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Key Takeaways Lucrative Opportunity: Car rental franchises present an appealing business venture amid the growing demand for flexible transportation options in the booming travel industry. Franchise Structure: Entrepreneurs benefit from a proven franchise model that includes brand recognition, operational support, and training, which are vital for success. Financial Independence: Owning a car rental franchise can lead to financial freedom, with established brands potentially generating higher revenue due to customer trust. Market Competition: The car rental industry is competitive, requiring franchisees to differentiate their services through innovative offerings and excellent customer service to succeed. Critical Considerations: Key factors such as location selection and understanding franchise agreement terms are essential for franchise success and profitability. Support and Resources: Taking advantage of franchisor support, including training, marketing strategies, and operational manuals, is crucial for effective management and growth in the car rental sector. Thinking about diving into the world of car rental franchises? You’re not alone. With the travel industry booming and more people seeking flexible transportation options, car rental franchises offer a lucrative opportunity for entrepreneurs. It’s a chance to tap into a market that thrives on convenience and accessibility. Overview of Car Rental Franchise A car rental franchise offers a viable small business opportunity within the growing franchise industry. Entrepreneurs can tap into a robust market driven by the increasing demand for flexible transportation solutions. Car rental franchises provide you with a structured franchise model, enabling you to leverage an established brand’s recognition and support network. When entering this space, you’ll sign a franchise agreement outlining your rights and responsibilities as a franchisee. This includes understanding royalty fees, initial investment requirements, and ongoing franchise fees. A well-prepared franchise disclosure document (FDD) will provide essential information about the business, including financial performance and obligations. Franchise training plays a crucial role in your success. It equips you with the skills needed to operate your business effectively. Additionally, the franchisor typically offers comprehensive franchise support, covering operations manuals, marketing strategies, and compliance guidelines. For multi-unit franchising, consider the advantages of owning multiple units under an exclusive territory, which can enhance profitability. Conduct franchise research to identify the best options for your specific goals. Analyzing location and market conditions can optimize your chances of success. Engaging with franchise consultants can provide insight into franchising trends and the metrics important for franchise growth. Participating in franchise expos can enhance your understanding of potential opportunities and franchise recruitment practices. This immersive experience can help you network with other franchisees and franchisors, facilitating valuable relationships that contribute to overall franchise success. Benefits of Owning a Car Rental Franchise Owning a car rental franchise offers numerous advantages that can lead to entrepreneurial success. This section explores key benefits that contribute to the appeal of this franchise opportunity. Financial Independence Owning a car rental franchise provides the potential for financial independence through a structured franchise model. Reputable brands often generate higher revenue due to established customer trust and loyalty. You can access financial resources and support from franchisors, which can facilitate franchise financing. Initial investment requirements vary, but many franchises offer options that suit different budgets, making this a versatile small business option. Brand Recognition Brand recognition significantly enhances your credibility and customer familiarity. Operating under a well-known name attracts more customers who value trust and reliability. This brand association can lead to increased revenue, while also easing the challenges of franchise marketing. The franchise system provides the tools and resources necessary for effective promotion and marketing strategies. By leveraging the power of an established brand, you position your franchise for growth and success in a competitive market. Challenges Faced by Car Rental Franchises Car rental franchises encounter several challenges that can impact profitability and growth. Understanding these obstacles helps you navigate the competitive landscape effectively. Market Competition The car rental industry is intensely competitive. Market saturation, driven by new entrants and expanding existing franchises, creates downward pressure on pricing. You face slimmer profit margins, making innovation essential to distinguish your franchise from others. The dominance of major players like Enterprise Holdings, Avis Budget Group, and Hertz Global Holdings adds to the challenge, as their scale allows for aggressive pricing discipline. Competing smaller franchisees must focus on unique offerings or customer service to carve out a niche in this crowded marketplace. Maintenance and Management Maintaining a reliable fleet is crucial for your car rental business. Effective fleet management requires regular maintenance, ensuring vehicles are available and safe for customers. You must implement a comprehensive operations manual that outlines maintenance schedules and protocols. Effective management encompasses tracking vehicle utilization and managing costs related to maintenance and repairs. Neglecting regular upkeep can lead to increased downtime, negatively impacting customer satisfaction and reducing repeat business. Establishing strong vendor relationships for maintenance services, along with a robust franchise training program, can enhance operational efficiency and franchise compliance. Key Considerations Before Starting a Car Rental Franchise Starting a car rental franchise requires careful assessment of various factors to ensure success in the competitive franchise industry. Here are essential considerations to help you navigate this opportunity. Location Selection Location plays a pivotal role in your franchise success. Evaluate areas with high demand for car rental services, such as those near airports, train stations, and tourist attractions. These spots offer significant foot traffic and interest from travelers. Conduct a thorough location analysis to identify proximity to major roads, public transport access, and sufficient parking space. Choosing an ideal location can drive franchise growth and establish a strong customer base. Franchise Agreement Terms Understanding the franchise agreement terms is crucial before signing any legal documents. Review franchise disclosure documents, which contain essential information about fees, operational guidelines, and your responsibilities as a franchisee. Pay attention to the initial investment required, including franchise fees that can range significantly based on the franchisor. Know the royalty fees associated with the franchise model, as these can impact your profitability. Ensure clarity about territory and any exclusive territory rights, which can affect competition in your market. Familiarize yourself with support and training provisions within the franchise operations manual to understand how the franchisor will assist you in building a successful business. Conclusion Owning a car rental franchise offers an exciting opportunity to tap into a growing market. With the right research and planning you can position yourself for success in a competitive landscape. Emphasizing brand recognition and customer trust can significantly enhance your business’s appeal. Understanding the challenges and opportunities within this industry will empower you to make informed decisions. By focusing on strategic location selection and effective fleet management you can create a thriving venture that meets the needs of today’s travelers. With dedication and the right support you can turn your car rental franchise into a profitable business that stands out in the market. Frequently Asked Questions What is a car rental franchise? A car rental franchise is a business model that allows entrepreneurs to operate a car rental service under an established brand. Franchisees benefit from brand recognition, support systems, and a structured operational framework, helping them compete in the growing travel and mobility marketplace. Why is the car rental industry growing? The car rental industry is growing due to increasing travel demand and the need for flexible transportation options. With more travelers seeking convenient mobility solutions, car rental franchises are capitalizing on this trend to meet customer needs and generate revenue. What are the benefits of owning a car rental franchise? Owning a car rental franchise offers financial independence, brand recognition, and access to proven marketing strategies. Franchisees benefit from established customer trust, which can lead to higher revenue and a more manageable entry into a competitive market. What challenges do car rental franchises face? Car rental franchises face challenges such as market competition, pricing pressures from major players, fleet management, and the need for innovation. Effective operational practices and strong vendor relationships are essential to overcoming these obstacles and building a successful franchise. How do I choose the right car rental franchise? Choosing the right car rental franchise requires thorough research. Consider factors like brand reputation, location demand, franchise fees, and support systems. Participating in franchise expos can also provide valuable insights and networking opportunities. What should I know about the franchise agreement? Understanding the franchise agreement is crucial. It outlines fees, operational guidelines, and the level of support provided. Carefully review these terms to ensure clarity and prepare