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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. Floodlight cameras usually cost a lot more than the casual buyer wants to spend, but Blink’s Wired Floodlight Camera has quietly slipped to a price that makes it hard to ignore for starting or extending a home security setup. Right now it’s $49.99 on Amazon (regularly $99.99), which is the lowest price it’s ever been, according to price trackers. Blink Wired Floodlight Camera $49.99 at Amazon $99.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $49.99 at Amazon $99.99 Save $50.00 This is a hardwired security camera with bright dual-LED floodlights, a loud siren, and the ability to record sharp 1080p video. The LEDs crank out 2,600 lumens combined—enough to light up a driveway or backyard—and also enable color night vision. That means you’re not stuck with blurry grayscale clips when something sets off the motion sensor after dark. The performance holds up beyond just brightness. The camera has a wide 143-degree field of view, motion alerts arrive almost instantly, and daytime footage shows accurate colors and detail. At night, black-and-white video looks clear out to about 30 feet, while color video with the floodlights on is plenty usable even if the tones are a bit washed compared to daytime shots, notes this PCMag review. Through the Blink app, you can check the live feed, turn lights on or off, save recordings, and use two-way talk. There’s also a 105dB siren built in, which is loud enough to scare off trespassers or get a neighbor’s attention. The catch is that not all of the software features are free: Without a subscription, you’re limited to live viewing and motion alerts. With the $3 per month Basic plan, you get 60 days of video history, person detection, photo capture, and longer live streams. For multiple cameras, the $10 per month Plus Plan gives you the same perks plus an extended warranty and discounts on future Blink gear. If you’d rather skip subscriptions, Blink sells its Sync Module 2 hub for around $50. Pair it with a USB drive, and you can save clips locally. As with most Blink products, Alexa and IFTTT support are included, so you can connect it to routines and other devices, but there’s no compatibility with Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit. Installation is straightforward if you’re comfortable wiring an outdoor light fixture, and Blink includes the screws, nuts, and guides you need. If not, hiring an electrician is the safer move. All told, this is one of the most affordable ways to add a floodlight camera to your home. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $819.99 (List Price $1,099.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $319.00 (List Price $349.00) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $34.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — $79.99 (List Price $149.99) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $34.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen, 2-pack, White) — $49.98 (List Price $79.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen, 2023) — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Self-Empty Base — $229.99 (List Price $549.99) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

JPMorgan Chase is significantly enhancing its offering for affluent clients by expanding the J.P. Morgan Private Client experience to 53 Chase branches across New York, Connecticut, Florida, and Texas. This move nearly triples the availability of this tailored banking and wealth management service, aiming to better serve the needs of established clients and potentially attract small business owners who want a more personalized approach to their financial operations. With more locations than ever, qualified clients can access services designed to meet their unique financial needs through various channels, including J.P. Morgan Financial Centers, dedicated private client offices, and select Chase branches. This change reflects a growing demand from affluent clients for personalized service from their primary banking institution. Jennifer Roberts, CEO of Chase Consumer Banking, emphasized this commitment. “Through our J.P. Morgan Financial Centers, J.P. Morgan Private Client Offices, and now select Chase branches, we are redefining how affluent clients are served, offering a highly personalized level of service that aligns with their unique needs,” she stated. What does this mean for small business owners? Key Takeaways: Enhanced Personalized Service: Small business owners classified as affluent may now benefit from a dedicated senior banker at select Chase branches, providing highly personalized banking services, wealth management strategies, and investment advice. This one-on-one attention can be instrumental in navigating complex financial landscapes. Comprehensive Support: The offering includes access to concierge services that promise 24/7 priority support from a team familiar with each client’s specific needs. This kind of tailored support can help business owners handle their personal and business banking needs more effectively. Exclusive Financial Planning: Custom financial strategies will be developed to help clients preserve and grow their wealth, taking into account their specific goals and challenges. For business owners, this means potentially more informed and strategic decision-making. Convenient Access Across Regions: With branches located in affluent-rich states, clients can easily find a convenient branch that provides these exclusive services, combining the usual banking experience with specialized financial insight. However, there are some potential challenges small business owners may want to consider before diving into this offering: Eligibility Requirements: The new private client services are designed for those with qualifying deposit and investment balances. This may exclude some small business owners who do not meet these thresholds. Balance Between Services: While personal service is emphasized, business owners should consider how this offering integrates with their existing banking relationships. It’s essential to weigh the benefits of a dedicated service against their current banking solutions. Limited Geographical Reach: While this expansion covers states with high affluent demographics, small business owners operating in less populated or rural locations may find that these services are not readily accessible. The J.P. Morgan Private Client offering positions Chase as a significant player in the competitive financial market, especially for affluent clients seeking to consolidate their banking needs. As noted by Stevie Baron, Head of Affluent Banking at Chase Consumer Banking, “Affluent clients tell us they increasingly want to consolidate their investments with their primary bank.” This consolidation can streamline operations for small business owners, allowing them to manage both their business and personal banking under one roof with potentially beneficial relationships and terms. For small business owners exploring ways to enhance their banking experience, the features and advantages of the J.P. Morgan Private Client offering could provide tangible benefits. In a world where financial decisions can be complex, having a supportive network can alleviate stress and contribute to smarter financial planning. For more information about the J.P. Morgan Private Client offering, including the newly added locations, visit jpmorgan.com/financialcenters. This expansion marks an important step in addressing the specific needs of affluent clients and could serve as a model for other banks looking to attract and retain high-net-worth individuals and small business owners alike. This article, "Chase Expands J.P. Morgan Private Client Services to 53 New Branches" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

JPMorgan Chase is significantly enhancing its offering for affluent clients by expanding the J.P. Morgan Private Client experience to 53 Chase branches across New York, Connecticut, Florida, and Texas. This move nearly triples the availability of this tailored banking and wealth management service, aiming to better serve the needs of established clients and potentially attract small business owners who want a more personalized approach to their financial operations. With more locations than ever, qualified clients can access services designed to meet their unique financial needs through various channels, including J.P. Morgan Financial Centers, dedicated private client offices, and select Chase branches. This change reflects a growing demand from affluent clients for personalized service from their primary banking institution. Jennifer Roberts, CEO of Chase Consumer Banking, emphasized this commitment. “Through our J.P. Morgan Financial Centers, J.P. Morgan Private Client Offices, and now select Chase branches, we are redefining how affluent clients are served, offering a highly personalized level of service that aligns with their unique needs,” she stated. What does this mean for small business owners? Key Takeaways: Enhanced Personalized Service: Small business owners classified as affluent may now benefit from a dedicated senior banker at select Chase branches, providing highly personalized banking services, wealth management strategies, and investment advice. This one-on-one attention can be instrumental in navigating complex financial landscapes. Comprehensive Support: The offering includes access to concierge services that promise 24/7 priority support from a team familiar with each client’s specific needs. This kind of tailored support can help business owners handle their personal and business banking needs more effectively. Exclusive Financial Planning: Custom financial strategies will be developed to help clients preserve and grow their wealth, taking into account their specific goals and challenges. For business owners, this means potentially more informed and strategic decision-making. Convenient Access Across Regions: With branches located in affluent-rich states, clients can easily find a convenient branch that provides these exclusive services, combining the usual banking experience with specialized financial insight. However, there are some potential challenges small business owners may want to consider before diving into this offering: Eligibility Requirements: The new private client services are designed for those with qualifying deposit and investment balances. This may exclude some small business owners who do not meet these thresholds. Balance Between Services: While personal service is emphasized, business owners should consider how this offering integrates with their existing banking relationships. It’s essential to weigh the benefits of a dedicated service against their current banking solutions. Limited Geographical Reach: While this expansion covers states with high affluent demographics, small business owners operating in less populated or rural locations may find that these services are not readily accessible. The J.P. Morgan Private Client offering positions Chase as a significant player in the competitive financial market, especially for affluent clients seeking to consolidate their banking needs. As noted by Stevie Baron, Head of Affluent Banking at Chase Consumer Banking, “Affluent clients tell us they increasingly want to consolidate their investments with their primary bank.” This consolidation can streamline operations for small business owners, allowing them to manage both their business and personal banking under one roof with potentially beneficial relationships and terms. For small business owners exploring ways to enhance their banking experience, the features and advantages of the J.P. Morgan Private Client offering could provide tangible benefits. In a world where financial decisions can be complex, having a supportive network can alleviate stress and contribute to smarter financial planning. For more information about the J.P. Morgan Private Client offering, including the newly added locations, visit jpmorgan.com/financialcenters. This expansion marks an important step in addressing the specific needs of affluent clients and could serve as a model for other banks looking to attract and retain high-net-worth individuals and small business owners alike. This article, "Chase Expands J.P. Morgan Private Client Services to 53 New Branches" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Saudi-backed transaction orchestrated by Jared Kushner and Silver Lake is biggest ever leveraged buyoutView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. Back-to-school season used to mean loading up on fresh pencils and notebooks. More often now, though, it means loading up on new tech. (Although, you can still buy pencils and notebooks and probably should.) Just as you've started getting your class materials through e-book downloads and begun integrating apps into your studies, you should be leveling up your academic tools, too, to meet modern standards and make your time more productive. There are a ton of great devices out there right now to help you study and manage your scholastic life, but it’s hard to know where to start. Here’s what I recommend. Tools for studying and working in classFirst up, the tools you should be bringing with you when you're working in class or otherwise on the go. When you need to listen, be engaged, or take notes, you should be able to do so seamlessly. A keyboard cover to stop coffee, crumbs, and dust from gunking up your computer. All it takes is one accident while you’re cramming for a test to throw off your whole week. Make sure to get one that is designed for your exact keyboard. For instance, if you use a MacBook Pro, try this one for $12.95. I picked one of these up after I got a new MacBook when I started grad school and even though it took some time to adjust to the feeling of typing on a big piece of rubber, it made cleaning my keyboard so much easier for me. Every time I cleaned it, stains, crumbs, and dust came off—which made me consider that if it hadn't been there, they would have been lodged in my keys. A laptop cooling pad for when you’re doing heavy work back to back to back. Laptop coolers can help keep your computer from overheating, so you can spend all day doing work without worrying about it getting too hot. This Ice Coorel version ($17.98) has six-inch fans and is suitable for laptops between 14 and 16 inches, plus it’s collapsible, so you can take it on the go. Another benefit? It props your computer up slightly so you don't need to hunch over as much, aiding your posture and keeping you more comfortable. Ice Coorel Laptop Cooling Pad $17.98 at Amazon $19.99 Save $2.01 Learn More Learn More $17.98 at Amazon $19.99 Save $2.01 An e-reader tablet to read your textbooks and take quick notes. You can get a refurbished, older version of the Amazon Fire 7 for about $64. If you have a preferred notes or organizational app—like my fav, Notion—opt for an iPad instead, so you can use the app on there. Not sure which version to pick? Start here. Once you've picked, grab a stylus pen for $10 so you can scribble notes, make mind maps, draw diagrams, or do whatever else makes you retain your materials better. A portable laptop charger so your computer never dies in class. The charm of old classrooms at big universities wears off instantly the minute you get to a lecture hall and realize all the seats by the precious few outlets are taken, if there are even an outlets at all. Whether you’re in the library, in class, in the cafeteria, or on the go, a portable laptop charger, like the ZeroKor power bank ($53), is going to save you a lot of headaches. Tools for studying and working on your ownStudying in your dorm or living space is an unavoidable task made maddening by the existence of other people, who can be noisy or have no respect for your stuff. In addition to the following gadgets, I recommend you familiarize yourself with some study techniques you can use alongside them. Sleeping headphones to block out noise. These comfy wireless headbands are designed to block noise out and funnel the sounds you want—be it music or white noise—directly into your ears. They’re perfect for sleeping or studying, since they are soft and close-fitting, meaning you won’t get a headache and they’re easy to carry around. Try the Musicozy sleep headphones ($17), for example. Whenever you're working, but especially when you're studying, you want to be distraction-free and in a state of what's known as "deep work." Blocking out the world around you is a good first step, but you should also consider following the Pomodoro technique, which asks you to work uninterrupted in 25-minute increments interspersed with five-minute breaks. Gadgets shouldn't replace old-school mindsets or techniques, but they can enhance them. A Pomodoro timer Speaking of good old Pomodoro, you can pick up a specialty timer for under $20 that will sit on your desk and keep track of your focus sessions for you. You might think that's a silly gadget to buy, since your phone certainly has a built-in timer feature, but your phone is also full of all the distractions you're trying to avoid when you're engaging in deep work, so it's best to stay away from it if it's too tempting. On the other hand, you can download a Pomodoro app that will not only provide you with a timer, but block all your distracting apps while it's running, which is the best of both worlds. My favorite is FocusPomo. A second laptop screen so you can see and do more. A portable monitor is helpful when you have to look at references to complete work and don’t want to be switching between tabs or minimizing all your windows to see everything at once. They come at different price points, so you don’t have to break the bank: Koorui sells a portable 15.6-inch monitor for $80. I had a setup like this at my old job, where I had three screens that stretched across my desk. I can't tell you how much more productive I was when I didn't have to shift and minimize windows constantly and could just glance at another screen to see the reference materials for what I was working on on the main one. Portable Monitor, 15.6" and 1080P FHD $79.99 at Amazon $95.99 Save $16.00 Learn More Learn More $79.99 at Amazon $95.99 Save $16.00 A desk-mounted power strip so you’re never fighting anyone for an outlet. Your phone, tablet, computer, and countless other pieces of tech all need to be charged, so you should have outlets at your desk to keep them all in one place. The Emerising power strip ($30) has four USB ports and three AC outlets to juice it all, right on your desk. Another option that has served me well at home, at school, and at work is the humble multicharger. I've long used the STM Charge Tree ($64), which can charge an Apple Watch, Airpods, and iPhone simultaneously, folds up for easy transportation, and only needs access to one outlet. A lock to protect your tech so no one else uses it. Ever had a roommate who takes your stuff all the time? Pick up a combination lock that attaches to the smooth surfaces of your tech to keep them where you want them, even when you’re not around. Try the CaLeQi security lock ($10). A lap desk so you can work wherever you want. A lap desk saves my back from destruction since I just won't give up the habit of working anywhere but an ergonomic desk. The lap desk I prefer is just $30 and has a holder for your tablet, USB charging docks, a little drawer for accessories, and a cup holder for your coffee. Foldable Laptop Desk $29.99 at Amazon Learn More Learn More $29.99 at Amazon A monitor clip so you can see your notes while you work. It’s a small annoyance in the grand scheme of things, but glancing down at your paper notes while you work is tedious, so eliminate the issue with the Kensington Flex Clip copyholder ($14), which attaches to your laptop monitor and holds your documents at eye level. And if you haven't taken handwritten notes in a long time and can't imagine why this is on the list, let me explain: Handwriting your notes actually helps you remember them better. Gadgets, tech, and apps are all crucial to modern-day learning, but mixing in some of the old-style tricks every now and then can be helpful, too. View the full article

