1999, have a 3-1 lead and three chances to win the best-of-seven series — starting with Game 5 on Saturday night in San Antonio.It looked impossible early, when the Spurs rolled to a 27-point halftime lead. But Brunson helped bring the Knicks back with 36 points and Anunoby finished with 33.



The Knicks weathered a playoff storm



No team had come from more than 24 points down in a finals game, when Boston did it against the Lakers in 2008, since the NBA began keeping detailed play-by-play for all four quarters in 1997. The Spurs led 81-52 in the third quarter.“We’re a resilient group. We’ve been through a lot,” Anunoby said. “We’ve come back plenty of times when we’re behind. Just staying with it, weathering the storm, not being too down or angry or frustrated.”The only bigger comeback on record in any playoff game was 31 points by the Los Angeles Clippers against Golden State in Game 2 of a first-round series in 2019.“You look at it when you’re down 29 of, ‘OK, let’s get it to 20.’ There’s three minutes left in the third quarter, we’re down 18, you’re thinking, ‘Let’s get it to 10,” forward Josh Hart said.“In the fourth quarter, you’re like, this is winning time. Anything can happen.”And it did.



The Spurs started out awesome but then were awful



The Knicks had their 13-game winning streak snapped in Game 3 and seemed headed for a second straight defeat throughout the first half, when Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs opened the biggest halftime lead by a visiting team in the finals.But the young Spurs, who made 11 of their first 16 3-pointers, went cold in the second half, going 3 for 17 behind the arc as the Knicks outscored them 58-30.“We got on our heels — we missed some shots,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “It’s disappointing, to say the least.”Delirious fans inside Madison Square Garden sang along to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin&#039;” a few minutes after watching something that seemed almost impossible.Wembanyama had 24 points and 13 rebounds but shot just 9 for 25 from the field.Road teams had won the first three games, only the second time that had happened in the finals. San Antonio was well on its way to making it 4 for 4.



Knicks scrap watch party and fans have nothing to cheer early



President Donald Trump wasn’t at this game — Taylor Swift was — but the same restrictions remained around Madison Square Garden as when he attended Game 3. That angered the Knicks, who decided not to go forward with plans to hold an outdoor watch party outside the arena.Inside the building in the first half, there wasn’t much for the hosts to be happy about, either.But the Knicks gave themselves a chance by limiting the Spurs to 14 points on 4-for-20 shooting in the third quarter, using a 13-0 run to get back in it and cutting it to 90-75 heading to the fourth.These Knicks, who erased a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter against Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, just don’t quit. Even when the comeback seemed for naught when Stephon Castle was fouled after the Knicks had taken the lead and made two free throws to put San Antonio back ahead with 30 seconds left, the Knicks had one more rally in them.Dylan Harper scored 21 points and De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell each had 18 for the Spurs, who will try to regroup and send the series back to New York for Game 6 next Tuesday. Only one team — Cleveland in 2016 — has recovered from a 3-1 deficit in the finals.“I think it began before (the fourth quarter),” Wembanyama said of the Spurs’ collapse. “I can’t really explain it right now. I don’t know. … We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half.”Fans booed Wembanyama when he came on to the floor to warm up about an hour before the game and the Knicks tried to get rough with him, with Mitchell Robinson called for a flagrant foul for hitting him above the shoulders and Jose Alvarado reviewed for one after going below the belt.Wembanyama — who was also called for a flagrant — stood up OK against the Knicks but will regret the two free throws he missed with 1:47 left and San Antonio leading 104-103.The Spurs broke to a 12-2 lead, giving them a double-digit advantage in the first quarter of all four games. They kept pouring it on and led 41-22 after one, then extended it to 57-32 when Julian Champagnie’s 3-pointer made them 11 for 16 behind the arc.







AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA



—Brian Mahoney, AP Basketball Writer ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>‘Extreme concern’: 2 big reasons why the SpaceX IPO is worrying some stock market watchers</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/extreme-concern-2-big-reasons-why-the-spacex-ipo-is-worrying-some-stock-market-watchers</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/extreme-concern-2-big-reasons-why-the-spacex-ipo-is-worrying-some-stock-market-watchers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ SpaceX’s initial public offering is just one day away, and it is widely expected to be the largest on record. 



At its IPO price, SpaceX is expected to be valued at around $1.75 trillion—a staggering sum that would put it firmly in the rankings of the world’s most valuable companies. The IPO may also help make SpaceX founder Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. 



But as the company’s stock listing nears, several lingering concerns about the offering have been expressed by market watchers, from analysts to lawmakers. Here are two of the most prominent.



Valuation concerns



SpaceX’s IPO price is expected to be $135 per share. That puts the company’s total valuation at around $1.75 trillion, an astonishingly high sum for any company. 



At that valuation, it would instantly make SpaceX the world’s eighth most valuable public company, just behind Broadcom, which currently has a market cap of $1.77 trillion, and just ahead of Saudi Aramco, which currently has a market cap of around $1.74 trillion.



The thing is, many industry analysts and retail investors have expressed concern over this sky-high valuation. The main reason for these concerns is that while most other companies in the trillion-dollar club have firm profitability behind them quarter after quarter, SpaceX reported a net loss of around $4.9 billion last quarter. 



Only one of its divisions, Starlink, generates a profit. As the Motley Fool noted, the company as a whole is “deeply unprofitable.”



In other words, many analysts and investors feel that SpaceX’s IPO valuation prices in a lot of faith that the company will succeed on several fronts in the years ahead. However, as with all things in life, whether that actually pans out is uncertain. 



Some high-profile analysts have argued that SpaceX’s IPO is highly overvalued. This includes analysts at Morningstar, who have said that SpaceX actually has a much smaller fair market value of around $780 billion, notes CNBC.



If this analysis is right, and more investors come to realize after the IPO that SpaceX may be overvalued, it could send the shares sinking. That’s why Morningstar has said it thinks “investors will have opportunities to buy the stock at more attractive levels after the IPO.”



Governance concerns



When a company goes public, its shareholders, ostensibly, get to make some decisions about how the company is run. Shareholders exercise these decisions through their voting rights, which are conferred through the shares they own.



SpaceX, like many public companies, offers two classes of shares: Class A and Class B. Class A shares are the type that mom-and-pop retail investors can buy, and Class B shares are reserved for SpaceX insiders and bigwig investors like Musk.



And when it comes to governance, this dual-class structure takes away a lot of power from individual investors. That’s because, as noted by the Wall Street Journal, SpaceX’s Class A shares confer only one vote apiece on their owners. But Class B shares confer 10 votes apiece. 



As the WSJ notes, “Musk holds around 94% of Class B shares.” This makes it nearly impossible for retail investors to take action against Musk if they decide they do not like how he is running the company. 



For example, if retail investors were ever to decide they want SpaceX to have a different CEO, Musk could almost certainly defeat their motion through his Class B voting rights alone.



Elizabeth Warren urges SEC to delay SpaceX IPO



While retail investors and industry analysts have been among the most vocal in raising the above concerns about SpaceX’s IPO, yesterday a powerful lawmaker also reasserted her longstanding concerns about SpaceX’s public offering. 



On June 9, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts sent a letter to Paul Atkins, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), urging the agency to delay the SpaceX IPO. 



According to Warren, a ranking member on the Senate’s banking committee, the IPO “appears to present significant risks to ordinary investors and their retirement savings – while carrying enormous advantages for SpaceX insiders, including senior Trump Administration officials.”



Warren said her “extreme concern” revolved around the company’s valuation, its governance, and also a concern that “major stock market indexes are being rigged in a way that would force millions of investors in passive index funds . . . to invest in SpaceX and face exposure to SpaceX’s significant risks with no choice in the matter.”



The SEC declined to comment. SpaceX did not immediately reply to a request for comment.



With the company’s first public trading day less than 24 hours away, it seems doubtful that the SEC will put a halt to SpaceX’s IPO. SpaceX is expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX tomorrow.



Disclosure: Fast Company‘s parent company is owned by Morningstar founder Joe Mansueto. ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Oracle stock is tumbling on cloud miss and costly data center plans: What it means for the AI bubble debate</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oracle-stock-is-tumbling-on-cloud-miss-and-costly-data-center-plans-what-it-means-for-the-ai-bubble-debate</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oracle-stock-is-tumbling-on-cloud-miss-and-costly-data-center-plans-what-it-means-for-the-ai-bubble-debate</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Oracle Corporation reported increased revenue of 21% year-over-year (YOY) for its fiscal fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to please stockholders. 



The company’s shares (NYSE: ORCL) dropped over 10% during premarket, following Wednesday evening’s earnings report. At publication, shares were about 9% down. 



With $19.18 billion in revenue, Oracle beat Wall Street’s $19.10 billion estimate, according to a consensus cited by CNBC. Similarly, the company reported $2.03 adjusted earnings per share, up from a predicted $1.96 per share. 



However, Oracle missed Wall Street’s estimates for its Cloud revenue. At $9.91 billion, it made up 52% of the company’s overall quarterly revenue and was a 47% increase YOY. Analysts had expected $9.97 billion.



Debt and equity financing



Oracle also announced plans to raise about $40 billion in debt and equity financing in fiscal 2027. About $20 billion of that comes from a previously disclosed at-the-market equity issuance. 



It follows $48 billion raised in fiscal 2026 between the two avenues—a number the company doesn’t plan to further increase this year. 



“Importantly, these investments are being driven by committed customer demand, reflected in our record RPO [remaining performance obligations], giving us confidence in our long-term outlook as well as strong returns on the capital we’re deploying,” Oracle CFO Hilary Maxson said in a post-earnings call. “This demand is allowing us to garner customer prepayments and bring your own hardware at similar or better margins than the rest of our contracts.”



Oracle’s RPO were up 363% YOY at $638 billion. The company credited the growth to “large scale AI contracts where the customer prepaid Oracle for the purchase of the GPUs, or the customer bought and supplied the GPUs to Oracle.”



“The prepaid and customer supplied hardware portions of our large AI contracts now total $75 billion,” Oracle further stated in its earnings report. “This substantially reduces the amount of capital Oracle must raise to build out our AI datacenters.” 



Broader AI bubble fears have some analysts worried



Yet, some investors still see risk in overfunding AI, with some analysts recently warning that the AI bubble could burst. 



Current trends are reminiscent of those during the dot-com bubble and subsequent market collapse in the early 2000s. 



At the end of May, the S&amp;P 500 closed at a record high, but it was fueled by only 20 stocks hitting all time highs—13 of which were AI-related. Michael Hartnett at Bank of America pointed out that only 20 stocks also hit a high when the dot-com bubble was at its highest in March 2000, CNBC reports.  ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Top 6 social media platforms for your small business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/top-6-social-media-platforms-for-your-small-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/top-6-social-media-platforms-for-your-small-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By James Earnshaw on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Social media can help businesses expand their reach and gain leads
The post Top 6 social media platforms for your small business appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/05/128999.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Top, social, media, platforms, for, your, small, business</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Small firms have to report profit and loss from 2028</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/small-firms-have-to-report-profit-and-loss-from-2028</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/small-firms-have-to-report-profit-and-loss-from-2028</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Small and micro businesses will be required to file profit and loss (along with other accountancy changes). Here&#039;s what we know so far 
The post Small firms have to report profit and loss from 2028 appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/06/19097.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Small, firms, have, report, profit, and, loss, from, 2028</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>150 UK small business grants to apply for right now</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/150-uk-small-business-grants-to-apply-for-right-now</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/150-uk-small-business-grants-to-apply-for-right-now</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


UPDATED JUNE 2026: In need of some funding for your small business? These grants should give you a boost, wherever you&#039;re based in the UK
The post 150 UK small business grants to apply for right now appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2019/07/AdobeStock_79596088-e1562942951637.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>150, small, business, grants, apply, for, right, now</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How to write a marketing plan</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-write-a-marketing-plan</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-write-a-marketing-plan</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Ben Lobel on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


This guide offers practical advice on developing and writing a marketing plan using simple English
The post How to write a marketing plan appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2018/08/Marketing-plan-e1535441902712.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:00:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, write, marketing, plan</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Disclosure requirements for business owners – what to do now</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/disclosure-requirements-for-business-owners-what-to-do-now</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/disclosure-requirements-for-business-owners-what-to-do-now</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Dan Wilton on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


A lot changed for small businesses in 2025, especially when it comes to disclosure. Here&#039;s a summary of the updates you need to know about
The post Disclosure requirements for business owners – what to do now appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/06/12979.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Disclosure, requirements, for, business, owners, –, what, now</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>What is Extended Producer Responsibility?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-is-extended-producer-responsibility</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-is-extended-producer-responsibility</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Tim Adler on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Extended Producer Responsibility puts the responsibility for recycling packaging materials back onto the manufacturer or importer. It costs UK businesses extra in compliance fees
The post What is Extended Producer Responsibility? appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, Extended, Producer, Responsibility</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Notion restores access to Anthropic after service disruption</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/notion-restores-access-to-anthropic-after-service-disruption</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/notion-restores-access-to-anthropic-after-service-disruption</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Notion&#039;s head of product said he was &quot;astonished&quot; at “the amount of people RT-ing this.&quot; ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Notion, restores, access, Anthropic, after, service, disruption</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Is this the dawn of the Tokenpocalypse?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/is-this-the-dawn-of-the-tokenpocalypse</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/is-this-the-dawn-of-the-tokenpocalypse</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ We&#039;re likely to see more price increases as the big AI companies plan to go public. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/GettyImages-124923144.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>this, the, dawn, the, Tokenpocalypse</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Uber, Wayve and Waymo are headed towards a robotaxi showdown in London</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uber-wayve-and-waymo-are-headed-towards-a-robotaxi-showdown-in-london</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uber-wayve-and-waymo-are-headed-towards-a-robotaxi-showdown-in-london</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Uber customers in the UK can now join an interest list to increase their chances of being matched with a Wayve robotaxi. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Uber, Wayve, and, Waymo, are, headed, towards, robotaxi, showdown, London</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Massachusetts votes to pass new privacy rights bill that bans sale of precise location data</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/massachusetts-votes-to-pass-new-privacy-rights-bill-that-bans-sale-of-precise-location-data</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/massachusetts-votes-to-pass-new-privacy-rights-bill-that-bans-sale-of-precise-location-data</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The bill is expected to blanket ban companies and startups from selling people&#039;s precise location data across the state. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Massachusetts, votes, pass, new, privacy, rights, bill, that, bans, sale, precise, location, data</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Eventbrite and Vimeo owner Bending Spoons files to go public</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/eventbrite-and-vimeo-owner-bending-spoons-files-to-go-public</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/eventbrite-and-vimeo-owner-bending-spoons-files-to-go-public</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Bending Spoons say its app caters to a user base of over 500 million monthly active users. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Eventbrite, and, Vimeo, owner, Bending, Spoons, files, public</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Layoffs don’t have to feel inhumane</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/layoffs-dont-have-to-feel-inhumane</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/layoffs-dont-have-to-feel-inhumane</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Most leaders approach layoffs as a messaging problem. What do we say? How do we say it? How do we avoid panic, legal risk, or reputational damage?



But that framing misses what’s actually at stake.



Layoffs are moments when employees decide whether leadership can still be trusted. And in 2026, that evaluation is nearly immediate.



There’s no version of layoffs that feels good. But there’s a meaningful difference between a necessary business decision handled with clarity and care and an avoidable breach of trust created by how it’s done.



The better question isn’t whether there’s a “right” way to lay people off. It’s whether leaders are willing to reduce the harm that’s within their control.



What employees are really reacting to



When layoffs happen, employees aren’t reacting only to the outcome. They’re reacting to the experience.



The timing. The language. The degree to which they feel treated like a person or a cost line.



In working with leadership teams across tech, civic, and social impact organizations, one pattern shows up consistently. People are more resilient than most leaders assume. Hard news can be processed. Disorientation is harder to shake.



That disorientation often comes from avoidable choices. An email at 6 a.m. that severs access immediately. A one-to-many webinar where individuals can’t ask questions or even see one another. Vague explanations that don’t give people enough context to make sense of what just happened.



These choices don’t affect just the people leaving. They reshape how the people who remain show up at work. Employees stay, but with less trust, less willingness to fully invest, and a more self-protective stance.



The layoff is one outcome. The cultural erosion that follows among people who weren’t let go is often the more lasting one.



The biggest mistake leaders make is waiting for certainty



Many leaders delay communication because they want to get it right. They wait for full clarity before saying anything.



When leaders go quiet, teams don’t. The vacuum fills with speculation.



Leaders often believe they’re protecting their teams by holding back difficult information. In practice, they’re eroding credibility. When the news finally lands, people don’t feel protected. They feel blindsided.



This isn’t about oversharing before decisions are finalized. It’s about giving people enough to orient themselves.



A simple structure works in most situations: Say what you know, say what you don’t yet know, say what happens next. Teams can handle uncertainty. What they can’t handle is not knowing where they stand.



This is especially important in the lead-up to a layoff. The organizations that handle these moments best aren’t the ones with the cleanest announcement. They’re the ones that have already built a baseline of trust through earlier, more candid communication.



That often looks like progressive transparency:



Early: “Our current trajectory isn’t sustainable. Here’s what we’re tracking.”



Midpoint: “We’re exploring cost reductions, including the possibility of layoffs.”



Preannouncement: “Decisions are being finalized. Here’s how we’ll communicate and support people.”



By the time the final message arrives, it isn’t a shock. It’s a continuation.



Reduce the harm you can control



Layoffs are often treated as binary. Either you do them or you don’t.



A more useful frame: You may not always be able to prevent layoffs, but you have significant control over how harmful they are.



What makes layoffs especially destabilizing is how many of the worst execution choices mirror the conditions of trauma: sudden, isolating, outside anyone’s control, and devoid of meaning. People receive abrupt notifications, lose access instantly, and are left to process the moment alone, with little clarity about why it happened or what comes next.



That pattern creates more damage than the decision itself requires.



A more thoughtful approach asks different questions. How do we reduce unnecessary shock? How do we preserve dignity and agency? How do we allow people to process this in community rather than alone?



In practice, small choices matter. Offering live Q&amp;A instead of one-directional broadcasts. Equipping managers with clear talking points so their conversations are grounded and consistent. Allowing time for acknowledgment and closure rather than immediate disconnection.



None of this makes the layoff easier. But it changes how people carry it.



Where communication breaks down most



If there’s a single failure point, it’s this: Leaders soften the message to make it more comfortable for themselves.



That shows up as vague language, unclear reasoning, or attributing decisions to external forces rather than leadership choices.



Phrases like “the market decided” or “the environment forced us” create distance at exactly the moment when employees are looking for ownership.



People don’t expect to like the decision. They do expect it to make sense.



That requires clarity about what’s happening, specificity about why, and honesty about the tradeoffs. Saying “we’re eliminating approximately X roles, representing Y percent of our workforce” is more grounding than broad statements about restructuring. Explaining that the company overhired in a specific area, or is shifting away from a particular product line, gives people something to understand even if they disagree.



Softening the message doesn’t land as kindness. It reads as evasion, and people lose trust in everything that comes after.



The work isn’t over after the announcement



Many organizations treat layoffs as a single communication event. They’re the beginning of a longer trust cycle.



After layoffs, the people who remain are asking real questions. What does this say about leadership? Can I trust what I hear next? Is this a place worth fully investing in?



Teams struggle not just because of the layoff itself, but because of what follows: silence, a lack of acknowledgment, a quick return to business as usual without naming what just happened.



Leaders who navigate this well do three things. They acknowledge the emotional reality: It’s normal for people to feel grief, anger, or even guilt. They connect the decision to a clear path forward, explaining what the company now is and what it’s building toward. And they reestablish expectations for candor, making clear this isn’t the moment for everyone to go quiet.



Without that reset, teams default to caution. And once that happens, it’s difficult to recover engagement.



So is there a ‘right’ way?



No.



There’s no version of layoffs that people experience as positive.



But there’s a real difference between harm that’s inherent to a hard decision and harm that comes from handling it badly. The decision to cut roles is sometimes unavoidable. How those cuts are delivered is always a choice.



In a business environment where volatility is expected, that distinction matters.



Because layoffs don’t just communicate strategy. They communicate how a company treats people when it matters most. And that’s what employees remember.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Layoffs, don’t, have, feel, inhumane</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The efficiency trap</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-efficiency-trap</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-efficiency-trap</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When I became a mother, I closed my office door. Not dramatically—no manifesto, no announcement. I just needed to get more work done in less time, and open doors invite conversations that consume minutes I no longer had. Before my daughter was born, I was a tenure-track business school professor who kept that door ajar as a matter of professional faith. Hallway talk is where ideas happen, where goodwill accumulates, where careers get built. After she arrived, with daycare pickup hardwired into my schedule, I became a practitioner of what I would later hear a research participant describe as “ruthless efficiency.” I had no time to waste. No time to be nice, craft perfect emails, or linger in conversations. I had work to produce and a finite window in which to produce it.



What I didn’t consider, at the time, was what I was sacrificing.



Efficiency tends to be revered in modern working life. Minimize waste, maximize output. Do more with less, faster, with fewer resources. In my field of management and organizational behavior, efficiency is nearly universally coded as virtuous. It correlates with conscientiousness. It underlies organizational economics. Work-family researchers even identify it as a way that working parents can enrich their jobs: the focus, the concentration, and avoiding the squandering of a single precious minute.



But lately, I wonder whether we are confusing efficiency with ruthlessness—a kind of desperate short-termism that feels productive in the moment but can cost us over time. 



The Closed Door



After my kids were born, I turned my research to what academics politely call “me-search,” studying working mothers who had recently returned from maternity leave. Sifting through open-ended survey responses, I kept encountering the same pattern: women describing having to become “ruthlessly efficient” just to hold their professional lives together. They couldn’t stay late for happy hours or linger over lunch. Every interaction was triaged for necessity. One participant wrote: “I don’t socialize, like, at all.” Another: “I was more direct, spending less time trying to be nice . . . I didn’t have time for ‘making nice’ anymore.”



My co-authors and I had mixed reactions. The efficiency these women were developing was genuinely valuable as a transferable skill that organizations could benefit from, and one that was helping them stay in their jobs during a period known for its precarious effect on mothers’ career continuation. Another co-author and I wrote in HBR about it as an argument for why employers should better support working mothers: skills honed at home, under conditions of radical scarcity, can become competitive advantages at work.



But we also documented the tradeoffs, and they were not small. Work relationships thinned. Informal networks, the kind that don’t appear on organizational charts but can determine who gets promoted, frayed. One participant captured it plainly: “Time-wise I have had to become more efficient, but that has meant focusing on the tangible aspects of the job . . . I do what I need to do to keep my job. I don’t have time to do the things that might progress my career.”



The closed door was efficient, but also isolating. Women can produce more output, yet are simultaneously sacrificing future opportunities those hallway conversations might have produced. Benefits were visible and immediate, but costs were invisible and deferred. This asymmetry is the central mechanism of what I refer to as the efficiency trap. 



From Ruthless to Sustainable



We are living through a moment of unprecedented time pressure: always on, perpetually connected, chronically overworked. When you are drowning, you grab what’s floating. You don’t stop to ask what you might be releasing as you reach. This urgency is real, and I am not dismissing it. But it is precisely when the pressure is greatest that we are most likely to mistake ruthlessness for resourcefulness.



I want to propose a distinction that I think does matter: between sustainable efficiency and ruthless efficiency. Sustainable efficiency is what happens when you streamline a genuinely unnecessary process, cut busywork, or automate the tedious so that human attention can go where it is irreplaceable. It creates lasting value. Ruthless efficiency is what happens when you cut corners on relationships, skip the deliberation that protects against error, or sacrifice quality for speed. With ruthless efficiency, short-term gain wins without considering long-term loss. With sustainable efficiency, both are at least weighed.



There is also the question of slack. Since Frederick Winslow Taylor, organizations have pursued efficiency partly by eliminating idle time—the gaps, the wandering, the moments that don’t appear to produce anything. But for creative work, and for knowledge work, slack is not waste. It is the medium in which insight forms. The hallway conversations I stopped having when I closed my office door made me more efficient with my immediate tasks. They also cost me relationships, contextual knowledge, and social awareness of what was happening in my organization. These are things that don’t show up on a daily productivity ledger but matter enormously over a career.



The efficiency trap is not that efficiency is bad. The question is not whether to be efficient. It is what we are willing to sacrifice for it, and whether we are making that choice with our eyes open.



I still close my office door sometimes. The time-crunching pressures that first drove me to do it certainly haven’t disappeared. But I now try to ask myself the question I didn’t ask then: What am I actually trading for this? Not as an abstract philosophical exercise, but as a genuine reckoning with what the hallway conversation might have produced, what relationship I am not building, what capability I am not developing.



It’s not whether we pursue efficiency. It’s whether we are at least honest with ourselves about the price we’re paying.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, efficiency, trap</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How authoritarian governments twist AI safety to coerce tech companies to comply</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-authoritarian-governments-twist-ai-safety-to-coerce-tech-companies-to-comply</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-authoritarian-governments-twist-ai-safety-to-coerce-tech-companies-to-comply</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When researchers founded Anthropic in 2021, they said the race to build powerful AI was moving too recklessly. They inserted detailed safety measures into their products and marketed their commitment to safety as the corporate quality that distinguished them from competitors—notably OpenAI, the rival company they had left. In March 2026 that reputation was tested when the Trump administration declared that Anthropic was a supply chain risk.



The company had refused to remove built-in safeguards that prohibited domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons from products it had supplied to the Pentagon. President Donald Trump ordered the federal government to stop using Anthropic and its large language model, Claude, labeling the company a national security risk. Within hours, OpenAI made a deal to be the Pentagon’s supplier instead.



Despite Anthropic’s apparent stand, during its clash with Trump, the company quietly scrapped the binding principles in its main safety policy. Several weeks earlier, Anthropic’s head of safeguards research had resigned, warning that “the world is in peril.” And a week after the Pentagon officially banned Claude, the U.S. military was still using the technology to select and target sites to bomb in Iran.



As a philosopher studying the rule of law and democracy, I’ve found that authoritarian governance of technology often does not involve direct censorship. Instead, it delegitimizes the intended protections, poisoning any external regulation and even voluntary self-regulation that deviates from the regime’s goals or values.



The Trump administration, which follows the authoritarian playbook, has argued that AI safety standards and user restrictions are ideological impositions rather than sound engineering decisions. The ”Preventing Woke AI” executive order of July 23, 2025, didn’t change what companies are allowed to do with their products. By attaching the “woke” label to basic ethics protections, the administration made those protections politically costly to maintain.



The Brennan Center, a legal policy and advocacy organization, has documented how AI ethics is being redefined through contract negotiations. In these cases, the government weaponizes terms such as biased to disqualify companies that maintain civil rights protections from competing for federal contracts.



The prisoner’s dilemma



A single U.S. Defense Department AI contract can be worth billions of dollars. It can also provide access to data no private company could otherwise have and unlock further government work. Companies that maintain the ethics guardrails risk ceding ground to competitors that don’t.



When OpenAI moved in to take the Pentagon work, CEO Sam Altman told his board of directors the move looked “opportunistic and sloppy.” But he said the company took it anyway, because admitting that an action looks bad is different from being willing to fall behind.



This situation reflects the classic prisoner’s dilemma. If Anthropic maintains safety provisions and OpenAI strips them away, OpenAI gets the contracts and the future advantage. If both companies maintain the provisions, digital protections might survive. But because neither company can be certain the other will hold the line—and because being left behind is not a good option—the rational choice is to discard safety measures.



These circumstances differ from a standard market race to the bottom in one key respect: The trap of having to strip away guardrails isn’t an accident of competition; it’s being maintained by the government through incentives.



Palantir didn’t wait to be caught in this trap. The data analytics company was founded by Peter Thiel and run by Alex Karp, who spent years denouncing “woke” Silicon Valley. Palantir built its business model around government surveillance and military data infrastructure. 



While Palantir has said it is committed to privacy and civil liberties, critics contend that the company is dismantling those protections. The company’s stock has surged under the Trump administration, its contracts have expanded, and it now has a front-row seat where AI policy is being written. Palantir solved the prisoner’s dilemma by defecting first.



It’s important to note that the dissolution of safety teams across the industry, such as OpenAI’s Superalignment team and Microsoft’s ethics unit, isn’t the result of anyone deciding to abandon safety. What I see in analyzing the different companies’ actions is a pattern: an accumulation of collective, incremental compromises that quietly reorient the definition of safety away from the public and toward the state. The resulting harm and risks fall on everyone whose lives are shaped by AI systems.



Redefining safety to serve the government



Across government contracts and policy documents, I have also observed that the original definition of AI-related safety has shifted from protecting the public toward making systems controllable for the state. The “anti-woke” framing accelerates this shift: Once ethics requirements are characterized as ideological rather than technical, removing them can be framed not as a safety reduction but as a correction.



This shift does not require bad faith from the companies. Safety teams are still doing rigorous work. The companies are not lying when they describe their safety commitments. Those commitments are now simply oriented toward the government rather than the public.



The case for stronger AI regulation assumes that a government constrains commercial entities on behalf of the public. But blacklisting a company for maintaining civil rights protections, and then banning the military deployment of its AI hours later, shows that the federal government in this instance enables the harm that regulation is meant to prevent.



Expanding regulatory authority over AI companies does not necessarily protect citizens. Safety regulations—intended to constrain corporate power—in authoritarian regimes become tools to coerce compliance.



Michael Gregory is an assistant professor of philosophy at Clemson University.



This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, authoritarian, governments, twist, safety, coerce, tech, companies, comply</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Forget eBay: This is the better way to get fast cash for an old phone</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/forget-ebay-this-is-the-better-way-to-get-fast-cash-for-an-old-phone</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/forget-ebay-this-is-the-better-way-to-get-fast-cash-for-an-old-phone</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ While sites like eBay can help you turn old gadgets into cash, they’re also kind of a hassle.



You’ve got to create a listing with photos and a description, figure out a competitive sale price, and pay for shipping. Selling locally on Facebook Marketplace, meanwhile, means dealing with flaky buyers and awkward meetup locations. You’d be forgiven for just leaving your old phones or tablets in a drawer instead.



Fortunately, there are easier ways to offload your used tech gear while still fetching fair prices in return.



This tip originally appeared in the free Cool Tools newsletter from The Intelligence. Get the next issue in your inbox and get ready to discover all sorts of awesome tech treasures!



Turn old gadgets into cash—without the headache



For an easier way to sell your old phones, tablets, game consoles, and other tech gear, check out SellCell​.



➜ SellCell helps you find the best buyback prices for your used gadgets.



⌚ It takes just a minute to see what your device is worth, with no registration required.



Instead of buying back your gadgets directly, SellCell looks up prices across dozens of buyback companies, then links to their respective websites to complete the deal.



✅ Let’s say, for instance, that you’ve got an old Galaxy S20 to sell. Type the phone’s name into SellCell’s search box and select your phone model. On the results page, make sure to select your phone’s condition and which carrier it’s tied to.



~sellcell-sell-old-phones-gadgets.pngSellCell shows you all the details for easy buybacks in a single streamlined spot.~



You’ll see a list of offers from various buyback sites, along with details on how you’ll get paid and how long you’ll have to ship out the phone. Selecting an offer will take you to the buyback site to complete the sale process. Most sites provide a free shipping label, though you’ll need to provide your own packaging.



☝️ Make sure to back up any important data and factory reset your phone before shipping it off. Also, don’t sell any phone that’s still on a payment plan from your wireless carrier.



Who’s it for?



If you’re sticking with a major carrier such as AT&amp;T, T-Mobile, or Verizon, you probably shouldn’t sell your old phone through SellCell when upgrading to new one. Those carriers tend to offer much better trade-in values in exchange for multi-year service agreements. In many cases, they’ll give you a new flagship phone for free.



Still, buyback sites can be useful if you have a cheaper prepaid wireless plan or don’t want to be stuck with your carrier long-term. They can also help you offload other gadgets, including tablets, smartwatches, and game consoles.



More comparison shopping



Before you complete a sale through SellCell, I also suggest checking trade-in values on Back Market​.



Back Market connects you directly to refurbishers that want to buy and resell used tech gear, and its offers aren’t indexed by SellCell. In some cases, it may offer better prices. (For instance, it’s currently buying Xbox One consoles for $50, while the highest offer through SellCell is $40.) I’ve personally used Back Market to sell an old console without issue.



Of course, you’ll likely get the most value by selling directly to other buyers on sites like eBay or Swappa​. But you’ll also spend way more time and deal with more headaches. Who wants to put in all that extra work?




SellCell is a website​ that you can access in any web browser.



It’s free to access with no subscriptions or registration.



Like many sites, SellCell users personal data for targeted ad purposes, but you don’t have to provide any data to use it. The site only collects your email address if you sign up for optional price alerts.




Treat yourself to all sorts of brain-boosting goodies like this with the free Cool Tools newsletter—starting with an instant introduction to an incredible audio app that’ll tune up your days in truly delightful ways. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Forget, eBay:, This, the, better, way, get, fast, cash, for, old, phone</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Tony Awards 2026: How to watch Broadway’s biggest night with or without cable, including free options</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tony-awards-2026-how-to-watch-broadways-biggest-night-with-or-without-cable-including-free-options</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tony-awards-2026-how-to-watch-broadways-biggest-night-with-or-without-cable-including-free-options</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Stretch out those jazz hands and dust off those tap shoes. It’s time for the 79th Tony Awards, which will take place tonight, Sunday, June 7, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.



Presented in partnership by the American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League, the event celebrates excellence in Broadway theater. Here’s everything you need to know before you time-step your way to the television set.



Where does the name “Tony” come from?



The Tony Awards have been around since 1947. The event was named in honor of the late actress, producer, and director Antoinette Perry. During World War II, she cofounded the Theatre Wing of Allied Relief, a way for theater artists to give back to the armed forces.



During the inaugural ceremony, Perry’s longtime collaborator and lover, Brock Pemberton, presented an award and called it a Tony. The nickname stuck and remains to this day.



Who is hosting the 2026 Tony Awards?



Audiences might be surprised to learn that pop star Pink is hosting this year’s Tony Awards. 



The “Raise Your Glass” singer has never performed on Broadway, but her songs are used in the hit shows Moulin Rouge and &amp; Juliet. She is a big theater fan and cannot wait to emcee the event.



Who’s nominated for a 2026 Tony Award?



Two new musicals tied for the most nominations this year. The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon! received 12 each. And Ragtime’s 11 nominations are nothing to be ashamed of either.



Death of a Salesman, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, and The Rocky Horror Show all received nine each.



Familiar Hollywood faces were also bitten by the theatrical bug. This year, Daniel Radcliffe, John Lithgow, Carrie Coon, and Rose Byrne are nominated in acting categories.



For a full list of nominees, click here.



Who is performing at the 2026 Tony Awards?



As is tradition, a number or medley from all the shows nominated for Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical will be performed.



Additionally, this year marks big anniversaries for a couple of well-loved and long-running musicals. The Chicago revival is celebrating 30 years, and The Book of Mormon is celebrating 15 years.



Queen Latifah, Pink, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Alex Newell, Julianne Hough, Whitney Leavitt, and Dylan Mulvaney will perform jazzy hits from Chicago.



The entire original cast of The Book of Mormon—including Nikki M. James, Josh Gad, Andrew Rannells, and Rory O’Malley—will reunite and spread the good word once again.



Are there any special lifetime achievement Tony Awards?



During the official pre-show, The Tony Awards: Act One, special Tony Awards for lifetime achievement will be presented to André Bishop, Jules Fisher, and James Lapine.



Bishop is best known for his tenure as the artistic director of Lincoln Center Theater, where he championed productions such as Tom Stoppard’s The Coast of Utopia and Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel’s The Light in the Piazza.



Fisher is a renowned lighting designer who works across multiple mediums. On Broadway, he illuminated the original productions of Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin, and Ragtime, to name just a few. He has been nominated for 25 Tonys and taken home nine.



Lapine is a celebrated playwright and director with three Tonys already to his name. A frequent collaborator of both Stephen Sondheim and William Finn, this man helped bring works such as Sunday in the Park With George, Into the Woods, Falsettos, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee into the world.



How to tune in



The Tony Awards: Act One kicks things off at 6:35 p.m. ET on Pluto TV, a free streaming service. Actors Tituss Burgess and Laura Benanti will serve as hosts.



At 8 p.m. ET, head over to CBS or Paramount+ for the main event.



Please note that you must have a Paramount+ Premium subscription to watch live. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will have to wait a day and catch the replay on demand.



CBS is, of course, free for those with an over-the-air antenna and reception. 



The network is also included in many live-TV streaming services, such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo. Be sure to check regional differences before committing to another monthly charge. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tony, Awards, 2026:, How, watch, Broadway’s, biggest, night, with, without, cable, including, free, options</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Defense tech is flooded with money, but who’s built to last?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/defense-tech-is-flooded-with-money-but-whos-built-to-last</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/defense-tech-is-flooded-with-money-but-whos-built-to-last</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Defense tech is red hot right now. Anduril and Mach Industries just doubled and quadrupled their valuations, respectively, and the U.S. government is proposing a 40% increase in defense budget. A wave of new startups is chasing those government contracts, but according to Ross Fubini, the venture investor who wrote Anduril’s first check, most of them will get lost in the Valley of Death between prototype contract […] ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GettyImages-2220498811.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Defense, tech, flooded, with, money, but, who’s, built, last</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Lovable signs multiyear deal with Google Cloud to up usage 5x, source says</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lovable-signs-multiyear-deal-with-google-cloud-to-up-usage-5x-source-says</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lovable-signs-multiyear-deal-with-google-cloud-to-up-usage-5x-source-says</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Lovable and Google signed an expanded multiyear deal that involves a 5x expansion of Lovable&#039;s footprint on Google Cloud, and expanded access to Anthropic Claude. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GettyImages-2245627953.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Lovable, signs, multiyear, deal, with, Google, Cloud, usage, 5x, source, says</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Quick commerce FirstClub doubles valuation to $255M in nine months</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/quick-commerce-firstclub-doubles-valuation-to-255m-in-nine-months</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/quick-commerce-firstclub-doubles-valuation-to-255m-in-nine-months</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Bengaluru startup has crossed 1 million orders and reached a $50 million annualized GMV run rate within a year of launch. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/firstclub.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Quick, commerce, FirstClub, doubles, valuation, 255M, nine, months</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Benchmark raises its first&#45;ever growth fund as part of $2B capital raise</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/benchmark-raises-its-first-ever-growth-fund-as-part-of-2b-capital-raise</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/benchmark-raises-its-first-ever-growth-fund-as-part-of-2b-capital-raise</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The legendary abandons its more than 20 year tradition of keeping its funds to about $425 million. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/docker-peter-fenton-4.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Benchmark, raises, its, first-ever, growth, fund, part, 2B, capital, raise</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Oura Ring 5 review: Thinner, lighter, better</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oura-ring-5-review-thinner-lighter-better</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oura-ring-5-review-thinner-lighter-better</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Ring 5, which Oura describes as the world’s smallest smart ring, is 40% smaller than its predecessor and starts at $399. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/oura-ring-5.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Oura, Ring, review:, Thinner, lighter, better</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Can AI be humane? Aza Raskin says only if we change the race</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/can-ai-be-humane-aza-raskin-says-only-if-we-change-the-race</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/can-ai-be-humane-aza-raskin-says-only-if-we-change-the-race</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Aza Raskin, a cofounder of the Center for Humane Technology, has spent years sounding the alarm about where the race to build powerful AI is taking us. Just days after the center’s other cofounder visited the Vatican, Raskin unpacks the significance of Pope Leo XIV’s sweeping new encyclical on artificial intelligence, and exposes the incentive structures pushing Silicon Valley toward dangerous territory—while making the case that it’s not too late to change course. 



This is an abridged transcript of an interview from Rapid Response, hosted by the former editor-in-chief of Fast Company Bob Safian. From the team behind the Masters of Scale podcast, Rapid Response features candid conversations with today’s top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Subscribe to Rapid Response wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode.







I have to start with the pope. Pope Leo recently released an AI pronouncement called Magnifica Humanitas, a title that sort of has echoes of humane technology. Did you talk with the Vatican at all about this encyclical?



We’ve been working behind the scenes, certainly talking with the Vatican. The week that the encyclical came out, Tristan Harris, my cofounder, was actually at the Vatican. And every time we’ve interacted with the Vatican, what we’ve discovered is that even though we come from obviously very different backgrounds, there’s something that’s preserved around how we both view life as sacred and being human as sacred, and that the current technological overreach into our humanity is threatening. And that’s not just AI. That’s social media. That’s the internet. There’s been a long string of technologies that has been encroaching on our humanity that we now have to fight to preserve.



It’s hard to know these days, and we’re still in the early days of AI: Is artificial intelligence an inherently inhuman technology? Can it be humane?



Well, it’s a great question, but fundamentally, if you do not face your demons, they raise your children. The question is not whether AI is good or bad, but whether the incentives governing the race to deploy AI are good or bad. Recently, Sam Altman was asked, “What about all the energy that it takes to train AI?” And do you know his response? He asked, “Do you know how many resources it takes to train a human intelligence, all the food and the energy and the water that goes into those 20 years?” And what he’s implicitly asking is, “Who deserves these scarce resources more? AI, which is about to give your country double-digit GDP growth and all technological and military and medical advances? Or humans, who are sort of flubbing around?” Just like we were able to predict the future with social media by understanding that a race to the bottom of the brain stem, just a knife fight for human attention, would obviously lead to a more polarized and hyperpartisan and outraged and sexualized population.



The race for AI is going to lead to an antihuman future because it sets up a race where humans always lose.



The public mood about AI here in the United States certainly has shifted from being sort of euphoric and open to being decidedly wary, but that doesn’t seem to be slowing things down very much.



No. Actually, I think of this as similar to COVID, when there was a split reality that Americans were living. On the one hand, the stock market was higher than it had ever been. And on the other hand, everyday people were really struggling to make ends meet. And that’s what we’re seeing again here. This is almost like capital lifting off from labor completely. AI is sort of like the full automation of capital just reinvesting into capital. People think, “Oh, AI is just this blinking cursor. I go to ChatGPT, I go to Claude, I type something, and it gives me something back.” But now AI can run in a loop. It can have all the powers that a corporation does, all the money that a corporation does. Is its intent to help you and your family flourish and have a livelihood? Or is the intent to follow market incentives, to dominate, to extract as much as possible?



Well, obviously it’s the second one, and that’s how you know this is an antihuman future, and why I think people are starting to wake up to the fact that this is not in their best interest. The most recent poll that I read is that if you ask what percentage of Americans think that fully unregulated, go-as-fast-as-possible AI is a good thing, that we should be doing that, which is what’s happening, it’s 5%. Only 5% of people actually think that. So how we’re progressing AI is already decidedly not popular.



My colleague Reid Hoffman, who you know.



Very well, yeah.



He leans into the possible with AI, has a podcast with that name. Why not be optimistic that our good side will win out?



Well, just to say, I’m also a builder, right? I founded this nonprofit, the Earth Species Project, building frontier AI to translate animal language. And so we’re making breakthroughs now in understanding the languages of crows. It turns out 70% of crow communication was unknown to science until we started analyzing it. So I want everyone who’s listening to hear that I’m not anti-AI. Actually, I love getting to use this technology. It’s just that I’ve been through a couple waves of technology and know that we always get distracted by the possible of technology, and we don’t want to think about the probable of technology.



How instructive is social media’s evolution to the risks of AI?



Social media is a great example because social media is essentially a baby AI. Where is AI in social media? It’s the thing that’s deciding which news feeds hit your eyeballs. And it’s a very baby AI. It can’t even make its own content. All it can do is rearrange human content. But the question to ask is, was it actually optimizing for human flourishing and connection and understanding, or was it optimizing for engagement and reactivity? Well, it’s the second one.



In the beginning, the feel of social media was, “Oh, we’re all going to be connected. It’s going to help the Arab Spring.” All of these things.



That’s right.



And then it became something a little different.



Exactly. And so that was the possible of the technology. Often, at the very beginning of a technology, it’s not yet captured by market incentives. So you get this beautiful glimpse of a future, and then it gets captured by the incentives. Pretty much everything we predicted starting in 2013 and 2014 has come true. We are now forced to live in a world that didn’t reckon with the race to the bottom of the brain stem modifying everything about our world, from politicians having to become performers to the most extreme voices getting amplified to the most depressed and anxious generation. This is not the world that I want to live in. And I think there’s a version of technology that can be liberated if we can clearly see the probable.



And as tech is industrialized, though, this kind of disappointment is inevitable.



I don’t think it’s inevitable, but it is certainly the 95% to 99% case. And I am very inspired by the film The Day After. I think Tristan and I both are. This film came out in 1982. It was the most watched television event in world history. And it painted a very visceral picture of what happens the day after global nuclear war. It was seen by 100 million Americans. Reagan watched it. He became depressed. He says in his biography that it sort of created a shared common knowledge where everyone knew that everyone else knew what would really happen. And it created the space for the Reykjavik accords and the beginning of deep de-proliferation for nuclear weapons. And this is after, mind you, Oppenheimer in 1962 said, “It’s too late. We’ve already started proliferation. Every country is going to get nuclear weapons. We’re going to blow ourselves up.”



And so it’s really important because whenever we say that something is inevitable, it’s like casting a spell. When you say it’s inevitable, it means there’s nothing to do, which means no one does anything. And so it becomes true. We have to be crystal clear on the difference between it’s very, very hard and it’s impossible. And everyone who says it’s inevitable, we’re just in this industrialized race and it’s going to turn out this way, well, the question to ask is, have we even tried? 



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Can, humane, Aza, Raskin, says, only, change, the, race</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Bitcoin, XRP, and other crypto tokens are falling to fresh lows. Is SpaceX FOMO partly to blame?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bitcoin-xrp-and-other-crypto-tokens-are-falling-to-fresh-lows-is-spacex-fomo-partly-to-blame</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bitcoin-xrp-and-other-crypto-tokens-are-falling-to-fresh-lows-is-spacex-fomo-partly-to-blame</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Major cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), XRP, and Ethereum (ETH) are having another bad day.



As of the time of this writing, those coins are down 3.3%, 1.9%, and 4.9%, respectively, over the past 24 hours. And that decline is just a continuation of a fall that has been going on for much of the past week. 



The thing is, events outside of the crypto market may be behind the most recent fall. Here’s how and why upcoming tech IPOs from companies like SpaceX may be driving crypto prices lower.



Crypto prices continue months of decline



Today’s early-morning decline in crypto values, unfortunately, is just par for the course lately. And it’s been that way for much of 2026.



Since the year began, nearly every major token has taken a significant beating. As of the time of this writing, year-to-date, Bitcoin has lost 23% of its value, XRP has lost 32%, Ethereum has lost 36%, BNB has lost 25%, and even meme coin Dogecoin has lost 19%.



Those steep losses are due to a variety of factors, including fears that geopolitical conflicts could sink the economy, uncertainty over the future of crypto regulation, and ongoing concerns that we may be in an AI bubble that could sink markets.



But what’s interesting is that some of crypto’s steepest losses have come in just the last five trading days. During that short timeframe, Bitcoin has declined 8.3%, XRP and Ethereum are down 6.5% each, and Doge is down 5.4%.



There’s also something else that has happened within that period, too: hype and expectations have risen for SpaceX’s imminent IPO. And that public offering may be one reason why crypto is seeing further declines this week.



The SpaceX effect on crypto



Back in May, Elon Musk’s SpaceX publicly filed for its long-anticipated initial public offering. 



The stock listing is expected to occur on or around June 12 and is widely expected to be the largest in history. Current valuations are putting SpaceX’s potential market cap at $1.75 trillion, with fans and followers of Musk believing the company’s future value may soar to the stars.



And SpaceX is just the beginning. 



Two other major tech IPOs are also expected this year. Those are from AI giants OpenAI and Anthropic. 



Both the ChatGPT maker and the Claude AI maker are expected to debut on the stock market between September and November of this year. And, like SpaceX, the hype surrounding these IPOs is off the charts.



All this tech IPO hype has led to a lot of FOMO. If these IPOs are going to mint hundreds of new millionaires and even billionaires, investors don’t want to miss out on that. But in order to invest in these companies, you need cash to buy the stocks first.



And that’s where cryptocurrencies—and this week’s fall in crypto come in. 



As noted by CNBC, the current selloff in crypto may have more to do with the SpaceX IPO than with the cryptocurrencies themselves. Investors may be liquidating their crypto assets in order to have cash ready to buy into the SpaceX IPO in a few weeks.



As the trading desk at digital asset and crypto trading firm QCP Capital told CNBC, “The broader issue is liquidity rotation. Crypto is facing competition for capital as equity markets continue to outperform, with both crypto-native investors and traditional asset managers being pulled toward stronger equity narratives.”



That equity market competition is only likely to continue as SpaceX’s IPO nears, and Anthropic’s and OpenAI’s IPOs follow months later.



Tech IPO hype worries analysts, too



It’s worth noting that pulling cash out of the digital token market and throwing it at SpaceX (or any company that goes public this year) doesn’t guarantee a healthy return on investment. 



Many industry watchers expect SpaceX’s IPO price to reflect a total company valuation of around $1.75 trillion. But many also think the valuation could be too high, given that the company doesn’t yet make a profit.



That’s why some analysts are cautioning investors not to jump into SpaceX’s IPO and instead to wait for the stock to reach a more reasonable price after its debut.



Analysts at Morningstar consider SpaceX “significantly overvalued,” CNBC reported on Tuesday, and noted that “investors will have opportunities to buy the stock at more attractive levels after the IPO.”



The investment research firm puts SpaceX’s fair value at around $780 billion, well below the $1.75 trillion touted by many. 



And if those analysts are right, SpaceX’s stock price could fall in the weeks after trading begins as investors realize the spaceflight company was way overvalued.



What this means is that for those who are pulling their money out of crypto to invest in SpaceX’s IPO, there’s no guarantee that they’ll come out ahead financially.



Disclosure: Morningstar was founded by Joe Mansueto, owner of Fast Company parent Mansueto Ventures. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Bitcoin, XRP, and, other, crypto, tokens, are, falling, fresh, lows., SpaceX, FOMO, partly, blame</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The best Bukayo Saka documentary is also a WhatsApp ad</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-best-bukayo-saka-documentary-is-also-a-whatsapp-ad</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-best-bukayo-saka-documentary-is-also-a-whatsapp-ad</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Bukayo Saka is having an epic year. In just this past month, the English soccer star led Arsenal to its first Premier League title in more than 20 years, then played in a Champions League final (where the team lost to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties). Next, he’ll lead England into the 2026 World Cup.



Now, a new documentary film directed by Emmy-award winner Robert Alexander shines another spotlight on the 24-year-old. Bukayo Saka: The Time is Now brings Saka together with another Arsenal great, club legend Thierry Henry, for a candid conversation about what it takes to perform at the highest level, the pressure, the resilience required, and making sure to still get joy from the game.







We also get a look inside a pivotal moment in Saka’s career, when a WhatsApp message from Henry helped shift his perspective following his missed penalty shot against Italy in the Euro 2020 final. Throughout the film, Henry acts as the Yoda to Saka’s young Jedi, breaking down his motivations, asking him tough questions, and providing the kind of perspective only someone who has already lived that life could. 



The new doc will be streaming on Disney+ in select international markets from June 5, and in the U.S. later this month, along with the ESPN App. The film will also air on Fox in the U.S. on June 7 at 1:30pm ET, and will be available on Fox One.



[Image: WhatsApp]



It’s also—and stop me if you’ve heard this one before—a WhatsApp commercial. The film is produced by the Meta-owned messaging app, and is just the brand’s latest masterclass in creating brand entertainment that is actually just entertainment. The story is real, the characters compelling, and the product just happens to sit naturally within it all. 



Here, the story catalyst is the fact that Henry and Saka first connected over WhatsApp. In 2023, for the award-winning film We Are Ayenda, it was the Afghan women’s soccer team’s use of WhatsApp to coordinate their escape from the Taliban. And last year’s The Seat, it was the Mercedes F1 team’s use of WhatsApp to discuss how they would replace legendary driver Lewis Hamilton. In each instance, all created with brand entertainment agency Modern Arts, WhatsApp played a real role and fit seamlessly into each film. 



[Bukayo Saka with former Arsenal player Thierry Henry. Image: WhatsApp]



Real stories, real impact



WhatsApp’s global head of brand Jennie Morel says that the goal for The Time is Now is to use the occasion of the World Cup to grow its user base in the U.S. by showing how a superstar like Saka actually uses the app in his real life. 



“Soccer is having such a big moment right now, we wanted to tell a story that really resonated with this fandom because we know that WhatsApp’s going to be so integral to their experience as they’re watching games and connecting with their fellow fans and group chats,” says Morel. “So it was really important for us to find a story that would be relevant to this time.”



When WhatsApp created The Seat, about Mercedes F1 replacing Hamilton with youngster Kimi Antonelli, many fans had no idea who Antonelli was. Fast-forward a year since the film’s release, and Antonelli sits atop the F1 rankings and the doc is still one of the top sports docs on Netflix. Morel says that telling stories like this gives them a much longer shelf life than traditional brand work. 



“I’d be remiss to say that we don’t experience the long tail effect of it,” says Morel. “It’s absolutely one of the reasons why we’ve decided to do this. It’s not about just telling this story at this moment in time, but being relevant to [Saka’s] career as he continues to grow.”



Last year, Modern Arts’ CEO Brooke Stite told me an evergreen insight into what works for brand entertainment: Every brand wants to tap into culture. But to tell stories people really want to hear, you need to find the stories in culture that authentically include your brand instead of trying to force-feed your brand into culture. It sounds so simple, and yet few brands can truly make it happen. 



Morel agrees and says that the key to this type of project is just how natural the brand fits within it. “When we identify our partners, whether it’s Giannis or Bukayo or Kimi, WhatsApp is an inherent part of their everyday lives, so it’s not forced, she says. “And that gives us the opportunity to resonate deeper with feelings.”



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, best, Bukayo, Saka, documentary, also, WhatsApp</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Warren Buffett explained that the greatest measure of success at the end of your life comes down to 1 word</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/warren-buffett-explained-that-the-greatest-measure-of-success-at-the-end-of-your-life-comes-down-to-1-word</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/warren-buffett-explained-that-the-greatest-measure-of-success-at-the-end-of-your-life-comes-down-to-1-word</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ We’ve been sold a narrow definition of success for a long time. Revenue targets, market share, titles, corner offices. Leaders climb the ladder, hit the numbers, and still feel like something’s missing. That’s because most of what we measure at work has very little to do with what actually matters in life.



Warren Buffett has a way of cutting through all of that noise.





When you get to my age, you’ll really measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have love you actually do love you . . . that’s the ultimate test of how you have lived your life . . . the more you give love away, the more you get.





You might think a quote with the word “love” three times shows Buffett’s sentimental side. Maybe it does, but it’s also a hard truth. That one word should make every leader stop and take inventory.Because if Buffett is right, then a lot of high-performing leaders are failing at the one metric that actually lasts.



Bringing humanity back



Most leaders have been trained to separate performance from humanity. They think care will lower standards or accountability. They worry that showing empathy will make them look weak. So they default to control, pressure, and distance. And then they wonder why engagement drops, turnover rises, and trust disappears. I speak from experience, having reviewed exit interviews and engagement reports over the past 25 years.



Here’s the reality. People don’t give their best to leaders who don’t genuinely respect and care about them — about their well-being, their growth, and what makes them flourish on the job.



“Giving love away” in leadership may sound squishy, but it may just be your competitive advantage. And it’s far from just being cordial in morning huddles and handing out the occasional praise.



It’s about how you show up in the moments that matter.



It’s showing patience when someone is struggling instead of rushing to judgment.



It’s kindness that moves beyond words into action, especially when there’s nothing to gain.



It’s being trustworthy by doing the right thing repeatedly.



It’s checking in on your people without an agenda but because you care.



It’s giving credit freely, owning mistakes, and creating an environment where people feel safe to speak their truth, not just agree with you.These aren’t abstract ideals. They are evidence of how the world’s best leaders show up in very practical ways.



And here’s where Buffett’s insight hits hardest.



You can’t fake this



People know when they feel valued and when they are being managed like a resource. Over time, they decide how much of themselves they’re willing to give based on how they are treated.



Studies show that leaders who build trust and real connection see higher levels of discretionary effort, stronger collaboration, and better long-term performance. In other words, love, when practiced as intentional and practical care and respect, is not a liability. It’s a performance driver.



But it requires a shift. You have to move from seeing people as a means to an end to seeing them as the reason the end is even possible.



That’s a different mindset. And it shows up in small, daily behaviors that, over time, build something most leaders spend years trying to recover after they’ve lost it.



Trust.



Take the long view



Buffett’s quote is a long-term perspective. It forces today’s leaders to think about how they’ll be remembered. At the end of your career, people won’t talk about your quarterly numbers or your strategic pivots. They’ll talk about how you made them feel. Whether you saw them. Whether you helped them grow. Whether you stood by them when it was hard.



That’s the scorecard that sticks. So if you’re leading today, don’t wait until later in life to adopt Buffett’s definition of success. Bring it into your leadership now. Measure yourself not just by outcomes, but by relationships. Not just by results, but by the people who would choose to run through walls for you.



—Marcel Schwantes







This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com. 



Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Warren, Buffett, explained, that, the, greatest, measure, success, the, end, your, life, comes, down, word</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Google’s AI Overviews search feature will be impacted by a ‘world first’ rule in the UK. Here’s what will change</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/googles-ai-overviews-search-feature-will-be-impacted-by-a-world-first-rule-in-the-uk-heres-what-will-change</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/googles-ai-overviews-search-feature-will-be-impacted-by-a-world-first-rule-in-the-uk-heres-what-will-change</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ AI-generated summaries in Google search results take content from online publishers while reducing traffic to their websites—a tricky relationship that has been seemingly inevitable until now. 



Today, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that publishers will no longer have to allow Google’s AI-generated tools to use their content in exchange for appearing in the search engine’s traditional links. 



“In a world first, publishers will now have effective tools to prevent their content being used to power AI features in search, such as AI Overviews,” the CMA stated in its announcement. “This will put publishers, like news organisations, in a stronger position to negotiate content deals with Google.” 



Publishers will also be able to stop Google from using their content for “fine-tuning” its AI models.



Plus, the search engine will have to use clear attribution and links in its AI-generated results.



The decision comes only a few weeks after Google announced sweeping changes, including an “intelligent AI-powered Search box” and Gemini 3.5 Flash-powered AI Mode. 



“Google has recently announced changes to its search business and the requirements we’ve introduced today are designed to respond to what Google is doing now and in the future,” Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said in a statement. 



Google will have nine months to implement the required adjustments, which the CMA will oversee. The company must also submit compliance reports to the CMA every six months for at least the first year. 



For now, Google appears to be on board. 



Today, it announced “new controls and insights” following feedback from creators and publishers, alongside discussions with the CMA. 



These changes include testing a new toggle that permits publishers to remove their website from the company’s AI search tools—whether it be AI Overviews, AI Mode, or other features. 



“Sites that opt out will not receive traffic or impressions from our generative AI features,” Google stated in its announcement. “This control will not be used as a ranking signal for search results outside of these generative AI Search features.”



Google will also be rolling out impression metrics and data about which website pages are in AI responses and where in the world they’re being seen. 



Unsurprisingly, given the CMA’s mandate, Google will first test these features with a small number of U.K.-based website owners. 



How can the CMA force Google to make these changes?



Tech companies aren’t exactly known for taking suggestions without a fight. But, in this case, the CMA has real regulatory power over Google. 



In October 2025, the CMA designated Google’s general search engine and search advertising services with “strategic market status” (SMS). 



The CMA gives this status if it determines a company “has substantial and entrenched market power and a position of strategic significance in a digital activity.” 



The UK business regulator then has the power to take steps such as introducing interventions, protecting customers, and unlocking competition.  



This designation comes from the UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act, which went into effect on January 1, 2025. Shortly after, the CMA launched its investigation into Google Search.  ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Google’s, Overviews, search, feature, will, impacted, ‘world, first’, rule, the, UK., Here’s, what, will, change</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The payroll slip that can cost you your workforce</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-payroll-slip-that-can-cost-you-your-workforce</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-payroll-slip-that-can-cost-you-your-workforce</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Yash Dubal on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Small firms are being caught out because of a payroll discrepancy picked up by HMRC. Here&#039;s how to avoid losing your sponsor licence
The post The payroll slip that can cost you your workforce appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/06/2149103955.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, payroll, slip, that, can, cost, you, your, workforce</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Do you need a business bank account? Which one is right for you?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/do-you-need-a-business-bank-account-which-one-is-right-for-you</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/do-you-need-a-business-bank-account-which-one-is-right-for-you</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Ben Lobel on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Do you need a business bank account and what are the questions to ask when choosing one?
The post Do you need a business bank account? Which one is right for you? appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/08/GettyImages-1354077707.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:17 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>you, need, business, bank, account, Which, one, right, for, you</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>What do SMEs think is the best business bank account? – survey</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-do-smes-think-is-the-best-business-bank-account-survey</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-do-smes-think-is-the-best-business-bank-account-survey</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Tim Adler on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post What do SMEs think is the best business bank account? – survey appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/08/Handelsbanken_landscape-scaled-1.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, SMEs, think, the, best, business, bank, account, –, survey</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Benefits of switching to the right business bank account</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/benefits-of-switching-to-the-right-business-bank-account</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/benefits-of-switching-to-the-right-business-bank-account</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


In case you were in any doubt, here are five key benefits of switching your business bank account – and how to make the switch
The post Benefits of switching to the right business bank account appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/12/Bank-account-switch-scaled-1.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Benefits, switching, the, right, business, bank, account</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How much do business bank accounts cost? A guide to bank fees for small businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-much-do-business-bank-accounts-cost-a-guide-to-bank-fees-for-small-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-much-do-business-bank-accounts-cost-a-guide-to-bank-fees-for-small-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Nathaniel Dalby on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


With business bank accounts, it can be hard to keep track of fees. Here&#039;s everything you need to know about business bank account fees
The post How much do business bank accounts cost? A guide to bank fees for small businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2024/08/GettyImages-579132498.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, much, business, bank, accounts, cost, guide, bank, fees, for, small, businesses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>EORI number: What it is and how to get or check one</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/eori-number-what-it-is-and-how-to-get-or-check-one</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/eori-number-what-it-is-and-how-to-get-or-check-one</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Ben Lobel on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


In this guide, we&#039;ll take you through all you need to know about EORI numbers, who should register, how to apply and where to go for more help
The post EORI number: What it is and how to get or check one appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/11/GettyImages-1318116805.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>EORI, number:, What, and, how, get, check, one</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The First 7 Seconds: How Men Are Judged Before They Speak</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-first-7-seconds-how-men-are-judged-before-they-speak</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-first-7-seconds-how-men-are-judged-before-they-speak</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A man walks into a room. Before he says a single word, before he introduces himself and before anyone knows his job, education, or bank account, the judging has already started. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202605/image_870x580_6a1b0b35c15d2.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, First, Seconds:, How, Men, Are, Judged, Before, They, Speak</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The Gentleman’s Guide to Wearing White Without Looking Flashy</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-gentlemans-guide-to-wearing-white-without-looking-flashy</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-gentlemans-guide-to-wearing-white-without-looking-flashy</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Wearing white as a man is dangerous. Done correctly, it looks elegant, expensive, relaxed, and effortlessly sophisticated. Done incorrectly… ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202605/image_870x580_6a1b0c2f5fb2f.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, Gentleman’s, Guide, Wearing, White, Without, Looking, Flashy</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The Silent Power of a Well&#45;Fitted Black Jacket</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-silent-power-of-a-well-fitted-black-jacket</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-silent-power-of-a-well-fitted-black-jacket</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Every man has that one piece of clothing that changes everything.

Not the loud designer shirt. Not the “limited edition” sneakers he bought during an emotional online shopping episode at 2 a.m. Not the jacket covered in logos large enough to be seen from space.

No. It is usually something much simpler. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202605/image_870x580_6a1b1bd55e3ac.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, Silent, Power, Well-Fitted, Black, Jacket</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Tips of Executive on Vacation? Or Executive on Duty?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tips-of-executive-on-vacation-or-executive-on-duty</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tips-of-executive-on-vacation-or-executive-on-duty</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ There comes a dangerous moment in every executive’s life. You book what is supposed to be a relaxing holiday. Beautiful beach. Nice hotel. Sunset photos. A little peace.


You proudly tell everyone, &quot;This trip is for rest.&quot; ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202605/image_870x580_6a1b4de220632.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tips, Executive, Vacation, Executive, Duty</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Why Expensive Men Rarely Look Loud</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-expensive-men-rarely-look-loud</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-expensive-men-rarely-look-loud</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ There is a strange moment many men experience when they first enter a truly wealthy environment. They expect diamonds. They expect giant logos. They expect gold watches the size of frying pans. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202605/image_870x580_6a1b0a2f0b443.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Why, Expensive, Men, Rarely, Look, Loud</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>London housing slump leaves Labour’s 1.5 million homes pledge looking out of reach</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/london-housing-slump-leaves-labours-15-million-homes-pledge-looking-out-of-reach</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/london-housing-slump-leaves-labours-15-million-homes-pledge-looking-out-of-reach</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
London delivered just 7% of the 88,000 homes it needed last year, says JLL. With buyers squeezed and landlords leaving, Labour&#039;s 1.5m homes pledge is in trouble.
Read more: 
London housing slump leaves Labour’s 1.5 million homes pledge looking out of reach ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/shutterstock_2390715793-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>London, housing, slump, leaves, Labour’s, 1.5, million, homes, pledge, looking, out, reach</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Temu hit with record €200m EU fine over unsafe baby toys and dodgy chargers</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/temu-hit-with-record-200m-eu-fine-over-unsafe-baby-toys-and-dodgy-chargers</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/temu-hit-with-record-200m-eu-fine-over-unsafe-baby-toys-and-dodgy-chargers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Brussels has handed Temu a record €200m DSA fine after finding dangerous baby toys and faulty chargers on the Chinese marketplace. What it means for online sellers.
Read more: 
Temu hit with record €200m EU fine over unsafe baby toys and dodgy chargers ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2594289913.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Temu, hit, with, record, €200m, fine, over, unsafe, baby, toys, and, dodgy, chargers</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Asda turns to Ocado in bid to fix its online grocery problem</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/asda-turns-to-ocado-in-bid-to-fix-its-online-grocery-problem</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/asda-turns-to-ocado-in-bid-to-fix-its-online-grocery-problem</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Asda has signed a long-term deal to roll out Ocado&#039;s Smart Platform across its website, app, in-store picking and last-mile delivery from 2027, as executive chairman Allan Leighton accelerates his turnaround of Britain&#039;s third-largest grocer.
Read more: 
Asda turns to Ocado in bid to fix its online grocery problem ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2224273253-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Asda, turns, Ocado, bid, fix, its, online, grocery, problem</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Horner joins Oakley Capital to steer premium sports dealmaking</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/horner-joins-oakley-capital-to-steer-premium-sports-dealmaking</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/horner-joins-oakley-capital-to-steer-premium-sports-dealmaking</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Former Red Bull boss Christian Horner has been appointed as a sports investments advisor by private equity firm Oakley Capital, signalling fresh ambitions to scale its premium sports portfolio.
Read more: 
Horner joins Oakley Capital to steer premium sports dealmaking ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2619400281.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Horner, joins, Oakley, Capital, steer, premium, sports, dealmaking</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>UK firms need a sharper strategy to win in a changing American economy</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-firms-need-a-sharper-strategy-to-win-in-a-changing-american-economy</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-firms-need-a-sharper-strategy-to-win-in-a-changing-american-economy</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
America is still growing, but British firms eyeing the US in 2026 need sharper regional targeting, disciplined pricing and a realistic view of cost, says Blick Rothenberg.
Read more: 
UK firms need a sharper strategy to win in a changing American economy ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2577569725.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>firms, need, sharper, strategy, win, changing, American, economy</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘What a joke’: Github Copilot’s new token&#45;based billing spurs consternation among devs</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-a-joke-github-copilots-new-token-based-billing-spurs-consternation-among-devs</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-a-joke-github-copilots-new-token-based-billing-spurs-consternation-among-devs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The golden age of Microsoft&#039;s Github Copilot appears to be at an end. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/github-copilot-chat-2.webp" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘What, joke’:, Github, Copilot’s, new, token-based, billing, spurs, consternation, among, devs</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Snap alums unveil Ghost Angels fund</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/snap-alums-unveil-ghost-angels-fund</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/snap-alums-unveil-ghost-angels-fund</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A group of 20 Snap alumni has come together to launch a fund called Ghost Angels to back the next generation of social media. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GettyImages-1927744482.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Snap, alums, unveil, Ghost, Angels, fund</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>This weekend’s two biggest movies were both directed by YouTubers</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-weekends-two-biggest-movies-were-both-directed-by-youtubers</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-weekends-two-biggest-movies-were-both-directed-by-youtubers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The YouTube-to-prestige-horror pipeline is looking very strong. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/backrooms.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>This, weekend’s, two, biggest, movies, were, both, directed, YouTubers</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>SoftBank says it will invest up to €75 billion to build French data centers</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/softbank-says-it-will-invest-up-to-75-billion-to-build-french-data-centers</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/softbank-says-it-will-invest-up-to-75-billion-to-build-french-data-centers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The goal, the firm said, is to develop and operate up to 5 gigawatts of additional data center capacity. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GettyImages-2224533087.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>SoftBank, says, will, invest, €75, billion, build, French, data, centers</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>What happens in Vega$: steroids, swimmers, and a billion&#45;dollar hustle</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-happens-in-vega-steroids-swimmers-and-a-billion-dollar-hustle</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-happens-in-vega-steroids-swimmers-and-a-billion-dollar-hustle</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Enhanced Games — a singular sporting competition where a majority of the athletes were on performance enhancing drugs — may herald a new business model that the tech industry is ready to embrace. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2277547476.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, happens, Vega:, steroids, swimmers, and, billion-dollar, hustle</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>4 Ways To Make Your Next Business Meeting As Efficient As Possible</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/4-ways-to-make-your-next-business-meeting-as-efficient-as-possible</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/4-ways-to-make-your-next-business-meeting-as-efficient-as-possible</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Business meetings have a tendency to run over the time allotted and to run off track. That can cause employees to get bored and lose focus really quickly. Whether meeting with employees or clients, you need to know how to run those meetings more efficiently so that people don’t start to get bored. This ensures […]
The post 4 Ways To Make Your Next Business Meeting As Efficient As Possible appeared first on Fincyte. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://www.fincyte.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Ways-To-Make-Your-Next-Business-Meeting-As-Efficient-As-Possible.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Ways, Make, Your, Next, Business, Meeting, Efficient, Possible</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Science says you can indeed buy happiness—for as little as $30</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/science-says-you-can-indeed-buy-happinessfor-as-little-as-30</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/science-says-you-can-indeed-buy-happinessfor-as-little-as-30</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When I was about 8 years old, in response to the ubiquitous question of what I wanted to be when I grew up, I responded, “I want to be happy!”



The adults chuckled and my inquisitor did not ask any follow-up questions. But my mother later pulled me aside to tell me that being happy wasn’t always something we mere mortals had perfect control over.



Mom wanted to prepare me for the reality that happiness couldn’t be planned for or worked toward, like becoming a writer (my usual response to grownups asking about my future career goals). Happiness wasn’t something I could buy from a store, earn from an institution of higher education, or receive along with a corner office.



As wise as Mom’s counsel was, science has found that she wasn’t quite right. The recently published World Happiness Report, along with myriad other clinical studies, show that it’s entirely possible to plan, purchase, and implement greater daily happiness. You just have to know how to spend your time and money effectively.



Here’s what the science of happiness has to say about how to invest in greater daily contentment.



Increased light makes us happier



Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) was first formally described in the mid-1980s, although anyone who feels the winter doldrums probably wondered why it took scientists so long to finally name this condition—and so aptly, too.



While SAD is usually diagnosed if you have the blahs during the colder part of the year, researchers believe that the shortened daylight hours and reduced access to sunlight during the winter have a chemical effect on the brain that can trigger depressive symptoms and increase the production of melatonin, a sleep-related hormone.



This is why light therapy lamps have long been prescribed to help reduce the depressive symptoms of SAD. Sitting close to a 2,500- to 10,000-lux bright light therapy lamp for at least 30 minutes every morning has proven to improve depression symptoms in SAD patients, boost the effectiveness of antidepressant medication, and aid sleep.



But bright light therapy lamps aren’t just for those of us who get the SADs, or just for the long, gray winter. Studies have found that these lamps are also effective for easing major depressive and perinatal depressive symptoms—along with the additional benefits of boosting medication effectiveness and making it easier to sleep.



How to invest in light



If you experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (or just become a hermit every year between New Year’s and Easter), you may want to consider investing in a light therapy box to help regulate your circadian rhythm during the dark days of winter—and beyond.



These light boxes cost anywhere from about $70 to a little over $200. While light therapy lamps range in brightness from 2,500 to 10,000 lux, the more lux the lamp delivers, the less time you need to spend in front of it. This means you’re better off purchasing a lamp that offers 10,000 lux because it will mean 30 minutes in the morning will be sufficient.



If you’re not sure if a therapy lamp is what you need, consider purchasing a sunrise alarm clock instead. You can purchase these alarm clocks for as little as $30 all the way up to $170.



Rather than blaring a loud noise to rouse you in the morning, these alarm clocks emit light to gently wake you at your specified time. The bright light signals to your brain that it’s time to wake up, and these kinds of alarm clocks can help better regulate your sleep/wake schedule, while also providing you with another source of light in the morning.



Social media amplifies your daily stress



It’s incredibly telling that the CEOs of major social media companies don’t allow their own children to use social media. Social media, despite its claim to bring people together, causes incredible stress.



In fact, the recently published World Happiness Report found that “life satisfaction is highest at low rates of social media use and lower at higher rates of use.”



Of course, as anyone who has taken a statistics class will remember, correlation doesn’t equal causation. The areas with high life satisfaction and low social media usage may be happy for some reason unrelated to ignoring the siren song of Instagram—while the folks who are less satisfied with life might be unhappy for a reason that has nothing to do with their multiple hours per day arguing with @urmom420 on the platform formerly known as Twitter.



However, a recent clinical study backs up the conclusion that social media is bad for your mental health. In this study, one group of participants reduced their social media screen time to less than two hours per day for three weeks, compared with a control group who continued using social media as they normally did.



The participants who reduced their social media time saw the following improvements compared with the control group:




They lowered depressive symptoms by 40%.



They increased well-being by 21%.



They decreased stress by 22%.