yourself for a successful business operation before signing. How important is location for a car rental franchise? Location is vital for a car rental franchise’s success. Opt for areas with high demand, like those near airports or tourist attractions, to attract more customers and establish a strong market presence, leading to greater profitability. What kind of training and support can I expect? Franchise training and support vary by brand but often include initial training programs, ongoing operational support, and marketing assistance. This framework is essential for helping franchisees navigate their business and ensuring successful implementation of best practices. Image Via Envato This article, "Unlocking Success with a Car Rental Franchise: Your Guide to Thriving in the Travel Industry" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A good main-course meat can be made great with a complementary finishing sauce. This might look like a drizzle of an espagnole sauce, a buttery pan sauce, an easy board sauce, or maybe a bright vinaigrette, but lately I’ve been branching out. My latest meat sauce obsession is sizzling oil sauces. They’re delicious, fragrant, and—best of all—nearly impossible to screw up. I first started using this Chinese technique after making recipes from The Woks of Life, a delightful and approachable cookbook that you should check out (read my review here). This flash-fried sauce pops up regularly in the book as a dressing or a dipping sauce for meats and vegetables, and it’s a surefire way to add a massive amount of flavor to any dish. Though I'm not sure what the Chinese term for this method is (let me know if you know!), Reddit tells me it may be "you po" 油泼, as in: pouring a splash of hot oil over aromatic ingredients. By the way, if you think this is just another hot chili oil, hang in a moment longer. While this sauce can certainly contain chilies, it's not like chili crisp and it doesn't have to have any spice at all. How to make a hot oil sauce1. Mince aromatics Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann This type of sauce starts with finely chopped aromatics. It’s usually a combination of garlic, fresh ginger, chilis, and scallions, but you can really take the reins and use your own aromatic mixture of aromatic vegetables. The only thing you need to make sure of is to thinly chop or mince the ingredients. They get cooked in a few seconds so if the pieces are too large, they won’t cook through. Add these finely chopped herbs and vegetables to a heat-proof container. I use a measuring cup because it’s deep and I can make a lot or a little bit of this sauce. 2. Heat the oilIn a skillet, heat a tablespoon or two of cooking oil over medium heat. Let the oil get to the shimmering (but not quite smoking) stage. This is when the oil spreads over the surface of the pan and the glimmer of the oil kind of moves like water even though nothing is touching it. That means your oil is around 350°F—frying temperature. 3. Flash fry the aromatics Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Quickly and carefully, pour the hot oil into the heat-proof bowl with the minced aromatics. The ingredients will sizzle as they briefly fry. (If they don’t, your oil wasn’t hot enough.) Swirl the oil in the cup so the oil makes contact with everything. This should all happen within five seconds. The oil will quickly cool down and soon a gorgeous aroma will bloom from the cup. Now you can add other balancing seasonings like a combination of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a splash of vinegar. Stir it well and taste to see if it needs adjusting. This sauce is incredible tossed with shredded meats like chicken and pork, or drizzled over thinly sliced steak, but it makes a fabulous dressing for roasted vegetables as well. Eggplant loves this stuff, in my humble opinion. And if you’re hesitant about adding oil to a sauce, don’t be. If you think about vinaigrettes on salads, and how steaks are often finished with tablespoons of melted butter, is this really more fat? Hardly. This is just another wonderful seasoning tool in your cooking tool kit. My Simple Sizzling Sauce RecipeIngredients: 1 scallion, minced 1 garlic clove, minced 1-2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 teaspoons light soy sauce 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar 1 teaspoon oyster sauce 1. Add the scallion, garlic, and ginger to a heat-safe bowl or measuring cup. 2. Heat the oil in a frying pan until it shimmers, about 3 minutes over medium heat. 3. Pour the hot oil over the aromatics in the measuring cup and swirl. 4. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and oyster sauce. Whisk until well incorporated. Taste and adjust. Use to drizzle over roasted meats, vegetables, or even as a condiment. View the full article

The traditional model of leadership, where a single individual is expected to provide all the answers, is becoming obsolete. In a world of accelerating complexity, hyper-specialization, and rapid change, no leader can single-handedly navigate the full spectrum of challenges facing modern organizations. The future of leadership is about curating the best insights, talent, and ideas, not dictating the direction. The best leaders will be those who act as architects of collaboration, assembling diverse perspectives and fostering an environment where expansive thinking thrives. This shift in leadership isn’t just about delegation—it’s about creating conditions for continuous learning, adaptability, and innovation. Leaders who embrace a curation mindset are best equipped to drive organizations forward in an unpredictable world. Why Curation is the New Leadership Superpower In a world overflowing with expertise, no single leader can master every domain. The leaders who thrive are those who: Curate Talent. They don’t just hire smart people; they intentionally build diverse teams with complementary skills and perspectives. Studies show that diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones by 39% in problem-solving efficiency. Curate Ideas. They create spaces where unconventional thinking is not only encouraged but strategically leveraged. Google’s 20% time policy, which allows employees to spend part of their workweek exploring passion projects, has led to breakthroughs like Gmail and Google Maps. Curate Innovation. They design environments where experimentation, iteration, and cross-disciplinary collaboration drive meaningful breakthroughs. IDEO, a global design consultancy, uses cross-industry ideation sessions to unlock unexpected solutions, from healthcare innovation to urban design. Rather than positioning themselves as the ultimate expert, these leaders act as orchestrators, ensuring that the right voices are heard at the right moments. How Leaders Can Adopt a Curation Mindset The shift from traditional leadership to curation requires intentional practices. Here’s how leaders can start: Seek Out Outliers. Conventional wisdom often leads to conventional results. The best leaders actively engage with voices outside their immediate circles—contrarians, industry outsiders, and emerging thinkers who challenge the status quo. For instance, Netflix’s early decision to pivot from DVD rentals to streaming came from its leadership’s ability to absorb trends from tech, media, and consumer behavior research. Design for Collaboration, Not Just Efficiency. Many organizations optimize for productivity at the cost of creative collision. Leaders must create structured serendipity, allowing ideas from different disciplines to intersect in unexpected ways. Pixar’s open office architecture, where animators, writers, and tech teams share communal spaces, has fostered storytelling innovation. Facilitate, Don’t Dictate. Instead of being the sole decision-maker, adopt a facilitator’s mindset—guiding discussions, posing better questions, and allowing collective intelligence to emerge. Jeff Bezos’s “Disagree and Commit” principle at Amazon encourages debate, ensuring that the team moves forward with informed risk-taking even if consensus isn’t reached. Champion Psychological Safety. The best ideas often come from environments where individuals feel safe to challenge, experiment, and even fail. Research from Google’s Project Aristotle found that psychological safety was the top predictor of high-performing teams. Unlocking Cross-Disciplinary Breakthroughs History’s most significant breakthroughs didn’t come from isolated silos but from cross-disciplinary collisions—where physics met art, where biology informed engineering, and where technology reshaped storytelling. Here are a few inspiring examples: NASA & The Sports Industry: NASA’s space suit advancements have directly influenced sportswear technology, improving gear used by Olympians. Bioengineering & Architecture: The Eastgate Centre in Zimbabwe was designed using biomimicry principles based on termite mounds, leading to a 90% reduction in cooling costs compared to conventional buildings. AI & Music Composition: IBM’s Watson has been used to compose symphonies, merging artificial intelligence with classical music expertise to create never-before-heard compositions. Organizations that embrace curation-minded leadership will be better equipped to solve complex, multidimensional challenges. The organizations that thrive in the future will not be those with leaders who know the most—it will be those led by individuals who know how to bring the right minds together to figure things out. The ability to curate talent, ideas, and innovation will define the next generation of transformational leadership. So, as you reflect on your own leadership approach, ask yourself: Are you accumulating knowledge, or are you assembling the right people and perspectives to unlock something greater? The future belongs to curators. Are you ready to lead like one? View the full article

Beijing says there are no active talks and Washington should ‘stop creating confusion’View the full article