A few years back, Deanna Conley had just moved to Newport, Rhode Island with a 3-month-old and 3-year-old. She soon joined a focus group for a new type of club forming in her area. This club—part daycare, part adult coworking space, and a little bit gym—would fulfill Conley’s post-moving needs: It offered community in a town where she knew no one, a space to work as a small business owner without an office, and affordable childcare. “The cost of a nanny was really prohibitive for us,” Conley says. Her older son had been in traditional daycare prior to the family’s move, but Conley thought this club might be a bit different. “I was really interested in and excited about this new idea of whole family care,” she says, “versus just childcare.” The club eventually became a daycare-gym-coworking hybrid workspace called Haven. It opened in Newport in 2019, and has since opened another location in Rhode Island and one in New Jersey. In January, Haven announced it’s franchising throughout the U.S. It, and other companies like it, may change how parents juggle work and kids. Per the Economic Policy Institute, childcare for one infant in the U.S. costs more than public college tuition in 38 states. That, plus the reality that many people work remotely, makes the idea of a space that mixes childcare, coworking, and fitness needs appealing to parents. That’s especially true in a world where more remote work means people are parenting more in bubbles than in villages. While gyms such as the YMCA and Minnesota-based fitness chain Life Time provide childcare, typically they cap care at a couple hours—perfect for a workout, not so great for work. Haven offers a village for the price of daycare—with coworking and fitness opportunities thrown in. “We can’t fix the high cost of childcare,” says Haven founder and CEO Britt Riley, acknowledging that early childhood educators deserve their pay. “But we can provide as much more value as we can.” She wants “to keep you in the workforce, help you feel close to your kids, [and] decrease your mom guilt.” Reports found that in 2023, just 15.8% of business with 1,000 or more employees offer on-site childcare, while just 7.6% of medium-sized business do. Other spaces that combine daycare and coworking exist in the U.S. and abroad, but Haven, with several hundred members across its clubs, remains unique as a fully licensed childcare facility (for ages zero to five), meaning parents can leave the building without their children, that’s begun franchising. (Other coworking spaces with childcare avoid the time-consuming licensing process because parents remain on-site with their kids.) ‘Very much what young parents need’ In today’s professional landscape, remote work has grown arguably more common than affordable childcare. Haven was born “out of a need,” says Riley, who’d been looking for childcare for her 1-year-old and infant but couldn’t find anything she felt comfortable with that wasn’t too high cost. “I got stuck on this idea that there was something else we could do.” Having worked in marketing at companies like Patagonia, Riley used her business acumen to attract investors, raising just under $20 million. She recently tapped a former Patagonia colleague to head Haven’s franchising efforts. Though Riley says regulations for childcare licensing are “extremely stringent” to ensure children’s safety, she prioritized giving members the ability to take meetings elsewhere (think coffee shops or clients’ offices) while their children stay at Haven. Notably, Riley refers to Haven as a “club” (where membership costs between $650 and $2,500 a month) rather than a “daycare/coworking space.” The coworking space “is just an amenity that’s there for the parents,” she says. “Club” offered a way to describe a “community,” Riley adds, where parents can look out the window mid-workday and see their kids playing outside, or pop into a dark room for a massage after meeting with an on-site personal trainer. Back in Rhode Island, self-employed business owner Conley has also relied on Haven for date nights. Her local Haven has hosted evenings in which members’ pajama-clad kids can eat, do crafts, and watch a movie while their parents go out for dinner. “It felt to me very much what young parents need,” Conley says. Rethinking the ‘quick drop-off model’ Haven’s clientele includes military families, full-time remote workers, gig workers, self-employed people, and even parents who work at offices. Riley says those clients use the facility for a quick workout before bringing their kids home. Haven’t isn’t the only coworking-slash-daycare in the game. MOMentum in suburban Pennsylvania caters to similar clientele. (Despite its name, dads account for about one-third of those working at MOMentum’s converted church building facility.) Like Haven, MOMentum grew from a need. Cofounder Mary Beth Thomas says the after school childcare program at her kids’ school was a mandatory paid five days, when she needed fewer. She was also looking for an alternative to the quick drop-off model in the morning: “We want our kids to get used to the fact that their parents are nearby and they’re going to peek in on them, and it’s not something that causes anxiety,” Thomas says. “It’s more of a comfort.” At MOMentum, which costs between $1,520 and $1,690 per month for full-week attendance, parents can join their kids for a music class, or eat lunch with them. MOMentum has just one location that offers childcare and coworking, and though Thomas has gotten inquiries about franchising, she prefers to keep the business local. “We’re more grassroots,” she says. “We want other people to come up with something that meets the needs of their community,” she says, and not something “just cloning MOMentum.” When Lauren Perrett opened BubbaDesk in November 2022 in Australia, she says there were no similar offerings. “Coworking and childcare were seen as completely separate categories,” she says. Instead of trying to compete with daycare, Perrett adds, her company pursued a new category that she calls “close-proximity care integrated with coworking.” BubbaDesk’s individual subscription membership costs up to $175 AUD ($115 USD) a day, and businesses like Canva and a large Australian bank have purchased memberships for their employees. (Haven offers corporate packages, too.) A spreading model While BubbaDesk’s model resembles Haven’s more closely than MOMentum’s, with eight locations across Australia, Perrett is concerned that franchising could compromise its standards, which are so important when it comes to keeping children safe and cared for. “Quality, safety, and culture are nonnegotiable, and the integrated nature of our spaces makes centralized training and oversight essential,” she says. To ensure Haven preserves its culture and safety standards, Riley speaks with all serious owner candidates personally. As much as she wants Haven’s availability to spread, she’s looking to keep the ecosystem cohesive, with a 2-by-3-foot poster proclaiming its values at each club. She calls the model, per the poster, “a blend of a wise mentor, a compassionate friend, your most supportive and loving family member.” Haven started awarding franchises in the second quarter of 2025. Riley won’t say how many have been awarded so far, but they “go as far west as Illinois,” with most in New England and Mid-Atlantic states. Even people in countries known for their progressive childcare policies, like in Scandinavia, have asked about opening Haven locations. For now, Riley envisions parents one day being able to travel with their children and work from Havens around the world. “It’s such a beneficial way of looking at childcare as whole family care,” says Conley. “Rather than parents in this rat race, trying to figure out schedules and hours and payments.” View the full article

The Gaza Riviera plan is off the table and a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine is backView the full article