They improved sleep quality by 35%.




Just by reducing their social media use to under two hours per day for a three-week period, these participants greatly improved their daily quality of life.



How to invest in less daily stress



Reducing your social media usage is the kind of thing that feels like it should be easy. Jumping onto Facebook is entirely voluntary. Clicking on a TikTok is all your decision.



And yet, you’ll find yourself wasting precious hours on social media, wishing you knew how to quit YouTube.



There’s a reason it’s so difficult to turn it off. Like gambling, social media relies on intermittent reinforcement, where rewards are offered sporadically, keeping the user consistently refreshing (or betting) to try to get another hit of dopamine. So many of us find it necessary to bring in a different kind of reinforcement to keep ourselves from falling back into social media’s intermittent reinforcement.



Specifically, spending money on a social media blocker that allows you access only during preplanned times of day will ensure that you maintain the social media boundaries you need to reap the benefits of stepping away from these platforms.



There are a number of types of blockers, including apps that simply add friction when you attempt to navigate to a verboten platform, apps that lock down chosen platforms, and even a physical device that fully blocks all of your most distracting apps. Prices range from free to $60 for a one-time charge, to $7 per month to $30 to $100 per year, depending on which you choose.



Good sleep is the foundation for a good mood



It’s hardly groundbreaking to say that sleep and mood are intimately related. When someone is uncharacteristically grumpy, they will apologize by saying, “I got up on the wrong side of the bed.” And everyone has had the experience of snapping at an innocent bystander or kicking a door (it knows what it did . . . ) after a night of restless sleep.



What’s interesting about the connection between sleep and mood is not just that we all turn into the grouchiest versions of ourselves when we don’t get enough shuteye. Researchers have also found that poor sleep is also correlated with zero-sum beliefs about happiness.



Specifically, people who are sleep deprived are more likely to believe that happiness is finite, so that if one person is feeling happy, that means there is less happiness for others. Those who are sleep deprived also feel happiness in the moment increases the likelihood of less happiness in the future—as if enjoying a current moment of happiness will take away a future opportunity for joy.



But well-rested individuals do not share these kinds of zero-sum beliefs about happiness. Since they are not dealing with scarcity of rest, they do not assign a scarcity mindset to happiness, and they express greater levels of life satisfaction.



How to invest in an abundant good mood



Improving the quality of your sleep is one of the best and most effective ways of increasing your daily and overall happiness. And there are a number of investments that you can make to get better sleep starting tonight, including:




Upgrade your mattress: Americans don’t necessarily pay attention to their mattresses’ quality or lifespan. If you can’t remember when you purchased your mattress, if it sags in the middle, or if your back hurts more when you wake up than any other time of day, you may need a new one. While this can be an expensive purchase—up to $2,000 depending on the brand—there are excellent discount options available under $600 that can still improve your sleep quality compared with a worn-out mattress.



Hang blackout curtains: For as little as $30, you can make your bedroom fully dark, which can not only help improve your quality of sleep, but also offer health benefits.



Cool and quiet your room: A fan can offer two benefits to your bedroom: keeping the space cool, which promotes better sleep, and providing a kind of white noise that can help block outside sounds and lull you to sleep. There are even fans that produce specific white, pink, or brown noise to help you fall and stay asleep. Fans can cost anywhere from $35 to $200.




You can buy happiness—if you’re mindful with your purchases



Happiness may not be a singular goal one can attain like a degree or a profession, but that doesn’t mean it’s entirely out of our control. Science has discovered a number of predictable things that help make humans feel happy. These include daily access to sunlight (or a reasonable facsimile thereof), hard limits on our social media usage, and consistent quality sleep.



Investing in a light therapy lamp or sunrise alarm clock, a social media blocker, a mattress, blackout curtains, and a fan or white noise machine could create a measurable difference in your sense of daily contentment.



All it takes is a commitment to using these purchases to embrace the scientifically proven behavioral changes.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Science, says, you, can, indeed, buy, happiness—for, little, 30</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Zillow downgrades its home price forecast across 400&#45;plus housing markets—see the data</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/zillow-downgrades-its-home-price-forecast-across-400-plus-housing-marketssee-the-data</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/zillow-downgrades-its-home-price-forecast-across-400-plus-housing-marketssee-the-data</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Want more housing market stories from Lance Lambert’s ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter.



Zillow economists just published their updated 12-month forecast, projecting that U.S. home prices—as measured by the Zillow Home Value Index—will shift down 0.1% from April 2026 to April 2027.



That’s a tiny downward revision from its 12-month national forecast published in April (+0.1%) and its 12-month national forecast published in March (+0.5%).



U.S. home prices, as measured by the Zillow Home Value Index, are currently up 0.7% year over year. Zillow’s latest 12-month outlook (-0.1%) expects national home prices to remain near that subdued pace. As long as national home price growth remains below U.S. wage growth (currently up 3.6%), underlying fundamentals should continue to improve. If that trend continues—and mortgage rates don’t spike—national housing affordability should also continue to gradually improve.







While Zillow’s national home price forecast isn’t negative—it isn’t exactly bullish either. It’s calling for a soft national housing market in 2026, one where national housing affordability may improve slightly as U.S. income growth outpaces U.S. home price growth.



What type of regional variation does Zillow anticipate over the next 12 months?







Among the 300 largest U.S. metro-area housing markets, Zillow forecast the biggest home price increase from April 2026 to April 2027 to occur in these 15 metros:




Syracuse, New York → 4.8% 



Rockford, Illinois → 4.5% 



Atlantic City, New Jersey →  4.1%



Utica, New York →  4.0%



Rochester, New York → 3.9%



Binghamton, New York → 3.6% 



Pottsville, Pennsylvania → 3.3% 



Knoxville, Tennessee→ 3.2% 



Norwich, Connecticut → 3.2% 



Erie, Pennsylvania → 3.1 



Morristown, Tennessee → 3.1%



Janesville, Wisconsin → 3.0% 



Buffalo → 2.9% 



Youngstown, Ohio → 2.9% 



Kingston, New York → 2.9%




Among the 300 largest U.S. metro-area housing markets, Zillow forecast the biggest home price decline from April 2026 to April 2027 to occur in these 15 metros:




Houma, Louisiana → -6.7%



Lake Charles, Louisiana → -5.8% 



Austin → -5.4%



New Orleans → -4.4% 



Alexandria, Louisiana → -4.1% 



Chico, California → -3.5% 



Vallejo, California → -3.4%



Beaumont, Texas → -3.4% 



Lafayette, Louisiana → -3.3% 



Punta Gorda, Florida → -3.2% 



San Francisco → -3.1% 



Santa Rosa, California → -3.0% 



Denver → -2.8% 



San Antonio → -2.8% 



Shreveport, Louisiana → -2.8%




My quick take: Based on my own analysis, I believe Zillow is too bearish on the New Orleans metro-area housing market—which is showing signs of mild tightening after passing through a correction—and also too bearish on pockets of the Bay Area, especially San Francisco proper, which has benefited from AI boom spillover (although pockets of Oakland remain weak).







Below is what the current year-over-year rate of home price change looks like for single-family and condo home prices. The Sunbelt, in particular Southwest Florida, is currently the epicenter of housing market softness over the past year.






 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Zillow, downgrades, its, home, price, forecast, across, 400-plus, housing, markets—see, the, data</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>May full moon: A rare blue ‘micromoon’ will appear in the sky tonight. Here’s the best time to see it</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/may-full-moon-a-rare-blue-micromoon-will-appear-in-the-sky-tonight-heres-the-best-time-to-see-it</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/may-full-moon-a-rare-blue-micromoon-will-appear-in-the-sky-tonight-heres-the-best-time-to-see-it</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The rarity of events and celebrations such as milestone birthdays and cosmic happenings makes them special.



The phrase “once in a blue moon” exists because it is not an everyday occurrence. This year, May has not one but two full moons lighting up the night sky, the second of which is going down tonight, in the early morning hours of Sunday, May 31.



Illumination reaches its peak at 4:45 a.m. ET.



But this is also considered a micromoon. Here’s everything you need to know before you stargaze.



What is a blue moon?



This has nothing to do with color. There are two ways to define a blue moon. The first is when a second full moon occurs in the same calendar month. This happens about once every 30 months. Tonight is the night for May 2026, as the first full moon took place on May 1.



The second definition deals in quarters. A typical astronomical season contains three full moons. Every two to three years, a fourth sneaks in, causing the third full moon to be considered a blue moon.



When will the next blue moon occur?



If you miss this one, you will have to wait until May 20, 2027, for a seasonal blue moon, according to Royal Museums Greenwich.



The next calendar blue moon won’t happen again until December 2028.



Can 2 blue moons happen in the same year?



Metaphorical lightning—or in this case, two blue moons—can strike twice in the same year, but it is rare. 



According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, in 2018, both January and March had a blue moon. February had no full moons. This won’t happen again until 2037.



What is a micromoon?



Although this blue moon is considered “micro,” the naked eye won’t be able to tell much difference in size. According to National Geographic, it will only look about 10% to 15% smaller in diameter and a bit dimmer.



The natural satellite orbits the Earth in an elliptical pattern, making it appear bigger and brighter or smaller and dimmer, depending on where it is on that journey.



A micromoon occurs around apogee, a fancy term for when the moon is at the farthest point away from Earth. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>May, full, moon:, rare, blue, ‘micromoon’, will, appear, the, sky, tonight., Here’s, the, best, time, see</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The Pentagon says laser weapons are nearly ready for prime time</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-pentagon-says-laser-weapons-are-nearly-ready-for-prime-time</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-pentagon-says-laser-weapons-are-nearly-ready-for-prime-time</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ This article is republished with permission from Laser Wars, a newsletter about military laser weapons and other futuristic defense technology.



The U.S. military is pushing to demonstrate high-energy laser weapons engineered for fielding at scale in the next two years, according to the U.S. Defense Department’s top science and technology official.



Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee on May 19, the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, Emil Michael, told lawmakers that the science of laser weapons “is largely done.” He said the Pentagon is focused on addressing the engineering challenges that come with transforming exquisite prototypes into mass-producible capabilities—the “scaled” element of the department’s “scaled directed energy” critical technology area.



“We now have a suite of directed energy products that go from low end to high end, and now we have to scale production of those,” Michael said.



When questioned by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., about the three-year timeline for fielding laser weapons at scale that defense officials previously publicized in March, Michael stated that President Donald Trump’s planned “Golden Dome for America“ domestic missile shield would accelerate those research and development efforts due to the initiative’s “big reliance” on directed energy. He added, “Our experience in Iran has also doubled our interest in these systems.”



“A lot of the money allocated to Golden Dome is going to go to the fundamental engineering of these systems so that we can make them cheaper, smaller, and more proliferated,” Michael said. “And because the commitment was made to the president that we’re going to have a demonstration that includes directed energy in our Golden Dome architecture, there’s a lot of energy going into that.”



The directed energy demonstration is expected to occur during the summer of 2028, Michael said, part of a series of Golden Dome-related events.



“There’s never been more effort in the department on this particular capability,” Michael said. “There [are] several companies that are emerging that have developed it, and several companies that are taking what they’ve already built and making it cheaper and better.”



Michael’s comments effectively tie the future of U.S. military laser weapons to a presidential priority with serious money and a hard deadline behind it. The Pentagon’s fiscal year 2027 budget request contains $452 million in proposed R&amp;D spending for the “development, integration, and assessment” of directed energy weapons in support of Golden Dome alone, more than triple the $142 million enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act reconciliation package Trump signed into law in July 2025. In addition, the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy together have laid out plans to spent $675.9 million over the next five years on a containerized 150-300 kilowatt Joint Laser Weapon System (JWLS) as part of the military’s broader Golden Dome architecture. In addition, Michael’s mention of Iran as having “doubled” the Pentagon’s interest in directed energy adds an operational urgency that budget numbers alone don’t capture.



But there’s a problem with Michael’s declaration that the science of laser weapons is “largely done” and the engineering is what remains: Engineering is exactly what has sunk U.S. military programs in the past. Building effective laser weapons means ensuring they can be operated and maintained across a range of tactical environments by soldiers who aren’t laser specialists. Consider the Army’s 50 kW Stryker-mounted Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (DE M-SHORAD), which the service determined was “not mature enough” to become a program of record after rocky operational testing in the Middle East in 2024 exposed issues with the system’s heat dissipation and reliability in its vehicle-mounted configuration. (Robert Rasch, a retired Army lieutenant general, summed up the problem with real-world directed energy weapon deployments in August 2025: “We can’t get by with the thought of having clean rooms out in combat.”)



The Pentagon has been burning drones out of the sky with lasers since 1973, but it has yet to consistently translate demonstrators into battle-ready weapons that American service members can actually rely on outside a controlled environment.



Indeed, the last decade has proven a graveyard of promising laser weapon programs. Beyond DE M-SHORAD, the Army has also abandoned its 300 kW Indirect Fire Protection Capability-High Energy Laser project after downshifting from an eventual program of record to a single testbed that will inform future JLWS efforts. The Navy’s 60 kW High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance system, which only recently began testing at full power and successfully engaged drone targets aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Preble after years of delays, has effectively disappeared from the service’s fiscal year 2027 budget request outside a handful of sustainment dollars. The Marine Corps returned its five much-hyped Compact Laser Weapon System units to Boeing without a replacement program in sight. The Air Force spent years testing Raytheon’s High-Energy Laser Weapon System before abandoning it without a program of record.



These failures share a common pattern diagnosed in a detailed 2023 Government Accountability Office report: promising laser weapons advanced through prototyping without ever securing formal transition partners or drafting agreements that would bind developers and the acquisition community to shared requirements, timelines, and funding responsibilities, dooming them to obsolescence simply because the bureaucratic will to fight for them across budget cycles and shifting service priorities didn’t exist. In his posture statement to the House Armed Services Committee in April, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called it “institutional inertia.” While Michael pointed to the Pentagon’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401 counterdrone group as a demand signal aggregator alongside and Golden Dome as a political forcing function, neither of those things solves the transition problem on its own.



Two efforts—likely Michael’s “suite of directed energy products that go from low-end to high-end”—will serve as the clearest early indicators of whether the Pentagon’s engineering confidence is warranted. The first is the Enduring High Energy Laser (E-HEL), the Army’s modular 30 kW system explicitly envisioned as the service’s first directed energy program of record—and it appears to be moving faster than almost any laser effort before it. Based on Army documents, E-HEL’s design philosophy looks like a direct response to DE M-SHORAD’s shortcomings, with the system decoupled from a specific vehicle platform and built for soldier-performable sustainment using line-replaceable units. The service plans to “produce and rapidly field” 24 E-HEL systems over a five-year period, with the first prototype expected no later than the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 and initial procurement units slated for delivery by the end of fiscal year 2027. If this timeline holds, E-HEL would mark the first time the U.S. military service has successfully transitioned a laser weapon to a genuine program of record.



The second is the aforementioned JLWS, the Joint Laser Weapon System. The Navy plans on awarding $31.7 million in contracts for the development of a Joint Beam Control System—a critical component “capable of supporting” a 300-500 kW laser weapon system, according to the Navy’s fiscal year 2027 budget request—as soon as the fourth quarter of 2026, with another $30 million in contracts for the procurement and testing of containerized hardware expected by March 2027. That timeline makes a Golden Dome demonstration in the summer of 2028 plausible, but it also means whatever system appears will likely be an early-stage weapon rather than a mature one. The current JLWS R&amp;D roadmap runs through fiscal year 2031, and while a successful demonstration in two years would be a genuine milestone, it would still represent the early stages of a fielding process.



Whether the U.S. defense industrial base is ready to answer either program’s call remains an open question. Manufacturing expansions from defense contractors like Huntington Ingalls Industries, AV, IPG Photonics, and nLight are encouraging signs, but the industrial building blocks for laser weapons—from specialized optics with 12-to-18-month lead times to critical materials and rare earth elements sourced from Chinese-dominated supply chains—do not yet appear in place to enable the production systems at the scale Michael is describing.



The development of laser weapons has been defined for decades by a seemingly inescapable cycle of enthusiasm and disappointment. Ellen Pawlikowski, a retired Air Force general and former program manager for the service’s YAL-1 Airborne Laser effort, perfectly captured the longstanding Pentagon consensus around directed energy in an interview for the 2018 book Lasers, Death Rays, and the Long, Strange Quest for the Ultimate Weapon: “I’m tough on laser people these days. It’s because they have a reputation of overpromising and underdelivering.”



With institutional support at a historic high, the Golden Dome-driven demonstration planned for summer 2028 may end up proving a moment of truth for the engineering challenges that have imperiled laser weapon programs past—or, at worst, yet another setback for the U.S. military’s long pursuit of directed energy.



This article is republished with permission from Laser Wars, a newsletter about military laser weapons and other futuristic defense technology.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, Pentagon, says, laser, weapons, are, nearly, ready, for, prime, time</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Student loan borrowers scramble after learning some repayment plans are disappearing</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/student-loan-borrowers-scramble-after-learning-some-repayment-plans-are-disappearing</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/student-loan-borrowers-scramble-after-learning-some-repayment-plans-are-disappearing</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Decision time is near for millions of federal student loan borrowers who will need to pick a new repayment plan starting July 1.



Due to the Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in July 2025, repayment plans for student loans will look different, requiring borrowers to choose from just two options: a Repayment Assistance Plan and a Tiered Standard Plan. For those who do not choose in time, the government will make a decision for them.



Among those affected are the roughly 7 million loan holders enrolled in Saving for a Valuable Education (SAVE), the Biden-era repayment program. The income-driven plan offered one of the most affordable options for individuals.



SAVE holders have already been in a complicated situation since 2024, when they were placed in a nearly two-year, interest-free forbearance due to Republican-led legal battles. Starting July 1, those enrolled in SAVE will receive notice from federal loan servicers with further instructions and deadlines on how to take action.



But it’s not just SAVE enrollees affected, as other repayment plans will also be phased out.



What are the new student loan payment plans?



The Repayment Assistance Plan, or RAP, is an income-driven option first offered in the ’90s in an effort to make repayments affordable for individuals. These plans tend to cap monthly payments based on an individual’s income level, canceling remaining debt after two decades of payment.



RAP determines payments based on adjusted gross income, with payments ranging from 1% to 10% (higher earners pay a higher percentage), with a mandatory $10 minimum.



Perks for the plan include $50 off per dependent on their monthly bills, as well as giving individuals credit on the timeline for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.



The tiered plan will fix a borrower’s debt into payments spread across four time frames. Those with a loan below $25,000 will have to repay the loan within 10 years; the repayment time is longer for higher loan amounts.


 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Student, loan, borrowers, scramble, after, learning, some, repayment, plans, are, disappearing</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>12 of the best digital banking platforms for small business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/12-of-the-best-digital-banking-platforms-for-small-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/12-of-the-best-digital-banking-platforms-for-small-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Considering a digital banking platform over one of the traditional stalwarts? We&#039;ve picked out 12 of the best for your perusal
The post 12 of the best digital banking platforms for small business appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/07/Payments-19717-e1578479774770.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:21 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>the, best, digital, banking, platforms, for, small, business</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Top social media tips for small businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/top-social-media-tips-for-small-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/top-social-media-tips-for-small-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Ben Lobel on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Here, we reveal social media tips to help you succeed
The post Top social media tips for small businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/08/Social-media-advertising-14817-scaled.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:20 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Top, social, media, tips, for, small, businesses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How to start a dog walking business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-start-a-dog-walking-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-start-a-dog-walking-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


For those who love pooches and want to set up a dog walking business, check out this guide to learn more about how to do it
The post How to start a dog walking business appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1284822973-e1679415523498.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, start, dog, walking, business</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Reddit: An Overlooked Marketing Tool</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/reddit-an-overlooked-marketing-tool</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/reddit-an-overlooked-marketing-tool</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By James Earnshaw on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post Reddit: An Overlooked Marketing Tool appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/05/pexels-photo-7568293-7568293-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:17 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Reddit:, Overlooked, Marketing, Tool</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Co&#45;ownership of commercial property – what you should do if you can’t agree on what happens to it</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/co-ownership-of-commercial-property-what-you-should-do-if-you-cant-agree-on-what-happens-to-it</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/co-ownership-of-commercial-property-what-you-should-do-if-you-cant-agree-on-what-happens-to-it</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Katarina Morgan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Know where you stand on co-ownership commercial property disputes before you go down the litigation route, says Katarina Morgan
The post Co-ownership of commercial property – what you should do if you can’t agree on what happens to it appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/05/17433.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Co-ownership, commercial, property, –, what, you, should, you, can’t, agree, what, happens</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Noubikko Interiors Redefines: Where Fashion, and Modern Interiors Become One</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/noubikko-interiors-redefines-where-fashion-and-modern-interiors-become-one</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/noubikko-interiors-redefines-where-fashion-and-modern-interiors-become-one</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ For the new generation, style has moved beyond wardrobes and into homes, studios, offices, lounges, and personal spaces. A well-designed interior now speaks as loudly as designer fashion. It reflects confidence, ambition, taste, and the quality of life a person chooses to embrace. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202604/image_870x580_69ec8c263e345.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Noubikko, Interiors, Redefines:, Where, Fashion, and, Modern, Interiors, Become, One</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>ISA shake&#45;up risks unwinding a decade of simplification, warns Charles Stanley</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/isa-shake-up-risks-unwinding-a-decade-of-simplification-warns-charles-stanley</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/isa-shake-up-risks-unwinding-a-decade-of-simplification-warns-charles-stanley</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
From April 2027 the cash ISA allowance falls to £12,000 for under-65s and a 22% charge will hit interest on cash in stocks &amp; shares ISAs. Charles Stanley’s Rob Morgan warns the reforms risk reversing the 2014 simplification and deterring cautious savers.
Read more: 
ISA shake-up risks unwinding a decade of simplification, warns Charles Stanley ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2746271617.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>ISA, shake-up, risks, unwinding, decade, simplification, warns, Charles, Stanley</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Gordon Brothers swoops on Radley as Poundland owner adds British handbag label to its turnaround portfolio</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/gordon-brothers-swoops-on-radley-as-poundland-owner-adds-british-handbag-label-to-its-turnaround-portfolio</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/gordon-brothers-swoops-on-radley-as-poundland-owner-adds-british-handbag-label-to-its-turnaround-portfolio</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Poundland owner Gordon Brothers has bought British handbag brand Radley through a pre-pack administration, rescuing the label but axing 42 jobs and leaving 21 UK stores out of the deal.
Read more: 
Gordon Brothers swoops on Radley as Poundland owner adds British handbag label to its turnaround portfolio ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/radley-london.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Gordon, Brothers, swoops, Radley, Poundland, owner, adds, British, handbag, label, its, turnaround, portfolio</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Amazon’s UK tax bill tops £1.3bn as employer NI hike and £30bn sales drive the total higher</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/amazons-uk-tax-bill-tops-13bn-as-employer-ni-hike-and-30bn-sales-drive-the-total-higher</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/amazons-uk-tax-bill-tops-13bn-as-employer-ni-hike-and-30bn-sales-drive-the-total-higher</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Amazon&#039;s UK tax bill jumps 20% to more than £1.3bn after the employer national insurance rise and stronger sales — but campaigners want a clearer breakdown.
Read more: 
Amazon’s UK tax bill tops £1.3bn as employer NI hike and £30bn sales drive the total higher ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/shutterstock_1313095733-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Amazon’s, tax, bill, tops, £1.3bn, employer, hike, and, £30bn, sales, drive, the, total, higher</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Samsung chip workers pocket £300,000 windfalls as AI memory boom rewrites the rule book</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/samsung-chip-workers-pocket-300000-windfalls-as-ai-memory-boom-rewrites-the-rule-book</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/samsung-chip-workers-pocket-300000-windfalls-as-ai-memory-boom-rewrites-the-rule-book</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Samsung&#039;s 78,000 semiconductor workers are in line for bonuses of up to £300,000 after a landmark profit-share deal, as the AI memory chip supercycle reshapes the global tech industry.
Read more: 
Samsung chip workers pocket £300,000 windfalls as AI memory boom rewrites the rule book ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2587269317.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Samsung, chip, workers, pocket, £300, 000, windfalls, memory, boom, rewrites, the, rule, book</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Half of graduates would refuse a student loan today, treasury inquiry warns</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/half-of-graduates-would-refuse-a-student-loan-today-treasury-inquiry-warns</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/half-of-graduates-would-refuse-a-student-loan-today-treasury-inquiry-warns</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
A landmark Treasury Committee survey of more than 52,000 borrowers exposes the scale of disillusionment with the student finance system — and the knock-on effect on home ownership, family formation and the wider UK economy.
Read more: 
Half of graduates would refuse a student loan today, treasury inquiry warns ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2190041303.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Half, graduates, would, refuse, student, loan, today, treasury, inquiry, warns</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Tech CEOs are apparently suffering from AI psychosis</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tech-ceos-are-apparently-suffering-from-ai-psychosis</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tech-ceos-are-apparently-suffering-from-ai-psychosis</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;CEOs are uniquely prone to AI psychosis,&quot; Box CEO Aaron Levie opines. Maybe that explains the almost religious belief in AI productivity gains. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1265000101.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tech, CEOs, are, apparently, suffering, from, psychosis</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Robinhood now lets your AI agents trade stocks</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/robinhood-now-lets-your-ai-agents-trade-stocks</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/robinhood-now-lets-your-ai-agents-trade-stocks</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Robinhood will let users create a separate account with pre-loaded balance that an agent use to trade ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Agentic-trading-feat.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Robinhood, now, lets, your, agents, trade, stocks</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>YouTube will now automatically label AI videos</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/youtube-will-now-automatically-label-ai-videos</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/youtube-will-now-automatically-label-ai-videos</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ YouTube will now automatically label videos that use significant photorealistic AI, instead of relying solely on creators to disclose AI-generated content themselves. It&#039;s also making AI labels more prominent. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/GettyImages-1149449083.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>YouTube, will, now, automatically, label, videos</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>ClickHouse triples anualized revenue to $250M, charting a path toward an IPO</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/clickhouse-triples-anualized-revenue-to-250m-charting-a-path-toward-an-ipo</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/clickhouse-triples-anualized-revenue-to-250m-charting-a-path-toward-an-ipo</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The database provider is eyeing a public debut within the next few years. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-27-at-5.53.09-AM.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>ClickHouse, triples, anualized, revenue, 250M, charting, path, toward, IPO</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>China is increasingly keeping its best AI talent to itself</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/china-is-increasingly-keeping-its-best-ai-talent-to-itself</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/china-is-increasingly-keeping-its-best-ai-talent-to-itself</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ China&#039;s AI boom is producing world-class talent, and Beijing is increasingly reluctant to let them go elsewhere. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/china-flag-shanghai.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>China, increasingly, keeping, its, best, talent, itself</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>These AI bots want to help fans navigate World Cup host cities </title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/these-ai-bots-wanttohelp-fans-navigate-world-cup-host-cities</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/these-ai-bots-wanttohelp-fans-navigate-world-cup-host-cities</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When soccer fans head to the FIFA World Cup starting in June, they’ll have a new option for finding things to do, places to stay, and ways to get around in various host cities: artificial intelligence. 



Some visitors will likely turn to general-purpose AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude, with recent studies finding they’ve become popular travel-planning tools despite the risk they’ll present outdated or false information. But multiple host cities are also deploying specially developed AI assistants and virtual concierges they say will deliver curated, relevant, and up-to-date facts and guidance for visitors. 



Frisco, Texas—home to Toyota Stadium, which is serving as a World Cup base camp for Sweden’s national team—has worked with the AI travel planning service GuideGeek on an AI assistant called Frankie that can answer questions about hotels, restaurants, shopping, and activities in the Dallas-area city. The bot launched last year after a couple of months of work, ensuring it could give correct and comprehensive answers based on data sources like the official Visit Frisco tourism website, says Cori Powers, director of marketing and communications for Visit Frisco. 



“We really wanted to ensure that it was conversational and fun and would make trip planning to Frisco convenient,” says Powers. 



Recently, Powers says, the bot has seen a rise of questions about World Cup planning, along with other questions related to summer vacations. Noting the questions users ask Frankie has helped the organization add relevant copy to its website—which in turn feeds back into Frankie—and social media channels. 



“One of the biggest values for the tourism boards is identifying where those content gaps are,” says Greg Oates, director of AI advocacy at GuideGeek and its parent organization, Matador Network. “If a tourism board has seen that a lot of people are asking about something specific and it’s not being answered in the website, then they can update that content or expand on that.” 



For better or worse, GuideGeek’s city-specific bots are designed to steer off-topic questions back to their sponsoring cities, which means Frankie reflects even some questions about the greater Dallas area back to answers about Frisco itself. But the bots also have features that ordinary tourism websites don’t, including the conversational interface, map integrations to highlight relevant sites, and the ability to serve up relevant images. Additionally, GuideGeek bots, which serve more than 30 locations and brands around the world from Aruba to Manitoba, can answer questions in dozens of languages.  



“If you’re coming from somewhere and English isn’t your native language, you just talk to GuideGeek in whatever your language might be,” Oates says. “GuideGeek understands that [and] will respond in kind.” 



Already, Visit Frisco has seen a burst of queries in languages like Spanish, German, and Mandarin. 



And GuideGeek’s multilingual capability has also proven useful in New York City, where NYC Tourism + Conventions has deployed two GuideGeek-powered bots: Ellis, targeting business event planners, and Libby, aimed at tourists and travelers visiting the city. The tourism organization deployed Libby last year, motivated in part by the World Cup, and the fact that while its website is only available in five languages, GuideGeek’s AI can support more than 60. Libby, which is available through the Tourism + Conventions website and through WhatsApp, quickly proved popular, says Nancy Mammana, chief marketing officer at NYC Tourism + Conventions. 



“When we launched it in June, it really started to catch fire quickly, and it’s become a very important channel for us,” she says. “We’ve seen over 45,000 conversations happen with the tool in 68 languages from 178 countries, and over 122,000 queries, which is great.” 



Libby, which is advertised with QR code-embedded marketing material throughout the city, has even been embraced by locals for some events, like Restaurant Week, Mammana says.  



It also won’t be the only AI bot available to help navigate the New York area around the World Cup, which in addition to potentially heavy crowds will see changes to normal transit patterns, along with special deals at restaurants and exhibits at area museums. An “Official NYNJ World Cup Concierge” will also be available with the backing of the official FIFA World Cup New York New Jersey host committee, built with a company called Neurun that got its start building AI guides for running events like marathons. 



The AI concierge, which will be accessible through the host committee website and other websites that embed its web page widget with host committee approval, is designed to be a single “official source of truth” for the World Cup events, says Bruce Revman, cohost city manager of the FIFA World Cup 26 New York New Jersey host committee. That means that it will have access to up-to-date transit info, highlighted through an integration with Google Maps, along with other verified information about what’s going on in the area during the World Cup events. Users will also be able to ask for general New York City information, like opening hours at area attractions, or use the tool to locate places to watch World Cup games and find special deals available during the tournament, Revman says.  



In addition to testing its AI concierges by hand, Neurun deploys additional AI agents that pose questions of the bots and grade and record their answers, says Neurun’s cofounder and CEO, Cade Netscher. 



“It’ll record the activity that it does, so we can watch it, ask different questions, see what happens, make sure it looks appropriate,” he says. “And then we can fill in the gaps.” 



Like Libby, the concierge is likely to have uses beyond the World Cup. Revman says it’s expected to be promoted around events like Sail 4th 250, a celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary this July focusing on tall ships. 



And while AI travel planning tools are sometimes criticized for taking the human element out of vacationing, replacing personal research and expert advice with computer-generated itineraries and fact sheets, Revman emphasizes that questions will be based on official information derived from human expertise, whether users are asking about security protocols, sightseeing options, or travel logistics.  



“It’s been a fun time, working with the host committee and their partners in this,” says Netscher. “You see AI headlines—everyone’s terrified of AI replacing human connection and everything—and we think with this technology we can leverage AI to enhance human connection.”  ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>These, bots, want to help, fans, navigate, World, Cup, host, cities </media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Meet the online superfans who turned their Stan Twitter experience into full&#45;time social media jobs</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/meet-the-online-superfans-who-turned-their-stan-twitter-experience-into-full-time-social-media-jobs</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/meet-the-online-superfans-who-turned-their-stan-twitter-experience-into-full-time-social-media-jobs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Katelyn Ide was thirteen when she first logged onto Twitter from a small town in Connecticut and discovered Justin Bieber’s fervent online fandom. Like most fans, she wasn’t content to just hang back and idolize from a distance, but to actively participate any way she could. She ran multiple fan accounts, mastering engagement back when Twitter allowed only 140 characters. Her “finish the lyric” tweets and song prompts circulated widely enough that she accumulated nearly 20,000 followers. “It became my whole personality,” she told me.



What Ide didn’t realize at the time was that she was gaining valuable skills for a future career. Now 28, she works as Head of Social Strategy and Talent at Sweety High, a Gen Z–focused digital media company, in a role shaped almost entirely by the years she spent as a rabidly online Belieber. Although she initially left that experience off her résumé after graduating college, she eventually sent a direct message from her Bieber fan account to a prospective employer explaining why her fandom background made her uniquely qualified for the job. Within ten minutes, she received a reply; within days, she was hired. “I truly owe my career to my Justin Bieber fan account,” she said.



For almost as long as it has existed, fandom has occupied a culturally diminished space: misunderstood, ridiculed, and shadowed by the old Victorian association between female intensity and hysteria. For much of the 20th and early 21st centuries, the fangirl was imagined as excessive rather than skilled, someone wasting time and energy on trivial pursuits.



Yet employers have belatedly begun to recognize that many of the skills now prized in the digital economy were first developed inside fan communities, where intense attachment to artists incidentally produced real expertise through participatory fandom. Fans built graphics kits and analytic dashboards before they knew those terms existed. Those who learned to trend hashtags for Taylor Swift, coordinate streaming campaigns for BTS, or run update accounts for Justin Bieber and One Direction were, in effect, apprenticing themselves in the logistics of online attention long before employers learned to value their skills.



Employers Are Finally Taking Fangirls Seriously



As more of Gen Z enters the workforce, fans are realizing that fandom has created entry points into the entertainment industry for those otherwise shut out by money or geography. “Instead of relying solely on formal routes like university or structured internships, you can actively create your own opportunities through participation,” says Issy Aldridge, a marketing executive whose adolescence spent writing One Direction fan fiction on Tumblr was an unconventional proving ground for her job. “Running fan accounts, contributing to blogs, organising projects, moderating communities, or even volunteering as a fan rep at concerts all develop real, transferable skills.”



Last May, Aldridge co-developed That Fangirl Life, a resource aimed at converting fan experience into employment. Its career guides encourage users to frame time spent running fan accounts in professionalized language and even suggest citing “viral tweets” or engagement statistics in interviews, demonstrating how deeply skilled fandom has always been. 



In the year since That Fangirl Life launched, Aldridge has been working to develop the site’s first success story, amid a broader shift she’s noticed, where fans are more confidently asserting their fandom practice as professionally useful skills.  “If someone’s running a fan account—creating content, posting regularly, overseeing a community and actively engaging with them—why couldn’t they pursue a career within social media management?”



It’s a question Aldrige says employers—particularly in the music industry—are also beginning to ask themselves.  “Some of the major labels are starting to hire roles dedicated to fan engagement, often requiring lived experience within a subculture like fandom,” including Universal Music Group, which recently hired a ‘Fans Insight Strategist’ to help drive a deeper understanding of fan behavior to inform marketing, artist development, and commercial decision-making.



Recently, media company Vocal Media’s CEO posted on LinkedIn asking for people who used to run One Direction stan or update accounts, because he noticed the top candidates they were hiring had this as a common thread. HBO recently hired someone who was making mega viral Heated Rivalry edits.



While many fans today follow a stan-to-staff pipeline, Nicole Santero, Senior Director of Marketing &amp; Communications at BES, a company that trains leaders to build schools, represents the inverse. A longtime professional who later began a Ph.D. studying BTS and its ARMY fanbase, her professional work had been “mostly local and regional.” Through her involvement with BTS ARMY and her widely followed account @ResearchBTS, she began observing the dynamics of a genuinely global digital community. “A lot of things I learned from ARMY I was able to bring into more national-level work,” she said. “Design, engagement, content cycles, community trust. That translates directly.” 



In ARMY, Santero found an intergenerational, interprofessional cross-pollination between pre-employed youths and older, successful professionals—including lawyers, educators, marketers, and researchers—who brought their expertise directly into fandom. “They’re creating content, leading conversations, modeling professional-level work in a fan context,” says Santero. Meanwhile, “younger fans are learning from them in real time, picking up skills in content creation, community organizing, and platform strategy simply by participating.”



Fans’ Most Valuable Skill Is Sincerity And Intuition 



Despite its enormous value for companies, Santero resists describing fandom as labor. Fans, she argues, are not primarily motivated by productivity or careerism, and imposing that framework risks muddying one of the few remaining spaces fueled by pure affection rather than transaction.



Still, there’s always been potential for an asymmetry here that’s difficult to ignore. Artists and corporations have long benefited materially from fan activity without compensating it. When I interviewed deadmau5 several years ago, he referred to fans who sent him stems and remix material as engaging in an informal kind of “internship,” as he incorporated their contributions into his own music without payment.



Natalie Held, a cultural and content strategist and contributor to That Fangirl Life, says fandom labor is complicated because most fans never expect to be paid, since their work is motivated by passion and community rather than professional ambition. Still, she argues, that doesn’t diminish its value or justify industries benefiting from it for free. 



When she entered the professional world and realized she was now being paid for the same skills she had developed organically in fandom—audience mobilization, trend analysis, rapid-response content—it changed how she understood her past experience. At the same time, she sees something bittersweet in fandom’s professionalization, since fan communities were built on genuine emotional investment rather than metrics or performance targets. “The best work I do now still comes from that fan mentality,” she says, “leading with authenticity and emotional intelligence, not just strategy.”



Like many others, Held grew up stanning One Direction, developing an intense devotion that still shapes her professional work today. After first entering fandom spaces on Twitter in 2012, she took from that experience relevant skills she’d apply at one of her first jobs at Meta, including similar pattern recognition she’d learned as a fan trying to identify trends on Instagram. Now, in her role as cultural and content strategist, she says her job still, in many ways, resembles the fandom she was trained on, as she helps develop a clear brand voice, and mobilizes audiences. 



“Companies are realizing that the person who ran a 100,000-follower update account has more applicable experience than someone with a traditional marketing degree but no feel for what actually moves people online,” says Held. 



That instinctive ‘feel’ might ultimately be the most important value fandom produces. While any company can buy analytic tools, or commission surveys, or hire consultants to try and explain what younger audiences might want, what they’ll never be able to reverse-engineer is the deeply internalized and passionate understanding of online culture by those who spent years really living it. Stans understand how attention moves online, but most importantly, they understand why. They also know when young audiences are being pandered to, and when brands are speaking in an unconvincing, passé voice.



Brands have recently adopted the tone and vernacular of fandom. And brands from Duolingo to Wendy’s have campy, meme-referencing  fanspeak into their brand voice, drawing attention online by posting brainrot and, in Wendy’s case, referring to itself as an “Ice Spice fan account”.(Sir, this is a Wendy’s).



“Ten to fifteen years ago, social media still felt so new and companies were still figuring out where it even fit, or if it was something they should take seriously,” says Santero. “Now it’s central to how most organizations operate, and employers are starting to understand that people who are genuinely embedded in these spaces bring something you can’t really teach.”



During album releases and award campaigns, ARMY coordinates across languages and time zones, tracking streaming data in real time, placing birthday billboards across the globe, and raising funds for charities advocated for by BTS. “I’ve personally had corporate reps and even politically affiliated groups reach out to me asking for insights on how they could get ARMY’s attention or earn their support,” says Santero. “My answer is always some version of: it’s not that simple.”



The difficulty is that fandom’s power can’t be separated from the deep sincerity that produced it in the first place. And now, there’s an irony that fandom became professionally valuable precisely because it was never designed to be professional. The stan-to-staff pipeline works because fans spent years learning how people behave online when they actually care.



“I think brands have started to realise that fans can see through harsh marketing techniques, and don’t perhaps ‘bite’ as easily as they used to. That’s where putting a fan on your team could make all the difference,” says Aldridge. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Meet, the, online, superfans, who, turned, their, Stan, Twitter, experience, into, full-time, social, media, jobs</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Ferrari Luce: Stock market reacts to the Italian luxury sports carmaker’s first EV, codesigned by Jony Ive</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ferrari-luce-stock-market-reacts-to-the-italian-luxury-sports-carmakers-first-ev-codesigned-by-jony-ive</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ferrari-luce-stock-market-reacts-to-the-italian-luxury-sports-carmakers-first-ev-codesigned-by-jony-ive</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It’s an exciting week for Ferrari, but you wouldn’t know that by looking at its stock.



On Monday, the Italian luxury carmaker unveiled the Luce, its first foray into electric cars and a moment five years in the making. 



The Luce has four electric engines and a 122 kWh battery, and takes about 2.5 seconds to reach 60 mph. It’s the company’s first five-seater car. 



The Ferrari EV was designed by Jony Ive and Marc Newson at the creative collective LoveFrom.



Ive was previously the chief design officer at Apple, working at the company for 27 years. 



Fast Company’s global design editor, Mark Wilson, got a peek at the interiors in February (minus the rest of the car) and called it the closest version of an “Apple car” the world will ever see. 



[Photo: Ferrari]



But the Luce’s appearance is leaving many people put off, with the external design, especially, appearing less like a Ferrari and more like any generic EV—albeit one that costs 550,000 euros ($640,000).



The EV is being widely panned by social media users. 



“The one thing I somewhat understand is that it’s clearly bound by EV packaging rather than trying to fit the traditional shapes of ICE [Internal Combustion Engine] cars,” one Reddit thread with hundreds of comments points out. “That’s just not the right approach for Ferrari.” 



Another user put it more bluntly: “What a sad day to have eyes.”



Meanwhile, Anthony Dick, an auto analyst at Oddo BHF, told CNBC that the Luce is “the furthest deviation from the brand’s ethos we’ve ever seen.” 



U.S.-listed shares of Ferrari NV (NYSE: RACE) fell more than 6% in premarket trading on Tuesday morning after the car made its debut. The stock is down more than 6% year to date and roughly 27% over the last 12 months.  



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Ferrari, Luce:, Stock, market, reacts, the, Italian, luxury, sports, carmaker’s, first, EV, codesigned, Jony, Ive</media:keywords>
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<title>Screens are saturating U.S. classrooms, fueling a backlash on school&#45;issued devices  </title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/screens-are-saturating-us-classrooms-fueling-a-backlash-on-school-issued-devices</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/screens-are-saturating-us-classrooms-fueling-a-backlash-on-school-issued-devices</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Just a few years ago, America’s public schools were rushing to get every child a laptop. Anna Soffer, a Los Angeles middle school teacher, remembers it well: “The idea was that technology is the future, so we need to put tech in every child’s hands.”Now, the conversation has flipped. After pouring billions of dollars into laptops, tablets and learning apps, many schools are facing a digital reckoning. Classrooms have become saturated with screens, and a growing number of parents, teachers, and school districts are saying it is time to scale back.“The Chromebook is just a world of distraction,” says Soffer, who teaches sixth grade English and history. She favors pen-and-paper assignments but is required to use laptops and online apps for certain activities. “Every day, I’m battling, ‘Who would you rather listen to, Ms. Soffer or Minecraft?&#039;”The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), where Soffer teaches, recently became the first major school district to say it will stop giving devices to its youngest students. It is part of a new screen-time policy taking effect in the fall across the country’s second-largest school system.A sweeping resolution passed last month by the Los Angeles school board requires the district to eliminate devices until second grade, set daily and weekly screen limits for all higher grades, block YouTube on school devices, and ban the use of devices at lunch and recess in elementary and middle school. The district will also audit its education technology contracts, which the teachers union says amount to $1.6 billion.The Los Angeles crackdown is adding momentum to calls for reform emerging around the country. In many cases, parents lobbied a few years ago for school cellphone bans, which have now become the norm. Realizing phones weren’t the only classroom distraction, they pivoted to a new target: school-issued devices.The campaign for change is becoming a public policy issue. At least 14 states have proposed laws to limit screen time in schools, according to Ballotpedia. The federal government issued an advisory last week warning that excessive screen use among youths is becoming a growing public health concern.



Parents say school-issued devices undermine screen limits at home



In Los Angeles, concerned parents last year formed a group, Schools Beyond Screens, and pressured the district by speaking out at school board meetings, on social media, and in private talks with administrators. Many are frustrated by trying to curb screen time at home, only to have screens mandated by school.As a mother of three, Katie Pace does everything in her power to limit screens. There is one family iPad and one television at home, no screen time during the week, and no screens allowed in bedrooms. Her eighth-grade daughter, Clementine, does not have a phone.But as soon as Clementine gets on the Wi-Fi-enabled school bus, her day takes a turn for the digital.For the 30-minute ride to school, Clementine watches YouTube videos on her school Chromebook.In Spanish class, assignments are on the app Duolingo, but many students use Google Translate for answers, Clementine said. Often, kids are playing games on their phones, which are supposed to be locked away. In algebra, Clementine writes with her finger on a touch screen to solve equations. In history, quizzes, tests, and writing assignments are on the computer.Almost all homework is online. Until recently, Clementine would come home and read a book, her mother said, but not anymore. On her daughter’s device history, Pace sees she spends hours a day streaming music, making Spotify playlists, and watching makeup tutorials and cat videos on YouTube.“It makes me furious,” said Pace, a member of Schools Beyond Screens. “My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack.”



The pandemic supercharged student access to devices



A push to put a device in every child’s hand and close the “digital divide” started over a decade ago but it accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.Overnight, education shifted online in March 2020. Schools raced to get kids the devices needed to connect to school. When the 2021-2022 school year started, 96% of U.S. public schools reported they had given digital devices to students who needed them, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.Many schools switched funding away from textbooks, workbooks, and paper printouts to digital alternatives. Educational technology, or edtech, exploded into a multibillion dollar industry.“During the pandemic, getting kids devices was a lifeline. Now, it’s time that we reset,” said Nick Melvoin, the LAUSD school board member who drafted the new resolution.Melvoin estimates that few Los Angeles classrooms are using screens effectively in ways that benefit learning. Too often, he said, teachers are replacing instruction with online apps and using screens “as a crutch.”



Some schools are introducing new limits



The challenge, educators say, is that technology has become so entwined with learning, especially for older students, that unplugging from screens at school is complicated.In the affluent Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion, parents launched a petition campaign for the right to opt their children out of digital devices during school, citing questions about edtech’s benefits. The district has said that opting out is not possible.“If there’s really no evidence that it helps, and in fact there’s evidence that it’s harmful, what are we doing? Test scores are at their lowest point,” said Alex Bird Becker, one of the founders of the group PA Unplugged.Other schools are finding that it makes financial sense to stop sending a device home with every child.Fresno Unified School District, the third largest in California, is spending $4 million a year to repair and replace laptops. Partly to cut costs, the district has told its 40,000 elementary school students to return their take-home laptops and will shift computer access to in-class only in the fall, said its spokesperson, A.J. Kato.The Simi Valley Unified School District, near Los Angeles, stopped sending devices home for its younger students this year partly because of costly repairs, but also because they were being used for “inappropriate Google searches” and video games, according to a memo to parents. The district now stores the devices in carts at school.A group of parents in Arlington, Virginia, gathered on a recent Saturday night to share their children’s struggles with screen addictions and other side effects of school-issued devices.“None of us are Luddites. I know that technology adds value, but I also don’t want my son on YouTube all the time,” said LuAnn Oliver, who hosted the group in her living room. Her sixth-grade son struggles to keep track of online assignments and resist the temptation the iPad offers for video games. “We get reports on websites he’s visited. He’s visiting a game site in nearly every class.”The Arlington School District has stopped giving iPads out before first grade and is setting new limits in elementary school, but students in sixth to 12th grades will still be required to have school-issued devices.Another mother, Jenny Sullivan, said she has noticed her fourth-grade son capitalizing random letters and not getting corrected because there is so little work on paper. She also worries about social implications: Her sixth grader doesn’t want to go to the afterschool program because everyone is on their iPad. “I’d rather be home,” he tells his mother.After a three-hour gathering, the parents made a plan to approach the school in the fall with a unified request to “opt out of technology and opt in to textbooks and paper.”“Ten years from now,” said one of the mothers, Kristina Jackson, “I can’t imagine us looking back with any other reaction than: How could we have been so naive that we just handed these devices to our kids?”







Associated Press writer Sharon Lurye contributed to this report.







The Associated Press’s education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.



—Jocelyn Gecker, AP Education Writer



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Screens, are, saturating, U.S., classrooms, fueling, backlash, school-issued, devices</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Guzman y Gomez store closings: Full list of doomed locations as Chipotle rival faces lawsuit over U.S. pullout</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/guzman-y-gomez-store-closings-full-list-of-doomed-locations-as-chipotle-rival-faces-lawsuit-over-us-pullout</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/guzman-y-gomez-store-closings-full-list-of-doomed-locations-as-chipotle-rival-faces-lawsuit-over-us-pullout</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Fans of the Mexican casual food chain Guzman y Gomez were surprised to learn last week that the Australia-based competitor to Chipotle Mexican Grill had abruptly closed all of its U.S. locations.



And the chain’s customers weren’t the only ones surprised by the news. Now, some of its former employees are suing the company over the unexpected closures. Here’s what you need to know.



What’s happened?



On May 21, Guzman y Gomez, a chain of Mexican fast-casual restaurants based in Australia, abruptly announced that it was closing all of its U.S. locations.



According to the company’s Australian website, Guzman y Gomez was founded in Sydney in 2006 with the aim of bringing more authentic Mexican cuisine to Australia. 



Since then, the company has expanded into other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Singapore and Japan. It now has over 260 restaurants globally.



Until recently, those restaurants included some in America. But as of May 22, the chain’s U.S. locations have now shuttered. 



A visit to the company’s U.S. website states that “Effective from May 22nd, GYG USA restaurants will cease trading.”



“After six years of burritos and big dreams in Chicagoland, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our US restaurants,” the website reads. “To every guest who came through our doors – you chose us, and we never took that for granted. To our team – thank you. Your passion and your purpose built something special.”



Fast Company has reached out to Guzman y Gomez for comment.



Which Guzman y Gomez locations have closed?



While the company’s website no longer lists the chain’s former U.S. locations, the Chicago Tribune reports that the first Guzman y Gomez store in the U.S. opened in Naperville, Illinois, in 2020. 



The chain then opened another seven stores in the state, where all its U.S. locations were based.



Guzman y Gomez’s eight U.S. locations were in the following cities:




Buffalo Grove, Illinois



Chicago, Illinois



Crystal Lake, Illinois



Deerfield, Illinois



Des Plaines, Illinois



Evanston, Illinois



Naperville, Illinois



Schaumburg, Illinois




Additionally, the Chicago Tribune reported that Guzman y Gomez had planned to open three more locations in Illinois in 2026, but those plans have been abandoned following the company’s exit from the U.S. market.



Why did Guzman y Gomez close its US stores?



It is notoriously hard for international food chains to operate in the U.S. market. Not only is the American marketplace crowded with U.S.-based rivals, but in recent years, even U.S.-based chains have struggled with declining foot traffic and rising costs as inflationary pressure bites consumers and businesses alike.



Mexican restaurants and fast food chains are also abundant in America, unlike in other parts of the world where Guzman y Gomez operates. 



This means that Guzman y Gomez already had an uphill battle in a country where, for instance, Chipotle Mexican Grill already dominates, with more than 4,000 locations.



On May 21, Guzman y Gomez’s co-CEO, Steven Marks, explained the abrupt U.S. pullout on a call with investors, telling them that the chain’s poor U.S. sales didn’t justify keeping the stores open any longer.



“This means ceasing to trade at our restaurants from today and proceeding with an orderly wind up of our operations in the U.S.,” the Tribune quoted Marks as saying “Notwithstanding the progress made by the team, the financial performance of the U.S. has simply not been acceptable.”



He added: “Starting with suburban drive-thrus has made it difficult to build brands in the U.S. Chicago has also been difficult. What is important is that we make changes when we need to.”



How have Guzman y Gomez’s employees responded?



The abrupt closures of Guzman y Gomez’s U.S. stores weren’t only a shock to its customers. Its U.S. store employees were also reportedly blindsided by the move. As noted by the Guardian, some of those employees have now launched a class action lawsuit over the closures that resulted in their job losses.



Workers were allegedly only informed about the closures on May 21 via an internal company message board. That’s the same day Marks made comments about the closures to analysts.



The class action lawsuit alleges that federal and state laws required Guzman y Gomez to give 60 days’ notice before mass layoffs—something the company allegedly did not do. The plaintiffs are now seeking 60 days’ pay and benefits.



A spokesperson for Guzman y Gomez told the Guardian that the company “is aware of legal action filed in the United States and we are confident we have met all of our legal obligations to our US employees,” adding it was “not in a position to provide further comment on this matter.”



How has Guzman y Gomez’s stock price reacted?



Guzman y Gomez does not trade on U.S. markets, but it is a publicly listed company in Australia, where it trades on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker GYG.AX.



Immediately after the company announced its U.S. withdrawal on May 21, its shares surged around 11%. This stock price boost likely reflects investor approval of the company’s decision to exit the notoriously challenging U.S. market.



However, despite this stock price jump, Guzman y Gomez’s shares have struggled for much of the past several years. Year to date, the company’s stock price has fallen more than 10%. 



And looking back even further, things are worse for the company’s share price. Over the past 12 months, Guzman y Gomez shares have been down more than 35%. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Guzman, Gomez, store, closings:, Full, list, doomed, locations, Chipotle, rival, faces, lawsuit, over, U.S., pullout</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Are there any free card readers for small businesses?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/are-there-any-free-card-readers-for-small-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/are-there-any-free-card-readers-for-small-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Cutting costs is a key focus for a lot of small businesses at the moment. Here are the card readers at the lowest price – purchase or rental
The post Are there any free card readers for small businesses? appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2022/09/GettyImages-915623194.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Are, there, any, free, card, readers, for, small, businesses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Small business savings account comparison</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/small-business-savings-account-comparison</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/small-business-savings-account-comparison</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Nathaniel Dalby on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


We&#039;ve rounded up some of the best small business savings offerings around, bringing you easy access, fixed and notice accounts   
The post Small business savings account comparison appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-1223981468.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Small, business, savings, account, comparison</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>10 card payment machines ideal for small business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/10-card-payment-machines-ideal-for-small-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/10-card-payment-machines-ideal-for-small-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Tim Adler on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Including Square, the SumUp Air and Zettle 2, we break down the fees and functions of the best card payment machines for UK small businesses
The post 10 card payment machines ideal for small business appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/12/card-payment-machine-scaled.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>card, payment, machines, ideal, for, small, business</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Blame the system, not the school leavers for youth unemployment, says Amazon’s UK boss</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/blame-the-system-not-the-school-leavers-for-youth-unemployment-says-amazons-uk-boss</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/blame-the-system-not-the-school-leavers-for-youth-unemployment-says-amazons-uk-boss</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Amazon UK chief John Boumphrey tells employers to stop blaming young people for record NEET numbers and calls for compulsory work experience for over-16s.
Read more: 
Blame the system, not the school leavers for youth unemployment, says Amazon’s UK boss ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_1922817299.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Blame, the, system, not, the, school, leavers, for, youth, unemployment, says, Amazon’s, boss</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Labour eyes £1bn VAT raid on airport charges in stealth blow to family holidays</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/labour-eyes-1bn-vat-raid-on-airport-charges-in-stealth-blow-to-family-holidays</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/labour-eyes-1bn-vat-raid-on-airport-charges-in-stealth-blow-to-family-holidays</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
HMRC drafts plans to slap 20% VAT on airport landing fees, adding £1bn to airline costs and pushing up the price of UK family holidays — even as Reeves cuts VAT on days out.
Read more: 
Labour eyes £1bn VAT raid on airport charges in stealth blow to family holidays ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2373586621.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Labour, eyes, £1bn, VAT, raid, airport, charges, stealth, blow, family, holidays</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Jaguar Land Rover eyes American tie&#45;up with Stellantis to sidestep Trump tariffs</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/jaguar-land-rover-eyes-american-tie-up-with-stellantis-to-sidestep-trump-tariffs</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/jaguar-land-rover-eyes-american-tie-up-with-stellantis-to-sidestep-trump-tariffs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Jaguar Land Rover signs a memorandum of understanding with Stellantis to explore building Range Rovers and Defenders in the US, sidestepping President Trump&#039;s tariff cap on British-made cars.
Read more: 
Jaguar Land Rover eyes American tie-up with Stellantis to sidestep Trump tariffs ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_1972582211.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Jaguar, Land, Rover, eyes, American, tie-up, with, Stellantis, sidestep, Trump, tariffs</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>April borrowing surges to £24.3bn as debt interest bill breaks month record</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/april-borrowing-surges-to-243bn-as-debt-interest-bill-breaks-month-record</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/april-borrowing-surges-to-243bn-as-debt-interest-bill-breaks-month-record</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
UK public sector borrowing climbed to £24.3bn in April 2026, overshooting the OBR forecast, as Treasury debt interest payments hit a record £10.3bn for the month.
Read more: 
April borrowing surges to £24.3bn as debt interest bill breaks month record ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Reeves_Red_case.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>April, borrowing, surges, £24.3bn, debt, interest, bill, breaks, month, record</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Morrisons to shut 100 convenience stores as supermarket blames Labour’s ‘policy choices’ for rising costs</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/morrisons-to-shut-100-convenience-stores-as-supermarket-blames-labours-policy-choices-for-rising-costs</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/morrisons-to-shut-100-convenience-stores-as-supermarket-blames-labours-policy-choices-for-rising-costs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Morrisons is closing 100 loss-making convenience stores, putting hundreds of jobs at risk, and has blamed Labour&#039;s &quot;policy choices&quot; for the rising costs eroding profitability.
Read more: 
Morrisons to shut 100 convenience stores as supermarket blames Labour’s ‘policy choices’ for rising costs ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2005435604.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Morrisons, shut, 100, convenience, stores, supermarket, blames, Labour’s, ‘policy, choices’, for, rising, costs</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Blue Origin cleared to fly New Glenn mega&#45;rocket after April mishap</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/blue-origin-cleared-to-fly-new-glenn-mega-rocket-after-april-mishap</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/blue-origin-cleared-to-fly-new-glenn-mega-rocket-after-april-mishap</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Jeff Bezos&#039; rocket company confirmed an engine failure led to the loss of an AST SpaceMobile satellite last month, but offered little detail. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/gallery_ng2-8262.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Blue, Origin, cleared, fly, New, Glenn, mega-rocket, after, April, mishap</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>SpaceX launches Starship V3 for the first time, but loses booster on return</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spacex-launches-starship-v3-for-the-first-time-but-loses-booster-on-return</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spacex-launches-starship-v3-for-the-first-time-but-loses-booster-on-return</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The company had a mostly successful first launch of its upgraded Starship V3, which it needs to power its many ambitious goals in the years to come. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-22-at-6.31.03-PM.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>SpaceX, launches, Starship, for, the, first, time, but, loses, booster, return</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>AI is being used to resurrect the voices of dead pilots</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ai-is-being-used-to-resurrect-the-voices-of-dead-pilots</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ai-is-being-used-to-resurrect-the-voices-of-dead-pilots</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ People used AI on a spectrogram image of cockpit recordings to reconstruct them, forcing the NTSB to temporarily block access to its docket system. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/UPS-crash-flight-kentucky-Getty.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>being, used, resurrect, the, voices, dead, pilots</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Peec, one of Berlin’s rising startups, more than doubled annualized revenue in months to $10M, sources say</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/peec-one-of-berlins-rising-startups-more-than-doubled-annualized-revenue-in-months-to-10m-sources-say</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/peec-one-of-berlins-rising-startups-more-than-doubled-annualized-revenue-in-months-to-10m-sources-say</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Peec, which helps brands track their presence in AI searches, offers proof of a key trend among European startups. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/a5fadec4-271b-4ce6-bdd2-504484c36964.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Peec, one, Berlin’s, rising, startups, more, than, doubled, annualized, revenue, months, 10M, sources, say</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Elon Musk has given up on solar power (on Earth)</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/elon-musk-has-given-up-on-solar-power-on-earth</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/elon-musk-has-given-up-on-solar-power-on-earth</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Elon Muks&#039;s xAI has gone all in on natural gas, while SpaceX is obsessed with orbital data centers. What happened to the &quot;solar-electric economy&quot; he promised? ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/elon-musk-world-economic-forum1.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Elon, Musk, has, given, solar, power, on, Earth</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The LA28 typography is made of 4 custom fonts</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-la28-typography-is-made-of-4-custom-fonts</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-la28-typography-is-made-of-4-custom-fonts</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The last time Los Angeles hosted the Olympic Games, designers had a relatively simple typographic system. It used the italic sans-serif Univers 66 as its logotype along with a blocky stencil-style “LA84” mark that appeared on venue and urban signage. More than 40 years later, the 2028 Los Angeles Games will use an entire bespoke four-font book.



The typeface of the 2028 Games brand and design system developed by Koto Studios is called LA28, and it’s inspired by strip mall signage and hand-painted street lettering across L.A. The typeface comes in four distinct styles, Display, Sans, Serif, and Super, and together they represent a much more eclectic approach to typography than we’re used to seeing from Olympics-related design.



“Each one has a distinct personality and purpose within the system,” Geoff Engelhardt, head of brand design for LA28, tells Fast Company. The goal with the fonts is to capture the feeling of Los Angeles rather than produce a literal depiction of it, he says. “We wanted the typography to feel like it could only belong to Los Angeles.”



LA28 Display is inspired by the block lettering of L.A.’s original city street signs, and it’s meant for things like numerals, captions, and wayfinding. 



[Image: LA28]



LA28 Sans is designed for clarity, legibility, and accessibility for text-heavy use cases.



[Image: LA28]



Then there’s LA28 Super, which is just the opposite. A charismatic, stylized, calligraphy-style font, Super is reserved for expressive moments and large-scale impact, as in graphic collateral that previews the brand, showing a billboard that reads “Bienvenidos” (“Welcome” in Spanish). Its letterforms mix sharp angles and shapes with smooth curves and distinctive flairs.



[Image: LA28]



LA28 Serif is a counterpart to Sans, a serif workhouse font for heavy copy. Both are ADA compliant, meaning they meet the accessibility requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act.



[Image: LA28]



Together the fonts create a typographic system that’s more complicated than we’ve seen for Games of decades past. But it fits the wider approach organizers have employed to form the visual identity of LA28, taking inspiration from the diversity of the city.



“There’s a whole visual culture living on the streets of Los Angeles, in the storefronts, the hand-lettered murals, the block lettering on original street signs, and we wanted to honor that rather than import something that felt foreign to the city,” says Ric Edwards, VP of brand design and executive design director for LA28.



The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics used a vibrant color palette expressed through assets like a recurring confetti pattern and venue staging. The broader look and color palette of the 2028 Games is an updated homage called Superbloom, drawn from Southern California flora and the city’s official flower, the Bird of Paradise. That same sense of expressiveness is being brought to the 2028 Games customizable logo, which replaces the A in LA28 with other graphics, and in the multi-font typography.



[Image: LA28]



Past Olympics often branded themselves in a universal style built on grids; a unified, cohesive visual language; and sans-serif typefaces like Helvetica. That style was singular and could be ported over to the visual brand or logos of any other Games anywhere. Designers for forthcoming Olympics are taking a more experimental route. 



While the 2002 Salt Lake City Games used the sans-serif Frutiger as its type family, the 2034 Utah Games released a logo with a distinctive typeface that built its letterform from natural shapes and Utah topography. In California, it’s about typography that’s capable of representing a city as dynamic and diverse as Los Angeles.



“It’s asking us to embrace the idea of variety as utopia,” says Charles Nix, senior executive creative director at Monotype. 



“We’re living in a time of incredible typographic plenty. There’s so much variety typographically now that it’s never been like this in the history of typography,” he says. “It seems almost rational in a way that people would embrace that typographic variety and want to express it.”



To apply a four-font brand in a unified way, the LA28 type family is designed with a clear hierarchy. Each font has a distinct personality and purpose within the system. Organizers say they think of it less like a style guide and more like a musical composition, with the fonts as visual frequencies that can be mixed and layered but are always in harmony.


 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, LA28, typography, made, custom, fonts</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>New oral drug shows success in reversing hair loss</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/new-oral-drug-shows-success-in-reversing-hair-loss</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/new-oral-drug-shows-success-in-reversing-hair-loss</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Hair loss has long confounded the pharmaceutical industry, but there’s hope on the horizon. Veradermics has announced success in its late-stage clinical trial with a drug to reverse hair loss. 



The biopharmaceutical company has become a leading player in the hair loss field, and its new drug could be a major new development. According to Veradermics, VDPHL01, an orally administered, extended-release minoxidil formulation, has met key points and high goals for its latest trial. Seventy-nine percent of once-daily patients and 86 percent of twice-daily patients reported improvement in hair coverage. 



“Dermatology has been treating hair loss with a drug borrowed from cardiology, in a formulation never intended for our patients, at doses we arrived at informally,” said Michael Gold, study trial investigator. “VDPHL01 is the first oral minoxidil formulation developed specifically for pattern hair loss, and now the first to generate positive Phase 3 results of efficacy and safety.” 



Veradermics gathered roughly 500 men with mild to moderate hair loss for their double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The study saw hair growth was detectable by month two and a total improvement of between 30 and 33 hairs per square centimeter at month six. 



Growing hope



The drug made by Veradermics is an extended-release version of minoxidil, a proven drug treatment that can be readily found over the counter to treat hair loss. Major brands like Hims, Rogaine, and Pfizer have been leading names in the treatment of male pattern baldness. Most of these oral minoxidil tablets, though, come with a warning about cardiovascular issues. Oral tablets can also cause lightheadedness, palpitations, swelling, nausea, and vomiting.   



Veradermics noted that if approved, VDPHL01 would become the first FDA-approved non-hormonal oral treatment in the U.S., particularly one without cardiovascular side effects.



“These Phase 2/3 clinical study results support our belief that Veradermics’ novel formulation in VDPHL01 can optimize oral minoxidil for significant hair growth while minimizing side effects and cardiac risk,” said Reid Waldman, chief executive officer of Veradermics. “We are optimistic that these results represent a defining milestone for the hair loss community, our company, and investors as we advance this foundational, non-hormonal treatment approach to the clinic for the millions of people with pattern hair loss.” 



—Moses Jeanfrancois







This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com. 



Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>New, oral, drug, shows, success, reversing, hair, loss</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Demis Hassabis isn’t shying away from AI’s biggest questions</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/demis-hassabis-isnt-shying-away-from-ais-biggest-questions</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/demis-hassabis-isnt-shying-away-from-ais-biggest-questions</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Hello again, and welcome back to Fast Company’s Plugged In.For a decade, Google’s I/O developer conferences have told one consistent story: The AI age is here, and Google aims to lead it. The company’s progress can be measured by the AI-infused product announcements it makes during the show’s keynote. On Tuesday, CEO Sundar Pichai and other executives packed I/O 2026’s three-hour presentation so tightly with news—spanning Google Search, the Gemini app, Google Docs, Gmail, YouTube, Android, and beyond—that it threatened to explode.For one of those presenters, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, this year’s announcements are part of a long arc of personal history dating back to his childhood fascination with teaching machines to think. In 2010, that quest led to Hassabis, Shane Legg, and Mustafa Suleyman cofounding the artificial intelligence research lab DeepMind, which Google acquired in 2014 and merged with another research arm, Google Brain, in 2023. The journey will continue as Google DeepMind pursues the goal of achieving Artificial General Intelligence—AI that’s at least on par with human thinking across an array of domains.Even among the technologists most responsible for AI’s achievements to date, opinions on when AGI might be a reality vary wildly. Google Brain’s cofounder, Andrew Ng, thinks it’s decades away. But Hassabis believes we’re already on the cusp. “2030 is when I expect it to arrive, either plus or minus a year,” he says.Regardless of how much work lies ahead, AI has already reached a critical juncture simply by being a part of everyday life. Its increasing presence in Google products will make its promise and pitfalls more tangible to billions of people. When I caught up with Hassabis this week, he spoke exuberantly about the products and features unveiled at I/O. But he was at least as energized when talking about the problems AI can cause, and what Google is doing to mitigate them. And he underlines that advancing the science of AI remains “my main passion.”“It’s complicated, because you’ve also got the most voracious competition in tech history going on,” he told me. “I won’t pretend that it’s easy. But I think we get that balance right better than anyone else.”By definition, every new AI feature that Google comes up with builds on technologies that were once research breakthroughs—often originating years ago at DeepMind or Google Brain. When I ask Hassabis about Gemini Spark, Google’s new AI agent, he points out that DeepMind’s earliest research involved agentic AI, in the form of game-playing algorithms. “AlphaGo was an agent,” he says. “Even our original Atari work . . . they were agents. Maybe we were a bit ahead of our time.”The Gemini Spark agent’s features include Daily Brief, a summary of your current doings.Over the last year or so, agents have emerged from the lab. Yet they still haven’t gone entirely mainstream. Running the best-known one, OpenClaw, requires considerable technical aptitude, a willingness to risk things going awry, and—many enthusiasts conclude—a budget big enough to dedicate a Mac Mini to the job. By contrast, Gemini Spark runs 24/7 in the cloud, connects only to apps you expressly authorize, and, for now, just works with other Google services.“The sweet spot is to help everyone with these agents, not [just] people who are very technical,” says Hassabis. “But also to make sure it’s actually secure, reliable, and robust, and you have full control over what it has access to. One of the main issues with OpenClaw is it’s just very insecure. I wouldn’t recommend it for any real work. I haven’t used it for any of my real stuff, because it might leak everything.”Spark is rolling out first to users who subscribe to Google’s high-end $100/month AI Ultra plan. Bringing it to the masses will involve its “adapting to the average person, adapting their workflows to this type of agentic assistance,” says Hassabis. “It’s probably going to play out over the rest of the year, would be my guess.”Asked which of I/O’s myriad announcements he’s particularly excited about, Hassabis singles out Gemini Omni Flash, a new AI model that lets users feed in text, images, video, and audio as part of their prompts. It will debut in the Gemini app, Google Flow video editor, and YouTube Shorts, where it will output video. Eventually, it will also be able to generate other forms of media.“What people are going to be able to do is experiment between different modalities,” says Hassabis. “‘Here’s a video input, here’s a music output, here’s an image input. Give me a video output.’ I just want people to be incredibly creative with it.”Google’s Gemini models are increasingly capable of generating convincingly realistic imagery, though Hassabis wants to make it easy to determine that they’re AI creations. [Animation: Google]Of course, existing tools such as Google’s own Nano Banana have already shown that AI media generation’s being amazing and readily accessible has its downsides. People can easily make stuff that looks real, but isn’t. Perhaps worse, media that’s legit could come under suspicion for being AI fakery.Google has been working on ways to bring transparency to a piece of media’s origin for years. In 2023, it introduced SynthID, an identification technology for AI-generated content; since then, it’s watermarked over 60 years of video and 100 billion images. The company has also championed C2PA Content Credentials, a standard for tracking whether imagery was created with a camera or AI and how it’s been modified.Now Google is making it easier to determine an image’s provenance by building these technologies into widely-used experiences such as the Gemini app, Android’s Circle to Search, and Google Search’s AI Mode. The flurry of I/O news even included an announcement from OpenAI: It’s throwing its support behind SynthID by adding support for it to ChatGPT, Codex, and its API.The Gemini app can now give a rundown of a piece of media’s provenance. [Animation: Google]“I think it’s great that the whole industry is coalescing around watermarking that is robust,” says Hassabis. “That’s what was needed, really, to then go the next step, which is having sites automatically identify [content authenticity]. Or you can imagine even browsers eventually doing that, so there’s almost no effort in terms of verifying something.”After waxing enthusiastic about SynthID, Hassabis segues to cybersecurity. Is Google wrestling with the same kinds of sobering issues as Anthropic is around AI’s ability to find and exploit software vulnerabilities? (The latter decided its Claude Mythos LLM was too dangerous to release just yet.) “Definitely,” he says. He points out that Google is in a pretty good position to help developers secure their apps in the AI era, thanks to assets such as its CodeMender agent and the Wiz cybersecurity platform, the company’s largest-ever acquisition.But Hassabis adds that preventing AI from giving superpowers to bad-guy hackers is only one urgent task, and not necessarily the most sobering one. Over the next year or year and a half, he predicts, AI could accelerate chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats. “I’m thinking a lot about what sorts of tools, monitoring systems, and other things all the frontier labs should really be working on and implementing,” he says. One such area is chain of thought monitoring, which lets researchers deconstruct a model’s thought process and look for signs that it’s engaging in deceptive behavior.“There’s a lot that we’re sort of in the foothills of now,” says Hassabis. “Models that are super capable, which is great. And they’re agentic, also great. But that means there are more challenges and risks associated with them.”Above all, Hassabis is motivated by AI’s potential to be, as he put it in a voiceover at the start of the I/O keynote, “the ultimate tool to solve all the world’s most complex scientific problems.” Along with running Google DeepMind, he pulls double duty as CEO of Isomorphic Labs, a spin-off devoted to commercializing its AlphaFold protein stricture prediction AI for use in drug discovery. (Hassabis and John Jumper, Distinguished Scientist at Google DeepMind, shared the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for AlphaFold’s creation.) Last week, Isomorphic announced that it had raised $2.1 billion in new funding. “You can take that as a huge vote of confidence in the progress we’re making over there,” Hassabis says.As AlphaFold edges closer to real-world impact, other Google DeepMind research projects of similar long-term ambition are coming along in earlier stages of development. For instance, the company is collaborating with the U.K. government to build an automated science lab that will use the Gemini LLM and robotics to investigate areas such as superconducting materials and nuclear fusion.Hassabis cherishes the part of his job that involves allocating sufficient resources for such efforts. “Obviously, there’s never enough compute for the ideas that you have,” he says. “But I think we’ve done that historically very well at DeepMind, originally, and now Google DeepMind—just protecting blue-sky research.” Even during I/O week, with its profusion of evidence that Google knows how to productize AI, his mind is racing ahead to what’s next.You’ve been reading Plugged In, Fast Company’s weekly tech newsletter from me, global technology editor Harry McCracken. If a friend or colleague forwarded this edition to you—or if you’re reading it on fastcompany.com—you can check out previous issues and sign up to get it yourself every Friday morning. I love hearing from you: Ping me at hmccracken@fastcompany.com with your feedback and ideas for future newsletters. I’m also on Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads, and you can follow Plugged In on Flipboard.More top tech stories from Fast CompanyThe OpenAI lawsuit became a master class in what not to put in writing
As private messages from Elon Musk, Greg Brockman, and other tech leaders spilled into public view, the trial underscored a growing reality of corporate life: nothing stays private forever. Read More →The era of ‘good enough’ AI has arrived
As frontier AI models get pricier, cheaper and locally hosted alternatives are becoming powerful enough for most users. Read More →San Jose mayor Matt Mahan wants to prove he’s not just another ‘Silicon Valley guy.’ Will Californians buy it?
Meet the billionaire-backed, pro-AI mayor vying to be California’s next governor. Read More →This beautiful, biophilic phone case is on a mission to reduce your screen time
Want to keep your terrarium alive? You’ll have to put your screen down. Read More →SpaceX’s biggest business risk? Politics
The company’s pre-IPO filing acknowledges the many levers of government that could supercharge, or stall, its ambitions. Read More →LinkedIn declares war on AI slop
The job networking site plans to target low-quality AI posts that distract its users from finding value on the platform. Read More → ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Demis, Hassabis, isn’t, shying, away, from, AI’s, biggest, questions</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Social Security checks might get bigger than expected next year. But there’s bad news, too</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/social-security-checks-might-get-bigger-than-expected-next-year-but-theres-bad-news-too</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/social-security-checks-might-get-bigger-than-expected-next-year-but-theres-bad-news-too</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for next year could reach 3.9%, according to a new report.