Behind the remains of a town scorched by fire, the foothills are lush with new green and filled with birdsong. Wildlife is returning to the Eaton Fire burn area and scientists are closely tracking it four months after the Los Angeles area wildfires tore through the Angeles National Forest and destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses in Altadena. Trail cameras installed by a group of volunteers documented the first mountain lion back in the area March 26. It was seen again as recently as two nights ago. “My first inclination was to share that to people who have lost so much during this fire and our community in Altadena, because it’s a sign of hope that nature’s returning, that nature’s resilient,” said Kristen Ochoa, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, medical school leading the effort. Ochoa, a long-time resident of Southern California, first began documenting the plants and animals that live in the area known as the Chaney Trail Corridor in July 2024. She founded the Chaney Trail Corridor Project and began uploading observations on iNaturalist, a volunteer-driven network of naturalists and citizen scientists that maps and shares documentation of biodiversity across the globe. Located right behind Altadena, with a trailhead only a mile (1.6 kilometers) up the road from neighborhoods that were decimated during the fires, the privately owned area adjacent to Angeles National Forest land was slated for sale and development into a sports complex. Ochoa and other volunteers set up a network of trail cameras to showcase the biodiversity of the area and take “inventory of everything that was valuable.” Much of the land was charred and barren after the fires, and the group also lost all of its cameras, watching as photos of the flames were transmitted before they went dark. But less than two months after the start of the fires, Ochoa was able to go back out and install new ones to start documenting the landscape’s recovery. “The thing I really remember is coming here right after the fire—there was so much birdsong,” Ochoa said. Many volunteers with the group are local residents who lost their homes and have told Ochoa that witnessing nature’s recovery in the area has brought hope to them as well. While the fires burned aggressively, they also burned unevenly, leaving patches of trees and a small oasis of greenery surrounding a stream untouched. Animals were able to seek refuge there while the rest of their home burned. They have not come across any deceased animals, she said, but there were reports of an injured bear and deer. The heavy rain that came in the weeks after the fires have helped with a quick recovery. On a recent Wednesday morning, Ochoa pointed out several charred San Gabriel oak trees—only found in Southern California—that had rampant green growth around their base. The “crown sprouting” comes from having deep and developed root systems that have helped the trees survive for hundreds of years, Ochoa said. An aggressive bloom of yellow mustard flowers, an invasive species, have also taken root on the hillsides, potentially crowding out native plants like the California sage brush and wild cucumber—a source of food for ground squirrels. The group is partnering with local scientists at UCLA to do research on how bats and birds have fared after the fires as well. As she installed a newly donated trail camera, she pointed out bobcat scat and fresh deer tracks on a ridge that had burned just months before. Two red-tailed hawks circled each other in a mating ritual high above in the sky, a sign of spring. —Jaimie Ding, Associated Press View the full article

UK financial watchdog only recorded planned enforcement against former star stockpicker on its register list this weekView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’ve ever had to sit through a meeting with a whiteboard full of scribbles and arrows, you probably understand the need for a good diagramming tool. Right now, Microsoft Visio 2021 Professional is on sale for $19.97 for a lifetime license on StackSocial for new users only. It’s priced low enough to justify adding to your digital toolbox, whether you use it often or just occasionally. It’s the same full version of Visio Pro, licensed for one Windows PC, no subscription required. Visio turns overwhelming data into clean visuals. Visio keeps things intuitive, whether mapping a new office layout, building org charts from Excel data, or sketching a workflow diagram with a stylus on your touch device. The interface is packed with over 250,000 shapes and templates (that aren't included in the web version), including standards-compliant options like UML 2.5 and BPMN 2.0. It’s more than just drawing boxes and arrows—it lets you link diagrams to live data and keep everything dynamic. It’s ideal for IT, architecture, business analysis, and other professionals who don’t want to start from scratch whenever they plan something out. That said, it’s not the most plug-and-play experience for everyone. While the standalone license is solid, unlocking features like cloud collaboration, editing Power BI dashboards, or syncing with OneDrive requires additional Microsoft 365 subscriptions. If you're already in Microsoft’s ecosystem, this will slide right into place. If not, it could feel limited depending on how much integration you need. But this lifetime license is an affordable entry point into serious visual planning for single-PC users looking to diagram efficiently with powerful, pro-grade tools. Just be sure to redeem the code within 30 days, and make sure your system meets the basic Windows 10/11 or Server 2019 requirements. View the full article

Siri is struggling. It's struggling to respond to simple questions or create simple calendar events. And the end still isn't in sight, now that Apple has mostly delayed Apple Intelligence's "smarter Siri" until the end of the year. Meanwhile, Perplexity AI's new Voice Assistant is here now, trying to capitalize on Apple's mess. In addition to answering questions, the AI's new Voice Mode is able to create calendar events and reminders, play music, and more. It can hold conversations, and even perform some web-based tasks. These are things that Siri just can't do, at least not yet. How to use Perplexity Voice Assistant on iOSDownload and open the latest version of the Perplexity app. In the Ask Anything bar, you'll see an animated Waveform icon to the right. That's the shortcut to the Voice Assistant. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Simply tap on it and start speaking. Perplexity will show an animation when you're speaking, and when it's responding to you. There's also an option to Mute the microphone for longer chats. This is more of a conversational space, so you can keep talking as Perplexity responds. Tap the Gear icon up top for settings. Here, you can disable the transcript feature, or enable a push to talk mode. You can also change the Assistant's voice. The Voice Mode works in the background, and only stops when you hit the X button in the app. So you can start the Voice Mode, switch to a different app, and continue talking to Perplexity in the background, if you wish. Credit: Khamosh Pathak For quicker access, you should add the Medium Perplexity widget to your home screen, since it has a shortcut to the Voice Mode. Alternately, you can create a shortcut and add it to your Home screen, Lock screen, Control Center, or even the Action button (to set that up, follow this guide.) What Perplexity Does better than SiriPerplexity integrates directly with Apple's default apps like Calendar, Reminders, Mail, Contacts, and more. As long as you give it permission, Perplexity can add events to your calendar, remind you of something, and even draft emails and text messages. As it stands, Perplexity also has a better knowledge base than Siri, as it's connected to the web. So asking something like "when was the Pixel 4a launched" brings up an instant response, while asking Siri requires a confirmation via ChatGPT. In my testing, I found Perplexity was reliable at creating calendar events and reminders, more than I often get with Siri. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Drafting an email shows a stark difference between the two approaches. I used the same prompt with both Siri and Perplexity: Draft an email asking Pranay if he's up for a Pickleball match this weekend. Siri took this literally, and drafted an email saying "if he's up for a Pickleball match this weekend." That's it. Perplexity, on the other hand, expanded this into a coherent sentence, added a Subject, and showed a compose box. All that was left for me to do was switch out my name and hit Send (Siri also doesn't send an email without your confirmation). Credit: Khamosh Pathak My experience with text messaging was more iffy. Perplexity couldn't just draft a message to Pranay, even though I gave it full access to my contacts (if you don't want to do that, you can dictate the email address or the phone number instead). Hopefully, this is a day-one issue and gets sorted out later on. Perplexity's Voice Assistant can also play music directly from Apple Music, using voice commands. And because Perplexity integrates with YouTube, it's quite quick when finding YouTube videos. I asked it to find a soothing video about the hidden art of ceramics in Japan, and in a couple of seconds, Perplexity started playing the video inside the app. What Perplexity Does that Siri just can't doPerplexity's Voice Assistant can converse with you with ease. There's a very smooth back and forth, where the assistant remembers the details that you asked before, knows the context to your prompts, and replies accordingly. It simply doesn't need to ask follow-up questions. Credit: Khamosh Pathak This is great for asking general questions, and for learning things. Instead of a 500 word response, Perplexity's AI assistant will give you a couple of sentences and will prompt you to ask further, sometimes even giving you clues about what you might want to ask about next. Perplexity can take actions on the web too, thought you have to be the one to take the final action, which is fair (and, honestly, appreciated). For example, I asked Perplexity to book a table at White Olive at 8 PM in New York City, and it opened Open Table with all those details already filled in. I had to confirm the details, and finish the booking myself. Then, I asked if Perplexity can call me an Uber, and it opened the Uber app with the location of the White Olive restaurant mapped in. These are the things that Siri with Apple Intelligence is supposed to be able to do for you, but we won't see these features until at least the end of the year, and we have no idea how exactly they will work. It's the transparency and consistency that mattersIn my limited hands-on testing, I noticed that Perplexity's responses were more consistent than Siri's, and since Voice Mode stays active by default, I asked nuanced questions without feeling like I need to hurry myself, like I do with Siri. Siri is sometimes great, and sometimes it just doesn't respond. Perplexity takes care of that issue. Of course, there were times with Perplexity ran into a wall, like with my text messaging question. Here too, it calmly told me it wasn't able to accomplish the task, and that it could try again if I wanted. Hopefully, these small issues will get sorted out with more updates. Of course, Perplexity can't replace Siri in the true sense, because Apple won't allow for it. Only Siri can access OS level features like changing toggles, settings, calling someone, replying to text messages, setting alarms, and so on. But for all the other things, if you're feeling frustrated with the limitations of Siri, Perplexity's Voice Assistant is definitely worth a try. View the full article