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. When Mary Beth Laughton became president and CEO of Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) earlier this year, she inherited an organization with a rich heritage: REI was founded in 1938 by Lloyd and Mary Anderson, who joined some fellow outdoor enthusiast friends to buy ice axes that were only available in Europe at the time. Since then, REI has retained its status as a cooperative (co-op)—a $30 lifetime membership fee unlocks member rewards, discounts, and free standard shipping—and now boasts 25 million lifetime members, 195 stores, and 14,000 employees. Laughton came into a company that was losing money and ceding ground to competitors. REI reported a net loss of $156.4 million in 2024; revenue fell 6.2% to $3.53 billion. To reverse the slide and position the brand to become “the most trusted retailer for people who love the outdoors,” Laughton last week unveiled a multi-year strategic plan that aims to leverage REI’s strengths while improving retail and membership experiences. She spoke exclusively with Modern CEO about the plan. Evolve, evaluate, elevate, engage “It’s not about necessarily reinventing the co-op,” she says of the strategy. “It’s about unleashing these assets that we already have and make us unique. But the reality is that we need to drive profit so that we can reinvest in communities and employees and back into the business.” The plan calls for REI to evolve its culture, evaluate its inventory to make sure stores are stocked with a comprehensive and current product assortment, elevate its customer service and experience, and engage members. “We’re talking about being a more connected, focused, and trailblazing culture,” she says, putting customers at the center, doing fewer but more high-impact projects, and moving faster. She adds: “If we don’t get the culture right, the rest of the strategic pillars aren’t going to matter.” Differentiating the REI experience To combat competition from big-box retailers such as Dick’s Sporting Goods, e-commerce giant Amazon, and newer brands with their own stores such as Cotopaxi, Laughton and her team are focused on differentiating the REI shopping experience. They are doing so with products that appeal to casual and expert outdoorspeople alike, while tapping into the knowledge and insights of REI’s 9,000 retail employees, known as “Green Vests” in a nod to the uniform they wear. “They have a lot of passion for the outdoors; they can offer a lot of guidance and expertise,” she says. She’s also looking for ways to “bring the Green Vest online”—weave expert advice throughout the online shopping experience. Those Green Vests also have their own expectations of REI. Employees at 11 stores have voted to unionize, an effort that began in 2020 amid concerns about worker safety during the pandemic. Earlier this year, REI and the unions that represent the workers reached an agreement that paves the way for contract negotiations. “We’re showing that we want to make progress, and we’re working collaboratively to get there,” Laughton says. New vision, solid roots Laughton is well positioned to help REI get crisp on the fundamentals of retail and online shopping. Before joining the co-op, she ran Nike’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) business globally, which included its more than 6,000 stores, e-commerce site, and more (she spent nearly a decade at the footwear and apparel giant earlier in her career). Before Nike, she was president and CEO of Athleta, spent more than eight years at Sephora, and got her career start as a McKinsey & Company consultant. In the same way that Athleta expanded its customer base with workout gear in a range of sizes, as well as styles suitable for wear outside the gym or yoga studio, Laughton sees an opportunity to make sure REI is stocked with items that make people feel comfortable and stylish while hiking or skiing. “We have a thousand brands, and we can mix and match and outfit people in a way that they actually want to dress for the outdoors,” she says. But don’t expect the co-op to stray too far from its roots. “We want to be on-trend, but we also want to make sure that we’re not trendy,” she says. “Because that’s not REI.” Fine-tune your search results Modern CEO is proud to publish on Fast Company and Inc. on Monday mornings. If you like what you’re reading, please consider customizing your Google searches so that these outlets appear more frequently as “top stories” when you search relevant topics. You may add Inc. as a source preference by clicking here, and click here to add Fast Company as a preferred source. Read more: gearing up Patagonia’s founder never wanted to be a billionaire, so he did something about it Cotopaxi’s CEO won’t abandon color in her quest to compete with Patagonia Arc’teryx built an exoskeleton. Here’s what it’s like to walk in it View the full article

Shabana Mahmood to unveil tighter rules for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in BritainView the full article

Doug Ostermann’s resignation follows announcement of temporary production halt at six European plantsView the full article