The latest monthly prediction from The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) is its highest yet this year—notably higher than the 2.8% increase that it had predicted during its three previous cycles. That previous figure would have kept the COLA flat from 2025. 



The Social Security Administration (SSA) will announce the official 2027 COLA increase in October. At 3.9%, the average benefits check would rise from $2,081.16 to $2,162.33—an $81.17 jump.



The nonprofit TSCL stresses that even a 3.9% jump might not offset inflation’s effect on essentials like housing, groceries, and Medicare. 



“For retirees living on fixed incomes, the costs that matter most, especially healthcare, housing, utilities, and insurance, continue to rise faster than prices in the rest of the economy, silently wrenching seniors dry,” TSCL executive director Shannon Benton said in a statement.



Social Security beneficiaries are increasingly being squeezed



Earlier this year, the TSCL found that 57.6% of American seniors had skipped a healthcare service or product in the last 12 months to save money. 



Dental, vision, and hearing services were most commonly cut—Medicare Part B doesn’t offer any coverage toward these areas of care. 



Benton continued: “Many seniors are telling us the same thing: As inflation picks back up, life still does not feel affordable. The average senior already lives on much less than younger Americans, according to the Census Bureau, and our supporters constantly tell us they feel like they’re falling farther and farther behind.”



How was the COLA prediction calculated? 



The TSCL uses a statistical model to make monthly COLA predictions. 



The model pulls from the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Federal Reserve interest rate, and the national unemployment rate. 



Current COLA predictions vary. For instance, independent Social Security and Medicare policy analyst Mary Johnson has predicted a 4.2% rise, CNBC reports. Last month, she had predicted a 3.2% COLA, but increased the number based on April’s CPI data. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Social, Security, checks, might, get, bigger, than, expected, next, year., But, there’s, bad, news, too</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>IRS is ‘forever barred’ from examining Trump. What to know about the immunity deal that’s shocking experts</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/irs-is-forever-barred-from-examining-trump-what-to-know-about-the-immunity-deal-thats-shocking-experts</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/irs-is-forever-barred-from-examining-trump-what-to-know-about-the-immunity-deal-thats-shocking-experts</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Remember Donald Trump’s response in the 2016 presidential debate, when Hillary Clinton blasted him for paying virtually no federal taxes?“That makes me smart,” Trump said.By that logic, Trump is looking smarter than ever now.On Tuesday, the Internal Revenue Service agreed to drop all pending probes of Trump over whether he’s paid his fair share of taxes, to settle a lawsuit brought by the president over a leak of his tax returns. That could include, assuming it was ongoing, a long-standing audit into a technique Trump reportedly used to avoid paying taxes years ago that could have hit him with an estimated $100 million bill if the IRS found wrongdoing.Trump has repeatedly denied he did anything wrong and has blasted the IRS investigation as politically motivated, without providing proof.Details of IRS audits are not public and the merits of each side’s arguments are impossible to tell. But the way the president’s case against his own government’s IRS was resolved is highly unusual, experts say.Trump sued the IRS, a federal agency within his administration, putting him in the unusual position of challenging an agency overseen by the executive branch he leads — a rare move, experts say, and possibly unprecedented. Then that agency decided, in another unusual move, to grant him immunity.



The immunity deal



Under the settlement to resolve Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over the 2018 leak of his tax returns to The New York Times, the U.S. is “forever barred and precluded” from examining or prosecuting Trump, his sons and the Trump Organization’s current tax filings, according to a one-page document released Tuesday. That was quietly added to an original settlement establishing a $1.8 billion fund to compensate people whom Trump thinks were improperly investigated by the government.Tax experts say this grant of immunity is shocking in the breadth of protection it offers the president and could undermine confidence in the fairness of the tax system.“This is an unprecedented remedy,” said former IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, noting that Trump should be treated like every other American. “People expect the same tax rules and enforcement framework to apply to everybody.”



That $100 million bill



The IRS probe revolved around whether Trump doubled-dipped in cutting his taxes, according to a 2024 report by The New York Times and ProPublica — specifically whether he used the same losses from his Chicago skyscraper to cut them twice in future filings, a big no-no.The report said Trump could owe more than $100 million, including penalties, if he were to lose the audit battle.Now the Justice Department has moved to “wipe his slate clean,” said tax expert Brandon DeBot, calling that an “extraordinary action” in the message it sends to the country.“The president and his affiliates might not pay the taxes they should,” said DeBot, policy director at New York University’s Tax Law Center. “This is giving the president and his affiliates completely different set of rules than everyday taxpayers.”



Cutting taxes to zero



The immunity is especially useful to Trump. His company includes hundreds of separate businesses, making his tax returns complicated. He also has a reputation for aggressively cutting his taxes, which some experts find suspicious — and at least in one case deemed now illegal.After his Atlantic City casinos collapsed under heavy debt in the mid-1990s, for instance, Trump claimed about $1 billion in losses to cut his tax bill, even though lenders had forgiven hundreds of millions of dollars he owed. Trump argued the debt was never technically forgiven because he had exchanged equity in the bankrupt casino business for it — a tax maneuver Congress later barred as an abusive tax loophole.Through that technique and other tax shelters and deductions, Trump was able pay just $750 in federal taxes in 2016 and 2017, and zero in 2020, according to a congressional investigation after his first term.



How the IRS has treated other presidents



Despite hinting that he may now release his tax returns, Trump has previously refused to do so, saying he can’t while undergoing an IRS audit — but there is no law barring him from doing that. In fact, presidents for decades have done so voluntarily and all have had their returns audited as a matter of IRS policy.That policy began in the late 1970s in a post-Watergate crackdown on presidential abuses after Richard Nixon was found to have claimed dubious deductions — including a donation of his personal papers — that led to big underpayments. One year while president, he paid only hundreds of dollars.When asked about his tax maneuvers, Nixon famously retorted, “I am not a crook.” He later agreed to the IRS findings, and paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes.



Court challenges



Trump’s settlement with the IRS refers only to existing audits, not future examinations, so the president and his family are not off the hook for any alleged abuses in future tax returns.Parts of the settlement are being challenged in court.The compensation fund is being attacked by police officers who helped defend the U.S. Capitol from Trump’s supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. They have sued to block anyone — including the rioters — from receiving payouts.Some law experts expect the tax immunity will be challenged in court, too.“This is the president trying to play every role in the system, acting as plaintiff, defendant, and his own judge and jury to extract extraordinary windfalls,” said New York University’s DeBot, adding that giving broad immunity “stretches beyond what DOJ actually has authority to do.”







Hussein reported from Washington.



—Bernard Condon and Fatima Hussein Associated Press ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>IRS, ‘forever, barred’, from, examining, Trump., What, know, about, the, immunity, deal, that’s, shocking, experts</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>3 Zoom scams you need to avoid</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/3-zoom-scams-you-need-to-avoid</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/3-zoom-scams-you-need-to-avoid</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post 3 Zoom scams you need to avoid appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/05/120442.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Zoom, scams, you, need, avoid</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Best UK small business accounting software</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-uk-small-business-accounting-software</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-uk-small-business-accounting-software</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Tim Adler on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


With accounting software, even the smallest business can easily manage expenses, create and send invoices and keep on top of taxes 
The post Best UK small business accounting software appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2022/08/GettyImages-1192345080.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Best, small, business, accounting, software</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How to get a business grant from the council</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-get-a-business-grant-from-the-council</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-get-a-business-grant-from-the-council</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Ben Lobel on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Here, we&#039;re bringing you a list of council business grants that are available for your small business
The post How to get a business grant from the council appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/01/Grant-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, get, business, grant, from, the, council</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Cheapest card payment machines</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cheapest-card-payment-machines</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cheapest-card-payment-machines</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
We show you the cheapest card machines that are available on the market by transaction fee
The post Cheapest card payment machines appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/09/GettyImages-1511469825.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cheapest, card, payment, machines</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>How AI is changing data subject access requests for SMEs</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-ai-is-changing-data-subject-access-requests-for-smes</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-ai-is-changing-data-subject-access-requests-for-smes</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Douglas McLachlan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


With the ease of producing letters with generative AI, SMEs might find themselves with more data subject access requests. Here&#039;s what to do
The post How AI is changing data subject access requests for SMEs appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/05/11669168_20943789.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, changing, data, subject, access, requests, for, SMEs</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Standard Chartered to swap 7,800 back&#45;office jobs for AI as UK labour market wobbles</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/standard-chartered-to-swap-7800-back-office-jobs-for-ai-as-uk-labour-market-wobbles</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/standard-chartered-to-swap-7800-back-office-jobs-for-ai-as-uk-labour-market-wobbles</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Standard Chartered will axe almost 7,800 back-office roles by 2030, swapping ‘lower-value human capital’ for AI, as UK unemployment climbs to 5% and payrolls slide.
Read more: 
Standard Chartered to swap 7,800 back-office jobs for AI as UK labour market wobbles ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Standard, Chartered, swap, 7, 800, back-office, jobs, for, labour, market, wobbles</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>ICO Warns SMEs: one month to comply with new Data Complaints Law</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ico-warns-smes-one-month-to-comply-with-new-data-complaints-law</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ico-warns-smes-one-month-to-comply-with-new-data-complaints-law</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
UK businesses have just four weeks to put a statutory data protection complaints process in place before the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 takes effect on 19 June 2026. Here&#039;s what SMEs must do.
Read more: 
ICO Warns SMEs: one month to comply with new Data Complaints Law ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2741626231.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>ICO, Warns, SMEs:, one, month, comply, with, new, Data, Complaints, Law</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Greene King pulls the plug on supermarket strategy with sale of Old Speckled Hen to Spain’s Damm</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/greene-king-pulls-the-plug-on-supermarket-strategy-with-sale-of-old-speckled-hen-to-spains-damm</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/greene-king-pulls-the-plug-on-supermarket-strategy-with-sale-of-old-speckled-hen-to-spains-damm</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Greene King has sold Old Speckled Hen to Estrella Damm owner Damm UK as it retreats from supermarkets and refocuses on its pubs. Inside the deal and what it means for British brewing.
Read more: 
Greene King pulls the plug on supermarket strategy with sale of Old Speckled Hen to Spain’s Damm ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_1657303738.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Greene, King, pulls, the, plug, supermarket, strategy, with, sale, Old, Speckled, Hen, Spain’s, Damm</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The ’43 club’: why Britain’s typical entrepreneur has barely aged a day in 25 years</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-43-club-why-britains-typical-entrepreneur-has-barely-aged-a-day-in-25-years</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-43-club-why-britains-typical-entrepreneur-has-barely-aged-a-day-in-25-years</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
New analysis of 9.2 million UK director appointments shows the average age of a British founder has stayed at 43 for more than two decades, defying recessions, Brexit and the rise of teenage tech stars.
Read more: 
The ’43 club’: why Britain’s typical entrepreneur has barely aged a day in 25 years ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2629166697.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, ’43, club’:, why, Britain’s, typical, entrepreneur, has, barely, aged, day, years</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Rooftop solar pioneers sought as CPRE opens nominations for Centenary Award</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/rooftop-solar-pioneers-sought-as-cpre-opens-nominations-for-centenary-award</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/rooftop-solar-pioneers-sought-as-cpre-opens-nominations-for-centenary-award</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
CPRE has opened nominations for its Best Rooftop Solar Solution award, recognising SMEs, community groups and innovators delivering clean energy. Entries close 30 June 2026.
Read more: 
Rooftop solar pioneers sought as CPRE opens nominations for Centenary Award ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2775558263.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Rooftop, solar, pioneers, sought, CPRE, opens, nominations, for, Centenary, Award</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>SandboxAQ brings its drug discovery models to Claude — no PhD in computing required</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/sandboxaq-brings-its-drug-discovery-models-to-claude-no-phd-in-computing-required</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/sandboxaq-brings-its-drug-discovery-models-to-claude-no-phd-in-computing-required</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Other venture-backed companies like Chai Discovery and Isomorphic Labs have raced to build better models. SandboxAQ is betting that access is the bigger obstacle and that Claude solves it. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gettyimages-5339511481.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>SandboxAQ, brings, its, drug, discovery, models, Claude, —, PhD, computing, required</media:keywords>
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<title>OSHA probing worker death at SpaceX’s Starbase site</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/osha-probing-worker-death-at-spacexs-starbase-site</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/osha-probing-worker-death-at-spacexs-starbase-site</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The death is the latest worker safety issue at the Starbase facility, which has a higher injury rate than all other SpaceX sites. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/starship-super-heavy-spacex.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>OSHA, probing, worker, death, SpaceX’s, Starbase, site</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Theo Baker spent four years investigating Stanford. Before he leaves, here’s what he found.</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/theo-baker-spent-four-years-investigating-stanford-before-he-leaves-heres-what-he-found</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/theo-baker-spent-four-years-investigating-stanford-before-he-leaves-heres-what-he-found</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;There&#039;s a common refrain among [young] people in this world that it&#039;s easier to raise money for a startup right now than to get an internship. Which is remarkable, right?&quot; ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-18-at-10.39.47-PM.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Theo, Baker, spent, four, years, investigating, Stanford., Before, leaves, here’s, what, found.</media:keywords>
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<title>Solar to dominate energy by 2035, but AI data centers will keep fossil fuels in business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/solar-to-dominate-energy-by-2035-but-ai-data-centers-will-keep-fossil-fuels-in-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/solar-to-dominate-energy-by-2035-but-ai-data-centers-will-keep-fossil-fuels-in-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Costs for solar panels are expected to drop another 30% in the coming decade, helping the tech cement its lead in energy markets. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/GettyImages-182939200.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Solar, dominate, energy, 2035, but, data, centers, will, keep, fossil, fuels, business</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Stilta raises $10.5M from a16z and YC to help companies rediscover the patents they forgot they had</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/stilta-raises-105m-from-a16z-and-yc-to-help-companies-rediscover-the-patents-they-forgot-they-had</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/stilta-raises-105m-from-a16z-and-yc-to-help-companies-rediscover-the-patents-they-forgot-they-had</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Stilta announced Tuesday a $10 million seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz. Other investors in the round include YC and operators from companies like OpenAI, Legora, and Lovable.  ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Stilta_founders.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Stilta, raises, 10.5M, from, a16z, and, help, companies, rediscover, the, patents, they, forgot, they, had</media:keywords>
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<title>Mozilla’s Mark Surman on 3 ways CEOs can build trust in AI</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/mozillas-mark-surman-on-3-ways-ceos-can-build-trust-in-ai</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/mozillas-mark-surman-on-3-ways-ceos-can-build-trust-in-ai</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I’m Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning. 







Modern CEO has reported on disparate levels of enthusiasm for AI between corporate leaders and the general public. More worrying, there’s an emerging trust gap in the workplace, with only 27% of workers in the U.S. saying they “trust their employers to use AI responsibly,” according to one survey.  



It’s not too late for CEOs to win employees’ trust on AI, says Mark Surman, president of Mozilla, known for its Firefox web browser and its long-standing support of open-source technologies. Indeed, Surman’s advice for CEOs is drawn from open-source principles and Mozilla’s experiences seeking to build a more trustworthy internet. Here’s his counsel. 



1. Empower your team.  



“If you want to do right by your employees, have them be involved in how you reshape and rebuild the company,” Surman says. “Give them ways to create and learn and have agency over how [AI] is used.”  



Surman discourages companies from thinking of AI strictly as a productivity tool or a way to track workers’ keystrokes so machines can take over their tasks. (Indeed, research suggests that if employees know they are being mined for their data, they may withhold information.) Surman commends the efforts of Karim Lakhani, a Harvard Business School professor whose research suggests that AI-human collaboration can be potent and will require companies to reimagine the way organizations are structured and led.  



2. Build the right guardrails. 



In the same way that the internet brought new safety issues that required cybersecurity experts, AI governance is becoming a specialty. Mozilla Ventures has invested in AI governance companies such as Fiddler AI and Credo AI, which Surman feels are leading the way in helping companies and nonprofits with oversight and control of their agents. 



“The CEO totally has to be on top of modernizing safety and security” in the age of AI, he says. “You can lean on people who are really experienced at building the guardrails and rules for how AI should work at your company.” 



3. Be worthy of trust.  



“The consequences of being untrustworthy and ignoring accountability are through the roof,” Surman says. While he is excited about the creativity that responsible AI can unleash, he also acknowledges that AI can create slop and error-filled content that will erode trust in brands and institutions: “If trust isn’t something that you think about as a company, you are going to struggle in a world where people are more skeptical than ever about whether something is reliable.” 



Get your most pressing AI questions answered



It’s not too late to sign up for our first Modern CEO live-streamed event, The CEO’s Guide to AI. Matt Fitzpatrick, CEO of Invisible Technologies, will help leaders understand where AI can have an impact—and what’s hype. You can RSVP here, and if you’re not already a subscriber, you can sign up here. And if you have questions for Matt, you can submit them to stephaniemehta@mansueto.com.  



Read more: CEOs and founders love AI  




OpenAI says this is how founders actually use ChatGPT 





Claude productivity hacks CEOs can’t live without 





7 CEOs explain how they use AI to do their jobs 




 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Mozilla’s, Mark, Surman, ways, CEOs, can, build, trust</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>How the Spotify mafia took over Sweden’s tech scene</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-the-spotify-mafia-took-over-swedens-tech-scene</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-the-spotify-mafia-took-over-swedens-tech-scene</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon founded Spotify in April 2006, they were two Stockholm entrepreneurs with a prototype so skeletal that Per Roman, the cofounder of investors Bullhound Capital, who would later back the company, says his first look at it was “world-changing,” despite there barely being a product to look at.



Two decades and 300 million subscribers later, Spotify has become a defining force in the Swedish tech scene: a company whose alumni have gone on to found, fund, or run many of the most ambitious startups Stockholm has produced, in much the same way Silicon Valley’s PayPal Mafia shaped the U.S. tech ecosystem. It’s one of several tentpole companies, alongside Skype, Klarna, and King, that have had an outsized impact on Sweden.



Ex-Spotify engineers and operators now run venture firms backing the next wave of Swedish startups, including Lovable. Last month, Patrik Torstensson, one of Spotify’s most senior engineers during its growth years, was announced as Lovable’s new head of engineering, another addition to an alumni network that includes the founders of Tictail (acquired by Shopify), Soundtrack, Lifesum, Kovant, and Homer.



But Spotify’s influence on Stockholm extends beyond headcount. The company helped instill a culture of ambition and a growing confidence that the Swedish capital can produce globally dominant consumer technology companies, and that failure, should it come, won’t be fatal.



Fast Company spoke with several Spotify alumni who have since gone on to found companies of their own and further expand Stockholm’s startup ecosystem.



Henrik Torstensson, partner, Alliance VC



Henrik Torstensson joined Spotify in May 2010 as head of premium sales, when the company had around 300,000 paying subscribers. By the time he left three years later to cofound the wellness app Lifesum, that figure had grown to 6 million.



He points to Spotify’s willingness, beginning around 2010, to hire commercial operators from top American companies—early Google ad sales staff, Facebook partnership leads—as the moment Stockholm’s talent pool truly leveled up. “You got a really good mix of very ambitious, very good, mostly Swedish engineers and product people with a commercial acceleration which would have taken much longer,” says Torstensson, who now invests in the Nordics’ next big startups at Alliance VC.



Ali Sarrafi, cofounder and CEO, Kovant



Ali Sarrafi arrived at Spotify just as it was launching its first iPhone app, working on the data and machine-learning team, and stayed through the company’s IPO. During that time, headcount ballooned from around 100 employees to roughly 3,000, growth so relentless that engineers on his team complained about spending too much time interviewing candidates. “We didn’t really think much of it back then, because we were in the midst of it,” he says.



Sarrafi later left to build an industrial AI startup before founding Kovant, which sells autonomous agents to manufacturing firms grappling with what it estimates is a $3 trillion annual global efficiency gap. The cultural blueprint he learned at Spotify still shapes his company. “Best ideas, best facts, always win, not the person who’s the boss,” he says.



Wilhelm Lundborg, founder, Homer; partner, Greens Ventures



Wilhelm Lundborg has toured many of the biggest names in Stockholm tech: Spray, a Yahoo-like portal, in the late 1990s; Skype in the 2000s; Spotify from fewer than 100 employees to 3,500; then Tictail, which Shopify acquired; and now Homer, an AI-driven home-management app. He is also a limited partner in Greens Ventures, a venture fund made up mostly of ex-Spotify employees backing companies such as Lovable, Tandem Health, and Sana.



Lundborg argues that the Jante law, a Scandinavian cultural convention discouraging people from standing out, is fading in Stockholm. “I’m prepared to call that dead,” he says. “Everybody’s super excited and super happy and celebrates the successes of each other.”



Ola Sars, cofounder and CEO, Soundtrack



Ola Sars never worked at Spotify, but his company likely would not exist without it. A five-time music startup founder, Sars led the launch of Beats Music in Los Angeles before returning to Stockholm burnt out and convinced there was a business-to-business opportunity Spotify wasn’t pursuing. In a secretive Stockholm bar, he pitched the idea to Spotify executives, who backed it.



In 2014, the two sides jointly funded Soundtrack, which is now licensed in 75 countries with more than 50 million tracks and around 110,000 paying business customers spending roughly $30 per month. Spotify still holds a stake in the company. Sars says he values the village-like feel of Stockholm tech over what he sees as the Bay Area’s cutthroat culture. “My neighbors are C-levels at Spotify, and I can always ask Daniel or Martin or Alex what they think,” he says. “We’re not competing about shops here—we’re competing outside of Sweden.”



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, the, Spotify, mafia, took, over, Sweden’s, tech, scene</media:keywords>
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<title>Nine founder red flags that are keeping VCs from investing in your AI company</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/nine-founder-red-flags-that-are-keeping-vcs-from-investing-in-your-ai-company</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/nine-founder-red-flags-that-are-keeping-vcs-from-investing-in-your-ai-company</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ AI may be attracting billions in venture capital, but money is not flowing to every founder with a chatbot demo and a slick deck. In fact, as AI makes building a great product faster and more accessible, founder behavior, judgment, and credibility become even more important. In a crowded market where every pitch claims “category-defining AI,” red flags can surface fast.



Founders must recognize that most investors are not just underwriting your product. They are underwriting you as a person for the next seven to ten years. If they sense weak leadership, poor decision-making, or shaky ethics early on, the meeting or any next steps is often over before diligence even begins.



Here are the top founder red flags VCs most commonly spot, and why they can kill your chances of raising capital as an AI company.



1. You’re Building a Thin Wrapper, Not a Real Business



One of the fastest-growing concerns among investors is founders who simply place a user interface on top of third-party models and call it innovation. If your entire product depends on another company’s API, with no proprietary data, workflow integration, or defensible moat, VCs may see it as temporary value.



Investors increasingly are moving away from “thin AI wrappers” and generic productivity tools because switching costs are low and it’s easy to launch copycats that can do what you do, but perhaps better. VCs want to know what remains valuable when the next model or release drops.



If your moat is “we use GPT too,” expect skepticism and pushback. 



2. You Claim There Are No Competitors



Nothing damages credibility faster than telling investors you have no competition. I’ve heard too many founders share this with me. 



Every startup has competition: incumbents, internal workflows, spreadsheets, agencies, or customer inertia. Founders who insist they are alone in the market often signal naivety, weak market research, or ego.



Investors are especially turned off when founders cannot articulate what could threaten their business. Strong founders understand risks. Weak founders deny they exist. 



Smart founders frame competition honestly by explaining who exists, why customers still struggle, and why now is the moment to win and scale at large.



3. You Treat Fundraising Like a Chore



Many founders talk about fundraising like it distracts from the “real work” of building. But for venture-backed startups, raising capital is part of the job.



Strong founders learn to value the process. Pitching sharpens the vision, investor questions test assumptions, and relationship-building can open doors long after the round closes.



VCs want founders who understand that fundraising is not separate from building the company. It is part of building the company.



4. Your Numbers Feel Inflated or Misleading



Metrics manipulation is one of the quickest ways to lose trust with an investor. That can mean overstating revenue, using vanity metrics in place of retention, redefining “active users,” or presenting aggressive projections with little evidence. Investors know early-stage metrics are imperfect. What they cannot tolerate is dishonesty.



Misrepresenting numbers is an immediate deal-breaker for some investors. Once trust is broken, every other claim becomes suspect. 



Be clear and transparent. A flawed metric explained honestly is better than a perfect metric nobody believes.



5. You’re Defensive Instead of Coachable



The best founders are confident enough to be challenged. VCs often test how founders respond to pushback. Do you get curious and thoughtful, or argumentative and combative? Do you treat every question as an attack?



Investors know they will disagree with founders many times after investing. If you become defensive in a first meeting, they imagine years of friction ahead and won’t want to move forward.



Coachability does not mean agreeing with everything. It means listening, reasoning clearly, and showing a learning mindset.



6. The Founding Team Dynamic Feels Off



Investors study founder chemistry closely. Tension, disrespect, unclear roles, or one founder constantly interrupting another can sink confidence quickly.



Visible imbalance between business and technical cofounders is a major warning sign. If one founder dominates every answer or speaks for the other’s domain, investors worry about future conflict and decision bottlenecks. 



7. You Don’t Understand the Economics of AI



Many founders underestimate the operational realities of AI businesses: inference costs, margins, data labeling expenses, enterprise sales cycles, compliance, and churn.



VCs increasingly want founders who understand not just what AI can do, but what AI costs to run and scale. If your revenue model ignores compute spend or assumes infinite gross margins, it suggests superficial thinking.



AI startups are not funded because they use AI. They are funded because they can build durable economics around it.



8. Your Vision Is Huge, but Your Execution Is Vague



Saying you will “transform healthcare,” “reinvent legal work,” or “disrupt finance” is easy. Explaining your first expansion, customer acquisition motion, and adoption path is harder.



Investors often reject founders whose vision is massive but whose go-to-market plan lacks clarity. Grandiosity without sequencing feels immature.



The best founders think big and execute narrowly. They know exactly which customer pain point they solve first.



9. You Lack Self-Awareness



Perhaps the most underrated red flag is a founder who lacks realism. If you insist everything is going perfectly, dismiss concerns, or believe intelligence alone guarantees success, investors may walk away. 



Startups are brutally hard. Strong founders know what they do not know. Self-awareness signals maturity, resilience, and leadership. Delusion signals future pain and potentially a sinking ship for an investor.



VCs don’t expect perfection from founders. We do, however, expect honesty, clarity, adaptability, and evidence that you can navigate chaos. For AI founders, that means more than flashy demos or buzzwords. It means proving you understand your customers, your economics, your competition, and yourself.



The companies that get funded are the ones whose founders remove doubt. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Nine, founder, red, flags, that, are, keeping, VCs, from, investing, your, company</media:keywords>
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<title>SpaceX IPO: Stock listing date nears as Elon Musk’s rocket company prepares for historic market debut</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spacex-ipo-stock-listing-date-nears-as-elon-musks-rocket-company-prepares-for-historic-market-debut</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spacex-ipo-stock-listing-date-nears-as-elon-musks-rocket-company-prepares-for-historic-market-debut</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Investors might soon get a closer look at the financial details behind Elon Musk’s SpaceX.



The rocket and satellite company, whose forthcoming initial public offering (IPO) is among the most-anticipated stock listings in years, could make its paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) public as soon as this week, according to Bloomberg and other media outlets.



Once its prospectus is public, anyone will be able to peruse closely guarded business metrics, such as its historic revenue and profit, as well as SpaceX’s plans for future growth and its assessment of the broader marketplace in which it operates.



The “risk factors” section of the document should be especially fascinating, as SpaceX has a stated goal of “establishing a self-sufficient city on Mars.” 



SpaceX filed preliminary confidential paperwork with the SEC in early April. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, it is aiming for a listing date of June 12.



Fast Company reached out to SpaceX for comment. 



Largest IPO in history 



According to reporting from the Financial Times, which cited people familiar with its confidential S-1 filing, SpaceX is seeking to raise roughly $75 billion for a valuation of $1.75 trillion. 



That would make it the biggest market debut of all time, beating out Saudi Aramco, which raised $29 billion for its IPO in 2019.



SpaceX is also proposing to hand enormous voting power to Musk, CEO and board chair, who will own a “supermajority of class B stock,” the FT further reports, a structure that could essentially prevent the billionaire from ever being fired.



Over the years, SpaceX has all but cornered the market for commercial rocket launches, while its Starlink internet business has more than 10,000 satellites in orbit. More recently, Musk merged SpaceX with xAI, his artificial intelligence company, which owns the X social media platform and the Grok chatbot.



SpaceX is planning to list its shares on the Nasdaq, Reuters reported. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>SpaceX, IPO:, Stock, listing, date, nears, Elon, Musk’s, rocket, company, prepares, for, historic, market, debut</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>AI won’t optimize your company. It will force you to rebuild it </title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ai-wont-optimize-your-company-it-will-force-you-to-rebuild-it</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ai-wont-optimize-your-company-it-will-force-you-to-rebuild-it</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ For the past two years, companies have been asking the wrong question: how do we use AI in our processes? 



That question made sense at the beginning. When large language models first appeared, the instinct was natural: take what already exists, from workflows to functions, decision chains, etc., and try to accelerate them. Add copilots. Add assistants. Add automation layers. Improve productivity. 



But as we’ve seen, that approach doesn’t scale. As I’ve argued in previous pieces, enterprise AI hasn’t failed because the technology doesn’t work. It has failed because we tried to place it in the wrong layer. Large language models were never designed to run a company, and embedding them into existing processes doesn’t change that structural mismatch. 






Now that the initial enthusiasm has collided with reality, a different question is starting to emerge, quietly, but unmistakably: what if the problem is not how to use AI in our processes, but that our processes were never designed for AI in the first place? 



The return of an old idea (this time for real) 



In the 1990s, business process reengineering (BPR) promised something radical: redesign companies around information systems instead of layering technology on top of existing workflows. The idea was compelling, but the execution was uneven. Many initiatives became expensive reorganizations with limited long-term impact, partly because the underlying systems were still rigid, fragmented, and unable to adapt in real time. 



This time is different. 



Back then, systems were passive. They stored information, enforced rules, and supported decisions made by humans. Today, systems are becoming active: they can generate, evaluate, coordinate, and increasingly, act. That shift changes the equation entirely. It means we are no longer just digitizing processes: we are redefining what a process is. 



McKinsey’s latest research on AI adoption reinforces this point: while usage is widespread, real impact correlates strongly with workflow redesign, not just tool deployment. Organizations that rethink how work is done, not just how it is assisted, are the ones seeing measurable gains.



In other words, the original promise of BPR is resurfacing, but now the technology can finally support it. 



Why most processes are incompatible with AI 



The uncomfortable truth is that most enterprise processes today are not just inefficient. They are structurally incompatible with the kind of systems AI is becoming. 



They are: 




Fragmented: spread across tools, teams, and data silos 



Sequential: built around handoffs and delays 



Context-poor: dependent on individuals to reconstruct state



Decision-latent: optimized for review, not action 



Human-centric by design: assuming that cognition, memory, and coordination are scarce 




These characteristics made sense in a world where humans were the limiting factor. They don’t make sense in a world where systems can maintain context, apply constraints, and operate continuously. 



Deloitte captures this tension clearly in its recent analysis of agentic AI: many organizations are trying to automate processes designed for humans instead of rethinking the work itself. The result is predictable: complexity increases, but outcomes don’t improve proportionally. 



That’s not a tooling problem: that’s a design problem. 



AI doesn’t optimize processes: it exposes them 



One of the most consistent patterns across enterprise AI initiatives is this: the more you try to apply AI to an existing process, the more visible that process’s limitations become. 



What was previously hidden behind human effort becomes explicit: 




missing data 



inconsistent rules 



unclear ownership 



duplicated work 



delayed feedback loops 




In that sense, AI behaves less like an optimization layer and more like a diagnostic tool. It reveals the gap between how a company thinks it operates and how it actually operates. 



This is why so many pilots stall. Not because the model fails, but because the process it is inserted into cannot absorb what the model produces. As MIT Sloan has argued, the challenge is not simply adopting AI, but redesigning organizations so that they can actually use it effectively. 



And that leads to a much more uncomfortable conclusion: the limiting factor is no longer the technology. It’s the company. 



From processes to systems 



If the previous phase of enterprise AI was about adding intelligence to tasks. The next one will be about redesigning systems so that intelligence is embedded from the start. 



That shift changes everything. Instead of asking: 




“How do we automate this step?” 




Companies will have to ask: 




“Why does this step exist at all?” 



“What would this process look like if it were designed around continuous context?” 



“Where should decisions actually happen?” 



“What constraints should be enforced automatically?” 




These are not incremental improvements. They are structural questions. And they point toward a different kind of organization: one where processes are no longer static sequences of actions, but dynamic systems that maintain state, integrate data, operate under constraints, and continuously adapt based on outcomes. The same characteristics that define the systems described in my previous article. 



The companies that move first will look very different 



This is where the shift becomes visible. The companies that successfully redesign their processes around these principles will not just be faster or more efficient. They will operate differently: 




decisions will happen closer to data 



coordination will require fewer handoffs 



feedback loops will shorten dramatically 



execution will become more continuous 



roles will evolve around systems, not tasks 




Microsoft’s Work Trend Index already hints at this transition, describing organizations moving toward more dynamic, outcome-driven structures where humans and AI collaborate around goals rather than functions. 



From the outside, these companies may not look dramatically different at first. But internally, their operating logic will have shifted. And that shift compounds. 



This is not optional 



It’s tempting to think of this as an opportunity. It is, it may well be. But it’s also something else: a constraint. 



Because once some companies begin to operate this way, the others are not competing against better tools. They are competing against a different kind of system. 



A system that: 




learns faster 



adapts continuously 



coordinates more efficiently 



executes with fewer delays 




That is not something you can match by adding another copilot or deploying another model. It requires redesign. 



The next phase of enterprise AI is organizational 



If the first phase of AI in the enterprise was about experimentation, and the second about realization, the next one will be about transformation. 



Not transformation driven by models, but by structure. We are not moving from “worse AI” to “better AI,” we are moving from companies built for humans, to companies that must operate with machines as part of their core logic. And that requires something many organizations have avoided for decades: rebuilding how they actually work. 



The real question 



So the question is no longer “how do we use AI?” It is: “are we willing to redesign our company so that AI can actually work?” Because if the answer is no, the outcome is already clear: 



AI will not fail. Your processes will. 



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>won’t, optimize, your, company., will, force, you, rebuild, it </media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>9 of the best business energy suppliers based in the UK</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/9-of-the-best-business-energy-suppliers-based-in-the-uk</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/9-of-the-best-business-energy-suppliers-based-in-the-uk</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post 9 of the best business energy suppliers based in the UK appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>the, best, business, energy, suppliers, based, the</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Small business energy grants – what’s available</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/small-business-energy-grants-whats-available</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/small-business-energy-grants-whats-available</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Tim Adler on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Whether you want to install an electric car charging station, replace your old boiler with a heat pump or just replace draughty windows, you can apply for a range of energy grants
The post Small business energy grants – what’s available appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Small, business, energy, grants, –, what’s, available</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Looking to switch? Compare green business energy suppliers</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/looking-to-switch-compare-green-business-energy-suppliers</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/looking-to-switch-compare-green-business-energy-suppliers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By James Earnshaw on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Want to make your business greener? Check out green business energy suppliers in the UK
The post Looking to switch? Compare green business energy suppliers appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Looking, switch, Compare, green, business, energy, suppliers</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Essential energy&#45;saving tips for small businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/essential-energy-saving-tips-for-small-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/essential-energy-saving-tips-for-small-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Ben Lobel on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post Essential energy-saving tips for small businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/07/Save-energy-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Essential, energy-saving, tips, for, small, businesses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Best Business Bank Account and Business Account platforms</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-business-bank-account-and-business-account-platforms</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-business-bank-account-and-business-account-platforms</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Lucy Wayment on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Make the right decision about your small business bank account, whether you&#039;re just starting out as a sole trader or you&#039;re more established
The post Best Business Bank Account and Business Account platforms appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2025/11/best-business-bank-account-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Best, Business, Bank, Account, and, Business, Account, platforms</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The Truth: Your Exit Is Your Last Impression</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-truth-your-exit-is-your-last-impression</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-truth-your-exit-is-your-last-impression</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Why the way you leave matters more than the way you arrive ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202605/image_870x580_6a0647a686914.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, Truth:, Your, Exit, Your, Last, Impression</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Tate &amp;amp; Lyle weighs £2.7bn approach from US rival Ingredion</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tate-lyle-weighs-27bn-approach-from-us-rival-ingredion</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tate-lyle-weighs-27bn-approach-from-us-rival-ingredion</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Tate &amp; Lyle confirms £2.7bn takeover talks with Illinois-based Ingredion, with a 615p-a-share bid sending shares up 45% and raising fresh fears over the London market.
Read more: 
Tate &amp; Lyle weighs £2.7bn approach from US rival Ingredion ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tate, Lyle, weighs, £2.7bn, approach, from, rival, Ingredion</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Lidl ropes in Olio and Neighbourly in landmark surplus food trial that could rescue 11.9 million meals a year</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lidl-ropes-in-olio-and-neighbourly-in-landmark-surplus-food-trial-that-could-rescue-119-million-meals-a-year</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lidl-ropes-in-olio-and-neighbourly-in-landmark-surplus-food-trial-that-could-rescue-119-million-meals-a-year</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Lidl GB has joined forces with Olio and Neighbourly in a 20-store trial designed to redistribute 5,000 tonnes of surplus food a year, the equivalent of 11.9 million meals, as the discounter races to hit its 70% waste reduction target by 2030.
Read more: 
Lidl ropes in Olio and Neighbourly in landmark surplus food trial that could rescue 11.9 million meals a year ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Lidl, ropes, Olio, and, Neighbourly, landmark, surplus, food, trial, that, could, rescue, 11.9, million, meals, year</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Treasury orders review into bank branch closures as small firms count the cost</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/treasury-orders-review-into-bank-branch-closures-as-small-firms-count-the-cost</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/treasury-orders-review-into-bank-branch-closures-as-small-firms-count-the-cost</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
The Treasury has ordered an independent review into the impact of 6,700 UK bank branch closures, paving the way for tougher rules on face-to-face banking for small firms and consumers.
Read more: 
Treasury orders review into bank branch closures as small firms count the cost ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Treasury, orders, review, into, bank, branch, closures, small, firms, count, the, cost</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>JCB chairman Lord Bamford warns ministers face public revolt over £333bn welfare bill</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/jcb-chairman-lord-bamford-warns-ministers-face-public-revolt-over-333bn-welfare-bill</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/jcb-chairman-lord-bamford-warns-ministers-face-public-revolt-over-333bn-welfare-bill</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
JCB chairman Lord Bamford warns ministers risk a public revolt over Britain&#039;s £333bn welfare bill, accusing Westminster of &quot;conning&quot; taxpayers with payouts of up to £60,000 a year.
Read more: 
JCB chairman Lord Bamford warns ministers face public revolt over £333bn welfare bill ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>JCB, chairman, Lord, Bamford, warns, ministers, face, public, revolt, over, £333bn, welfare, bill</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>UK business chiefs unite to combat workplace antisemitism as Met chief warns jews ‘not safe’ in London</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-business-chiefs-unite-to-combat-workplace-antisemitism-as-met-chief-warns-jews-not-safe-in-london</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-business-chiefs-unite-to-combat-workplace-antisemitism-as-met-chief-warns-jews-not-safe-in-london</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Forty UK business organisations led by the BCC and CBI sign a joint letter pledging zero tolerance of workplace antisemitism, as Met chief Sir Mark Rowley warns MPs that Jews are ‘not currently safe’ in London.
Read more: 
UK business chiefs unite to combat workplace antisemitism as Met chief warns jews ‘not safe’ in London ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>business, chiefs, unite, combat, workplace, antisemitism, Met, chief, warns, jews, ‘not, safe’, London</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>What the jury will actually decide in the case of Elon Musk vs. Sam Altman</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-the-jury-will-actually-decide-in-the-case-of-elon-musk-vs-sam-altman</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-the-jury-will-actually-decide-in-the-case-of-elon-musk-vs-sam-altman</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Here&#039;s what the biggest tech court case of the year is all about. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, the, jury, will, actually, decide, the, case, Elon, Musk, vs., Sam, Altman</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Indian Uber rival Rapido raises $240M at $3B valuation</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/indian-uber-rival-rapido-raises-240m-at-3b-valuation</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/indian-uber-rival-rapido-raises-240m-at-3b-valuation</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Rapido has driven its growth by enabling ride-hailing for lower-cost and more flexible modes of transport such as motorbikes and autorickshaws. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/rapido.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Indian, Uber, rival, Rapido, raises, 240M, 3B, valuation</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Osaurus brings both local and cloud AI models to your Mac</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/osaurus-brings-both-local-and-cloud-ai-models-to-your-mac</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/osaurus-brings-both-local-and-cloud-ai-models-to-your-mac</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Osaurus￼ combines local and cloud AI models in a Mac app that keeps users’ memory, files, and tools on their own hardware. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Osaurus, brings, both, local, and, cloud, models, your, Mac</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Meridian Ventures launched $35M fund to back MBA&#45;deferred founders</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/meridian-ventures-launched-35m-fund-to-back-mba-deferred-founders</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/meridian-ventures-launched-35m-fund-to-back-mba-deferred-founders</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Meridian Ventures, the venture firm founded by Devon Gethers and Karlton Haney, announced on Friday the raise of a $35 million second fund to back pre-seed and seed-stage companies founded by those who have deferred MBAs. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Devon-Gethers-and-Karlton-Haney-.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Meridian, Ventures, launched, 35M, fund, back, MBA-deferred, founders</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Even GoPro is pivoting to defense</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/even-gopro-is-pivoting-to-defense</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/even-gopro-is-pivoting-to-defense</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The action camera maker, like so many other companies these days, is looking to defense applications as it evaluates a possible sale. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Even, GoPro, pivoting, defense</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The day I stopped following the male idea of power</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-day-i-stopped-following-the-male-idea-of-power</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-day-i-stopped-following-the-male-idea-of-power</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ “Who are your enemies?”



I was asked this interview question throughout my entire career. And I’d always come up blank. Every time. No enemies.



And when I failed to produce an impressive enemy list, the reaction was always the same: How can you claim to be competent if you haven’t made powerful enemies?



I came to understand this enemy thing was rooted in the male idea of power. That men tend to see winning and power like this: For me to win, you need to lose.



I came to realize that this advice to be powerful enough to have enemies was basically an invitation to turn into an aggressive bully to advance my career.



But here’s the catch. I was bullied as a kid. And it was awful. So, early on, I decided that I was never going to choose to be like the bullies who hurt me. And if that was not good for my career, so be it. I would find another way.



I often wondered if I was limiting my career by being too nice. And worried if I was supposed to feel powerful? Am I supposed to act powerful even if I don’t feel powerful? Am I doing the job of a leader wrong because I don’t feel powerful?



Even when I was in my biggest roles, where I had actual power at my fingertips — thousands of employees under my watch, millions of dollars of budget to manage, billions of dollars of revenue to keep growing — I never felt personally powerful. Mostly, I personally felt crushing responsibility.



I felt insecure about the power thing for years. 



The VP Bully



Then one day, what I needed to do about this idea of acting powerful like the men became very clear to me.



I was at a client’s office on Long Island. Sitting in a small conference room were the VP of technology, who was a large, dominant type, and one of his direct reports, whom I’ll call Seth. The VP told me, “The reason we are having this problem is that Seth makes stupid mistakes. He’s not good at his job. No one listens to Seth. He screws everything up.”



Seth looked small and mortified. I was cringing and heartbroken for him. I knew what it felt like to be bullied like this. “Little Patty,” who had been bullied herself, could feel her childhood insecurities and fears bubble up watching this VP berate Seth.



I had worked with Seth on prior occasions. Seth knew a hundred times more than this VP. The problem was not Seth. This VP was a bully.



But then a really weird, creepy thing happened a bit later, when the VP walked me out, and we ran into his boss in the lobby: this bully instantly became a cowering suck up to his boss. I was appalled. He needed to abuse Seth to feel powerful, but he was afraid to be powerful with his boss.



Watching this scenario, a new thought started to brew: Wait a minute, if I am still the same insecure little kid on the inside, probably so is this jerk.



And once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it.



Forever after leaving that lobby, whenever I see a big, scary man acting like a powerful bully, I see the hurt little boy, as plain as day. I want to reach over, gently squeeze his forearm, and say, “Aw, did somebody steal your ball? Did your father yell at you for crying about it? Poor thing.”



A better way



Seeing the big bullies as fragile little boys was my first step toward understanding that there was a better way to show up as a leader than “powerful.” And with this insight, when I got bullied at work, I could mostly just step aside and let the aggression roll by instead of being crushed by it.



My mom had given me the key to keeping my self-esteem intact with bullies all those years ago. And I have used her advice for the entirety of my career and life: Bullies need to make you feel worse than they feel on the inside. It’s always about them. It’s never about you.



Once I saw these men as their own little version of Kevin or Harold, struggling with their own insecurities, I was no longer worried that they were innately gifted with a kind of power that I didn’t have access to. It made me stop worrying once and for all about feeling or even acting powerful. It just didn’t matter.



I chose to be a leader who was first and foremost kind and respectful to people. People are not productive when they are self-protecting. I focused on making people feel safe. My teams executed on our commitments. We grew the business. My organizations got more capable over time because I invested in and cared about the people.



For me, real power is not personally owned. The aggressive, bullying version of personal power is just insecurity masquerading as strength. Sharing power with others so you can get big, amazing things done together is true power. That was the sort of power I chose to cultivate and the kind of leader I chose to be.



Do aggressive bullies get ahead? Yes, of course they do. But I learned it’s not the only option. You can make a different choice. I made a different choice.



I chose not to model the idea of power that was being shown to me by the men. You might say I chose to stay “too nice”. And you know what? It did not limit my career. If anything, it accelerated it.



I was able to build a highly capable team of people who were productive and motivated because I chose to make them feel powerful. And the idea of being or acting powerful personally didn’t confuse me anymore.



I had no interest in the win-lose version of power. I just let the men duke it out among themselves, and I created my own path forward that was true to my belief that kindness and strength can go hand in hand. Because making people feel respected and safe makes them wildly productive. And on the enemies thing, I just think, if I can win and you can win, why is that not better?



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, day, stopped, following, the, male, idea, power</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Soccer superstar Messi is bigger than ever thanks Lowe’s 10&#45;foot inflatable  statue</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/soccer-superstar-messi-is-bigger-than-ever-thanks-lowes-10-foot-inflatable-statue</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/soccer-superstar-messi-is-bigger-than-ever-thanks-lowes-10-foot-inflatable-statue</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Dozens of brands are using the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a chance to cash in on themed ads, products, and brand collaborations. But the home goods giant Lowe’s is doing something unique: debuting a 10-foot-tall inflatable of Lionel Messi for fans to put in their front yards.



Lowe’s is running a series of activations for the world’s biggest soccer moment, all of which center on its limited-edition, $99 Messi inflatable, made in collaboration with Messi himself. The inflatable, which will start to pop up in a 20-foot version around several U.S. host cities in mid-May, will be available online to Lowe’s rewards members starting on May 18, followed by a limited release in select stores on May 20.



[Photo: Lowe’s]



According to Jen Wilson, Lowe’s chief marketing officer, the company is planning to release only about 5,200 inflatable Messis—and it expects them all to sell out.



The reason for Wilson’s confidence is twofold: First, she says, while plenty of brands will be planning their own activations for the World Cup, not many others could even attempt a product in this niche. And, second, the move is backed up by company data that yard decor—especially personalized decor—is becoming more popular among consumers, even outside of the typical holiday windows. It’s a trend that, oddly enough, might just trace all the way back to a giant skeleton that stole the internet’s heart in 2020. 



[Photo: Lowe’s]



What in the world is going on with yard decor?



Over the past few years, I’ve been noticing a trend in my Chicago neighborhood. Outside the typical festive months of October through January, I’m seeing more and more holiday decorations left out in people’s yards and stylized for each new season. Oftentimes, that takes the form of a giant skeleton dressed up in a personalized outfit or performing some kind of goofy stunt.



There’s a very real subculture to back this up, and it all stems from a giant Home Depot decoration. In 2020, Home Depot released a 12-foot-tall skeleton decoration that almost instantly went viral, earning the internet moniker “Skelly.” In the years since then, Skelly has become the only Halloween product that Home Depot brings back year after year, consistently selling out to its legion of fans. 



Skelly has amassed a cult-like following, and, in turn, inspired a small but committed group of decorators to keep their skeleton decor up year-round, giving them customized outfits and accessories for events like back to school and arranging them in silly poses like a staged flag football game.



Skelly’s popularity seems to point to a broader shift in how Americans view their yard space. Wilson says that Lowe’s also saw consumers’ interest in out-of-the-box yard decor spike starting back in 2020—and the trend has only grown since then.



“For us it was really this explosion of both all things mini and all things giant,” Wilson says. She believes Lowe’s was one of the first companies experimenting with products like mini buckets or mini toolboxes, which have become huge fan favorites. On the other end of the spectrum, like Home Depot, Lowe’s has begun investing in new giant animatronics, including its popular 10-foot Abominable Snowman, 8-foot Skelly-esque skeleton, and 12-foot-tall Immortal Nightwalker.



Outside of the holidays, the brand has noticed and capitalized on year-round yard trends, like the “porch goose,” a TikTok-viral concept wherein customers buy a concrete goose and dress it up seasonally—just like some Home Depot fans with their beloved Skellies. 



“We do absolutely see a rising trend in outdoor decor and consumers either keeping outdoor decor up longer or participating in trends like the porch goose,” Wilson says. “It’s all really interconnected to expressing your own sense of style and culture and just being a part of something.” 



She attributes the rising consumer interest in these novelty products to something she describes as “similar to the lipstick effect,” or the idea that consumers will increase spending on small luxuries during moments of economic strain. 



“People still want indulgences, even if there’s a pressured economy,” Wilson says. “A larger-than-life item in their front yard is something that just makes them feel joyous, and that’s what people are looking for.”



With the Messi inflatable, Lowe’s is betting that the same theory will apply to World Cup fans who are watching the games from their homes, but want a way to let their whole neighborhood know that they’re part of a larger moment. 



[Photo: Lowe’s]



The Skelly of soccer



Given Lowe’s “affordable indulgences” decor theory, one of the in-house design team’s key considerations when building the inflatable Messi was cost. 



“We wanted it to be under $100, particularly as people are paying attention to their wallets and obviously the rising costs of gas,” Wilson says. “When we know that the consumer is super focused on essentials, if they’re going to make this splurge, we want to make sure that it’s affordable. We typically look at engineering most of our gigantic items somewhere in the under-$300 range.”



That price constraint helped Wilson’s team to determine the actual height of the inflatable, opting for 10 feet rather than 15 or 20 in order to conserve materials and lower costs. Then, to get every detail just right, the team went directly to Messi to determine how the inflatable should look: each aspect, from the length of his hair to his beard, tattoos, and the look of his arms and legs, was given Messi’s final approval. 



“We just wanted it to feel authentic and for him to be proud if he was driving down a neighborhood in Miami and saw himself outside of a home,” Wilson says. “He loved where we landed, and we’re thrilled.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Soccer, superstar, Messi, bigger, than, ever, thanks, Lowe’s, 10-foot, inflatable, statue</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Cerebras Systems IPO: Stock price will be closely watched today as AI chipmaker goes public on the Nasdaq</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cerebras-systems-ipo-stock-price-will-be-closely-watched-today-as-ai-chipmaker-goes-public-on-the-nasdaq</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cerebras-systems-ipo-stock-price-will-be-closely-watched-today-as-ai-chipmaker-goes-public-on-the-nasdaq</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Today is an important day in the 2026 IPO landscape: Cerebras Systems Inc. is making its much-anticipated market debut.



While not a household name like Nvidia, Intel, or TSMC, Cerebras is a chipmaker that is rapidly becoming a critical player in the AI semiconductor space. 



And investors will be casting a keen eye on how its stock performs in the early days of trading, looking for hints about how other, even more anticipated AI-related listings may play out later this year. 



Here’s what you need to know about Cerebras and its initial public offering: 



What is Cerebras Systems?



Cerebras Systems is an AI semiconductor company headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. It was founded in 2015 by Andrew Feldman, Gary Lauterbach, Michael James, Sean Lie, and Jean-Philippe Fricker. Feldman is the company’s CEO.



The company specializes in making the largest—quite literally—computer chips in the world, chips that are optimized for running AI tasks.



While most computer chips are made from large wafers that are then divided to make smaller, individual chips, a single Cerebras chip is the entire wafer.



As Fast Company previously reported when it named Cerebras one of the most innovative AI companies of 2026, the large size of its chips means they can perform AI tasks much more quickly—up to 70 times faster than the GPUs that many AI systems run on today.



“The large square chip packs a lot of processing power and memory on one piece of silicon, so almost no time is wasted routing data between separate chips,” Fast Company’s Mark Sullivan previously noted. “That makes it highly effective at processing data from commercial AI applications that require massive throughput and very fast response times.”



Cerebras’s customers include pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline, as well as tech firms like G42, IBM, Meta, Mistral, Notion, and Perplexity. 



Most recently, Cerebras inked a $20 billion deal with ChatGPT maker OpenAI.



When is Cerebras Systems’ IPO?



Cerebras Systems priced its shares on Wednesday. It is expected to list on Thursday, May 14, 2026.



What is Cerebras Systems’ stock ticker?



Cerebras Systems’ shares will trade under the stock ticker “CBRS.” The stock will trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.



What is the IPO share price of CBRS?



The initial public offering price for CBRS shares is $185 per share. This final IPO price is remarkably higher than the IPO share price Cerebras said it would pursue just a few weeks earlier.



On May 4, the company announced it would initiate the road show for its upcoming IPO. At that time, Cerebras said that the initial public offering price was expected to be between $115 to $125 per share.



While it is not uncommon for a company to tweak its IPO price in the days leading up to the actual IPO, the final $185 IPO share price is around 60% higher than the low end of the original range. 



This suggests that demand for shares was much greater than initially anticipated.



How many CBRS shares are available in its IPO?



Upon its IPO listing, Cerebras Systems made 30 million shares of its Class A common stock available. 



The company’s underwriters, which include Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Barclays, and UBS Investment Bank, also have a 30-day option to buy an additional 4.5 million shares.



How much did Cerebras Systems raise in its IPO?



Selling 30 million shares at $185 each means Cerebras raised $5.5 billion in its IPO.



As noted by CNBC, that makes this offering one of the largest U.S. tech IPOs in recent memory. It puts Cerebras above the $3.8 billion that Snowflake raised in its 2020 IPO, and behind the roughly $8 billion Uber raised in its 2019 IPO.



How much is Cerebras Systems worth?



At its IPO price, Cerebras is now valued at around $56.4 billion, according to CNBC.



2026 is shaping up to be the year of AI IPOs



Given all the hype and hope around AI, it’s little surprise Cerebras’s IPO shares went for significantly higher than the company had originally forecast. And the successful IPO also bodes well for other AI companies that are likely to go public this year.



Two of the most anticipated AI-related IPOs of 2026 include Claude maker Anthropic and ChatGPT maker OpenAI. Current rumblings point to Anthropic debuting first, followed by OpenAI by the end of the year.



Of course, AI companies aren’t the only tech firms expected to go public in 2026. Another big tech company that will likely IPO this year, perhaps as soon as this summer, is Elon Musk’s SpaceX.



Taken all together, 2026 could be one of the biggest years on record when it comes to the total valuation of all tech IPOs scheduled to go public. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cerebras, Systems, IPO:, Stock, price, will, closely, watched, today, chipmaker, goes, public, the, Nasdaq</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Cisco layoffs today: Tech giant slashes thousands of jobs as CEO touts record revenue and urgent focus on AI</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cisco-layoffs-today-tech-giant-slashes-thousands-of-jobs-as-ceo-touts-record-revenue-and-urgent-focus-on-ai</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cisco-layoffs-today-tech-giant-slashes-thousands-of-jobs-as-ceo-touts-record-revenue-and-urgent-focus-on-ai</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ On Wednesday, Cisco Systems announced impressive quarterly earnings alongside nearly 4,000 job cuts.



The dichotomy stemmed from the hardware and networking company’s embrace of a rapidly growing trend in tech: openly admitting that layoffs are due to AI adoption rather than poor performance. 



“The companies that will win in the AI era will be those with focus, urgency, and the discipline to continuously shift investment toward the areas where demand and long-term value creation are strongest,” Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins told employees in a publicly shared email. “I’m confident Cisco will be one of those winners. This means making hard decisions—about where we invest, how we’re organized, and how our cost structure reflects the opportunity in front of us.”



With his announcement, Robbins follows in the footsteps of tech leaders including Block CEO Jack Dorsey and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, who made similar moves this year. 



Robbins emphasized that the company will further invest in employees’ AI use throughout their jobs. 



Meanwhile, employees will start getting notifications if they’ve been laid off on Thursday. Cisco says the job cuts make up less than 5% of its total workforce. 



Shares of Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) were up more than 16% on Thursday morning. The stock had already been trading at record highs this month. 



How did Cisco perform during its third quarter? 



Cisco reported $15.8 billion in revenue for the quarter ending on April 25. That figure represents a 12% jump year-over-year (YOY) and beats Wall Street’s predicted $15.56 billion, according to consensus estimates cited by CNBC.



The company also surpassed expectations of $1.04 earnings per share with $1.06 adjusted.  



In a post-earnings call, Robbins highlighted AI-centric business with companies like Nexus and Nvidia, as well as a significant increase in revenue from AI. For instance, this quarter, Cisco shared plans to expand its secure AI factory with Nvidia. 



Cisco’s product revenue rose 17%, something Robbins attributes to “robust demand for our AI infrastructure and campus networking solutions.”



Cisco expects its revenue to reach $16.7 billion to $16.9 billion in quarter four and $62.8 billion to $63 billion for fiscal year 2026. In comparison, it saw $56.7 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2025.  ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cisco, layoffs, today:, Tech, giant, slashes, thousands, jobs, CEO, touts, record, revenue, and, urgent, focus</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will have this star&#45;studded halftime show at MetLife Stadium</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-2026-fifa-world-cup-final-will-have-this-star-studded-halftime-show-at-metlife-stadium</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-2026-fifa-world-cup-final-will-have-this-star-studded-halftime-show-at-metlife-stadium</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The World Cup final will feature a star-studded halftime show headlined by Madonna, Shakira and boy-band BTS.FIFA has announced that, for the first time, the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19 will include a Super Bowl-style concert.The governing body said the show would support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is raising $100 million to help children access education and soccer.FIFA president Gianni Infantino said it would bring together “music and football on the biggest stage in sport for a very special cause.”“Every child should have the opportunity to dream, and together we can help make that possible,” he posted on Instagram.The show will be curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin.The Super Bowl is famed for its halftime show — attracting the world’s biggest stars for spectacular performances. This year featured Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny.Previous headliners included Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Prince, Bruce Springsteen and Rhianna.But halftime shows are not so commonplace in soccer, with events such as the Champions League final featuring a pre-match concert. This year will see the Killers headline European club soccer’s biggest game between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal in Budapest.FIFA describes its halftime show as “a singular moment at the intersection of sport, culture and purpose, broadcast live around the world.”This year’s World Cup is co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and runs through June and July.







AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://images.fastcompany.com/image/upload/w_1280,q_auto,f_auto,fl_lossy/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit/wp-cms-2/2026/05/AP26127658043607.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, 2026, FIFA, World, Cup, final, will, have, this, star-studded, halftime, show, MetLife, Stadium</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The importance of choosing the right web hosting company for small businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-importance-of-choosing-the-right-web-hosting-company-for-small-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-importance-of-choosing-the-right-web-hosting-company-for-small-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Ben Lobel on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post The importance of choosing the right web hosting company for small businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/06/www-751513_1280.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, importance, choosing, the, right, web, hosting, company, for, small, businesses</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Best challenger bank for a business account</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-challenger-bank-for-a-business-account</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-challenger-bank-for-a-business-account</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By James Earnshaw on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Considering a challenger bank over a traditional High Street bank for your business bank account? Check out our review of the top ten providers   
The post Best challenger bank for a business account appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/05/Piggy-bank-with-rocket-grey-background-1.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Best, challenger, bank, for, business, account</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Getting and setting up a business domain name</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/getting-and-setting-up-a-business-domain-name</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/getting-and-setting-up-a-business-domain-name</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post Getting and setting up a business domain name appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2019/04/AdobeStock_52469108-e1556196249281.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Getting, and, setting, business, domain, name</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Choosing the right web hosting provider for your small business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/choosing-the-right-web-hosting-provider-for-your-small-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/choosing-the-right-web-hosting-provider-for-your-small-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Ben Lobel on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post Choosing the right web hosting provider for your small business appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/03/Web-hosting-scaled.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Choosing, the, right, web, hosting, provider, for, your, small, business</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Best AI website builders</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-ai-website-builders</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-ai-website-builders</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Check out the best AI website builders and learn about how they can support you and your business, even if you have no technical knowledge
The post Best AI website builders appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/05/29838132_7578209-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Best, website, builders</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Vauxhall turns to China’s Leapmotor in bid to keep British motoring affordable</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/vauxhall-turns-to-chinas-leapmotor-in-bid-to-keep-british-motoring-affordable</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/vauxhall-turns-to-chinas-leapmotor-in-bid-to-keep-british-motoring-affordable</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Vauxhall will fit Chinese-made electric motors and batteries from Leapmotor in its new C-SUV from 2028, as Stellantis bets on a Beijing alliance to undercut surging Chinese EV rivals.
Read more: 
Vauxhall turns to China’s Leapmotor in bid to keep British motoring affordable ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2773176257.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vauxhall, turns, China’s, Leapmotor, bid, keep, British, motoring, affordable</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>ProcurePro lands $11m to drag construction’s $13 trillion supply chain out of the spreadsheet era</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/procurepro-lands-11m-to-drag-constructions-13-trillion-supply-chain-out-of-the-spreadsheet-era</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/procurepro-lands-11m-to-drag-constructions-13-trillion-supply-chain-out-of-the-spreadsheet-era</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Australian construction tech firm ProcurePro raises $11m at an $80m+ valuation, led by QIC Ventures, to scale its AI-driven procurement platform across the UK, Middle East and North America.
Read more: 
ProcurePro lands $11m to drag construction’s $13 trillion supply chain out of the spreadsheet era ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2634669527.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>ProcurePro, lands, 11m, drag, construction’s, 13, trillion, supply, chain, out, the, spreadsheet, era</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>SME funded launches one&#45;stop finance platform to plug funding gap for britain’s builders and manufacturers</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/sme-funded-launches-one-stop-finance-platform-to-plug-funding-gap-for-britains-builders-and-manufacturers</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/sme-funded-launches-one-stop-finance-platform-to-plug-funding-gap-for-britains-builders-and-manufacturers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
New specialist lender SME Funded launches with access to 130+ lenders and its own capital, targeting underserved construction and manufacturing SMEs across the UK.
Read more: 
SME funded launches one-stop finance platform to plug funding gap for britain’s builders and manufacturers ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/shutterstock_2468012977-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>SME, funded, launches, one-stop, finance, platform, plug, funding, gap, for, britain’s, builders, and, manufacturers</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Eon swallows Ovo in £600m deal that crowns Germany’s biggest energy giant as Britain’s largest supplier</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/eon-swallows-ovo-in-600m-deal-that-crowns-germanys-biggest-energy-giant-as-britains-largest-supplier</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/eon-swallows-ovo-in-600m-deal-that-crowns-germanys-biggest-energy-giant-as-britains-largest-supplier</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Germany&#039;s Eon has agreed to acquire Ovo&#039;s retail arm in a deal valued at up to £600m, creating the UK&#039;s largest energy supplier with 9.6 million customers and overtaking Octopus Energy.
Read more: 
Eon swallows Ovo in £600m deal that crowns Germany’s biggest energy giant as Britain’s largest supplier ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_1407088442.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Eon, swallows, Ovo, £600m, deal, that, crowns, Germany’s, biggest, energy, giant, Britain’s, largest, supplier</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>OpenAI mints hundreds of overnight millionaires as staff cash out $6.6bn in share sale</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/openai-mints-hundreds-of-overnight-millionaires-as-staff-cash-out-66bn-in-share-sale</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/openai-mints-hundreds-of-overnight-millionaires-as-staff-cash-out-66bn-in-share-sale</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Around 600 OpenAI staff have shared a $6.6bn (£4.8bn) payout in a secondary share sale, with average proceeds of $11m and the largest sellers banking $30m apiece, as the ChatGPT maker eyes a 2027 IPO at a $1tn valuation.
Read more: 
OpenAI mints hundreds of overnight millionaires as staff cash out $6.6bn in share sale ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/shutterstock_2673979929-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>OpenAI, mints, hundreds, overnight, millionaires, staff, cash, out, 6.6bn, share, sale</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Get ready for the whisper&#45;filled office of the future</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/get-ready-for-the-whisper-filled-office-of-the-future</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/get-ready-for-the-whisper-filled-office-of-the-future</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ How will work setups change if we spend more and more time talking to our computers? ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-84164497.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Get, ready, for, the, whisper-filled, office, the, future</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Korea’s biggest manufacturers back Config, the TSMC of robot data</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/koreas-biggest-manufacturers-back-config-the-tsmc-of-robot-data</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/koreas-biggest-manufacturers-back-config-the-tsmc-of-robot-data</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Samsung, Hyundai and LG just bet on the startup that wants to be robotics&#039; data backbone. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/GettyImages-1680577745.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Korea’s, biggest, manufacturers, back, Config, the, TSMC, robot, data</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Venmo’s biggest makeover in years comes at a very interesting time</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/venmos-biggest-makeover-in-years-comes-at-a-very-interesting-time</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/venmos-biggest-makeover-in-years-comes-at-a-very-interesting-time</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The timing is notable. PayPal, which owns Venmo, is restructuring to spin Venmo off as a standalone business unit — a move widely seen as laying the groundwork for a potential sale. Stripe has reportedly expressed interest in buying PayPal outright. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/venmo-app.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Venmo’s, biggest, makeover, years, comes, very, interesting, time</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>There aren’t enough rockets for space data centers. Cowboy Space raised $275 million to build them.</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/there-arent-enough-rockets-for-space-data-centers-cowboy-space-raised-275-million-to-build-them</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/there-arent-enough-rockets-for-space-data-centers-cowboy-space-raised-275-million-to-build-them</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Cowboy Space Corporation wants to put data centers in orbit. First, it has to build the rockets to get them there. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>There, aren’t, enough, rockets, for, space, data, centers., Cowboy, Space, raised, 275, million, build, them.</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Discord launches Nitro Rewards, giving subscribers access to the base tier of Xbox Game Pass for no extra cost</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/discord-launches-nitro-rewards-giving-subscribers-access-to-the-base-tier-of-xbox-game-pass-for-no-extra-cost</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/discord-launches-nitro-rewards-giving-subscribers-access-to-the-base-tier-of-xbox-game-pass-for-no-extra-cost</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Discord&#039;s Nitro Rewards program will give Nitro subscribers access to Xbox Game Pass, and discounts from Logitech, SteelSeries, and other gaming brands. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Discord, launches, Nitro, Rewards, giving, subscribers, access, the, base, tier, Xbox, Game, Pass, for, extra, cost</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>5 Best Wyoming Registered Agents in 2026</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/5-best-wyoming-registered-agents-in-2026</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/5-best-wyoming-registered-agents-in-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ If you are going to register a company in Wyoming, you will need to appoint a Wyoming registered agent. The Wyoming RA will act on your behalf and able to receive legal documents. There are thousands of companies register every year in Wyoming and all the companies have to appoint the Registered Agents in Wyoming. […]
The post 5 Best Wyoming Registered Agents in 2026 appeared first on Fincyte. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Best, Wyoming, Registered, Agents, 2026</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>How Blockchain Technology Can Transform The Finance Industry?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-blockchain-technology-can-transform-the-finance-industry</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-blockchain-technology-can-transform-the-finance-industry</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A blockchain is a public ledger which holds all Bitcoin transactions which have ever taken place. This ledger is constantly growing as every day completed blocks are added to the blockchain. These blocks also come with a new set of recordings and are added to the blockchain in a linear and chronological order. Computers connected […]
The post How Blockchain Technology Can Transform The Finance Industry? appeared first on Fincyte. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, Blockchain, Technology, Can, Transform, The, Finance, Industry</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>How to stay calm on a hectic day</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-stay-calm-on-a-hectic-day</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-stay-calm-on-a-hectic-day</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ You are bound to have one of those crazy days (or weeks or months) where your calendar is jammed with meetings, there are looming deadlines, and an emergency has cropped up that absolutely needs to be dealt with right away. Having a few things that hit at the same time can actually be good for you, but eventually, it is going to cause you problems.



In particular, the researchers Yerkes and Dodson published a paper in 1908 (you read that right—over 110 years ago) talking about the optimal level of psychological energy called arousal. They suggested that when people have low levels of energy, they don’t get much done. That shouldn’t be surprising. As your arousal goes up, your performance goes up as well. Again, not so surprising. At some point, though, you reach an optimal level of energy, and beyond that, your performance starts to go down again. You panic, or at least have trouble concentrating. It is that inverted U-shape of the relationship between arousal and performance that is interesting.



And that brings us back to your hectic no-good very-bad day.



Having several meetings and a deadline can be good. It can raise your level of arousal to the point where you’re firing on all cylinders. When you find yourself over-aroused and slipping over the edge of the Yerkes-Dodson curve, it is time to calm down and get yourself back in the sweet spot.



Here are a few things you can do.



Lots of mindfulness exercises and meditation practices are designed to help calm you down when you are overly aroused. Find a practice that works for you. Breathing exercises are a great place to start. A simple process where you breathe in on a four count, hold for four, breathe out on a four count and hold for four is a nice exercise to calm yourself. Doing that for even three minutes can often help you get back to a point where you can focus.



Make sure you’re eating right. On really busy days, you may suck down an extra coffee or another caffeinated beverage and perhaps skip a meal to buy yourself some extra time. There’s nothing wrong with a cup of coffee in the morning, but extra caffeine will raise your arousal level. Try some water instead. Plus, keep some easy meals around your workspace so that when you’re tempted to skip lunch, you have good food close by.



A little physical activity helps as well. If you spend too much time sitting and locked into one position, you will add physical discomfort to the mental arousal, which can keep you too energized. Take a short walk. If you’re in a building with several stories, hop into the stairwell and walk a few flights of stairs. I used to work in a nine-story building and would walk the stairs at lunch time at least once. It didn’t take too long and reenergized me.



Keep a picture of your loved ones close by. When you need a little dose of calm, take a look at the people you care about. It is a great reminder that there is more to life than whatever is going on at work. That little dose of perspective can help you get back to the task at hand.



When the sun is out, there is nothing like five minutes of sunshine (as long as you’re wearing sunscreen). Feel the warmth of the sun, maybe a breeze. If it is way too hot out (and after 28 summers in Austin, Texas, I know there are times when the heat is unbearable), taking a look out a window for a few minutes can have a similar impact.



Finally, keep a few short tasks on your to-do list. When you feel like you’re slammed with lots of never-ending projects, find something you can finish in five to 10 minutes and knock it out. There’s a little joy to be had in crossing at least something off your list—even if you know you manufactured the opportunity. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, stay, calm, hectic, day</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>How the rules of getting rich in the U.S. change with every era</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-the-rules-of-getting-rich-in-the-us-change-with-every-era</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-the-rules-of-getting-rich-in-the-us-change-with-every-era</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Below, Joseph Moore shares five key insights from his new book, How to Get Rich in American History: 300 Years of Financial Advice That Worked (&amp; Didn’t).



Moore is a historian who spent more than a decade researching and testing out what Americans were told to do with their money for the past 300 years. His previous work appeared in such outlets as The New York Times and Oxford University Press.



What’s the big idea?



History doesn’t give us fixed rules for getting ahead financially. The “right” way keeps changing, so your best bet is to stay flexible, try a mix of strategies, and not get too excited every time someone claims they’ve cracked the code to wealth. We have an opportunity-rich landscape, but how best to mine it changes in every era.



Listen to the audio version of this Book Bite—read by Moore himself—in the Next Big Idea app, or buy the book.







1. It has never been easier to get ahead than it is today.



In 1676, 100 years before the Revolution, colonists burned the capital of Virginia to the ground because they felt that average people couldn’t get ahead anymore. In the 1800s, big speeches were given saying “the rungs of the ladder to success are sawed off.” Heck, in 1980, there were headlines proclaiming that the Baby Boomers could never afford to retire. How did that turn out?



The same goes for today. Of children born at the bottom, 6 in 10 rise out of poverty, and 4 in 10 become middle class, upper middle class, or rich; 1 in 10 goes all the way to the top. For the privileged born at the top, 64% fall out. Of the top 1%, 90% of their grandkids aren’t particularly wealthy. We may not have perfect mobility in America, but we have a lot more than we think.



Okay, so the Boomer generation was weirdly lucky. Fun historical fact: Working one job for 40 years while saving 10% in stocks would have failed to fund retirement in almost half of historical scenarios. Boomers tend to think that what worked for them must work for everyone. That isn’t historically true.