Google’s profits soared 50% in this year’s opening quarter, overcoming the competitive and legal threats that its internet empire is facing amid an economy roiled by a global trade war. The numbers released Thursday by Google parent Alphabet Inc. indicated the company is rising to the challenge so far, but investors are likely to remain concerned about the turbulent times ahead. The Mountain View, California, company earned $34.5 billion, or $2.81 per share, during the January-March period, up from $23.7 billion, or $1.89 per share, at the same time last year. Revenue rose 12% from last year to $90.2 billion. The results easily exceeded analysts’ projections, according to FactSet Research. “We continued to see healthy growth and momentum across the business,” Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai told analysts Thursday during a conference call. Alphabet’s stock gained more than 4% in extended trading after the numbers came out. The shares had fallen by 16% since the end of last year. Google’s first-quarter performance illustrated the continuing power of its long-dominant search engine in a sea of uncertainty. While grappling with competitive threats emerging as artificial intelligence reshapes technology, Google is also battling court decisions condemning its search engine and digital ad network as illegal monopolies. The AI-driven upheaval has opened new opportunities for people to find helpful advice, insights and information through more conversational search options from the likes of OpenAI and Perplexity. Google’s long-dominant search engine is countering the new competition with a feature called AI Overviews that appear above web links in its results. It is also testing a conversational tool called AI Mode that would usher in an even more radical change to its business model. “The company delivered a sound response to those questioning the solidity of the search business amid ever-increasing AI demand,” Investing.com analyst Thomas Monteiro said. But Google is trying to keep its business intact as by the U.S. Justice Department attempts to break up the company and impose other restraints after a federal judge last year branded its search engine an illegal monopoly. To make matters worse, its digital ad network also was found to be illegally abusing its power earlier this month in another case brought by the Justice Department. President Donald The President’s trade war has injected more uncertainty into the mix by rattling the financial markets amid fears the tariffs will reignite inflation while dragging the economy into a recession. Although Google’s digital services aren’t directly impacted by the tariffs, a recession would likely curtail the spending on ads that generate most of Alphabet’s revenue. But there were few signs of a slowdown in the past quarter. Google’s ad revenue during the period totaled $66.9 billion, an 8% increase from the same time a year ago. Although Google’s executives are mostly upbeat during Thursday’s call, they also acknowledged conditions should the trade war trigger a recession. “We are obviously not immune to the macro environment,” said Philipp Schindler, Alphabet’s chief business officer. The past quarter’s steady growth emboldened Alphabet to stand firm on plans to invest $75 billion on AI and other technologies this year while also pursuing approval of a $32 billion deal to buy cybersecurity firm Wiz. — This story has been corrected to reflect Alphabet’s first-quarter profit increased 50% from the same time last year, or $2.81 per share, and that its revenue for the January-March period totaled $90.2 billion. The story also has been corrected to reflect Google’s ad revenue for the first quarter totaled $66.9 billion, an 8% increase from a year ago. An earlier version reported the incorrect dollar amounts and percentage change. —Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer View the full article

Key Takeaways Resilience is Key: Successful mom entrepreneurs demonstrate the ability to adapt and persevere through the daily challenges of balancing motherhood and business. Effective Planning is Essential: Creating a solid business plan that includes financial management, market research, and growth strategies is critical for long-term sustainability. Networking Drives Success: Building relationships with mentors and fellow entrepreneurs can open doors to funding opportunities, partnerships, and valuable insights. Master Time Management: Implementing effective time management strategies, including scheduling and task delegation, enables mom entrepreneurs to prioritize both business and family commitments. Embrace Digital Marketing: Leveraging digital marketing techniques such as SEO and social media helps enhance brand visibility and customer engagement, crucial for business growth. Choose the Right Legal Structure: Understanding and selecting an appropriate legal structure is vital for compliance and maximizing financial benefits, significantly impacting business success. Juggling motherhood and entrepreneurship might seem daunting, but many women are thriving in both roles. Mom entrepreneurs are redefining success by blending their passions with the demands of family life. They’re not just building businesses; they’re creating legacies while inspiring others along the way. In today’s fast-paced world, these women are proving that it’s possible to chase your dreams while nurturing your family. From innovative startups to established brands, successful mom entrepreneurs share a unique drive and resilience that sets them apart. Join us as we explore the journeys of these remarkable women and discover the secrets behind their success. Defining Successful Mom Entrepreneurs Successful mom entrepreneurs balance their roles as mothers and business leaders, embodying unique characteristics that drive their achievements. These women not only create thriving small businesses but also establish legacies that can inspire future generations. Characteristics of Successful Mom Entrepreneurs Resilience – Mom entrepreneurs face challenges daily yet adapt and persist in their ventures. Creativity – Innovative thinking helps craft unique business ideas that cater to specific market needs. Effective Planning – They develop comprehensive business plans, integrating market research and financial forecasts to guide their startups. Strong Networking Skills – Building relationships with mentors, fellow entrepreneurs, and potential investors expands opportunities for funding and collaboration. Time Management – Juggling family duties and business demands requires exceptional organization and prioritization. The Importance of Balance Achieving balance is crucial for mom entrepreneurs. This balance ensures that business growth aligns with family commitments. You can implement strategies such as setting clear business hours, delegating tasks, and utilizing tools that streamline marketing and customer acquisition. Emphasizing your target audience allows for effective branding and helps in developing products or services that resonate. By leveraging digital marketing strategies, like SEO and social media, you can maximize your business’s reach while maintaining family time. This balance fosters a healthy work-life dynamic, ensuring both your business and family thrive. Overcoming Challenges Mom entrepreneurs face distinctive challenges while balancing business and family responsibilities. Addressing these challenges directly influences success and reinforces resilience. Time Management Strategies Effective time management remains critical for mom entrepreneurs. Establishing a clear daily schedule not only aids in prioritizing tasks but also ensures dedicated work hours. Implementing tools for task management, such as calendar apps or project management software, streamlines operations and enhances productivity. Consider delegating non-essential tasks, outsourcing certain activities, or even collaborating with other entrepreneurs to free up your schedule. Utilizing digital marketing techniques can also help automate customer engagement, allowing you to focus on business growth and family time without sacrificing the quality of either. Overcoming Financial Hurdles Navigating financial challenges often poses a significant hurdle for mom entrepreneurs. Many rely on funding options like small business loans, crowdfunding, or angel investors to secure capital. A well-structured business plan may attract potential investors, outlining your business model, target audience, and marketing strategies. Keeping an eye on cash flow and budgeting effectively plays a vital role in maintaining financial health. Additionally, understanding