Blog, YouTube & Content Monetization

When leadership trends become corporate wallpaper, they risk losing the very edge that made them useful in the first place. That’s where psychological safety risks finding itself today. It’s plastered on slide decks, plugged into engagement surveys, and whispered in HR circles as the answer to “Why don’t people speak up?” but it’s rarely connected to what happens after someone actually does speak up. This distinction between permission to speak and protection from consequences matters more than leaders often realize. Psychological safety tells you that people feel comfortable raising questions or concerns and that they believe they won’t be overtly sanctioned for …

Having rejection sensitive dysphoria, or RSD, is physically painful, all-consuming, and disproportionate to the event that triggered it. While a neurotypical person is able to recognize rejection, rationalize it, feel bad about it, and then move on with their day fairly quickly, RSD feels like a bull has charged at you and headbutted you in the chest, and it comes with a tremendous amount of shame. RSD is defined by the Cleveland Clinic as “severe emotional pain because of a failure or feeling rejected,” and is a symptom of the emotional dysregulation often seen due to the extra criticisms a person with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will have enc…

Microsoft’s recently announced use of a West Virginia data center that will run entirely on natural gas could cause the company’s emissions to skyrocket by 44%. That’s according to a new report from Stand.earth researchers, who say Microsoft’s power needs at the facility will see it burning the same amount of methane as annually as more than 1.2 million homes. The data center, called the Monarch Compute Campus, is an example of a “behind-the-meter” or “off-grid” data center, which generates its own electricity, bypassing the public grid. With the growth of AI data centers threatening to overload the electricity grid and raise residents’ energy bills, these…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Hurricane Center (NHC) is redesigning its most recognizable—some would say iconic—”cone” graphic for the 2026 hurricane season. Other product upgrades include improvements to Hawaii’s storm surge watches and warnings. “These improvements empower communities to prepare earlier and more effectively for dangerous hazards from tropical storms and hurricanes,” Michael Brennan, director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, said in a statement. The updates come as climate change brings warmer global temperatures and rising sea levels, leading to more extreme weather events including longer, more intens…

With Social Security on track to go broke in less than seven years, a new report from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) is proposing a solution: Cap Social Security payouts to $100,000 a year for couples, as part of an overall plan to save it from insolvency. (That’s $50,000 for a single retiree.) The renewed spotlight on Social Security follows a recent report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) that the main trust funds responsible for paying benefits, the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, could be insolvent by as early as 2033. By law, that would automatically trigger a massive 24% cut in benefits. On top of the higher cost …

The promise of AI was always that it would handle certain kinds of work so we could focus on others. It was going to free our time, reduce friction, and let us concentrate on what requires human judgment and creativity. That promise assumed we would divide the labor wisely. That we would hand off the operational drag—the scheduling, formatting, and summarizing that eats the day before we’ve had a chance to think. We would keep the cognitive friction—the hard work of wrestling with ambiguity, forming a point of view, and figuring out the right approach. The work where your value is actually made. Instead we handed over the thinking first. Because cognitive friction…

Shares of mortgage giants Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FMCC) saw huge price surges early Monday after hedge fund manager Bill Ackman posted about the two stocks on social media. “Some of the highest quality businesses in the world are trading at extremely cheap prices. Ignore the MSM. One of the most one-sided wars in history that will end well for the U.S. and the world. And we have the potential for a large peace dividend. One of the best times in a long time to buy quality. Ignore the bears,” Ackman wrote in a Sunday night post on X. “And Fannie and Freddie are stupidly cheap. Asymmetry at its best. They could be a 10X and it could happen soon.” It was th…

Consumers are being warned to avoid certain garlic products right now. Tops Friendly Markets has issued a recall of two types of peeled garlic due to potential contamination from Clostridium botulinum, according to a notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium that can “cause life threatening illness or death,” the notice further states. Tops Friendly Markets, a supermarket chain based in Williamsville, New York, raised the alarm after a routine store inspection found that the peeled garlic containers were being kept at insufficient temperatures. The improper storage could allow the Clostridium botulinum…