As for the Doomers—they may have to get ahead the same way most people did for most of time. In the 1700s, if you went broke you went to jail, and so did your entire family: wife and kids. They forgot to put that in Hamilton. 



In the 1870s, the average American owned just one and a half shirts. To afford the other half of that shirt, you had to work on average 60 hours per week. Insurance was in its infancy, so you couldn’t protect your house, spouse, or income. As late as the 1970s, when I was born, the median income was 30% lower than today. Nowadays, we work fewer hours for more money with less risk than ever before.



The first step was to take literal steps. In the 1800s, one in three Americans changed addresses every single year! Keep in mind that just getting to America took 30 days, and traveling across the country took the U.S. Army two months. Today, when it has never been easier to go where the opportunity is, only 1 in 10 Americans moves. You could, if you wanted, put everything you own in a U-Haul and be anywhere in the continental U.S. in less than 48 hours.



Americans are becoming increasingly risk-averse at the very moment the financial world is safer and more accessible than ever. Both sides of politics have a warped view of the past: that it was better “back then,” and that someone else is to blame. Anyone telling you it is harder today than ever before doesn’t know history.



2. What “always worked” was always changing.



In 1835, a runaway slave created money from nothing. Arriving in Michigan broke but determined, William Wells Brown caught a break when a landlord offered him space to start a barbershop—a fabulous idea, save for the fact he owned no scissors, had never cut hair, and everyone in town was short on cash to pay. 



Undeterred, the young man borrowed shears and printed money. He went to the local printer and had about $20 printed in small denominations ranging from 6 cents to 50 cents. He handed these out around town, essentially exchanging haircuts for food and lodging. Eventually, other people started trading the tokens too, and before long, Brown’s bucks were treated as money in Monroe, Michigan. 



Brown eventually was able to trade his tokens for real cash, and that is how he paid to get to freedom in New York. When he left, his money went to $0.



Money itself has changed dramatically. By 1863, there were around 10,000 unique currencies from more than 1,000 issuers. Coins from the Holy Roman Empire lingered in the U.S. for decades after its collapse, because money from a dead empire was better than money from no empire at all. Grandparents taught grandkids to never save money because, like Brown’s self-made funds, it could become worthless overnight. The trick was to spend as quickly as possible.



There was no golden era when everyone was debt-free, saved money, and invested wisely. What works financially is constantly changing. Much of what we consider timeless advice is quite young. Stocks for the long run? Stocks underperformed or were tied with bonds until World War II, making that “truth” younger than either of our last two presidents.



Real estate always goes up, right? But it doesn’t. Adjusted for inflation, houses in Atlanta, Dallas, and Pittsburgh cost the same in 1997 as they had in 1897. Home values in St. Louis did not recover their values until 2003. What has happened in real estate in our lifetimes is entirely new. Home prices going up is historically weird.



Most financial advice is like trying to steer the car by looking in the rearview mirror. That may tell you where the road was, but it doesn’t say much about where it is going.



3. Dual incomes were always normal.



In the 1890s, New York City policeman John Taylor put a small down payment on a brownstone. How could a beat cop afford a brownstone? The answer was his wife, Agnes. The historical record lists her with no occupation, but she was making money. 



To pay down their mortgage, Agnes treated the home as an income-producing property. She rented out the rooms in her home to 10 separate boarders at a time, managing their rent payments, laundry service, and meal preparation. She ran a 19th-century Airbnb. That is how they afforded their mortgage.



The historical record misses this because the money women made was usually classified as “domestic industry.” But for all American history, women’s earnings made up the difference between barely surviving and thriving: In total, they added 15% to 25% to families’ total take-home pay. Women churned butter, gathered eggs, wove hats to wake up early and sell at local markets. At some point in their lives, about half of women who owned a home rented out rooms for money.



Women were also investors in every era. Women were the most common lenders of mortgages in the 1700s. They owned 50% of the shares in AT&amp;T. Every women’s magazine had a financial beat writer, because women were active investors. Heck, Abigail Adams’s lifetime annualized returns were 18%, nearly identical to Warren Buffett’s.



Women’s income was so important that when the stay-at-home-wife movement got started it was men who were writing angry letters to the newspaper complaining that wives needed to be earning, not learning “at home like scholars.” Two-income families were normal for most of history. The view that women started working in the 1960s is just plain wrong.



And it has warped our dialogue about gender. Women working doesn’t undermine men’s economic roles because it never did in the past. Spouses saw themselves as both working to build a future together. Dual incomes powered most people’s pursuit of the American Dream. It still can, today.



4. Retirement happened long before Social Security.



“I wish I had a villa in Florida to retire to” is a sentence from a letter in 1830s Baltimore. By the early 1900s, one in three elderly people was retired, Coral Gables was bursting at the seams with old people, and the day the first Social Security check was cashed, nearly half of 65-year-olds were done working. How was that possible?



Rather than relying on a single government-run system, Americans used multiple strategies in their golden years. Paid-for farmland or rental houses were leased. Businesses were sold to junior partners. Annuities offered retirement plans from the insurance industry.



Some companies offered pensions, though not as many as we often think. Pensions typically covered around 15% of workers, and they never covered more than 40% of the workforce. Another strategy we’ve forgotten is state-run old-age insurance. By 1934, there were 30 of these. Alaska offered its own version of Social Security before it was even a state. The final strategy was raising good kids who would help Mom and Dad as they aged.



Social Security didn’t revolutionize retirement; it standardized it. Social Security, private annuities, pension plans, 401(k)s, rental real estate, paid-for homes, and kids who aren’t screwed up are a pretty potent combo. Most of our retirement anxiety is misplaced. If you combine just a few of these strategies, you will be just fine.



The average 401(k) balance, if it had to fund retirement alone, would run out in less than six years. Social Security offers a menial income, barely enough to survive. But when you combine these various strategies, the most typical scenario, using 150 years of market returns, is to die with more money than you started with. 



The lesson of history is to combine as many strategies as possible into one wonderful retirement. And never forget, your ancestors rarely lived to see so many free years. Worry less. Enjoy them more.



5. The next big thing is usually a bad idea.



Reading history distorts time. It makes everything seem fast. Everyone should have seen “it” coming, whatever “it” was: values that crashed (like tulips or Beanie Babies) and things that went boom (like Bitcoin or Nvidia). But reading history and living history are not the same.



Financial life moves at two speeds: Fast Time and Slow Time. Most of life is lived in Slow Time, but most financial history is written about Fast Time (when all assumptions change at once). The real role of such histories is to give the reader a thrill. It’s a murder movie where we scream at the screen, “Look behind you! It’s the subprime mortgage lender. Run away from the mortgage!”



Mistaking Slow Time for Fast Time changed my town forever and, as a bonus, inspired the Netflix hit series Schitt’s Creek. I live in Braselton, Georgia, a tiny town outside of Atlanta, once owned by superstar actress Kim Basinger. Depending on your generation, you know her as a Bond girl, Viki Vale, Eminem’s mom, or that old femdom in Fifty Shades Darker. She owned the town as an investment.



Her plan was to turn the empty mills into a tourist attraction and build a movie studio . . . in Georgia, in the ’90s. But building a dream happens in Slow Time. Taxes mount. Investors get anxious. Soon, you run out of cash. 



Basinger declared bankruptcy. Actor Eugene Levy found this story, and the rest was pandemic-era comedy gold starring himself as a failed businessman whose final remaining possession is a backwater town with a funny name.



But who gets the last laugh? Today, the fastest growing movie production studios in the world—bigger than New York and soon to overtake California—are in “Y’allywood,” a district just outside Metro Atlanta. The town Basinger bought is home to one of Atlanta’s largest tourist attractions, a winery and resort called Chateau Elan. They sell accessible French luxury on Georgia clay. It’s surrounded by mansions of pro athletes, famous rappers, and C-level reality stars. And it works. It’s profitable. You should visit.



Basinger, bless her heart, just didn’t understand that she couldn’t speed up time. Investing in the future is rarely as profitable as we think because the future rarely arrives tomorrow. It takes its time, and so should we.





Enjoy our full library of Book Bites—read by the authors!—in the Next Big Idea app.



This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission.


 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, the, rules, getting, rich, the, U.S., change, with, every, era</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>You can put a data center at your house—but who really pays?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/you-can-put-a-data-center-at-your-housebut-who-really-pays</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/you-can-put-a-data-center-at-your-housebut-who-really-pays</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Nvidia has put its name behind a fledgling effort to put mini-data centers beside people’s homes in boxes that look like HVAC units. It’s a “power” play, considering that the main bottleneck to building out more data center capacity is not money or chips, but rather retrofitting the electrical grid to supply the power.



The idea, put forward by a California smart utility box company called Span, is to put the GPUs where the power has already been allocated—at the home. Span says the average household uses only about 42% of the electricity allotted to it, and rarely reaches peak usage. Span’s smart utility boxes detect that, and steer the extra available power over to the GPUs, which live inside a “node” that sits beside the house and looks something like an HVAC unit. The boxes contain 16 Nvidia GPUs, 4 AMD CPUs, 4 terabytes of memory, and a cooling system. When a large number of homes have these, the servers could be connected together in a network and work together on distributed computing jobs (workloads), Span says. 



In exchange for hosting a node, Span pays a big chunk of the homeowner’s electricity and broadband internet bills.



And there may even be advantages for putting the compute power closer to the end users that are using the chatbots or AI services, Span says. 



It’s a cool idea on paper, but it’s almost completely unproven in real-world use. Span has been prototyping the units but has yet to install any of them beside real homes. I asked Span VP Chris Lander if his company has done technical studies showing that its brand of distributed computing will be fast and robust enough to handle real AI workloads. “We’ve done a bunch of technical studies internally [and] a bunch of modeling for different kinds of workloads, both from the business point of view [and] the product point of view and from the technical architecture point of view,” he replies. 



The company is working with a homebuilder, Atlanta-based Pulte Homes, to build the nodes at new homes, but Pulte told CNBC that it’s so far put a Span unit next to exactly one home. “I will say that we’ve been collaborating with Pulte amongst others to test the latest proof of concept design, the latest prototype that we have,” Lander says. Span says it’ll have “upwards of 100” nodes of an advanced version of its prototype in a pilot project “later this year,” but isn’t saying when or where the pilot will be built.  



The main point of resistance to new data centers across the country is the risk that the facilities will result in higher electric bills for everyone in the area. Whether it’s a new central data center or a distributed data center, as Span proposes, that’s drawing more power from the grid, the risk of higher costs—perhaps because of transformers and other infrastructure running hotter and degrading more quickly—could arguably be the same. 



Lander disagrees. “We believe it’s actually going to be the opposite—that it’s actually going to give relief to customers, not just for those direct customers that are hosting, that we’re paying for their energy, but by allaying some of that additional CapEx spend that utilities would have to pay to build out [more] data centers,” he says. 



The existence of Span’s idea, which has gotten a good deal of attention in the press and on social media, is one of the first signs of the market finding ways to address the serious dearth of data center capacity needed to support the expected demand for artificial intelligence services. Data centers take time to build and often face political resistance, and the demand for AI compute is growing now. 



On the political side, crowdsourcing already-provisioned power from households in a community may be easier than talking a city council into issuing a permit for a data center. As Reddit user unicynicist put it: “It’s like Uber, but for turning your house into someone else’s unpermitted data center.”



Still, it says something that Nvidia allowed Span to include its brand in the press release, but the GPU maker’s involvement beyond that has been mostly consultation. “Nvidia’s been a thought partner, and they’ve been helping us from a business point of view to connect us with the right folks.” But Nvidia is not an investor and has so far not donated any GPUs to Span’s initiative.



And the chips are not cheap. In fact, the Span box contains some very expensive hardware. The chips and other technology could be worth $500,000 or more, based on available pricing information for the specific components. The risk of theft then becomes an issue. 



If the home-side server box concept proves out and produces a meaningful amount of compute resources, Nvidia could help Span find potential buyers. In fact, that effort is already underway. “We’ve had conversations with the breadth of potential compute offtakers, whether they’re hyperscalers, neoclouds, neoscalers, and AI service providers,” Lander says. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>You, can, put, data, center, your, house—but, who, really, pays</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>What do mothers really want? Deeper conversations</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-do-mothers-really-want-deeper-conversations</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-do-mothers-really-want-deeper-conversations</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ You’re at the playground, making small talk with another mom while your kids dig in the sandbox. The conversation follows a predictable script: sleep schedules, daycare waitlists, whether your toddler will eat anything green. It’s pleasant enough, but you’ll forget about it by the time you pile your kids into the car for nap time.



But what you really wanted to ask is: What’s something about birth and postpartum that surprised you? What do you wish your partner understood? How did becoming a mother change your marriage?



Those are the conversations that actually matter, because they deepen relationships and allow mothers to pass their wisdom to one another. But they feel impossible to start without seeming intense or intrusive.



[Photo: Spread the Jelly]



Spread the Jelly, an 18-month-old media platform, wants to help. It has just launched a deck of cards called The Sticky Stuff, meant to prompt mothers to have deeper conversations faster. “Everything we’ve been doing is about like breaking people open, allowing people to be their messiest or their happiest selves at the same time,” says Amrit Tietz, who founded the company with Lauren Levinger in late 2024. 



The Sticky Stuff, which is available on the Spread the Jelly website for $45, joins a growing number of conversation cards that have entered the market, including therapist Esther Perel’s Where Should We Begin? cards that launched in 2021, Tales, which facilitates conversations with kids, and even the fast food chains Chick-fil-A, which gives out cards meant to prompt conversations around the meals.



“The popularity of the cards highlights how we desperately want to talk about deep issues,” says Nicholas Epley, a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business who has been studying conversation for two decades.



[Photo: Spread the Jelly]



Modern Motherhood



The idea for Spread the Jelly’s conversation cards didn’t start with market research or a business plan. It started with two women in Los Angeles who desperately needed someone to talk to. Lauren Levinger had recently had her son when Amrit Tietz, pregnant and without mom friends in her life, reached out via social media. “From social media, you look like you’re doing motherhood pretty well,” Tietz wrote to her. “Can we connect?” 



When they finally sat down together months later, they were surprised by how good it felt to have an honest conversation. They quickly began to discuss the things that nobody talks about, from how lonely it can be to spend your days with a non-verbal human, to postpartum sexuality. “We realized how starved we were for community,” says Levinger.



This prompted them to launch Spread The Jelly, as an online magazine for radical honesty about modern motherhood. The conversation cards came later, as a natural extension of that mission. Tietz and Levinger began to build out a deck of questions, and tested them out with their partners, families, and friends. They ended up encompassing four different categories: foundation, identity, belonging, and intimacy. They included prompts like, “Describe your childhood in one sentence;” “Describe a moment you’re not proud of,” and “How do you show up for your loved ones?”



Levinger points out that everyday conversations at the dinner table have a way of becoming stagnant. The cards suddenly unlocked a way to venture into new territory with the people in our lives.



[Photo: Spread the Jelly]



Why Cards Work



Deeper conversations are scientifically proven to make us happier. Epley conducted these studies himself. In a 2021 research paper, he brought together thousands of people, pairing strangers up randomly to discuss questions like “Can you tell me about one of the last times you cried in front of another person?” “We typically don’t ask those kinds of questions,” Epley reflects. “We don’t probe into people’s lives like that because we don’t think it’s okay to do so.”



After these conversations, by a very large margin, participants said that they felt better, and they wished more of their conversations were as deep or deeper. The research foud that thing that holds people back is that they believe that other people don’t want to engage with these topics, so it would be intrusive and inappropriate to bring them up. 



“I’ve now done this with almost 5,000 people,” Epley says. “The results are very consistent. People wished they were having deeper conversations.”



A Skill You Can Learn



Conversation cards are having a moment now, but Epley argues that it has always been hard to have deep, meaningful conversations in everyday life: He cites a famous study from 1973 by psychologist Stanley Milgram, who found that nobody spoke to one another on the subway.



But there are now new dynamics at work now. There’s growing awareness about the loneliness epidemic in the United States, thanks to people like Vivek Murthy, the Surgeon General who has brought it to the public’s attention. “There cost of social isolation and disconnection is crystal clear,” he says.



Epley also points out that technology and phones have made it harder to connect to other people. While we feel like we have large networks of friends on social media, these connections are very weak and generally don’t involve profound conversations. “For much of human history, connecting with other people just happened in everyday life,” he says. “But now, when everybody on the train is on their phone, we have a lot more independence from strangers.”



The popularity of these card games suggests that people do want to connect more deeply. And Epley says that if they do become more common—and they people use them with their families at dinner time or with their friends at parties—they’ll become better at having deeper conversations in everyday life. “It is something you can practice and get better at,” he says. “You learn how to do it, what to ask, how to ask.”



For new mothers, the benefits could be profound. Postpartum depression and isolation are widespread. Many mothers spend their days physically with other adults—at playgrounds, in parent groups—making meaningless small talk and feeling alone. A deck of conversation cards won’t fix the loneliness epidemic. But they might buy the someone social permission to forge a deeper connection with an acquaintance.



For Tietz and Levinger, the cards are just one part of a larger mission. They want Spread the Jelly to be different from traditional parenting media, which tends to be very prescriptive about what motherhood should look like. Instead, they’re hoping to create a space where women can honestly share their diverse experiences. “There is no blueprint in parenting—everyone’s journey is so radically different,” says Tietz. “And I think people just want to feel less alone in whatever they’re experiencing.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, mothers, really, want, Deeper, conversations</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Students receive $10,000 prizes from OpenAI for innovative use of artificial intelligence </title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/students-receive-10000prizes-from-openaifor-innovative-use-of-artificial-intelligence</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/students-receive-10000prizes-from-openaifor-innovative-use-of-artificial-intelligence</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When University of Pennsylvania student Crystal Yang was in high school, she and her friends were avid players of the trendy online game Wordle. One of Yang’s friends, however, is blind and was unable to join in. 



That inspired Yang, while still a high school student, to work with researchers at Texas A&amp;M University looking at conversational audio interface possibilities for the game. Soon, she founded a nonprofit called Audemy that has developed more than 50 audio-powered games accessible to blind and visually impaired players. The organization is now also at work on an accessible gaming console that will incorporate audio and tactile features and can function without Wi-Fi. 



AI has been important to much of Yang’s work, from coding to management. Over the years, AI has helped her learn to conduct user research and write a formal paper, plug in new game ideas to an existing template, and even use computer-aided design tools and evaluate potential components as Audemy prototypes the console. 



“It’s been a very helpful tool throughout, allowing me to champion the issues I’m passionate about, as well as continue using it to multiply my capabilities,” Yang says. 



Yang is one of 26 students and other young people recently awarded a $10,000 grant by OpenAI as part of a program called ChatGPT Futures, designed to showcase how a rising generation is using the technology for good. As OpenAI notes, the graduating class of 2026 is the first cohort of university students to have ChatGPT, which debuted to the public in fall 2022, available throughout nearly their entire college experience.



“What we’ve seen is that these students are using AI to build things that many wouldn’t have previously thought were possible,” says Leah Belsky, head of education at OpenAI. 



Other honorees of the program are using AI to build space robots to relieve astronauts of routine tasks; develop novel ways to spot disaster survivors through walls and debris using Wi-Fi signals; help older people avoid online scams; and let Latin American street vendors track their finances. Several are working on AI applications in science and medicine, including predicting the functions of proteins in the body; connecting people with local mental health resources; and optimizing drug production.



Ayush Noori, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Harvard University and is now pursuing a doctorate as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, recently worked to develop a graph AI model called Proton that generates hypotheses around neurological disease. Noori says his work is motivated in part by his experiene caring for his late grandmother, who had a rare neurodegenerative disease. 



Already Proton has shown promise in suggesting candidate drugs for bipolar disorder and Alzheimer’s disease—results validated, respectively, by experiments on lab-grown brain tissue and an analysis of health records. 



“My mission is to develop AI systems that transform the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of neurological disease and other currently unsolved medical conditions,” says Noori, who has training in both neuroscience and computer science. 



Belsky says she’s seen firsthand how AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and, more recently, its coding tool Codex can enable students to pursue ambitious tasks and projects, whether that involves building websites and apps or creating new businesses and nonprofits.



“AI is giving them confidence,” she says. “It’s giving them agency, and it’s giving them a sense that they can actually learn and do things that they didn’t previously think were possible.” 



OpenAI solicited entries for the program in March, calling for applications from students and recent graduates in the U.S. and Canada ages 18 to 25 who “leverage AI to expand their capacity” and “demonstrate agency” through their work, while holding “a bold, thoughtful vision for the future.” 



“Building a Future for Education”



The ChatGPT Futures awards come as critics increasingly worry that overreliance on AI can hamper rather than help education, with students becoming overly reliant on the technology rather than learning new skills on their own, avoiding the sometimes tedious, iterative processes that are critical to learning. And, of course, educators on both the K-12 and college levels have warned of students using AI to cheat on assignments, skipping opportunities for learning and engendering mistrust between students and faculty. 



But Belsky says that as she’s visited campuses she’s seen more examples of students using AI to pursue new initiatives. In some cases, she says, AI can help expand access to experiences previously limited to students involved in hacker spaces, entrepreneurial classes, and other facilities that haven’t been broadly available.



“Our hope is to work with the entire education ecosystem to start building a future for education, where schools and universities can intentionally work to unlock this type of agency for all students,” Belsky says. 



To be sure, AI hasn’t replaced the role of human collaboration in either education or entrepreneurship. Yang, for instance, is now managing a team of volunteer developers contributing to Audemy games—though AI has helped with the recruitment and onboarding process—and Noori’s papers on Proton and other AI health topics are the product of a lengthy list of human collaborators. Yang and Noori, along with a number of others being awarded, continue to pursue their formal education. 



The ChatGPT Futures honorees are set to visit OpenAI in June, where they’ll meet with employees, share their projects, and receive their awards, Belsky says. 



“We haven’t put a restriction on what they do with these awards,” she says. “But my hope is that they spend part of their efforts both advancing their projects and engaging others and inspiring them to build [projects] the way they have.” 


 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Students, receive, 10, 000 prizes, from, OpenAI for, innovative, use, artificial, intelligence </media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Why toilets are a hidden revenue stream for UK businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-toilets-are-a-hidden-revenue-stream-for-uk-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-toilets-are-a-hidden-revenue-stream-for-uk-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Jamie Woodhall on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Public toilets are disappearing from high streets, but making your business&#039; toilets available could attract new customers and extra revenue
The post Why toilets are a hidden revenue stream for UK businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/05/13060.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Why, toilets, are, hidden, revenue, stream, for, businesses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How to get a business landline number for your mobile</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-get-a-business-landline-number-for-your-mobile</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-get-a-business-landline-number-for-your-mobile</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Henry Williams on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


A business landline number on your mobile phone makes it easier to manage your day-to-day commitments. Here&#039;s how to get one
The post How to get a business landline number for your mobile appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/04/12067.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, get, business, landline, number, for, your, mobile</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Microsoft Teams impersonation attacks and how to spot them</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/microsoft-teams-impersonation-attacks-and-how-to-spot-them</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/microsoft-teams-impersonation-attacks-and-how-to-spot-them</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Impersonation scams are really coming to the fore on Microsoft Teams. To keep your business safe, we&#039;ve flagged some of the worst offenders
The post Microsoft Teams impersonation attacks and how to spot them appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/05/Microsoft_Teams.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Microsoft, Teams, impersonation, attacks, and, how, spot, them</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>UK Small Business Events and Exhibitions Calendar</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-small-business-events-and-exhibitions-calendar</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-small-business-events-and-exhibitions-calendar</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Small Business Team on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


A diary of upcoming events of interest for UK SMEs and small business owners. We have listed out each event or exhibition, telling you what each one is about and also where and when all the events are
The post UK Small Business Events and Exhibitions Calendar appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2018/11/AdobeStock_175466970-scaled.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Small, Business, Events, and, Exhibitions, Calendar</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Amazon’s drones touch down in Darlington in UK delivery first</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/amazons-drones-touch-down-in-darlington-in-uk-delivery-first</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/amazons-drones-touch-down-in-darlington-in-uk-delivery-first</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Amazon has quietly opened a new front in the battle for ultra-fast delivery, becoming the first retailer in Britain to drop parcels by drone after a limited launch in Darlington, County Durham.
Read more: 
Amazon’s drones touch down in Darlington in UK delivery first ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Amazon_Drones.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Amazon’s, drones, touch, down, Darlington, delivery, first</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>TGJones owner Modella Capital to shut up to 150 former WHSmith high street shops</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tgjones-owner-modella-capital-to-shut-up-to-150-former-whsmith-high-street-shops</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tgjones-owner-modella-capital-to-shut-up-to-150-former-whsmith-high-street-shops</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Modella Capital is to close up to 150 of the 480 former WHSmith high street shops trading as TGJones, putting hundreds of jobs at risk in a fresh restructuring plan.
Read more: 
TGJones owner Modella Capital to shut up to 150 former WHSmith high street shops ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2678305451.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>TGJones, owner, Modella, Capital, shut, 150, former, WHSmith, high, street, shops</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The retired executives swapping the golf course for the boardroom – and charging next to nothing</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-retired-executives-swapping-the-golf-course-for-the-boardroom-and-charging-next-to-nothing</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-retired-executives-swapping-the-golf-course-for-the-boardroom-and-charging-next-to-nothing</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Meet Sapient Foundation, the band of retired British executives offering free or pay-what-you-can consultancy to cash-strapped SMEs and start-ups across the UK.
Read more: 
The retired executives swapping the golf course for the boardroom – and charging next to nothing ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2607531535.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, retired, executives, swapping, the, golf, course, for, the, boardroom, –, and, charging, next, nothing</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Retailers warn Reeves is creating a ‘jobless generation’ as hiring costs spiral</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/retailers-warn-reeves-is-creating-a-jobless-generation-as-hiring-costs-spiral</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/retailers-warn-reeves-is-creating-a-jobless-generation-as-hiring-costs-spiral</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
The British Retail Consortium warns Britain is heading for a jobless generation, with £6.5bn in extra labour costs forcing retailers to freeze hiring and shut young people out of work. Read the full Business Matters analysis.
Read more: 
Retailers warn Reeves is creating a ‘jobless generation’ as hiring costs spiral ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2764905191.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Retailers, warn, Reeves, creating, ‘jobless, generation’, hiring, costs, spiral</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Fertiliser shortages set to send global food prices soaring, warns Grosvenor chief</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/fertiliser-shortages-set-to-send-global-food-prices-soaring-warns-grosvenor-chief</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/fertiliser-shortages-set-to-send-global-food-prices-soaring-warns-grosvenor-chief</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Grosvenor Group&#039;s Mark Preston warns Iran war fertiliser shortages have pushed UK farm costs up 70% and will trigger a dramatic spike in global food prices next year.
Read more: 
Fertiliser shortages set to send global food prices soaring, warns Grosvenor chief ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/shutterstock_414636535-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Fertiliser, shortages, set, send, global, food, prices, soaring, warns, Grosvenor, chief</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>A 20&#45;minute pitch wins Indian startup Pronto backing from Lachy Groom</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/a-20-minute-pitch-wins-indian-startup-pronto-backing-from-lachy-groom</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/a-20-minute-pitch-wins-indian-startup-pronto-backing-from-lachy-groom</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The investment comes as Pronto scales to 26,000 daily bookings and the market heads toward a potential $18 billion size. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/anjali-sardana-pronto.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>20-minute, pitch, wins, Indian, startup, Pronto, backing, from, Lachy, Groom</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Five architects of the AI economy explain where the wheels are coming off</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/five-architects-of-the-ai-economy-explain-where-the-wheels-are-coming-off</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/five-architects-of-the-ai-economy-explain-where-the-wheels-are-coming-off</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Earlier this week, five people who touch every layer of the AI supply chain sat down at the Milken Global Conference in Beverly Hills, where they talked with TechCrunch about everything from chip shortages to orbital data centers to the possibility that the whole architecture that undergirds the tech is wrong. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/55252231372_4afd845df5_o.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Five, architects, the, economy, explain, where, the, wheels, are, coming, off</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Spotify’s AI DJ now supports French, German, Italian and Brazilian Portuguese</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spotifys-ai-dj-now-supports-french-german-italian-and-brazilian-portuguese</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spotifys-ai-dj-now-supports-french-german-italian-and-brazilian-portuguese</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spotify&#039;s AI DJ feature now supports French, German, Italian, and Brazilian Portuguese. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Spotify-AI-DJ-Header.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spotify’s, now, supports, French, German, Italian, and, Brazilian, Portuguese</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Spotify wants to become the home for AI&#45;generated personal audio</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spotify-wants-to-become-the-home-for-ai-generated-personal-audio</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spotify-wants-to-become-the-home-for-ai-generated-personal-audio</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Users will be able to create a podcast from Codex or Claude Code and import it to Spotify ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/spotify-logo-phone-GettyImages-2236404299.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spotify, wants, become, the, home, for, AI-generated, personal, audio</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>China’s Moonshot AI raises $2B at $20B valuation as demand for open&#45;source AI skyrockets</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/chinas-moonshot-ai-raises-2b-at-20b-valuation-as-demand-for-open-source-ai-skyrockets</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/chinas-moonshot-ai-raises-2b-at-20b-valuation-as-demand-for-open-source-ai-skyrockets</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Moonshot&#039;s annualized recurring revenue topped $200 million in April, driven by rapid growth in paid subscriptions and API usage. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-2254580342.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>China’s, Moonshot, raises, 2B, 20B, valuation, demand, for, open-source, skyrockets</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The solopreneur’s guide to saying ‘no’</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-solopreneurs-guide-to-saying-no</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-solopreneurs-guide-to-saying-no</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Nearly every solopreneur starts their business saying “yes” to everything. After all, you’re trying to get clients and build a business. Revenue is unpredictable, and your brain treats every opportunity like it might be the last.



But when you work for yourself, every “yes” comes at a cost. Agreeing to one project means declining another—or giving up time you can’t get back. Defaulting to “yes” is how solopreneurs end up overcommitted, underpaid, and working on projects that don’t move their business forward. 



Saying no is a business skill and, like any skill, it gets sharper with practice.





Saying no to bad-fit clients



Not every client who reaches out is a good fit (you’ll quickly realize). Some will cost too much in their demands on your time and energy. The frustration isn’t worth the revenue they bring in. 



In the beginning, the red flags might be hard to spot. But eventually, you’ll learn that a client with a vague scope will morph into a project you can’t control. Or a project outside your core expertise will take twice as long. Or something about the initial conversation makes you feel like your working style won’t match the client’s.



Learning to trust your gut at the earliest stage—and to walk away before signing a contract—is one of the most protective decisions you can make for your business.



If you’re early in your solo career, you might not feel like you can afford to say no yet. That’s completely understandable. But you can start building the muscle now, even if it means being more selective about which red flags you’re willing to tolerate. Over time, client selection becomes more of a core business practice.



Saying no to protect your time



Then there are the smaller yeses—the ones that don’t look like much individually—compound fast. Clients ask for a “quick call” that runs 45 minutes. You agree to an unpaid collaboration for “exposure” that turns into a multi-week commitment. Or you absorb scope creep because it’s easier than pushing back.



Your time is what you’re trading. Every hour spent on low-value obligations is time not spent on billable work or building something for your business (or time spent on life outside of work).



A simple filter can help: Does this serve my priorities right now? What am I giving up to do it? If you can’t answer these questions clearly, that’s a sign to decline.



Saying no to shiny objects



Sometimes, the hardest “no” for many solopreneurs isn’t to a client or a calendar invite… it’s to their own ideas. They think of a new offer for clients or a new product they can create and immediately start building. 



My personal and near-constant brush with “shiny object syndrome” is trying new apps and tools. I’m an incessant tinkerer. But these cost time and are a distraction from other business priorities if I don’t rein myself in. 



The temptation is real, especially if your core work starts to feel routine or mundane. However, chasing every new idea dilutes your focus and splits your energy across too many things. 



Before committing to something new, you might ask yourself: will this move my business forward, or is it merely a distraction?



Saying no creates space



Saying no feels uncomfortable for nearly every solopreneur at some point. Every declined opportunity felt like a missed one. 



But with practice, you’ll start seeing things differently, especially if you can reclaim your time or focus on projects that excite you. Saying no is about trusting that better-aligned opportunities will come—and that you’ll have the bandwidth to take them on when they do. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, solopreneur’s, guide, saying, ‘no’</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>We need a Switzerland for the agentic future</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/we-need-a-switzerland-for-the-agentic-future</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/we-need-a-switzerland-for-the-agentic-future</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The conversation is changing. For the first time ever, the person or thing on the other side of an interaction isn’t always human. Every time I talk with other executives, the “agentic future” comes up. It’s a compelling idea: agents replacing old systems to actually solve problems for us without oversight. With more than a billion AI agents poised to handle everything from customer complaints to complex trades by 2029, the hurdle isn’t the tech itself. It’s whether we can actually trust it.



The reality is that most businesses are stuck in the pilot stage. Not for failure of imagination, but because we don’t have the right tools to move from a cool demo to a smart system that works safely at scale.



The old plumbing, or legacy infrastructure, wasn’t built for an agentic future. Workflows break easily. Data is trapped in silos. Trust is bolted on versus being built in. The result: As we deploy more agents, complexity will turn into chaos.



What’s missing is a trusted, neutral middle ground, a Switzerland for the modern tech stack.



As billions of these interactions happen, we need a layer that acts like a nervous system, connecting and coordinating every app and agent. Think of it as a conversational command center that fixes the trust gap by focusing on three things: identity, governance, and visibility.



IDENTITY: VERIFY WHO IS DOING WHAT



Let’s say you task an agent with purchasing an expensive driver that’ll add 20 yards off the tee, or in my case, one with AI to help me find the fairway more often. The retailer needs to know in real time that it was actually you who authorized the purchase, not some bad actor or rogue agent trying to improve their own handicap.



And as agents get more autonomy, the stakes get higher. A several hundred-dollar golf club purchased without approval is a nuisance. An unsanctioned bank transfer or a leaked confidential email is a disaster.



This goes far beyond the traditional machine-to-machine logins and identity tools we’ve used for years. Unlike traditional machines that follow a fixed script, agents use “reasoning” that is fluid and responds to each situation differently. They are built to work around problems and develop new skills. Expecting old school authentication, which is built for systems that react the same every time, to do the job against autonomous agents sets us up for disaster. 



Forget one-time logins. Identity in the agentic era has to be alive, dynamic, and real-time, constantly checking user intent and behavior against specific rules. That’s how you make interactions secure, whether you’re talking about a person or a bot.



GOVERNANCE: DEFINE WHAT IS HAPPENING



Agents are autonomous by design. They’re meant to go off and do things on their own. To do this accurately, they need clear, defined guardrails and policies that say what systems, applications, or data they have permission to access, and for how long.



Let’s revisit the agent buying your driver. Instead of sticking to your budget, it orders a custom TaylorMade for four times as much. Again, this sounds silly when it’s golf, but there’s absolutely no margin for error when agents are making calls on patient care or power grids.



Without strict access controls, scope creep can happen faster than you can say, “I didn’t authorize that.”Since agents from different companies have to work together across thousands of enterprise workflows, governance rules have to apply to everyone, regardless of the AI model they’re using. 



OBSERVABILITY: UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY



As agents start making decisions at the enterprise level, they create more liability. They’ll be roaming through sensitive networks and talking to your customers. We can’t let that be a black box. We have to be able to explain exactly what happened, why it happened, and who gave the green light.



Did that agent skirt its guardrails to spend $1,000 on your driver, or was a precise spend ceiling never initially established? Did it share private data on its own, or did someone on your team tell it to? Without a clear audit trail, businesses will be stuck in a loop with no way to improve.



It’s simple: You can’t manage what you can’t see. Without real observability, we lose accountability over agent behavior, which leads to waste, frustrated customers, and very real legal headaches. Nobody needs more of that.



ORCHESTRATE EVERY INTERACTION



We’re not just hosting conversations anymore; we’re managing a world of humans and AI. The way we run our businesses has to reflect that, starting now. Without continuous identity, governance, and observability, we’re heading for smarter, faster dysfunction. 



No one vendor will own the entire AI ecosystem. To close the trust gap, we need a neutral broker that doesn’t care what cloud, data warehouse, or model you use; a layer that acts as the agentic nervous system, regulating signals, making sure things are secure, and keeping us in control of every single interaction.



Khozema Shipchandler is the CEO of Twilio. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>need, Switzerland, for, the, agentic, future</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The towering sets for Broadway’s ‘The Lost Boys’ have audiences gasping. Here’s how the designer pulled it off</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-towering-sets-for-broadways-the-lost-boys-have-audiences-gasping-heres-how-the-designer-pulled-it-off</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-towering-sets-for-broadways-the-lost-boys-have-audiences-gasping-heres-how-the-designer-pulled-it-off</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When you’re building sets for a musical that’s populated by flying vampires, you have to challenge yourself to think three-dimensionally.



But Dane Laffrey is used to challenging himself. 



Over the course of his decades-long career in theater, the Tony-winning scenic designer has been tasked with bringing to life some of the most memorable sets in recent Broadway history—from a sandy, 360-degree Caribbean archipelago for the 2017 revival of Once on This Island to the futuristic South Korea setting of 2024’s Maybe Happy Ending.       



Now Laffrey’s set designs are literally soaring to new heights—while also sinking to new depths—in The Lost Boys, a dynamic and at times acrobatic musical that opened last month at Broadway’s Palace Theatre. 



Dane Laffrey [Photo: Matthew Murphy]



Based on the 1980s movie about undead teenagers running amok in a California beach town, the musical demanded a head-spinning array of disparate locations: for starters, a seedy arcade, a washed-up boardwalk, a sunken-in mosh pit, a towering railroad trestle, and a postindustrial underground lair where the vampires claim their victims—complete with its own working elevator.



In the vast expanse of the Palace, one of the biggest houses on Broadway, Laffrey’s work astounds as it morphs into all these locations in service of the fast-paced story, sometimes offering the actors multiple levels on which to perform their action-packed sequences, and other times moving out of the way completely so they can take flight. 



You may find yourself anxiously holding your breath as you wait to see if everyone lands on cue, and fortunately, Laffrey’s Rubik’s Cube-like set pieces always slide into their proper place at just the right time. 



Taken in as a whole, the experience is at once intense and hard to describe, which is the point.     



“Hopefully, it feels boundless in a good way,” Laffrey tells Fast Company in an interview from his office in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. “One of the things we’ve tried to do is make the audience unaware of the boundaries of the space. You can’t quite tell where the theater begins and the set ends, or where anything goes, or quite how big anything is.”



[Photo: Matthew Murphy]



Laffrey approached The Lost Boys set design by viewing the story’s central location not just as a backdrop, but as an “important character” in its own right: the rustic old house where the Emerson family, fleeing an abusive patriarch, first arrive in the opening scene. 



“It’s a metaphor for the thing that everybody in the story is yearning for,” he says. “They’re yearning to belong. They’re yearning for a home.”



As the musical faithfully follows the main beats of the movie, the house had to be ready to accommodate key scenes, including quieter moments between the family and a major showdown that involves some effects-laden vampire hunting. That meant a house with multiple levels, rooms, and complex moving parts, Laffrey recalls thinking early on.  



That same house then also had to disappear—quickly. 



“We needed to be able to explode out onto the Santa Carla boardwalk, and have that feeling of scope and mystery and luridness, and find ourselves in the vampires’ lair, and do a lot of magic tricks, and the list goes on,” Laffrey says. “So the challenge of this show was figuring out how to hold all of those quite divergent visual ideas into one container.”



The Lost Boys was nominated for 12 Tony Awards this week, including best musical, with Laffrey picking up a nomination for his scenic design.



[Photo: Matthew Murphy]



Blood, sweat, and fangs



Adapting a movie into a musical always brings with it a delicate balance: how to honor the source material while also pushing it into a direction that justifies the singing and dancing. 



Pleasing the fans can be its own thing entirely, perhaps especially so with The Lost Boys. The movie is, if not quite a cult classic, certainly a Gen X touchstone with its share of pop-culture references. Kiefer Sutherland’s bleached mullet aside, there is also the famous scene of the gang hanging from a bridge—which is restaged brilliantly here.



Laffrey hadn’t seen the movie when he first joined the project, and he confesses that he waited as late in the process as possible to do so, in the interest of developing his own “visual point of view” about the story.    



“Being tabula rasa is an incredibly valuable place to find yourself artistically as a designer or visual artist,” he says. “I was able to confront The Lost Boys for the longest time just as a piece of theater, as it was being written.” 



The production comes about a year after Laffrey, along with George Reeve, took home the Tony Award for best musical scenic design for Maybe Happy Ending, the sleeper hit about two obsolete robots who fall in love. 



Side by side, the two shows are a study in contrasts, with Laffrey remarking how he tries not to repeat himself.



Indeed, the set pieces for Maybe Happy Ending are unabashedly sleek and modern, with bright colors and size-shifting rooms that underscore the intimacy of the storyline and complement its romantic undertones.



[Photo: Matthew Murphy]



The Lost Boys, meanwhile, is awash in brown and rust, a dreary cast-iron portrait of a town that’s long past its prime. “There is a lot of detail in there that hopefully flags that this is something that has some history to it, and some weight and some time on it,” Laffrey says. “And we’re sort of layering 1987 on top of that.”



In contrast to the immersive projections that won such acclaim in Maybe Happy Ending, the only screen we ever see in The Lost Boys is a tube TV set featuring a speech by Ronald Reagan.



“The needs of those shows couldn’t be more different,” Laffrey says.



One thing they share in common is director Michael Arden, Laffrey’s longtime collaborator. The two met in high school in Michigan and have been close friends for 25 years, he says—vital in a business that thrives on relationships. 



“The building blocks of a shared vocabulary are so valuable in making really dynamic art,” Laffrey says.



The Lost Boys marks Laffrey’s and Arden’s seventh Broadway show together. The pair also have a producing interest in the show through their production company, At Rise Creative. Laffrey says the company raised “several million dollars” for the project, though he declined to share a specific figure.



While creatives often serve as producers on movies, this arrangement is less common in theater, Laffrey points out. He says it’s a testament to what he and his producing partners see as the creative and commercial potential of the show.  



“As people who intend to make ambitious theater—which also becomes expensive theater—we want to be conscious of making expensive theater that is also sustainable theater,” he says.



They’ll have their work cut out for them. Profits can be ruthlessly elusive on Broadway, where most shows don’t recoup their full investments and many close under the weight of crushing operating costs and light attendance.



For now, the buzz is on their side. In addition to this week’s Tony nominations, The Lost Boys earned a wave of positive reviews when it opened last month, with Laffrey’s work in particular being praised in The New York Times, Deadline, The New Yorker, Variety, and elsewhere. 



The show is being cited as the one that finally broke Broadway’s notorious “vampire curse,” a reference to early-2000s musical flops such as Dance of the Vampires and Lestat.



But then maybe that’s because, in Laffrey’s mind at least, The Lost Boys is not really about vampires at all. 



“The vampires are a textural element in this world, but this is a story about lost people and a family that’s breaking apart,” he says. “There’s something universal and emotionally resonant about that. Those are the things you need for a musical to really work.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, towering, sets, for, Broadway’s, ‘The, Lost, Boys’, have, audiences, gasping., Here’s, how, the, designer, pulled, off</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Rare Earths Americas IPO: Stock price will be closely watched today as ‘exploration stage’ firm lists on NYSE</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/rare-earths-americas-ipo-stock-price-will-be-closely-watched-today-as-exploration-stage-firm-lists-on-nyse</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/rare-earths-americas-ipo-stock-price-will-be-closely-watched-today-as-exploration-stage-firm-lists-on-nyse</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Rare Earths Americas is expected to make its New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) debut today. 



The company, which focuses on “heavy rare earths” projects in the United States and Brazil, will make its initial public offering at $19 per share. Here’s what you need to know about Rare Earths Americas’s IPO. 



What is Rare Earths Americas?



Calling itself an “exploration stage company,” Rare Earths Americas is a critical minerals company that is positioning itself as key to creating a rare earth supply independent of China. 



It plans to use the money raised in its IPO to fund land acquisition, drilling, and metallurgy, among other developments. 



The company is based in Manchester, Georgia, and also has a field office in Brazil.



Rare earth elements are the backbone of everything from cell phones to wind turbines. At the same time, their extraction is also devastating poor communities around the globe.



When is the IPO for Rare Earths Americas?



The company priced its shares on Tuesday. It expects to start trading today, Wednesday, May 6, and close the offer on Thursday, May 7. 



What is the stock ticker for Rare Earths Americas?



It will trade on the NYSE under the ticker REA.



What is the IPO share price of Rare Earths Americas?



The company’s share price is $19, the higher end of its marketed range. Rare Earths Americas initially estimated each share would be priced between $17 and $19 in its April 28 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). According to Reuters, the company has a valuation of roughly $368.4 million at that price. 



How many Rare Earths Americas shares are available in its IPO?



Rare Earths Americas is offering 3.3 million common stock shares to the public. The company is also offering its underwriters 30 days to purchase another 499,999 shares. 



How much will Rare Earths Americas raise in its IPO?



The company expects to raise $63.3 million in its IPO. 



What else is there to know about Rare Earths Americas?



In its prospectus filed with the SEC, Rare Earths Americas listed a range of risk factors for potential investors. They include notable—and almost humorous—factors given that the company’s entire aim is wanting to work on rare earth projects. The risks include: 




We have no history of producing rare earth materials 



Mineral exploration is highly speculative and subject to an exceptionally high probability of failure



All of our business activities are now in the exploration stage and there can be no assurance that we will build successful business operations or ever produce minerals from any of our properties



Estimates that guide our development plans and anticipated financing needs with respect to our mineral projects may prove inaccurate or incomplete
 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Rare, Earths, Americas, IPO:, Stock, price, will, closely, watched, today, ‘exploration, stage’, firm, lists, NYSE</media:keywords>
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<title>China, ‘deeply distressed,’ calls for an end to the U.S.&#45;Iran war</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/china-deeply-distressed-calls-for-an-end-to-the-us-iran-war</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/china-deeply-distressed-calls-for-an-end-to-the-us-iran-war</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ China’s foreign minister on Wednesday called for a comprehensive ceasefire in the Iran war, in comments that could inject new energy into stalled efforts to end the two-month conflict between the United States and Iran.Wang Yi said his country was “deeply distressed” by the conflict. He spoke after meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was visiting Beijing for the first time since the war with the U.S. and Israel started Feb. 28.China’s close economic and political ties to Tehran give it a unique position of influence. The Trump administration is pressing China to use that relationship to urge the Islamic Republic to open the Strait of Hormuz.The Chinese minister’s comments followed an earlier statement by U.S. President Donald Trump that he was pausing his short-lived U.S. effort to guide stranded commercial vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz in hopes that a deal could be finalized. A shaky ceasefire has been largely holding, despite exchanges of fire during the U.S. push to reopen the strait on Monday.Iran’s effective closure of the strait, a vital waterway through which major oil and gas supplies, fertilizer and other petroleum products passed before the war, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing, rattled the global economy and put enormous economic pressure on countries, including major powers like China.The spot price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, fell to around $100 per barrel Wednesday, easing significantly from big price jumps earlier in the week. The prices are still well above the roughly $70 a barrel that crude was selling for before the war began.



Trump also due to visit China



Araghchi’s visit to China comes ahead of a planned visit by Trump to Beijing for a high-profile summit May 14-15 with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The trip would be Trump’s first to China during his second term and the first by a U.S. president since Trump visited in 2017.“We believe that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed, that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable, and that it is particularly important to remain committed to dialogue and negotiations,” Wang said, according to a video of the meeting.The Chinese foreign minister said the conflict “has already lasted for more than two months. It has not only caused serious losses to the Iranian people, but also had a severe impact on regional and global peace. China is deeply distressed by this.”In a televised interview with Iran’s state media from Beijing, Araghchi said his visit included discussions of the Strait of Hormuz as well as Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions imposed on Tehran.Iran has attained “an elevated international standing” after the war, having proven its capabilities and strength, Araghchi said.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that Beijing would reiterate the need for Iran to release its chokehold on the strait, which would deny its main leverage as Trump demands a major rollback of Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.“I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told,” Rubio said during a White House briefing Tuesday. “And that is that what you are doing in the strait is causing you to be globally isolated. You’re the bad guy in this.”China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing has made clear that the relevant sides must act “with prudence” and resolve the conflict through dialogue in order to restore peace. He added that China has been actively promoting peace talks and will continue to do so.In a statement published on the ministry’s website about Wang’s meeting with Araghchi, the foreign ministry said China values Iran’s pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons while affirming its “legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”



Trump pauses effort to guide ships out of strait



Hundreds of merchant ships remain bottled up in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. said it had opened a safe shipping lane Monday and sunk six small Iranian boats that had threatened commercial ships in the strait. Only two merchant ships are known to have passed through the U.S.-guarded route.But Trump announced he was pausing the effort, dubbed Project Freedom, to see whether an agreement with Tehran on ending the war could be reached.In a social media post Tuesday, Trump said the move was based “on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran.”Pakistan has been mediating between the U.S. and Iran, and had hosted peace talks between the two sides.On Wednesday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked Trump for what he described as a timely announcement of a pause in the effort to guide ships out of the strait.In a post on X, Sharif said Trump’s response to requests from Pakistan and other countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, would help advance regional peace, stability and reconciliation.“Pakistan remains firmly committed to supporting all efforts that promote restraint and a peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy,” Sharif said. “We are very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond.”







Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Pakistan, Toqa Ezzidin in Cairo and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed.



—E. Eduardo Castillo and Elena Becatoros, Associated Press ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>China, ‘deeply, distressed, ’, calls, for, end, the, U.S.-Iran, war</media:keywords>
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<title>How to find the best energy supplier for your small business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-find-the-best-energy-supplier-for-your-small-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-find-the-best-energy-supplier-for-your-small-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


With a steep rise in energy prices, we show you how to find the right energy supplier for your small business
The post How to find the best energy supplier for your small business appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2022/01/Energy-shopping-around-scaled-1.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, find, the, best, energy, supplier, for, your, small, business</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Britain’s green start&#45;ups face ‘triple squeeze’ as early&#45;stage funding crashes to five&#45;year low</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/britains-green-start-ups-face-triple-squeeze-as-early-stage-funding-crashes-to-five-year-low</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/britains-green-start-ups-face-triple-squeeze-as-early-stage-funding-crashes-to-five-year-low</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Early-stage funding for Britain&#039;s clean tech start-ups halved in 2025, hitting a five-year low. Cleantech for UK warns the innovation pipeline is at risk.
Read more: 
Britain’s green start-ups face ‘triple squeeze’ as early-stage funding crashes to five-year low ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2681456225.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Britain’s, green, start-ups, face, ‘triple, squeeze’, early-stage, funding, crashes, five-year, low</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Bristol leads UK innovation jobs boom as the regions close the gap on London</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bristol-leads-uk-innovation-jobs-boom-as-the-regions-close-the-gap-on-london</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bristol-leads-uk-innovation-jobs-boom-as-the-regions-close-the-gap-on-london</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
New research lays bare a striking paradox: workforces at Britain&#039;s most innovative firms are growing fastest outside the south-east, yet eight in every ten venture pounds still pour into the so-called golden triangle.
Read more: 
Bristol leads UK innovation jobs boom as the regions close the gap on London ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2441567381.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Bristol, leads, innovation, jobs, boom, the, regions, close, the, gap, London</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Whisky tariffs lifted as Trump hails royal state visit</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/whisky-tariffs-lifted-as-trump-hails-royal-state-visit</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/whisky-tariffs-lifted-as-trump-hails-royal-state-visit</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Britain&#039;s distillers have been handed an unexpected fillip after Donald Trump announced the removal of all US tariffs and restrictions on whisky imports, a concession the president attributed directly to the influence of King Charles and Queen Camilla&#039;s four-day state visit to America.
Read more: 
Whisky tariffs lifted as Trump hails royal state visit ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2743637277-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Whisky, tariffs, lifted, Trump, hails, royal, state, visit</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Britain doesn’t have a start&#45;up problem, it has a stay&#45;at&#45;home problem</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/britain-doesnt-have-a-start-up-problem-it-has-a-stay-at-home-problem</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/britain-doesnt-have-a-start-up-problem-it-has-a-stay-at-home-problem</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Britain launches companies brilliantly. It just can’t keep them. Richard Alvin on why the next British unicorn will probably IPO in New York, and what to do before it does.
Read more: 
Britain doesn’t have a start-up problem, it has a stay-at-home problem ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2389115163.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Britain, doesn’t, have, start-up, problem, has, stay-at-home, problem</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Last orders for British hospitality: Are Reeves and Starmer trying to kill the UK restaurant sector?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/last-orders-for-british-hospitality-are-reeves-and-starmer-trying-to-kill-the-uk-restaurant-sector</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/last-orders-for-british-hospitality-are-reeves-and-starmer-trying-to-kill-the-uk-restaurant-sector</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
From a £3.4 billion National Insurance hit to a refusal to cut hospitality VAT, the policies of Reeves and Starmer read like a hit job on Britain&#039;s high streets.
Read more: 
Last orders for British hospitality: Are Reeves and Starmer trying to kill the UK restaurant sector? ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2635968175.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Last, orders, for, British, hospitality:, Are, Reeves, and, Starmer, trying, kill, the, restaurant, sector</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The best AI dictation apps, tested and ranked</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-best-ai-dictation-apps-tested-and-ranked</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-best-ai-dictation-apps-tested-and-ranked</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ AI-powered dictation apps are useful for replying to emails, taking notes, and even coding through your voice ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1424498694.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, best, dictation, apps, tested, and, ranked</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Netflix delays Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia’ movie for big theatrical push in 2027</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/netflix-delays-greta-gerwigs-narnia-movie-for-big-theatrical-push-in-2027</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/netflix-delays-greta-gerwigs-narnia-movie-for-big-theatrical-push-in-2027</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;The Magician&#039;s Nephew&quot; looks like a big next step in Netflix&#039;s thawing relationship with movie theaters. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2239723841.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Netflix, delays, Greta, Gerwig’s, ‘Narnia’, movie, for, big, theatrical, push, 2027</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Farewell, Jeeves: Ask.com shuts down</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/farewell-jeeves-askcom-shuts-down</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/farewell-jeeves-askcom-shuts-down</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Owner IAC says it&#039;s discontinuing its search business. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-1231517365.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Farewell, Jeeves:, Ask.com, shuts, down</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>AI&#45;generated actors and scripts are now ineligible for Oscars</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ai-generated-actors-and-scripts-are-now-ineligible-for-oscars</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/ai-generated-actors-and-scripts-are-now-ineligible-for-oscars</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Bad news for Tilly Norwood. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2266014829.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>AI-generated, actors, and, scripts, are, now, ineligible, for, Oscars</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>This tiny, magnetic e&#45;reader could stop you from doomscrolling</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-tiny-magnetic-e-reader-could-stop-you-from-doomscrolling</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-tiny-magnetic-e-reader-could-stop-you-from-doomscrolling</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Xteink X3 is a delightfully tiny, MagSafe-compatible e-ink reader that attaches to the back of your phone like a Pop Socket. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/IMG_7411-1.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>This, tiny, magnetic, e-reader, could, stop, you, from, doomscrolling</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>This free website is like Wikipedia meets the CIA</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-free-website-is-like-wikipedia-meets-the-cia</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-free-website-is-like-wikipedia-meets-the-cia</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ You may or may not have ever realized it, but for more than six decades, the CIA published an incredible resource called The World Factbook​. It was a free reference guide to all the countries on Earth, along with several non-state entities such as the European Union, and it was filled with all sorts of eye-opening info.



You might’ve noticed I’m referring to it in the past tense. That’s because after having maintained this project since 1962—first as a printed book and then in more recent years online—the CIA unceremoniously discontinued and deleted The World Factbook earlier this year.



But, as so often happens, the internet has come to the rescue. And now this one-of-a-kind resource and all the wisdom within it is available for anyone to tap into again.



This tip originally appeared in the free Cool Tools newsletter from The Intelligence. Get the next issue in your inbox and get ready to discover all sorts of awesome tech treasures!



Your free global field guide



On February 4, the CIA announced​ it was shutting down The World Factbook once and for all. Every single page was deleted simultaneously.



That’s the bad news. The good news: Someone’s already brought it back, and it’s available once more as a free online resource.



➜ The new version is called OpenFactBook​. It’s a community-maintained successor to the original from the CIA.



⌚ You can start browsing it right now, in a matter of seconds.



✅ The simplest way to use OpenFactBook is to pick a country and dive in. Every page starts with a few key statistics, a map, and a brief history. Then, you’ll find a plethora of revealing statistics.



OpenFactBook may look simple on the surface, but it’s filled with mountains of invaluable info.



? Part of the fun is discovering cool or unusual stats. For example: The highest elevation in Vatican City is the Vatican Gardens, which is 78 meters above sea level. The lowest: Saint Peter’s Square, at 19 meters. They use 0% of their land for agriculture.



But there’s so much more here than unexpected stats about microstates.



? One feature I love is the Compare Countries tool​, found in the top menu bar. You can use it to see a quick breakdown of multiple countries, which is great when you’re trying to get a feel for something like the relative size, population, or standard of living between different places.



The ability to perform detailed country comparisons is one of OpenFactBook’s finer features.



Basically, this is the same data the government long offered, only now it’s maintained by dedicated volunteers. The information combines data from the original guide with data from the World Bank Group and a service called REST Countries API.



And now it’ll always be available for anyone to access. All you need to know is where to find it.




OpenFactBook is a good old-fashioned website​—no downloads or installations required.



It’s free, with optional donations to support the hosting and data access expenses.



The site has no cookies, tracking, or personal data collection of any kind.




Treat yourself to all sorts of brain-boosting goodies like this with the free Cool Tools newsletter—starting with an instant introduction to an incredible audio app that’ll tune up your days in truly delightful ways.
 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>This, free, website, like, Wikipedia, meets, the, CIA</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Stop letting ChatGPT and other AI chatbots train on your data. Here’s why—and how</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/stop-letting-chatgpt-and-other-ai-chatbots-train-on-your-data-heres-whyand-how</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/stop-letting-chatgpt-and-other-ai-chatbots-train-on-your-data-heres-whyand-how</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When you interact with a chatbot, there’s a good chance that everything you say, and every prompt you give, isn’t just used to generate replies to your queries. Nearly every chatbot company on the planet also uses the information you provide to train its AI models. This can leave your privacy—and even your employer’s confidential information—exposed. But you can mitigate these privacy risks by telling chatbots not to use your data for training. Here’s how.



What is AI chatbot training?



In order for a chatbot to provide knowledgeable and (hopefully) accurate answers, the underlying large language model (LLM) that powers it needs to assimilate a massive amount of information, which it then uses to help answer your questions. This process of information assimilation is known as “training.”



The more information an LLM trains on, the more intelligent the LLM, ostensibly, gets. LLMs acquire training data from numerous sources, including public websites, social media platforms, encyclopedias, video-sharing sites like YouTube, and, unfortunately, sometimes even without permission from authors, novelists, artists, musicians, and other creatives.



But LLMs also get their training data from you, too. Every time you enter a prompt to give a chatbot information, that information is likely being used by the AI company to further train its models. And that can leave your privacy severely exposed.



Why you shouldn’t let AI chatbots train on your data



It’s generally a good idea not to allow LLMs to train on your data, especially if, in your interactions with a chatbot, you share a lot of sensitive information about yourself. If you talk to a chatbot about your physical or mental health, your finances, or your relationships, you should know that that data is, by default, usually used by the AI company to further train its LLM, which means your most intimate thoughts, worries, and concerns are becoming part of the model.



AI companies say they anonymize the information you provide before using it to train their models—but you really just have to take them at their word. Even if they do anonymize your information, that doesn’t mean a bad actor in the future couldn’t use some technique to link all the prompts about a particular health, relationship, legal, or financial issue back to you.



And if you are using an AI chatbot for work, you could be exposing your employer to legal and regulatory risks if the data you feed it contains confidential user or client information. Even if it doesn’t, you could inadvertently give away your employer’s corporate secrets, such as proprietary code or sales data. The chatbot may give you the answers you’re searching for, but it will also use all the data you give it to further train its models—and retain that data as part of itself.



How to prevent AI chatbots from training on your data



All this means that it’s a very good idea to prohibit a chatbot from training on your data. Doing so will not hinder the quality of the results the chatbot provides to you, but it will ensure, as best as possible, that the data you provide to it won’t be permanently absorbed into the bot’s underlying LLM.



The good news is that most reputable chatbots—including the four most popular ones: OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, and Perplexity AI’s Perplexity—now offer ways you can opt out of having your data used for training. Here’s how to tell the big four chatbots to stop training on your data:




ChatGPT: Select your profile to access the chatbot’s settings. Select Data Controls. Select “Improve the model for everyone.” Toggle the “Improve the model for everyone” switch off.



Gemini: Go to the Gemini Apps Activity settings page. Select the button that says “On.” From the pop-up, select “Turn off.” Select “Got it” in the confirmation box that appears.



Claude: Select your profile to access the chatbot’s settings. Select the privacy menu. Toggle the “Help improve Claude” switch off.



Perplexity: Select your profile to access the chatbot’s settings. Select the Preferences menu. Toggle the “AI data retention” switch off.




Once you’ve done this, none of the big four AI giants should be able to use the prompts and other information you give their chatbots to further train their LLMs. However, since these firms haven’t provided independent auditors with access to their systems, you have to take the companies’ word that they will stop using your data to train their models.



Also note that even if AI companies agree not to use your data to train their models, they may retain information from your chats and other information you provide for legal or regulatory purposes for a set period of time.



And even with these anti-training orders in place, it’s still a good idea to thoroughly (and correctly) redact sensitive information from any documents before you upload them to an AI chatbot. To get even more privacy when interacting with popular chatbots, consider using proxies like Apple Intelligence on the iPhone or DuckDuckGo’s Duck.ai, which can help better obscure your digital footprint from AI giants. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Stop, letting, ChatGPT, and, other, chatbots, train, your, data., Here’s, why—and, how</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>This NASA astronaut has spent years shaping the future of spaceflight. Now he’s finally heading to orbit</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-nasa-astronaut-has-spent-years-shaping-the-future-of-spaceflight-now-hes-finally-heading-to-orbit</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-nasa-astronaut-has-spent-years-shaping-the-future-of-spaceflight-now-hes-finally-heading-to-orbit</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Anil Menon might have the world’s spaciest resume. After several years as a NASA flight surgeon, he became SpaceX’s medical director in 2018, where he authored research on the effects of space on the human body. In 2021, he was selected as a NASA astronaut and has spent the past several years training for his own journey to space. Along the way, he also supported his wife, Anna Menon, who traveled to space on a private mission in 2024 and was herself selected as a NASA astronaut last year.



Somewhere in the margins, Menon has also served as an Air Force Reserve member and emergency room doctor.



Now, he’s finally heading to space himself. This July, Menon will travel to Kazakhstan, where Russia’s space program conducts launches, and join two cosmonauts on the next mission to the International Space Station. He’ll fly aboard the storied Russian Soyuz crew vehicle, which has been used successfully for decades, and is expected to spend eight months aboard the station.



For years, NASA and Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, have maintained the practice of placing astronauts and cosmonauts on one another’s missions. One side effect of that arrangement, and of the modern space age more broadly, is that Menon brings an unusually expansive perspective on life in space, with experience spanning NASA, Russia’s space program, and SpaceX, as well as a firsthand view of NASA’s distinct institutional role.



“NASA kind of bridges the gap between some of these different cultures and synthesizes it,” he says. “As we look at the moon, everyone is going to pursue that as well. I think that NASA is this great synergy for all of that.”



Fast Company spoke with Menon about his upcoming mission, the future of commercial space stations, and the biggest unanswered questions surrounding microgravity’s effects on the human body. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.



Can you talk a little bit about the differences between the Soyuz and the Crew Dragon?



The Soyuz was developed for some of the first space flights and it’s got this long heritage tracing back to what we consider the space race. They’ve tried to keep things that work and just keep them working for high-reliability reasons. Some of the computers and screen layouts are things that are push-button… They work. 



The same goes for engines and some of the seats and comfort level. Most of the astronauts during the early Russian space program were shorter in stature, so someone who’s 6’1’’ like me doesn’t fit as well, but I fit… It works, and that’s the interesting thing. The spacesuit has a rubber pressure seal, and you twist it … and then you put a band around it to seal it—two bands—and that’s how you create your seal. It isn’t a zipper. It isn’t some locking mechanism, but it works. And it’s always worked. 



SpaceX, born in this era, is really pushing the frontiers of engineering and developing things. You’ll see more touch displays. It’s automated procedure sequences….you hit a button, and you get that procedure popping up for you with a lot of data flowing in, as you’d see in a sci-fi movie. It also works, and it’s a different way to tackle the problem, and it’s got some advantages. 



The suits: you zip them around and put them on… They look really cool, and they work really well. There are different sorts of engines —[where] the rocket itself lands—which adds usability. I’d say it’s pushing the frontiers of where we want to go with things, which is uniquely cultural to us in terms of the way we look at things.



As a physician, what do you see as the biggest open questions about, like, the impact of space on the human body? We’ve done a lot of studies on through the International Space Station, but what open questions intrigue you as we think about going to the moon, and maybe Mars?



I’ll answer that in a nebulous way and a very specific way. The more general answer is that there’s just so much new stuff. We’ve been flying healthy astronauts to space for a long time. We are going to be flying—and we are starting to fly—the whole spread of humans to space. You know, on Inspiration 4, Hayley Arceneaux had an osteosarcoma [bone cancer].  How does that change things? So there’s just a lot of unknown. 



At this point in time, in medicine, it’s not often you see totally new diseases, but we’re seeing new things in space. I think in the future, we’ll continue to see new things, and that’s probably like the biggest thing. 



If I were to just pick a specific thing for a concrete example, we’re seeing clotting happen in space in unexpected ways. You take a really healthy person, put them in space, there’s three things that increase your chance of a clot: One is injury, and that’s when your body, like closes the wound—[and] that’s normal. The other is stasis, which means if you just keep blood in a static spot, it’s going to clot. The other is like some element of hypercoagulability. If you take oral contraceptives for women, it  makes you a little more prone to clotting. In space, what you’re getting is stasis on some level, so blood isn’t moving the same. You’re getting one cornerstone of that clotting triangle, and it just takes a little bit more to see something else. 



As you send more people up there, a lot of these diseases that are related to that [and] you’re just going to see more of them. That could be deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, strokes, things like that. We’ll have to figure out, like, what do we do about it? 



On the flip side, is there any promise or hope that there are health metrics that seem to improve in space compared to on Earth?



You always see this in sci-fi, but if you have disabilities on Earth, maybe that goes away in space, right? You don’t need your legs in space, and so you can do a lot of things that you couldn’t do on Earth, which opens up the doors for a lot of people for whom that’s an issue. And I watch enough sci-fi movies that I’m hoping that I get a mutant gene while I’m up there and have some new superpower. I’m just kidding!



We’re preparing for the next generation of commercial space stations that will eventually replace the ISS. What do you have in mind for what we could do differently or change? 



ISS is a great stepping stone to leverage to learn about our next step. I think the next step, a commercial space station, will also be a stepping stone to the future. So what are the things we do on ISS that we could do better on those would be really important science. Increase the throughput and make it easier for people to do science. On the ISS, that’s great, but you can always do things better. 



Letting people do real-time feedback on some of the science that they’re doing there. Experimenting with things that could open up the door to going to Mars and staying on the Moon. 



Looking at those things that kick off the orbital economy, like printing and developing those manufacturing processes. They want to make new chips up there, and that stimulates more jobs in space and doing stuff. Focusing on the high-yield things and then kicking them off are going to be transformative…Think about all the things that need to go into a data center that’s in space. Some of these future stations can lean into that and help carry out or fix that technology until it’s like something that you can just deliver and launch. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>This, NASA, astronaut, has, spent, years, shaping, the, future, spaceflight., Now, he’s, finally, heading, orbit</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Housing market power divide: States where buyers can find the most, and least, inventory right now</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/housing-market-power-divide-states-where-buyers-can-find-the-most-and-least-inventory-right-now</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/housing-market-power-divide-states-where-buyers-can-find-the-most-and-least-inventory-right-now</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Want more housing market stories from Lance Lambert’s ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter.



When assessing home price momentum, ResiClub believes it’s important to monitor active listings and months of supply. If active listings start to increase rapidly as homes remain on the market for longer periods, it may indicate pricing softness or weakness. Conversely, a rapid decline in active listings beyond seasonality could suggest a market where sellers are gaining power.



Since the national pandemic housing boom fizzled out in 2022, the power dynamic has slowly been shifting directionally from sellers to buyers. Of course, that shift has varied across the country.



Generally speaking, local housing markets where active inventory has jumped above pre-pandemic 2019 levels have experienced softer home price growth (or outright price declines) over the past 47 months. Conversely, local housing markets where active inventory remains far below pre-pandemic 2019 levels have, generally speaking, experienced, relatively speaking, more resilient home price growth over the past 47 months.



Where is national active inventory headed now?



While national active inventory is still up year over year, the pace of growth has slowed in recent months as softening has slowed.



National active listings are up 4.6% on a year-over-year basis from April 30, 2025, to April 30, 2026, according to Realtor.com’s inventory data. But if you go back 12 months, that year-over-year national inventory growth rate was much higher (+30.6%).



After a period in which leverage shifted more toward homebuyers, the supply-demand equilibrium in the nationally aggregated housing market has been more stable in recent months.



Nationally, we’re still below pre-pandemic 2019 inventory levels (-11.8% below April 2019) and some resale markets, in particular chunks of the Midwest and Northeast, still remain tightish, relatively speaking.







April inventory/active listings total, according to Realtor.com:




April 2017 -&gt; 1,198,424



April 2018 -&gt; 1,102,064



April 2019 -&gt; 1,137,198



April 2020 -&gt; 941,733



April 2021 -&gt; 435,663 (pandemic housing boom overheating)



April 2022 -&gt; 379,978 (pandemic housing boom overheating)



April 2023 -&gt; 562,966



April 2024 -&gt; 734,318



April 2025 -&gt; 959,251



April 2026 -&gt; 1,002,935




If we maintain the current year-over-year pace of inventory growth (+43,684 homes for sale), we’d have 1,046,619 active inventory come April 2027. (Note: That’s not a prediction—I’m just showing what the math looks like if that pace continues.)



Below is the year-over-year active inventory percentage change by state.







While active housing inventory is rising in most markets on a year-over-year basis, the pace of growth continues to decelerate across much of the country (see the side-by-side maps below). In fact, Florida—home to many of the weakest regional housing markets over the past two years—is now seeing active inventory edge down a little year over year (-12%).







Above, left: Year-over-year active inventory shift from April 2024 to April 2025



Above, right: Year-over-year active inventory shift from April 2025 to April 2026



And while active housing inventory is rising in most markets on a year-over-year basis, some markets still remain tightish.







As ResiClub has been documenting, both active resale and new homes for sale remain the most limited across huge swaths of the Midwest and Northeast. That’s where home sellers in the spring/summer are likely, relatively speaking, to have more power than their peers in many Southern markets.



Active inventory in April 2026 compared to pre-pandemic April 2019:




Southwest —&gt; +23%



West —&gt; +3%



Southeast —&gt; -2%



Midwest —&gt; -35%



Northeast —&gt; -50%




In contrast, active housing inventory for sale has neared or surpassed pre-pandemic 2019 levels in many parts of the Sunbelt and Mountain West, including metro area housing markets such as Punta Gorda, Florida, and Austin.



Many of these areas saw major price surges during the pandemic housing boom, with home prices getting stretched compared to local incomes. As pandemic-driven domestic migration slowed and mortgage rates rose, markets like Punta Gorda and Austin faced challenges, relying on local income levels to support frothy home prices.



This softening trend was accelerated further by an abundance of new home supply in the Sunbelt. Builders are often willing to lower prices or offer affordability incentives (if they have the margins to do so) to maintain sales in a shifted market, which also has a cooling effect on the resale market, with some buyers, who would have previously considered existing homes, opting for new homes with more favorable deals over the past couple years. That then puts some additional upward pressure on resale inventory.



Click here to view an interactive version of the map below.







At the end of April 2026, 12 states were above pre-pandemic 2019 active inventory levels: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Washington. (The District of Columbia—which we left out of the table below—is also back above pre-pandemic 2019 active inventory levels.)









The big picture



Over the past several months, the post-boom softening has lost momentum, and inventory growth has decelerated on a year-over-year basis. That said, the nationally aggregated housing market remains soft. While home prices are declining in some parts of the Sunbelt, a large share of Northeast and Midwest markets are still eking out modest year-over-year gains. At the national level, home prices are essentially flat year over year.







Below is another version of the table; this one includes every month since January 2017.







If you’d like to examine the monthly state inventory figures further, use the interactive chart below.



Florida—which has been the epicenter of housing market weakness over the past two years, particularly in Southwest Florida—is no longer seeing the upward burst in inventory. Indeed, the intensity of Florida’s housing market correction is easing across many pockets of the state.



Click here to view a sortable version of the chart below.






 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Housing, market, power, divide:, States, where, buyers, can, find, the, most, and, least, inventory, right, now</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Lululemon needs its ‘Gap’ moment</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lululemon-needs-its-gap-moment</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lululemon-needs-its-gap-moment</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Heidi O’Neill is having a tough week. 



In late April, the Lululemon board announced it had ended its monthslong search to replace CEO Calvin McDonald, who left the company abruptly in 2025 after six years at the helm. As soon as the company announced that O’Neill, a 26-year Nike veteran, would be taking on the position, things got messy. Lululemon’s stock took a plunge, suggesting that investors didn’t think O’Neill was the right pick. And many analysts—including myself—argued that following the Nike playbook would not lead Lululemon out of its financial doldrums.



Then, Lululemon founder Chip Wilson weighed in. Wilson launched the company in 1998 as a yoga brand and left in 2005, but he has never stopped trying to stay involved, and he still wields considerable power at the company as its largest shareholder. He had made it clear that he didn’t approve of McDonald’s leadership, and in a LinkedIn post, he went after the board for choosing O’Neill, arguing they should be looking for “passionate, creative renegades who have a vision that will shake up the status quo.”



Wilson’s judgment is not always right. This is someone who once had to apologize for saying that women’s thighs rubbing together was responsible for the pilling on Lululemon leggings—a comment widely perceived to be body shaming. And last year he criticized Lululemon’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies for welcoming customers “you don’t want . . . coming in.” But that doesn’t mean his instincts are always wrong.