the legal structure of your business, whether it’s an LLC, sole proprietorship, or corporation, ensures compliance and maximizes financial benefits. Engaging with financial mentors or business coaches can provide valuable insights to handle complex accounting and tax issues, securing your business’s long-term viability. Inspiring Success Stories Success stories from mom entrepreneurs highlight their ability to blend business ambitions with family responsibilities. These narratives inspire others pursuing their own ventures. Case Study: A Mom’s Journey to Success Janice Bryant Howroyd exemplifies remarkable entrepreneurial success. She launched her staffing firm, Act-1, using a $900 loan from her mother while caring for her young son. Over thirty years, Act-1 became the largest company of its kind owned by a woman of color, boasting over 70 branches and a net worth of $520 million as of 2018. Howroyd’s journey showcases her business acumen, including effective market research and a strong branding strategy. As the first African-American woman to own a billion-dollar business, she credits her family for their unwavering support. Her story demonstrates the power of resilience, innovation, and strategic networking in achieving business success despite personal challenges. Lessons Learned from Successful Mom Entrepreneurs Successful mom entrepreneurs provide valuable lessons applicable to anyone starting a small business. Resilience: Overcoming obstacles is crucial. Many mom entrepreneurs face unique challenges that require persistence and adaptability. Effective Planning: Establishing a solid business plan is essential. Focusing on financial management, including budgeting and cash flow analysis, ensures sustainability. Networking: Building a network of mentors and partners facilitates connections that can lead to funding options, such as grants or angel investors. Digital Marketing: Emphasizing online presence through SEO, social media, and email marketing can enhance customer acquisition and brand visibility. Legal Structure: Choosing the right legal structure—whether LLC, corporation, or sole proprietorship—affects taxes and liability, making informed legal advice critical. Team Building: Hiring the right team boosts your business’s growth strategy. Strong leadership cultivates a productive work environment. These lessons remind you that achieving success as a mom entrepreneur is attainable through strategic decision-making and dedication. Embracing these insights can propel your journey towards a thriving business. Resources for Aspiring Mom Entrepreneurs Aspiring mom entrepreneurs find a wealth of resources to aid their journey in building successful businesses while managing family commitments. Accessing these resources can ease the path toward achieving your business goals. Networking Opportunities Engaging with fellow entrepreneurs, mentors, and industry professionals is crucial to your business growth. Networking opportunities abound through local business associations, startup groups, and online forums. Attend workshops, conferences, and meetups to connect with others in your field. Use platforms like LinkedIn and social media to expand your professional network, share insights, and seek advice. By building relationships, you can gain valuable support and mentorship, which can significantly impact your startup’s trajectory. Online Tools and Platforms Leverage online tools and platforms to streamline operations and enhance productivity. Various resources are available for project management, accounting, and marketing. Tools like Asana and Trello help you manage tasks and timelines effectively. Accounting software like QuickBooks simplifies financial management, ensuring accurate tracking of cash flow and expenses. Additionally, consider using e-commerce platforms like Shopify to set up an online store, facilitating customer acquisition and sales. Employ digital marketing strategies such as email marketing, SEO, and content marketing to target your audience effectively and strengthen your brand presence. By utilizing these tools, you can implement a robust business plan, boost innovation, and focus on growth strategies that drive your business forward. Conclusion Embracing the journey of a mom entrepreneur can lead to incredible achievements and personal growth. By harnessing your resilience and creativity you can navigate the challenges of balancing business and family life. Remember that effective time management and strategic planning are your best allies in this pursuit. As you draw inspiration from the success stories of others don’t hesitate to seek out resources and networks that can support your goals. The path may be demanding but with dedication and the right tools you can create a thriving business while nurturing your family. Your journey as a mom entrepreneur is not just about success in business but also about redefining what that success looks like for you. Keep pushing forward and embrace the unique opportunities that lie ahead. Frequently Asked Questions What defines a successful mom entrepreneur? A successful mom entrepreneur is defined by qualities such as resilience, creativity, effective planning, strong networking skills, and excellent time management. These traits help them manage family commitments while building thriving businesses, effectively merging their passions with their responsibilities. What challenges do mom entrepreneurs face? Mom entrepreneurs often face unique challenges, including time constraints, financial hurdles, and the struggle to balance business and family life. Directly addressing these challenges is crucial for their success and resilience as they navigate entrepreneurship. How can mom entrepreneurs manage their time effectively? Effective time management for mom entrepreneurs involves establishing clear daily schedules, utilizing task management tools, and delegating non-essential tasks. This strategy enhances productivity and ensures that both business growth and family commitments are attended to. What funding options are available to mom entrepreneurs? Mom entrepreneurs can explore various funding options such as small business loans, crowdfunding, and grants. A well-structured business plan is essential, and engaging with financial mentors can also help navigate financial challenges. How can networking benefit mom entrepreneurs? Networking offers mom entrepreneurs valuable opportunities to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, mentors, and industry professionals. Engaging in local business associations or online platforms can significantly impact business growth and provide support in their entrepreneurial journey. What online tools can help mom entrepreneurs? Mom entrepreneurs can leverage online tools like Asana for project management, QuickBooks for accounting, and e-commerce platforms for marketing. These resources streamline operations and enhance productivity, freeing up time to focus on growth strategies. What lessons can aspiring mom entrepreneurs learn from successful ones? Aspiring mom entrepreneurs can learn valuable lessons from their successful counterparts, such as the importance of resilience, effective planning, strong networking, and leveraging digital marketing. Embracing these principles can help them achieve success in their business endeavors. Image Via Envato This article, "Inspiring Stories of Successful Mom Entrepreneurs Balancing Family and Business" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Resilience is Key: Successful mom entrepreneurs demonstrate the ability to adapt and persevere through the daily challenges of balancing motherhood and business. Effective Planning is Essential: Creating a solid business plan that includes financial management, market research, and growth strategies is critical for long-term sustainability. Networking Drives Success: Building relationships with mentors and fellow entrepreneurs can open doors to funding opportunities, partnerships, and valuable insights. Master Time Management: Implementing effective time management strategies, including scheduling and task delegation, enables mom entrepreneurs to prioritize both business and family commitments. Embrace Digital Marketing: Leveraging digital marketing techniques such as SEO and social media helps enhance brand visibility and customer engagement, crucial for business growth. Choose the Right Legal Structure: Understanding and selecting an appropriate legal structure is vital for compliance and maximizing financial benefits, significantly impacting business success. Juggling motherhood and entrepreneurship might seem daunting, but many women are thriving in both roles. Mom entrepreneurs are redefining success by blending their passions with the demands of family life. They’re not just building businesses; they’re creating legacies while inspiring others along the way. In today’s fast-paced world, these women are proving that it’s possible to chase your dreams while nurturing your family. From innovative startups to established brands, successful mom entrepreneurs share a unique drive and resilience that sets them apart. Join us as we explore the journeys of these remarkable women and discover the secrets behind their success. Defining Successful Mom Entrepreneurs Successful mom entrepreneurs balance their roles as mothers and business leaders, embodying unique characteristics that drive their achievements. These women not only create thriving small businesses but also establish legacies that can inspire future generations. Characteristics of Successful Mom Entrepreneurs Resilience – Mom entrepreneurs face challenges daily yet adapt and persist in their ventures. Creativity – Innovative thinking helps craft unique business ideas that cater to specific market needs. Effective Planning – They develop comprehensive business plans, integrating market research and financial forecasts to guide their startups. Strong Networking Skills – Building relationships with mentors, fellow entrepreneurs, and potential investors expands opportunities for funding and collaboration. Time Management – Juggling family duties and business demands