Delivering feedback as a leader can feel challenging, but with the right training and awareness, you can set yourself up for success. In this article, industry leaders share the common mistakes they’ve observed and practical tips that can help you communicate feedback more effectively and constructively to foster a more productive work environment. Focus on Behavior, Not Character When feedback judges the individual—and not the action—a poor outcome is almost guaranteed. “You’re not a team player” is an example of feedback that makes an assertion about a person’s character. The receiver of this feedback is likely to experience a “fight, flight, or freeze” response because the feedback conversation has just become deeply personal. As a result, the feedback will not be heard by the receiver and therefore misses the opportunity to promote learning, growth, or improvement. Moreover, the leader has lost trust and credibility with the receiver when a different approach could have strengthened the relationship. Conversely, when feedback focuses on the observable behavior and the impact of that behavior—and not the individual’s character, personality, or worth—the conversation looks and feels different. For example: “In today’s meeting, you talked over your colleagues on three separate occasions,” gives the receiver the context for the feedback and the observable behavior. “The effect was that half of the team stopped participating, which means we’re missing their input and we aren’t creating the conditions for our best work,” describes the impact of that behavior on the organization. When the feedback is behavior-focused, the receiver is better positioned to stay open to the message and is more likely to understand how to change their behavior in the future. Nancy McGuire Choi, Chief Operating Officer, The Nebo Company Use the ‘SBI-A’ Model for Effective Feedback Delivering difficult feedback is one of the most common skills we are brought in to teach leaders. A common mistake I see leaders make when delivering feedback is relying on the outdated “sandwich method” where they wrap constructive criticism between two pieces of praise. While it might feel kinder, in practice it often backfires. Unskilled leaders end up glazing over the constructive feedback and confusing people about the real message, making it seem like the issue isn’t a big deal. A far more effective strategy is the SBI-A model: Situation, Behavior, Impact, Alternative. Start by describing the situation and the specific behavior you observed. Do not assume you know their intention. Then, explain the impact of that behavior on the team, the work, or the organization. You may offer them a chance to explain their intention. Finally, offer an alternative for how the situation could be approached differently in the future. SBI-A Example: Situation: “In yesterday’s team meeting . . .” Behavior: “. . . you interrupted two colleagues before they finished sharing their points.” Impact: “When that happened, others shut down and we lost potentially valuable contributions.” Alternative: “Next time, please try to pause and let others finish before jumping in with your perspective.” This method keeps feedback specific, actionable, and free from mixed messages. Bailey Parnell, Founder & CEO, SkillsCamp Adopt Data-Driven Framework to Externalize Feedback The most damaging mistake leaders make when delivering feedback is emotional transference. This happens when the leader, feeling anxious or uncomfortable about the potential for conflict, unconsciously makes the feedback about their own feelings rather than the employee’s growth. Instead of a calm, objective conversation, it becomes an emotional event where the employee is forced to manage not only the feedback but also the leader’s discomfort. The focus shifts from the employee’s behavior to the leader’s emotional state, which immediately triggers defensiveness and erodes trust while eliciting in many cases an emotional response from the employee. The most practical tip to avoid this is to adopt a simple, data-driven framework that externalizes the feedback, making it objective and actionable. One way to think about this is, “Beyond the emotions, you are okay, don’t shrink from action.” I also recommend the SBI-A Model to help with this. Ultimately, this structure allows a leader to live the principle that clarity is kindness. By providing a clear, factual account of the situation, the behavior, and its impact, you give your employee the gift of awareness and a clear choice about the impact they want to create going forward. You owe that to your people, to lead. Beverly Flores, Founder & CEO, Thyme Out Consulting Balance Empathy and Directness in Feedback A common pitfall when providing feedback is failing to strike a balance between being empathetic and direct. To address this issue, I’ve adopted the radical candor approach, which has now become integral to my company’s culture. It helps find the middle ground between ignoring people’s feelings, which only strengthens misunderstandings, and being overly concerned about the emotional side, which may prevent one from actually communicating change and creating an environment for growth. We have an internal saying that reflects our culture: every team member can take any feedback but strives to provide the best possible. In this equation, “the best possible” stands for honest, detailed, and thoughtful feedback, and should not, in any case, be mistaken for merely pleasant enough to avoid conflict. The game changer for any leader is also being ready to ask for and receive feedback before giving it to the team. Such a first step boosts trust and maximizes the value of any input that follows. This approach also contributes to a leader-leader model, empowering everyone, regardless of their role, to contribute ideas, drive innovation, learn from mistakes, take 100% responsibility for the results, and choose an “intend to” perspective instead of waiting for instructions. Anton Pavlovsky, Founder and CEO, Headway Inc Allow Time for Reflection Before Correction The greatest feedback mistake that leaders make is addressing issues on the spot rather than hearing the person out first during emotional moments. When a caregiver commits a mistake, healthcare managers tend to move directly to corrective action, which leads to defensiveness that inhibits learning. Military aviation led me to understand that debriefing is more effective than on-the-job correction since individuals require time to digest what occurred before they can internalize instructions. The best way to provide feedback is by requesting the individual to discuss their thought process before you give them your observations. When a nurse makes a wrong decision when prescribing medication, the prompt, “Walk me through your decision-making,” will help identify a lack of knowledge, system malfunction, or external factors. This approach has helped us retain 34% more of our staff in 18 months since employees feel that they are heard and not judged. Stephen Huber, President and Founder, Home Care Providers Address One Issue at a Time The most frequent fault that I commit as a leader is that I often present feedback in the form of a performance audit rather than a conversation. I will sit down with someone and lay out a laundry list of problems, throwing everything out there simultaneously regardless of the context or time. I learned this lesson the hard way at the beginning of my career with a junior developer who failed to meet project deadlines. Rather than addressing the pattern in the moment, I accumulated all the missed deadlines to review during our monthly check-in. Both of us got bogged down in the conversation, and nothing fruitful was achieved. My practical trick: The rule of one thing. Identify which single issue is the most significant and should be addressed, then talk about it within 48 hours of realizing it happened. Do not use the feedback sandwich technique. Here is what works: “I observed that the API documentation for the client project was three days late. Can you explain to me how that happened so that we can avoid this in the future?” Then be quiet and listen. This short-term intensive approach has reshaped my team’s response to directions. The reality is that people actually make changes because they are not overwhelmed by several areas of improvement in parallel. The discussion is not controlling, and each problem is solved before it escalates to more serious issues. Rahul Jaiswal, Project Manager, Geeks Programming Transform Feedback into Two-Way Conversations One common mistake I see leaders make is treating feedback as a one-time “download” instead of a two-way conversation. Sometimes leaders deliver feedback as a type of verdict, something they need to get through quickly, versus an opportunity to build trust, alignment, and growth. If the leader’s feedback feels transactional, the employee’s curiosity and motivation shut down, which makes their morale plummet. A practical tip: Shift from “performance policing” to “partnership.” Instead of telling someone what they did wrong, frame feedback as a two-way exploration. “Here’s what I noticed. How did it feel from your side?” This simple shift transforms feedback into a two-way conversation that helps the other person feel seen and engaged in cocreating the path forward. It builds trust, alignment, and growth, and increases performance, morale, and retention. Anu Mandapati, CEO, Qultured Connect Feedback to Future Growth One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is delivering feedback without pointing to the real issue and without connecting that issue to the future. Too often, feedback gets stuck in the past, focused on what went wrong as opposed to being framed as an act of service to help someone grow. Leaders may avoid conflict, downplay their message, or fail to highlight the one key behavior that needs to change to drive progress. However, people care about their growth, their development, and their impact. That’s why effective feedback must be more than vague commentary. It should be grounded in direct observation, placed in context, and connected to future outcomes. Done well, feedback answers three questions for the person receiving it: Why does this matter? Why should I care? And how will this help me develop? When leaders approach feedback this way, they transform it from a judgment about the past into a catalyst for growth and impact. Dr. Isabel Bilotta, Director, People & Performance, Deutser Provide Clear Accountability in Feedback A big mistake that I see leaders make, including myself, is providing feedback without accountability. Let’s say a direct report comes to you to tell you that they’ve completed a particular task, you have a look, and see that there are problems. Maybe those problems can be regarded as errors, or maybe you’ve seen what they’ve accomplished, love it, and want them to continue. Doesn’t matter. When providing feedback or other guidance, a good leader makes sure to include the who, what, and when. Who should do the work? What should that work entail? And when should it be completed? The “who” when you’re meeting with someone one-on-one is usually evident, but not always. Some leaders have a habit of speaking very passively and use language like, “We should be sure to do X, Y, and Z,” without clarifying who “we” is. Simple fix: change “we” to “you.” The “what” is usually pretty well-defined, too, but not always. A manager who says, “I’d like to see improvement in how you do X,” should be more specific. Better to say, “I’m glad that you’re making 40 sales calls a week, but I need that to be 60.” The “when” is very often forgotten. To the manager, it might seem obvious: as soon as practicable or even possible. But that begs the question of what is practicable or even possible. Prioritization is something that the manager should better understand than the direct report, as the manager should better understand how the work fits into the overall picture. “I’d like you to be making 60 sales calls a week by the end of this month,” is a good approach. Steven Rothberg, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer, College Recruiter Apply ‘Theory of Mind’ in Feedback One mistake leaders often make when delivering feedback is failing to apply Theory of Mind—the capacity to discern and interpret others’ mental states, including beliefs, intentions, emotions, and desires. ToM helps leaders anticipate how recipients will interpret feedback and their emotional responses, influencing whether they actually “receive” it or reject it. Most of us have likely been in a situation where our supervisor gave feedback that felt one-sided, cold, and devoid of any indication that they took even a moment to consider our perspectives. When this happens, we typically question the legitimacy of the communication. Leaders and those entrusted in their care co-construct meanings during feedback conversations. These conversations should be co-constructed dialogues, not one-way communications that violate relational trust. Applying ToM is critical to maintaining positive relationships and momentum toward goal achievement. I recommend that leaders conduct a “Mental Model Check” before engaging in feedback discussions. They should pause and ask themselves: “What is the goal of my feedback?” “What, specifically, am I hoping to achieve through this conversation?” “How will this serve the person?” “What might be influencing this person’s current capacity to receive feedback (e.g., stress levels, recent events, workload)?” After establishing their intentions and how the feedback will support the person receiving it, leaders should further reflect: “What is this person probably feeling and thinking about [insert the feedback topic]?” “What do I know about how they take in and process information?” “What do they need from me to trust that I intend to help them?” “What must I do to adapt my communication to their preferences?” After considering these aspects, leaders should open the conversation with an invitation to dialogue that frames the person as an equal participant. They might try something like, “Help me see your perspective on [situation]. I want to gain a better understanding of your point of view. What did you have in mind when [specific incident] happened?” Thinking through these kinds of questions stretches one’s empathy and forces leaders to imagine the other person’s thoughts and emotions before presenting their own view. This approach can go a long way in preventing misunderstandings and strengthening trust in working relationships. Sandra Buatti-Ramos, Founder, Hyphen Innovation Avoid Humor When Delivering Feedback Even though it is well-intentioned, trying to ease tension or make the conversation less awkward usually backfires. When feedback is wrapped in jokes, employees often leave the conversation uncertain about whether the concerns raised were genuine or just casual banter. This ambiguity can lead them to question if their work or mistakes are being taken seriously, ultimately eroding trust. In some instances, what the leader intends as lighthearted can actually come across as dismissive or demeaning. A more effective approach is straightforward, respectful communication. I recommend focusing feedback on specific behaviors and their outcomes, completely avoiding jokes or sarcasm. Rather than saying with a chuckle, “Well, that report was a bit of a disaster,” try: “The report contained several errors that created confusion for the client. Let’s discuss how to prevent this in the future.” This delivers feedback that is constructive, actionable, and clearly communicates the seriousness of the matter. In my experience, employees consistently respond better to honest, respectful feedback than to humor that obscures the essential message. Dimi Baitanciuc, Co-Founder & CEO, Brizy.io Request Specific Feedback for Improvement “Grow through feedback” is one of our company values, and we truly stand by it! We rely on feedback to build trust, hold each other accountable, and improve our work. We also encourage all teammates (especially managers and leaders) to develop a habit of regularly giving and asking for specific 360-degree feedback, both strengths (glows) and areas for improvement (grows). One common mistake I’ve seen leaders make is not being specific enough in their feedback requests. It’s challenging to provide meaningful input when the request is too broad: “Do you have any feedback about my work in the last quarter?” or, “Here’s a document; let me know what you think.” It’s much easier to respond to a focused prompt. For example: “From your perspective, what went well and what could have been improved about my planning and execution of our GTM Hackathon?” Or: “Do you think the questions I highlighted in yellow will drive a healthy debate between RevOps and Data on ownership?” Specificity makes the feedback process far more productive. The practical tip: be specific, consistent, and timely. Feedback doesn’t have to be lengthy or intense. Simply acknowledge the behavior and its impact, then follow up with a question or request. These quick moments of feedback, given regularly, build trust and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Over time, both leaders and their teams grow stronger because feedback becomes not a rare event, but a normal part of how you work together. Julianna Kobs, Executive Business Partner, Zapier Tailor Feedback to Project Stage One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen leaders make is giving feedback that isn’t appropriate to the stage of the project. Feedback during the brainstorming phase should look very different from feedback given on a project that is mid-stage or near completion. To be constructive, leaders need to understand the timelines their team members are working under. A team member might be juggling multiple deadlines, coordinating efforts with others, or navigating variables outside their control. For example, feedback suggesting a major overhaul should take into account the time and opportunity cost involved, particularly if the person is accountable to other stakeholders. On the other hand, feedback that is overly narrow or prescriptive when a project still needs big-picture direction can be just as unhelpful. Surface-level details may be the first things to stand out, but effective leaders know how to prioritize feedback that drives progress at the right stage. Effective feedback should be calibrated to the project’s context and framed as clear, specific, and actionable next steps. Luke Marsh, CMO, Innago Encourage Honest Feedback for Team Success I once asked our customer service team lead to share feedback on the manager. The manager was a recent hire, while the team leader had been with us for more than three years. She decided to be kind and didn’t give the objective truth. The manager’s performance deteriorated, which negatively affected team morale. We received more requests for paid time off and mental health days. We were forced to hire part-time workers to meet deadlines, incurring an extra expense. Employees were clashing with each other, and we only learned about this during the team lead’s exit interview. She shared the objective comments on the manager that she would have given months ago. It is okay to want to be kind and have your coworkers’ backs. However, when we ask for feedback, we are not asking for it as a form of punishment. We want to know areas that need our attention, training, or improvement to enhance our services and team spirit. Jacky Fischer, CEO, 3 Men Movers View the full article

Here are two high-level truths essential to understanding the present and future of robotics. First, we want robots to work for us. Second, when it comes to work, humans have three historical blueprints for recruiting labor: animals, through the process of domestication; other humans, through employment, but also subjugation and outright enslavement; and machines, through the development of physical systems for performing actions. Why does this matter to understanding the present and future of robotics? While we’ve created an astonishing diversity of machines in the broadest sense, those first two blueprints for recruited labor—animals and other humans—have so far dominated our conception of robots. Today our most celebrated robots, all of them marvels of design and engineering, are machine evolutions of animals and other humans. You can see the echoes of those same dogs and draft animals we recruited as labor thousands of years ago in this dog and this dog, another dog, and this mule. And you can see our adoration of humanoid robots in Agility Robotics’ Digit, Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, Tesla’s Optimus, and Unitree’s G1. There are straightforward reasons for this. First, as a species we’ve done a lot of work designing the world for us and our animal helpers, so it makes sense to design robots resembling ourselves and those animals for work in those spaces. As an example, this humanoid robot from Under Control Robotics is designed to work alongside humans in human workplaces such as warehouses and construction sites, a machine enhancement of human-like capabilities. Second, we have an innate tendency in our psychology toward anthropomorphism. Our brains are hardwired through evolutionary adaptation to discern complex social signals. A major reverberation of this adaptation is that we tend to anthropomorphize the stuff around us, affixing human characteristics to non-human things. It’s why we have trains with faces in Thomas & Friends and why Star Wars’ C-3PO—a machine—is anxious and chatty. It’s also why many people name their cars and Roomba vacuum cleaners. The pivot Here’s the pivot ahead, though: there are important spaces in our future that aren’t designed for us. Anthropomorphized animal- and human-like robots are designed to replicate human and animal capabilities, but those capabilities are based on physiologies that don’t have the same advantages for work in outer space, in oceans, on the blades of wind turbines, or inside volcanoes. While nature certainly has many highly specialized adaptations, the physiologies of humans and animals are simply not made for maneuvering inside gas and water pipes; they can’t be dropped from aircraft without parachutes or thrown into battlefields; they aren’t well-suited for fighting lithium battery fires inside a landfill. Humanoid and animal-inspired robots also tend to be complex, power-hungry, and expensive—unhelpful traits for the scale of work we’ll need them to do. For these kinds of work, our future needs weird robots. This means radically self-reliant robots with unconventional form factors designed to work in extreme environments. Here are three speculative, weird robots we’ll need in the near future. Space Ball Multiple companies are currently building low-Earth orbit space stations that will continue human presence in space beyond the International Space Station’s planned decommissioning in 2030. A big promise of these commercial endeavors is the opportunity to conduct science experiments in space for industries developing advanced materials, medicine, and other technologies. Tending to these experiments where there’s no air or atmosphere will require robotic form factors capable of maneuvering in zero gravity and operating in temperatures that fluctuate between negative 85° Fahrenheit and 257° Fahrenheit. What might that look like? A spherical robot, applying electrostatic forces to affix itself to surfaces, with a dexterous array of pivoting grippers, sensors, and cameras that emerge when it’s not rolling from one spot to another. Here on earth, this same kind of robot might someday help search and rescue teams conduct reconnaissance by rolling across steep and rugged terrain in any kind of weather and at night—conditions in which it’s not safe for human and canine teams to work. Seabed Seeder Seagrass meadows, which are highly effective “blue carbon” sinks, also play outsized roles in protecting coastlines from storm surges, improving water quality, and nurturing commercial fish stocks. Those roles will only grow in importance as we work to mitigate the effects of climate change. Globally, we’ve already lost nearly 30% of seagrass meadows and we’re currently losing about 7% each year. Reversing that through restoration will require planting roughly two football fields of seagrass every hour. Planting native seagrass, while also removing invasive seagrass species, will require robots capable of working across underwater terrain in dynamic currents for long periods of time. What might that look like? An aquatic planter with independently sensing legs, topped with a helix-like underwater turbine to self-generate power from the currents. This same kind of robot might eventually patrol urban waterways, removing trash and plastic waste before it can reach our oceans. Bridge Blob There are more than 600,000 bridges in the United States and approximately a third of them are designated “structurally deficient” as of 2024. Those bridges are crossed by 168.5 million motorists every day. At the present rate of repair, it’ll take more than 50 years to fix these bridges, so we’re going to need a lot of help. While the bulk of research into particle-armored liquid robots is focused on biomedical applications, their unique properties—capable of navigating tiny fissures in concrete and other materials, enduring harsh conditions, and yet deformable—means they could eventually be used with bridges to inspect, apply coatings, and remove contaminants. What might that look like? Thousands of tiny armored blobs working mostly unseen to help bridges and other big infrastructure self-heal. Farther into the future, this same kind of robot might continuously clean your home’s roof, windows, and siding, working year-round to remove moss, algae, and dirt—no ladders required. View the full article