What Lululemon needs right now is the kind of revitalization we’re seeing at Gap—and it’s worth paying attention to how that brand pulled it off. The legacy apparel brand, founded in 1969, had gone through several years of declining sales. But these days it’s having a moment.



Over the past two years, it has had hit marketing campaigns every season, tapping stars like Young Miko, Troye Sivan, and, most notably, Katseye. Zac Posen has created a high-fashion version of the Gap label called GapStudio, which has put red-carpet garments on the backs of celebrities like Timothée Chalamet and Anne Hathaway. The brand has also launched collaborations with Béis, Dôen, and, most recently, Victoria Beckham, all huge hits.



While this kind of turnaround is the stuff brands dream of, Mark Breitbard, president and CEO of the global Gap Brand, has made it clear that it’s the result of a lot of hard work. It has also required a deep knowledge of the brand. 



Breitbard is not a Gap outsider. Early in his career, from 2009 to 2013, he worked as the chief merchant at Old Navy and then Gap, and later came back in 2017 to run Banana Republic.



When he took on his current role in 2020, he inherited a mess. The brand had too many stores, many of them unprofitable. It also had too much inventory, which resulted in heavy discounting. The quality of clothing had declined. 



“The business was broken,” Breitbard told me recently. “We had to address each of these issues with discipline. It wasn’t fun, but it laid the foundation for us to bring the brand back into the center of culture.”



Product, he points out, is crucial. Despite its long history as a beloved maker of basics, Gap’s clothes had lost their luster. Breitbard, who is steeped in supply chains and merchandising, worked to improve the quality of the materials and fit. And consumers are responding. 



After the Katseye video, which featured retro denim styles, people rushed to Gap to buy ’90s-style jeans—and they weren’t disappointed. During Coachella, Gap created an activation focused on sweats, and people loved how cozy they were.



This is an important lesson for Lululemon. The brand has always been known for its unique fabrics, developed out of its internal design philosophy, which it calls “the science of feel.” It has had many blockbusters, including its proprietary buttery-soft Nulu fabric, which is in its famous Align pants, which have generated more than $1 billion for the company. Lululemon customers come to the brand for its high quality and reputation for innovation, and its new leader must be laser-focused on product.



Once this pillar is in place, it’s possible to bring the brand back into the cultural conversation. It’s notable that Breitbard didn’t start pushing out these creative campaigns for Gap five years ago; he waited until he believed the foundations of the business were in order. Only then did he turn his attention to launching some of the most exciting marketing campaigns we’ve seen recently.



When I interviewed him for Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies podcast, Breitbard said he empowers his creative team to do what they do best. This includes Fabiola Torres, the CMO he brought on in May 2024.



“If we have amazing creatives, and we put them in a position where we can trust the creatives to keep pushing and driving, and not overburden them with bureaucracy, we will stay in this moment of heat,” he says.



This is exactly the kind of creativity Wilson is hoping for. And it’s unclear whether O’Neill is the right person for the task. In recent years, she has been focused on more technical parts of the business, which is not a bad thing, except she was responsible for helping Nike pivot toward a direct-to-consumer approach that has proved lacking for the company. And when it comes to creative, Nike’s heyday as an engine for brilliant advertising and marketing is long gone.



Gap proved that legacy brands can come roaring back—but only with the right leader at the helm. Whether O’Neill is that person for Lululemon remains to be seen. She’ll have plenty to prove, assuming the board doesn’t have second thoughts.


 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Lululemon, needs, its, ‘Gap’, moment</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Businesses investing in AI see limited returns as workforce skills gap holds back impact</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/businesses-investing-in-ai-see-limited-returns-as-workforce-skills-gap-holds-back-impact</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/businesses-investing-in-ai-see-limited-returns-as-workforce-skills-gap-holds-back-impact</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By QA on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


AI training platform, QA, explain the AI skills gap and the effect it has on your business. Find out how their training courses can help
The post Businesses investing in AI see limited returns as workforce skills gap holds back impact appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Businesses, investing, see, limited, returns, workforce, skills, gap, holds, back, impact</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Free Business Bank Accounts for UK Businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/free-business-bank-accounts-for-uk-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/free-business-bank-accounts-for-uk-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By James Earnshaw on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Here&#039;s an easy-to-understand guide on the best free business bank accounts in the UK and what to consider before you sign up
The post Free Business Bank Accounts for UK Businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2026/04/123179.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Free, Business, Bank, Accounts, for, Businesses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The 8 best business savings accounts</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-8-best-business-savings-accounts</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-8-best-business-savings-accounts</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Henry Williams on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


If you have surplus funds, why not deposit your business revenue into a dedicated business savings account?
The post The 8 best business savings accounts appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/12/Banking-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, best, business, savings, accounts</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Are You Building a Future&#45;Ready Small Business? Choose Tech That Is Less Visible, Not More Complicated</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/are-you-building-a-future-ready-small-business-choose-tech-that-is-less-visible-not-more-complicated</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/are-you-building-a-future-ready-small-business-choose-tech-that-is-less-visible-not-more-complicated</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
You may have heard the joke: an older fish says to a younger fish, ‘The water’s nice today, huh?’ and the younger fish replies, ‘What the hell is water?’ It works because the things that shape our experience most are often the easiest to overlook.
Read more: 
Are You Building a Future-Ready Small Business? Choose Tech That Is Less Visible, Not More Complicated ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Are, You, Building, Future-Ready, Small, Business, Choose, Tech, That, Less, Visible, Not, More, Complicated</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Britain braces for £35bn energy shock as Iran conflict pushes inflation back above 4%</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/britain-braces-for-35bn-energy-shock-as-iran-conflict-pushes-inflation-back-above-4</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/britain-braces-for-35bn-energy-shock-as-iran-conflict-pushes-inflation-back-above-4</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Niesr warns the UK economy will lose £35bn over two years as the Iran conflict pushes inflation above 4% and forces the Bank of England to raise interest rates. SMEs face a fresh squeeze.
Read more: 
Britain braces for £35bn energy shock as Iran conflict pushes inflation back above 4% ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/shutterstock_1007918233-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Britain, braces, for, £35bn, energy, shock, Iran, conflict, pushes, inflation, back, above</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Barclay Brothers swerve bankruptcy with eleventh&#45;hour creditor pact</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/barclay-brothers-swerve-bankruptcy-with-eleventh-hour-creditor-pact</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/barclay-brothers-swerve-bankruptcy-with-eleventh-hour-creditor-pact</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Aidan and Howard Barclay escape bankruptcy as HSBC withdraws its High Court petitions following an Individual Voluntary Arrangement with creditors over the collapse of the family&#039;s £143.5m logistics empire.
Read more: 
Barclay Brothers swerve bankruptcy with eleventh-hour creditor pact ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Barclay-Brothers-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Barclay, Brothers, swerve, bankruptcy, with, eleventh-hour, creditor, pact</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>John Lewis dragged into High Court over click&#45;and&#45;collect rent at Brent Cross</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/john-lewis-dragged-into-high-court-over-click-and-collect-rent-at-brent-cross</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/john-lewis-dragged-into-high-court-over-click-and-collect-rent-at-brent-cross</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
John Lewis faces a High Court battle as Brent Cross landlords Hammerson and Standard Life argue a 1972 lease entitles them to a cut of click-and-collect sales.
Read more: 
John Lewis dragged into High Court over click-and-collect rent at Brent Cross ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_789261955.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>John, Lewis, dragged, into, High, Court, over, click-and-collect, rent, Brent, Cross</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>JP Morgan reverses Brexit&#45;era Paris move as London beckons trading roles back</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/jp-morgan-reverses-brexit-era-paris-move-as-london-beckons-trading-roles-back</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/jp-morgan-reverses-brexit-era-paris-move-as-london-beckons-trading-roles-back</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
JP Morgan is shifting trading roles from Paris back to London after over-estimating EU staffing needs post-Brexit, as it presses ahead with its £10bn Canary Wharf tower.
Read more: 
JP Morgan reverses Brexit-era Paris move as London beckons trading roles back ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Morgan, reverses, Brexit-era, Paris, move, London, beckons, trading, roles, back</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Google Translate now lets you practice pronunciation</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/google-translate-now-lets-you-practice-pronunciation</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/google-translate-now-lets-you-practice-pronunciation</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The feature is rolling out in the U.S. and India with support for English, Spanish, and Hindi. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/google-translate.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Google, Translate, now, lets, you, practice, pronunciation</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Meet Shapes, the app bringing humans and AI into the same group chats</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/meet-shapes-the-app-bringing-humans-and-ai-into-the-same-group-chats</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/meet-shapes-the-app-bringing-humans-and-ai-into-the-same-group-chats</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Think Discord chats, but with AI characters in addition to humans.  ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/GettyImages-2270785056.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Meet, Shapes, the, app, bringing, humans, and, into, the, same, group, chats</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>BMW i Ventures has a new $300M fund and AI is riding shotgun</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bmw-i-ventures-has-a-new-300m-fund-and-ai-is-riding-shotgun</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bmw-i-ventures-has-a-new-300m-fund-and-ai-is-riding-shotgun</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ BMW i Ventures is interested in startups working on agentic AI and physical AI, as well as industrial software, advanced materials, and manufacturing and supply chain technologies. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>BMW, Ventures, has, new, 300M, fund, and, riding, shotgun</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Firestorm Labs raises $82M to take drone factories into the field</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/firestorm-labs-raises-82m-to-take-drone-factories-into-the-field</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/firestorm-labs-raises-82m-to-take-drone-factories-into-the-field</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A defense startup just raised $82 million to put drone factories inside shipping containers and bring manufacturing to the front lines. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Firestorm, Labs, raises, 82M, take, drone, factories, into, the, field</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Sri Lanka discloses another missing payment, days after hackers stole $2.5M from its finance ministry</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/sri-lanka-discloses-another-missing-payment-days-after-hackers-stole-25m-from-its-finance-ministry</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/sri-lanka-discloses-another-missing-payment-days-after-hackers-stole-25m-from-its-finance-ministry</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The government of Sri Lanka has lost more than $3 million in two recent, separate cybersecurity incidents as the country continues to recover from its 2022 debt crisis. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Sri, Lanka, discloses, another, missing, payment, days, after, hackers, stole, 2.5M, from, its, finance, ministry</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Why people should work together for a cure</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-people-should-work-together-for-a-cure</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-people-should-work-together-for-a-cure</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 



Cancer has a way of touching lives without warning. Nearly everyone in our community has a story—someone they love, someone they’ve lost, or someone still fighting. At MG2, that shared reality is why Swing for the Cure to benefit the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center has become so deeply meaningful to us. It isn’t just a charity event. It’s a collective response to something that has affected so many of us personally.



Swing for the Cure began as a golf tournament, but it quickly became much more. Driven by the loss of his first wife, Patricia, our former CEO Jerry Lee believed that no one should lose a friend, family member, or loved one to breast cancer. That conviction helped our firm shape the heart of the event from the very beginning. Jerry and his wife Charlene, herself a breast cancer survivor for more than 25 years, continue to inspire us through their resilience, optimism, and unwavering commitment to this mission.



What makes Swing for the Cure special is the common bond it creates. People come together not as job titles or companies, but as individuals with shared experiences and deeply personal reasons for being there. Some are survivors. Some are caregivers. Some are honoring those they’ve lost. That sense of connection transforms a day on the golf course into something far more powerful: a community united around a clear goal, which is to support research and move closer to a cure.



A SENSE OF PURPOSE MATTERS



Over the years, MG2 has intentionally worked to make Swing for the Cure bigger, deeper, and broader. What started as a standalone experience has grown into a purposeful annual gathering that reflects our values. We challenged ourselves to think beyond a traditional fundraiser and create something hopeful—an experience where people feel connected, motivated, and part of something meaningful. Clients, partners, and colleagues come together not out of obligation, but because they believe in what the event represents.



That sense of purpose matters. When people gather with intention and when they know why they’re there and what they’re working toward, then good things happen. Energy builds. Conversations deepen. Commitment follows. Swing for the Cure demonstrates that goodwill is not abstract; it’s something that grows when people are aligned around a shared cause. And goodwill, when cultivated thoughtfully, benefits everyone.



IMPACT FROM SHOWING UP CONSISTENTLY



For MG2, this commitment mirrors how we approach our work. Just as strong design is rooted in care, collaboration, and long-term thinking, meaningful community engagement requires the same. Swing for the Cure, going strong for almost a quarter century, has raised more than $2 million to date, and it reminds us that real impact comes from showing up consistently, staying focused on the goal, and inviting others to take part.



Last year was by far our biggest year. Our 2025 Swing for the Cure raised $250,000. Thanks to our close ties with Fred Hutch, we can choose the specific research we want to fund. That adds a personal touch to the entire experience.



This year we awarded the total amount raised to one radiation oncologist, whose upcoming trial will work to improve how physicians deliver concurrent radiation and chemotherapy and enhance outcomes for high-risk patients. Grants like this are important for the larger health community, and it’s an emotional moment for researchers—and for us—to push for cures.



When we come together with purpose, we can honor those we’ve lost, support those still fighting, and move closer to a future where fewer families face this journey alone.



Mitch Smith AIA, LEED AP, is the CEO and chairman of MG2, an affiliate of Colliers Engineering &amp; Design. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
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<media:keywords>Why, people, should, work, together, for, cure</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Otter wants AI agents to mine your meetings for institutional knowledge</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/otter-wants-ai-agents-to-mine-your-meetings-for-institutional-knowledge</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/otter-wants-ai-agents-to-mine-your-meetings-for-institutional-knowledge</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Otter wants to turn your work meetings into institutional knowledge. 



The company is known for its audio transcription tool, which has evolved over the years to be able to join and transcribe online meetings in real time and answer questions about them via an AI chat tool. It’s now adding additional AI features to make it easier to integrate knowledge from those recorded meetings with other information, including integrations with other software like Google Drive, Jira, Salesforce, and Notion. Those will let Otter’s AI access live data from those apps, so it can pull data from an email or customer database as needed to best answer a follow-up question from a recorded meeting. 



Otter has also now added server functionality that lets other AI tools, including ChatGPT and Claude, connect to it via the popular model context protocol (MCP), so other AI agents can also access data from Otter with permission. Additionally, enhancements to the AI chat feature itself will make it easier for users to specify when to pull insight from particular meetings, from multiple meetings, and from other data sources to which they have access. 



[Photo: Otter]



The aim is to help unlock knowledge that’s primarily or exclusively shared in meetings and make it available to both human workers and AI agents, says Otter cofounder and CEO Sam Liang. One challenge for corporate knowledge bases, he says, is that information stored in written documents can lag behind reality.  



“People create documents, but documents become obsolete really fast,” he says, with the latest updates presented via meetings. 



But even when that’s known to be the case, and even as research repeatedly shows white-collar workers spend a big portion of their time attending meetings, information from those meetings often isn’t easy to access in a systematic way. Even AI-generated transcripts can end up stored in the accounts of individual users rather than broadly available. Otter has already developed what it calls channels—essentially groups of users who have shared access to meeting recordings and transcripts—and the company suggests its AI agents will be able to surface new insights from collections of meetings, like aggregating trends from multiple sales calls or departmental meetings. 



[Photo: Otter]



An improved Otter desktop client for Mac and Windows will also make it easier to record more meetings from a computer, Liang says, though he says many companies do prefer Otter’s AI agent which can conspicuously join calls on platforms like Zoom, giving everyone clear notice the meeting is being recorded. 



In general, broader recording of meetings and harnessing AI notes may raise privacy and legal concerns at some organizations. But Liang emphasizes that Otter’s channels allow companies to control who has access to meetings internally and that it gives organizations control over how long both audio and transcripts are retained. 



“We provide a data retention mechanism so that enterprises can decide how long they want to keep the audio recording,” he says, and users can also pause recording—and even eject Otter’s AI notetaker entirely—if they want some of a meeting to be off the record. 



The new Otter features come as a growing number of companies vie to become an organization’s central AI hub, with AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic, workplace productivity businesses from Slack to Asana, and office software makers like Google and Microsoft all offering tools to command AI agents and regulate their access to corporate data. Otter also faces no shortage of competition in the meeting transcription market, with comedy website Clickhole noting earlier this month that “all the random AI programs on your computer are desperately fighting for permission to summarize your meeting” and even pasta sauce maker Prego looking to record household dinner table conversations. 



But Liang says Otter still has features that competitors don’t, like the ability for AI to cleanly separate opinions of different speakers in a meeting, and the option to set up custom templates for how meetings are summarized. Additionally, Liang says, Otter’s AI is optimized to be able to reliably answer questions using information from hundreds of meetings, letting users quickly analyze what took place in sales calls they didn’t personally conduct or get up to speed on what’s already been discussed about a particular project. 



“You get intelligence from hundreds or thousands [of] meetings, even though you didn’t attend them,” he says.  ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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</item>

<item>
<title>You’re about to see a lot more alcohol on TikTok—and there’s a reason</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/youre-about-to-see-a-lot-more-alcohol-on-tiktokand-theres-a-reason</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/youre-about-to-see-a-lot-more-alcohol-on-tiktokand-theres-a-reason</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When Malibu launched its “Get Ready With Malibu Pink” campaign this spring, the rum brand had all the necessary ingredients for a modern influencer campaign. Creator partnerships with Sabrina Brier and other influencers, on-trend “get ready with me” style videos, all centered on the debut of a new flavored rum with guava, coconut, and pineapple.



But there was also one element that was surprisingly new terrain for Malibu’s parent company Pernod Ricard: its first major campaign designed specifically for TikTok.



A platform once off-limits



Until very recently, alcohol brands like Malibu were completely absent from TikTok. But over the past two years, TikTok’s stronger age-gating protocols, which help guarantee to marketers like Malibu that the content they publish is only seen by legal-age users, have opened the platform for greater experimentation. The growing, cross-generational popularity of TikTok, with four in ten U.S. adults active on the platform and 80% over the age of 21, was also heralded as a key factor.



“It’s important for us to connect with Zillennials,” Caroline Begley, Pernod Ricard’s vice president of marketing, tells Fast Company of the importance of the microgeneration of younger millennials and older Gen Z. “Malibu has been around for decades, but it’s always important to introduce new consumers to the brand.”



The rush to catch up



Boozy TikTok campaigns have proliferated, including Grey Goose vodka’s “Devil Wears Prada 2” content starring supermodel Heidi Klum, Espolòn Tequila’s “Shot Kings Week” celebration with actor and comedian Ken Jeong, St-Germain liqueur’s spritz-making session with actress Sophie Turner, and a behind-the-scenes look at a commercial for the ready-to-drink brand -196 with content creator Pooja Tripathi.



From left: Heidi Klum, Ken Jeong, Sophie Turner [Photos: Bacardi Limited, Campari Group]



They are now playing catch-up to connect with the highly coveted Gen Z crowd that dominates the cultural conversation and trends on an app that’s already almost a decade old and generates more than $14 billion in U.S. advertising spending annually, according to data from market researcher eMarketer.



How the rules changed



Pernod Ricard and Bacardi were early adopters, launching limited pilots beginning in 2024. At the same time, TikTok was in active discussions with the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), the liquor trade advocacy group responsible for setting the protocols for advertising across television, print media, out-of-home advertising, and social platforms including Facebook and Instagram.



Liquor brands were allowed to create their own TikTok branded accounts in July 2024, when paid ads were also authorized to target users above 25. Organic brand pages and content were fully “age gated” beginning in July 2025, according to DISCUS, and influencer-related alcohol content began to flow by early 2026. There are still a few restrictions, including most notably that TikTok Shop doesn’t permit the sale of alcohol.



[Photo: Campari Group]



“Social media companies have gotten really good at also identifying when somebody is misreporting their age using signal data,” says Courtney J. Armour, chief legal officer of DISCUS, in an interview with Fast Company. TikTok’s advertising policies for alcohol include never featuring people below the age of 25, avoiding the portrayal of excess drinking or intoxication, stating the alcoholic content level, and carrying a responsible drinking disclaimer.



One sticking point that was recently resolved involved user comments left on a brand’s TikTok page. DISCUS wanted more guardrails to ensure age verification before allowing brands to turn that feature on.



Learning TikTok’s language



While most liquor brands still have minuscule TikTok follower counts, they’re actively setting up pages and developing unique strategies for the platform that they say cannot mirror what works on Instagram.



“It’s more raw, it’s imperfect, and I think that’s what people gravitate to,” Ned Duggan, global CMO and president of Bacardi Global Brands, tells Fast Company. He adds that TikTok users are more motivated to discover new products and be entertained, while Instagram is more curated and polished. “TikTok is more like behind the scenes, whereas Instagram and other platforms are more front-of-stage,” he adds.



TikTok says that 42% of users have discovered a new alcohol brand on the platform. Users over the age of 21 are 1.6 times more likely to buy alcohol or try a new cocktail recipe versus those not using TikTok, the company says.



Speed, volume, and experimentation



Italian liquor maker Campari Group debuted on TikTok in June 2025 and has since rolled out several campaigns for brands including Espolòn Tequila, Wild Turkey bourbon, and the aperitif Aperol.



“When we jumped into TikTok, we quickly learned that it plays by a totally different set of rules than other platforms,” Brian Chang, Campari’s head of consumer marketing and ecommerce, tells Fast Company.



Karrueche Tran [Photo: Campari Group]



Liquor marketing executives have quickly learned the need for speed when it comes to effective TikTok storytelling. “We wanted to make a point where the zoom-in mouth effect will be the first few seconds that people would see on TikTok, so that they’re not consistently doomscrolling past the content,” says Chang, of the “Bring Your Own Courvoisier” content that began with a close-up of actress Karrueche Tran’s mouth.



Last year, Suntory piloted content centered on -196 with STEM-focused videos that explained how the company uses whole fruits that are frozen in liquid nitrogen, then crushed and infused into vodka. “The category as a whole lends itself, I think, to TikTok as a channel, given the Gen Z connectivity with RTDs,” Davin Nugent, president of global RTD at Suntory Global Spirits, tells Fast Company.



Turning views into sales



The benchmarks that Suntory is monitoring include ad recall, a marketing metric that measures how many consumers remember seeing an ad, as well as awareness, favorability, and, of course, sales. “If we have great campaigns, but we aren’t getting new purchase intent, then we’re just creating new work and making people smile,” says Nugent. “It has to result in an uptick in consumer purchases.”



[Photo: Suntory]



The ecommerce platform ReserveBar is one of the key players that helps enable brands like Bacardi and Campari to link campaigns to direct sales, as liquor manufacturers aren’t allowed to directly sell to consumers due to the three-tier system in the U.S. that mandates that alcohol flows from producers, to distributors and then retailers before reaching consumers. ReserveBar’s links are now allowed on TikTok and the brand set up its own organic handle a couple of months ago.



“There’s not a playbook, because everyone in the industry, we’re starting from scratch,” ReserveBar Chief Marketing Officer Kate Zaman tells Fast Company. But she says the industry can take some cues from lessons learned from non-alcoholic consumer product brands that have had more time to cultivate their TikTok strategies. Success on TikTok isn’t just about speed and cultural tie-ins; there’s also a thirst for volume.



“The pure amount of content that you really need to be successful on TikTok is much more than I think what you need on Meta,” says Zaman. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>You’re, about, see, lot, more, alcohol, TikTok—and, there’s, reason</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Bed Bath &amp;amp; Beyond to the moon? Why the retailer is getting a major stock boost today, despite a lack of profits</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bed-bath-beyond-to-the-moon-why-the-retailer-is-getting-a-major-stock-boost-today-despite-a-lack-of-profits</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bed-bath-beyond-to-the-moon-why-the-retailer-is-getting-a-major-stock-boost-today-despite-a-lack-of-profits</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Shares of Bed Bath &amp; Beyond Inc (NYSE: BBBY) are surging this morning, a day after the company reported its Q1 2026 results. 



Despite the company reporting a loss for the quarter, BBBY stock is significantly higher, as many investors see evidence that the once-iconic home goods retailer’s turnaround efforts are finally showing results. Here’s what you need to know.



What’s happened?



Yesterday, Bed Bath &amp; Beyond reported first-quarter results for its fiscal year 2026. 



While many will recognize the company due to its “Bed Bath &amp; Beyond” name, the firm actually owns several businesses under its corporate umbrella, including Bed Bath &amp; Beyond, Overstock, buybuy BABY, Kirkland’s, and Kirkland’s Home. It is also in the process of merging with The Container Store.



In the early 2000s, Bed Bath &amp; Beyond was a suburban staple, but in the decades that followed, the company struggled with declining foot traffic as customers shifted their buying habits online. 



The chain ultimately filed for bankruptcy in 2023, and its IP was bought by Overstock.com shortly after. 



In early August 2025, the retail partner of Overstock owner Beyond Inc announced that it was reopening the Bed Bath &amp; Beyond chain with a store in Nashville. 



Shortly after, Beyond Inc changed its name to Bed Bath &amp; Beyond Inc, going all-in on the brand as it worked to turn around its fortunes.



Now, it seems that the company’s initiative may be working. In its Q1 earnings report, Bed Bath &amp; Beyond announced that it had achieved its first “significant revenue growth in 19 quarters.” 



The revenue growth signaled “strong brand awareness among customers,” according to the company.



But it also appears to have motivated investors, who have poured money into the company’s shares this morning.



Bed Bath &amp; Beyond still didn’t make a profit



Announcing the company’s surprising Q1 revenue growth, which totaled $248 million, up 6.9% year-over-year, CEO Marcus Lemonis said that its results “show that the work we’ve been doing to stabilize and rebuild the business is taking hold.” 



“We delivered real year-over-year revenue growth, something we haven’t seen meaningfully in several years, while continuing to take costs out of the business and operate more efficiently,” Lemonis continued. “That combination matters.”



However, while the company is right to call out its revenue growth—and investors are clearly buoyed by the results—it’s important to note that Bed Bath &amp; Beyond still racked up losses for the quarter.



The company achieved a net revenue of $248 million, but it had a net loss of $16 million for the quarter. That equated to a loss per share of 24 cents. 



At the same time, losses marked a $24 million improvement over the same period a year ago.



More stores and a larger retail footprint



Despite the better-than-expected Q1 earnings, investors will now likely shift their focus to Bed Bath &amp; Beyond’s immediate future, which is expected to usher in a growing retail footprint for the company’s goods.



First up, Bed Bath &amp; Beyond Inc is expected to close its merger with The Container Store this summer. Once that happens, 30% of retail space in Container Store locations will be dedicated to selling Bed Bath &amp; Beyond’s wares, expanding the reach and awareness of the once-beloved, Millennial-nostalgic chain.



Additionally, the company will open a dozen combined Container Store and Bed Bath &amp; Beyond locations in California, further expanding its retail footprint, and in a state where the brand once had one of its most loyal customer bases.



Whether these moves will have a material impact on Bed Bath &amp; Beyond’s future earnings remains to be seen.



But as for today, the company’s stock price is surging, thanks to its Q1 results. As of this writing, BBBY stock is currently up nearly 24% to $6.63 in premarket trading. That is a high the company stock price has not seen since January.



As of yesterday’s close at $5.34 per share, BBBY stock had declined by about 2.2% since the year began. But with its nearly 24% jump this morning, the company’s stock price is now significantly in the green for 2026.



Over the past 12 months, as of yesterday’s close, BBBY shares had risen 30%. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Bed, Bath, Beyond, the, moon, Why, the, retailer, getting, major, stock, boost, today, despite, lack, profits</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How the Trump administration is responding to Iran’s proposal to end the war</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-the-trump-administration-is-responding-to-irans-proposal-to-end-the-war</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-the-trump-administration-is-responding-to-irans-proposal-to-end-the-war</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Trump administration seemed unlikely Tuesday to accept Iran’s offer to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. lifts its blockade on the country.The proposal would postpone discussions on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, something that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to rule out in a Fox News interview Monday.“We have to ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made, is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point,” he said of the proposal, which was delivered to the U.S. by Pakistan.The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump’s national security team discussed the offer and Trump would address it later.The offer emerged Monday as Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Russia, which has long been a key backer of Tehran. It was unclear what, if any, assistance Moscow might offer now.Since the war began, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran and at least 2,521 people in Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group resumed two days after the Iran war started. Another 23 people have been killed in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Sixteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, 13 U.S. service members in the region and six U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have been killed.



—Associated Press ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, the, Trump, administration, responding, Iran’s, proposal, end, the, war</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Carrying a Bag Is Not Only Fashionable—But Brilliantly Useful in Many Ways</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/carrying-a-bag-is-not-only-fashionablebut-brilliantly-useful-in-many-ways</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/carrying-a-bag-is-not-only-fashionablebut-brilliantly-useful-in-many-ways</guid>
<description><![CDATA[  ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202604/image_870x580_69ec8c67dfbac.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Carrying, Bag, Not, Only, Fashionable—But, Brilliantly, Useful, Many, Ways</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>“On Buying Clothes”: Smarter, More Conscious Fashion Choices</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/on-buying-clothes-smarter-more-conscious-fashion-choices</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/on-buying-clothes-smarter-more-conscious-fashion-choices</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Fashion philosophy advocate Noubi reminder on mindful clothing consumption, “On Buying Clothes,” emphasizing that fashion is not just about purchasing garments—but about making informed, intentional, and personal style decisions. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202604/image_870x580_69ebdf139ad75.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>“On, Buying, Clothes”:, Smarter, More, Conscious, Fashion, Choices</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Smart Fashion Investments Over Cheap Purchases</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/smart-fashion-investments-over-cheap-purchases</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/smart-fashion-investments-over-cheap-purchases</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In a world driven by discounts, fast fashion, and impulse shopping, Noubi Says releases a powerful reminder that the smartest clothing purchase is not always the cheapest one.  “On Buying Clothes,” Noubikko encourages consumers to focus on quality, durability, and long-term value rather than temporary low prices.

“Cheap clothing may save money today, but quality clothing often saves money tomorrow.” — Noubi Says ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Smart, Fashion, Investments, Over, Cheap, Purchases</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Living in Style: Where Fashion, Luxury, and Modern Interiors Become One</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/living-in-style-where-fashion-luxury-and-modern-interiors-become-one</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/living-in-style-where-fashion-luxury-and-modern-interiors-become-one</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Noubikko Interiors is a bold design concept that combines the elegance of fashion design with the functionality of modern interiors to create spaces made for people who believe life should be lived beautifully. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202604/image_870x580_69ebcb4ba8903.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Living, Style:, Where, Fashion, Luxury, and, Modern, Interiors, Become, One</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Noubikko Interiors Redefines Living in Style: Where Fashion, and Modern Interiors Become One</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/noubikko-interiors-redefines-living-in-style-where-fashion-and-modern-interiors-become-one</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/noubikko-interiors-redefines-living-in-style-where-fashion-and-modern-interiors-become-one</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ For the new generation, style has moved beyond wardrobes and into homes, studios, offices, lounges, and personal spaces. A well-designed interior now speaks as loudly as designer fashion. It reflects confidence, ambition, taste, and the quality of life a person chooses to embrace. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://noubikko.net/uploads/images/202604/image_870x580_69ec8c263e345.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Noubikko, Interiors, Redefines, Living, Style:, Where, Fashion, and, Modern, Interiors, Become, One</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Tesla accelerates European comeback as EV sales surge past one&#45;in&#45;five milestone</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tesla-accelerates-european-comeback-as-ev-sales-surge-past-one-in-five-milestone</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tesla-accelerates-european-comeback-as-ev-sales-surge-past-one-in-five-milestone</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Tesla sales jump 84% in Europe as electric vehicles now account for more than one in five new cars registered. Germany overtakes UK on EV penetration.
Read more: 
Tesla accelerates European comeback as EV sales surge past one-in-five milestone ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/shutterstock_2482254745-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tesla, accelerates, European, comeback, sales, surge, past, one-in-five, milestone</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>UK borrowing slips to four&#45;year low but Middle East tensions threaten Reeves’s fiscal plan</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-borrowing-slips-to-four-year-low-but-middle-east-tensions-threaten-reevess-fiscal-plan</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-borrowing-slips-to-four-year-low-but-middle-east-tensions-threaten-reevess-fiscal-plan</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
UK government borrowing dropped to £12.6bn in March, a four-year low, as debt interest payments tumbled. But economists warn the Middle East conflict could wipe out Rachel Reeves&#039;s fiscal headroom.
Read more: 
UK borrowing slips to four-year low but Middle East tensions threaten Reeves’s fiscal plan ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Reeves_Spring_Budget.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>borrowing, slips, four-year, low, but, Middle, East, tensions, threaten, Reeves’s, fiscal, plan</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Employers hit with £28bn National Insurance Shock as rate rise bites harder than treasury forecast</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/employers-hit-with-28bn-national-insurance-shock-as-rate-rise-bites-harder-than-treasury-forecast</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/employers-hit-with-28bn-national-insurance-shock-as-rate-rise-bites-harder-than-treasury-forecast</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Employers&#039; National Insurance Contributions have soared by £28bn in a single year, £4bn above the Government&#039;s own forecast, triggering redundancies in hospitality and retail and slowing hiring across the UK private sector.
Read more: 
Employers hit with £28bn National Insurance Shock as rate rise bites harder than treasury forecast ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2458546307.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Employers, hit, with, £28bn, National, Insurance, Shock, rate, rise, bites, harder, than, treasury, forecast</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>L’Oréal banks on the ‘lipstick effect’ as anxious shoppers reach for affordable luxuries</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/loreal-banks-on-the-lipstick-effect-as-anxious-shoppers-reach-for-affordable-luxuries</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/loreal-banks-on-the-lipstick-effect-as-anxious-shoppers-reach-for-affordable-luxuries</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
The world&#039;s largest cosmetics group shrugs off the drag from the Iran war, posting forecast-beating first-quarter sales as European consumers treat themselves to small indulgences and China stirs back into life.
Read more: 
L’Oréal banks on the ‘lipstick effect’ as anxious shoppers reach for affordable luxuries ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_1018777936.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>L’Oréal, banks, the, ‘lipstick, effect’, anxious, shoppers, reach, for, affordable, luxuries</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>UK employers saddled with sharpest tax rise in developed world, OECD finds</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-employers-saddled-with-sharpest-tax-rise-in-developed-world-oecd-finds</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-employers-saddled-with-sharpest-tax-rise-in-developed-world-oecd-finds</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Britain&#039;s tax wedge jumped 2.45 points in a year — 16 times the OECD average — as Reeves&#039;s employer NI hike and frozen thresholds punish SMEs and shrink payrolls.
Read more: 
UK employers saddled with sharpest tax rise in developed world, OECD finds ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/shutterstock_1565524723.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>employers, saddled, with, sharpest, tax, rise, developed, world, OECD, finds</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Two college kids raise a $5.1 million pre&#45;seed to build an AI social network in iMessage</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/two-college-kids-raise-a-51-million-pre-seed-to-build-an-ai-social-network-in-imessage</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/two-college-kids-raise-a-51-million-pre-seed-to-build-an-ai-social-network-in-imessage</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Series, a social networking app that&#039;s grown popular on college campuses, announced a $5.1 million pre-seed round from some big names in tech. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Nathaneo-Johnson-and-Sean-Hargrow.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Two, college, kids, raise, 5.1, million, pre-seed, build, social, network, iMessage</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Cohere acquires, merges with Germany&#45;based startup to create a ‘transatlantic AI powerhouse’</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cohere-acquires-merges-with-germany-based-startup-to-create-a-transatlantic-ai-powerhouse</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cohere-acquires-merges-with-germany-based-startup-to-create-a-transatlantic-ai-powerhouse</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Cohere, the Canada-based AI company that makes AI tools for businesses in regulated industries, announced Friday it would merge with Aleph Alpha, a German company that also builds AI systems for businesses and governments.  ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cohere, acquires, merges, with, Germany-based, startup, create, ‘transatlantic, powerhouse’</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Palantir is reportedly helping the IRS investigate financial crimes</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/palantir-is-reportedly-helping-the-irs-investigate-financial-crimes</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/palantir-is-reportedly-helping-the-irs-investigate-financial-crimes</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The IRS has used Palantir&#039;s software since at least 2018, The Intercept reports. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/GettyImages-2266940912.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Palantir, reportedly, helping, the, IRS, investigate, financial, crimes</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Steve Ballmer blasts founder he backed who pleaded guilty to fraud: ‘I was duped and feel silly’</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/steve-ballmer-blasts-founder-he-backed-who-pleaded-guilty-to-fraud-i-was-duped-and-feel-silly</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/steve-ballmer-blasts-founder-he-backed-who-pleaded-guilty-to-fraud-i-was-duped-and-feel-silly</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Steve Ballmer wrote a fiery letter in the sentencing of disgraced founder Joseph Sanberg documenting all the harm that&#039;s befalling him as an investor. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-524085750.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Steve, Ballmer, blasts, founder, backed, who, pleaded, guilty, fraud:, ‘I, was, duped, and, feel, silly’</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Lachy Groom to back India startup Pronto at a $200M valuation, sources say</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lachy-groom-to-back-india-startup-pronto-at-a-200m-valuation-sources-say</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lachy-groom-to-back-india-startup-pronto-at-a-200m-valuation-sources-say</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ This round, should it occur, would double the house-help startup&#039;s valuation in a matter of weeks. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pronto.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Lachy, Groom, back, India, startup, Pronto, 200M, valuation, sources, say</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Why brands should ignore Trump’s latest loyalty test</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-brands-should-ignore-trumps-latest-loyalty-test</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-brands-should-ignore-trumps-latest-loyalty-test</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Earlier this week, in a live interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box, President Donald Trump was asked for his reaction to reports that Apple, Amazon, and some other companies had not filed refund requests for tariffs they paid over the past year—tariffs the Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional. 



“I think it’s brilliant if they don’t do that,” Trump replied. “If they don’t do that, I’ll remember them.”



To be clear, this wasn’t negotiation posturing. This was the president openly signaling that companies who forfeit money to which they are entitled will be “remembered” for a symbolic display of loyalty. 



The government has collected a combined $166 billion or so from U.S. importers; an act the Supreme Court ruled an overstep of presidential power. The companies in question are in effect taking the administration’s side despite the court’s ruling. 



Left unspoken but clearly implied is that those who exercise their legal rights may find themselves remembered, too, but certainly not for being “brilliant.”



Given the Iran war, as well as the panoply of controversies and alleged scandals swirling around the administration, this incident was easy to miss. But it’s worth pausing over and paying attention to what companies affected by the illegal tariff scheme ultimately do.



The tariffs, imposed last year and affecting U.S. trade with practically every country on earth, were struck by way of a 6-to-3 Supreme Court ruling in February, resulting in the $166 billion forced refund. 



Despite this lack of ambiguity, it’s not hard to imagine why a company might at least ponder whether it’s worth trying to stay on the president’s good side.



The Trump administration has not been shy about involving itself in the actions of private commerce, taking an unusually active stance over mergers, regulation, even bailouts or direct ownership stakes.



Nevertheless, Trump’s not-so-veiled threat is one that companies should firmly resist. It amounts to betraying shareholders and customers alike. 



For starters, the board members and executives of publicly traded companies obviously have fiduciary obligations to their shareholders. Shrugging off millions (or even billions) of dollars in legally recoverable refunds does not square with those duties.



Moreover, it’s a bad look for a brand. Many companies passed along tariff costs through higher prices. Declining to pursue refunds in effect tells customers: We raised your prices because of costs we are now choosing not to recover, because the president said he’d be impressed if we didn’t.



As a contrast, consider Costco, which has been among those striking an aggressive stance on the refunds. In November 2025, well before the high court’s ruling, the discount club chain filed a federal lawsuit challenging the tariffs as unlawful, asking the courts to order full refunds including interest on all tariffs paid. 



Costco executives have told investors the company would in effect pass along the refunds to its customers through “lower prices and better values.” Admittedly, that sounds a bit vague, but the company has said it will be open about the process. 



And compared to speculation about ignoring the refunds to curry favor with the administration, Costco’s simple clarity about adhering to the rule of law practically sounds like a profile in courage.



Plenty of businesses have shown no hesitation about collecting refunds, particularly smaller enterprises. And shipping businesses FedEx, DHL, and UPS have all indicated they’ll be passing along refunds to customers who were billed to cover tariff fees.



For many others, the process will admittedly be more complex. The payout fund is designed to reimburse entities that paid directly to import the tariffed goods—not the end consumers who may have ultimately absorbed those costs in the form of higher prices. 



Unlike the case of shipping, there’s usually not a clean paper trail to quantify what an individual customer might be owed. (Class action lawsuits are already coming together to challenge how the money is being distributed.)



Still, this seems like a moment for companies to at least make clear their intent. The Costco response is a handy and straightforward example: Collect the refund and be vocal about returning value to customers. Treat this as an opportunity to demonstrate loyalty to shoppers. 



At the very least, signaling a greater interest in pleasing the administration than in pleasing your own shoppers seems like a shortsighted way to treat consumers, particularly in a moment when affordability is in the zeitgeist. “I’ll remember” cuts both ways.


 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Why, brands, should, ignore, Trump’s, latest, loyalty, test</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Rising fuel costs are triggering flight cancellations. What to do if your trip is impacted</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/rising-fuel-costs-are-triggering-flight-cancellations-what-to-do-if-your-trip-is-impacted</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/rising-fuel-costs-are-triggering-flight-cancellations-what-to-do-if-your-trip-is-impacted</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Airlines worldwide have begun canceling flights as the war in the Middle East strains jet fuel supplies and pushes up prices — but the disruption doesn’t end there.For travelers, it can mean having to navigate a confusing web of passenger protections that vary widely depending on where they’re flying.And the timing is amplifying the impact.“These pressures are arriving at a time when summer travel demand is ramping up, with major events such as the World Cup expected to put additional strain on airports,” said Eric Napoli, chief legal officer at AirHelp, a company that helps travelers secure compensation for flight disruptions and advocates for passenger rights.Here’s what to know if your flight is canceled.



Are these cancellations happening at the last minute?



In most cases, no. At least for now, fuel-related cuts are often being made days or weeks in advance. Lufthansa Group, for example, said this week it is cutting 20,000 short-haul flights across its network through October.That gives you more time to adjust plans than you’d typically get with weather-related disruptions, which tend to trigger last-minute cancellations.



My flight was canceled. What should I do first?



Check your airline’s app or website immediately for rebooking options. If you’re flying on a U.S. carrier, that’s often the fastest and easiest way to secure a new seat, according to Tyler Hosford, security director at International SOS, a global risk management and travel security company.Non-U.S. carriers tend to have fewer digital tools, Hosford said, so it’s worth trying multiple channels, including the airline’s customer service lines or airport desks.



Do I have the right to a refund or a new flight?



In most cases, yes. Airlines typically offer either a refund or a rebooking on the next available flight. The exact rules vary by country, but those are the baseline options you can expect.In the U.S., for example, if your flight is canceled and you choose not to travel, the airline must refund you, regardless of the reason. Airlines may offer travel credits instead, but you’re entitled to a full refund for airfare and any extras you didn’t use, such as baggage fees or seat upgrades.



Are passenger rights the same everywhere?



No, and protections vary widely by region — from the Montreal Convention, which governs airline liability across more than 140 countries, to specific consumer protection laws in the U.S., Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Brazil.Europe has some of the strongest protections, including compensation in certain cases. And they apply to any flight departing from an EU airport, regardless of the airline, as well as to passengers flying on an EU-based carrier into the EU — even if the journey starts outside Europe. The United Kingdom maintains a similar framework.The U.S. and Canada offer more limited protections. Policies vary widely across Asia, and in some cases travelers may need to rely more on airline policies than formal regulations.To get a clearer picture, experts recommend searching the name of the country you’re departing from and “passenger rights” before your trip.



What protections apply?



It depends.Airlines may cite fuel shortages or rising fuel costs as the reason for cancellations. But whether you’re entitled to compensation often comes down to if the disruption is considered within the airline’s control under local laws.Regardless of the cause, Napoli said, airlines in the European Union, for example, still have a “duty of care,” meaning they must provide “necessary support” to travelers, including rebooking.“While airlines are citing fuel shortages as a reason for upcoming cancellations, travelers need to know that this does not automatically waive their rights” under EU laws, Napoli said.



How can I prepare before a trip to avoid headaches?



A few steps can make disruptions easier to manage.Sign up for flight alerts to stay informed, and book directly with the airline when possible — it’s much easier to resolve issues with the carrier directly than through a third-party booking site.Knowing your options ahead of time and having a backup plan can make a significant difference if plans change.



What do I need for a claim or complaint?



Documentation is critical. Save everything: boarding passes, receipts, cancellation notices and any communication from the airline.Take screenshots of app or website updates and any communication taking place online, and jot down key details from phone calls.Napoli also recommends asking the airline for written confirmation of a flight disruption, including the stated reason.



Should I accept the first alternative flight the airline offers?



Not necessarily.Experts say one of the most common mistakes travelers make is taking the first option without checking alternatives. Look at other flights, routes or even nearby airports because you may find a faster or more convenient way to reach your destination.



Can I book a different flight myself?



Yes, but proceed carefully.If the airline’s rebooking option doesn’t meet your needs — especially if your new flight isn’t for several days — you can look for alternatives and request a refund instead.Just be aware you may need to pay any fare difference up front, and you might not be reimbursed later.



Any other tips to avoid getting stuck?



— Book flights earlier in the day so you have more rebooking options if something goes wrong.— Set up flight alerts through tracking apps such as Flighty to get early notice of cancellations or delays. In some cases, Hosford said, notifications arrive before the airline’s.— Consider nearby airports as backup options.— Be kind. Airline agents may be more willing to help when interactions stay calm and respectful.“Ultimately, the shortage is squeezing the entire system, from travelers to airlines, and is something to watch as the industry looks for any relief ahead of the summer travel season,” Napoli said.



—Rio Yamat, AP Airlines and Travel Writer ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Rising, fuel, costs, are, triggering, flight, cancellations., What, your, trip, impacted</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Tech layoffs update: Meta, Nike, Snap, and others join the growing list of companies slashing jobs in April 2026</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tech-layoffs-update-meta-nike-snap-and-others-join-the-growing-list-of-companies-slashing-jobs-in-april-2026</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tech-layoffs-update-meta-nike-snap-and-others-join-the-growing-list-of-companies-slashing-jobs-in-april-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ April is shaping up to be yet another brutal month for job cuts in the technology sector. But the announcements may not have the immediate effect that many companies are hoping for. Here’s the latest on the situation.



Microsoft to offer buyouts to 7% of its US workforce



While Microsoft hasn’t announced another round of layoffs, the Windows giant is planning job reductions of another kind. 



As Fast Company reported yesterday, the Redmond, Washington, company is expected to offer buyouts to 7% of its U.S. workforce by the end of June. A buyout is when a company offers an employee a financial incentive to resign.



Buyout helps companies avoid being forced to choose which employees to let go, while still reducing their workforce and achieving their goal of lowering operational costs. 



An employee who accepts the buyout loses their job, but generally gets a significant financial incentive for the voluntary move. Buyouts typically target employees who are closer to retirement age.



As for the reason for the buyouts, it’s the same reason driving most of the tech industry’s recent layoffs: the drive to cut labor costs so more money can be spent on building out the huge data centers needed for AI training and services.



Meta to lay off 10% of its workforce



While Microsoft is giving some of its employees the option of voluntary buyouts, Meta isn’t providing its employees an option at all. 



Yesterday, the company told its employees that it will lay off about 8,000 of them—roughly 10% of its workforce—on May 20. An additional 6,000 currently open roles will not be filled.



Meta’s latest layoff comes after the company has committed $135 billion in capital expenditure to its latest round of AI initiatives. 



Much of that expenditure will go to building massive data centers that the company needs to run its AI systems. As Fast Company reported yesterday, Meta says the job cuts aim to boost efficiency while also offsetting its “heavy spending on artificial intelligence.”



Nike announces 1,400 tech job layoffs



Also yesterday, shoe giant Nike announced it was laying off around 2% of its workforce, or about 1,400 employees. While the company is primarily known as a maker of apparel and footwear, the job cuts will mostly hit Nike’s technology roles.



But while Nike’s job cuts will primarily target its tech workforce, the company is one of the few to not suggest that AI is behind the layoffs. 



Instead, Nike says the job cuts are part of its “Win Now” strategy, which aims to modernize its manufacturing, merge parts of its supply chain, and reshape its technology division.



Nike’s layoffs will reportedly impact employees globally, including in North America.



Snap to lay off 16% of its global workforce



The trifecta of tech job cuts announced yesterday aren’t the only ones in April. 



On April 14, Snapchat maker Snap Inc. announced it would cut 16% of its global workforce. As CNBC reported, that equates to about 1,000 jobs, while another 300 currently empty roles will remain unfilled.



The primary driver behind the job cuts is the desire to cut costs by leveraging AI instead of a human workforce. 



“We believe that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence enable our teams to reduce repetitive work, increase velocity, and better support our community, partners, and advertisers,” CEO Evan Spiegel wrote in a letter announcing the job cuts.



GoPro to reduce its workforce by 23%



Finally, earlier this month, on April 7, wearable camera maker GoPro announced that it planned to lay off 145 workers. But while that may seem small in comparison to the other companies on this list, it represents a staggering 23% of the company’s workforce.



According to the Wall Street Journal, GoPro’s job cuts come as the company struggles with profitability amid macroeconomic pressures, including increased memory costs as AI demand drives prices higher and tariffs add costs. 



The company reportedly hopes to reduce operating costs in order to help it return to profitability by the end of the year.



Company stock prices react to layoffs



While layoffs are devastating to the affected workers and their families, investors usually cheer the news of job cuts. 



That’s because reducing the workforce is usually the fastest way for a company to cut costs. It’s why share prices tend to increase after a company announces major job cuts.



But this time, investor response has been a mixed bag. 



Since GoPro, Inc. (Nasdaq: GPRO) announced its job cuts, the stock has climbed an impressive 73%. 



Likewise, Snap Inc. (NYSE: SNAP) stock rose immediately after it announced its job cuts. After the announcement, SNAP stock was up about 7%. However, as of yesterday’s close, the stock had given back some of those gains, now up only about 4.3% since the layoffs were announced.



But the other companies’ stock prices have hardly reacted.



Shares in Meta Platforms Inc. (Nasdaq: META) fell more than 2% yesterday, and are barely up half a percent in premarket trading this morning, as of the time of this writing. 



Shares in Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq: MSFT) fell nearly 4% yesterday and are up only about 1.3% in premarket trading today.



Nike Inc (NYSE: NKE) shares fell nearly 2% yesterday and haven’t even recovered half of that this morning.



In other words, announcing major job cuts no longer seems guaranteed to get investors excited about a stock—and that’s something the tech giants are likely taking note of this morning. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tech, layoffs, update:, Meta, Nike, Snap, and, others, join, the, growing, list, companies, slashing, jobs, April, 2026</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>NASA made a typeface using satellite images of the Earth</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/nasa-made-a-typeface-using-satellite-images-of-the-earth</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/nasa-made-a-typeface-using-satellite-images-of-the-earth</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ NASA is looking not to the stars but back to our planet for inspiration. 



In honor of Earth Day, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center shared an interactive digital tool turns satellite images of the planet’s landscapes into a typeface.  



“The planet can spell your name—literally,” the Kennedy Space Center’s X post says.



Using a feature called “Your Name in Landsat,” users can type in whichever word they choose into the generator’s textbox. The site will then generate the phrase using landscapes from Earth, like rivers, lakes, farmland, and more. When hovering over each “letter,” users can learn more about where the landscape is located and even its coordinates.



NASA first unveiled the tool in August of 2024 for Camp Landsat, a virtual summer camp the agency runs. The letters are part of an extensive record of satellite images from Landsat—the longest ongoing series of Earth observing missions—which spans more than 50 years. The Landsat mission was first launched on July 23, 1972 and has since successfully launched eight satellites that have photographed the planet.



The project has not only awarded earthlings with high-resolution imagery for fun visualizations like “Your Name in Landsat”; it has also provided valuable data for scientists and policy makers alike to make decisions regarding the environment and natural resources.



The images that feed into the word generator are part of the satellite program’s Alphabet Image Gallery, with images sourced from the NASA Earth Observatory, NASA Worldview, USGS EarthExplorer, and the ESA Sentinel Hub.



Some letters get more than one iteration depending on how complex and prevalent the shape is in nature. 



Take the “A” which has five different options, with landscapes ranging from Yukon Delta, in Alaska, to Lake Guakhmaz, in Azerbaijan.



The “G” in comparison, is somewhat rarer, with only one option currently available in the gallery: an image from Fonte Boa, a municipality in the Amazonas state of Brazil.



People love the tool. The social media post received over 22 million views and more than 1,300 people posted their creations in the comments. (Even brands like Xbox got in on the fun.) 



“I’m here for this,” one user replied.



Another added, “that’s cool as hell, are you kidding me.” 



Beyond serving as a delightful interactive feature, Your Name in Landsat is also a powerful visualization that reminds us of how vast the world is and why its natural landscapes are worth saving.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>NASA, made, typeface, using, satellite, images, the, Earth</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Officials charge a U.S. soldier for using intel on this $400K Polymarket bet</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/officials-charge-a-us-soldier-for-using-intel-on-this-400k-polymarket-bet</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/officials-charge-a-us-soldier-for-using-intel-on-this-400k-polymarket-bet</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A U.S. special forces soldier involved in the military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been charged with using classified information about the mission to win more than $400,000 in an online betting market, federal officials announced Thursday.Gannon Ken Van Dyke was part of the operation to capture Maduro in January and used his access to classified information to make money on the prediction market site Polymarket, the federal prosecutor’s office in New York said.He has been charged by the Justice Department with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction. He could face years in prison.Van Dyke, 38, was involved in the planning and execution of capturing Maduro for about a month beginning Dec. 8, 2025, according to the federal prosecutor’s office. Even though he signed nondisclosure agreements promising to not divulge “any classified or sensitive information” related to the operations, prosecutors say the Army soldier used this information to make a series of bets related to Maduro being out of power by Jan. 31, 2026.“This involved a U.S. soldier who allegedly took advantage of his position to profit off of a righteous military operation,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post to social media.A telephone number listed for Van Dyke in public records was not in service. There was not yet an attorney listed for him in court documents.Polymarket, one of the largest prediction markets in the world, said it had found someone trading on classified government information, alerted the U.S. Department of Justice and “cooperated with their investigation.”“Insider trading has no place on Polymarket,” the company said in a statement.



Second complaint filed against the soldier



The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the federal agency that regulates prediction markets, announced Thursday it had filed a parallel complaint against Van Dyke.That complaint alleges that Van Dyke moved $35,000 from his personal bank account into a cryptocurrency exchange account on Dec. 26 — a little over a week before U.S. forces would fly into Caracas and seize Maduro.Van Dyke used more than $32,500 to make a series of bets on when Maduro might be removed from power, according to the complaint. He placed those bets between Dec. 30 and Jan. 2, with the vast majority occurring the night of Jan. 2 — just hours before the first missiles would fall on Caracas.In the early hours of Jan. 3, President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform a photo of the now-captured Venezuelan leader, wearing a gray sweatsuit, headphones and a blindfold.The bets Van Dyke made on Maduro leaving power resulted in “more than $404,000 of profits,” the complaint said. Bets on three other Venezuela-related contracts netted the solider more than $5,000, according to the document.“The defendant was entrusted with confidential information about U.S. operations and yet took action that endangered U.S. national security and put the lives of American service members in harm’s way,” said Michael Selig, the commission’s chairman.The massive profits from the well-timed bets aroused public attention days after the raid and brought bipartisan calls for stricter regulation of the markets where people can wager on just about anything.Officials allege that shortly after the operation, Van Dyke put most of the money he won in a foreign cryptocurrency vault and then into a new brokerage account. He also asked Polymarket to delete his account, saying he had lost access to his email associated with the account, according to the federal prosecutor’s office.Trump, when asked about the case Thursday, drew parallels between the embattled soldier and late professional baseball player Pete Rose, who was banned from the sport amid accusations that he placed bets on his own team.“The whole world, unfortunately, has become somewhat of a casino, and you look at what’s going on all over the world and Europe and every place, they’re doing these betting things,” Trump told reporters.The Trump administration has been a key ally of the growing prediction market industry in a critical legal fight with states seeking to ban the platforms. The president’s eldest son is an adviser for both Polymarket and its competitor Kalshi, and a Polymarket investor. Trump’s social media platform Truth Social is also launching its own cryptocurrency-based prediction market called Truth Predict.



Nearly two decades in the Army



Van Dyke joined the Army in 2008 and, in 2023, was promoted to the rank of master sergeant, the second-highest enlisted rank in the Army, according to the indictment. Federal prosecutors said he was part of the special forces community and was stationed at Fort Bragg near Fayetteville, North Carolina, but their indictment offered little other details about his military service.The document said Van Dyke was photographed following the raid on the deck of a ship “wearing U.S. military fatigues, and carrying a rifle, standing alongside three other individuals wearing U.S. military fatigues.”The Pentagon referred questions on the case to the Army and the Justice Department.Army officials declined to provide Van Dyke’s service record. Typically, the military services are reticent to offer details about members of the special forces and take measures to keep their identities secret.



Bets on geopolitical tensions draw scrutiny



The high-profile indictment comes as bipartisan lawmakers are considering legislation to ban prediction markets from allowing bets on war, assassinations or terrorist attacks.Earlier this month, The Associated Press reported that a group of new accounts on Polymarket made highly specific, well-timed bets on whether the U.S. and Iran would reach a ceasefire on April 7, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits for the new customers. On the same day the AP published the report, the White House warned staff against using private information to trade on prediction markets.On Wednesday, Kalshi fined and suspended three congressional candidates who the company said wagered on the outcome of their own elections.—Hallie Golden, Konstantin Toropin and Hannah Schoenbaum, Associated Press ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Officials, charge, U.S., soldier, for, using, intel, this, 400K, Polymarket, bet</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Is it worth opening a holiday let?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/is-it-worth-opening-a-holiday-let</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/is-it-worth-opening-a-holiday-let</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Even with cheap flights and exotic destinations, holidays in the UK are still popular. If you&#039;re considering a holiday let, read on
The post Is it worth opening a holiday let? appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>worth, opening, holiday, let</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Free advertising ideas for small businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/free-advertising-ideas-for-small-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/free-advertising-ideas-for-small-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By James Earnshaw on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Discover free advertising ideas for your small business that can increase your revenue and brand awareness easily
The post Free advertising ideas for small businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Free, advertising, ideas, for, small, businesses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Sales pipeline management from a small business perspective</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/sales-pipeline-management-from-a-small-business-perspective</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/sales-pipeline-management-from-a-small-business-perspective</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


In this guide, you&#039;ll find out what a sales pipeline is, how to set one up and how to manage it – with tips from the experts
The post Sales pipeline management from a small business perspective appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Sales, pipeline, management, from, small, business, perspective</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How to increase profits – without raising prices</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-increase-profits-without-raising-prices</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-increase-profits-without-raising-prices</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By James Earnshaw on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Profits aren&#039;t just linked to prices – find out how you could increase your profits by reducing costs and boosting revenue 
The post How to increase profits – without raising prices appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, increase, profits, –, without, raising, prices</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Brady bows out: West Ham vice&#45;chair ends 16&#45;year tenure as boardroom pressure mounts</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/brady-bows-out-west-ham-vice-chair-ends-16-year-tenure-as-boardroom-pressure-mounts</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/brady-bows-out-west-ham-vice-chair-ends-16-year-tenure-as-boardroom-pressure-mounts</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Baroness Karren Brady has departed West Ham United after 16 years as vice-chair, ending a near four-decade business partnership with David Sullivan amid sustained fan protests.
Read more: 
Brady bows out: West Ham vice-chair ends 16-year tenure as boardroom pressure mounts ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Brady, bows, out:, West, Ham, vice-chair, ends, 16-year, tenure, boardroom, pressure, mounts</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Unemployment dip flatters to deceive as SME hiring freezes amid Iran shock</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/unemployment-dip-flatters-to-deceive-as-sme-hiring-freezes-amid-iran-shock</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/unemployment-dip-flatters-to-deceive-as-sme-hiring-freezes-amid-iran-shock</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
UK unemployment unexpectedly drops to 4.9% in the quarter to February, but vacancies sink to a five-year low and payrolled jobs fall as SMEs feel the squeeze from the £25bn NI hike and the Iran war energy shock.
Read more: 
Unemployment dip flatters to deceive as SME hiring freezes amid Iran shock ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Unemployment, dip, flatters, deceive, SME, hiring, freezes, amid, Iran, shock</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Bezos’s physical AI lab Prometheus nears $10bn raise at $38bn valuation</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bezoss-physical-ai-lab-prometheus-nears-10bn-raise-at-38bn-valuation</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bezoss-physical-ai-lab-prometheus-nears-10bn-raise-at-38bn-valuation</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Jeff Bezos&#039;s physical AI venture Project Prometheus is closing in on a $10bn funding round at a $38bn valuation, with BlackRock and JPMorgan on board.
Read more: 
Bezos’s physical AI lab Prometheus nears $10bn raise at $38bn valuation ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/shutterstock_1399561367-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Bezos’s, physical, lab, Prometheus, nears, 10bn, raise, 38bn, valuation</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Barclays and Lloyds join FCA’s second AI sandbox as banks race to prove their tech credentials</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/barclays-and-lloyds-join-fcas-second-ai-sandbox-as-banks-race-to-prove-their-tech-credentials</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/barclays-and-lloyds-join-fcas-second-ai-sandbox-as-banks-race-to-prove-their-tech-credentials</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Barclays and Lloyds have joined the FCA&#039;s second AI live testing cohort alongside Experian, GoCardless and UBS, as UK banks accelerate their artificial intelligence investment.
Read more: 
Barclays and Lloyds join FCA’s second AI sandbox as banks race to prove their tech credentials ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/fca.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Barclays, and, Lloyds, join, FCA’s, second, sandbox, banks, race, prove, their, tech, credentials</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Reeves tightens windfall tax on renewables as ministers move to sever gas&#45;electricity link</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/reeves-tightens-windfall-tax-on-renewables-as-ministers-move-to-sever-gas-electricity-link</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/reeves-tightens-windfall-tax-on-renewables-as-ministers-move-to-sever-gas-electricity-link</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Chancellor Rachel Reeves lifts the electricity generator levy from 45% to 55% as Ed Miliband unveils market reforms. What the renewables windfall tax means for UK SMEs, energy bills and investment.
Read more: 
Reeves tightens windfall tax on renewables as ministers move to sever gas-electricity link ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Reeves, tightens, windfall, tax, renewables, ministers, move, sever, gas-electricity, link</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>With US spy laws set to expire, lawmakers are split over protecting Americans from warrantless surveillance</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/with-us-spy-laws-set-to-expire-lawmakers-are-split-over-protecting-americans-from-warrantless-surveillance</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/with-us-spy-laws-set-to-expire-lawmakers-are-split-over-protecting-americans-from-warrantless-surveillance</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Some lawmakers are calling for widespread reforms following years of surveillance scandals and abuses across successive U.S. administrations. But even if the spy law known as Section 702 expires on April 30, the government&#039;s spy powers will not automatically lapse. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>With, spy, laws, set, expire, lawmakers, are, split, over, protecting, Americans, from, warrantless, surveillance</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>What’s the key to better vegan cheese? Microbreweries, one startup says</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/whats-the-key-to-better-vegan-cheese-microbreweries-one-startup-says</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/whats-the-key-to-better-vegan-cheese-microbreweries-one-startup-says</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ AuX Labs says it has found a better way to make vegan cheese that tastes and feels like the real thing — and costs the same. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/aux-labs-grilled-cheese.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What’s, the, key, better, vegan, cheese, Microbreweries, one, startup, says</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Cash App is targeting a new kind of customer: 6&#45;12 year olds</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cash-app-is-targeting-a-new-kind-of-customer-6-12-year-olds</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cash-app-is-targeting-a-new-kind-of-customer-6-12-year-olds</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Tech companies are constantly on the hunt for new customers, and Cash App, the fintech company owned by Jack Dorsey’s Block, believes it has found a promising new demographic: children. The company, which already offers financial services to teens, said this week that it is expanding its youth-focused services in an effort to build a […] ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/U13_HeroAlt_9_16.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cash, App, targeting, new, kind, customer:, 6-12, year, olds</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>GRAI believes AI can make music more social, not replace artists</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/grai-believes-ai-can-make-music-more-social-not-replace-artists</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/grai-believes-ai-can-make-music-more-social-not-replace-artists</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ AI music startup GRAI says fans want to remix tracks, not generate songs from scratch. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/listening-to-music-GettyImages-2170179832.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>GRAI, believes, can, make, music, more, social, not, replace, artists</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Revolut eyes valuation of up to $200B in eventual IPO</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/revolut-eyes-valuation-of-up-to-200b-in-eventual-ipo</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/revolut-eyes-valuation-of-up-to-200b-in-eventual-ipo</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Fintech giant Revolut, which secured a full banking license in the U.K. in March after years of waiting, was most recently valued at $75 billion in a secondary share sale. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PR-lib-office-exterior-4.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Revolut, eyes, valuation, 200B, eventual, IPO</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>U.S. attacks and seizes Iranian ship in Strait of Hormuz, throwing a ceasefire into question</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/us-attacks-and-seizes-iranian-ship-in-strait-of-hormuz-throwing-a-ceasefire-into-question</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/us-attacks-and-seizes-iranian-ship-in-strait-of-hormuz-throwing-a-ceasefire-into-question</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The United States attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship it said had tried to evade its naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, and Iran’s joint military command vowed to respond, throwing a fragile ceasefire into question days before it expires.It was the first interception since the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports began last week. Iran’s joint military command called the armed boarding an act of piracy and a ceasefire violation, the state broadcaster said.With the U.S.-Iran standoff over the strait sharpening and the ceasefire expiring by Wednesday, it was not clear where President Donald Trump’s earlier announcement on new talks with Iran now stood. He had said U.S. negotiators would head to Pakistan on Monday.The uncertainty sent oil prices rising again. One of the worst global energy crises in decades threatened to deepen.Trump on social media said a U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman warned the Iranian-flagged ship, the Touska, to stop and then “stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom.” U.S. Marines had custody of the U.S.-sanctioned vessel and were “seeing what’s on board!”It was not clear whether anyone was hurt. The U.S. Central Command, which didn’t answer questions, said the destroyer had issued “repeated warnings over a six-hour period.”



Iranian state media suggest new talks won’t take place



There was no comment from Iranian officials directly addressing Trump’s announcement of talks. However, Iranian state media, without citing anyone beyond unnamed sources, issued brief reports suggesting that they would not happen.Minutes after the ship seizure was announced, Iranian state media reported on President Masoud Pezeshkian’s phone conversation with Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, earlier Sunday. U.S. actions, including bullying and unreasonable behavior, have led to increased suspicion that the U.S. will repeat previous patterns and “betray diplomacy,” the reports cited Pezeshkian as saying.Two previous attempts at talks — last June and earlier this year — were interrupted by Israeli and U.S. attacks.On another phone call, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, that recent U.S. actions, rhetoric and contradictions were signs of “bad intentions and lack of seriousness in diplomacy,” Iran’s state broadcaster said.Pakistan did not confirm a second round of talks, but authorities had begun tightening security in Islamabad. A regional official involved in the efforts said mediators were finalizing preparations and U.S. advance security teams were on the ground. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss preparations with the media.The White House had said Vice President JD Vance, who led the first round of historic face-to-face talks over 21 hours last weekend, would lead the U.S. delegation to Pakistan with envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.Iran on Saturday said it had received new proposals from the United States. While Iran’s chief negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, late Saturday said “there will be no retreat in the field of diplomacy,” he acknowledged a wide gap remained between the sides.It was unclear whether either side had shifted stances on issues that derailed the last round of negotiations, including Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, its regional proxies and the Strait of Hormuz.



Trump’s announcement on talks repeated his threats against Iranian infrastructure that have drawn widespread criticism and warnings of war crimes. If Iran doesn’t agree to the U.S.-proposed deal, “the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran,” he wrote.



Iran wants to control strait until ‘war fully ends’



Iran early Monday warned it could keep up the global economic pain as ships remained unable to transit the strait, with hundreds of vessels waiting at each end for clearance.Security of the strait is not free and “the choice is clear: either a free oil market for all, or the risk of significant costs for everyone,” Mohammad Reza Aref, first vice president of Iran, said in a social media post calling for a lasting end to military and economic pressure on Tehran.Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil trade normally passes through the strait, along with critical supplies of fertilizer for the world’s farmers, natural gas and humanitarian supplies for places in dire need like Afghanistan and Sudan.Iran had announced the strait’s reopening after a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon took hold on Friday. But then Trump said the U.S. blockade “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the United States. Iran said it would again enforce restrictions it imposed early in the war. On Saturday, Iran fired at ships trying to transit.For the Islamic Republic, the strait’s closure is perhaps its most powerful weapon, inflicting political pain on Trump. For the United States, the blockade squeezes Iran’s already weakened economy. Each side has accused the other of violating the ceasefire.Since most supplies to U.S. military bases in the Gulf region come through the strait, “Iran is determined to maintain oversight and control over traffic through the strait until the war fully ends,” Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said late Saturday. That means Iran-designated routes, payment of fees and issuance of transit certificates.The council has recently acted as Iran’s de facto top decision-making body.The war is now in its eighth week after the U.S. and Israel launched it on Feb. 28 during talks over Tehran’s nuclear program. At least 3,000 people have been killed in Iran, more than 2,290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 U.S. service members throughout the region have been killed.Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this report.







An earlier version of this story corrected the name of the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson to Esmail Baghaei.



—Michelle L. Price, Samy Magdy and Sam Metz, Associated Press ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>U.S., attacks, and, seizes, Iranian, ship, Strait, Hormuz, throwing, ceasefire, into, question</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>2 new Chase Sapphire airport lounges are coming. Here’s what to expect and when</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/2-new-chase-sapphire-airport-lounges-are-coming-heres-what-to-expect-and-when</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/2-new-chase-sapphire-airport-lounges-are-coming-heres-what-to-expect-and-when</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ For years, premium credit cards competed on points, perks, and airport lounge access. Now the lounge itself is becoming the strategy.



Chase is the latest to double down.



With new Sapphire Lounge locations planned—starting with one at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and another at Los Angeles International Airport—the company is expanding its footprint at a moment when airport lounges have become one of the most competitive battlegrounds in consumer finance. The move follows a wave of recent openings that show how Chase is trying to differentiate not just on access, but on experience.



“We’re really excited,” Dana Pouwels, head of airport lounge benefits at JPMorgan Chase, told Fast Company in an interview. “Dallas is opening this year, and Los Angeles will be opening within the next 12 months.”



Specific details of those lounges are still under wraps, but the broader strategy is already visible, and it’s less about square footage and more about turning the airport into part of the destination.



The Chase Sapphire Lounge at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas [Photo: Chase]



The lounge arms race is splitting in two directions



To understand what Chase is doing, it helps to look at its biggest rival.



American Express, which helped define the modern airport lounge with its Centurion network, is expanding in two directions at once. The company is building larger flagship lounges in key hubs like Boston and Dallas Fort Worth, while also rolling out smaller “Sidecar” spaces designed for travelers with limited time.



That split reflects a simple reality. Not all travelers use lounges the same way. Some want a place to settle in for hours. Others want something closer to a high-end restaurant that they can move through more quickly, such as Capital One’s recently launched LGA lounge with José Andrés.



Chase, at least for now, is leaning harder into the first camp, but with a twist.



Designing for the destination, not just the delay



If there is a defining feature of Chase’s lounges, it’s how much they try to feel like the city in which they’re located.



The Las Vegas lounge, opened at the end of 2025, pushes that idea to its limit, leaning into theatrical design and playful details.



“We went for bold and shimmering finishes, and it’s really just inspired by that city’s nightlife,” Pouwels said.



The lounge includes a champagne parlor, a menu created with Momofuku founder David Chang, and cocktails that nod to the city’s history, like a jet-black libation topped with edible gummy dice.



The Philadelphia lounge takes a different approach. There, Chase built a 20,000-square-foot space centered on the city’s beer culture, complete with a beer garden and a beer flight program that proved so popular it’s already been replicated by Chase in its Boston lounge.



Beyond the food and drink offerings, the Philadelphia lounge also includes sports memorabilia, retro arcade machines, and one of the lounge network’s only TV-equipped spaces, a deliberate nod to local fan culture.



The goal is consistency in quality, but not in sameness.



The Chase Sapphire Lounge at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas [Photo: Chase]



Data decides where to go next



Behind the scenes, Chase’s expansion is driven as much by data as design.



“We’re always looking at the top places where our card members travel to and through, and also where they live,” Pouwels said.



Los Angeles stands out as a priority, ranking as the second-most-booked destination for Chase cardholders in 2025. Dallas checks multiple boxes, serving as both a major travel hub and a city with a large Chase employee base.



Still, demand alone is not enough.



“The location has to be right in terms of the airport, but it also has to be right in terms of the terminal and the amount of space that’s available,” Pouwels said.



That constraint helps explain why lounge growth, across the industry, has been steady but uneven.



The post-pandemic traveler wants something different



What is changing fastest is not where lounges are built, but what travelers expect from them.



According to Pouwels, that shift started during the pandemic, when people grew accustomed to highly personalized environments at home and began expecting the same from travel.



“Our lounges really have evolved to be more personalized experiences,” she said.



That means more than just comfortable seating. Travelers are looking for discovery, whether that is a local chef, a regional drink, or a design element tied to the city.



“They want to see something or learn something different every time they’re on a travel journey,” Pouwels said.



American Express is responding to that demand by segmenting its lounge experience into multiple formats. Chase, meanwhile, is trying to build a sense of discovery into every location.



The Chase Sapphire Lounge at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas [Photo: Chase]



Lounges as a loyalty engine



The bigger play is not the lounge itself. It’s what the lounge represents.



Chase sees these spaces as part of a broader travel ecosystem that starts before a trip is booked and continues through the airport and beyond.



“We’re really focused on the end-to-end travel journey,” Pouwels said.



That includes everything from trip planning to the airport experience itself, which has become a central touchpoint.



“We really want to ensure that we’re bringing the local element of the city into the airport experience. . . . and really, the lounges are a natural extension of that, right? Enhancing every step of the card member’s travel journey,” Pouwels added.



In other words, the airport is no longer just a stop along the way. It’s part of the product.



What comes next



With the Dallas lounge set to open this year and the one at LAX expected within the next 12 months, Chase’s new wave of lounges will test how far that strategy can go.



The competitive pressure is only increasing. American Express continues to scale both larger and smaller formats. Other issuers, like Capital One, are experimenting with their own concepts. Travelers are gaining more access and, in turn, becoming more selective.