requires exceptional organization and prioritization. The Importance of Balance Achieving balance is crucial for mom entrepreneurs. This balance ensures that business growth aligns with family commitments. You can implement strategies such as setting clear business hours, delegating tasks, and utilizing tools that streamline marketing and customer acquisition. Emphasizing your target audience allows for effective branding and helps in developing products or services that resonate. By leveraging digital marketing strategies, like SEO and social media, you can maximize your business’s reach while maintaining family time. This balance fosters a healthy work-life dynamic, ensuring both your business and family thrive. Overcoming Challenges Mom entrepreneurs face distinctive challenges while balancing business and family responsibilities. Addressing these challenges directly influences success and reinforces resilience. Time Management Strategies Effective time management remains critical for mom entrepreneurs. Establishing a clear daily schedule not only aids in prioritizing tasks but also ensures dedicated work hours. Implementing tools for task management, such as calendar apps or project management software, streamlines operations and enhances productivity. Consider delegating non-essential tasks, outsourcing certain activities, or even collaborating with other entrepreneurs to free up your schedule. Utilizing digital marketing techniques can also help automate customer engagement, allowing you to focus on business growth and family time without sacrificing the quality of either. Overcoming Financial Hurdles Navigating financial challenges often poses a significant hurdle for mom entrepreneurs. Many rely on funding options like small business loans, crowdfunding, or angel investors to secure capital. A well-structured business plan may attract potential investors, outlining your business model, target audience, and marketing strategies. Keeping an eye on cash flow and budgeting effectively plays a vital role in maintaining financial health. Additionally, understanding the legal structure of your business, whether it’s an LLC, sole proprietorship, or corporation, ensures compliance and maximizes financial benefits. Engaging with financial mentors or business coaches can provide valuable insights to handle complex accounting and tax issues, securing your business’s long-term viability. Inspiring Success Stories Success stories from mom entrepreneurs highlight their ability to blend business ambitions with family responsibilities. These narratives inspire others pursuing their own ventures. Case Study: A Mom’s Journey to Success Janice Bryant Howroyd exemplifies remarkable entrepreneurial success. She launched her staffing firm, Act-1, using a $900 loan from her mother while caring for her young son. Over thirty years, Act-1 became the largest company of its kind owned by a woman of color, boasting over 70 branches and a net worth of $520 million as of 2018. Howroyd’s journey showcases her business acumen, including effective market research and a strong branding strategy. As the first African-American woman to own a billion-dollar business, she credits her family for their unwavering support. Her story demonstrates the power of resilience, innovation, and strategic networking in achieving business success despite personal challenges. Lessons Learned from Successful Mom Entrepreneurs Successful mom entrepreneurs provide valuable lessons applicable to anyone starting a small business. Resilience: Overcoming obstacles is crucial. Many mom entrepreneurs face unique challenges that require persistence and adaptability. Effective Planning: Establishing a solid business plan is essential. Focusing on financial management, including budgeting and cash flow analysis, ensures sustainability. Networking: Building a network of mentors and partners facilitates connections that can lead to funding options, such as grants or angel investors. Digital Marketing: Emphasizing online presence through SEO, social media, and email marketing can enhance customer acquisition and brand visibility. Legal Structure: Choosing the right legal structure—whether LLC, corporation, or sole proprietorship—affects taxes and liability, making informed legal advice critical. Team Building: Hiring the right team boosts your business’s growth strategy. Strong leadership cultivates a productive work environment. These lessons remind you that achieving success as a mom entrepreneur is attainable through strategic decision-making and dedication. Embracing these insights can propel your journey towards a thriving business. Resources for Aspiring Mom Entrepreneurs Aspiring mom entrepreneurs find a wealth of resources to aid their journey in building successful businesses while managing family commitments. Accessing these resources can ease the path toward achieving your business goals. Networking Opportunities Engaging with fellow entrepreneurs, mentors, and industry professionals is crucial to your business growth. Networking opportunities abound through local business associations, startup groups, and online forums. Attend workshops, conferences, and meetups to connect with others in your field. Use platforms like LinkedIn and social media to expand your professional network, share insights, and seek advice. By building relationships, you can gain valuable support and mentorship, which can significantly impact your startup’s trajectory. Online Tools and Platforms Leverage online tools and platforms to streamline operations and enhance productivity. Various resources are available for project management, accounting, and marketing. Tools like Asana and Trello help you manage tasks and timelines effectively. Accounting software like QuickBooks simplifies financial management, ensuring accurate tracking of cash flow and expenses. Additionally, consider using e-commerce platforms like Shopify to set up an online store, facilitating customer acquisition and sales. Employ digital marketing strategies such as email marketing, SEO, and content marketing to target your audience effectively and strengthen your brand presence. By utilizing these tools, you can implement a robust business plan, boost innovation, and focus on growth strategies that drive your business forward. Conclusion Embracing the journey of a mom entrepreneur can lead to incredible achievements and personal growth. By harnessing your resilience and creativity you can navigate the challenges of balancing business and family life. Remember that effective time management and strategic planning are your best allies in this pursuit. As you draw inspiration from the success stories of others don’t hesitate to seek out resources and networks that can support your goals. The path may be demanding but with dedication and the right tools you can create a thriving business while nurturing your family. Your journey as a mom entrepreneur is not just about success in business but also about redefining what that success looks like for you. Keep pushing forward and embrace the unique opportunities that lie ahead. Frequently Asked Questions What defines a successful mom entrepreneur? A successful mom entrepreneur is defined by qualities such as resilience, creativity, effective planning, strong networking skills, and excellent time management. These traits help them manage family commitments while building thriving businesses, effectively merging their passions with their responsibilities. What challenges do mom entrepreneurs face? Mom entrepreneurs often face unique challenges, including time constraints, financial hurdles, and the struggle to balance business and family life. Directly addressing these challenges is crucial for their success and resilience as they navigate entrepreneurship. How can mom entrepreneurs manage their time effectively? Effective time management for mom entrepreneurs involves establishing clear daily schedules, utilizing task management tools, and delegating non-essential tasks. This strategy enhances productivity and ensures that both business growth and family commitments are attended to. What funding options are available to mom entrepreneurs? Mom entrepreneurs can explore various funding options such as small business loans, crowdfunding, and grants. A well-structured business plan is essential, and engaging with financial mentors can also help navigate financial challenges. How can networking benefit mom entrepreneurs? Networking offers mom entrepreneurs valuable opportunities to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, mentors, and industry professionals. Engaging in local business associations or online platforms can significantly impact business growth and provide support in their entrepreneurial journey. What online tools can help mom entrepreneurs? Mom entrepreneurs can leverage online tools like Asana for project management, QuickBooks for accounting, and e-commerce platforms for marketing. These resources streamline operations and enhance productivity, freeing up time to focus on growth strategies. What lessons can aspiring mom entrepreneurs learn from successful ones? Aspiring mom entrepreneurs can learn valuable lessons from their successful counterparts, such as the importance of resilience, effective planning, strong networking, and leveraging digital marketing. Embracing these principles can help them achieve success in their business endeavors. Image Via Envato This article, "Inspiring Stories of Successful Mom Entrepreneurs Balancing Family and Business" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