Chinese spirituality just adopted a new icon: American “momager” Kris Jenner. Jenner, best known for launching the mega-successful careers of her daughters Kourtney, Kim, and Khloé Kardashian, is suddenly the go-to profile pic for Gen Zers on Chinese social media, including apps like RedNote, Weibo, and Douyin. The reverence for Jenner doesn’t stop there. Her photo is also being used for wallpapers on computers, tablets, smart watches, and more, all as part of Chinese Gen Z’s manifestation for good luck. How did Jenner of all people become a Chinese symbol for good fortune? Chinese influencer Marcelo Wang broke down the trend in his own viral TikTok. He explai…

Hello again, and welcome back to Fast Company’s Plugged In. More than 15 months ago, I wrote about Surf, a discovery engine for the social web from Flipboard—itself an earlier twist on the same concept dating to the early days of the iPad. At the time, it was still a rough draft, and in private beta. Rather than rushing it out to a broader audience, Flipboard took its time. The app went through a series of revisions that were both numerous and substantial, ending up significantly different than the intriguing prototype I tried in December 2024. This week, the company finally deemed Surf ready for prime time. It’s now live in web form at Surf.social; a beta Android…

Across the U.S., the realities of healthcare affordability are reaching a breaking point, with premiums and out-of-pocket costs straining household budgets and forcing some families to consider going without coverage or delaying care, simply because they cannot pay. This isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s about everyday decisions: skipping preventive visits, postponing prescriptions, or weighing health needs against rent and groceries. As healthcare costs grow while federal funds and subsidies shift, our systems are under duress, and people are being forced to make impossible choices. In this context, the question for business leaders, in healthcare and b…

HarperCollins Publishers and AI-powered animation studio Toonstar have announced a multi-year partnership to co-produce original YouTube series based on HarperCollins titles. It marks the second announcement this week from the book publishing giant regarding a partnership with an AI-centered company. On Monday, HarperCollins division Harlequin said it entered a multi-year agreement to co-produce 40 animated micro-dramas with AI entertainment company Dashverse. Inspired by Harlequin Romance titles, the collaboration launches in April, beginning with an adaptation of A Fairy-Tail Ending by Catherine Mann. The deals highlight how book publishers are turning to …

For most of modern financial history, retail investors were treated as background noise. Institutions moved the market. Hedge funds set the tone. Analysts shaped narratives. Individual investors followed. That era is over. Retail investors made up 35% of the market in April 2025, an all-time high. According to a 2024 report, almost 80% of the market is high-frequency algorithmic trading. Combine these numbers, and it is theoretically possible that all of the market could be trading a popular stock on social media that gets quickly amplified upwards by momentum trading algorithms. This is not a trend. It is a structural shift. And it is quietly reshaping ho…

As if modern dating weren’t difficult enough, the internet has become obsessed with finding niche compatibility tests and categorizing the differences between partners, with a string of so-called relationship gaps going viral on platforms such as TikTok recently. Now the latest one has arrived, and it’s already proving to be polarizing: the restaurant gap. Described by The New York Times as “a misalignment in tastes, spending habits and culinary curiosity,” a restaurant gap can take many forms. Take a picky eater and an adventurous foodie, or even a devout reservation chaser who incessantly scrolls through Resy versus someone who couldn’t care less as long as food…

Good news for this Monday: Jackie and Shadow, California’s world famous Big Bear Bald Eagles, are parents again. Fans were able to welcome the two new chicks to the world over the weekend thanks to a web camera maintained by the nonprofit Friends of the Big Bear Valley (FOBBV). Here’s some background information so you can be the resident Bald Eagle expert in your office. When did Jackie lay her eggs? The eggs that hatched this season were actually the second clutch laid by Jackie. The first two were laid on January 23 and 26, but unfortunately ravens breached the eggs while Mom and Dad were away. About a month later, Jackie laid an additional cl…

AI is transforming companies everywhere. While some research has shown that women are falling behind in terms of AI adoption, at the leadership level women are highly involved in guiding AI strategy. According to new research from Chief, a network for senior women leaders, in partnership with The Harris Poll, women leaders are playing a key role in carefully building AI frameworks. The research, which polled 1,768 male, female, and nonbinary leaders, found that, overwhelmingly, women are driving AI strategy with 80% playing active roles in how it’s being implemented into workflows. Nearly a third (31%) said they were involved in AI governance, ethics, and responsi…

You don’t need all the answers to be a leader—but you do need this mindset. Emma Grede explains why excellence is non-negotiable and why trying to please everyone will hold you back. This is the leadership advice nobody tells you. View the full article