For Chase, the bet is that the future of loyalty isn’t just about getting people to travel. It’s about owning more of the journey once they do.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>new, Chase, Sapphire, airport, lounges, are, coming., Here’s, what, expect, and, when</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Gap is dropping a Victoria Beckham collab, bringing her discerning eye to denim</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/gap-is-dropping-a-victoria-beckham-collab-bringing-her-discerning-eye-to-denim</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/gap-is-dropping-a-victoria-beckham-collab-bringing-her-discerning-eye-to-denim</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ I’m not one for binaries, but it’s likely you’re either aware of Gap’s 2025 comeback tour, or you have a healthy amount of screen time. For those of us who aren’t full luddite teen (aspirational), I’m here to tell you that Gap is continuing its play to cement its place among the fashion set—and cultural domination—in 2026.



We’re seeing this with Gap’s announcement today of a new Spring collection kicking off a multi-season partnership with Victoria Beckham, bringing clean lines and refined classics that harken from the designer’s British sensibilities to the eponymous American brand. The 38-piece line of wardrobe staples will be available online and in select global Gap stores beginning April 24 at 9am ET, with prices that range between $34 to $328.



[Photo: Gap]



This isn’t Gap’s first partnership of the year. It previously launched collaborations with Harlem’s Fashion Row and Awake, as well as a keystone campaign for the brand’s sweatpants with rapper Young Mikko. (And let’s not forget last year’s sell-out Sandy Liang collaboration.) The Victoria Beckham collaboration is its latest in an ongoing story of reinvention the brand wants to convey to the public.



“We always are looking for new, interesting, cool, unexpected-for-our-customer collabs, and Victoria Beckham is a real natural for us,” says Gap CEO Mark Breitbard of the pairing, noting that her design sensibilities bring an elevated level of polish and refinement to Gap’s casual everyday wear. 



The partnership was the result of a conversation Breitbard had with celebrity stylist Alastair McKimm, who he considers to be part of the Gap creative team, about his other clients. “When he brought up Victoria, we both just kind of looked at each other and said, ‘Wait, could this be interesting for us?’” Breitbard recalled. And Beckham, for her part, was game.



The design results apply subtle degrees of difference from Gap classics like its Arc denim and matching jacket, pull-over denim quarter zips with a tent-like shape, dark wash capris (having a moment this spring), pleated khaki shorts, white button-downs, jersey tank dresses, and a classic trench coat. The difference from Gap pieces may not be detectable to the non-fashion obsessive’s human eye, but the simplicity of lines and the appeal of the Victoria Beckham brand ID could subconsciously appeal to the same discerning shopper who gets neutral manicures and wears La Ligne.



[Photo: Gap]



“You’ll see really modern lines and elegance that still has Gap casual in it,” says Breitbard. “So it’s very versatile. Dress up, dress down. Look incredibly chic, but also don’t look like you tried too hard. It’s just a really great balance, but clean lines and a fine aesthetic.” 



The cerulean blue pullover anorak adds a bright pop of color to staples like white, khaki, olive, and denim, which have enough wearability that could toss on a piece and head out the door. There is some overlap between the positioning of this line and Gap Studio as an elevated take to Gap classics, but Breitbard splices Gap Studio as more of a play for red carpet caché, with some looks they then commercialize.



[Photo: Gap]



The multi-season partnership also points to the brand’s broader partnerships strategy, which aims to reestablish relevancy through brand partners with caché. Gap is extending these partnerships through marketing that’s less sales-y and more shareable content (“brandtainment” is the linguistic ligature du jour). By doing so, it’s goal is to drive cultural conversation. In short: organically become part of the chatter in the elusive group chat.



At this point, the brand is building on the momentum of the previous year-and-a-half. (Its financial gains are still playing out: net sales were up 2% and store sales up 1% year over year, respectively.)



Where Gap gets luxury fashion bonafides from Beckham, Beckham gets to capitalize on her existing growth and expand her reach. Victoria Beckham posted $170 million in group sales resulting in 19% growth in 2025, which includes fashion and beauty, (Breitbard noted her success in beauty in particular). Beckham told WWD last fall that she plans to open more stores in the U.S., which is the brand’s biggest market—this collab could be a preview for a lot of new consumers.



[Photo: Gap]



Ultimately a collaboration is successful if it’s multidimensional. “[The Victoria Beckham collaboration] is going to hit new consumers who are paying attention to fashion and existing consumers, and consumers who have been with us for a while,” says Breitbard. 



While I can’t say that the Victoria Beckham brand has been in my group chats lately (that’s been dominated by fashion brands like Khaite, the Row, Still Here, and quests for vintage Prada and Manolo Blahniks, and even Gap itself), it does have a major online fan base: 3 million TikTok followers compared to Gap’s one million, and 33.4 million Instagram followers compared to Gap’s 3.7 million.



“One of the things that I think we’re doing well when we do a remix, [is] there might be dimensions that the younger consumer really appreciates, and then there is also just artistry and creative that is very accessible and easy,” says Breitbard, which translates to online traction and cultural interest that are bigger than sales KPIs.



[Photo: Gap]



He points to the Katseye campaign as an example. “They’re young. They have a young demographic. They have a huge fan base, but tens of thousands of people reposted that dance. We had 600 million views, and it wasn’t just from young [people]. It was so accessible and so uplifting to a very broad audience. That’s what we’ve done well,“ he says. “Victoria has younger consumers, but also consumers who have known her and followed her throughout her career and I think that’ll be inspiring very broadly.” 



He adds that Beckham’s cultural impact and personal relationship with her brand also fit with Gap’s story telling sensibilities. The story they plan together was too big for one drop. And a multi-season collaboration has to have a different business strategy.



[Photo: Gap]



“The strategy for us here is to bring in the right amount to have excitement and energy and have it be accessible, but not bought with such depth that it’s meant to live for months and months in the store,” says Breitbard. “These things are meant to be moments of high heat, to draw attention, to have fun, to drive business. And so we are intending to do that for this drop and then another drop later in the year, versus it’s going to launch and it’s going to be in the store.”



Beckham’s designer bonafides are another lens for potential Gap customers who haven’t thought of the brand yet to tap in. “Gap made new,” says Breitbard concisely of the brand’s strategy. “We want to continue to make Gap new and this is a great way to do that.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Gap, dropping, Victoria, Beckham, collab, bringing, her, discerning, eye, denim</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Refunds can now be claimed by businesses impacted by Trump’s unconstitutional tariffs</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/refunds-can-now-be-claimed-by-businesses-impacted-by-trumps-unconstitutional-tariffs</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/refunds-can-now-be-claimed-by-businesses-impacted-by-trumps-unconstitutional-tariffs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A refund system for businesses that paid tariffs which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Donald Trump imposed without the constitutional authority to do so is scheduled to launch Monday.Importers and their brokers will be able to begin claiming refunds through an online portal beginning at 8 a.m., according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency administering the system.It’s the first step in a complicated process that also might eventually lead to refunds for consumers who were billed for some or all of the tariffs on products shipped to them from outside the United States.Companies must submit declarations listing the goods on which they collectively put billions of dollars toward the import taxes the court subsequently struck down. If CBP approves a claim, it will take 60-90 days for a refund to be issued, the agency said.The government expects to process refunds in phases, however, focusing first on more recent tariff payments. Any number of technical factors and procedural issues could delay an importer’s application, so any reimbursements businesses plan to make to customers likely would trickled down slowly.In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court on Feb. 20 found that Trump usurped Congress’ tax-setting role last April when he set new import tax rates on products from almost every other country, citing the U.S. trade deficit as a national emergency that warranted his invoking of a 1977 emergency powers law.Although the court majority did not address refunds in its ruling, a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade determined last month that companies subjected to IEEPA tariffs were entitled to money back.



Not all taxed imports immediately eligible



Customs and Border Protection said in court filings that over 330,000 importers paid a total of about $166 billion on over 53 million shipments.Not all of those orders qualify for the first phase of the refund system’s rollout, which is limited to cases in which tariffs were estimated but not finalized or within 80 days of a final accounting.To receive refunds, importers have to register for the CPB’s electronic payment system. As of April 14, 56,497 importers had completed registration and were eligible for refunds totaling $127 billion, including interest, the agency said.



System requires accuracy



Meghann Supino, a partner at Ice Miller, said the law firm has advised clients to carefully list in their declarations all of the document numbers for forms that went to CBP to describe imported goods and their value.“If there is an entry on that file that does not qualify, it may cause the entire entry to be rejected or that line item might be rejected by Customs,” she said.Supino thinks the portal going live will require composure as well as diligence.“Like any electronic online program that goes live with a lot of interest, I would expect that there might be some hiccups with the program on Monday,” she said. “So we continue to ask everyone to be patient, because we think that patience will pay off.”Nghi Huynh, the partner-in-charge of transfer pricing at accounting and consulting firm Armanino, said most companies claiming refunds will have imported a mix of items, and not all will qualify right away.“It’s about having a clear process in place and keeping track of what’s been submitted and what’s been paid, so nothing falls through the cracks,” she said. “Each file can include thousands of entries, but accuracy is critical, as submissions can be rejected if formatting or data is incorrect.”



Patience with the process



Small businesses have eagerly awaited the chance to apply for refunds. Brad Jackson, co-founder of After Action Cigars in Rochester, Minnesota, said he starting compiling records and preparing to enter information into the system the minute CPB announced the launch date.The company imports cigars and accessories from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Last year, it paid $34,000 in tariffs and absorbed much of the cost instead of raising customer prices, Jackson said.Last spring, he had a two-week delay in a shipment due to a missing document, so he is being more careful with refund documents, he said.“My main concern is the turnaround time,” Jackson said. “A refund process that takes several months to complete doesn’t solve the cash flow problem that it is supposed to fix.”



Will consumers see refunds?



Tariffs are paid by importers, and some companies pass on the tax costs to consumers via higher prices.The system starting up Monday will refund tariffs directly to the businesses that paid them, which are not obligated to share the proceeds with customers. However, class-action lawsuits that aim to force companies, ranging from Costco to Ray-Ban maker Essilor Luxottica, to reimburse shoppers are winding their way through the U.S. legal system.Individuals may be more likely to receive refunds from delivery companies like FedEx and UPS, which collected tariffs on imports directly from consumers. FedEx has said it would return tariff refunds to customers when it receives them from the CPB.“Supporting our customers as they navigate regulatory changes remains our top priority,” FedEx said in a statement. “We are working with our customers as CBP begins processing refunds and plan to begin filing claims on April 20.”



—Mae Anderson, AP Business Writer ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Refunds, can, now, claimed, businesses, impacted, Trump’s, unconstitutional, tariffs</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Elon Musk is summoned to Paris over allegations of child sexual abuse images on X</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/elon-musk-is-summoned-to-paris-over-allegations-of-child-sexual-abuse-images-on-x</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/elon-musk-is-summoned-to-paris-over-allegations-of-child-sexual-abuse-images-on-x</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Elon Musk has been summoned to Paris on Monday, where investigators are looking into allegations of misconduct related to the social media platform X, including the spread of child sexual abuse material and deepfake content.The world’s richest man and Linda Yaccarino — the former CEO of X — have been summoned for “voluntary interviews,” while other employees of the platform are scheduled to be heard as witnesses throughout this week, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.It remains unclear whether Musk and Yaccarino will travel to Paris. A spokesperson for X did not respond to questions from The Associated Press and Yaccarino’s current company, eMed, did not answer a request sent to the press email.French prosecutors also suspect that controversy around the platform’s AI system Grok’s deepfakes was concocted to boost the value of Musk-owned companies ahead of a key market listing, and alerted U.S. authorities. Musk welcomed a report that U.S. justice officials refused to help French investigators, posting on X, “This needs to stop.”



The reason for summoning Musk



Musk was summoned after a search took place in February at the French premises of X as part of an investigation opened in January 2025 by the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office. Musk and Yaccarino have been invited in their capacities as managers of X at the time of the events investigated. Yaccarino was CEO from May 2023 until July 2025.“These voluntary interviews with the executives are intended to allow them to present their position regarding the facts and, where appropriate, the compliance measures they plan to implement,” prosecutors said. “At this stage, the conduct of this investigation is part of a constructive approach, with the ultimate objective of ensuring that platform X complies with French law, insofar as it operates within the national territory.”The Paris prosecutor’s office said Musk and Yaccarino’s potential no-show on Monday “is not an obstacle for investigations to continue.”



What is being investigated



French authorities opened their investigation after reports from a French lawmaker alleging that biased algorithms on X likely distorted the functioning of an automated data processing system. It expanded after the AI system, Grok, generated posts that allegedly denied the Holocaust, a crime in France, and spread sexually explicit deepfakes.It’s looking into alleged “complicity” in possessing and spreading pornographic images of minors, sexually explicit deepfakes, denial of crimes against humanity and manipulation of an automated data processing system as part of an organized group, among other charges.Grok, which was built by xAI and is available through X, sparked global outrage this year after it pumped out a torrent of sexualized nonconsensual deepfake images in response to requests from X users.Grok also wrote in a widely shared post in French that gas chambers at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp were designed for “disinfection with Zyklon B against typhus” rather than for mass murder — language long associated with Holocaust denial.In later posts on X, the chatbot reversed itself and acknowledged that its earlier reply was wrong, saying it had been deleted, and pointed to historical evidence that Zyklon B was used to kill more than 1 million people in Auschwitz gas chambers.



French prosecutors alert U.S. authorities



In March, the Paris prosecutor’s office alerted the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) — the U.S. federal agency responsible for regulating and overseeing financial markets — suggesting “that the controversy surrounding sexually explicit deepfakes generated by Grok may have been deliberately orchestrated to artificially boost the value of the companies X and xAI — potentially constituting criminal offenses,” prosecutors said.The Paris prosecutor’s office said this could have been done “ahead of the planned June 2026 stock market listing of the new entity formed by the merger of Space X and xAI, at a time when company X was clearly losing momentum.”



Justice Department brushes off French call



According to the Wall Street Journal, the Justice Department told French law enforcement authorities it wouldn’t facilitate their efforts to investigate Musk’s X. The newspaper reported that the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, in a two-page letter last week, accused the French of inappropriately using its justice system to interfere with an American business.The letter also said France’s requests for U.S. assistance “constitute an effort to entangle the United States in a politically charged criminal proceeding aimed at wrongfully regulating through prosecution the business activities of a social media platform.”French judicial authorities didn’t respond to requests for comments.



Investigations launched into several internet platforms



The cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office has launched in recent years a series of investigations focusing on internet platforms’ suspected illegal activities.French-language website Coco, which was cited in the landmark trial that turned Gisèle Pelicot into a global icon against sexual violence, closed in 2024 as its manager is accused of complicity in spreading child pornography and trafficking of children for sexual purposes, among other things.Pavel Durov, the founder of the Telegram messaging app, was handed preliminary charges and placed under judicial supervision for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the platform, including child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking.The Paris prosecutor’s office opened last year an investigation into TikTok over allegations that the platform allows content promoting suicide and that its algorithms may encourage vulnerable young people to take their own lives.Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said it has lodged a new complaint against X with the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office targeting “the platform’s policies that allow disinformation to flourish.”







Associated Press reporter Kelvin Chan contributed to this story.



—Samuel Petrequin, Associated Press ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Elon, Musk, summoned, Paris, over, allegations, child, sexual, abuse, images</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Getting small business loans with bad credit</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/getting-small-business-loans-with-bad-credit</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/getting-small-business-loans-with-bad-credit</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Ben Lobel on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Even a small business owner with bad credit may need to borrow unexpectedly for stock or a sudden car repair. Where can you turn to for a small business loan with bad credit?
The post Getting small business loans with bad credit appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/01/bad-credit-loans-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Getting, small, business, loans, with, bad, credit</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Fast business funding and loans</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/fast-business-funding-and-loans</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/fast-business-funding-and-loans</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Worried about cash flow for your small business? Need cash fast? Find out more about fast business funding and who the key providers are
The post Fast business funding and loans appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2022/06/Fast-funding-scaled-1.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Fast, business, funding, and, loans</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The April Cost Squeeze: Why Small Businesses Must Plan Ahead, Not Catch Up</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-april-cost-squeeze-why-small-businesses-must-plan-ahead-not-catch-up</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-april-cost-squeeze-why-small-businesses-must-plan-ahead-not-catch-up</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
For many small businesses in the UK, April has become a predictable pressure point.
Read more: 
The April Cost Squeeze: Why Small Businesses Must Plan Ahead, Not Catch Up ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2626373921.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, April, Cost, Squeeze:, Why, Small, Businesses, Must, Plan, Ahead, Not, Catch</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Desmond’s £1.3bn National Lottery battle collapses as High Court sides with Gambling Commission</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/desmonds-13bn-national-lottery-battle-collapses-as-high-court-sides-with-gambling-commission</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/desmonds-13bn-national-lottery-battle-collapses-as-high-court-sides-with-gambling-commission</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Richard Desmond&#039;s £1.3bn damages claim against the Gambling Commission over the fourth National Lottery licence awarded to Allwyn has been dismissed by the High Court.
Read more: 
Desmond’s £1.3bn National Lottery battle collapses as High Court sides with Gambling Commission ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/desmond-20160401094919667.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Desmond’s, £1.3bn, National, Lottery, battle, collapses, High, Court, sides, with, Gambling, Commission</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Tesco urges ministers to ease cost burden as Iran conflict clouds outlook</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tesco-urges-ministers-to-ease-cost-burden-as-iran-conflict-clouds-outlook</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tesco-urges-ministers-to-ease-cost-burden-as-iran-conflict-clouds-outlook</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Tesco chief Ken Murphy urges ministers to ease tax and energy costs as the grocer posts an 8.5% profit rise and widens guidance amid the Iran conflict.
Read more: 
Tesco urges ministers to ease cost burden as Iran conflict clouds outlook ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/shutterstock_699213481-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tesco, urges, ministers, ease, cost, burden, Iran, conflict, clouds, outlook</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Seres files patent for voice&#45;activated in&#45;car toilet as china’s EV makers battle for attention</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/seres-files-patent-for-voice-activated-in-car-toilet-as-chinas-ev-makers-battle-for-attention</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/seres-files-patent-for-voice-activated-in-car-toilet-as-chinas-ev-makers-battle-for-attention</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Chongqing-based EV manufacturer Seres has patented a voice-controlled in-vehicle toilet, as Chinese carmakers pile on novel features to survive a brutal price war.
Read more: 
Seres files patent for voice-activated in-car toilet as china’s EV makers battle for attention ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Toilet-chair.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Seres, files, patent, for, voice-activated, in-car, toilet, china’s, makers, battle, for, attention</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Finance chiefs sound alarm over Anthropic’s ‘mythos’ AI model amid cyber&#45;security fears</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/finance-chiefs-sound-alarm-over-anthropics-mythos-ai-model-amid-cyber-security-fears</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/finance-chiefs-sound-alarm-over-anthropics-mythos-ai-model-amid-cyber-security-fears</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Finance ministers, central bankers and Barclays&#039; chief executive warn that Anthropic&#039;s new Mythos AI model could expose critical vulnerabilities in the world&#039;s financial systems.
Read more: 
Finance chiefs sound alarm over Anthropic’s ‘mythos’ AI model amid cyber-security fears ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2645234093-2.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Finance, chiefs, sound, alarm, over, Anthropic’s, ‘mythos’, model, amid, cyber-security, fears</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>New leaders, new fund: Sequoia has raised $7B to expand its AI bets</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/new-leaders-new-fund-sequoia-has-raised-7b-to-expand-its-ai-bets</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/new-leaders-new-fund-sequoia-has-raised-7b-to-expand-its-ai-bets</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The fundraise is the first major capital raise under Sequoia&#039;s new leadership, with Alfred Lin and Pat Grady now serving as co-stewards of the 54-year-old firm. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>New, leaders, new, fund:, Sequoia, has, raised, 7B, expand, its, bets</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>SaySo is a new short&#45;form video app that aims to restore users’ trust in news</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/sayso-is-a-new-short-form-video-app-that-aims-to-restore-users-trust-in-news</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/sayso-is-a-new-short-form-video-app-that-aims-to-restore-users-trust-in-news</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Users are fed up with misinformation and AI slop cluttering their feeds. SaySo is a new short-form video app that delivers news from vetted creators and journalists. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SaySo-Image-1.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>SaySo, new, short-form, video, app, that, aims, restore, users’, trust, news</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Loop raises $95M to build supply chain AI that predicts disruptions</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/loop-raises-95m-to-build-supply-chain-ai-that-predicts-disruptions</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/loop-raises-95m-to-build-supply-chain-ai-that-predicts-disruptions</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The San Francisco startup closed a Series C funding round led by Antonio Gracias&#039; firm Valor, which is a major backer of xAI. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/loop-founders.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Loop, raises, 95M, build, supply, chain, that, predicts, disruptions</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Netflix plans to add a vertical video feed, use AI for recommendations</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/netflix-plans-to-add-a-vertical-video-feed-use-ai-for-recommendations</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/netflix-plans-to-add-a-vertical-video-feed-use-ai-for-recommendations</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Netflix is going to launch a TikTok-like vertical video feed within its apps this month, and plans to use AI broadly for content creation and recommendations. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/GettyImages-2235383828.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Netflix, plans, add, vertical, video, feed, use, for, recommendations</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Bluesky confirms DDoS attack is cause of continued app outages</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bluesky-confirms-ddos-attack-is-cause-of-continued-app-outages</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bluesky-confirms-ddos-attack-is-cause-of-continued-app-outages</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Bluesky has been experiencing ongoing service disruptions since just before 3 a.m. ET. on April 15. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/bluesky-GettyImages-2185144073.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Bluesky, confirms, DDoS, attack, cause, continued, app, outages</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Google DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis on the long game of AI</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/google-deepminds-demis-hassabis-on-the-long-game-of-ai</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/google-deepminds-demis-hassabis-on-the-long-game-of-ai</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In 1988, a London pre-teen with a penchant for programming and gaming wrote a version of the classic board game Othello—also known as Reversi—for his Amiga 500 home computer. Teaching a piece of software to play the game was an ambitious coding project for someone so young.
And with that, Demis Hassabis notched his first achievement in the field of artificial intelligence.
The Othello-playing app “beat my kid brother, who was only five at the time,” Hassabis remembers. “It was an ‘a-ha’ moment for me, because I just thought, ‘Wow, it’s incredible that you can make a program that’s inanimate and it can go off and do something on your behalf.&#039;”
That proved to be a fateful epiphany. More than two decades later, it led to him cofounding DeepMind, the AI startup that did much to push the technology forward, both before and after its acquisition by Google in 2014. In 2023, Google merged DeepMind with Google Brain, its other highly productive AI arm, and named Hassabis as CEO of the combined operation, Google DeepMind. The AI model he oversees, Gemini, is now at the heart of Google products used by billions of people.
Long before the fruits of DeepMind’s work were everywhere, the company was a research lab whose early focus was on training algorithms to play games. That didn’t just connect them back to Hassabis’s childhood Othello app. From the very dawn of AI, researchers have used gaming as a canvas for discovery. For example, back in 2019, I wrote about a 1960 TV special that documented IBM’s checkers-playing computer.
Games are so powerful as a research tool because they’re “a microcosm of something important in real life,” explains Hassabis. “And we get to practice it many times in an environment that’s serious, but not serious, in a sense.”
Last month marked the tenth anniversary of the capstone to that quest—a history-making moment not just for DeepMind, but the entire AI field. The 2,500-year-old Chinese board game Go had been considered, in Hassabis’s words, “the Mount Everest of game AI”—so deep and mystical in its mechanics that for years, computers struggled to play it even poorly, let alone well. But from March 9-15 2016, in a match held in Seoul, DeepMind’s AlphaGo software beat Lee Sedol, Go’s world champion, four games to one.


Demis Hassabis speaks at DeepMind’s match against Go world champion Lee Sedol in 2016. [Photo: Courtesy of Google DeepMind]


The victory reverberated far beyond the crowd of obsessives who had wondered if it was even possible. “Maybe, looking back on it now, it was the beginning of what we would consider the modern AI era,” says Hassabis. It was certainly tangible proof that the tech could amaze even the people responsible for its breakthroughs. It was soon joined by other signs, such as Google Brain’s June 2017 research paper on “transformers”—the fundamental ingredient that would give us generative AI.
AlphaGo also marked a transition for DeepMind. Once its AI had beaten Go, gaming was short on obvious Mount Everests to conquer, and more consequential challenges beckoned. In 2018, DeepMind unveiled the first version of AlphaFold, its algorithm for predicting protein structures. That breakthrough’s transformative implications in areas such as drug discovery and materials research inspired the creation of Isomorphic Labs, a new startup within Google’s parent company Alphabet, and led to Hassabis and DeepMind distinguished scientist John Jumper sharing the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Today, Google DeepMind’s website reflects its wide-ranging research efforts, from predicting weather to error-correcting quantum computers to understanding how dolphins communicate. But Hassabis doesn’t talk about games like they’re a musty part of his past. Indeed, he’s as engaged and proud talking about the long road that led to AlphaGo’s big win as when discussing Google DeepMind’s current activities. Gaming just happened to be the first type of artificial intelligence that captured his imagination. What he learned along the way remains as relevant as ever.
“It was obvious to me from 16, 17 years old that AI was what I was going to do with my career,” he says. “And, if it could work, the biggest thing of all time.”
From chess to Pong to Go
By the time Hassabis tackled Othello on his Amiga, he was already an old hand at board-game wizardry. At four, he took up chess. At eight, he’d earned enough playing it competitively to buy his first computer. At 13, he became the world’s second-highest rated player under the age of 14, after the legendary Judit Polgár.


On the left, a young Demis Hassabis makes his move. [Photo: Courtesy of Google DeepMind]


Hassabis credits his time as a chess prodigy with sharpening his skills at problem-solving, visualization, and thinking clearly under pressure; it doesn’t seem a stretch to guess that it might have been a boon to his self-confidence as well. “There aren’t many things children can do where they can compete against adults at the highest level when they’re five or six years old,” he says. (He recommends chess as part of school curriculums and still plays it online in the middle of the night as “a gym for the mind.”)


Chess prodigy with trophy. [Photo: Courtesy of Google DeepMind]


Still a wunderkind at age 17, Hassabis won an internship at computer game studio Bullfrog after entering a competition in a magazine for Amiga users. Before long, he’d co-created Theme Park, an amusement-park simulator that sold tens of millions of copies.
Theme Park didn’t just let players choose rides. They also set prices, hired staff, operated concessions, sold stock, and otherwise optimized the business to thrive. Unlike a board game or most computer games, it offered entirely open-ended play, powered by an algorithm rather than a fixed set of rules.
As Hassabis saw his creation behave in ways he hadn’t explicitly programmed into it, his mind reeled. “The key thing was that every time someone played the game, they had a unique experience, because the AI would react to how they were playing it,” he recalls. “We got letters from kids. They sent screenshots of these amazing end states they got their theme parks into. And we had no idea you could even do that, even though we’d made the game.”


The graphics may be very 1990s, but Hassabis’s Theme Park was a pioneer in applying AI to a simulation game.


Sixteen years elapsed between Theme Park‘s release and DeepMind’s inception. During them, Hassabis earned a BA in computer science and a PhD in cognitive neuroscience, with more time in the game business sandwiched in between.
When he and his friends Shane Legg and Mustafa Suleyman decided to start an AI company together, it was with the aspiration—even loftier in 2010 than now—of developing algorithms that could at least match human cognitive ability at typical tasks. (Legg called that artificial general intelligence, or AGI, a term the entire field embraced.) But the cofounders began with a vastly more manageable project: training AI to excel at early Atari home video games such as Pong, Breakout, and Space Invaders.
Not that it was a sure thing at the time. “We might have been 20 years too early,” says Hassabis. “Nobody knew. And so we had to try it.”
The fact that the video games in question were ultra-minimalist 1970s relics didn’t result in immediate gratification. “It took months to win a single point at Pong, the simplest Atari game,” Hassabis remembers. Eventually, though, “We won the game 21-nil,” he says. “And then we could play all Atari games after another year or so.”







The technique DeepMind used to trounce Pong—deep reinforcement learning—had broad applicability in AI beyond gaming. Heartened by its progress, the company turned its attention to Go.
Though leaping directly from some of the world’s most basic games to one of unrivaled complexity might sound jarring, it may have been inexorable. Teaching AI to play Go at the highest possible level had been an irresistibly audacious goal for computer scientists since the 1970s. It had also been on Hassabis’s own mind for 20 years, even though he was only an amateur at the game himself.
As a Cambridge undergrad, he’d discussed AI and Go with a classmate, David Silver. In 2008, a program Silver had co-created, MoGo, became the first software to beat a professional Go player, albeit while competing with the advantage of a handicap. Hassabis was reunited with his old friend when Silver joined DeepMind, where he worked on the Atari project and went on to lead AlphaGo’s development.
Decades of thought had also gone into chess-playing AI before IBM’s Deep Blue beat reigning world champion Garry Kasparov in 1997. But compared to Go, chess looked like Candyland. “In Go, there are 10 to the power 170 possible board positions—far more than there are atoms in the universe,” says Hassabis. That ruled out brute-force approaches such as programming the AI to handle every theoretical combination of pieces, as IBM had done for Deep Blue.
DeepMind ended up training a deep neural network with reinforcement learning to only explore meaningful moves for any given layout of pieces on the Go board. Hassabis compares the approach to infusing the algorithm with human intuition. Except AlphaGo was capable of taking more data into consideration than even the most gifted and disciplined human player, providing it with the opportunity to make decisions that felt not just intuitive, but magical.
That point was proven early in game two of AlphaGo’s match with Sedol, in a way that left jaws agape when it happened and still resonates today. For the game’s 37th move—forever after known as “Move 37″—the AI chose a play so unexpected that eyewitnesses wondered if Aja Huang, the DeepMind scientist responsible for moving AlphaGo’s pieces on the board, had made it in error.
“Lee Sedol chose that moment to go and have a smoke on the balcony,” recounts Hassabis. “He comes back in, and he sees Move 37. You see his facial expression change, and he’s sort of amazed by it. And bemused, perhaps.”


AlphaGo’s victory against Go master Sedol was dramatic at the time, and reverberates today. [Photo: Courtesy of Google DeepMind]


Everyone involved knew that no human Go master would have made Move 37. But it wasn’t clear until much later in the game if it had been remarkably smart or remarkably dumb. Eventually, however, it turned out to be essential to beating Sedol—”almost as if AlphaGo put the piece there for 100 moves later,” says Hassabis. “Not only was it unusual, it was the pivotal move to win the game. That’s what makes it one of the greatest Go moves of all time.”
Maybe you’d need to be a serious Go aficionado—which I’m not—to truly appreciate what made Move 37 special. But it’s easy to get swept up in its drama when watching AlphaGo, the 2017 documentary about the match. It continues to be fodder for courses, presentations, blog posts, and podcasts, making it a strong candidate for the most-analyzed single decision made by AI to date.
Of course, if Move 37 was merely a startling bit of board-game play, it wouldn’t be so endlessly compelling. By making it, AlphaGo showed how AI is capable of not just simulating human thought, but going beyond it. Achieving that higher state of reasoning was why DeepMind took on Go in the first place.
Subsequent research efforts such as AlphaFold have aimed to catalyze a similar effect. “The real world’s a lot harder than a game,” says Hassabis, but “You need that element of finding a new insight or new structure in the data. That’s what you’re looking for in science.” He adds that Move 37-like thinking is also apparent in current Google products such as the Deep Think version of Gemini, which is tuned for applications in science, math, and engineering.
At its best, human game play—be it on a computer, a board, or an athletic field—is always an act of creativity. Hassabis doesn’t hesitate to call Move 37 creative. But mind-blowing though it was, he doesn’t consider it equal to human creativity at its most inspired.
“It’s not true out-of-the-box creativity,” he stresses. “Because that would be something like [telling] the AI system, ‘Come up with an elegant game that only takes a few hours to play. It takes five minutes to learn the rules, but several lifetimes to master. And it’s esoterically beautiful as well.&#039;”
In other words, he says, AI must do more than conjure up additional moments like Move 37 to prove its creative bona fides: “It needs to invent a game as deep and as beautiful as Go—and obviously, with today’s systems, we’re nowhere near that.” That gives AI researchers at Google DeepMind and elsewhere another gaming Everest to scale—and we humans comforting evidence that we remain unbeatable, for now, on at least one meaningful front. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Google, DeepMind’s, Demis, Hassabis, the, long, game</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Allbirds stock is already falling after the AI pivot. History suggests investors should proceed with caution</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/allbirds-stock-is-already-falling-after-the-ai-pivot-history-suggests-investors-should-proceed-with-caution</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/allbirds-stock-is-already-falling-after-the-ai-pivot-history-suggests-investors-should-proceed-with-caution</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ After rising by more than 580% in a single trading session yesterday, shares of Allbirds Inc. (Nasdaq: BIRD) fell this morning in premarket trading, at one point more than 30%.



The steep rise and now potential fall in the stock price followed the company’s unexpected announcement that it intends to transition from a sustainable shoemaker to an AI compute infrastructure provider.



But while AI-obsessed investors initially cheered the odd move, history suggests the pivot may be a challenging one to pull off in the long run. Here’s what you need to know.



What’s happened?



Yesterday, San Francisco-based Allbirds, whose wool footwear had been popular with Silicon Valley locals, announced something completely unexpected: it would stop making shoes and instead become yet another AI company.



Specifically, Allbirds said it will “pivot its business to AI compute infrastructure, with a long-term vision to become a fully integrated GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) and AI-native cloud solutions provider.” 



In other words, the company’s new business model will involve spending millions to buy GPUs, and it will then rent those GPUs out to AI developers. This GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) model puts the former shoemaker against GPUaaS juggernauts like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure.



Allbirds will be changing its name to NewBird AI, while the “Allbirds” shoe brand will continue to be sold under its new owner, American Exchange Group (AXNY). Allbirds announced in March that it was selling its assets to AXNY for $39 million.



But what many found crazier than this out-of-left-field pivot was that investors absolutely ate up the news. 



After announcing its AI plans, BIRD stock soared 582% yesterday, closing at $16.99 per share. To put that into further context, BIRD stock closed at $2.49 just the day before.



Yet today, BIRD stock is already falling. If history is any guide, the shoemaker’s AI pivot might not turn out as well as investors hope.



Allbirds stock drops in premarket trading



BIRD shares experienced a steep decline this morning in premarket trading. At one point, BIRD was down more than 30%. As of this writing, premarket trading remained volatile, with shares down about 8% at press time. 



The most likely reason for the decline is simple profit-taking. Allbirds investors made massive gains yesterday, and some of those investors no doubt want to lock in those paper gains, which they do by selling the stock, thereby solidifying their profits.



Such profit-taking is very common the day after any stock has a tremendous run.



But today’s profit-taking isn’t what should worry Allbirds’ investors the most. What should worry them most is that Allbirds is not the only company to ever abandon its historic business model to pivot to a completely unrelated one just to join the latest hype train. And it didn’t work out well for the most notorious example.



The specter of Long Island Iced Tea



In 2011, the Long Island Iced Tea Corp was founded. As the company’s name suggests, it was a beverage company that made ready-to-drink iced tea products. 



But in 2017, when investors were throwing their money at any company operating in the then-burgeoning hot blockchain space, Long Island Iced Tea Corp decided to go all-in on the blockchain hype.



While the company said it would continue to operate its beverage business, it said it intended to shift “its primary corporate focus towards the exploration of and investment in opportunities that leverage the benefits of blockchain technology.” 



As part of this shift, Long Island Iced Tea Corp changed its name to Long Blockchain Corp.



And with that “blockchain” keyword in the name, boy did investors bite.



As noted by CNN, Long Island’s stock price surged by as much as 380% on the pivot news. But from there, things went downhill. Its blockchain pivot never really materialized, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) launched an investigation. In the end, the company’s once surging stock was delisted from the Nasdaq.



While the Long Island Iced Tea Corp’s story doesn’t mean the same thing will happen to every company that pivots its business model, it is a stark example of the potential challenges that lie ahead—possible risks for investors—when a company announces a radical shift toward the latest sector that just happens to be taking Wall Street by storm.



Whether Allbirds’ pivot will be successful remains to be seen. But it may serve investors best in the long term to proceed with caution before jumping into such an abrupt change of direction. Maybe sit back and have a nice glass of iced tea first.



This story is developing… ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Allbirds, stock, already, falling, after, the, pivot., History, suggests, investors, should, proceed, with, caution</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Canva is officially ‘an AI platform with design tools’</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/canva-is-officially-an-ai-platform-with-design-tools</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/canva-is-officially-an-ai-platform-with-design-tools</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Canva built its 265-million-person audience by being the easy-to-use, template-friendly design tool for everyone. And when generative AI arrived, it quickly integrated the technology.



Now, Canva is amongst the leading spenders on compute from platforms like ChatGPT, it’s building its own models and acquiring its own AI companies, and it’s launching even more AI design features as part of its Canva AI 2.0 release that it’s announcing today.



But the headline marks a deeper, philosophical shift within Canva: From being “a design platform with AI tools” to becoming an “AI platform with design tools.”



[Image: Canva]



Connecting with Canva’s CEO, Mel Perkins, I asked about the motivation behind this repositioning. In this age of AI, much of the industry has been discussing what you could call either a flattening or a war between the roles of designers, product managers, and engineers. Was Canva responding to this trend? 



In response, Perkins pulls up an old idea from 2011 called Canvas Chef, which looks a lot like the Google Search page but with wood paneling and some kitchen kitsch. 



“From the very early stages, we always believed that you could just be able to type in whatever you want and kind of get kickstarted straight away,” she says. “Obviously, it has been a very long journey to get to this point in time, but really, that is actually what we’re launching today.”



Canva AI 2.0 looks like Perkins’s 15-year-old vision, and also the Canva you already know. The real difference now is that Canva’s existing AI tab—which is pretty much a search bar—has been supercharged with more capabilities. 



A big upgrade is around connecting services. You can now link Google Drive, Gmail, Slack, Zoom, and Notion—plus it’ll crawl for an answer on the web, or even search your old Canva projects—allowing Canva to bring in relevant information that I imagine will be particularly valuable to marketers. 



[Image: Canva]



Whereas you used to be able to create a somewhat generic deck from a prompt, now you can infuse that deck with data that’s lurking in your emails or spreadsheets. Other upgrades allow you to do a lot more when AI-editing that deck. Formerly, it was a one-shot, generate-the-whole-thing-for-me ask. Now, you can actually edit individual slides with AI prompts instead of starting over. Similar capabilities exist for brand templates. Before, if you didn’t start a project with your brand standards, you couldn’t always update them retroactively. Now, AI will transform any design you throw at it to be more on-brand.



[Image: Canva]



And of course, Canva will develop interactive projects, too, which publish straight to the web.



“When we launched Canva, the huge innovation was we went from pixel editing, where you had to very deeply know the tools, to object editing, where you could just lay things out,” says Perkins. “And now with Canva AI 2.0 we’re actually moving into concept editing, where you can put in a concept it can then assemble it for you on the fly.” 



That said, Canva isn’t removing any of the physical tools people are used to. For this big update and grand repositioning, Canva’s vibe is largely unchanged. The more radical updates live under the hood, developed by Canva’s 100+ person AI research team.



Multi-agents made invisible



Behind the scenes, Canva provides this upgraded AI toolset by offering AI agents to its users—but those users never actually see them. I’m told that Canva’s own AI layer sits between its app and the external AI services it queries, juggling a complicated, multi-agent workflow that the Valley’s top coders are addicted to, without ever asking the user to think about more than one AI question at once. Perkins says this is what allows complicated tasks, that might need to remove the background of an image and generate copy and apply brand standards at the same time.



[Image: Canva]



As the capabilities stack up, I wonder if Canva’s subscription prices can offer people the amount of AI processing they’ll need to take advantage of the service. Canva is ahead of this issue, as it’s introducing a special AI Pass that, for $100/mo, offers Pro users 40x more AI and Business users 20x more AI.



Despite Canva’s aggressive incorporation of AI, I still can’t help but wonder if it’s being experimental enough, as AI feels poised to melt the boundaries of media as we know them. Canva is excellent at reducing the friction around creating things, but it’s not all that deep for experimentation or exploration. And it’s not challenging the status quo of the prompt.



CJ Jones, head of GenAI design at Canva, says the company is rolling out the AI features that its users are asking for. And the fact is that, today, a lot of their users aren’t graphic design professionals who are artists with a mouse. Instead, most people are using AI to remove backgrounds in images and translate text to English (as many users are not native English speakers).



Even still, Jones insists that Canva is thinking more experimentally in the larger term, taking a patient, car company approach to redesigning its own software over time.



“Part of our product development process is looking at two years from now, five years from now, 10 years from now, and what we’ll do from there is [consider] this might be a really wild idea that completely redesigns Canva,” says Jones. “But we have to keep in mind our base right now…How easy is it to move them from where we are today to that? And so what we’ll do is look at the core of that vision, and how we want to bring that [to the product].” 



Canva AI 2.0 launches today in a preview to Pro and Business customers. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Canva, officially, ‘an, platform, with, design, tools’</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Social Security COLA prediction for 2027 could mean bad news for seniors</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/social-security-cola-prediction-for-2027-could-mean-bad-news-for-seniors</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/social-security-cola-prediction-for-2027-could-mean-bad-news-for-seniors</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) could stay at 2.8% in 2027, the same as its rate for this year.



That’s the latest prediction from The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) and mirrors 2026’s COLA. If enacted in October, it would increase the average benefits check from $2,024.77 to $2,081.46—a $56.69 increase. 



The TSCL finds the 2.8% increase concerning due to high costs of living, such as rents and mortgages. 



“The fact is that most senior households already get by on only about 58% as much income as their working-age counterparts, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a middle-class or working-class American who thinks the economy is doing well right now, especially as oil prices rise,” TSCL executive director Shannon Benton said in a statement. 



She added: “Reforming Social Security needs to follow a two-pronged approach, strengthening revenues and benefits at the same time to ensure prosperity for all Americans, of all ages.”



How was the COLA prediction calculated? 



The nonpartisan senior group’s prediction uses a model incorporating the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Federal Reserve interest rate, and the national unemployment rate. It releases a new figure monthly, but has maintained a predicted 2.8% COLA since February. 



The predicted COLA comes as Congress has proposed capping Social Security payments at $50,000 for one person and $100,000 for couples. 



The “Six Figure Limit” aims to prevent looming insolvency—something that is on track to occur in seven years. 



However, the TSCL claims most seniors aren’t in favor of the cap, instead in favor of getting rid of a $184,500 limit on income receiving Social Security tax. 



Notably, TSCL’s prediction is just one estimate floating around. 



For instance, independent Social Security and Medicare policy analyst Mary Johnson has predicted a COLA of 3.2%, CNBC reports. This figure is up from Johnson’s March prediction of 1.7%, a shift she attributes to rising gas prices. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>What’s next for Live Nation? Jury reaches verdict in antitrust case over Ticketmaster fees</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/whats-next-for-live-nation-jury-reaches-verdict-in-antitrust-case-over-ticketmaster-fees</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/whats-next-for-live-nation-jury-reaches-verdict-in-antitrust-case-over-ticketmaster-fees</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Music lovers who have complained for years about Ticketmaster fees for concert tickets are surely reveling in a jury verdict Wednesday that found its parent company Live Nation has been running a harmful monopoly over large venues across the U.S.But they will have to wait to see if the verdict leads to changes that make concerts more affordable.Here are some things to know about the verdict in the closely-watched antitrust battle:



No immediate relief for concertgoers



The lawsuit, initially led by the U.S. government under former President Joe Biden, accused Live Nation of smothering competition and blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers. Days into the trial, however, President Donald Trump’s administration announced it would settle its claims against the concert giant. Some states joined the $280 million settlement, which still needs a judge’s approval, but more than 30 states pressed ahead with the trial.A federal jury in New York found that Ticketmaster had overcharged customers $1.72 per ticket in 22 states, which a judge could order the company to pay back. That could cost Live Nation hundreds of millions of dollars.“The jury’s verdict is not the last word on this matter,” Live Nation said in a statement Wednesday.The verdict brings no immediate relief for concertgoers. But the states view it as a step toward opening the market to other companies in a way that will enhance competition and could slightly lower prices.“There might be a few extra dollars that will come trickle down at consumers who bought tickets through Live Nation,” said Shubha Ghosh, a law professor at Syracuse University who focuses on technology and antitrust law. “Whether ticket prices will go down in the long run, I think it largely depends.”



Verdict could cost company hundreds of millions



The next step will be determining the penalties. Beyond the hundreds of millions that Live Nation could be ordered to pay, possible sanctions could force the company to sell off some of its venues. Live Nation owns, controls booking for or has equity in hundreds of venues, and its subsidiary Ticketmaster is the world’s largest ticket-seller for live events.



Live Nation has continued to insist that it is not a monopoly.The company predicted that once the remedies phase of the case plays out and any appeals are resolved, the outcome likely won’t be much different from the deal it reached with the federal government.U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian told attorneys to meet and deliver a joint letter by next week that proposes a schedule for next steps.



Senators urge judge to scrutinize federal settlement



A group of Democratic senators wrote to the judge Wednesday after the verdict, urging him to closely scrutinize the Trump administration’s proposed settlement with Live Nation before he considers granting approval.The deal includes a cap on service fees at some amphitheaters and new ticket-selling options that could allow promoters and venues to also use Ticketmaster competitors, such as SeatGeek, Eventbrite or AXS. However, it does not separate Ticketmaster from Live Nation, which was an original goal of the Justice Department’s 2024 complaint.U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal, Mazie Hirono and Peter Welch argue the deal was “negotiated under suspicious circumstances” and does not go far enough in restoring competition or protecting customers, artists and independent venues.The Justice Department has called the settlement a “win-win for everybody,” and Live Nation has said it is pleased with a deal that increases access for other promoters.







Associated Press journalists Wyatte Grantham-Philips and David Martin contributed.



—Hannah Schoenbaum, Associated Press ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What’s, next, for, Live, Nation, Jury, reaches, verdict, antitrust, case, over, Ticketmaster, fees</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The best CRM system for your micro business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-best-crm-system-for-your-micro-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-best-crm-system-for-your-micro-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


A customer relationship management (CRM) system can really help your micro business to grow. We take a look at key features and platforms.
The post The best CRM system for your micro business appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, best, CRM, system, for, your, micro, business</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>How to become a driving instructor</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-become-a-driving-instructor</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-become-a-driving-instructor</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Do you want to become a driving instructor? Here we explain the need-to-knows such as  what the tests entail and franchise vs independent
The post How to become a driving instructor appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/09/Driving-instructor-pic.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, become, driving, instructor</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Solar panel grants for businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/solar-panel-grants-for-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/solar-panel-grants-for-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Dom Walbanke on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


If your business uses solar panels, you can generate cash from National Grid suppliers for the energy you produce and do not use
The post Solar panel grants for businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/02/solar-panel-grants-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Solar, panel, grants, for, businesses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How to start a taxi business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-start-a-taxi-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-start-a-taxi-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Tim Adler on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Driving a minicab or a taxi has many benefits. You can work the hours you want to and supplement another career, whether you are a creative, a tradesman or even a teacher. But the biggest benefit could be the sense of performing a service for the vulnerable
The post How to start a taxi business appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/01/Uber-driver-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, start, taxi, business</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How to create a YouTube channel for your small business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-create-a-youtube-channel-for-your-small-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-to-create-a-youtube-channel-for-your-small-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Before you jump in and start creating content for your channel, you need to create a YouTube account for your small business. Here&#039;s how
The post How to create a YouTube channel for your small business appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://smallbusiness-staging.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/10/YouTube-pic-scaled-1.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, create, YouTube, channel, for, your, small, business</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Founders push for ‘repeat entrepreneur relief’ to keep exit capital flowing back into UK start&#45;ups</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/founders-push-for-repeat-entrepreneur-relief-to-keep-exit-capital-flowing-back-into-uk-start-ups</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/founders-push-for-repeat-entrepreneur-relief-to-keep-exit-capital-flowing-back-into-uk-start-ups</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Entrepreneurs are urging the Treasury to introduce a capital gains tax deferral for founders who reinvest exit proceeds into new UK ventures within 12 months, as lobbying intensifies around repeat entrepreneur relief.
Read more: 
Founders push for ‘repeat entrepreneur relief’ to keep exit capital flowing back into UK start-ups ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Reeves_No11.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Founders, push, for, ‘repeat, entrepreneur, relief’, keep, exit, capital, flowing, back, into, start-ups</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>UK firms risk being left behind as AI adoption gap widens, warns PwC</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-firms-risk-being-left-behind-as-ai-adoption-gap-widens-warns-pwc</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-firms-risk-being-left-behind-as-ai-adoption-gap-widens-warns-pwc</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
British companies are spending less on AI and seeing weaker returns than global leaders, with PwC warning the next 12 months are critical for UK firms to close the gap.
Read more: 
UK firms risk being left behind as AI adoption gap widens, warns PwC ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2763201555.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>firms, risk, being, left, behind, adoption, gap, widens, warns, PwC</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Virgin StartUp opens second round of free accelerator for dyslexic entrepreneurs</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/virgin-startup-opens-second-round-of-free-accelerator-for-dyslexic-entrepreneurs</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/virgin-startup-opens-second-round-of-free-accelerator-for-dyslexic-entrepreneurs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Virgin StartUp has opened applications for Momentum 2.0, its free accelerator programme for dyslexic entrepreneurs, running from May to July 2026 with backing from Virgin Unite and Made By Dyslexia.
Read more: 
Virgin StartUp opens second round of free accelerator for dyslexic entrepreneurs ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/shutterstock_1205279446-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Virgin, StartUp, opens, second, round, free, accelerator, for, dyslexic, entrepreneurs</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Rising energy costs from Middle East conflict set to leave UK households £480 worse off this year</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/rising-energy-costs-from-middle-east-conflict-set-to-leave-uk-households-480-worse-off-this-year</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/rising-energy-costs-from-middle-east-conflict-set-to-leave-uk-households-480-worse-off-this-year</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Resolution Foundation warns typical working-age household faces 0.6% income decline as oil and gas price rises driven by Iran conflict wipe out energy cap savings.
Read more: 
Rising energy costs from Middle East conflict set to leave UK households £480 worse off this year ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2762013411.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Rising, energy, costs, from, Middle, East, conflict, set, leave, households, £480, worse, off, this, year</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Government doubles down on gaming with £30m funding package as sector eyes global growth</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/government-doubles-down-on-gaming-with-30m-funding-package-as-sector-eyes-global-growth</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/government-doubles-down-on-gaming-with-30m-funding-package-as-sector-eyes-global-growth</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
The UK government has unveiled a £30m funding package for video game developers, doubling support for the sector through its Creative Industries Sector Plan and Industrial Strategy.
Read more: 
Government doubles down on gaming with £30m funding package as sector eyes global growth ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2503867505.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Government, doubles, down, gaming, with, £30m, funding, package, sector, eyes, global, growth</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Apple reportedly testing four designs for upcoming smart glasses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/apple-reportedly-testing-four-designs-for-upcoming-smart-glasses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/apple-reportedly-testing-four-designs-for-upcoming-smart-glasses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ These glasses are a step back from an ambitious plan that once called for Apple to launch a variety of mixed and augmented reality devices. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GettyImages-2224174932.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Apple, reportedly, testing, four, designs, for, upcoming, smart, glasses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Trump officials may be encouraging banks to test Anthropic’s Mythos model</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/trump-officials-may-be-encouraging-banks-to-test-anthropics-mythos-model</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/trump-officials-may-be-encouraging-banks-to-test-anthropics-mythos-model</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The report is particularly surprising since the Department of Defense recently declared Anthropic a supply-chain risk. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/anthropic-image-jagmeet-singh-techcrunch.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump, officials, may, encouraging, banks, test, Anthropic’s, Mythos, model</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The largest orbital compute cluster is open for business</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-largest-orbital-compute-cluster-is-open-for-business</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-largest-orbital-compute-cluster-is-open-for-business</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Kepler Communications is flying 40 GPUs in Earth orbit. And its latest customer is Sophia Space. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/KEPLER-T1-.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, largest, orbital, compute, cluster, open, for, business</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Roblox introduces ‘Kids’ and ‘Select’ accounts for age&#45;appropriate access to games and chat</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/roblox-introduces-kids-and-select-accounts-for-age-appropriate-access-to-games-and-chat</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/roblox-introduces-kids-and-select-accounts-for-age-appropriate-access-to-games-and-chat</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Users aged five to nine will be assigned to a &quot;Roblox Kids&quot; account, and users aged nine to 15 to will be put in a &quot;Roblox Select&quot; account. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/roblox-header.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Roblox, introduces, ‘Kids’, and, ‘Select’, accounts, for, age-appropriate, access, games, and, chat</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Slate Auto raises $650M to fund its affordable EV truck plans</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/slate-auto-raises-650m-to-fund-its-affordable-ev-truck-plans</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/slate-auto-raises-650m-to-fund-its-affordable-ev-truck-plans</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Slate Auto&#039;s latest funding round was led by existing investor TWG Global, a firm run by LA Dodgers owner Mark Walter. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Blank-Slate-Profile_web.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Slate, Auto, raises, 650M, fund, its, affordable, truck, plans</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Workplaces are pushing out working mothers—and paying the cost</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/workplaces-are-pushing-out-working-mothersand-paying-the-cost</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/workplaces-are-pushing-out-working-mothersand-paying-the-cost</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Dr. Anne Welsh had her dream job as a clinical psychologist at Harvard University Health Services, working with undergraduate and graduate students. But in 2011, while pregnant with her second child and raising a toddler at home, she decided that her 60-client caseload was no longer sustainable.



Welsh and another pregnant colleague developed a plan. They would share a caseload, splitting responsibilities so they could continue working part-time while caring for their growing families. They created a detailed job-share proposal covering logistics, scheduling, and continuity of care. Welsh brought it to their practice director. 



Their director barely glanced at it. 



Part-time work, he informed Welsh, was “too logistically complicated.” There were hundreds of other people who wanted her job. She could take it—or leave it. 



Welsh left.



She wasn’t the only one to leave. In the following years, four or five more clinicians resigned after becoming parents, including the colleague who co-created the job proposal with Welsh. The institution finally adjusted its caseload expectations, but not before inflexibility cost these parents their jobs and led to the loss of talented employees with institutional knowledge.



What looks like a personal choice is often shaped by something larger—systems that leave little room for mothers to stay. 



The forces pushing women out 



During the first half of last year, more than 455,000 women left the U.S. workforce—the sharpest decline in over 40 years for mothers of young children. 



Some have described it as opting out. Welsh says “forced out” is more accurate.



Experts point to a combination of pressures: return-to-work mandates, limited flexibility, invisible labor pressures at home, and rising childcare costs. Daycare and preschool have risen around two times the cost of overall inflation for the past year and a half.



“It means that more and more workers are being affected,” Matthew Nestler, a senior economist at KPMG, told Fast Company. “And it’s roughly 90% women, mostly women 25 to 44.” 



Many of these women are leaving their careers to become the default parent. 



At the same time, the Women in the Workplace 2025 report found that women were 6% less likely than men to seek promotions, framing the trend as an “ambition gap.” 



However, the report notes that this so-called gap is often a response to a lack of workplace support, including limited mentorship and persistent gender bias. The report also found that 25% of entry and senior-level women cite personal obligations at home as the reason they don’t want to take on more responsibilities.



Many high-achieving women, Welsh says, are caught in a psychological bind—deeply committed to their career and motherhood, yet feel as though they’re failing at both.



This “ambition paradox” is a concept explored in her forthcoming book, Ambitious Mother: From Surviving to Thriving in Your Career and at Home. Women aren’t losing ambition, she says, they’re forced to refine it. Some are doing this by starting their own companies, others by stepping back to part-time work or staying home to care for their children. 



But scaling back often comes at the expense of career advancement and long-term earning potential, a phenomenon known as the “motherhood penalty.” One Urban Institute study estimated that caregivers lose an average of $237,000 in lifetime earnings. And according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, employed mothers nationwide earned around 62 to 74 cents per dollar paid to fathers in 2022. 



The motherhood advantage that companies are losing out on



Working mothers are often viewed as less committed, driven, or focused, but the irony is that the transition into motherhood has cognitive benefits that can benefit their careers. One study found that midlife mothers with more children had “younger-looking brains,” “faster response times, and fewer errors on visual memory tasks,” and better verbal memory.



 “When you have a child, it is the most massive neuro-rewiring that you experience as a person other than in adolescence,” says Welsh, adding that mothers often become stronger in time prioritization, emotional intelligence, delegation, and boundary setting



In other words, workplaces are losing women when they are at their zenith. Companies are paying a price for this.



Those that fail to support and train mothers lose out on institutional knowledge, productivity, and profitability, says Nestler. There are also tangible financial losses: replacing mid-level employees can cost as much as double their annual salary, due to recruiting, training, and ramp-up time.



 Research also shows that companies who prioritized women’s representation outperform their peers by 18%. 



When workplaces recognize motherhood as an advantage, not a liability, they may begin promoting mothers instead of punishing them, Welsh says.



The care and keeping of working mothers 



Welsh says meaningful support starts with parental leave policies that don’t penalize either parent. 



“I’ve worked with women who returned from leave to find they were passed over for a promotion that had been on track before they left,” says Welsh. “I’ve worked with others who were told to “take it easy” when they came back, even when they were ready and eager to re-engage, and in that process had key clients or projects reassigned.” 



Allowing parents to take the leave promised to them without penalties needs to come with “clear promotion criteria, intentional re-onboarding, and ensuring people return to meaningful work rather than a narrowed scope,” adds Welsh. 



 Flexible work environments with real boundaries, not 24/7 expectations, are also imperative. 



“There are plenty of jobs that cannot be done remotely, but we can have flexibility in those cases around schedules—coming in or leaving, having a longer workday, fewer days a week…or some flexibility around structure,” says Welsh. 



She advocates for outcome-based evaluations rather than time-based ones.



 “What are we actually wanting to pay people for?” she asks. “Is it the literal time they’re sitting at their chair, or is it the impact they are making?”



Additional supports include childcare support, normalizing caretaking responsibilities, and executive coaching for working parents. 



Executive coaching helps parents to stop viewing work and family as competing forces, says Welsh, and to translate their experiences at home into intentional leadership skills that show up in the workplace, too. 



When you offer this kind of support to new parents, Welsh says companies often see “higher retention, especially at mid-career points where many women leave. You see stronger leadership pipelines because people aren’t opting out or being sidelined during these transitions. And you see managers who are more thoughtful, more decisive, and better equipped to lead teams through complexity.”



But until workplace culture evolves, working mothers are stuck feeling as if they have to choose between their family and their careers. 



The corporate ladder is not working for mothers



For decades, success has been defined by the corporate ladder—you climb up the rungs for money, power, and titles, or you fall off. However, working mothers are now redefining what career success looks like.



Instead of a ladder,  Welsh uses the analogy of a playground web to illustrate how ambition is an expansive concept that allows movement in all directions—upward, sideways, downwards, depending on someone’s needs. Lynette-Matthews-Murphy, an award-winning restaurateur in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, can relate.



Matthews-Murphy started in fashion and events, later purchased a wedding publication, which she sold three years later when the demands of motherhood felt overwhelming. She then stayed home with her toddler. But, while pregnant with her second child, her marriage fell apart. She was forced to re-enter the workforce as a single mother of two boys, an infant and a three-year-old. 



Over the years, she says her career looked like a zig-zag line, shifting careers to meet the demands of her growing boys. When the boys were in late elementary and middle school, Matthews-Murphy stepped back from her full-time job as visitor center manager in Winston-Salem to a part-time position to spend more time with them. She had remarried, making the pay cut possible. 



Two years later, she rejoined the workforce this time as an executive director for Winston-Salem’s event program. While it was a full time job and far more responsibility, she was also given flexibility such as setting her own hours and working from home, which made the job sustainable.



After her children left for college, Matthews-Murphy felt ready to reinvent her career again, and ultimately opened two award-winning restaurants, which are fixtures in the Winston-Salem community. 



Both Welsh and Matthews-Murphy have adapted and reinvented themselves multiple times. For mothers like them who step away or pull back for a season, ambition isn’t lost—it simply shifts. With support and a bit of reinvention, they can re-enter or remain in the workforce. But it takes flexibility from smart companies willing to recognize motherhood as an advantage, not a liability. In turn, they’re rewarded with a more productive, efficient, and resilient workforce. 



The companies that force mothers out will pay for it through the steep financial costs of turnover, retraining, and missed innovation they can’t easily replace. And it will be a loss of their own making.  ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Workplaces, are, pushing, out, working, mothers—and, paying, the, cost</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Why you’re just one event away from quitting your job</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-youre-just-one-event-away-from-quitting-your-job</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-youre-just-one-event-away-from-quitting-your-job</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Below, Anthony Klotz shares five key insights from his new book, Jolted: Why We Quit, When to Stay, and Why It Matters.



Klotz is a professor of organizational behavior at UCL School of Management in London. He is best known for predicting the pandemic-related Great Resignation. He has written for the Harvard Business Review and The Wall Street Journal, and his research is regularly published in leading academic journals in management.



What’s the big idea?



Even when quitting feels like a slow burn that dances around your mind for months—or even years—the truth is that finally leaving is caused by a sudden spark. Unexpected “jolts” drive us to rethink our work, often leading to impulsive exits, but we can respond more deliberately to make smarter career moves.



Listen to the audio version of this Book Bite—read by Klotz himself—in the Next Big Idea app, or buy the book.







1. We’re all one event away from quitting our jobs.



If you were to get enough money to live as comfortably as you would like for the rest of your life, would you continue to work or stop?



Every two years since 1972, the General Social Survey has asked a representative sample of Americans this very question. For most of that time, the results have steadily indicated that around 7 out of 10 people would keep working even if they didn’t need the paycheck. Global surveys indicate similar findings. But then the pandemic hit, and the number of people reporting they would keep working if they won the lottery dropped precipitously to an all-time low. This drop corresponded with a historic surge in people quitting their jobs: the Great Resignation.



When teaching and speaking, I ask the lottery question and always find similar results. However, one time, a professional in the audience asked me to rephrase the question so that instead of asking How many people would keep working, it asked How many people would quit their jobs if they won the lottery. I have asked it in this rephrased way many times since, and consistently find that only around 10% of people would keep working at their current job if they struck it rich.




“But then the pandemic hit, and the number of people reporting they would keep working if they won the lottery dropped precipitously to an all-time low.”




What do the changes in these lottery-question responses—before and after the pandemic, and between working in general versus working at your current job—tell us about our relationship with work? We are all just one event away from quitting our jobs. These events, called jolts, happen much more frequently than lottery wins or pandemics.



2. “Jolts” are the missing piece of the quitting puzzle.



In 2005, comedian Dave Chappelle abruptly quit his TV show at the height of its success. What led him to suddenly walk away?



Organizational psychologists have studied the causes of quitting for over a century, and for most of that time, the research could be boiled down to two main reasons for turnover:




The negative parts of your job add up over time and push you toward quitting.



When positive opportunities for other jobs or careers are appealing enough, they pull you away from your current job, toward the exit door.




Push and pull. These two forces are intuitive and powerful, and they do explain why people quit in many cases. The only problem is that they only explain around half of the quitting that happens in the workforce. What about the other half, like Chappelle’s sudden turn away from success?



In the early 1990s, organizational researchers Tom Lee and Terry Mitchell found the missing piece of the puzzle. They proposed, and then provided evidence, that quitting often stems from one single event that jolts employees, causing them to rethink their relationship with work. In explaining why he left, Chappelle described one such jolt, in which the bad behavior of a single colleague during a specific episode triggered reflection, and then a strong urge to walk away from the show.



If you think back over your own life, you can probably recall some of the jolts you’ve experienced—events, big and small, that stop you in your tracks, often leading you to make major career changes.



3. You will encounter six types of jolts in your life.



Over the past three decades, researchers, including myself, have catalogued the different types of jolts that spur employees to quit:




Direct jolts stem from negative events that happen to us at work. They can range from major failures that make us question whether we are a good fit for our jobs, to minor slights like a rude comment from our boss.



Sideways jolts come to us collaterally, stemming from events that befall our coworkers. These also include when our colleagues quit their jobs, and it affects us through a process called turnover contagion.



External jolts reside outside of work, when negative events in our personal lives reveal that we need to rethink our relationship with work.



Specialized jolts such as those that strike during what is, somewhat counterintuitively, the most common time for quitting across organizations: the first year on the job.



Distant jolts don’t affect us directly, but still can jolt us. Science is increasingly revealing how and why events that happen in faraway places influence us.



Positive jolts come from the bright side of life, emerging from both the big and the mundane positive events in our lives.




Jolts are everywhere! Because jolts are so prevalent, it can be difficult to determine when we should take action in response to them, versus simply carrying on. But figuring that out is critical, given the stakes involved.



4. The honeymoon-hangover effect is real, but avoidable.



In the years following the Great Resignation, dozens of news stories reported that some workers who quit during that period ultimately regretted their decision. Some went so far as to call it the Great Regret. For those of us who study turnover, however, a spike in regret following a spike in resignations is to be expected, due to what is known as the honeymoon-hangover effect.



One of the most common mistakes people make in response to jolts is quitting too soon. Although quick quitting is sometimes warranted, it is often a one-way ticket to regret. Discovered and coined by management scholar Wendy Boswell, the honeymoon-hangover effect describes the reality that many job and career changes lead to an immediate bump in happiness and well-being, followed by a crash that leaves many workers less happy in their new role than in the one they just quit.



This crash comes from two places. First, it comes from a jolt wherein you realize that one or more expectations that you had about your new job are not going to be met. Second, it comes from the realization that you could have taken action to fix the problem in your prior job before you called it quits.




“One of the most common mistakes people make in response to jolts is quitting too soon.”




While it’s normal to have some mixed feelings after quitting a job, regret needn’t be one of them. By developing a strategy for responding to jolts that goes beyond the binary options of carrying on or walking away, we can maximize the chances of either fixing our relationship with work without quitting or quitting in a way that avoids any hangovers in our next chapter.



5. You can learn to leave better.



In 2012, Greg Smith quit his job at Goldman Sachs by publishing an op-ed in The New York Times that cast the bank in an unfavorable light. Although bridge-burning resignations remain rare, thanks to social media, examples of them are more prevalent than ever.



However, instead of actively harming their relationship with a soon-to-be former employer, most workers try to quit in a way that preserves or strengthens it. And yet, people often resign in ways that unnecessarily harm their connection to the company or don’t set them up for success in their next role. Quitting is complicated and doesn’t come with a guidebook, and you often can’t ask for help from the most useful sources of information—your current coworkers and boss. Still, we can quit better.



The pre-resignation period is critical because it’s when we decide on the reason we’ll give for our departure, who we’ll confide in (if anyone) before we put in our notice, and how we will say goodbye.




“The pre-resignation period is critical.”




Next comes the actual resignation. In my research, I’ve found that there are seven different ways people quit, and each has different consequences for their final days on the job and future relationship with their former employer.



Finally, there’s that awkward time after you’ve announced your departure but before you’ve left. When navigated well, the notice period can provide a satisfying close to one chapter of your life and a smooth transition to the next.



Enjoy our full library of Book Bites—read by the authors!—in the Next Big Idea app.



This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Why, you’re, just, one, event, away, from, quitting, your, job</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The 3 reasons why VCs invest: Faith, opportunity, or evidence</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-3-reasons-why-vcs-invest-faith-opportunity-or-evidence</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-3-reasons-why-vcs-invest-faith-opportunity-or-evidence</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ I have spent the better part of a decade helping thousands of first-time founders raise their first round of outside capital, and evaluating thousands more for investment.



In all of these data points, I found a pattern that explains every single VC round. 



In the last six months, I’ve seen this pattern play out more dramatically than ever before. Founders are failing to raise without ever really knowing why. I find myself bringing it up again and again to help folks who are raising.



So I decided to write about it. Because every founder should know exactly where they fall, and plan accordingly.



The only 3 types of rounds in venture capital



There are three core reasons why venture capitalists make an investment: faith, opportunity, and evidence. These reasons are sequential and cumulative: Some VCs will invest on faith but no evidence, but no VCs will invest on evidence but no faith. 



Let’s break it down.



Faith-based investing



The difference between hope and faith is belief, and that’s what drives an investor to write a check at the earliest stage of a company—their belief in the founder or founding team. This belief might be based on firsthand knowledge of the founder—like a former coworker or a cousin you know well. Or it might be based on pattern-matching the founder’s background—making bets on founders with a certain university degree and two years of experience at specific hot startups or an AI lab.



All that is needed here is belief in the person or team, and little, or nothing, more. The result may be a friends-and-family round, or a giant pre-seed for a proven founder. 



Of course, not everyone gets to raise on faith. If you don’t match the pattern, don’t have prior outcomes, and don’t have rich friends and family, you are probably not going to raise a faith-based round. 



If that’s you, there’s no choice but to skip this round and go straight to the next one.



Opportunity-based investing



This is the stage at which investors start to look for more and clearer proof in the opportunity itself. The team still has to be strong—that’s table stakes. But now the team has started to show how they operate. They’ve started to target a giant total addressable market (TAM) and demonstrate an early competitive advantage. It might be an early prototype or a built-in distribution moat. Just enough to pique investors’ interest without needing prior firsthand knowledge of the founder. Most pre-seed and seed rounds today are based on opportunity. 



Evidence-based investing



As the company grows and there is more evidence to scrutinize, investors start evaluating the traction itself. The team is still important, and the opportunity still has to be enticing. But neither of these is enough. At this stage, investors will look at a company’s business performance, make some forward-looking assumptions, and calculate how much the company is worth based on the net present value of its expected future cash flows. It’s Finance 101.



For founders, the first evidence-based round can be quite the cold plunge. All of a sudden, the numbers really, really matter. Not just top-line revenue, but also pace of growth, unit economics, quality of the revenue, and repeatability of the motion. This is when the dream you’ve been selling meets cold-hard-cash reality. And unless you are among the very rarefied group of absolute top performers, that reality might hit hard.



A growing chasm



Traditionally, the shift from opportunity to evidence happened around the Series A, but this has swung wildly over the years and varies a lot based on sectors and macro factors. 



Notably, there used to be more overlap between opportunity-based and evidence-based rounds—the transition was more like going up a dial than turning on a switch.



Those days are well over.



I have never seen a bigger chasm between opportunity- and evidence-based investing than what I see today. It’s so wide that it’s more like a bifurcation—there’s a lot of VC money-chasing opportunities, there’s a lot of VC money-chasing hyperscalers, and there’s almost no VC money for anything in between.



The reason, of course, is artificial intelligence. The size of the opportunity created by the AI platform shift is unprecedented, which creates a lot of heat for certain companies at a very early stage—zero evidence necessary. The speed at which it’s happening is also unprecedented, and makes things super hard for everyone else. Even if you’re not AI-native, and even if that kind of growth shouldn’t and can’t be expected in every sector, hyperscalers like Anthropic are the new high watermark for evidence-based investing. For most companies, that watermark is phenomenally hard to reach.



This means that companies with traction that is anything less than phenomenal by hyperscaler standards are having a much harder time raising capital than ever before.



What this means for founders



Being a founder is not for the faint of heart. Once again, we’re living in unprecedented times. The way I see it, founders have two good choices, as well as some harder ones if they fall in between.



Option one is to go for broke. Raise as much as you can in your opportunity round. Raise as many opportunity rounds as you’re able. And then, swing for the fences. In finance-speak, you’re chasing alpha. Hypergrowth is possible in the age of AI, and for some founders, the best possible strategy is to go big or go home . . . the risk being the “go home” part.



Option two is to find your way to profitability. You can/should still raise as much as you can in your opportunity round, and raise as many opportunity rounds as you’re able. And then, focus on revenue and get profitable, fast. That way, you don’t have to raise against the shutdown clock or retain much more optionality for your business, and you may even seed-strap your way to a life-changing outcome. The risk here is stagnation, running out of motivation, and not finding an interested acquirer.



No man’s land



If you’re anywhere in between—if you have modest results and need more capital—your options are more limited, but you do have options. First, I’d focus on revenue quality and unit economics—even if your growth is more modest, you should be able to find investors who value strong business fundamentals. (You may have to go outside of VC to find them.) Second, keep your investors in the know—send consistent investor updates, and don’t wait until things get dire to ask for help. And finally, get creative—lower your burn and look for new sources of revenue, even if they’re not repeatable. (Pro tip: These days, you can do consulting and call it “forward deployed engineering” ?).



For every perfectly executed startup, there are many, many more companies that took a much less storied path to exit and success. It is okay not to have it all figured out. It is okay if your growth doesn’t look like Anthropic’s.



The only bad decision is to lie to yourself about where your next round will come from.



The math behind selling a dream



A note about why this all happens. There’s a truism in VC that’s hard to understand if you’ve never been in the investor’s seat: A company with no traction is more attractive to a VC than a company with traction—unless said traction is absolutely stellar.



The roots of this are the mathematics of probability. In short, the expected value of a huge-opportunity, no-evidence company is higher than the expected value of a high-opportunity, okay-evidence company. This leads a VC to lean toward the unproven moonshot nearly every time.



Here’s some simple math to illustrate. (I’m oversimplifying, so don’t @ me.)



Company A is pre-revenue, but in a super hot space. To an investor, it might appear as having a 99% chance of failure, and a 1% chance of a giant outcome. The Expected Value of Company A is ($0*99%) + ($1B*1%) = $10M.



Company B is further along. It might have reached six-figure revenue, but it took a couple of years. All of a sudden, the VC is plotting a trend line against the revenue, and it doesn’t look exponential. So, the outcome probability curve changes. Company B has a lower chance of failure, say 10%, because it has some revenue. There’s still some tiny chance that revenue will accelerate. But given the evidence, there is now a lot more certainty that the most likely outcome for Company B is a smaller acquisition.



The Expected Value of Company B is ($0*10%) + ($10M*89.9%)*($1B*0.1%) = $9.99B. Lower than the day zero moonshot, Company A.



Different investors will plot different outcome sizes and likelihoods to come to their own decision. But as a general rule, in the eyes of VCs, companies that are on a high-certainty path to an okay exit will always suffer against companies that are on a lower-certainty path to a giant exit. It’s the nature of alpha.



And that’s why, once you’ve got revenue, it’s much harder to sell the dream. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, reasons, why, VCs, invest:, Faith, opportunity, evidence</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Is a Formula One partnership worth it?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/is-a-formula-one-partnership-worth-it</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/is-a-formula-one-partnership-worth-it</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It’s no secret that a brand alliance with a Formula One team requires a major investment. Whether a company joins at the title level or as a technical partner, the commitment is significant. For most executives, the first question is straightforward: Is the visibility worth it? Drawing on our experience as a global cybersecurity company partnered with one of the sport’s most recognizable teams, this article offers practical insights to help organizations decide whether such partnerships align with their business goals. 