You might not be familiar with the phrase "peanut butter platform heels" but it apparently originates from a scientific experiment, where peanut butter was transformed into a diamond-like structure, under very high pressure—hence the "heels" reference. Except this never happened. The phrase is complete nonsense, but was given a definition and backstory by Google AI Overviews when asked by writer Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios, as per this Threads post (which contains some other amusing examples). The internet picked this up and ran with it. Apparently, "you can't lick a badger twice" means you can't trick someone twice (Bluesky), "a loose dog won't surf" means something is unlikely to happen (Wired), and "the bicycle eats first" is a way of saying that you should prioritize your nutrition when training for a cycle ride (Futurism). Google, however, is not amused. I was keen to put together my own collection of nonsense phrases and apparent meanings, but it seems the trick is no longer possible: Google will now refuse to show an AI Overview or tell you you're mistaken if you try and get an explanation of a nonsensical phrase. If you go to an actual AI chatbot, it's a little different. I ran some quick tests with Gemini, Claude, and ChatGPT, and the bots attempt to explain these phrases logically, while also flagging that they appear to be nonsensical, and don't seem to be in common use. That's a much more nuanced approach, with context that has been lacking from AI Overviews. Someone on Threads noticed you can type any random sentence into Google, then add “meaning” afterwards, and you’ll get an AI explanation of a famous idiom or phrase you just made up. Here is mine[image or embed] — Greg Jenner (@gregjenner.bsky.social) 23 April 2025 at 11:15 Now, AI Overviews are still labeled as "experimental," but most people won't take much notice of that. They'll assume the information they see is accurate and reliable, built on information scraped from web articles. And while Google's engineers may have wised up to this particular type of mistake, much like the glue on pizza one last year, it probably won't be long before another similar issue crops up. It speaks to some basic problems with getting all of our information from AI, rather than references written by actual humans. What's going on?Fundamentally, these AI Overviews are built to provide answers and synthesize information even if there's no exact match for your query—which is where this phrase-definition problem starts. The AI feature is also perhaps not the best judge of what is and isn't reliable information on the internet. Looking to fix a laptop problem? Previously you'd get a list of blue links from Reddit and various support forums (and maybe Lifehacker), but with AI Overviews, Google sucks up everything it can find on those links and tries to patch together a smart answer—even if no one has had the specific problem you're asking about. Sometimes that can be helpful, and sometimes you might end up making your problems worse. Credit: Lifehacker Anecdotally, I've also noticed AI bots have a tendency to want to agree with prompts, and affirm what a prompt says, even if it's inaccurate. These models are eager to please, and essentially want to be helpful even if they can't be. Depending on how you word your query, you can get AI to agree with something that isn't right. I didn't manage to get any nonsensical idioms defined by Google AI Overviews, but I did ask the AI why R.E.M.'s second album was recorded in London: That was down to the choice of producer Joe Boyd, the AI Overview told me. But in fact, R.E.M.'s second album wasn't recorded in London, it was recorded in North Carolina—it's the third LP that was recorded in London, and produced by Joe Boyd. The actual Gemini app gives the right response: that the second album wasn't recorded in London. But the way AI Overviews attempt to combine multiple online sources into a coherent whole seems to be rather suspect in terms of its accuracy, especially if your search query makes some confident claims of its own. With the right encouragement, Google will get its music chronology wrong. Credit: Lifehacker "When people do nonsensical or 'false premise' searches, our systems will try to find the most relevant results based on the limited web content available," Google told Android Authority in an official statement. "This is true of Search overall, and in some cases, AI Overviews will also trigger in an effort to provide helpful context." We seem to be barreling towards having search engines that always respond with AI rather than information compiled by actual people, but of course AI has never fixed a faucet, tested an iPhone camera, or listened to R.E.M.—it's just synthesizing vast amounts of data from people who have, and trying to compose answers by figuring out which word is most likely to go in front of the previous one. View the full article

Chancellor’s comments comes as UK balances trade talks with both regionsView the full article

How is it possible that a company with such huge resources, including artificial intelligence tools, cannot deal with this?View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. There’s a little game I like to play sometimes, and it seems to be popular with other folks who tend to work out at home: What equipment would I buy if I were starting a new home gym from scratch? You can also play the advanced version: If you already have (insert common items here), what would you buy next? What follow are my picks for anybody starting a new home gym or looking to expand the one they have—whether that means a corner of your bedroom or a full-on garage-based weightlifting paradise. I'll start with space- and budget-friendly items, then move on to some bigger-ticket buys. Kettlebells If I had to put together a home gym from scratch, I think I would start with two kettlebells: one light enough to strict press or snatch, and one heavy enough to make swings and goblet squats challenging. For a beginner, that might be a 25 pound kettlebell and a 50 pound kettlebell; if you're stronger, obviously go heavier. The basic cast iron type is usually cheapest, while the colorful competition style kettlebells feel a bit nicer. By the way, I have a guide here to buying your first (or next) kettlebell. If I had a smidge of extra cash, I’d buy them as adjustable kettlebells, like this one from Kettlebell Kings, so they could get heavier as I got stronger. Competition-style adjustables are by far the best kind, since they keep the same smooth shape no matter what weight you load them to. This lets you do cleans, presses, and snatches, rather than limiting you to swings. Kettlebell Kings Adjustable Competition Kettlebell - Adjustable Weight from 26 lb to 70 lb - Includes 7 Weight Plates for Strength Training at Home or Gym - Durable Steel Shell for Long-Lasting Use $217.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $330.00 Save $112.01 Get Deal Get Deal $217.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $330.00 Save $112.01 A pull-up barPulling exercises are some of the hardest to improvise outside of a gym (although if you took my advice about kettlebells, you could do rows with those). A doorway pull-up bar like this one barely takes up any space, but it opens up a ton of possibilities. If your doorframes don't allow you to wedge in a doorframe bar, try a pull-up tower like this one. ALLY PEAKS Pull Up Bar Thickened Steel Pipe Super Heavy Duty Steel Frame Upper Workout Bar| Multi-Grip Strength for Doorway | Indoor Chin-Up Bar Fitness Trainer for Home Gym Portable (silver2) $27.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $31.89 Save $3.90 Get Deal Get Deal $27.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $31.89 Save $3.90 A spin bikeCardio is good for you. I keep telling myself this, and I’m almost starting to believe it. With a spin bike, you can do intervals or steady state work while staying comfortably indoors when the road outside is dark, or wet, or icy. The price range of options here is wide. You can splurge on a top-of-the-line Peloton—see this comparison to decide between the Bike and the Bike+, and this rundown of power zone training, which is hands down the best way to use a Peloton. Or you can go for one of the budget bikes (like a Sunny) that are less than a fifth of the price. Sunny Health & Fitness Endurance Magnetic Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Exercise Bike $275.99 at Walmart $880.34 Save $604.35 Get Deal Get Deal $275.99 at Walmart $880.34 Save $604.35 A rowing machineMy first choice for a cardio machine is the bike, as mentioned earlier. But if you want another device, I’d vote for a rower. Rowers involve your full body, and they’re great for interval training. The Concept 2 is probably the best-known (and, many would say, hands down the best) brand in this space. (Not a rower person? My third choice would be a treadmill.) Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machine $1,229.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,299.99 Save $70.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,229.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,299.99 Save $70.00 DumbbellsDumbbells are a great way to lift weights at home. They’re smaller than a barbell, less specialized than a set of kettlebells, and you can do a ton of different workouts with them. As with kettlebells, you’ll need to decide if you want to get a few pairs at specific fixed weights (cheaper to start), or go for a pricier adjustable set. Rubber hex dumbbells are the best bet if you want a selection of dumbbells you can just grab and use without adjusting. But if space is at a premium, Powerblock and Bowflex make quick-adjusting options that stacked up well against the competition in our adjustable dumbbell roundup. Or go with my colleague Meredith Dietz's favorite, the Rep Quickdraw. Rep Fitness Quickdraw Adjustable Dumbbells, Multiple weight ranges available including: 5-30, 5-40,5-50 and 5-60 lbs (5-30 lbs) $299.