Deal with Dar Global comes as US president’s organisation seeks to expand footprint in Gulf regionView the full article

Reeves to speak after paving way for tax risesView the full article

Experience sharpens judgment, boosts productivity, and teaches lessons that only come from years on the job. Yet, despite its value, companies continue to undervalue those with the most experience to offer. Employers have spent the past decade championing inclusivity. Yet, our latest survey of 1,000 Americans over 50 by DateMyAge found that 73% of over-50s feel treated as if their best years are already behind them, and 62% believe that employers have written them off professionally. Ageism isn’t just a workplace issue. It’s a cultural one. We wanted to explore it more deeply to challenge the idea that life and ambition have an expiration date. Age bias, sometimes subtle but often not, presents a stubborn barrier for those in midlife. Companies ask questions about retirement plans rather than career goals, neglect to provide learning and training opportunities, and quietly exclude them from office social events. It’s no wonder loneliness, depression, and low self-worth are rampant among older workers. Bias is discouraging, but you cannot let it bring your career to a sudden halt. Talent doesn’t have an expiration date. If you want to prove it, you need to maintain business as usual. That means growing, contributing, and delivering value. You need to show that age is just a number. Maintain your worth The older you get, the more people assume you’ve fallen behind. The best way to challenge this assumption is to be the person who knows everything. That means anticipating competitor moves, industry trends, and regulatory changes before they hit the headlines. And don’t let your title confine you. Job descriptions don’t stay static, and neither should you. Look at what’s leading change in your industry—whether that’s artificial intelligence, sustainability, geopolitics, or something else—and identify the skills and knowledge that will deliver the most value to your employer. Not only does this keep you relevant, but it also rebrands you as someone who adapts, innovates, and grows, regardless of age. Interestingly, a study published in Experimental Aging Research shows that while the workplace is rife with implicit age bias, explicit bias is far less common. This suggests that these attitudes are unconscious, and those who display unconscious bias are often far more open to working on it. When you demonstrate that your knowledge is sharper than ever (and that you’re committed to evolving your skills), you leave little room for the assumption that you’re past your prime. You will likely find that your colleagues’ perceptions will shift quickly. Deliver business-critical value The reality is, nearly all older workers have their professional development stunted by ageism. And, sadly, I’ve seen too many senior professionals fall into the trap of setting learning aside and accepting their time is near, which only fuels the belief that they’re coasting towards retirement. But instead of accepting ageism as fate, you should use it as motivation. Be the one pushing for training opportunities, designing new processes, piloting new technology, and calling for collaboration across departments. When you’re visibly driving progress, you’re making an impact that’s hard to discredit, especially when it delivers business-critical value. Whether it’s growing revenue, cutting costs, or increasing market share, focus on delivering measurable impact. Even a modest process improvement could save your employer millions, and value speaks louder than stereotypes. If the numbers are positive, nobody will question how old you are. They’ll be asking what more you can deliver. Shape your company’s future Getting involved in projects that will shape the company over the next decade isn’t just a way to stay busy; it’s a way to stay relevant. Whether that’s market expansions, transformation initiatives, or sustainability programs, these are high-impact areas where your experience can make a measurable difference. And when you’re actively involved in building the future, nobody can question whether you’re stuck in the past. Mentorship is another way to provide value that only employees with years of experience can offer. In exchange, by connecting with colleagues across generations, you gain insight into emerging trends, evolving tools, and fresh perspectives, which creates an opportunity for everyone to learn and grow. And with a clear view of the up-and-coming talent, you can take ownership of planning for your exit. Retirement is inevitable, but it should be on your own terms. Rather than waiting for management to make the call about your future, be proactive in guiding and developing your eventual replacement. Doing so demonstrates that you don’t intend on sticking around past your time, but that your mind is still firmly focused on fulfilling your duties, rather than planning for your future away from the workplace. Overcoming age bias requires hard work In an ideal world, age bias would have no place in the office. Unfortunately, that isn’t reality, but you cannot let bias dictate your path. If you slow down, step aside, and stop trying, you’re unfortunately only confirming the assumptions others have made about you. The best approach is to pull up your socks, show your resilience, and get to work. Every time you take on a high-value project, teach a younger colleague something new, and contribute positively to the balance sheet, you’re sending a clear message: Age is no measure of ability. View the full article

Despite being one of the most celebrated and influential architects of all time, Frank Lloyd Wright has never had what may be one of the top indicators of cultural importance: a Hollywood biopic. That may soon change, as the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has recently struck a licensing deal with Hollywood production company Galisteo Media to bring Wright’s story to the big screen as a movie. “He was the greatest American architect. He was incredibly ambitious and headstrong and visionary. He also was a flawed person, and his life was filled with triumph and tragedy,” says Rob Rosenheck, cofounder of Galisteo Media. “This is a big gap in American popular culture that we don’t have a feature film about Frank Lloyd Wright.” Galisteo’s deal focuses on the 1920s, a period in Wright’s life when he relocated to Los Angeles and embarked on a series of innovative residential designs. Designed using novel textured concrete blocks, these homes came to be known as Mayan revival architecture and launched a nationwide trend throughout the ’20s and ’30s. This was also a turning point in the life of Wright, who died in 1959 at the age of 91. Wright had gone West in his early 50s in the wake of the devastating 1914 tragedy in which his mistress and six other people were murdered in Wright’s Wisconsin home, Taliesin. “The murders at Taliesin are a critical moment in Wright’s path,” says Rosenheck. “They’re an essential part of the story, and they are the inciting incident that propels him toward coming to Los Angeles.” Wright’s time in L.A. was transformative, leading to a reinvention of his approach to architecture that resulted in some of his most famous work, from the Mayan revival homes to the Guggenheim Museum and Fallingwater. Rosenheck and Gailsteo Media cofounder Cindy Capobianco are intimately familiar with Wright’s works from this era. Since 2019, they’ve owned and lived in the Ennis House, a Wright-designed private residence from 1924 located in the Loz Feliz area of Los Angeles. Known for its appearance in the film Blade Runner, it was one of the four textile block homes Wright built in the Los Angeles area during this period. When Rosenheck and Capobianco bought the house from billionaire Ron Burkle for $18 million, it was the highest price ever paid for a Wright-designed residence. And the house had some baggage. Its concrete block construction method, while innovative in the early 1920s, was prone to structural decay, especially after sustaining significant damage in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Rosenheck and Capobianco, founders of Lord Jones, an early cannabis company that helped establish the market for cannabis and CBD-infused health and wellness products, had the means to keep the historic house in good shape. The couple also has experience in the film industry. Their production company was behind Lover of Men, a 2024 documentary film exploring Abraham Lincoln’s romantic relationships with men. Living in a Wright house and learning more about his life and work, they were surprised to realize there had never been a feature film about him. “It just was natural for us to think about producing a film about the life and work of Frank Lloyd Wright,” says Rosenheck. As stewards of the Ennis House, Rosenheck and Capobianco have an ongoing relationship with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. They began talks about a potential licensing deal last year. In July, the two groups announced that they’d reached a deal for Galisteo to have exclusive rights to produce content about Wright’s life, focusing on the period of his life in Los Angeles. Galisteo declined to share details on the financial terms of the deal. “Engaging in new media is not only beneficial in terms of shining a light and making people aware of Wright and his significance, and really ongoing contributions to architecture and the built environment. But it’s also resonant with Wright himself. He was a person that engaged robustly with media,” says Joseph Specter, CEO and president of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. That ethos is behind other partnerships the foundation has made in recent years. The organization has made a varied range of licensing deals celebrating and expanding the work of Wright, collaborating with brands including Airstream, Steelcase, and New Balance. Specter says this is the first licensing deal focused specifically on storytelling. “The similarities between those licensing deals and a project like this are about creating awareness, excitement, and deeper understanding about who he was, and how his work even affects our lives today,” says Specter. A former professional opera singer who ran the Arizona Opera for a decade before joining the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation earlier this year, Specter says he is not nervous about handing Wright’s life story to filmmakers. “What I found most exciting about that work was to empower people who were creators, directors, designers, choreographers, and ultimately performers to do their best work,” he says. Rosenheck says Galisteo has developed a treatment for a feature film about Wright and he has been meeting with writers, directors, and actors to try to find the right collaborators for a project. He’s optimistic a film could be in the works soon, as well as other projects, from TV series to podcasts. “Everyone’s aware of Frank Lloyd Wright. Everyone’s aware that this story has not yet been told, and it’s been on people’s wish lists,” he says. “Every time we talk to an actor or a director or a writer, everybody has a vision for it, everybody has passion for it. And everybody understands the stakes that are involved in getting the story right.” View the full article