F1 delivers global exposure that few properties can match. With an estimated 800 million fans worldwide and a race calendar spanning Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia, it offers unmatched global audience reach across all major economic regions.



But exposure alone is not a strategy. F1 sits at the intersection of advanced engineering, real-time decision-making, and relentless performance standards, making it a natural platform for companies operating in performance-driven industries. That environment closely mirrors cybersecurity, where precision, speed, and innovation define outcomes. This alignment made the partnership commercially and culturally relevant. Global reach opened the door, but compatibility is what ultimately justified the investment.



Key considerations



The most important question for any company considering F1 is whether the platform and the team align with its long-term strategic objectives.



Each F1 team is a global brand with its own heritage, personality, and fan base. Strategic alignment matters. Companies should assess whether the team’s identity reinforces their brand positioning and target audience. Does your organization primarily serve consumers, businesses, or both, and does the team’s fan base reflect that mix? Are there shared attributes around quality, ambition, innovation, or performance? When alignment is authentic, the partnership feels natural and credible. When it is not, it risks feeling purely transactional.



Beyond brand fit, companies should assess whether the relationship can unlock deeper value through technology integration, storytelling, and measurable business enablement. Can your products or expertise meaningfully support the team’s operations? Can the partnership be activated across sales, marketing, talent recruitment, and executive engagement?



The hidden value of F1 partnership



Broadcast and trackside branding may be the most visible elements of an F1 partnership, but much of the real value lies in the broader media and content environment surrounding the sport.



F1 now functions as a year-round global content engine. Documentary series such as Drive to Survive, social media storytelling, team-produced digital content, and official video games extend brand visibility far beyond the two-hour race window. This continuous exposure creates a multiplier effect that traditional strategic alliances rarely achieve.



One unexpected example illustrates this shift. A major video game publisher reached out and requested permission to feature our logo in its upcoming 2026 F1 game. Inclusion in a widely distributed title means millions of players will interact with a digitally rendered team car carrying our branding, session after session. That added visibility comes at no incremental cost and reaches a younger, digitally native audience in an immersive rather than passive environment.



This evolution has fundamentally changed the economics of sports partnerships. An F1 partnership is no longer confined to race-day impressions; it becomes embedded in long-form storytelling, highlight clips, driver interviews, fan-generated content, and interactive digital platforms. Brands that treat the partnership as a dynamic storytelling platform, rather than a static placement, unlock significantly greater long-term value.



Another often overlooked dimension is the business network itself. Race weekends function as global convening platforms for senior executives and decision-makers. Access to the Paddock, the restricted area behind the pit lane where teams operate and interact during a race weekend, provides entry into a unique business environment where relationships are built in ways that traditional outreach cannot replicate. For companies seeking strategic growth, this access can generate commercial opportunities that extend well beyond marketing metrics.



Driver influence as a force multiplier



The influence of F1 drivers adds another powerful layer of value. Today’s drivers are global celebrities whose reach extends well past race weekends. They command massive followings not only for their performance on track, but for their personal lives, fashion choices, philanthropic efforts, and relationships that regularly generate headlines. They shape conversations across sport, culture, and digital media, engaging audiences well outside the sport’s core fan base.



For companies that partner with brands, that cultural relevance can significantly amplify brand impact. When a driver dominates headlines or trends on social platforms, associated brands benefit from the added attention. Realizing that value, however, requires deliberate activation. Companies must carefully plan how to collaborate with drivers, strategically integrate them into campaigns, and ensure they have the internal marketing support to capitalize on high-visibility moments.



Association with elite athletes reinforces perceptions of quality, ambition, and precision, strengthening brand positioning in competitive industries. When brands collaborate with drivers to communicate products and strategic messaging in accessible ways, they turn celebrity influence into lasting trust.



A long-term commitment



F1 is not a short-term marketing tactic. Companies that generate meaningful returns treat it as a multi-season investment aligned with defined business objectives. Before embarking on a relationship, organizations must clearly understand what they are gaining from the relationship, how it will be activated during the season and in the off-season, and whether they have the internal resources and sustained commitment to support it effectively. Success requires cross-functional alignment, disciplined planning, and the ability to deliver measurable outcomes.



For companies prepared to approach it with that level of focus and preparation, the starting lights can mark the beginning of something much bigger than sponsorship: a true partnership built on shared ambition and complementary strengths, unlocking powerful synergies and delivering greater long-term value for everyone involved. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Formula, One, partnership, worth, it</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The Pentagon is doubling down on laser weapons research</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-pentagon-is-doubling-down-on-laser-weapons-research</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-pentagon-is-doubling-down-on-laser-weapons-research</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ After months of bold promises about its directed energy weapon ambitions, the U.S. military is putting its money where its mouth is.



The U.S. Defense Department’s published a “skinny” version at its historic $1.5 trillion fiscal year 2027 budget request on April 3, with plans to release additional details (including my precious justification books and their program-by-program spending plans) on April 21. While this budget release only offers a high-level view of the U.S. military’s spending priorities, a preliminary analysis indicates the Pentagon wants to pour more than $2 billion into research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&amp;E) programs involving high-energy laser weapons and other directed energy systems in fiscal year 2027.



This funding, if approved, would not just mark a major increase over the more than $1 billion in annual expenditures on directed energy RDT&amp;E over the last five years, but also significantly outpace the Pentagon’s average yearly spending on such efforts under the Strategic Defense Initiative (also known as “Star Wars”) across the entire life of that program. This might just be the most significant U.S. military investment in directed energy weapons research, well, ever.



Below, you’ll find some high-level insights on proposed directed energy weapon spending culled from the Pentagon’s fiscal year 2027 budget request.



No Significant Directed Energy Procurement (Yet)



Despite the Pentagon’ stated goal of fielding laser weapons at scale within the next three years, the procurement section of the department’s fiscal year 2027 budget request does not currently detail any major purchases to that end. The sole procurement line item explicitly for directed energy—‘Directed Energy Systems’,’ which covers the U.S. Navy’s low-power AN/SEQ-4 Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN) laser weapons, according to previous budget documents—is completely zeroed out, down from the $3 million requested in fiscal year 2026 to support the eight ODIN systems already installed across the service’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer fleet.That said, the procurement documents do contain two ‘Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS)’ program elements that could encompass directed energy procurement efforts. The first program element is a defense-wide item under ‘Major Equipment, TJS [The Joint Staff]’ that includes an $800 million request (up from $732 million authorized last year), which is likely for the Pentagon’s new Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401) established last year, according to the corresponding fiscal year 2027 budget documents for RDT&amp;E.



The second program element, however, is a U.S. Army item that includes a $994.1 million request (up from $693.4 million authorized last year) and previously involved the Enduring High Energy Laser (E-HEL) system, 24 of which the service plans to “produce and rapidly field” in the coming years as its first official directed energy program of record. Given that E-HEL units cost nearly $25 million apiece, according the Pentagon’s fiscal year 2026 budget request, the boost in the Army’s C-sUAS line item could potentially cover the procurement of additional systems. Unfortunately, we won’t know for sure until the full justification books are released later in April.



Defense-Wide Laser Weapon RDT&amp;E Increases, With Room to Grow



Defense-wide laser weapon RDT&amp;E efforts overseen by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) saw significant increases in the Pentagon’s fiscal year 2027 budget request, to $44.5 million requested under the ‘High Energy Laser Advanced Component Development &amp; Prototype’ program element (up from $5.5 million in fiscal year 2026) and $201 million requested under the ‘High Energy Laser Advanced Technology Program’ (up from $120 million).



Managed by the Pentagon’s Joint Directed Energy Transition Office (JDETO), these program elements are focused on accelerating the maturation of directed energy systems like laser weapons to “enable the demonstration of military utility for mission areas” across the U.S. military, according to the department’s fiscal year 2026 budget request. The High Energy Laser Advanced Technology Program in particular includes the Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS), a collaboration between the Army and Navy to designed to counter cruise missile threats as part of the President Donald Trump’s ‘Golden Dome for America’ missile defense shield. (It also likely includes the Pulsed High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative, a new start in fiscal year 2026 designed to explore the potential applications of pulsed laser weapons.)



There’s also the question of the Pentagon’s $580 million in RDT&amp;E funding for JIATF 401 detailed in its fiscal year 2027 budget request. While the organization is certainly interested in directed energy weapons given their potential counter-drone applications, it’s unclear from the budget documents how much of that funding will apply to such initiatives given the its expansive remit.



A Major RDT&amp;E Boost for Golden Dome Directed Energy Efforts



The Pentagon’s fiscal year 2027 budget request contains $452 million in proposed RDT&amp;E spending for the “development, integration, and assessment” of directed energy weapons in support of Golden Dome, more than triple the $142 million enacted under the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ reconciliation package that Trump signed into law in July 2025. Like last year’s funding, this particular program element is also reliant on a reconciliation package separate from the Pentagon’s base budget request.



It’s worth pointing out that this spending increase is marked as procurement, even though it’s featured in the RDT&amp;E documentation of the Pentagon’s budget request. This is likely because this proposed funding will focus on purchasing technology to develop and test prototypes or prove a concept, while the separate procurement budget title will go to acquiring systems for active fielding.



U.S. Army Laser Weapon RDT&amp;E Is Unclear



With the cancellation of the 50 kilowatt Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (DE M-SHORAD) and 300 kw Indirect Fire Protection Capability-High Energy Laser (IFPC-HEL) efforts, the Army now has three publicly-known laser weapons initiatives in the works: E-HEL, JLWS, and the Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) that’s already actively shooting down drones (at home, at least).



Unfortunately, the fates of these projects appear ambiguous at the moment, mostly due to the structure of the Pentagon’s budget request. Apart from defense-wide programs, the budget documents only contains program elements that explicitly cover laser weapons or directed energy systems for the Navy and U.S. Air Force, but not for the Army. Indeed, AMP-HEL and E-HEL fall under the Army’s Maneuver – Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) item, while JLWS work falls under the Expanded Mission Area Missile (EMAM) program. And while both of those larger programs are poised for significant spending increases in fiscal year 2027—$460 million requested for M-SHORAD (up from $296 million) and $235 million requested for EMAM (up from $63 million)—how those funds will trickle down to their subordinate directed energy projects remains to be seen.



U.S. Navy Laser Weapon RDT&amp;E Expands



When senior Navy leaders declared that “the dream of a laser on every ship can become a real one” at the beginning of the year, they were absolutely not kidding. The service’s fiscal year 2027 budget request includes a significant increase in funding under its ‘Directed Energy and Electric Weapon Systems’ program element, with the service asking for more than $94 million in RDT&amp;E spending, up from $14.5 million in fiscal year 2026.



Without the justification books, the applications of this funding are also unclear. The service has no stated plans to procure more ODIN systems, or additional 60 kw High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) weapons beyond the lone system installed aboard the destroyer USS Preble, according to last year’s budget request. In addition, the service’s 300 kw High Energy Laser Counter [Anti-Ship Cruise Missile] Project (HELCAP) was officially slated for completion in fiscal year 2026, the budget documents say.



This leaves a few potential options to consider: the Navy’s funding boost is likely focused on either jumpstarting HELIOS development, advancing the Office of Naval Research’s 400 kw “SONGBOW’ initiative, or something related the unidentified (and potentially new) laser weapon the service reportedly tested in the Red Sea last year. We’ll have to wait for the release of this year’s justification books to find out.



U.S. Air Force Laser Weapon RDT&amp;E Shrinks, But Not By Much



Despite plans to pursue yet another airborne laser weapon and revisit ground-based laser systems to protect airbases and other installations, the Air Force’s budget request actually indicates a small decrease in RDT&amp;E funding for under its ‘Directed Energy Technology’ program element, which fell from $96 million requested in fiscal year 2026 to just under $92 million requested for fiscal year 2027. The service’s other directed energy program element, ‘Directed Energy Prototyping,’ remained zeroed out after falling from $1.31 million in fiscal year 2025 to zero in fiscal year 2026.



The Pentagon’s skinny fiscal year 2027 budget request suggests a familiar pattern for directed energy weapons: sustained (and in many cases accelerating) investment in RDT&amp;E, but no definitive signals that the technology is ready to transition into procurement and fielding at scale just yet. Despite years of promises that these systems are nearing operational relevance, the funding profile still points to a force that is continuing to experiment, refine, and prototype rather than putting them in the hands of U.S. service members in the immediate term.



Of course, that picture could shift once the full budget justification books are released later this month. But for now, the future of directed energy research and development appears brighter than ever.



This article is republished with permission from Laser Wars, a newsletter about military laser weapons and other futuristic defense technology. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, Pentagon, doubling, down, laser, weapons, research</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Employer of Record – everything you need to know</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/employer-of-record-everything-you-need-to-know</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/employer-of-record-everything-you-need-to-know</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Interested in hiring overseas talent? We&#039;re delving into Employer of Record - what it is, the pros and cons and if it&#039;s right for you
The post Employer of Record – everything you need to know appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Employer, Record, –, everything, you, need, know</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>John Lewis chairman’s pay climbs 21% to £1.2m as 3,300 roles disappear across the partnership</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/john-lewis-chairmans-pay-climbs-21-to-12m-as-3300-roles-disappear-across-the-partnership</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/john-lewis-chairmans-pay-climbs-21-to-12m-as-3300-roles-disappear-across-the-partnership</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
John Lewis Partnership chairman Jason Tarry received a 21% pay rise to £1.2m while the retailer shed 3,300 jobs across its department stores and Waitrose supermarkets.
Read more: 
John Lewis chairman’s pay climbs 21% to £1.2m as 3,300 roles disappear across the partnership ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/John_Lews_Jason_Tarry.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>John, Lewis, chairman’s, pay, climbs, 21, £1.2m, 3, 300, roles, disappear, across, the, partnership</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Britain smashes solar records as ministers greenlight country’s largest solar farm</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/britain-smashes-solar-records-as-ministers-greenlight-countrys-largest-solar-farm</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/britain-smashes-solar-records-as-ministers-greenlight-countrys-largest-solar-farm</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Britain set new solar generation records on consecutive days this week, hitting 14.4GW, as the government approved the Springwell solar farm in Lincolnshire — the UK&#039;s largest.
Read more: 
Britain smashes solar records as ministers greenlight country’s largest solar farm ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shutterstock_1119701291-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Britain, smashes, solar, records, ministers, greenlight, country’s, largest, solar, farm</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Harrods Estates shuts up shop after 130 years as tax raids on wealthy overseas buyers take their toll</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/harrods-estates-shuts-up-shop-after-130-years-as-tax-raids-on-wealthy-overseas-buyers-take-their-toll</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/harrods-estates-shuts-up-shop-after-130-years-as-tax-raids-on-wealthy-overseas-buyers-take-their-toll</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Harrods Estates has shut its doors after 130 years, citing falling demand in London&#039;s luxury property market driven by stamp duty rises, the abolition of non-dom status and shifting buyer tastes.
Read more: 
Harrods Estates shuts up shop after 130 years as tax raids on wealthy overseas buyers take their toll ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2531095157-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Harrods, Estates, shuts, shop, after, 130, years, tax, raids, wealthy, overseas, buyers, take, their, toll</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Vinted breaks the billion&#45;euro barrier as thrifty shoppers embrace second&#45;hand fashion</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/vinted-breaks-the-billion-euro-barrier-as-thrifty-shoppers-embrace-second-hand-fashion</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/vinted-breaks-the-billion-euro-barrier-as-thrifty-shoppers-embrace-second-hand-fashion</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Vinted revenues rose 38 per cent to €1.1bn as cash-strapped consumers turn to second-hand fashion, with the UK now its second-largest market boasting 16 million users.
Read more: 
Vinted breaks the billion-euro barrier as thrifty shoppers embrace second-hand fashion ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2195893251.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vinted, breaks, the, billion-euro, barrier, thrifty, shoppers, embrace, second-hand, fashion</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Oil price surges towards $100 as Middle East ceasefire begins to unravel</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oil-price-surges-towards-100-as-middle-east-ceasefire-begins-to-unravel</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oil-price-surges-towards-100-as-middle-east-ceasefire-begins-to-unravel</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Brent crude jumps 4% towards $100 a barrel after Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli strikes, threatening 20% of global oil and gas supplies.
Read more: 
Oil price surges towards $100 as Middle East ceasefire begins to unravel ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2750893585.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Oil, price, surges, towards, 100, Middle, East, ceasefire, begins, unravel</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Collide Capital raises $95M fund to back fintech, future&#45;of&#45;work startups</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/collide-capital-raises-95m-fund-to-back-fintech-future-of-work-startups</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/collide-capital-raises-95m-fund-to-back-fintech-future-of-work-startups</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Collide Capital, founded by Brian Hollins and Aaron Samuels, announced Thursday the close of a $95 million Fund II. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Brian-and-Aaron.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Collide, Capital, raises, 95M, fund, back, fintech, future-of-work, startups</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Radify’s sci&#45;fi plasma reactors could break China’s dominance of rare earth elements</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/radifys-sci-fi-plasma-reactors-could-break-chinas-dominance-of-rare-earth-elements</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/radifys-sci-fi-plasma-reactors-could-break-chinas-dominance-of-rare-earth-elements</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Radify Metals is developing a new way to process a variety of metals that promises to be pollution free. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GettyImages-1205041726.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Radify’s, sci-fi, plasma, reactors, could, break, China’s, dominance, rare, earth, elements</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Waymo robotaxis are tracking potholes and sharing that data with Waze users</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/waymo-robotaxis-are-tracking-potholes-and-sharing-that-data-with-waze-users</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/waymo-robotaxis-are-tracking-potholes-and-sharing-that-data-with-waze-users</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Two Alphabet-owned businesses are teaming up to find potholes and share that information with cities. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/GettyImages-2259268884.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Waymo, robotaxis, are, tracking, potholes, and, sharing, that, data, with, Waze, users</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Instagram expands its movie inspired content restrictions for teens internationally</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/instagram-expands-its-movie-inspired-content-restrictions-for-teens-internationally</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/instagram-expands-its-movie-inspired-content-restrictions-for-teens-internationally</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Instagram first debuted its movie rating inspired content settings in limited countries in 2025. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/instagram-app-icon-GettyImages-1046023150.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Instagram, expands, its, movie, inspired, content, restrictions, for, teens, internationally</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Spotify now lets everyone turn off all videos in its app</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spotify-now-lets-everyone-turn-off-all-videos-in-its-app</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spotify-now-lets-everyone-turn-off-all-videos-in-its-app</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The controls can be used to choose an audio-first experience on the app or a video-enhanced one, Spotify says. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/spotify-logo-phone-GettyImages-2236404299.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spotify, now, lets, everyone, turn, off, all, videos, its, app</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The co&#45;founder of Refinery29 makes the case for playfulness</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-co-founder-of-refinery29-makes-the-case-for-playfulness</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-co-founder-of-refinery29-makes-the-case-for-playfulness</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The airport is chaos. Lines snake beyond the designated barriers and out the doors as frazzled travelers tug their luggage and scowl at their phones, their grimaced faces even more dramatic in the harsh lighting.



I stand in the security queue, sensing the stress emanating from everyone around me like swarms of buzzing flies. A man behind me huffs with dramatic indignation, a couple ahead bickers in hissed whispers “we should have left earlier!”, and someone’s roller bag keeps thwacking my heels.



My fists clench as irritation winds me tighter. The security checkpoint seems miles away and my flight is in an hour. I feel myself being sucked into the collective vortex of misery.



Then, as we make our first zig in the queue, I catch my partner’s eye and make a split-second decision. I raise my hand for a high five.



“Yes!” I exclaim with exaggerated enthusiasm. “One turn closer!”



My partner looks momentarily confused, then a half grin lights up his face as he slaps my raised palm. A few people nearby glance over, some with bemused smiles.



When we reach the next turn, we were ready. “Turn number TWO!” We announce together, high-fiving with gusto. A woman behind us lets out a chuckle that seems to surprise even herself.



By the third turn, a family with a toddler holds up their hands for high fives before we can even offer ours. “We’re on a roll now!” the dad says, grinning.



With each zigzag, our celebration grows a little as others join our absurd celebration of incremental progress. Soon, a pocket of genuine laughter has formed in our section of the line, rippling outward like a skipped rock as others catch on to our game.



Pressured vs. playful



In that moment of travel chaos, we made a choice: instead of facing the frustrating situation with tense resentment (what I now call “The Pressured Way”) we decide to transform it through levity and connection (“The Playful Way”).



This simple shift doesn’t change our situation. We are still in the same painfully slow airport security queue. We are still at risk of missing our flight. But it changes what the situation feels like—from stress to humor, from isolation to community, storm cloud to sun break.



This choice between The Pressured Way and The Playful Way appears constantly in our lives: during technology crashes, tricky conversations, power struggles, or canceled plans. When challenges arise, we can clench our jaws and white-knuckle our way through—or we can bring imagination, inquiry, and openness to the situation. This choice isn’t just about boosting fun (thought that’s a welcome bonus), it’s about accessing new solutions, deeper camaraderie, and a richer experience of everyday life.



Playfulness isn’t one size fits all. While our airport moment involved a social game, you might express your playful side by finding beauty in the terminal architecture, creating backstories for fellow travelers, or scoring the scene with a film soundtrack—turning a mundane wait into the opening of your personal heist movie or Broadway musical.



The Pressured Way tightens our vision like horse blinders, while The Playful Way opens our peripheral sight to possibilities we’d otherwise miss entirely.



A transformative mindset



When I talk about playfulness in adulthood, I’m often met with puzzled looks. “You mean sports?” people ask. Or “Board games with friends?”. “Oh, like, work hard/play hard… partying?”



But playfulness runs deeper than scheduled recreation (though that is important). It’s not a leisure activity reserved for weekends or vacations—it’s a mindset that transforms how we experience everything.



Playfulness is:



— Finding humor and lightness even in tense moments— Navigating situations with genuine questions instead of assumptions— Staying open to possibilities rather than fixating on one “right” way— Experimenting rather than seeking perfection— Bringing an ethos of adventure to difficulties— Reimagining the mundane through reframes and games— Being willing to collaborate rather than control



When we move through the world playfully, we remain pliable, ready to adapt, change, and work with whatever comes our way: to navigate obstacles nimbly and alchemize even the most mundane tasks into micro adventures.



Playfulness is often dismissed as frivolous — a charming but dispensable quality best left in childhood alongside stuffies and imaginary friends.



But watch any child transform a cardboard box into a spaceship or a pile of sticks into a fairy house and — beyond the cute façade — you are witnessing them exercising some of humanity’s most valuable capacities: imagination, adaptation, and ingenuity.



The good news? Playfulness is part of us all — it’s standard issue for the human species. Even if you’ve left it in the drawer gathering dust, you can pick up your playfulness again and relearn to use it.



I haven’t always been able to find the high-five moments in life’s security lines. There was a time when I was deeply lost in what I now recognize as “The Pressured Way.”



Beyond burnout



During a particularly intense period building my first company, I found myself alone late one night, pen in hand, making a list titled “Ways I’m Failing RN.” It contained eleven meticulously detailed items—work projects falling behind, leadership shortcomings, fertility struggles, neglected friendships and family relationships—each one a knife twist of self-criticism. At the bottom, almost as an afterthought, I’d written: “Stressing myself out with my stress and inability to emotionally regulate.”



I was beyond burnout — overworked and under-played. Night after night, I’d come home, collapse on my apartment floor, and sob until I was empty, unable to see any of the success around me. The brilliantly colored, creative world I’d built felt like it was happening to someone else entirely. The weight of my perfectionism had become so crushing that I couldn’t imagine a way forward.



What moved me through this period wasn’t working harder or being more disciplined. It was remembering The Playful Way of life I’d learned as a child, sitting around our kitchen table in Maine with my family, brainstorming wild ideas over dinner.



Our kitchen was the beating heart of my childhood home, with its cheerful painted tiles, bright green countertops, and wall jam-packed with family photos. After my brother and I helped our parents serve dinner, the fun began. My words would tumble out in excitement: “Hey, what if we started a kids’ karaoke club?” My parents would exchange a conspiratorial glance. “Now there’s an idea!” Mom would reply, leaning forward. “What would that look like? Where would we host it?”



Between bites of penne, my brother would chime in: “We could have themed nights — Disney songs one week, pop hits the next!” My dad would smile, his laughter-creased eyes twinkling. “I love it! Now what would we name it?” Before anyone could answer, his fork was in the air, face lit up with enthusiasm. “Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! I know! Kiddieoke!”



These kitchen table sessions were boisterously loud, as we built upon each other’s ideas. No idea was too outrageous to explore. We were elementary schoolers doing business brainstorms—and our parents took us seriously and egged us on.



Eventually, we’d have to clear the table, do our homework, and return to our daily responsibilities. But in these moments, I learned that any endeavor could be handled with an inquisitive attitude and a spirit of adventure.



I was fortunate to have parents who showed me that wonder and whimsy could be woven into all aspects of life. My mom—a social worker, artist, gardener—and my dad—an entrepreneur, engineer, inventor—modeled what it looks like for adults to be playful while simultaneously building businesses, dealing with illness and loss, and nurturing families and communities.



My voyage of questioning took a new turn at age 15 when I found my heart fluttering like butterfly wings whenever I was around my best girl friend and realized I wasn’t just attracted to one gender. Growing up Catholic, I learned that boundaries were fixed—lines drawn between right and wrong, holy and profane, approved and forbidden forms of love. But my bisexual heart didn’t fit into hard pews or rigid boxes, it spilled out like vivid stained glass light. Luckily my mom told me that some rules were for bending so I turned to playfulness, curiously exploring and embracing the expansiveness of being queer, rather than fearing it.



Carving out play space



This current of exploration carried me to New York City, where I co-founded and built Refinery29 from a small style website into one of the most influential digital media brands for women, reaching millions with its distinctive mix of fashion, culture, and boundary-pushing storytelling.



Even in boardrooms, I carved out spaces for play—like my apricot-colored office dubbed “The Peach Pit” with its round table that became our magic circle for brainstorms. All the players around the table now were adults, so I had to take some extra measures to get the ideas flowing including doing physical shake breaks and having a lovingly bedazzled Taboo! game buzzer on hand for when anyone got into excessively “serious mode.”



Our playful approach led us to create innovative experiences like 29Rooms—a funhouse of culture that reimagined vacant warehouses into kaleidoscopic, artist-made wonderlands where 100,000 adults came through to frolic and fall down imagination rabbit holes in cities across the US.



A new chapter



In 2021, I found myself ready to begin a new chapter. But leaving the company I’d built over fifteen years was like moving out of a home you’ve loved — even when you’re ready to go, there’s still a bittersweet ache. Add to that the wild adventure of new motherhood and a global pandemic, and I was navigating multiple identity shifts at once. Daunting questions loomed: Who was I beyond the role I was most known for? What kind of parent would I become? What did I want to create next?



As I faced these huge transitions, my spirit whispered an answer: experiment! Instead of rushing to figure it all out, I turned my life into a play laboratory. I led cathartic dance parties on Zoom, created public art experiences connecting strangers in parks, took classes in improv and storytelling, and said “yes” to pretty much any foray that sparked curiosity. I dove deep into researching the power of play for our health and happiness, and piles of books stacked up on my desk.



My calendar filled up with what I lovingly called “play dates with possibility,” and something magical happened: as I led thousands of people in unlocking their vibrant spirits, I discovered my next chapter — creating spaces for playful, creative practice and shared joy.



Playfulness is my power tool and my life preserver across all aspects of my life from parenting to self care to career. It’s how I’ve come up with innovative solutions at work, built meaningful relationships, found purpose during transitions, and made memories in mundane moments. My relationship with playfulness isn’t just about joy—it’s been essential medicine for navigating life with depression, anxiety, and ADHD.







I’ve developed my own methods and seen the power of this approach transform not just my own life, but countless others I’ve worked with. And now, I’m on a mission to unlock that magic for you too—to help you dive into that giddy river that flows when we approach life with playfulness.Adapted excerpt from The Playful Way, by Piera Gelardi, and reprinted with permission from HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Copyright 2026. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, co-founder, Refinery29, makes, the, case, for, playfulness</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>People are losing it over 7&#45;Eleven merch. Welcome to the surprisingly cool world of convenience store chic</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/people-are-losing-it-over-7-eleven-merch-welcome-to-the-surprisingly-cool-world-of-convenience-store-chic</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/people-are-losing-it-over-7-eleven-merch-welcome-to-the-surprisingly-cool-world-of-convenience-store-chic</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In the world of convenience stores, 7-Eleven is undoubtedly the cool kid.  



Phoebe Bridgers named-dropped the c-store in a song, Lana Del Rey has posed in front of its parking lot, and, in Asia, the stores have become a must-visit spot.



But is the brand cool enough to wear? People seem to think so.



“Nothing could have prepared me for how hard the 7-Eleven merch website goes,” Axios congressional reporter Andrew Solender said on X this week, sparking a discussion about the brand’s merchandise website.



Some of the offerings are straightforward—a white T-shirt with 7-Eleven’s logo—while others look less like corporate swag and more like they belong to a hypebeast brand. Consider a cream-colored, ’70s-inspired knit sweater featuring a twirly serif typeface reading, “Oh Thank Heaven for 7-Eleven.”



And some offerings are just silly, like a series of sold-out inflatable Slurpee costumes.



For many, discovering the collection has ignited a sense of irreverent excitement. “I’m going to be flooded out in 7-Eleven merch on St. Mark’s this summer,” a user added on X, referencing the famous street in Manhattan’s East Village that’s popular among young people for outdoor drinking.



But many point out that the apparel line is not new. “Omg they’ve been killin’ it for some time now. Welcome to the club,” a user responded on an X thread.



Give me convenience



The items belong to 7-Eleven’s 7Collection, an online-exclusive apparel store launched in 2022. The collection initially offered exclusive apparel and accessories inspired by the brand’s famous products, including the Big Gulp and the Slurpee. But it has since broadened its scope, tapping into its own cultural currency.



“Today, 7Collection is a creative platform for collaboration and cultural connection,” a 7-Eleven spokesperson told Fast Company. “It allows 7-Eleven to participate in the broader lifestyle of its customers, showing up across streetwear, sports, gaming, music, and other passion points in a way that feels authentic to the brand.”



With over 83,485 stores across the world, 7-Eleven has a globally recognizable logo, but it’s also become a cultural hot spot—and the brand is leaning into it.



“7-Eleven uniquely sits at the intersection of so many lifestyle touchpoints—food, sports, gaming, car culture—and we intentionally design drops that reflect the different ways fans connect with the brand in their own daily lives,” 7-Eleven added.



Take a recent collection that dropped last year as an homage to the chain’s most profitable store in the U.S., the Montauk location, a summer staple for Hamptons regulars during the warm-weather season.



“More than a store; it’s a scene and a summer ritual,” Alex Crawford, creative director and head of 7Collection, said on LinkedIn. “People weren’t just shopping at Montauk 7-Eleven. They were documenting it, tagging it, and turning it into cultural currency.”



Named “Château Montauk 7-Eleven,” the summer 7Collection was a collaboration with local artist Sean Kinney that featured his handwriting and cheeky quotes across caps, T-shirts, key chains, and more.



The collection could be spotted during DJ sets at the beach town’s popular club Surf Lodge, and even designer Cynthia Rowley stopped by the store, where the merch was available for a weekend.



Drops and designs are a collaborative effort, the company says, with an internal team identifying key cultural opportunities. Then, the team works with Craftwork Design Co., 7Collection’s agency partner, to develop design, production, and content creation.



But 7-Eleven isn’t only c-store dabbling in the apparel and accessories game.



Circle K sells polo shirts and quarter zips featuring its logo, while Wawa fans have been able to snag tumblers, hoodies, and hats for years. And still, users online can’t hide their excitement.



One user said on X: “I just know wearing that 7-Eleven cardigan would give me all the confidence I need.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>Delta Air Lines is reducing flights and raising fees as it combats fuel shock. Here’s why the stock is up anyway</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/delta-air-lines-is-reducing-flights-and-raising-fees-as-it-combats-fuel-shock-heres-why-the-stock-is-up-anyway</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/delta-air-lines-is-reducing-flights-and-raising-fees-as-it-combats-fuel-shock-heres-why-the-stock-is-up-anyway</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Shares in Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL) are on the rise this morning after the company reported its Q1 2026 results. 



While Delta comfortably beat revenue expectations, the U.S. air carrier also addressed the biggest challenge it is currently facing, rising gas prices, and how it is working to mitigate that challenge. Here’s what you need to know.



Delta’s Q1 beats expectations, stock surges



On Wednesday, Delta Air Lines announced its Q1 2026 financial results, covering the January through March period. The results, announced before markets opened, showed the company had a strong quarter.



The company reported non-GAAP operating revenue of $14.2 billion and an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.64. 



To put those numbers into greater perspective, Wall Street analysts were expecting Delta to post $14 billion in revenue and an EPS of $0.57, notes CNBC. In other words, Delta handily beat Wall Street expectations.



In a bit of fortuitous timing for Delta, the airline reported its latest earnings just hours after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a fragile two-week ceasefire, which will see the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping route, reopened. 



That news sent the price of a barrel of oil plunging below the $100 mark for the first time in weeks.



It’s particularly good news for airlines like Delta, whose fuel expenditures are among their greatest potential liabilities when it comes to profitability. 



As a result of Delta’s expectation-beating Q1, combined with investor relief over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Delta shares surged in premarket trading. At the time of this writing, they are currently up more than 11% to above $73.



Delta signals how it will combat rising gas prices



But investors might not only be cheering Delta’s earnings and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Many are also likely satisfied with Delta’s game plan for offsetting higher oil and gas prices.



Along with announcing its Q1 results, Delta CEO Ed Bastian confirmed that passenger demand remains strong.



That’s normally a good thing—an airline generally wants as many customers as possible. But at a time of spiraling oil and gas prices, a strong customer base means airlines need to buy more fuel to move passengers from point A to point B. Paying higher costs can eat into profits.



To counteract this potential hit to the company’s bottom line, Bastian said that Delta would take “actions to protect our margins and cash flow.” 



Those actions include “meaningfully reducing capacity growth, with a downward bias until the fuel environment improves, and moving quickly to recapture higher fuel costs.”



To put that in plain English, it means that Delta will likely reduce the number of flights it offers, or cancel some routes altogether. This will make fewer seats available, saving on fuel costs, but that scarcity will mean Delta can charge more for the seats it does offer.



And this isn’t the only way Delta plans on combating higher fuel costs. Bastian also said the company will move “quickly to recapture higher fuel costs,” which is basically corporate-speak for passing those increased fuel costs on to customers. 



Earlier this week, Delta announced it was raising its checked baggage fee by $10, following other airlines that are doing the same. Another way Delta could recoup higher fuel costs from passengers is by adding fuel surcharges to flight prices.



DAL stock is once again green for the year



Yesterday, Delta’s stock price closed at $65.62 per share, representing a year-to-date loss of around 5.4%. But with today’s double-digit gain, DAL stock is now firmly in the green for the year.



And Delta’s isn’t the only airline stock seeing double-digit growth today. 



In addition to Delta, American Airlines Group Inc. (Nasdaq: AAL) is up 11%, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: UAL) is up 12%, and Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) is up nearly 11%, as of the time of this writing in premarket trading.



This suggests the primary factor spurring investors to buy into airline stocks this morning is the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. 



However, the ceasefire is currently scheduled to last only two weeks if the warring nations cannot reach a final agreement. 



If the ceasefire expires or, worse, doesn’t hold until then, all the airline stocks getting a boost today could be in for a future beating. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Delta, Air, Lines, reducing, flights, and, raising, fees, combats, fuel, shock., Here’s, why, the, stock, anyway</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Iran, Israel, and the U.S. strike a ‘fragile’ 2&#45;week ceasefire. Here’s what to know</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/iran-israel-and-the-us-strike-a-fragile-2-week-ceasefire-heres-what-to-know</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/iran-israel-and-the-us-strike-a-fragile-2-week-ceasefire-heres-what-to-know</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Iran, the United States and Israel agreed to a two-week ceasefire, an 11th-hour deal that allowed U.S. President Donald Trump to pull back from his threat to unleash a bombing campaign that would destroy Iranian civilization. Hours after the announcement, Iran and Gulf Arab countries reported new attacks Wednesday.It was not clear if the sporadic attacks would be enough to scuttle the deal, which U.S. Vice President JD Vance called “fragile.”Even before the new strikes were reported, much about the deal was unclear as the sides presented vastly different visions of the terms.— Iran said the deal would allow it to formalize its new practice of charging ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, but the terms were not clear, nor was whether ships would feel safe using the crucial transit lane for oil. It also was unclear whether any other country agreed to this condition.— Pakistan, which helped to mediate the deal, and others said fighting would pause in Lebanon, where Israel has launched a ground invasion against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Israel said it would not, and strikes hit Beirut on Wednesday.— The fate of Iran’s missile and nuclear programs — the elimination of which were major objectives for the U.S. and Israel in going to war — also remained unclear. Trump said the U.S. would work with Iran to remove buried enriched uranium, though Iran did not confirm that.In the streets of Tehran, pro-government demonstrators screamed: “Death to America, death to Israel, death to compromisers!” after the ceasefire announcement and burned American and Israeli flags.The chants underscored the anger animating hard-liners, who have been preparing for what many assumed would be an apocalyptic battle with the United States. Trump warned Tuesday that “a whole civilization will die tonight,” if a deal wasn’t reached.



Varying reports of ceasefire’s terms



Trump initially said Iran proposed a “workable” 10-point plan that could help end the war the U.S. launched with Israel on Feb. 28. But when a version in Farsi emerged that indicated Iran would be allowed to continue enriching uranium — which is key to building a nuclear weapon — Trump called it fraudulent without elaborating.Trump also suggested American warships would be “hangin’ around” the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of all traded oil and natural gas passes in peacetime. That could be a potential flashpoint in days to come.Iran’s demands for ending the war, meanwhile, include a withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from the region, the lifting of sanctions, and the release of its frozen assets.In his post Wednesday, Trump said: “We are, and will be, talking Tariff and Sanctions relief with Iran.”It’s not clear if other Western nations would agree to that – and the other points are likely nonstarters.Pakistan said that talks to hammer out a permanent end to the war could begin in Islamabad as soon as Friday.Israel backed the U.S. ceasefire with Iran, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Wednesday that the deal doesn’t cover fighting against Hezbollah. Israel’s military said later that fighting and ground operations continue.Hezbollah has not confirmed if it will abide by the ceasefire, though the group has said it was open to giving mediators a chance to secure an agreement. An official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, said the group would not stop firing at Israel unless Israel agreed to do the same.



Iran and Oman will collect shipping fees in Strait of Hormuz



While Iran could not match the sophistication of U.S. and Israeli weaponry or their dominance in the air, its ability to control the Strait of Hormuz since the war began proved a tremendous strategic advantage: The chokehold roiled the world economy and raised the pressure on Trump both at home and abroad to find a way out of the standoff.The ceasefire may formalize that control — and give Iran a new source of revenue.The plan allows for both Iran and Oman to charge fees on ships transiting through the strait, according to a regional official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss negotiations they were directly involved in. The official said Iran would use the money it raised for reconstruction.That would upend decades of precedent treating the strait as an international waterway that was free to transit and will likely not be acceptable to the Gulf Arab states, which also need to rebuild after repeated Iranian attacks targeting their oil fields.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said passage through the strait would be allowed under Iranian military management — further clouding the picture of who would be allowed to transit the waterway.Nevertheless, news of the ceasefire drove oil prices down and pushed stocks up Wednesday.



Fate of Iran’s nuclear and missile programs remains unclear



U.S.-Israeli strikes have battered Iran and its leadership, but they have not entirely eliminated the threats posed by Tehran’s nuclear program, its ballistic missiles or its support for regional proxies, like Hezbollah. The U.S. and Israel said addressing those threats was a key justification for going to war.Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. would work with Iran to “dig up and remove” enriched uranium that was buried under joint U.S-Israeli strikes in June. He added that none of the material had been touched since. Any retrieval is expected to be an intensive undertaking.There was no confirmation from Iran on that.Tehran insisted for years that its nuclear program was peaceful, although it enriched uranium up to 60% purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels.Iran referred to its nuclear program differently in two versions of the ceasefire plan that it released. The version in Farsi included the phrase “acceptance of enrichment” for its nuclear program. That phrase was missing in English versions shared by Iranian diplomats with journalists.A senior Israeli official said the United States had coordinated the ceasefire with Israel in advance and said Israel’s government credited “the massive crushing of the regime’s infrastructure” with securing the agreement.Speaking on condition of anonymity because they were discussing private diplomatic conversations, the official said Washington had committed to pressing for the removal of nuclear material and dismantling of Iran’s ballistic missile program.



Airstrikes reported in the hours after the deal is announced



Shortly after the ceasefire announcement, Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates all issued warnings about incoming missiles from Iran. That fire stopped for a time, then hostilities appeared to restart.An oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island came under attack, according to Iranian state television. Its report said that firefighters were working to contain the blaze but no one had been hurt. It did not say who launched the attack.The island is home to one of the terminals that Iran uses to export oil and gas. The U.S. military’s Central Command did not respond to questions about the strike.A short time later, the United Arab Emirates’ air defenses fired at an incoming Iranian missile barrage. Kuwait’s military forces, meanwhile, responded to an “extensive wave” of drone attacks.More than 1,900 people had been killed in Iran as of late March, but the government has not updated the war’s toll for days.In Lebanon, where Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, more than 1,500 people have been killed. and 1 million people have been displaced. Eleven Israeli soldiers have died.In Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, more than two dozen people have died, while 23 have been reported dead in Israel, and 13 U.S. service members have been killed.







Associated Press writers Edie Lederer, Natalie Melzer, Abby Sewell, and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.



—Bassem Mroue, Jon Gambrell, Samy Magdy and Sam Metz, Associated Press ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>U.S.&#45;Iran ceasefire sends Wall Street soaring with crude oil prices down 16%</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/us-iran-ceasefire-sends-wall-street-soaring-with-crude-oil-prices-down-16</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/us-iran-ceasefire-sends-wall-street-soaring-with-crude-oil-prices-down-16</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Wall Street surged in Wednesday premarket trading as oil prices plunged 16% after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.Futures for the S&amp;P 500 jumped 2.7% before the opening bell and futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 2.6%. Nasdaq futures soared 3.4%.Benchmark U.S. crude sank $18.43 to $94.52 a barrel, a nearly 16% decline. Brent crude, the international standard dropped $15.54 to $93.73 a barrel. Natural gas futures declined close to 5%.The drops reversed some of the rise in oil prices since the start of the war more than five weeks ago that had effectively blocked passage through the strait that’s a crucial route for global supplies.“Yet the mood remains one of cautious optimism rather than outright celebration,” said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade. “The ceasefire is only two weeks long, and markets will be watching closely to see whether shipping through the Strait of Hormuz normalizes as promised and whether the fragile truce can pave the way for a more durable peace agreement.”Late Tuesday, Trump said he was holding off on his threatened attacks on Iranian bridges, power plants and other civilian targets. Iran’s foreign minister said passage through the strait would be allowed for the next two weeks under Iranian military management.But analysts warned against too much optimism.“There is a reason to be optimistic, but it is still too early to tell, because, as you know, after all, it is Trump,” said Takashi Hiroki, chief strategist at MONEX.In equities trading, major U.S. airline stocks soared on the steep drop in oil prices. Delta and United jump more than 12% in premarket while American rose 10%. Delta on Wednesday also reported first-quarter sales and profit that came in ahead of Wall Street forecasts and said that demand remained strong with the summer travel season just a few months away.Elsewhere, in Europe France’s CAC 40 added 4.5% by midday, while the German DAX soared nearly 5%. Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 2.9%.In Asia, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 5.4% to finish at 56,308.42. Australia’s S&amp;P/ASX 200 jumped 2.6% to 8,951.80. South Korea’s Kospi soared 6.9% to 5,872.34. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng surged 3.1% to 25,893.02, while the Shanghai Composite added 2.7% to 3,995.00.In currency trading, the U.S. dollar fell to 158.39 Japanese yen from 159.52 yen Wednesday. The euro cost $1.1701, up from $1.1597. The dollar usually becomes a safe haven during geopolitical uncertainty, so the ceasefire deal worked to lessen that appeal.







Associated Press videographer Mayuko Ono and Writer Jon Gambrell contributed to this report.Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama



—Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott, AP Business Writers ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Expenses Software for UK Small Businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/expenses-software-for-uk-small-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/expenses-software-for-uk-small-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Henry Williams on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post Expenses Software for UK Small Businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Expenses, Software, for, Small, Businesses</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>OpenAI’s flagship UK data centre hits the buffers in blow to Starmer’s AI ambitions</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/openais-flagship-uk-data-centre-hits-the-buffers-in-blow-to-starmers-ai-ambitions</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/openais-flagship-uk-data-centre-hits-the-buffers-in-blow-to-starmers-ai-ambitions</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
OpenAI&#039;s flagship Stargate data centre in Tyneside has stalled with no updated timeline, casting doubt over the government&#039;s AI infrastructure ambitions and Keir Starmer&#039;s growth agenda.
Read more: 
OpenAI’s flagship UK data centre hits the buffers in blow to Starmer’s AI ambitions ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>OpenAI’s, flagship, data, centre, hits, the, buffers, blow, Starmer’s, ambitions</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Reform UK becomes first British political party to launch its own podcast</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/reform-uk-becomes-first-british-political-party-to-launch-its-own-podcast</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/reform-uk-becomes-first-british-political-party-to-launch-its-own-podcast</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Reform UK is launching a weekly podcast offering behind-the-scenes access to Nigel Farage and senior party figures, becoming the first British political party to produce its own show.
Read more: 
Reform UK becomes first British political party to launch its own podcast ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Reform, becomes, first, British, political, party, launch, its, own, podcast</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Labour’s tax uncertainty is pushing Britain’s wealthiest towards the exit</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/labours-tax-uncertainty-is-pushing-britains-wealthiest-towards-the-exit</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/labours-tax-uncertainty-is-pushing-britains-wealthiest-towards-the-exit</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Two-thirds of Britain&#039;s ultra-wealthy have considered leaving the UK, with inconsistent tax policies cited as a bigger factor than high rates, according to a new BDO survey of multi-millionaires.
Read more: 
Labour’s tax uncertainty is pushing Britain’s wealthiest towards the exit ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Labour’s, tax, uncertainty, pushing, Britain’s, wealthiest, towards, the, exit</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Easter and Eid collision sends British lamb prices to a record high</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/easter-and-eid-collision-sends-british-lamb-prices-to-a-record-high</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/easter-and-eid-collision-sends-british-lamb-prices-to-a-record-high</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
British lamb prices surge to record highs as Easter and Eid drive demand, with supermarket legs topping £16/kg and the UK flock at its lowest in living memory.
Read more: 
Easter and Eid collision sends British lamb prices to a record high ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Easter, and, Eid, collision, sends, British, lamb, prices, record, high</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Vince calls on Miliband to halt North Sea oil exports as Iran war rattles supply</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/vince-calls-on-miliband-to-halt-north-sea-oil-exports-as-iran-war-rattles-supply</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/vince-calls-on-miliband-to-halt-north-sea-oil-exports-as-iran-war-rattles-supply</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Labour donor Dale Vince tells Ed Miliband to halt North Sea oil exports and shield Britain from Iran-driven fuel shortages, as crude tops $109 a barrel.
Read more: 
Vince calls on Miliband to halt North Sea oil exports as Iran war rattles supply ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vince, calls, Miliband, halt, North, Sea, oil, exports, Iran, war, rattles, supply</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Anthropic is having a moment in the private markets; SpaceX could spoil the party</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/anthropic-is-having-a-moment-in-the-private-markets-spacex-could-spoil-the-party</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/anthropic-is-having-a-moment-in-the-private-markets-spacex-could-spoil-the-party</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Glen Anderson, president of Rainmaker Securities, says the secondary market for private shares has never been more active — with Anthropic the hottest trade around, OpenAI losing ground, and SpaceX&#039;s looming IPO poised to reshape the landscape for everyone. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Anthropic, having, moment, the, private, markets, SpaceX, could, spoil, the, party</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>After fighting malware for decades, this cybersecurity veteran is now hacking drones</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/after-fighting-malware-for-decades-this-cybersecurity-veteran-is-now-hacking-drones</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/after-fighting-malware-for-decades-this-cybersecurity-veteran-is-now-hacking-drones</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Mikko Hyppönen is one of the most recognizable faces of the cybersecurity industry. After fighting computer viruses, worms, and malware, for more than 35 years, he tells TechCrunch why he is now working on systems to stop killer drones. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>After, fighting, malware, for, decades, this, cybersecurity, veteran, now, hacking, drones</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Anthropic says Claude Code subscribers will need to pay extra for OpenClaw usage</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/anthropic-says-claude-code-subscribers-will-need-to-pay-extra-for-openclaw-usage</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/anthropic-says-claude-code-subscribers-will-need-to-pay-extra-for-openclaw-usage</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It’s about to become more expensive for Claude Code subscribers to use Anthropic’s coding assistant with OpenClaw and other third-party tools. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Anthropic, says, Claude, Code, subscribers, will, need, pay, extra, for, OpenClaw, usage</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Embattled startup Delve has ‘parted ways’ with Y Combinator</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/embattled-startup-delve-has-parted-ways-with-y-combinator</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/embattled-startup-delve-has-parted-ways-with-y-combinator</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The controversy around Delve appears to have cost the compliance startup its relationship with accelerator Y Combinator. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Embattled, startup, Delve, has, ‘parted, ways’, with, Combinator</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Peter Thiel’s big bet on solar&#45;powered cow collars</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/peter-thiels-big-bet-on-solar-powered-cow-collars</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/peter-thiels-big-bet-on-solar-powered-cow-collars</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Why did Founders Fund invest $220 million in cattle management startup Halter? ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Peter, Thiel’s, big, bet, solar-powered, cow, collars</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>A New York Times critic used AI to write a review, but good criticism can’t be outsourced</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/a-new-york-times-critic-used-ai-to-write-a-review-but-good-criticism-cant-be-outsourced</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/a-new-york-times-critic-used-ai-to-write-a-review-but-good-criticism-cant-be-outsourced</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ An author and freelance journalist has admitted to using AI to help him write a book review for The New York Times.



Alex Preston’s review of Jean-Baptiste Andrea’s novel Watching Over Her, published by The New York Times in January 2026, draws phrases and full paragraphs from Christobel Kent’s review in The Guardian. The “error” was brought to light by a reader, who alerted The New York Times to the similarities.



Preston told The Guardian he is “hugely embarassed” and “made a huge mistake.”



The Times promptly dropped Preston, calling his “reliance on A.I. and his use of unattributed work by another writer” a “clear violation of the Times’s standards.” An editor’s note now precedes the review online, advising readers of the issue and providing a link to the Guardian review.



Preston’s apology to The Guardian raises more questions than it resolves. The portion quoted online seems to speak more to the issue of unattributed work than his use of AI. It reads: “I made a serious mistake in using an AI tool on a draft review I had written, and I failed to identify and remove overlapping language from another review that the AI dropped in.” This implies that if he had removed the “overlapping” language, the issue would have been avoided.



As a literary critic and scholar, I believe the deeper question isn’t whether or not critics should do more to hide their use of AI—but the ethics of using it at all.



Why AI can’t do criticism



The role of the critic isn’t to summarize or repackage art, but to actively participate in a conversation about it. “Good criticism thrives in the complexity of its environment,” writes critic Jane Howard, who is also The Conversation’s Arts + Culture editor. “Each review sits in conversation with every other review of a piece of art, with every other review the critic has written.”



In other words, the critic is in conversation with both the artist and the audience. The critic’s emotional and intellectual engagement with art—and their translation and communication of meaning—is intrinsic to their role as mediator. That role is deeply human.



Perhaps information can be outsourced, but emotional engagement can’t. Nor can an individual perspective, filtered through one human’s reading, viewing, listening, and experiences.



Art and AI controversies



There are valid arguments outlining the functional uses of AI, and warning against significant climate repercussions. But there is also an escalating concern around the intrusion of AI into creative expression.



Last month, author Mia Ballard was accused of using AI to write her horror novel, Shy Girl. It was withdrawn from publication in the U.K. and canceled from scheduled publication in the U.S. after “readers on platforms such as Goodreads and Reddit had questioned whether sections of the text bore hallmarks of AI-generated prose,” according to The Guardian.



In 2023, German artist Boris Eldagsen sparked controversy when he revealed that his prize-winning photograph The Electrician was AI-generated. In 2025, Tilly Norwood, the first fully AI-generated “actress” ignited debate around whether so-called synthetic actors were a tool for creative expression or a threat to human creators.



In 2025, writers were “horrified” to discover that their work had been pirated by Meta to train AI systems.



If the question that underlies these examples is “What is the role of art?” this latest debacle adds “And what is the responsibility of the critic?”



Breaking a pact



Art criticism in Australia is what Howard describes as a “niche within a niche.” The sector is unbearably small, so most critics have an additional day job and are in close professional and personal proximity to the artists whose work they review.



Some critics of the critics, such as writer Gideon Haigh, have suggested this has led to a culture of what literary academic Emmett Stinson called “too-nice” criticism.



But I would argue generosity is fundamental to public-facing criticism—and that the critic reviewing in the public sphere has a responsibility to writers and readers.



The writer might safely assume that when we’re publishing a review that surmises their book’s successes and failings against its ambition, we have, at the very least, taken the time to read and carefully consider their work, and our own response to it.



This unspoken pact is broken when the writer begins to use AI—particularly when a professional reviewer like Preston seems to outsource his assessment to it.



Such fiascos point to a disturbing future where readers’ opportunities to build community and develop empathy through engagement with literature is outsourced entirely to AI.



Australian literature academic Julieanne Lamond has said, “When we write reviews we have to do it ‘naked’—as individual readers, with a public to judge our judgments.” In other words, we sit at the middle of a pact between the writer of a book and their potential readers.



Criticism can be literature



Done well, criticism is literature. As Australian author, playwright, and critic Leslie Rees argued in 1946, good literary criticism is a “real and creative service to literature.”



Popular criticism, written for the general public and published as journalism, might sit on a different playing field from scholarly criticism. But its obligation to readers—to convey real and honest opinions about books and bring readers into a conversation about literature—is no less significant. There is a shared obligation to be honest, and surely this honesty extends to a transparency about AI use.



French professor and essayist Phillipe Lejeune, best known for his work on autobiography, used the term the autobiographical pact to describe the relationship between the writer of a memoir and the reader. That is, the reader accepts what the memoirist says as truth, based on the writer’s acknowledgments of their own biases and subjectivity.



We might transfer a similar pact to the reviewer and their reader. Should the reader not be able to trust that the review they’re reading is the critic’s own?



Hannah Bowman, a literary agent from Liza Dawson Associates, recently described mistrust as the book industry’s greatest peril: “It’s essential for all parties in the publishing process to have transparency and clarity in conversations about how AI tools are being used by any party, especially in the creative process.”



In failing to disclose his use of AI, Preston has not only embarrassed himself but also broken the trust of his readers.





Bec Kavanagh is a senior tutor in publishing and creative writing at the University of Melbourne.



This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


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<pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>3 surprising (but simple) ways to save gas as fuel costs skyrocket</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/3-surprising-but-simple-ways-to-save-gas-as-fuel-costs-skyrocket</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/3-surprising-but-simple-ways-to-save-gas-as-fuel-costs-skyrocket</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ We’re in the middle of the extended Easter holiday weekend, which usually sees millions of Americans taking long road trips to visit family or just get away. But this year, these trips will probably be more costly—at least at the pump. Still, there are steps you can take while driving to save fuel and reduce your overall gas bill.



Why are gas prices rising?



According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline passed the $4 threshold this week. That’s a price not seen since August 2022, and one that is more than $1 per gallon more expensive than just over a month earlier.



What is causing these price increases? If you’ve read a newspaper or watched the news in the past month, you can probably guess: Trump’s war with Iran, which has led to nearly complete disruption of oil shipments through the geographically critical Strait of Hormuz, upending global oil supply chains, and leading to a spike in oil prices of more than 50% over the past month.



As gas is refined from oil, any price increases in crude will eventually (and, usually, quickly) filter down to you at the pumps. How long oil prices will stay high depends on how long the war with Iran drags on—something the average driver has no control over. However, there are three surprising moves you can make to help conserve gas in your tank and keep your fuel costs down.



1. Drive slower



Yes, driving slower really does use less fuel, according to the American Automobile Association. That’s why, in addition to the safety advantages, the AAA and other transportation experts advise drivers to adhere to the speed limits posted.



But why does driving slower save gas? The AAA says that it comes down to aerodynamic friction. “On the highway, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy to drop off significantly as speeds increase above 50 mph,” the organization notes.



If you are having trouble slowing down, it may help, mentally, to put a price on your excess speed. The US Department of Energy (DOE) says that for every 5 miles per hour driven over 50 MPH, it’s “like paying an additional $0.27 per gallon for gas.”



2. Shut off the AC



Now that Spring has arrived, temperatures will begin to rise, which means more people will turn on their air conditioners while behind the wheel. But using your AC is a great way to burn your gas.



If you’re cost-conscious about fuel prices, the AAA recommends minimizing your air conditioning use. Instead, try rolling down your windows. At first, this might seem counterintuitive: We imagine that pushing air into the car may increase drag, which burns more fuel, but the AAA says that any additional drag still uses less fuel than the AC. “Even at highway speeds, open windows have less effect on fuel economy than the engine power required to operate the air conditioning compressor,” the club notes.



As for why the AC uses fuel, Kelley Blue Book explains that your car’s AC unit is powered by the alternator, which runs on gasoline. The vehicle valuation company says that AC use can reduce your car’s fuel efficiency by as much as 10%.



3. Jettison the excess weight



The more something weighs, the more energy it needs to move from one point to the next. So the more extra stuff you have weighing down your vehicle, the more quickly you’ll burn through the gas in your tank.



This is why both the AAA and the Department of Energy recommend that you remove unnecessary objects from your vehicle. And yes, every little bit of weight removed does help increase your fuel efficiency. As the DOE notes, “An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by about 1%,” with smaller cars affected more than larger ones.



The DOE says that for every 100 pounds of weight you remove from your car, you can expect fuel savings of about 4 cents per gallon.  ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>surprising, but, simple, ways, save, gas, fuel, costs, skyrocket</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>This turbulence&#45;tracking travel app will make your next trip more tolerable</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-turbulence-tracking-travel-app-will-make-your-next-trip-more-tolerable</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-turbulence-tracking-travel-app-will-make-your-next-trip-more-tolerable</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When we talk about travel apps, we typically talk about the types of tools that help you organize your itineraries, find worthwhile stops along your way, or maybe even just find flights (and/or fuel!) in the first place.



Those types of tools are important—but there’s another travel resource I recently ran into that might be even more invaluable.



It’s a free website that gives you unprecedented insight into exactly how much turbulence you can expect on any given flight, before you take off—as well as what the wind and overall weather conditions may mean for your odds of an on-time (or, if you’re lucky, maybe even early) arrival.



Trust me: This is one you’ll absolutely want to pack away for the future.



This tip originally appeared in the free Cool Tools newsletter from The Intelligence. Get the next issue in your inbox and get ready to discover all sorts of awesome tech treasures!



Your helpful eye on the sky



The next time you’re about to fly the not-so-friendly skies, take a moment to pull up a website called Turbli​ before you take off.



➜ Turbli is a free site that shows you exactly how much turbulence you’re likely to encounter on different parts of any specific flight you’re taking. (It’s also an incredibly fun name to say, as an extra little bonus. Seriously—try it out loud: Turbli. Turbli. Turbli!)



Turbli relies on the same data sources that actual airline pilots use—from advanced weather models provided by places like the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.K. Met Office.



It instantly analyzes all that info and spits back a plain-English summary and simple illustration showing you what to expect. Particularly with plane turbulence growing more frequent and severe​ as of late, having that knowledge ahead of time can make a meaningful difference in your flight experience.



⌚ It couldn’t be much easier to use, either. We’re talkin’ roughly 20 seconds of time for any flight lookup.



✅ All you do is pull up the Turbli website​ in any browser, on any device you’re using—then put your departure and arrival city into the box on the center of the screen and tell it if you’re leaving today or tomorrow.



All you need to know is your departure and arrival airport to get going with Turbli.



Turbli will then show you a list of specific flights scheduled for the path and date you selected.



Turbli shows you a selection of flight options.



Once you’ve selected your flight, you’ll see your turbulence forecast along with other relevant weather-related info.



The turbulence and wind forecasts tell you exactly what to expect at every moment of your flight.



Odds are, that’ll tell you everything you need to know. But if you want to dive in deeper, note the little “Maps” option at the top-right of those boxes.



Clicking or tapping that will take you to a live, interactive map that’ll give you even more visuals into your upcoming flight conditions.



Turbli’s interactive map is available if you really want to dive deep into the expected flying conditions.



Turbli has a detailed FAQ page​ that explains all of its forecasts, including exactly what different types of turbulence are likely to feel like in practice. (Long story short: Light turbulence is nothing, moderate makes for a bumpy flight, moderate/severe is gonna give you that roller coaster feeling but still be no actual cause for concern, and severe is likely to be quite intense but still perfectly safe as far as what modern aircrafts are designed to handle.)



Turbli does require an active internet connection to operate, as you’d expect—but other than that, there’s not much to it in terms of planning. Just pull up the site, put in your flight info, and start your next flying journey with full knowledge of what’s ahead and no sudden surprises.




Turbli is entirely web-based,​ so it’ll work in any browser and on any device you’re using—no downloads required.



It’s completely free and the passion project of a single weather-obsessed engineer. The site does accept donations​, and its creator also ​sells a related book​—but you never have to pay anything or make any purchases to use it.



The site doesn’t require any sign-ins or request any manner of personal info.




Treat yourself to all sorts of brain-boosting goodies like this with the free Cool Tools newsletter—starting with an instant introduction to an incredible audio app that’ll tune up your days in truly delightful ways. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>Managing AI has become its own job</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/managing-ai-has-become-its-own-job</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/managing-ai-has-become-its-own-job</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Managers are rushing to deploy AI for efficiency gains. Employees have to figure out how to make it work—and that’s sometimes harder than it seems.



Half of organizations piloted general-purpose AI tools last year, according to MIT research. But adoption and readiness aren’t the same thing. 



According to Rumman Chowdhury, former U.S. Science Envoy for AI and CEO and cofounder of Humane Intelligence, the burden is likely to fall on workers.



“There’s a lot of FOMO among C-suites and high-level execs on pressure to build AI, and then they’re also incentivized to pretend like it works really well,” she says. “If and when it doesn’t, the responsibility is on the employee who had no say in whether or not this technology was adopted and used, or even often what it was used for.”



For many employees, particularly those who don’t have a technical background, the promise of AI-driven efficiency comes with a catch: Useful output often requires time and effort that doesn’t always get counted. The gap between what these tools are supposed to do and what it actually takes to make them work has become its own job. 



Companies are figuring out whether the fix is better training or more realistic expectations around what these tools can deliver. For now, employees are absorbing the additional labor involved in prompting AI and double-checking its outputs.



“PhD-level experts in your pocket”?



Kellie Romack, chief digital information officer at enterprise software company ServiceNow, suggests managing AI is a hands-on effort. During a recent session with one of the company’s AI tools, she caught the model making a basic math error.



“I wrote back and said, I think your math is wrong,” she recalled. “It wrote back to me and said, ‘Oh, you’re right. I do have it wrong.’” Romack gave it a thumbs-down and flagged it for her team’s feedback loop. 



The cleanup that follows is a cost organizations don’t always account for. 



“There may be efficiencies of production,” Chowdhury says. “And then if you scratch beneath the surface, some of this employee frustration is like, yeah, it’s producing stuff—and then I have to spend three hours going through every citation and making sure it’s not a hallucination.”



A January 2026 Workday study of 3,200 employees found that over a third of time saved through AI is offset by rework, which the report calls an “AI tax on productivity.” 



Most leaders, the report finds, are focused on gross efficiency, or how much time AI saves. That metric doesn’t account for rework, and when it does, the net value of AI is often lower than expected. Net value, which the report defines as “time saved minus time lost,” is what shows whether AI is improving how work gets done. The only way to capture AI’s return is to move beyond hours saved and account for outcomes achieved, the report says.



The problem is the AI industry oversold what these tools could do, Chowdhury says, pointing to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s claim last year that users would have a “team of PhD-level experts in your pocket.” The result has been frustration among both employees and managers: What was promoted as transformative has turned out to be far more uneven.



“These technologies are simultaneously capable and not capable, and that’s what’s weird about it,” she says. “People who are the furthest removed from AI—the imagery they have in their head is this magical sentient being. And then they’re frustrated because . . . this isn’t a magical sentient being.”



The difference, she adds, tends to be greatest among those with the least experience using the tools.



The training gap



A 2024 study by University of Texas at Austin researchers Min Kyung Lee and Angie Zhang included a workshop with 39 primarily knowledge workers from 26 countries—with follow-up interviews conducted separately with some participants. When workers received AI training, the majority described it as superficial.



One participant recounted a colleague who used ChatGPT to generate a list of publications and didn’t realize the titles had been invented by the AI.



The consequences of using AI without proper training or context can be serious. 



Zhang recalled one participant who worked at a labor standards organization that had to fire a junior employee after their AI-assisted work repeatedly fell short. The employee kept turning to generative AI to draft labor standards, producing work that drew on standards the participant had never come across or had no bearing on the task. (The organization had not formally adopted AI but some employees had begun using it anyway.)



Some companies are trying to get ahead of the problem. IBM Consulting requires every employee to acquire a foundational generative AI badge, covering not just how to use the tools, but what they can and can’t do, says Tess Rock, associate partner for global finance transformation at IBM Consulting.



But training alone isn’t enough. What matters more is leaders who can clearly define how and where AI should be used, she says. Without that, even well-trained employees get frustrated.



“There needs to be that leadership mandate, operating model, governance-type decisions to be made, versus kind of having a population of frustrated practitioners trying to leverage this,” Rock says.



IBM Consulting is treating AI adoption like any other business discipline. It involves two-week sprints where teams pitch an AI idea with an ROI case, build it, and scale what works. What doesn’t prove value gets cut.



Working with one client, Rock’s team identified more than 200 potential AI use cases, then measured each against ROI. Half were cut immediately. The top 10 ended up driving 80% of the total value. 



“Focus on those areas that are going to drive impact, and invest there,” she says.



Making it work



Part of what makes the AI management burden so hard to address is that workers’ frustration runs deeper than the tools, Chowdhury says. Employees weren’t asked whether they wanted the tools in the first place. That puts middle managers in a difficult spot, caught between executives wanting to accelerate AI rollouts and employees pushing back.



Her advice: Don’t just push harder. Try to understand what’s actually behind the resistance. 



“The majority of the fear is that people think that ultimately management wants to replace them,” she says. “And it’s a valid fear.”



For Rock, a key question is how organizations think about AI and productivity. Too often the focus is on how much time individual employees save writing emails faster or summarizing meetings. She argues that’s the wrong unit of measurement.



“That to me is pennies on the dollar,” she says. “When people talk about productivity, it’s less about Tess Rock as an individual being more productive and [more], how do you fundamentally set up your organization to be more productive?”


 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Managing, has, become, its, own, job</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Why Gen Z is fangirling over Apple’s ‘Finder Guy’ mascot</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-gen-z-is-fangirling-over-apples-finder-guy-mascot</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/why-gen-z-is-fangirling-over-apples-finder-guy-mascot</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ At first, he appeared in the top corner of a multi-slide TikTok post. Then he was spotted demurely relaxing in a lawn chair on a livestream. Finally, on March 30, Apple’s new mascot, nicknamed “Finder Guy,” made his debut—and the internet has instantly become enamored with him.



Finder Guy appeared as part of the rollout for Apple’s MacBook Neo, a colorful, affordable laptop marketed to younger consumers. For the Neo campaign, Apple introduced an entirely new TikTok brand persona on March 4, clearly making a play to capture Gen Z and Gen Alpha viewers by combining trending aesthetics with Apple’s high-design point of view. 



Popular videos have included a brain-tingling clip of an Apple-branded blush, a vibey throwback to a 1984 ad, and a goofy original song. But some eagle-eyed fans quickly became fixated on another element of the TikTok relaunch: a cute little mascot modeled after the Mac Finder icon.



Why everyone loves Finder Guy



Finder Guy is an adorably chunky, dual-toned blue creature with a rounded head and a perpetual smile. Apple is being fairly tight-lipped about him; he hasn’t been officially announced or acknowledged by the company. “Finder Guy” isn’t even his real name, just a moniker coined by the internet. The company declined to comment on his design to Fast Company.



Still, it’s fairly obvious why Apple decided to double down on the mascot. After getting mere glimpses of him in those initial TikTok slides and livestream, Apple fans were already singing his praises.



LinkedIn thinkpieces were written about his cherubic qualities. Blog posts were made about his mysterious origins. Independent designers were compelled to create mock-ups of him wearing slouchy sweaters. He was called “a baby,” “cute,” and “adorable” in almost every corner of the internet.



Ryan Benson, cofounder of the creative agency Loudmouth, which helps brands figure out how to capture attention online, says there are a few key reasons why Finder Guy has charmed so many. Like the MacBook Neo itself, Finder Guy taps into Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s yearning for a bygone tech era when Frutiger Aero aesthetics (a retro-futuristic style characterized by bubbly motifs and bright colors) coexisted with serious software developments—in other words, when Apple’s brand felt a little bit more fun. 



“I think they’re adjusting to meet their consumer,” Benson says. “Cute content with cute things for a generation that appreciates aesthetics.” 



Finder Guy’s squat build and angelic features mimic blind box characters like Smiski, Sonny Angel, and Labubu that have become an obsession for many young consumers. One fan even orchestrated an April Fool’s prank to convince his followers that Apple was creating Finder Guy blind boxes.



“It’s so simple, cute, and self-explanatory that it just begs to be remixed, edited, and have fan art made of it,” Benson explains.



“I want Apple with their whimsy turned up to 11”



Beyond the knee-jerk appeal of its cutesy design, Finder Guy feels reminiscent of a ’90s tech moment that’s become an aesthetic fascination for young shoppers. Think Apple’s colorful G3 iMac cases, Tamagotchis, and Clippy: For those who didn’t experience this exciting era firsthand, its hardware outputs seem like relics of a time when new tech wasn’t just sleek and functional but also adventurous and even silly.



“For many of these consumers, Apple was in their Metal Square era as opposed to what they’re exploring now,” Benson says. Finder Guy, he explains, feels like a callback to retro “clear Mac shells and colorful accessories”—a far cry from the clean minimalism that young shoppers traditionally associate with Apple.



That feeling has been echoed in the subreddit r/mac, where a March 31 post with more than 2,000 upvotes is dedicated to discussing users’ thoughts on Finder Guy. “I like it,” one commenter wrote, adding, “With the more colourful devices, the short films on their Youtube, the mascot . . . I like that new art direction they are going for. Making Apple more ‘fun’ again. The sterile, clean aesthetic got a bit old imo.”



Another responded, “Whimsy. I want Apple with their whimsy turned up to 11!” It seems like many of Apple’s young customers agree.


 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Why, Gen, fangirling, over, Apple’s, ‘Finder, Guy’, mascot</media:keywords>
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<title>New tax year – 2026/27 – what small business owners need to know</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/new-tax-year-202627-what-small-business-owners-need-to-know</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/new-tax-year-202627-what-small-business-owners-need-to-know</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The new tax year (April 6) usually brings about a few changes for small business owners, but 2026 is going to be a big one. Here&#039;s a summary 
The post New tax year – 2026/27 – what small business owners need to know appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>New, tax, year, –, 202627, –, what, small, business, owners, need, know</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>UK business investment lags G7 rivals as energy costs bite</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-business-investment-lags-g7-rivals-as-energy-costs-bite</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-business-investment-lags-g7-rivals-as-energy-costs-bite</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
UK firms invest less than most G7 peers, with high energy costs and low capital intensity holding back productivity and growth, says IPPR.
Read more: 
UK business investment lags G7 rivals as energy costs bite ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2628086841.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>business, investment, lags, rivals, energy, costs, bite</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Roadchef secures 75&#45;year leases to unlock £300m motorway investment</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/roadchef-secures-75-year-leases-to-unlock-300m-motorway-investment</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/roadchef-secures-75-year-leases-to-unlock-300m-motorway-investment</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Roadchef will invest £300m in UK motorway services after securing 75-year lease extensions, boosting EV charging, HGV facilities and retail.
Read more: 
Roadchef secures 75-year leases to unlock £300m motorway investment ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2571068701.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Roadchef, secures, 75-year, leases, unlock, £300m, motorway, investment</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>UK warned it will rely on US gas as calls grow to boost North Sea output</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-warned-it-will-rely-on-us-gas-as-calls-grow-to-boost-north-sea-output</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-warned-it-will-rely-on-us-gas-as-calls-grow-to-boost-north-sea-output</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Britain could rely on US LNG for 60% of gas by 2035, prompting calls to boost North Sea production to strengthen energy security.
Read more: 
UK warned it will rely on US gas as calls grow to boost North Sea output ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_2110031327-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>warned, will, rely, gas, calls, grow, boost, North, Sea, output</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Oracle cuts thousands of jobs as Ellison doubles down on AI investment</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oracle-cuts-thousands-of-jobs-as-ellison-doubles-down-on-ai-investment</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oracle-cuts-thousands-of-jobs-as-ellison-doubles-down-on-ai-investment</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Oracle begins cutting thousands of jobs as it ramps up AI spending, with analysts warning up to 30,000 roles could be affected.
Read more: 
Oracle cuts thousands of jobs as Ellison doubles down on AI investment ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_788751619.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Oracle, cuts, thousands, jobs, Ellison, doubles, down, investment</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Marmite and Hellmann’s to join us giant in £50bn flavour deal</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/marmite-and-hellmanns-to-join-us-giant-in-50bn-flavour-deal</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/marmite-and-hellmanns-to-join-us-giant-in-50bn-flavour-deal</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Marmite and other iconic brands will join US group McCormick in a £50bn deal, creating a global flavour powerhouse and raising concerns over UK jobs.
Read more: 
Marmite and Hellmann’s to join us giant in £50bn flavour deal ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/shutterstock_736100806.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Marmite, and, Hellmann’s, join, giant, £50bn, flavour, deal</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Anthropic is having a month</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/anthropic-is-having-a-month</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/anthropic-is-having-a-month</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A human really borks things at Anthropic for the second time this week. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GettyImages-1570465901.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Anthropic, having, month</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Toyota’s Woven Capital appoints new CIO and COO in push for finding the ‘future of mobility’</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/toyotas-woven-capital-appoints-new-cio-and-coo-in-push-for-finding-the-future-of-mobility</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/toyotas-woven-capital-appoints-new-cio-and-coo-in-push-for-finding-the-future-of-mobility</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Woven Capital is the growth-stage venture capital arm of Toyota, focused on backing founders building in space, cybersecurity, and autonomous driving. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Woven-Capital.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Toyota’s, Woven, Capital, appoints, new, CIO, and, COO, push, for, finding, the, ‘future, mobility’</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Mercor says it was hit by cyberattack tied to compromise of open&#45;source LiteLLM project</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/mercor-says-it-was-hit-by-cyberattack-tied-to-compromise-of-open-source-litellm-project</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/mercor-says-it-was-hit-by-cyberattack-tied-to-compromise-of-open-source-litellm-project</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The AI recruiting startup confirmed a security incident after an extortion hacking crew took credit for stealing data from the company&#039;s systems. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/mercor-website.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Mercor, says, was, hit, cyberattack, tied, compromise, open-source, LiteLLM, project</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Nothing’s AI devices plan reportedly contains smart glasses and earbuds</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/nothings-ai-devices-plan-reportedly-contains-smart-glasses-and-earbuds</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/nothings-ai-devices-plan-reportedly-contains-smart-glasses-and-earbuds</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The glasses will reportedly feature cameras, microphones and speakers, and will connect to a smartphone and the cloud to process AI queries. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Carl-Pei-Nothing.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Nothing’s, devices, plan, reportedly, contains, smart, glasses, and, earbuds</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Lucid Motors recalls over 4,000 Gravity SUVs citing improperly welded seat belts</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lucid-motors-recalls-over-4000-gravity-suvs-citing-improperly-welded-seat-belts</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lucid-motors-recalls-over-4000-gravity-suvs-citing-improperly-welded-seat-belts</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The company struggled with quality issues when Gravity production started last year, and the new recall shows it&#039;s not out of the woods yet. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/lucid-gravity-suv.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Lucid, Motors, recalls, over, 4, 000, Gravity, SUVs, citing, improperly, welded, seat, belts</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Memory chip stocks are falling again: Why Micron, SanDisk, WDC, and Seagate keep getting hammered</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/memory-chip-stocks-are-falling-again-why-micron-sandisk-wdc-and-seagate-keep-getting-hammered</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/memory-chip-stocks-are-falling-again-why-micron-sandisk-wdc-and-seagate-keep-getting-hammered</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It has been a bruising 24 hours for investors in memory chip storage companies, including Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU), SanDisk Corporation (Nasdaq: SNDK), Western Digital Corporation (Nasdaq: WDC), and Seagate Technology Holdings (Nasdaq: STX).