Fox Corporation has announced plans to partner with Kalshi to integrate the prediction market’s data across the media giant’s various cable networks. Tuesday’s announcement follows the rise in popularity of prediction markets, and marks Kalshi’s third partnership with a large media corporation, with similar deals struck with CNBC and CNN in December of last year. Kalshi’s platform allows users to bet on current events, anything from sports betting to politics. For instance, users can bet on who will win an election. From those wagers, a forecast is determined based on the crowd’s opinion. Not everyone is turning to the platform to bet. “Roughly 70% of peo…

It feels like a “hit-the-brakes” economy, with warning lights flashing everywhere: inflation pressures, AI disruptions, upside-down business models, and a persistent sense that some new market surprise or geopolitical tempest is waiting around the corner. Given these congested, conflicting signals, the instinct for many business leaders is to slow investment, tighten spending, and wait for more clarity. But how companies slow down can make the difference between paying a performance penalty and gaining a performance premium. Our research shows that organizations that keep transformation moving during peak uncertainty significantly outperform their wait-and-see pee…

Greece is moving forward with a ban on under-15s using social media, becoming the latest country to restrict young teens from using the online platforms. On Wednesday, April 8, Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced plans to restrict social media use by age starting on January 1, 2027, Reuters reports. In a video announcement directed to Greece’s young people, the prime minister cited concerns such as problems sleeping, increasing anxiety, and social media platforms’ addictive designs. In the video, Mitsotakis also pointed to factors such as children not allowing their minds to rest, feeling constant comparisons, and spending long hours scrollin…

This new outdoor fireplace—called the Totem Chiminea—would be at home in an art museum. It stands 5 feet tall, has a bulbous base that tapers into a slender flue, and is coated in porcelain enamel that comes in earthy colors such as sage green and burnt red. When you light a fire inside it, it emits warmth as well as a glow. At $4,500, it is not a casual purchase. But Neighbor, the 5-year-old brand that creates it, has found that many consumers are looking to invest in outdoor furniture that is as beautiful and thoughtfully designed as the pieces within their home. Neighbor was founded in 2020 in Phoenix by three friends—Nick Arambula, Chris Lee, and Mike Fretto—…

For the next two weekends (April 10-12 and April 17-19), Los Angeles is going to be quieter than normal. This is because many Angelenos will be hitting the road to attend the popular Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival located in Indio, California. For those who aren’t able to attend in person, never fear: There’s a free livestreaming option that allows you to avoid port-a-potties. Here’s everything you need to know about both weekends of this rocking event, including how to watch from your living room. How did Coachella begin? The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was created by concert promoters Rick Van Santen and Paul Tollett in 1999. T…

It’s about to get a bit easier to find a Trader Joe’s near you. The grocer just announced it will open 18 new stores across 12 states, including multiple locations in a handful of states, over the next several months. Trader Joe’s announced the new locations with a series of “Coming Soon!” announcements. Currently, the chain is in 42 states, leaving only a handful of states, including Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming, without a Trader Joe’s store. The latest cluster of openings will include locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, U…

For some evangelical Christians, faith is about having a personal relationship with Jesus. At $1.99 per minute, the tech company Just Like Me is taking that concept to a new level. Users of the platform can join video calls with an avatar of Jesus generated by artificial intelligence. Like other religious AI tools on the market, it offers words of prayer and encouragement in various languages. With the occasional glitch, it remembers previous conversations and speaks through not-quite-synced lips. “You do feel a little accountable to the AI,” CEO Chris Breed said. “They’re your friend. You’ve made an attachment.” The rush to create faith-based generative AI is…

Back in July 1971, Coca-Cola debuted a TV commercial that would become one of the most iconic in the brand’s history. “Hilltop” featured a diverse group of people gathered on an Italian hillside, sharing their voices and bottles of soda, and famously singing, “I’d like to buy the world a Coke.” It was a Don Draper-approved multicultural, apolitical masterpiece. It was also a complete fantasy. Despite the kumbaya vibes of the spot, 1971 America was a much more complicated and volatile place than what was depicted in the ad. It was the peak of the Vietnam War protest movement, with 60% of Americans opposing the war and 500,000 people demonstrating in D.C. just a few mo…