The real AI story in most organizations isn’t about algorithms; it’s about habits. New tools arrive with impressive demonstrations and confident promises, yet the day-to-day routines that decide what gets attention, who can take a risk, and what counts as a “good job” tend to remain the same. Leaders set up special units, roll out training, or look for quick savings, only to find that the old culture quietly resets the terms. When that happens, early gains fade, adoption stalls, and cynicism grows. This article draws on our forthcoming book to look at three recurring myths that help prop up existing cultures and prevent the deep transformations that are needed to support successful AI implementations. Transforming a business to make the most of AI means moving past these comfortable stories and changing the conditions under which the whole organization works. Myth 1: ‘Innovation Units Will Save Us’ After five years of operation, the U.K.’s Government Digital Service (GDS) seemed untouchable. Created in 2011, the GDS revolutionized Britain’s digital services. With the goal of reenvisioning “government as a platform,” it consolidated hundreds of websites into a single, easy-to-use portal, cut waste by forcing departments to unify their platforms, and showed that, with the right attitude, even government agencies could move with the speed of a startup. In 2016, the U.K.’s digital services were ranked the best in the world. Yet by 2020, the GDS had disappeared as a force within the U.K. government. This pattern repeats regularly across corporate innovation labs: create an elite unit, give it special rules, celebrate early wins, watch it die. An innovation unit can deliver extraordinary results so long as it has senior leadership protection, free-flowing resources, and an internal culture that attracts exceptional talent. But the model also contains the seeds of its own demise. The outsider status that enables breakthrough innovation makes large-scale sustainability nearly impossible. When executive sponsors move on, the shield drops, and organizational antibodies start reasserting cultural norms. This predictable lifecycle applies to AI-focused teams as much as those driving any other type of technological change. Leadership transitions are inevitable. New executives question special rules. The innovation unit that draws its power from being outside the system gets pulled back in again, and the flow of novel ideas slows to a trickle. The lesson to take from this isn’t that we should abandon innovation units—it’s that we should use them strategically and follow up on the gains they make. Innovation units should be seen as catalysts, not permanent solutions. While these teams are forging ahead with quick wins and proving new approaches, organizations also need to transform their broader culture in parallel. The goal shouldn’t be protecting the innovation unit indefinitely but aligning organizational culture with the innovative approaches it pioneers. If innovation units are sparks, culture is the oxygen. You need both—at the same time—or the flame dies. Myth 2: “Our People Just Need Training” Companies spend millions teaching employees to use AI tools, then wonder why transformation never happens. The reason is that the underlying problem isn’t just about skills—it’s about the imagination needed to use them effectively. You can train your workforce to operate the new technology, but you can’t train them to be excited about it or to care where it will take the business. That requires change at the cultural level. When it comes to AI, the real gap is conceptual, not technical. Employees need to shift from seeing AI as a better calculator to understanding the role it can play as a thought partner. This requires more than tutorials. It means showcasing how AI can transform workflows and then rewarding its creative use. Show a sales team how AI can predict client needs before calls, not just transcribe them afterward. Demonstrate how legal teams can shift from document review to strategic counseling. When organizations tell employees to “use the tools” but don’t change the social norms around using them, people can be punished for doing exactly what leadership asked. A recent experiment with 1,026 software engineers found that when reviewers believed code was produced with AI assistance, they rated the author’s competence lower by about 9% even though the work was identical. Even more concerning was that the penalty was larger for women and older engineers, groups who tended to be treated negatively in assessments already. In a companion survey of 919 engineers, many reported hesitating to use AI for fear that adoption would be read as a lack of skill—illustrating why access and training don’t translate into uptake when the culture signals that visible AI use will harm credibility. Myth 3: “AI Makes It Easy to Slim Down the Workforce” There’s a seductive promise being sold to companies right now. The way to realize AI’s value is simply to replace as many workers as you can. Fire half your staff, pocket the savings, let machines handle the rest. Simple arithmetic for simple minds. The messy truth is that AI can and will replace many human jobs, but it won’t do it cleanly and it won’t do it easily. In most cases, the idea that you can simply swap out the human component and replace it with a machine just doesn’t work. Humans work together as parts of multilayered social structures that have evolved as ecosystems. It’s often the case that if you change one part, there will be major consequences for another. If we rush into automation too quickly, we risk pulling away the pillars that hold the whole structure up. Think about the tedious hours that junior analysts spend cleaning data, checking figures, and building models from scratch. Or the work a newly appointed manager will do overseeing performance and filling in paperwork. We call it grunt work, but it’s actually how humans develop the skills they will need in more senior roles. Take away the entry-level jobs and you lose the career path that delivers the highly skilled senior leaders you need. Allow AI-powered “deskilling” to take place and you lose the human judgment and oversight that institutions rely on. Klarna’s trajectory shows both sides of this equation. In early 2024, its AI assistant handled two-thirds of customer chats, delivering resolution times under two minutes and a 25% drop in repeat inquiries. By 2025, Klarna’s leadership was publicly acknowledging the limits of an AI-only approach and began reopening human roles and emphasizing the customer experience alongside automation. The real question isn’t how many people you can eliminate. For effective AI implementation, you need to understand that humans make essential contributions that don’t appear in their job descriptions. The Culture Transformation Playbook: Fixing the Myths Culture change depends on habits, incentives, and expectations, not just adding new tools. The playbook that follows presents concrete steps that leaders can take now to avoid the pitfalls many companies are running into. Run Parallel Transformations (Fixes Myth 1). The innovation unit delivers quick wins while a separate initiative transforms broader culture. These must happen simultaneously, not sequentially. Use the innovation unit’s protected status and early victories to create organizational belief in change but invest equally in preparing the mainline culture for what’s coming. Without parallel tracks, the innovation unit becomes an isolated island of excellence that will eventually be washed away. Transform the Middle Layer (Fixes Myth 2). Middle managers are the real gatekeepers of culture change. Stop wasting energy trying to convert skeptics. Instead, identify the curious and give them authority to experiment, budget to fail, and cover from meeting traditional metrics. Try giving selected managers a micro-charter to implement change in their team, along with a weekly “show-the-work” session (what AI was used, what was accepted or overruled, and why) to share what they’ve learned with peers. Build Alternative Learning Paths (Fixes Myth 3). If AI eliminates the experiences that build judgment, you must consciously re-create them. High-fidelity simulations, rotation programs, and “human days” working without AI become existential necessities. Explicitly preserve activities that develop pattern recognition and business instinct. The investment might seem wasteful until you realize the alternative is a workforce that can operate tools but can’t respond when something breaks. The Choice Culture transformation is harder than technology implementation. It’s messier, slower, and impossible to fully control. Most companies will choose the easy path: buy the AI, train on the tools, create an innovation lab, and hope for the best. The few who choose the hard path—parallel transformation, cultural evolution, preserved learning experiences—will gain powerful competitive advantages. They’ll have workforces that don’t just use AI but think with it, cultures that don’t just tolerate change but expect it, and organizations that don’t just survive disruption but drive it. View the full article

There has been a lot of chatter about A24’s takeover of the Cherry Lane Theatre. What might seem a quirky side project for the independent studio known for Lady Bird, Uncut Gems, and Hereditary is in reality a sharp, shrewd move in an industry facing disruption and streaming fatigue. Live performance is one of the few cultural experiences that can’t be automated, replicated, or played on demand. By stepping into theater, A24 is hedging against an AI-saturated future while also deepening its cultural footprint. When the deal was first announced in late 2023, the scuttlebutt was rooted in practicalities. “It’s all about creative synergies,” was one refrain. “They’re diversifying their revenue streams to help offset the volatility of the film business.” “Theatre is more predictable than film.” “They can test out new stories in a low-risk environment.” These were all valid comments, sure, but then a close friend and accomplished film industry executive said something that really piqued my interest. “I wonder if they are further differentiating themselves in the market by building a futureproof brand.” Aha! Now we were getting somewhere. A powerful brand Coming from the branding world, I may be biased. Or perhaps just acutely aware when I sense a company doing something out of the norm. A24 certainly fits the bill. To start, the story it’s looking to tell, its role in the industry, and how it wishes to be perceived are markedly different from the other studios. As a result, it has a growing community of acolytes who identify with it and love it for that. These are trademarks of a powerful brand. Michelle YeohEverything Everywhere All at Once Most studios understand that their franchises are brands that they can build around, but when it comes to themselves, there is little to no attention given to an overarching narrative about what they stand for. To a branding person, this is perplexing. There is only one other industry that comes to mind that acts like this: Big Pharma. The drug companies seem to care that their patients know their drugs by name (think Lipitor, Prilosec, Viagra, Prozac) but less about how they themselves are perceived. Adam SanderUncut Gems A24 is different. It is one of the very few in Hollywood that seems to be building a truly beloved brand. Do this simple test at home. When “A24” flashes up on the screen at the start of a movie, does it mean something to you? Does it affect your perception of what is to come? Like me, do you even get warm and giddy inside? Florence PughMidsommar Perhaps deep down, we all understand that A24 is all about exceptional, original, creative content. The questions one might ask are: How is it going about building a world-class brand? And why does that matter? A$AP RockyRose ByrneIf I Had Legs I’d Kick You Content is still king One simple idea prevails in our fast-evolving world: Creativity wins. And increasingly so. The adage “content is king” has been floated around the entertainment industry over the years. And yet, for whatever reason, it seems to get forgotten with every new business cycle. In its place, I’m hearing things like, “We’re leveraging AI-driven audience analytics and predictive modeling algorithms to revolutionize content creation through real-time sentiment optimization” and “it’s a complete paradigm shift that democratizes storytelling via data-driven narrative matrices.” Paul RuddJenna OrtegaDeath of a Unicorn It’s becoming readily apparent that the general public doesn’t want an AI-generated model in their Guess ads, or a machine-generated song that Nirvana could have written. Audiences want to be surprised and delighted with new, fresh, exciting content. A24’s brand is synonymous with creativity, and younger movie lovers inherently understand this. The brands that matter most today are those that are daring. Anyone who has seen On’s “Zone Dreamer” campaign with Zendaya floating around in outer space knows what I mean. The Big Five studios are publicly traded, and so by nature forced to drive revenue for shareholders and to mitigate risk (the yin to daring’s yang). Ironically though, the greatest historical payoffs in Hollywood, either on a % basis or through expansion into other verticals, are those that have taken calculated risks. A24 exemplifies that spirit today, with the Cherry Lane acquisition its latest proof point. Dwayne JohnsonThe Smashing Machine Daring creativity Another key tenet to building a strong studio brand has to do with the same advice as I give to all the companies and institutions we work with: “Do what the robots can’t.” At its core, this is a euphemism for fostering human interaction. That matters especially now. The U.S. surgeon general recently declared a “loneliness epidemic.” In this context, A24 isn’t just buying a building, it’s investing in the kind of in-person experiences people are craving. Whether actively or intuitively, A24 is building an increasingly powerful brand that stands for daring creativity. Believed and beloved, it has established a cultlike following that subscribes to this world it’s creating, a world that gives it license to expand into any line of business that stands for the same. The Cherry Lane is a fascinating early move that insulates the company from a future saturated with AI. The question is whether others will follow suit. Will studios also see an opportunity to congregate people, perhaps by incorporating next-generation movie theater experiences into their businesses? Could they blend hospitality and entertainment through partnerships that deliver immersive venues? The door is open . . . and A24 is first through it. View the full article

Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., led a group of congressional Democrats in a letter to bank regulators telling them that loosening capital rules wouldn't improve the Treasury market's functioning. View the full article

“Climate tech” isn’t a thing. It has shifted in recent years from a category to define clean energy companies to an umbrella phrase that loses meaning the more we use it. Granted, the term is everywhere: inserted into VC pitch decks, plastered on billboards along highways from San Francisco to Austin to Boston, wedged into government policy papers, and featured prominently on conference agendas. Media properties from CNBC to GreenBiz rely on it as a traffic-driving category. And there’s a reason why. A changing climate is the most complex and vast challenge and opportunity confronting our society today. That also means we can’t afford ambiguity. We need accountability. We need progress. We need to reengineer infrastructure with advanced tech that future-proofs as it solves urgent and complex problems. Now. Which means we need precision. And we need to acknowledge that infrastructure and markets that have served us for so long are failing—and in need of rebuilding to anticipate and meet future challenges. Our world is in desperate need of solutions tied to specific applications and impact across energy tech, waste tech, food tech, and carbon tech. We need solutions that advance specific areas of deeply specialized work with distinct metrics and challenges like energy storage, batteries, food security, and sustainable fuel development. And, we need talent trained and sharpened to tackle these specific problems. Ambiguity is the enemy of progress Progress requires clarity. Energy technology is a distinct thing. Waste technology is a distinct thing. Transportation technology, energy storage, agriculture and food sustainability, carbon removal—these are specific categories with definable challenges and measurable outcomes. Each is firmly tied to infrastructure and requires dedicated engineering, specialized expertise, and different pools of capital. For example, grid storage is not a “climate tech” problem—it’s a specific energy challenge with concrete metrics: cost per kilowatt-hour, storage capacity, duration, and efficiency. Grid storage is about optimizing supply and demand, the outcome of which is a financial, political, and engineering goal, not a moral imperative. We must connect the promise and hype of AI-powered software solutions to their physical applications in the real world. Why? Because solving these big, specific problems requires more than computation behind a screen. Realizing the promise of AI to transform and improve is only possible if it enters the physical realm and changes the mechanics of existing ways of doing things. Calling the solutions to these problems “climate tech” is a disservice to the work because it no longer adequately captures the scale and range of what’s required. Breaking “climate tech” down to drive breakthroughs We need to build and invest in technologies that are better, faster, cheaper than what came before and solve real problems—rather than loaded words that offer environmental promise and not much else. The trajectory of biotech offers a solid framework. Rather than lumping everything under a term like “health tech,” industry pioneers stood up clearly defined categories, including: immunotherapy, CRISPR, mRNA vaccine development, oncology, longevity, and so on. Each domain pursued a specific set of problems and attracted talent and capital to solve them. The result? Breakthroughs. Whether we realize it or not, software also focused in recent years, which has helped to accelerate progress. Information technology gave way to specific technical disciplines like cybersecurity, cloud computing, and enterprise tools. Category focus allowed companies to gain market share and differentiate with customer experience and accountability front-and-center. It’s time that “climate tech” undergoes the same level of rigorous redefinition. And it’s not just because we’re approaching critical climate “tipping points” (which we are). It’s because the economic opportunity cost of not acting is too great. The future of American communities and industries from agriculture to manufacturing rests on our ability to effectively seize the opportunities in front of us and reengineer them. Everything needs to be built for the future with engineering precision and a specific problem in mind to solve. We need infrastructure and hardware solutions to solve focused problems like recycling plastic for manufacturing, rendering cement carbon-neutral, electrifying freight transport, rethinking protein production, and removing carbon at scale. We cannot grow the economy in the future without approaching all tech as climate tech. For example, the investment firm I cofounded, Incite, invested in Monarch, a startup with a fleet of AI-powered electric vehicles and tech solutions that work for agricultural clients ranging from dairy farmers to municipalities to winemakers. Monarch recently shipped MonarchOne™, an end-to-end physical AI platform for OEMs to more efficiently manage work and use data to influence operations across environments. Monarch isn’t a “climate tech” company. It’s an AI and robotics company with clear environmental benefits. Working toward a post-”climate tech” world “Climate tech” served its purpose as an initial rallying cry. It placed an urgent crisis squarely on the map of capital markets, boardrooms, and policy agendas. It made innovation to help us take care of our planet inevitable. Totally unsurprisingly, however, grouping a product or tech into the vague category enables more greenwashing and ambiguity when what we need is progress, focus, and accountability. In order to scale up the grid, add resilience to infrastructure, and prevent the housing market from insurance collapse, we need to retire not just the language but the entire categorization of “climate tech” completely. We must dismantle the umbrella term into specific, infrastructure-centered areas in need of urgent work. Let’s refine our language. Words matter. Tech is crucial to curbing negative environmental impacts. But the utility of “climate tech” is running on fumes. Let’s stop pretending it’s still a thing—and seize the opportunity to build and invest in the physical infrastructure, software, apps, and technologies that will power economic opportunities and enrich life around the world. View the full article

Every year, 12.5 million travelers pass through South Station, Boston’s 126-year-old transportation hub, to hop on Greyhound buses, Amtrak trains, and the commuter rail. But the station hadn’t been renovated in 30 years, and looked worn, industrial, and dated. For decades, the city of Boston has been working on an ambitious urban infrastructure redevelopment project to reimagine the city’s downtown. It recently unveiled a stunning transformation of South Station that includes a redesigned transportation hub as well as a 51-story tower that will house luxury condos, offices, a rooftop garden, and a high-end restaurant. For the hundreds of thousands commuters who pass through South Station every day, the most obvious change is the new vaulted concourse, called the Great Space, that will usher them to their trains. It features 10 concrete arches that reach 60 feet into the air. The archways open to the street, bus stops, and train lines. The structure supports three enormous domes that have a ring of spotlights at the center of them to brighten the interior. While the previous concourse felt industrial and functional, with concrete ceilings and metal railings, it now feels opulent and open. The design of the space was conceptualized by Pelli Clarke & Partners, an architectural practice based in New Haven, Connecticut founded in 1977 by Yale Professor Cesar Pelli. The firm is known for taking ambitious projects in cities around the world, including the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Tokyo’s Mori JP Tower, which is now the tallest skyscraper in Japan; and the Natural History Museum in Chengdu, China. The project was a private-public partnership, backed by the developer Hines. Amtrak, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and Boston Planning and Development Agency were also involved in the process. While part of the goal of the project was urban renewal, the architects were also tasked with modernizing the transportation hub to increase capacity and improve efficiency. There is now 50% more capacity in the bus terminal, and 70% increased rail capacity. “As Boston’s population grows, so is the demand for transportation,” says Graham Banks, a partner at Pelli Clarke, who worked on this project. “But rebuilding South Station without disrupting any of the transportation service was an enormous challenge. Work took place slowly.” Banks says work began on this project in early 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed construction, and then afterwards, workers were only able to work in the brief stretches when trains and buses weren’t running. “Workers would be sitting around waiting for Amtrak to give them the signal that they could get going,” he recalls. “Orchestrating the logistics of construction took a lot of work.” The original South Station structure was unveiled in 1899 during the late Gilded Age, when railway tracks expanded rapidly across the country. Five different railroads served Boston, and initially, each had their own terminal. South Station, which was designed by architects Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge, was meant to consolidate these different lines. By 1913, it had become the busiest station in New England, helping to boost Boston’s status as a city. Pelli Clarke wanted to preserve the original South Station building, while also modernizing it. They have kept the South Station’s facade, but they also built a glass tower on top of it, adding another skyscraper to Boston’s skyline. On lower levels, there is office space. Banks says that there is already interest from local firms to move in. “These offices are designed to have all the amenities and ambiance of a hotel,” says Banks. “Companies realize that they have to entice workers to come into the office.” Starting at the 36th floor and going to the top, there are luxury Ritz-Carlton apartments, that cost between $1.3 million for a 683-square-foot one-bedroom and $14.5 million for a duplex penthouse. Residents will have access to an outdoor pool that overlooks Back Bay, as well as a 1-acre rooftop park that features gardens, a dog run, an outdoor movie theater, and a dining terrace. Residents have their own private entrances, both from the street and from a private parking garage. The idea of introducing luxury apartments to South Station is fairly radical. For years, the station and the area around it were crime ridden. The neighboring financial district emptied out at night, as workers went home. But building high-end condos is likely to make the area livelier and spur restaurants, grocers, and shops to come back to the area. It’s a similar transformation to what has happened in New York’s financial district, which is now bursting with luxury apartments, office buildings, and glittering shopping centers. “This part of the city will now be alive 24/7,” Banks says. South Station’s redevelopment is part of a broader revitalization of downtown Boston. Boston’s Planning and Development Agency, in partnership with WS Development, transformed the Seaport District from an industrial wasteland, covered in parking lots and vacant wharves, into one of its hottest neighborhoods. In 2014, it unveiled the new mixed-use development, which features high-end condos, buzzy restaurants, and hip retailers like Warby Parker and Mejuri. It quickly became the fastest-growing part of Boston, and is now an economic engine for the city. There’s some concern that these luxury apartments and offices will alienate Boston’s lower and moderate income residents. And it could further exacerbate the city’s affordability crisis, much like the one New York City has experienced in recent years. But at the same time, the revitalization of this transportation hub also benefits everyday Bostonian who pass through it on their daily commutes and who rely on buses and trains to get in and out of the city. We’ll have to wait and see how the new South Station Tower transforms the neighborhood. But in the meanwhile, hopping off a bus or train upon your arrival to Boston is already a more pleasant experience. View the full article