Yesterday, all four leaders in the memory chip space ended the day significantly lower. 



Here’s what’s happening—and why some are questioning whether the RAM shortage that has driven these companies’ stock prices to new heights will soon come to an end.



Memory chip stocks get pummeled—again



Just a few weeks ago, the sky seemed to be the limit for memory chip makers. After all, the world is in the middle of a full-blown RAM shortage, which means memory chips are in high demand.



This demand has caused the stock prices of four companies—Micron, SanDisk, Western Digital, and Seagate—to surge over the past six months, with performance that has been, simply put, eye-watering.



For example, the least best-performing stock of the four companies is Seagate, but even its stock price has risen 53% in the past six months.



Micron’s stock price has performed even better, rising 92%. Western Digital is up even more, rising 109% over the past six months.



As for SanDisk, its stock performance over the same period has been phenomenal, up more than 410%.



And keep in mind that those were the gains even after the memory chip makers’ stock prices began getting pummeled last week. 



Yesterday, that pummeling continued, with Micron shares dropping nearly 10% during the trading session, while Western Digital lost 8.6%, SanDisk lost 7%, and Seagate dropped 4.6%.



With yesterday’s dips, all four major memory chip makers have seen massive stock price declines over the past five days, with Micron down more than 20%, SanDisk down 18.5%, Western Digital down almost 15%, and Seagate down more than 10%.



The question is, why?



What the AI boom gives, it can take away



The AI boom of the past several years has led many of the world’s largest tech giants to spend hundreds of billions building massive data centers to run their AI systems. These data centers require servers that in turn require massive amounts of RAM to run the AI.



The staggering RAM requirements for the AI boom have led to a memory chip shortage. 



And while that is bad for everyday retail customers like you and me, that shortage has been very good for the memory chip makers themselves. Their once-cheaper RAM technology now sells at a premium—and they have no shortage of deep-pocketed enterprise customers snapping up all the RAM they can make.



But what the AI boom gives, it can take away. 



Last week, one of the world’s AI leaders, Google, announced it had developed a new technology called TurboQuant. As Fast Company previously reported, Google says the tech is “a compression algorithm that optimally addresses the challenge of memory overhead in vector quantization.”



Without going into too much detail, the tech essentially means that AI giants like Google might soon be able to run compute-intensive AI tasks on computers that require up to six times less RAM than they do now. 



While this is great news for the AI giants, it’s horrible news for memory chip makers, as demand for their chips could drop by as much as 6x.



Why did memory stocks get hit so hard yesterday?



Importantly, Google’s TurboQuant news was released last week (RAM makers also took a beating when it was first announced), so why did memory chip stocks fall again yesterday?



It’s always impossible to know the exact motivations for any large-scale selloff in the markets, but investors probably spent the weekend digesting the TurboQuant news.



And when markets opened on Monday, enough investors thought it might be a good idea to start taking some profits on the four memory chip makers, which have seen such impressive gains in recent months.



Such profit-taking can often trigger a snowball effect, resulting in significant falls in a stock in any given trading session. 



The only other thing likely to have affected memory chip stocks yesterday is the same event that has affected most other stocks over the past month: lingering uncertainty around the war in Iran.



The markets have been generally down this month, with the Wall Street Journal reporting that we could be heading for our worst quarter in four years.



What investors will be watching for in particular with memory chip stocks is whether the RAM shortage may indeed be coming to an end sooner than most expected. That answer will likely have the greatest influence on memory-chip stocks in the months ahead. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Memory, chip, stocks, are, falling, again:, Why, Micron, SanDisk, WDC, and, Seagate, keep, getting, hammered</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How can you spot a bad manager fast? Look for this 1 warning sign</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-can-you-spot-a-bad-manager-fast-look-for-this-1-warning-sign</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-can-you-spot-a-bad-manager-fast-look-for-this-1-warning-sign</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Here’s a familiar scenario: The product development team creates a hot new app. The client is excited to launch it, and the PR team is preparing the campaign for its release.



And then this happens: The manager in charge of the project steals the spotlight and takes all the credit for the work. There’s no praise for the team, no celebration of everyone’s success, and no recognition of team members’ contributions. When that happens, it’s quite likely that team morale will take a nosedive. 



This behavior has frequently appeared in research as a bad-boss trait that leads to employee disengagement and even turnover. In a study I tracked a few years ago, “taking credit for employees’ work” was rated the worst managerial behavior by 63 percent of respondents and something they would consider worth quitting over. 



It’s worth considering: Can taking credit for employees’ work actually be an effective management tactic for advancement? Or might it hold leaders back and hinder their progress? A study highlighted in Forbes, which looked at 3,800 managers and assessed how effective they were when claiming credit, found that those who took credit for others’ work were seen as quite ineffective (13th percentile). In contrast, leaders who made a genuine effort to give credit to their team members were regarded as some of the most successful (85th percentile).



Having trained numerous managers and executives in my leadership course, I see this harmful tendency to dominate the spotlight and claim all the credit as a reflection of individual performance. Managers with this mindset focus on personal recognition, caring primarily about their accomplishments and how they are perceived by superiors.



Identify more servant leaders



To stop the cycle of bad managers in our midst, we need to identify, develop, and promote more servant leaders—people naturally inclined to give their people credit for their contributions, shine a spotlight on them, and show them appreciation. In fact, Gallup research found that employees who regularly receive credit increase their productivity, achieve higher customer loyalty and satisfaction scores, and are more likely to stay with their organization.



Great leaders with loyal followers don’t seek glory or validation; they recognize their own achievements. They highlight others’ successes, and then take a step back to celebrate these accomplishments, fostering greater confidence and trust among their followers.



—Marcel Schwantes







This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com. 



Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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</item>

<item>
<title>We’re going back to the moon! Here’s how to watch</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/were-going-back-to-the-moon-heres-how-to-watch</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/were-going-back-to-the-moon-heres-how-to-watch</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It’s finally happening.



The Artemis II mission—returning humans to the lunar neighborhood for the first time in more than 50 years—is set to launch on April 1 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a two-hour window that opens at 6:24 p.m. (EDT), with additional launch opportunities through April 6.



The first crewed Artemis mission will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day journey around the moon. Objectives include testing the Orion spacecraft’s life support systems in situ for the first time with people, gathering additional data on how spaceflight affects the human body, and laying the groundwork for future crewed Artemis missions. It may also offer views of the moon never before seen.



This mission will break six major records: the first Black astronaut (Glover, as Orion’s first pilot), first woman (Koch), first non-American (Hansen, his maiden voyage to space), and oldest (Wiseman, aged 50) to visit the lunar arena, traveling the farthest from Earth (250,000 miles), and returning with the fastest re-entry speed (25,000 mph).



NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are seen at Launch Complex 39B, Friday, March 27, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. [Photo: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani]



NASA is streaming a series of prelaunch, launch, and in-flight mission events and briefings on NASA’s YouTube channel, NASA+, as well as its other social media platforms. The public can find a full list of activities here. Enthusiasts can register for the mission’s virtual guest program and receive curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a NASA virtual guest passport stamp. Likewise, C-SPAN will offer Artemis programming on C-SPAN.org, its YouTube channel, radio station, and mobile app. 



Fun fact: The Zero Gravity Indicator—the plush toy flying with the astronauts to visually confirm when they’ve reached weightlessness—was designed by Lucas Ye, a second-grader from Northern California, chosen from 2,600 entries submitted in 50+ countries through the Moon Mascot: NASA Artemis II ZGI Design Challenge run by Freelancer on behalf of NASA.



[Photo: Freelancer]



Beginning April 2, NASA will conduct daily updates from the Johnson Space Center in Houston and on the Artemis Blog, and the crew will engage in live conversations throughout the mission. To track Orion in space, visit: nasa.gov/trackartemis.



New York-based folks still jonesing for more post-launch space theatrics can check out We Chose to Go to the Moon, an immersive experience recounting America’s Apollo moon race, on April 7 and 8, featuring Broadway stars and Neil Armstrong’s son and granddaughter.  



[Photo: Susan Karlin]



Here’s to smooth sailing after a turbulent couple of months. First, NASA scrubbed the initial February 6 launch to repair hydrogen leaks and helium flow issues in the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. In early March, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a revamped schedule for subsequent Artemis missions to standardize the SLS configuration, push back the moon landing to Artemis IV in 2028, and align workforces with private contractors to enable more frequent launches. On March 20, the 322-foot SLS and Orion rolled back out to Launch Pad 39B.



Now, let’s light this candle.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>We’re, going, back, the, moon, Here’s, how, watch</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>What happened to Allbirds?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-happened-to-allbirds</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-happened-to-allbirds</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ AllBirds Inc. was valued at $4 billion less than five years ago. Now, it will be sold for just $39 million. 



The shoe company on Monday announced a definitive agreement with American Exchange Group (AXNY), which involves selling all of its intellectual property, assets, and liabilities. 



Privately held AXNY owns a number of brands, including Aerosoles, Ed Hardy, and Jonathan Adler. 



“We are incredibly thankful to our teams for the work they have been doing to fuel our product engine, build awareness of Allbirds and deliver an engaging customer experience,” Allbirds CEO Joe Vernachio said in a statement. 



The sale has already been approved by Allbirds’ board of directors, but still requires the go ahead from the company’s common stockholders. 



Allbirds plans to file its request for stockholder approval by April 24, complete the transaction in the second quarter, and distribute a yet-to-be-determined amount of net proceeds to stockholders in the third quarter. 



Vernachio continued: “Over the past decade, Allbirds has evolved into a lifestyle footwear brand known for modern design, innovative materials and unparalleled comfort. This next chapter with AXNY builds on the foundational work already completed and sets up the brand to thrive in the years ahead.” 



What’s next for Allbirds on the Nasdaq?



The company will no longer release its quarterly earnings press release or hold a related call on Tuesday, March 31. Instead, Allbirds will solely file its 2025 annual report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 



On Monday, shares of Allbirds (Nasdaq: BIRD) closed 6.29% down. Following the sale announcement, shares rose more than 20% in after-hours trading. In Tuesday’s premarket, shares of Allbirds were still up more than 17%. 



Allbirds stock cratered post-COVID, and never really recovered. In 2024, the company had to do a reverse stock split (1-for-20) in order to keep Nasdaq’s minimum bid price and avoid delisting.  



How did Allbirds fall so far?



Allbirds was a phenomenon in 2021 when it made its $4 billion IPO. Founded in 2015, the company promised—and delivered—comfortable shoes for everyone. 



But, it also tried to expand into apparel, finding less success in that market. Allbirds has also faced the same problems that many apparel and retail brands face: reduced foot traffic and tighter purse strings. 



In 2023 cofounder Tim Brown stepped down as co-CEO. His partner Joey Zwillinger followed suit the following year. 



Vernachio took on the role of CEO after holding the position of COO since 2021. Store closures accompanied the change. In January, Allbirds announced that it would shutter almost all of its brick-and-mortar stores. 



Allbirds has recently been funding its operations, in part, through borrowings in its credit agreement. 



In 2025, the company had a net loss of $77.3 million and used $55.1 million in net cash for operating activities. At the end of the year, Allbirds had $26.7 million between its cash and cash equivalents, with $17.4 million outstanding in its credit agreement. 



In an SEC filing, the company said it “does not expect to continue its operations” once the sale is complete. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, happened, Allbirds</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>As the Iran war drags on, are Trump’s tactics to regulate markets working?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/as-the-iran-war-drags-on-are-trumps-tactics-to-regulate-markets-working</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/as-the-iran-war-drags-on-are-trumps-tactics-to-regulate-markets-working</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ As the Iran war intensifies, President Donald Trump has prioritized efforts to calm the financial markets — trying to keep oil prices from exploding upward, stocks from cratering and interest rates from surging.When the markets have flashed danger, Trump has been quick with a social media post or a remark to claim the war he launched last month could soon end. He’s publicly declared that the markets are doing better than he expected, even with the S&amp;P 500 stock index declining over the past five weeks and the global oil benchmark up roughly 60%.“I thought oil prices were going to go up higher than they are now,” Trump said at a Friday investor summit. “And I thought that we would see a bigger drop in stock. It hasn’t been that bad.”With the Iran war, the White House has largely refrained from messaging more aggressively to voters about the economic consequences — choosing instead to try to contain any damage in the financial markets, which have swung wildly on the prospects of ceasefire or escalation in what has become a high-stakes guessing game about Trump’s next moves.The Republican president showed the extremes of his messaging Monday before the U.S. stock market opened, writing in a social media post that great progress had been achieved on peace talks with Iran while also threatening civilian infrastructure such as desalination plants if a deal wasn’t reached “shortly.”The White House sees the stock, energy and bond markets as a way to indirectly reach voters. Trump has staked his economic agenda on cheap prices at the pump, robust gains in 401(k) accounts and cheaper mortgage rates.But that messaging appears to be wearing thin as the president’s various pronouncements have done little to change the reality that a large chunk of the world’s energy supplies is stranded by the conflict. Just 38% of U.S. adults approve of how he’s handling the economy and only 35% support him on Iran, according to a March survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.



The president has tried to dictate to markets instead of talking directly to Americans



Gene Sperling, a top economic adviser in the Democratic Clinton, Obama and Biden administrations, said voters can make a direct connection between prices at the pump and Trump’s choice to attack Iran. He said “simplistic jawboning” to the markets is insufficient for a public that is stuck paying the price as gasoline soars past $4 a gallon nationwide.“Most advisers would say the president has to speak directly to the American people and fully acknowledge the economic pain that his policy has so directly caused in a short amount of time and make the case for why the national security concerns justify it,” Sperling said. “Instead, you have a strategy of not recognizing or even dismissing people’s economic pain.”White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday called the oil price increases a “short-term fluctuation.”Trump’s strategy of giving mixed messages has started to work against him, said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a professor at the Yale University School of Management and co-author of the new book “Trump’s Ten Commandments: Strategic Lessons from the Trump Leadership Toolbox.”“The uncertainty is now soaring,” Sonnenfeld said. “As the messaging to calm markets with false reassurances is having diminishing credibility in financial markets, so, too, has Trump diminished public confidence.”



Trump’s desire for flexibility on the war limits his ability to offer clarity



Trump has embraced having flexibility in how he chooses to conduct the war, even though this has muddled his stated objectives.During a Cabinet meeting Thursday, he said Iran was “begging” for a deal even as he threatened further military action — all the while maintaining that any economic damage to the U.S. would reverse itself.On Friday after the markets closed, he extended his deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for the flow of oil, saying he would hold off on bombing Iran’s energy plants in the meantime.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday on Fox News Channel’s “Fox &amp; Friends” that Iran was letting some tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and that the “market is well supplied” because countries are releasing their strategic petroleum reserves and sanctions have been removed for Russian and Iranian oil already on tankers.“We are seeing more and more ships go through on a daily basis as individual countries cut deals with the Iranian regime for the time being,” Bessent said. “But over time, the U.S. is going to retake control of the straits, and there will be freedom of navigation, whether it is through U.S. escorts or a multinational escort.”Graham Steele, a Biden-era Treasury official, said Trump’s messaging techniques “can work temporarily, but they have diminishing returns, over time,” if they’re detached from actual policies and results.“We saw a lot of the volatile market reactions initially, when he kept announcing these things and then walking them back,” Steele said. “The market reaction now is just a steady trend upward in prices,” he noted, adding that markets are “not responding to it in the same way anymore.”



Confidence in the economy and Trump is fading without clear results



The University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment on Friday fell to a reading of 53.3 in March, its lowest level since December. Joanne Hsu, director of the surveys of consumers, pointed to the financial market volatility “in the wake of the Iran conflict” as reducing confidence in the economy for households with middle and higher incomes.Hsu noted that the survey indicated that people do not expect the higher energy costs and stock market declines to persist, but that could change if the war “becomes protracted or if higher energy prices pass through to overall inflation.”Gus Faucher, the chief economist at PNC Financial Services, stressed that low levels of consumer sentiment do not automatically signal a recession. But he said consumers would have to see lower gas prices, a steady stock market and decreased mortgage rates to feel better about the economy, which likely means a definitive resolution to the conflict rather than a series of pronouncements by Trump.“The proof is in the pudding,” Faucher said. “People need to see some substantive improvements before they feel better about conditions.”







Follow the AP’s coverage of the Iran war at https://apnews.com/hub/iran.



—Josh Boak and Fatima Hussein, Associated Press ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>5 business benefits of investing in virtual landline numbers</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/5-business-benefits-of-investing-in-virtual-landline-numbers</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/5-business-benefits-of-investing-in-virtual-landline-numbers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Jon Sumner on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post 5 business benefits of investing in virtual landline numbers appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>business, benefits, investing, virtual, landline, numbers</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Next to invest £300m in UK logistics as new warehouse set to deliver £2.5bn boost</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/next-to-invest-300m-in-uk-logistics-as-new-warehouse-set-to-deliver-25bn-boost</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/next-to-invest-300m-in-uk-logistics-as-new-warehouse-set-to-deliver-25bn-boost</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Next will invest £300m in UK warehouses, including a new Yorkshire site, as it targets £2.5bn economic boost and accelerates online growth.
Read more: 
Next to invest £300m in UK logistics as new warehouse set to deliver £2.5bn boost ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Next, invest, £300m, logistics, new, warehouse, set, deliver, £2.5bn, boost</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>US warns Starmer’s EU reset could strain UK trade ties</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/us-warns-starmers-eu-reset-could-strain-uk-trade-ties</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/us-warns-starmers-eu-reset-could-strain-uk-trade-ties</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
The US has warned Keir Starmer’s plans to align with EU rules could disrupt UK-US trade, raising concerns over future economic ties.
Read more: 
US warns Starmer’s EU reset could strain UK trade ties ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/US-Ambassador.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>warns, Starmer’s, reset, could, strain, trade, ties</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Petrol set to top £1.50 a litre as Iran war drives fuel price surge</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/petrol-set-to-top-150-a-litre-as-iran-war-drives-fuel-price-surge</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/petrol-set-to-top-150-a-litre-as-iran-war-drives-fuel-price-surge</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
UK petrol prices are set to exceed £1.50 per litre as oil costs surge after the Iran conflict, with diesel rising even faster, warns the RAC.
Read more: 
Petrol set to top £1.50 a litre as Iran war drives fuel price surge ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/shutterstock_2229891587-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Petrol, set, top, £1.50, litre, Iran, war, drives, fuel, price, surge</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Dyson hit by £440m sales drop as Trump tariffs bite</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/dyson-hit-by-440m-sales-drop-as-trump-tariffs-bite</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/dyson-hit-by-440m-sales-drop-as-trump-tariffs-bite</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Dyson reports £440m sales decline due to US tariffs and weak demand, but profits rise after cost cuts and continued investment in innovation.
Read more: 
Dyson hit by £440m sales drop as Trump tariffs bite ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/shutterstock_2647124317-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Dyson, hit, £440m, sales, drop, Trump, tariffs, bite</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Octopus Investments to cut 20% of staff as AI reshapes asset management</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/octopus-investments-to-cut-20-of-staff-as-ai-reshapes-asset-management</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/octopus-investments-to-cut-20-of-staff-as-ai-reshapes-asset-management</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Octopus Investments plans to cut around 20% of staff as it accelerates AI adoption, highlighting growing disruption across the asset management sector.
Read more: 
Octopus Investments to cut 20% of staff as AI reshapes asset management ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://bmmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/shutterstock_2510684429-scaled.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Octopus, Investments, cut, 20, staff, reshapes, asset, management</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Physical Intelligence is reportedly in talks to raise $1 billion, again</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/physical-intelligence-is-reportedly-in-talks-to-raise-1-billion-again</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/physical-intelligence-is-reportedly-in-talks-to-raise-1-billion-again</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The deal would effectively double the company&#039;s $5.6 billion valuation in just four months. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/IMG_4026.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Physical, Intelligence, reportedly, talks, raise, billion, again</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Whoop has LeBron – now it wants your mom</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/whoop-has-lebron-now-it-wants-your-mom</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/whoop-has-lebron-now-it-wants-your-mom</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Whoop founder Will Ahmed has spent 14 years building a health wearable beloved by elite athletes, and is now racing Oura — and the FDA, and the limits of consumer medicine — to turn it into something that could one day save your life. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/DSC06101.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Whoop, has, LeBron, –, now, wants, your, mom</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>From Moon hotels to cattle herding: 8 startups investors chased at YC Demo Day</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/from-moon-hotels-to-cattle-herding-8-startups-investors-chased-at-yc-demo-day</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/from-moon-hotels-to-cattle-herding-8-startups-investors-chased-at-yc-demo-day</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ We polled nearly a dozen VCs to find out which W26 startups are the sought after in the batch. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/yc-sf.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>From, Moon, hotels, cattle, herding:, startups, investors, chased, Demo, Day</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Let’s take a look at the retro tech making a comeback</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lets-take-a-look-at-the-retro-tech-making-a-comeback</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/lets-take-a-look-at-the-retro-tech-making-a-comeback</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Boomboxes, instant cameras, and even landlines are making a comeback. Here are the coolest retro-inspired devices available. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/phone-records-neon-mobile-2198206872.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Let’s, take, look, the, retro, tech, making, comeback</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>What will power the grid in 2035? The race is wide open</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-will-power-the-grid-in-2035-the-race-is-wide-open</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/what-will-power-the-grid-in-2035-the-race-is-wide-open</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Fusion, fission, and even natural gas are appeared tied in the race to deliver new power to the grid in the early 2030s. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/electrical-grid-at-night.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, will, power, the, grid, 2035, The, race, wide, open</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How Personalised Corporate Gifts Improve Employee Engagement &amp;amp; Loyalty?</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-personalised-corporate-gifts-improve-employee-engagement-loyalty</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-personalised-corporate-gifts-improve-employee-engagement-loyalty</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ There’s nothing more meaningful than forming strong human relationships in today’s world. As for corporations, it is crucial to have the ‘nice to have’ policy. Employee engagement today is not an option but a necessity to enhance workplace culture. One of the least-discussed ways to improve employee engagement is personalised corporate gifts. Personalised gifts work […]
The post How Personalised Corporate Gifts Improve Employee Engagement &amp; Loyalty? appeared first on Fincyte. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://www.fincyte.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/How-Personalised-Corporate-Gifts-Improve-Employee-Engagement-Loyalty.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, Personalised, Corporate, Gifts, Improve, Employee, Engagement, Loyalty</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Noodles &amp;amp; Company closed dozens of restaurants last year. Here’s why the stock price is soaring in 2026</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/noodles-company-closed-dozens-of-restaurants-last-year-heres-why-the-stock-price-is-soaring-in-2026</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/noodles-company-closed-dozens-of-restaurants-last-year-heres-why-the-stock-price-is-soaring-in-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ As part of a strategic move to optimize its store footprint, Noodles &amp; Company closed 33 company-owned restaurants in 2025. In January, the chain said it would close dozens more stores this year.  



However, despite the shrinking restaurant count, sales have grown. 



The fast-casual eatery held its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings call on Wednesday, March 25. It reported that comparable store sales increased 6.6% in the final quarter of 2025. Sales growth and traffic are also up as of early 2026.



Following the strong earnings report, shares of Noodles &amp; Company (Nasdaq: NDLS) soared over 50% on Thursday. 



The stock is up almost 60% year to date as of premarket trading on Friday. That’s a significant contrast to the broader Nasdaq Composite, which is down 7.78% for 2026 so far.   



How store closures have helped same-store sales



Despite having closed more than 30 stores in 2025, Noodles &amp; Company reported system-wide comparable store sales growth of nearly 7% in the fourth quarter of 2025. 



On Wednesday’s earnings call, CEO Joe Christina told investors that the restaurant closures “resulted in a material transfer of sales to nearby locations . . . which also favorably impacted margins.” 



And store closures haven’t stopped customers from spending money. 



CFO Mike Hynes explained during the call that a significant portion of Noodles &amp; Company customers place takeout or delivery orders, so they’ve continued to order from nearby locations that remain open.



“The most meaningful impact is the post-closure transfer of sales to nearby Noodles &amp; Company restaurants, which is driving a significant increase to our company-wide restaurant-level profits.”



New menu items also drove traffic



Menu changes and limited-time offerings have also played a significant role in driving sales and traffic growth, Christina said on the call.



“A great example is chili garlic ramen, which we introduced as a limited time offer in October,” he said. “Inspired by trending ramen hacks, this brothless bowl delivered the buttery, spicy, umami-packed flavors guests were already craving. It quickly became one of the strongest [limited-time offers] in our history.”



He noted that the trendy dish resonated well with loyalty program members and also brought in new customers. Because of its success, Noodles &amp; Company is evaluating other ramen recipes. 



Christina also credits the fast-casual noodle chain’s value-focused messaging, “giving guests compelling meal combinations and an attractive price point that delivered balance, variety, and everyday affordability without compromising quality, while also raising consumer awareness to our new menu offerings.”



Hourly workers have been most impacted by the store closures



While an optimized physical footprint may be producing results for the company, store closures have come at a real cost to employees, primarily hourly workers. 



According to Noodles &amp; Company’s year-end 2025 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the fast-casual eatery employed approximately 6,000 hourly workers as of December 30, 2025, down from 6,800 a year prior. 



That’s a net loss of roughly 800 hourly jobs in one year. Meanwhile, the company’s salaried worker headcount remained unchanged during that same period, with 500 salaried workers reported for both years.



 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Noodles, Company, closed, dozens, restaurants, last, year., Here’s, why, the, stock, price, soaring, 2026</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>3 ways to take the ‘work’ out of networking</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/3-ways-to-take-the-work-out-of-networking</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/3-ways-to-take-the-work-out-of-networking</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ You’ve spent years building a robust professional network. You’ve cultivated relationships with peers, mentors, and industry leaders. So when you signal that you’re exploring new opportunities, you expect your network to perform. Yet too often, promising conversations dissolve into silence. Warm introductions never materialize. Emails go unanswered.



This isn’t a reflection of your professional standing. It’s a design problem: you’re making it too hard for people to help you. The fix is straightforward. Make it easy. Here are three ways to do so.



Ask To Write to Their Contact Directly



When you reach out to a contact seeking an introduction to a decision-maker, a common response goes something like this: “Absolutely — send me your résumé and I’ll forward it to see if there’s interest.”



It sounds helpful, but rarely is.



The fundamental problem: you’ve just handed over control of your own job search to someone with a dozen other priorities. Even the most well-intentioned contact may not follow through—because the timing isn’t right for their colleague (the chances they need your résumé at any given moment are small), because it slipped off their radar, or because the introduction they made on your behalf didn’t do you justice.



The solution is to reclaim the driver’s seat. When a contact offers to pass your résumé along, respond with something like:



“I really appreciate it. To save you time, could I reach out to your colleague directly and simply mention that I was referred by you? I’m also looking to build a relationship for opportunities now or down the road, so I would rather not forward a resume that implies I need a job quickly. Would this work?”



This proposal removes the burden from your contact while giving you control over the pitch. It also avoids the résumé-forward trap—a résumé implies “please hire me now,” when your real goal is to get an informational meeting with a decision-maker and then keep in touch for future opportunities or get additional referrals.



Half of your networking contacts will agree, and now you can use their name to gain attention: “Subject: Referred by [Contact], re: [Topic].”



But what about the contacts who want to make the introduction themselves?



Send a Forward-Friendly Email



Many contacts will respond with something along the lines of “Let me reach out to my colleague first to see if they’d be interested in speaking with you.” In that case, offer to send them a forward-friendly email.



This move dramatically improves the likelihood that they will actually follow through, because you’ve reduced their effort from 15 minutes spent figuring out how to pitch you to just 2 minutes of forwarding. You’re also improving the odds that their contact will want to meet with you, since you can include a field-tested pitch explaining why a conversation could be mutually beneficial.



The content is virtually the same as the “Referred by …” email; just start it differently:



“Subject: Introduction to Katherine Johnson, re: BigCo



Dear Rosalind,



Thanks for offering to forward my information to Katherine. As discussed, below I’ve shared my background and why I believe a meeting could be mutually beneficial.”



One important note on content: resist the urge to attach your résumé unless there’s a specific opening you’re pursuing. Instead, use your LinkedIn profile as your “low-key résumé.” The impressive content in your thoroughly filled-out profile will drive credibility without signaling desperation.



Have a Clear Job Target



Too many executives prolong their searches because they position themselves too broadly, not wanting to miss an opportunity. The problem: your network finds it harder to advocate for you when your message is watered down across multiple job targets. Worse, you may be asking your contacts to do the heavy lifting of translating your varied background into specific opportunities. That is your job, not theirs.



One client came to me after a long, frustrating search. I quickly saw the issue: she was pitching herself to her network as open to Partnerships leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies, COO roles at startups, or Commercialization roles at any company. Three quite varied targets, not connected by a strong theme, led to ineffective messaging. Once we prioritized, she re-launched her outreach with a focused, powerful pitch for COO roles at startups. Within weeks, the interviews began to materialize.



A narrow pitch may feel counterintuitive—but it’s what makes your networking more effective, since people can refer you more easily when they see you clearly in a specific role.



The Bottom Line



Your network wants to help. Your job is to make that help feel effortless—not like a second job. Write the emails they can forward, or email their contacts directly. Do the targeting they shouldn’t have to. And keep yourself in the driver’s seat. The opportunities will follow. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>ways, take, the, ‘work’, out, networking</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How the public changes spaces—and art—for the better</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-the-public-changes-spacesand-artfor-the-better</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/how-the-public-changes-spacesand-artfor-the-better</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Designers love intention. Architects draw immaculate plans; curators craft pristine galleries; developers imagine carefully choreographed public experiences. But once the general population shows up, those spaces tend to change. Sometimes there’s an instinct among designers to fight against it; it’s hard to let go of an aesthetic goal.



But—more often than not—the public makes spaces and designs better. It’s the people, not solely the place, who spark true imagination and inevitably shape its character. It’s the people who have the power to turn a design into something more welcoming and relevant, and push designers to think outside the box in creativity and problem-solving.



This January in New York City, at a small placemaking summit hosted by Journey, experts across art, infrastructure, food, and civic design converged around this idea: Spaces come to life once the public makes them their own.



DESIGN FOR VISITORS



At the Summit, Katherine Fleming, CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, for example, described how visitors reshaped the Getty Museum’s iconic steps and lawns. Even though they had been designed as merely aesthetic transitional spaces, they soon became gathering spots: places for picnics, sketching, conversation, or quiet reflection. And instead of correcting that behavior to keep the grounds’ original function, the Getty embraced it. The result was longer museum visits and more positive discourse among the broader Los Angeles community—not, it’s important to note, diminished prestige.



That same flexibility manifests in Antwaun Sargent’s work as the Gagosian director, where he curates galleries informed by the public. His Social Works exhibition highlighted artists embedded in their communities, including an installation from Linda Goode Bryant that displayed a fully functioning aeroponic farm in the gallery to demonstrate its use as a community space, challenging traditional notions of what “art” is and how it serves communities. This approach turned the gallery into a community, making it a place for the public to gather and learn instead of simply observing.



This notion goes beyond art institutions and appears in everyday spaces, like retail communities. As Claire Bernard, senior food &amp; beverage manager for Chelsea Market and Market 57, shared, the design at New York City’s iconic Chelsea Market didn’t stay fixed for long. Shop owners regularly shifted displays, reworked lines, and pulled seating in or out depending on the crowd. What started as clearly defined footprints, where one retailer ended and another began, quickly blurred once real people entered the mix. Those small, practical adjustments weren’t part of some grand plan, but they created a truly organic market that could respond to crowd patterns in real time. In many ways, that flexibility is what made it feel authentic and alive, it is another reminder that adaptation can serve the community, the vendors, and the space itself.



Perhaps the most obvious example is public infrastructure. Tina Vaz, director of arts and design at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), spoke about the MTA’s evolving arts and design efforts, where around 4.3 million daily riders turn transit stations into artistic interactions. Whether it’s poetry installations, live performances, permanent artworks, or occasional uncommissioned graffiti art, the MTA is continually adapting and responding to riders’ lived experiences. Meanwhile, initiatives from the Times Square Alliance embrace the constant flow of one of the world’s busiest crossroads, commissioning installations and digital art pieces designed specifically for visiting multilingual audiences. In many ways, these programs succeed precisely because they accept unpredictability and embrace the variety of the people they’re trying to reach.



4 DESIGN TIPS FOR PUBLIC SPACES



So, what should developers and designers take from this?



1. Design for participation. Spaces aren’t finished when they open. They may never be finished. So, build in flexibility, whether it’s movable seating, adaptable signage, multi-use zones or timely installations, and learn from what your communities demand.



2. Measure engagement differently. Metrics tend to prioritize aesthetic loyalty or operational efficiency. But the real signs of success are more often how long people spend in a place, how often they revisit, and how willing the community is to engage spontaneously in them.



3. Invite collaboration. Artists, residents, commuters, and visitors all bring contexts you may not anticipate. Structured programs like residencies, community groups, public feedback discussions, and community-oriented designs make those contexts productive. In turn, your spaces become more thoughtful and more engaging.



4. Let go of perfection. Some of the most beloved public spaces look “messier” and function differently than their initial designs. But that’s the beauty of designing for the public: The unforeseen transformations are signs of life. A space that can absorb that humanness, rather than resist it, allows a design to step outside itself and become truly communal. And community, by definition, is always a collaboration.



Andrew Zimmerman is the CEO at Journey. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>SpaceX IPO: What we know about the initial public offering as the eagerly awaited stock listing date nears</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spacex-ipo-what-we-know-about-the-initial-public-offering-as-the-eagerly-awaited-stock-listing-date-nears</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spacex-ipo-what-we-know-about-the-initial-public-offering-as-the-eagerly-awaited-stock-listing-date-nears</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ With some of the largest and most influential tech giants planning to go public this year, 2026 is shaping up to be the year of the mega IPO. 



Stock listings from OpenAI, Anthropic, and SpaceX could all potentially happen in 2026, and it is the latter that may make its market debut first. 



Here’s the latest on the potential initial public offering from Elon Musk’s space-tech company:



When is SpaceX’s IPO?



For some time, investors have expected, or at least speculated, that Elon Musk’s rocket and space technology company, SpaceX, would go public sometime in 2026. And it looks like that may finally be happening.



Citing anonymous sources, the Wall Street Journal reported that SpaceX is expected to confidentially file its IPO paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) “in coming days.” 



That means the company’s confidential IPO filing is likely to happen sometime between today and next week. The public IPO filing usually happens about eight weeks after the private one.



Of course, the actual SpaceX IPO wouldn’t occur until after both the confidential and public filings. If the standard eight-week timeline holds for public filings, that means SpaceX’s public filing will likely take place sometime in late May or early June. 



And that June timeframe lines up nicely with WSJ reporting that says SpaceX’s IPO could happen sometime that month.



Indeed, the Journal says that SpaceX’s IPO is being timed for mid-June, before Elon Musk’s birthday, which is on Sunday, June 28. He will turn 55 this year.



Retail investors may get a bigger slice of the SpaceX IPO pie



Historically, when companies go public, very few shares are allocated to so-called retail investors—individuals like you and me. 



At most, about 10% of a company’s shares are available to retail investors during an IPO, with the remainder earmarked for institutional investors.



Yet that’s not expected to be the case for the SpaceX IPO. 



As reported by Reuters yesterday, Elon Musk is considering allocating as much as 30% of SpaceX’s IPO shares to retail investors. The move is reportedly being considered in part to help reward the loyalty of Musk’s ardent fanbase. The Reuters story cites an unnamed source. 



This potential retail allocation also stands to benefit Musk and SpaceX. The large retail allocation could help drive hype for SpaceX stock among the masses, leading to a spike in shares on the company’s IPO day as more mom-and-pop investors rush to snap up SpaceX stock. 



As more retail investors buy in, the price would rise, and since Musk is the largest SpaceX shareholder, his net worth would rise in sync, helping him toward one of his likely goals: becoming the first individual trillionaire in history.



Fast Company reached out to SpaceX for comment.



What is SpaceX’s IPO share price?



As of now, it’s not known what SpaceX’s IPO share price will be, nor how many shares will be made available.



How much will SpaceX raise in its IPO?



That’s yet to be decided. But the Wall Street Journal reports that SpaceX is looking to raise anywhere from $40 billion to $80 billion in its initial public offering.



If it were to achieve even the low end of that range, it would make SpaceX’s IPO the biggest in history. 



That current title is held by the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), which raised over $29 billion in its 2019 IPO.



What is SpaceX’s stock ticker?



It’s unknown what SpaceX’s stock ticker will be. 



Right now, the ticker “SPAX.PVT” is used to track the private company on financial sites like Yahoo Finance. However, that’s no guarantee that SpaceX will decide to use the “SPAX” ticker.



Which exchange will SpaceX trade on?



It’s likely that SpaceX will trade on the Nasdaq. 



This is likely for a few reasons. First, the Nasdaq is already the home to the largest technology companies, including Apple, Google, Meta, and Nvidia Second, the Nasdaq is also already home to Elon Musk’s other publicly traded company, Tesla. 



Given these factors, many expect Nasdaq to be the home of SpaceX shares.  ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>SpaceX, IPO:, What, know, about, the, initial, public, offering, the, eagerly, awaited, stock, listing, date, nears</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Senate strikes a deal to fund TSA. Here’s where ICE and other agencies stand in the budget impasse</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/senate-strikes-a-deal-to-fund-tsa-heres-where-ice-and-other-agencies-stand-in-the-budget-impasse</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/senate-strikes-a-deal-to-fund-tsa-heres-where-ice-and-other-agencies-stand-in-the-budget-impasse</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Senate early Friday morning approved Homeland Security funds to pay Transportation Security Administration agents and most other agencies, but not the immigration enforcement operations at the heart of the budget impasse that has jammed airports, disrupted travel and imposed financial hardship on workers.The deal, which the Senate approved unanimously without a roll call, next goes to the House, which is expected to consider it Friday.“We can get at least a lot of the government opened up again and then we’ll go from there,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “Obviously, we’ll still have some work ahead of us.”With pressure mounting to resolve the 42-day stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the endgame emerged in the final hours before TSA workers miss another paycheck Friday. President Donald Trump said he would sign an order to immediately pay the TSA agents, saying he wanted to quickly stop the “Chaos at the Airports.” The deal did not include any of the restraints Democrats have demanded as they sought to rein in Trump’s mass deportation agenda.Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the outcome could have been reached weeks ago, and vowed that his party would continue fighting to ensure Trump’s “rogue” immigration operation “does not get more funding without serious reform.”



What’s in and out of the funding package



Senators worked through the night on the deal that would fund much of the rest of the department, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard and TSA, but without funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Customs was funded, but Border Protection was not.The package puts no new limits on immigration enforcement, which has remained largely uninterrupted by the shutdown. The GOP’s big tax cuts bill that Trump signed into law last year funneled billions in extra funds to DHS, including $75 billion for ICE operations, ensuring the immigration officers are still being paid despite the lapse.Next steps in the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., holds a slim majority, are uncertain. Passage will almost certainly require bipartisan support, as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt.Conservative Republicans have panned their own party’s proposals, demanding full funding for immigration operations. Many have vowed to ensure ICE has the resources it needs in the next budget package to carry out Trump’s agenda.“We will fully fund ICE. That is what this fight is about,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said as he tried to offer legislation to fund the agency. “The border is closing. The next task is deportation.”



On-again, off-again talks collapsed



Earlier Thursday, Thune announced he had given a “last and final” offer to the Democrats. But as the day dragged on, action stalled out.Democrats argued the GOP proposals have not gone far enough at putting guardrails on officers from ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and other federal agencies who are engaged in the immigration sweeps, particularly after the deaths of two Americans protesting the actions in Minneapolis.They want federal agents to wear identification, remove their face masks and refrain from conducting raids around schools, churches or other sensitive places. Democrats have also pushed for an end of administrative warrants, insisting that judges sign off before agents search people’s homes or private spaces — something new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said he is open to considering.Trump had largely left the issue to Congress, but warned he was ready to take action, threatening to send the National Guard to airports in addition to his deployment of ICE agents who are now checking travelers’ IDs.The White House had floated the extraordinary move of invoking a national emergency to pay the TSA agents, a politically and legally fraught approach. Instead, Trump’s order would pay TSA agents using money from his 2025 tax bill, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss it publicly.If the Senate package is approved by the House and signed it into law, the action Trump announced to pay TSA agents may be temporary or unneeded.



Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships



The funding shutdown has resulted in travel delays and even warnings of airport closures as TSA workers missing paychecks stop coming to work.Multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates of TSA workers and nearly 500 of the agency’s nearly 50,000 transportation security officers have quit during the shutdown. Nationwide on Wednesday, more than 11% of the TSA employees on the schedule missed work, according to DHS. That is more than 3,120 callouts.Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said the union is grateful the TSA workers will be paid, but said Congress must stay in session to pass a deal “that funds DHS, pays all DHS workers, and keeps these vital agencies running.”At George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Melissa Gates said she would not make her flight to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after waiting more than 2½ hours and still not reaching the security checkpoint. She said no other flights were available until Friday.“I should have just driven, right?” Gates said. “Five hours would have been hilarious next to this.”







Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti, Kevin Freking, Rebecca Santana, Collin Binkley and Ben Finley, Lekan Oyekanmi, Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Rio Yamat, Russ Bynum, and Gabriela Aoun Angueira contributed to this report.



—Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Best Offers for Making Tax Digital accounting software</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-offers-for-making-tax-digital-accounting-software</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/best-offers-for-making-tax-digital-accounting-software</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Henry Williams on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post Best Offers for Making Tax Digital accounting software appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Best, Offers, for, Making, Tax, Digital, accounting, software</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>15 best UK side hustles – and how much you could earn</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/15-best-uk-side-hustles-and-how-much-you-could-earn</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/15-best-uk-side-hustles-and-how-much-you-could-earn</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


We&#039;ve got some of the best side hustles that you can take on and the information you need, even if you don&#039;t have the money or expertise 
The post 15 best UK side hustles – and how much you could earn appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>best, side, hustles, –, and, how, much, you, could, earn</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Late payment rules to include mandatory interest and 60&#45;day cap</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/late-payment-rules-to-include-mandatory-interest-and-60-day-cap</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/late-payment-rules-to-include-mandatory-interest-and-60-day-cap</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Late payment rules include a payment term cap, mandatory interest payments and new powers for the Small Business Commissioner
The post Late payment rules to include mandatory interest and 60-day cap appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Late, payment, rules, include, mandatory, interest, and, 60-day, cap</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Making Tax Digital thresholds and timelines for 2026&#45;2028</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/making-tax-digital-thresholds-and-timelines-for-2026-2028</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/making-tax-digital-thresholds-and-timelines-for-2026-2028</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


Confused about upcoming Making Tax Digital changes? Check the thresholds and timelines to ensure you&#039;re on the right track
The post Making Tax Digital thresholds and timelines for 2026-2028 appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Making, Tax, Digital, thresholds, and, timelines, for, 2026-2028</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Taking payments online for ecommerce businesses</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/taking-payments-online-for-ecommerce-businesses</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/taking-payments-online-for-ecommerce-businesses</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Henry Williams on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


The post Taking payments online for ecommerce businesses appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Taking, payments, online, for, ecommerce, businesses</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Royal Mail staff allege pressure to hide undelivered post to meet targets</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/royal-mail-staff-allege-pressure-to-hide-undelivered-post-to-meet-targets</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/royal-mail-staff-allege-pressure-to-hide-undelivered-post-to-meet-targets</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Royal Mail workers allege managers told them to hide undelivered post to meet targets, as MPs question the company over ongoing service failures.
Read more: 
Royal Mail staff allege pressure to hide undelivered post to meet targets ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Royal, Mail, staff, allege, pressure, hide, undelivered, post, meet, targets</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Oxford spinout Stateful robotics raises $4.8m to tackle real&#45;world AI for robots</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oxford-spinout-stateful-robotics-raises-48m-to-tackle-real-world-ai-for-robots</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/oxford-spinout-stateful-robotics-raises-48m-to-tackle-real-world-ai-for-robots</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Oxford spinout Stateful Robotics raises $4.8m to develop AI that enables robots to operate reliably in real-world environments across industry sectors.
Read more: 
Oxford spinout Stateful robotics raises $4.8m to tackle real-world AI for robots ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Oxford, spinout, Stateful, robotics, raises, 4.8m, tackle, real-world, for, robots</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>UK pubs making just 3p profit per £1 as rising costs squeeze margins</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-pubs-making-just-3p-profit-per-1-as-rising-costs-squeeze-margins</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/uk-pubs-making-just-3p-profit-per-1-as-rising-costs-squeeze-margins</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
UK pubs could make just 3p profit per £1 spent on a pint as rising wages, energy and beer duty squeeze margins and threaten closures.
Read more: 
UK pubs making just 3p profit per £1 as rising costs squeeze margins ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>pubs, making, just, profit, per, £1, rising, costs, squeeze, margins</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Zevero raises $7m as demand for carbon data platforms accelerates globally</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/zevero-raises-7m-as-demand-for-carbon-data-platforms-accelerates-globally</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/zevero-raises-7m-as-demand-for-carbon-data-platforms-accelerates-globally</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Climate tech firm Zevero raises $7m to scale its AI-driven carbon management platform as demand for ESG data and reporting intensifies globally.
Read more: 
Zevero raises $7m as demand for carbon data platforms accelerates globally ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Zevero, raises, 7m, demand, for, carbon, data, platforms, accelerates, globally</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Late&#45;paying firms face multimillion&#45;pound fines under new crackdown</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/late-paying-firms-face-multimillion-pound-fines-under-new-crackdown</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/late-paying-firms-face-multimillion-pound-fines-under-new-crackdown</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Large UK companies face multimillion-pound fines for late payments under new laws, with a 60-day limit and stronger powers for the Small Business Commissioner.
Read more: 
Late-paying firms face multimillion-pound fines under new crackdown ]]></description>
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<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Late-paying, firms, face, multimillion-pound, fines, under, new, crackdown</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Spotify’s new SongDNA feature maps how your favorite songs are connected</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spotifys-new-songdna-feature-maps-how-your-favorite-songs-are-connected</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/spotifys-new-songdna-feature-maps-how-your-favorite-songs-are-connected</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The new feature lets you explore samples, covers, and more about the people behind your favorite songs, says Spotify. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spotify’s, new, SongDNA, feature, maps, how, your, favorite, songs, are, connected</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Snapchat’s new ‘AI Clips’ Lens format turns photos into five&#45;second videos</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/snapchats-new-ai-clips-lens-format-turns-photos-into-five-second-videos</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/snapchats-new-ai-clips-lens-format-turns-photos-into-five-second-videos</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Snapchat says both experienced and new developers can use the new &quot;AI Clips&quot; Lens format to turn a single prompt into a published Lens in minutes without the need for external tools. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Snapchat’s, new, ‘AI, Clips’, Lens, format, turns, photos, into, five-second, videos</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Zoox brings its robotaxis to Austin and Miami</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/zoox-brings-its-robotaxis-to-austin-and-miami</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/zoox-brings-its-robotaxis-to-austin-and-miami</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ After nearly two years of testing in the two cities, the Amazon-owned company says it&#039;s getting closer to offering rides. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Zoox, brings, its, robotaxis, Austin, and, Miami</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pinterest launches a new feature to promote a Pin</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/pinterest-launches-a-new-feature-to-promote-a-pin</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/pinterest-launches-a-new-feature-to-promote-a-pin</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pinterest is rolling out promoted pin feature to the users in the U.S. in coming weeks ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pinterest, launches, new, feature, promote, Pin</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Cauldron Ferm has turned microbes into nonstop assembly lines</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cauldron-ferm-has-turned-microbes-into-nonstop-assembly-lines</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/cauldron-ferm-has-turned-microbes-into-nonstop-assembly-lines</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Australian startup says it has solved one of the biggest challenges facing synthetic biology companies, which it counts as customers. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cauldron, Ferm, has, turned, microbes, into, nonstop, assembly, lines</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>TikTok Shopping: A New Era For E&#45;commerce Store Sales</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tiktok-shopping-a-new-era-for-e-commerce-store-sales</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/tiktok-shopping-a-new-era-for-e-commerce-store-sales</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ TikTok has taken the world by storm, quickly becoming one of the most popular social media platforms with over 1.67 billion active users. This fast-growing app has captured the attention of individuals and businesses with its unique video-sharing format. As e-commerce continues to dominate the retail landscape, it’s no surprise that TikTok has also entered […]
The post TikTok Shopping: A New Era For E-commerce Store Sales appeared first on Fincyte. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>TikTok, Shopping:, New, Era, For, E-commerce, Store, Sales</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Bringing ‘Big Food’ energy to a Travis Kelce&#45;backed cult brand </title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bringing-big-food-energy-to-a-travis-kelce-backed-cult-brand</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/bringing-big-food-energy-to-a-travis-kelce-backed-cult-brand</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ 



Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I’m Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning. 







When Valerie Oswalt became CEO of breakfast and snack products company Kodiak in November 2022, she inherited a fast-growing business with beloved products, dedicated employees, and an outdoorsy vibe, befitting its Park City, Utah, headquarters. She also walked into a company that needed to bolster the talent, tools, and systems needed to scale the company.  



Her challenge: bring the discipline and knowledge she’d acquired during leadership stints at consumer packaged goods (CPG) giants such as The Campbell’s Company and Mondelēz International without losing the nimbleness and authenticity that had made Kodiak a household name. “It was a powerhouse brand that had a startup mindset,” Oswalt recalls. 



A recipe for success



Kodiak has classic entrepreneurial roots. Founder and former CEO Joel Clark started selling his mother’s homemade whole-grain pancake mix as an 8-year-old. The company catapulted to national attention when an episode of ABC’s “Shark Tank” featuring Clark and cofounder Cameron Smith aired in 2014. Kodiak passed on a deal with the Sharks, but the publicity and the launch of protein-packed pancakes boosted sales.  



Private equity firm L Catterton acquired Kodiak in 2021, and Oswalt became CEO 17 months later, replacing cofounder Clark, who remains chairman of the company’s board of directors.  



To support Kodiak’s growth, Oswalt, who ran Campbell’s $4 billion snack division prior to joining Kodiak, brought in leaders with key experience in certain areas. She revamped the performance review process and instituted a new incentive plan tied to financial outcomes. (All 160 full-time employees have equity in the company.) “There were more processes that needed to be put in place than I had originally anticipated,” she recalls.  



Still, she was mindful of the impact change would have on the company’s entrepreneurial culture. “I did listening tours,” she says. “I talked to every person in the organization. It took about six months, but that was really important.” From there, her team identified the gaps, explained the rationale behind changes, and celebrated wins. 



She also course corrected when her changes were “too heavy” for an organization Kodiak’s size, such as when she rolled out a robust integrated business planning process to help gain insight into inventory and cash flows, plus do forecasting and planning. The fix was to listen to feedback and provide more training. “We wanted to ensure the proper education was provided to effectively” use the tools, she says. 



On a roll attracting celebrity investors



Meanwhile, Kodiak has kept its in-house creative team, which handles all design, photography, and videography. Because the creatives are all employees, Oswalt says they are intimately familiar with the brand, which helps Kodiak retain an authentic voice even as it grows. She also notes that the team can quickly test and make design changes.  



Oswalt’s moves appear to be paying off. Last year, the company’s retail sales value hit $580 million, up 30% from 2023, Oswalt’s first full year in the role. “Valerie is building the kind of brand that earns deep loyalty—one that sits at the intersection of performance, trust, and culture,” says Mark Patricof, whose sports-focused investment firm invested in Kodiak in 2022. Athletes who participated in the round include football stars Travis Kelce and Joe Burrow, who have teamed up with Kodiak to donate meals in Kansas City and Cincinnati, respectively. Investors also include tennis player Sloane Stephens and baseball legend CC Sabathia.  



“That’s a big reason Kodiak has connected so well with our athlete investors, who recognize the authenticity of the mission. Each of our athlete clients who came into this deal have told me time and again how proud they are to be investors in Kodiak,” Patricof says.  



I asked Oswalt what advice she might have for other corporate executives thinking of making the move to a more entrepreneurial brand. “You have to be scrappy. It gets messy,” she says. “If you’re inspired by overcoming challenges and being connected—to your people, your consumers, your suppliers, your customers—then it’s awesome. And if you can find partners who are aligned with your priorities and your values, it’s absolutely magical.” 



Go big or go small



What’s your experience bringing big-company discipline to a smaller organization—or vice versa? I’d love to hear what’s worked and what hasn’t. Send examples to me at stephaniemehta@mansueto.com. I’ll publish the best examples in a future newsletter.  







Read more: from big to small 




What Alicia Boler David had to ‘unlearn’ from Amazon 





Inside the founder factory known as Palantir 





Laid off from Big Tech, these are the rebounder founders 
 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>This single ChatGPT prompt can do hours of market research in minutes—here’s how</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-single-chatgpt-prompt-can-do-hours-of-market-research-in-minutesheres-how</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/this-single-chatgpt-prompt-can-do-hours-of-market-research-in-minutesheres-how</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Market research can be a slow, fragmented, and difficult process, often involving tedious internet searches, questionable data sources, and time-consuming manual synthesis. This makes it a great candidate for some assistance from AI. What’s more, an update to a popular feature on ChatGPT has made it even better at doing this kind of work. 



Imagine that you have a potential business idea but still need to validate how viable it actually is, identify primary competitors in your market, and develop an ideal customer persona. Instead of spending hours collating data, explains Dan McCarthy, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Maryland, you can use Deep Research, a ChatGPT feature that directs an AI agent to develop a comprehensive, well-cited report on any topic. 



Last week, OpenAI upgraded Deep Research with some new abilities. The feature now runs on GPT-5.2, one of the company’s most recent models (previously it ran on a much older o3 model), and can now prioritize specific websites in its search process. Deep Research is available for all paid ChatGPT users. 



Here’s how to use it to get some thorough market research done quickly. 



Step 1: Get your prompt right



To test out how this feature could help with market research, I pretended that I wanted to start a digital transformation firm based in Denver with a focus on upgrading bars with mobile, bar-to-table ordering capabilities. All I needed to do in order to get started was click the plus button next to the text box, select More, then Deep Research, and enter a prompt.



This prompt will determine the information that ChatGPT prioritizes in its search, so it helps to be verbose. If you need help developing a lengthy prompt, try using ChatGPT to help write it.



McCarthy, who uses AI tools extensively, says that an easy way to develop a comprehensive prompt is to activate the chatbot’s voice mode and simply have a conversation with it. Once you’ve explained what you want, McCarthy says, you can ask ChatGPT, “Given all this that I’m telling you, what do you think would be the best thing that I should even be asking you?” That should help clear up any blind spots you might’ve missed. 



According to McCarthy, this method should produce a solid prompt that you can give to the Deep Research agent. When I asked ChatGPT to help expand my prompt, the platform generated a 673-word result. This prompt (which you can view here) defined the agent as a market research analyst and gave it objectives to determine the business idea’s viability, map out the competition, and define my ideal customer’s persona. Additionally, it provided details on the scope of the research, and information for how the agent should format its report. I also used ChatGPT to develop a list of specific websites for the Deep Research agent to prioritize in its search.



Step 2: Start the research 



I entered my ChatGPT-created prompt, selected the Deep Research feature, and pressed return. Before getting to work, the agent broke down its objectives into the following bullet points: 




Collect primary vendor docs and pricing pages starting with user-preferred sites.



Survey industry, local Denver sources, and hospitality reports for market context.



Compile POS integration lists, local competitors, and implementation partners in Denver.



Analyze demand, model ROI scenarios, and estimate Denver bar counts and adoption rates.



Draft recommendations, ICP personas, GTM plan, and cite sources with confidence ratings.




Over the next 21 minutes, the agent searched through hundreds of web pages. It found liquor license databases, census information, and data regarding competitors in Denver’s hospitality-focused digital transformation market. It compiled all this information into a multi-section report. 



Step 3: Read the report



That report (which you can view here) ended up being roughly 4,000 words. It included an overview of the market, identified customer pain points, and listed out my potential competitors. The report also included recommendations for how to position my business, strategies to break into the Denver hospitality scene, and even identified a small business that would likely be my direct competitor: a Denver-based POS integrator called Megabite.  



ChatGPT found that while my business idea had potential, it wouldn’t fully meet the needs of Denver-based bar owners, who have reported that bar-to-table ordering can actually lead to fewer sales and tips. Instead, the report suggested, I should consider a system that can sit on top of popular POS in which diners don’t need to pay for every new drink they order, and can instead open a digital tab. 



What the expert thinks of the result



McCarthy told me he was impressed by the report that Deep Research produced. In particular, he was pleasantly surprised by the agent’s cleverness in using liquor licenses to get a sense of the market size, and its thoughtfulness in calling out disruption to bar culture as a potential blocker to the business. 



But the report wasn’t perfect. McCarthy said much of what was included was unnecessary or needlessly complex. An easy prompt to fix this? “Just tell it, ‘Explain it to me like I’m an idiot.’” McCarthy adds, “I do that all the time.” He says that a solid market research report should also answer questions regarding the scope of adoption and how often repeat purchasing is expected. 



McCarthy also says that users should direct the Deep Research agent to be very upfront about the data it attempted to get but couldn’t. Many websites block AI agents from engaging with their content to prevent data scraping, which can hinder the research process. By telling your agent to list out the sites that it couldn’t access, you can manually obtain that data and add it to the analysis. 



Our bar-to-table digital transformation firm will have to remain a pipe dream for now, but it’s clear that AI has made the process of taking an idea from zero to one easier and faster than ever. 



If you have an idea for a new business or are planning on an expansion or pivot in your current business, consider giving Deep Research a spin. It might unearth something that makes you think in a different way. 



—Ben Sherry







This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com. 



Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>This, single, ChatGPT, prompt, can, hours, market, research, minutes—here’s, how</media:keywords>
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<title>Gold and silver prices down today: 2 factors sending safe haven assets plummeting amid Iran war</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/gold-and-silver-prices-down-today-2-factors-sending-safe-haven-assets-plummeting-amid-iran-war</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/gold-and-silver-prices-down-today-2-factors-sending-safe-haven-assets-plummeting-amid-iran-war</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It’s another bad day for gold and silver. Traders in precious metals are seeing both gold and silver plummet significantly as the week kicks off, with gold down nearly 7% and silver down 8% over the past 24 hours. 



Worse, gold has now fallen nearly 20% since its all-time high of over $5,586 in January. Silver is down even more, falling more than 44% since its all-time high earlier this year of over $121. Here’s what you need to know.



The ‘safe haven’ trade is absent



Silver and especially gold are generally considered “safe haven” assets—assets investors turn to when economic uncertainty abounds, and they want to park their money in a valuable that isn’t likely to fluctuate much, or at least not go down in value significantly.  



Safe haven assets like gold and silver contrast with other assets like stocks and cryptocurrencies, which are traditionally more volatile, especially in times of economic uncertainty.



Given their safe-haven status, it’s natural to assume that the geopolitical and economic uncertainty unleashed by President Trump’s war in Iran over the past two weeks would cause investors to flock to gold and silver. 



But just the opposite has happened. After both metals hit all-time highs earlier this year, they have slowly lost value, and their sell-off has only intensified with the breakout of the Iranian war.



That incongruity has left many scratching their heads, asking “why?”



Government bonds are starting to look more attractive than metals



While any individual investor has their own reason for selling off a valuable asset, there are two likely factors that have contributed significantly to the fall in gold and silver both today and in recent weeks.



The first is solidly related to the war in Iran. While wars breed geopolitical conflict and economic uncertainty, which usually sends investors to safe-haven assets like gold and silver, they can also affect interest rates, especially if central banks need to reconsider their positions due to rising prices in things like oil, which can have a knock-on inflationary effect across the economy.



And, as the Wall Street Journal notes, thanks to the war in Iran, many investors now believe that central banks around the world are unlikely to cut interest rates this year. That’s the opposite of what investors believed before the war. 



If interest rates remain the same or even increase, government bonds become more attractive due to their higher yields. This can lead investors to park their money in bonds rather than precious metals, which don’t offer a guaranteed income stream.



Profit taking after gold and silver’s great run



A second significant factor likely contributing to gold and silver’s demise recently is, ironically, how well the two metals have performed lately.



Between January 2025 and gold’s all-time high in January 2026, gold rose more than 100%. In that same timeframe, silver rose by more than 275%. 



Those are massive gains. But big gains don’t translate into big profits until you sell. And it’s very likely that some of the reasons gold and silver are falling so much lately are due to profit taking, so investors can lock in some of those stratospheric gains they’ve made over the past 12 months.



Investors are generally also more interested in cashing out on assets they’ve made a killing on when the other assets they own are experiencing downturns, such as stocks. And lately, stocks have been hit hard. In the past five weeks, the Dow has lost around 9% of its value, the Nasdaq has dropped more than 6%, and the S&amp;P has also dropped more than 6%.



Many investors fear that markets could drop further the longer the Iran war drags on, and that the resulting increase in oil prices would negatively impact the overall economy. One way to hedge against a fall in stocks is to lock in any precious metal gains by selling them.



After hitting an all-time high in January, gold is currently sitting at around $4,397. That is a price point gold last saw in December 2025. Silver is currently around $68.40, a price it has also not seen since December 2025. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Gold, and, silver, prices, down, today:, factors, sending, safe, haven, assets, plummeting, amid, Iran, war</media:keywords>
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<title>Trump’s plan to ‘obliterate’ Iran’s power plants is now on hold, extending deadline for Strait of Hormuz</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/trumps-plan-to-obliterate-irans-power-plants-is-now-on-hold-extending-deadline-for-strait-of-hormuz</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/trumps-plan-to-obliterate-irans-power-plants-is-now-on-hold-extending-deadline-for-strait-of-hormuz</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ President Donald Trump on Monday extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, saying the U.S. would hold off on strikes against Iranian power plants for five days.Shortly after Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social site, Iranian state television put up a graphic that read: “U.S. president backs down following Iran’s firm warning.” The reprieve came hours ahead of Trump’s self-imposed deadline later in the day.Writing in all capital letters, Trump said the U.S. and Iran have had “very good and productive conversations” that could yield “a complete and total resolution” in the war. Talks would continue “throughout the week,” he said.Trump added that the suspension of his threat to attack power plants was “subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.”Trump did not elaborate on the negotiations that had taken place. Iran did not immediately acknowledge any talks between the countries, but Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi did say he spoke by phone with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. Turkey has been an intermediary before in negotiations between Tehran and Washington.Trump’s announcement came as the United Arab Emirates reported its air defense were attempting to intercept new incoming Iranian fire Monday afternoon.Earlier Monday, Iran warned it would strike electricity plants across the Middle East and mine the Persian Gulf after Trump threatened to bomb power stations in the Islamic Republic if it did not reopen the strait.The war, now in its fourth week, has already seen several dramatic turning points — the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, the bombing of a key Iranian gas field, and strikes targeting oil and gas facilities and other civilian infrastructure in Gulf Arab nations. The conflict has killed more than 2,000 people, shaken the global economy, sent oil prices surging, and endangered some of the world’s busiest air corridors.Trump’s ultimatum and Iran’s promise of retaliation threatened to raise the stakes yet again, with potentially catastrophic repercussions for civilians across the region.If carried out, the attacks could cut electricity to wide swaths of people in Iran and around the Gulf and knock out desalination plants that provide many desert nations with drinking water. There are also increasing concerns about the consequences any of strikes on nuclear facilities.The fever pitch of the rhetoric shows how the war has spiraled to a point unimaginable at the start of the conflict on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel began bombing Iran.



Trump issues a deadline and trades threats with Tehran



Trump said the U.S. would “obliterate” Iran’s power plants unless the country releases its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours — a deadline that would expire late Monday Washington time but has now been extended.Iran has shut the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped along with other important commodities, in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes. A trickle of ships has gotten through, and Iran insists the crucial waterway remains open — just not to the U.S., Israel or their allies.The chokehold has wreaked havoc on energy markets, pushed up the prices on food and other goods well beyond the Middle East and sent shock waves throughout the global economy.“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues to go in this direction,” said Fatih Birol, the head of the Paris-based International Energy Agency.Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard promised retaliation if Trump made good on his threat, saying Iran it would hit power plants in all areas that supply electricity to American bases, “as well as the economic, industrial and energy infrastructures in which Americans have shares.”Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Iran would consider vital infrastructure across the region to be legitimate targets, including energy and desalination facilities critical for drinking water in Gulf nations.Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guard, published a list of such facilities, including the United Arab Emirates’ nuclear power plant. Over the weekend, Iran launched missiles targeting Dimona in Israel, near a facility key to its long-suspected atomic weapons program. The Israeli facility wasn’t damaged.United States Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper, meanwhile, claimed in an interview that Iran was launching missiles and drones from populated areas, and suggested those areas would be targeted.“You need to stay inside for right now,” Cooper told Iranian civilians in the interview with the Farsi-language satellite network Iran International that aired early Monday.In his first one-on-one interview since the war started, Cooper said the U.S. and Israel were targeting infrastructure and manufacturing facilities to destroy Iran’s capabilities to rebuild its military.“It’s not just about the threat today,” he said. “We’re eliminating the threat of the future.”



Israel strikes Tehran and Iran warns against any invasion



Israel launched new attacks Monday on the Iranian capital, saying it had “begun a wide-scale wave of strikes” on infrastructure targets in Tehran without immediately elaborating. Explosions were heard in multiple locations in the afternoon. It wasn’t immediately clear what had been hit.With the U.S. deploying more amphibious assault ships and additional Marines to the Middle East, Iran warned against any ground attack.“Any attempt by the enemy to target Iran’s coasts or islands will, naturally and in accordance with established military practice, lead to the mining of all access routes … in the Persian Gulf and along the coasts,” Iran’s Defense Council warned said in a statement.The widespread use of mines could imperil not only military vessels but scores of commercial ships waiting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and a cleanup would last long after the conflict ends.Trump has said he has no plans to send ground forces into Iran but also has said that he retains all options. Israel has suggested its ground forces could take part in the war.Israel has also targeted the Iran-linked Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon during the war, while the group has fired hundreds of rockets into Israel.In recent days, Israel has hit many apartment buildings in Beirut and bombed bridges over the Litani river in the Lebanon’s south.Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called the targeting of bridges “a prelude to a ground invasion,” while Egypt denounced the strikes as the “collective punishment” of civilians for the actions of Hezbollah.Authorities say Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,000 people in Lebanon and displaced more than 1 million.Iran’s death toll has surpassed 1,500, its Health Ministry has said. In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian strikes. At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed, along with more than a dozen civilians in the occupied West Bank and Gulf Arab states.



Oil prices are up more than 50% since start of the war



Oil prices remained stubbornly high in early trading, with the price of Brent crude, the international standard, at around $113 a barrel, up some 55% since the war began.Jorge Moreira da Silva, a senior United Nations official, said the world has already seen a ripple effect, including “exponential price hikes in oil, fuel and gas” that have had a far-reaching impact on millions, primarily in Asian and African developing countries.“There is no military solution,” he said.In another sign of the far-reaching effects, South Korean chemical giant LG Chem said Monday it had to shut down a major industrial plant because the war had disrupted supplies of naphtha, a petroleum product used in plastic manufacturing.







AP writers Charlotte Graham-McLay, Sally Abou AlJoud, Bassem Mroue, and Tong-hyung Kim contributed to this report.



—Jon Gambrell, David Rising and Samy Magdy, Associated Press ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
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<title>Beach cleanups can save the lives of marine animals. This calculator tells you exactly how many</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/beach-cleanups-can-save-the-lives-of-marine-animals-this-calculator-tells-you-exactly-how-many</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/beach-cleanups-can-save-the-lives-of-marine-animals-this-calculator-tells-you-exactly-how-many</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ If you pick up plastic trash from a beach, you’re helping protect marine wildlife from harm. And every little piece—from a plastic bottle cap to food wrappers—matters, because even small amounts of this trash can be deadly to animals like sea turtles and seabirds.



A new calculator from Ocean Conservancy can now quantify that impact. If you enter the amounts of different types of plastic that you clean up into the Wildlife Impact Calculator, it will tell you how many animal lives would have been at risk, had those items made their way into the ocean and been ingested.



“We hope that people really see that beach cleanups matter,” says Erin Murphy, Ocean Conservancy’s manager of Ocean Plastics Research and lead co-author of the study that underpins the Wildlife Impact Calculator.



The issue of ocean plastic pollution



Plastic pollution in the ocean is a massive, global environmental issue. Every day, 2,000 truckloads worth of plastic waste enter ocean waters. 



Addressing that pollution would require research into better kinds of food packaging and recycling, and policies like an international plastic treaty. 



In the meantime, though, beach cleanups can also make a difference. Ocean Conservancy has been hosting an annual International Coastal Cleanup for 40 years. Nearly 19 million volunteers have taken part, removing more than 400 million pounds of plastics and other debris from coastlines over those decades.



Volunteers count and weigh all the pollution they pick up—with common items ranging from candy and chip wrappers to cigarette butts and grocery bags.



But raw numbers, like the fact that the volunteers collected 1.4 million plastic bottles in 2023’s cleanup, don’t always connect people to the real impact they’re making on wildlife, Murphy says.



With the calculator, that impact is clear, even for small quantities. Say your beach cleanup collected 20 plastic bottles, 15 bottle caps, and 10 plastic bags. Enter those figures into the calculator (which covers more than 20 types of plastic pollution, all of which have been found inside marine animals), and it tells you that you protected five sea turtles and 25 seabirds. It also shares info about such species, plus details on those types of plastic pollution.



Small amounts of plastic can be deadly



The calculator highlights the danger that even small amounts of plastic can pose to animals. And that was the point. The calculator is based on a study Murphy led, published in 2025, that aimed to identify the lethal dose of plastic for all sorts of animals.



“That’s something that at a broad scale hasn’t been done before,” she says. “And what we found was that very, very small amounts of plastic can still kill marine life.”



Just three sugar cubes worth of plastic, for example, has a 90% chance of killing a seabird like the Atlantic puffin, which is only 11 inches in length. For those birds, ingesting less than one sugar cube worth of plastic comes with a 50% chance.



Even bigger animals are at risk: ingesting just over two baseball’s worth of plastic has a 90% likelihood of death for Loggerhead turtles, and for harbor porpoises, a soccer ball’s worth of plastic is deadly.



With the calculator, Murphy says, “We wanted to flip that on its head and understand, what are the benefits of cleanups?” Coastal areas, where cleanups take place, are often where these animals nest or feed, too. 



Picking up whole pieces of plastic trash from beaches also prevents that trash from breaking up in the ocean and harming wildlife when they ingest fragments of plastic. 



Understanding these risks, and the benefits of cleaning up beaches, could spur regulatory decisions around plastic pollution. But ultimately, Ocean Conservancy hopes the calculator buoys individuals who undertake this effort.



“We know that systemic change is going to be needed to address this plastic pollution globally,” Murphy says, “but it’s just a reminder that every single person can be part of the solution.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Beach, cleanups, can, save, the, lives, marine, animals., This, calculator, tells, you, exactly, how, many</media:keywords>
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<title>The essential guide to point of sale (POS) systems</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-essential-guide-to-point-of-sale-pos-systems</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/the-essential-guide-to-point-of-sale-pos-systems</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs


In this guide, we take a look at everything small business owners need to know about buying a Point of Sale (POS) system
The post The essential guide to point of sale (POS) systems appeared first on Small Business UK. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, essential, guide, point, sale, POS, systems</media:keywords>
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<title>Mastery of Philippines’ San Guillermo Persuade Investors</title>
<link>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/marketing-mastery-of-philippines-san-guillermo-pursuade-investors</link>
<guid>https://thebusinesseconomic.com/marketing-mastery-of-philippines-san-guillermo-pursuade-investors</guid>
<description><![CDATA[  ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 20 Nov 2021 00:08:49 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Business Economic Syndicated News</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Noubikko, San Guillermo Shopping Complex, Dantru, RPConnect</media:keywords>
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