With more than 30 years in digital transformation, I’ve seen technology cycles come and go. And the latest wave I’m seeing is AI-powered automation. It promises sweeping gains in productivity, but without ethical guardrails, it risks undermining the trust leaders depend on to grow. That’s why leaders can no longer treat ethics as an afterthought. Automation isn’t just a technical upgrade. It is a human, cultural, and reputational challenge. The choices that leaders make today will determine whether automation drives sustainable progress or fuels mistrust and inequity. The promise and the peril Automation has a lot of benefits. It can free workers from repetitive tasks, improve customer service, and open new possibilities for innovation. In manufacturing, robots can boost safety by removing people from hazardous environments. When it comes to finance, AI can spot fraud faster than any analyst. And in healthcare, hospitals are using automation to speed up patient admissions (though there are privacy and consent issues). But every gain carries a shadow. Bias in algorithms can lock in discrimination. Displaced workers may find no clear pathways to re-skill. Opaque decision-making can leave customers and regulators in the dark. And what looks like a cost saving in year one can become a reputational crisis by year three. Lessons from the field Global surveys show that leaders remain uncertain about the value and risks of AI adoption. McKinsey reports that while nearly 70% of businesses have adopted at least one AI capability, fewer than one in three have embedded AI into core strategies with measurable returns. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs report projects that by 2030, automation and other global shifts will create about 170 million jobs, while displacing around 92 million, for a net gain of 78 million roles. This makes equity, transparency, and upskilling urgent priorities for leaders. The Back on Track Foundation, a not-for-profit case study, illustrates both the potential and the pitfalls. By introducing AI tools to support case management, they improved efficiency but faced immediate questions about data privacy and oversight. Their experience is a reminder that automation is never just about efficiency. It’s also about accountability, transparency, and public trust. And it doesn’t just impact nonprofits. Manufacturers rolling out automated quality control or banks deploying AI in credit decisions face the same ethical crossroads. How do we balance efficiency and productivity gains with fairness, transparency, and responsibility? Why leaders cannot wait for regulation Unlike the European Union, many countries have not yet built comprehensive legal frameworks for AI. Existing laws around privacy, consumer protection, and workplace rights still apply, but there’s no dedicated safety net. That means every board, CEO, and executive team needs to lead with their own ethical compass. Transparency is nonnegotiable. Customers, staff, and stakeholders deserve to know when automation is involved, what guardrails exist, and how to handle recourse if (or when) things go wrong. In my own work with clients, I use AI tools for research, analyzing reports, and preparing strategy briefs. The responsibility and decisions remain mine, but using these tools has reinforced how transparency builds trust. Leaders need to hold themselves to the same standard and be open about where and how they use automation. Equity and the human-first lens Equity is the ethical line that’s most at risk. Without deliberate design, automation can deepen divides: between city and region, skilled and unskilled, and insiders and outsiders. PwC estimates that up to 30% of jobs in OECD countries are at potential risk of automation by the mid-2030s, with lower-skilled roles most exposed. A factory that automates its production line might save millions, but what happens to the workforce whose jobs disappear overnight? If you don’t reinvest savings into re-skilling or transition, inequity widens. This is the human-first lens. Technology can (and should) amplify the roles of the people in the organization. What it should never do is replace their dignity or the critical and creative lens humans bring. Ethical automation aligns with company values and extends them into every workflow and algorithm. Ethical AI adoption Leaders who are looking to adopt AI in an ethical way should consider taking the following steps Audit your automation footprint. Map where automation already touches your business, who it impacts, and what risks are in play. Create governance frameworks. Decide who is accountable, how they will explain decisions, and what ethical standards apply. Invest in literacy. When it comes to training, you need to go beyond technical staff. Boards, executives, and frontline teams all need a baseline understanding of automation. Google’s AI Works 2025 report found that organizations investing in AI training achieved productivity gains of up to tenfold. Measure more than ROI. Track trust, transparency, equity, and social impact alongside efficiency metrics. Be transparent. If automation influences a customer outcome or an employee process, disclose it. Trust grows in the open. Automation is inevitable. Ethical leadership is optional, but only in the short term. Regulation will eventually catch up, and those who embed human-first, transparent practices now will be far ahead of the curve. Ethical automation isn’t just about managing risks. It is a competitive advantage. Organizations that lead with equity and transparency will be the ones attracting talent, investors, and customers in the years ahead. View the full article

If there’s one thing that I’m always late to discover, it has to be online youth trends. True to form, I’m only now starting to hear about the so-called “Great Lock In of 2025.” This idea began circulating on TikTok over the summer. Borrowing the term ‘lock in’, which is Gen Z slang for focusing without distraction on an important goal, this challenge asks people to spend the last four months of 2025 working on the types of personal improvement resolutions that they might otherwise defer until the New Year. “It’s just about hunkering down for the rest of the year and doing everything that you said you’re going to do,” explained one TikTok influencer, ​quoted recently​ in a Times article about the trend. Listeners of my podcast know that I’m a fan of the strategy of dedicating the fall to making major changes in your life. My episode on this topic, ​How to Reinvent Your Life in 4 Months​, which I originally aired in 2023 and re-aired this past summer, is among my most popular – boasting nearly 1.5 million views on YouTube. To me, however, the more significant news contained in this trend is the generalized concept of ‘lock in’, which has become so popular among Gen Z that the American Dialect Society voted it the “most useful” term of 2024. Critically, ‘lock in’ seems to have been defined in reaction to smartphones. “I think that we live in an era where it’s very easy to be distracted and that we’re on our phones a lot,” explained language science professor Kelly Elizabeth Wright, in the Times. “‘Lock in’ really came up in these last couple years, where people are saying, like, ‘I have to make myself focus. I have to get into a state where I am free from distraction to accomplish, essentially, anything.’” This matters because defining positive alternatives to negative habits is an effective way to reduce them. When I first published ​Deep Work​, which centers on the importance of undistracted focus in your professional life, people already knew that spending their days frantically checking email probably wasn’t good. They only felt motivated to change, however, when presented with a positive alternative. Ideas like ‘locking in’ might provide a similar influence for Gen Z’s collective smartphone addiction. It’s one thing to be told again and again that your devices are bad, but it’s another to experience a clear vision of the good that’s possible once you put them away. When you experience life in its full analog richness, the allure of the digital diminishes. The irony of the Great Lock In of 2025, of course, is that it started on TikTok – the ultimate digital distractor. My hope is that by the New Year, this challenge will no longer be trending; not because people gave up, but because they’re not online enough anymore to talk about it. The post The Great Lock In of 2025 appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article

A new type of window on the verge of mass production in the United States will provide a new vision for architects and builders seeking to marry design with energy efficiency. This window, made from millimeter-thin glass panels, can achieve exceptional energy efficiency scores and make a significant difference in global emissions. Buildings account for about 30% of global energy consumption, and about half of the energy use in residential and commercial buildings is used for heating and cooling. Corning, the firm that developed Gorilla glass in 2007 for Apple iPhones, helped refine the mass-manufacturing process based on material discoveries made at Lawrence Berkeley National Labs. In the late 1980s, researchers at the lab began looking into window efficiency in the aftermath of the energy crisis of the ‘70s. It led them to develop a new kind of glass that was thinner, yet stronger and more efficient. In short, by creating these ultra-thin layers of glass, more layers and air gaps can be arranged inside a standard window frame, which multiplies a window’s ability to insulate. Typical double-pane windows utilize two sheets of glass three or four millimeters thick; this new thin glass can be a half-a-millimeter thick. Corning developed a modified manufacturing process based on the lab’s research that can create glass sheets at scale, as thin as a credit card. It can be cut and modified to suit standard window frames, as well as for more unique designs for custom buildings designed by architects. Corning calls this new, larger commercial glass Enlighten. A more efficient window Stephen Selkowitz, a research scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory who theorized this process in the ‘80s, before it was commercially possible to produce, says that windows lose 10 to 20 times more energy per square foot than a well-insulated wall. Within a standard home or business, windows and glass represent the most porous area for heat exchange, letting in cold weather in the winter and heat in the summer. By cutting down this energy transfer, this new glass—which contains layers of inert gas between thin panes, increasing its insulating properties—can slash the costs of heating and cooling a single-family home or office building. Andrew Zech, the CEO of Alpen, a company that has collaborated with Corning on commercializing this technology for the last six years, says this new glass can achieve five times the energy efficiency of standard windows. The material also boasts a special coating that inhibits solar gain, or the heating effect of bright sunlight on a room. As Ronald Verkleeren, Corning’s senior vice president for the Emerging Innovations Group, sees it, energy efficiency codes have in effect provided a limiting factor for glass. Increasingly strict building standards require a more balanced approach to material choices and window sizes to limit energy use. This development, in effect, frees up the industry to use and buy more windows, and will help manufacturers utilizing this process gain market share in the large, lucrative, architectural glass market. Corning has reached out to architects to encourage them to create case studies and new designs utilizing this glass. “All of a sudden you can show up with a window that comes as close to matching what’s possible from a wall, in terms of energy efficiency, and that gives a lot of degrees of design freedom to be able to meet the code,” Verkleeren says. “That’s the game changer.” Ramping up production Alpen was the first domestic firm to manufacture this glass, and will ramp up facilities in Pennsylvania and Colorado later this fall. According to news from Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, which helped develop the breakthroughs that made this process possible, a number of larger producers will begin making these kinds of windows. Manufacturers include Andersen, the world’s biggest window manufacturer, which plans to open a plant in Georgia in October specifically geared towards this product, as well as PGT, which makes hurricane-resistent windows. The rate of window replacement is rather slow, says Zech, just about 1.4% of the national stock gets updated every year, and the number of windows sold each year is generally split in half between new projects and replacement. As Zech sees it, these new thin glasses can be used for any shape or profile—they can “be as boring as you need them to be.” This new wave of thin glass production in the United States—coming during a time of heightened tariffs and a loosening of environmental regulations—can help U.S. developers and builders utilize more glass on projects in a way that can not just cut emissions but help architects rethink how they’re designing buildings. The end of architectural trade-offs Alpen’s factory utilizes a number of robotics and advanced manufacturing technologies in the production process, says Zech. A vacuum system holds onto the panes as they roll down a conveyor belt—a stiff wind could blow them off—and a series of superfine bristles wash the glass, akin to a microscopic glass carwash. Alpen’s Zech says the company’s working theory was that they would sell tons of these new windows in cold climates like Alaska or Minnesota. But they’re also selling a lot in hotter climates and temperate areas like San Francisco, as a way to open up walls and facades with glass without creating additional heating burdens through substantial solar gain. Selkowitz believes this tech offers so many commercial opportunities where this technology helps meet real world needs, such as building offices with more daylighting. In fact, Zech says the trend in recent years has been adding fewer windows to new construction, as energy efficiency standards have demanded builders figure out how to meet more strict insulation goals. He believes this new thin glass will eliminate the need for these kinds of design trade-offs, and allow for larger windows and showier facades. “There is an energy savings story here, and it’s really potent,” Zech says. “But probably the bigger story is actually, people just want to have massive windows in their homes and businesses, they want walls of glass.” View the full article

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