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $299.99 at Amazon A benchIf you have dumbbells or want to do any sort of bro workout, you’re going to need a bench. I’m more of a barbell person, so I just got a flat bench that can fit in my rack when I want to bench press. But people who do more dumbbell work often prefer a sturdy adjustable bench that can be configured for incline or upright seated work. Keppi 1200LB Weight Bench, Heavy Duty Bench1000 PRO Adjustable Workout Bench Press Set for Home Gym Strength Training, Removable Foot Catch for Incline Flat Decline Sit Up Bench for Full Body Fitness $195.98 at Amazon $279.99 Save $84.01 Get Deal Get Deal $195.98 at Amazon $279.99 Save $84.01 A barbellIf you’re into powerlifting or weightlifting, or just want to go heavy in your general strength workouts, there’s really no substitute for a good ol’ barbell. “Standard” bars with a one-inch hole are common in budget sets, but your purchase will have more longevity if you opt for an “Olympic” style bar with two-inch collars. Get a 45-pound or 20-kilogram bar like this one unless you have a specific reason to get something else. (Women who do Crossfit or Olympic weightlifting may prefer the 15-kilogram women's bar that is used in competitions.) E.T.ENERGIC 7ft Olympic Barbell Bar 40lbs for Weightlifting, Powerlifting, Gym Home Exercises with Hard Chrome Sleeves for 2" Olympic Plates(700-lbs Capacity), Red and Black $139.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Get Deal Get Deal $139.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Iron weight platesYou’ve got a few options for plates—we’ll discuss another in a minute—but iron plates are the classic choice. They’re sturdy, appropriately heavy, and up to almost any job. Get any kind that appeals to you: regular metal plates, plastic-coated ones, vintage-style deep dish. Anything but hex plates. Cast Iron Weight Plates, 45 lbs $54.39 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $54.39 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Bumper platesNot everyone needs bumper plates, but if you’re one of those people who does, skip the iron plates entirely and go for the good stuff. Bumper plates are essential for Olympic lifts (the snatch and the clean and jerk) and they’re also nice to have for other lifts, like deadlifts. In general, the cheapest kind are made of black rubber and are labeled in pounds; expect to pay a premium if you want them in kilos with international standard color-coding. A squat rack or cageYou know you’ve Made It as a home gym owner when you have your own squat rack. Consider the amount of space you have available, since some racks require tall ceilings and all require a good bit of space around the sides so you can get to the bar to change the plates. There are folding racks, half racks, and full racks. You can also go the DIY route with one of those concrete-bucket-and-lumber squat stands everyone was using during lockdown. (Mine held up great for years, and only broke down when the buckets got too much UV damage from being in the sunlight so long.) Signature Fitness Squat Rack $1,198.98 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $1,198.98 at Amazon Resistance bandsThrow a band on your pullup bar and you have a way to do assisted pullups; hold a band in your hands instead and you can do band pull-aparts. Bands are also a great addition to your barbells if you don’t have quite enough plates (or if you’re a fan of conjugate training, in which case you’re probably already putting bands and chains on everything that isn’t nailed down.) If you want to use bands with barbells, look for the long loop type; if you want to use them on their own, look for the kind that clip to handles. SandbagsSandbags are the under-appreciated workhorses of many a home gym. Sand is dirt cheap—almost literally—but expect to pay a few bucks for a quality fabric sandbag to put it in. (That said, you can DIY this, and we have instructions.) Start with a bag that weighs maybe 50 pounds, and practice picking it up, carrying it, and generally doing anything people do with weights. Yes, you can even press it overhead if you’re careful. If that’s all too easy, go 100 pounds, or work toward handling one that weighs as much as you do—or more. You'll want to go with strongman style bags for the heavier weights. A plyo boxA box is a handy thing to have around, and one of the few things I’ve always wanted in my home gym but never found the space for. With one box, you can do box jumps or box squats. With two, you can do dips, or stand on top of them and set up a belt squat. The possibilities are endless. Specialty barsIf you’re shopping for the person who has everything, I’ll tell you what they don’t have: another specialty bar. After a normal barbell, a typical next purchase is a safety squat bar. You could also go for an axle, which is great for practicing strongman events, or a cambered or duffalo bar (honestly, I’m not sure why powerlifters love these so much, but they do). A dedicated deadlift bar is perfect for the deadlift specialist in your life, and a football bar or Swiss bar gives you lots of options for pressing. A log is another great strongman/strongwoman option, or an EZ-curl bar for the bodybuilder. Or grab a trap bar to do deadlifts on easy mode. View the full article

President Donald The President’s administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to allow enforcement of a ban on transgender people in the military, while legal challenges proceed. Without an order from the nation’s highest court, the ban could not take effect for many months, Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote, “a period far too long for the military to be forced to maintain a policy that it has determined, in its professional judgment, to be contrary to military readiness and the nation’s interests.” The high court filing follows a brief order from a federal appeals court that kept in place a court order blocking the policy nationwide. At the least, Sauer wrote, the court should allow the ban to take effect nationwide, except for the seven service members and one aspiring member of the military who sued. The court gave lawyers for the service members challenging the ban a week to respond. Just after beginning his second term in January, The President moved aggressively to roll back the rights of transgender people. Among the Republican president’s actions was an executive order that claims the sexual identity of transgender service members “conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life” and is harmful to military readiness. In response, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a policy that presumptively disqualifies transgender people from military service. But in March, U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle in Tacoma, Washington, ruled for several long-serving transgender military members who say that the ban is insulting and discriminatory and that their firing would cause lasting damage to their careers and reputations. The The President administration offered no explanation as to why transgender troops, who have been able to serve openly over the past four years with no evidence of problems, should suddenly be banned, Settle wrote. The judge is an appointee of Republican President George W. Bush and is a former captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps. In 2016, during Barack Obama’s presidency, a Defense Department policy permitted transgender people to serve openly in the military. During The President’s first term in the White House, the Republican issued a directive to ban transgender service members, with an exception for some of those who had already started transitioning under more lenient rules that were in effect during Obama’s Democratic administration. The Supreme Court allowed that ban to take effect. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, scrapped it when he took office. The rules the Defense Department wants to enforce contain no exceptions. Sauer said the policy during The President’s first term and the one that has been blocked are “materially indistinguishable.” Thousands of transgender people serve in the military, but they represent less than 1% of the total number of active-duty service members. The policy also has been blocked by a federal judge in the nation’s capital, but that ruling has been temporarily halted by a federal appeals court, which heard arguments on Tuesday. The three-judge panel, which includes two judges appointed by The President during his first term, appeared to be in favor of the administration’s position. In a more limited ruling, a judge in New Jersey also has barred the Air Force from removing two transgender men, saying they showed their separation would cause lasting damage to their careers and reputations that no monetary settlement could repair. Associated Press writer Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this report. Follow the AP’s coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court. —Mark Sherman, Associated Press View the full article

There’s Blue Sky and then there’s Bluesky. Blue Sky, a paper goods company founded 16 years ago, appears to be seeing a massive bump in traffic to its website, www.bluesky.com, thanks to the newfound popularity of the social media platform of a nearly identical name. Blue Sky’s website saw 215,100 visitors in March of this year compared to 56,300 visitors in March of 2024, marking a 282% increase in visits, according to data from digital market intelligence firm Similarweb. At the same time, Bluesky, the X competitor hosted at bsky.app, saw a 864% growth in visitors. In March 2025, Similarweb tracked 169.8 million visitors, compared to 17.6 million in March 2024. Bluesky started as a research project at Twitter, but became an independent company in 2021. It launched its platform as an invite-only service in 2023 before opening up public registration in February 2024. The platform really took off, though, after the November presidential election, when X owner Elon Musk gained a large stake in President The President’s campaign and subsequent administration. The company now has more than 35 million users, according to a tracker built by software engineer Natalie Bridgers. With the massive growth, it could be that people are typing in “bluesky.com” to get to the social platform, unaware they’re going to be met with visually appealing planners. Blue Sky didn’t respond to Fast Company‘s requests for comment. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’ve been eyeing a headset that toes the line between immersive tech and affordability, the Razer Kaira Pro for PlayStation is currently down to $89.99 on Woot (for six days or until it's sold out). That’s about $30 cheaper than Amazon’s current price and the lowest it’s ever been, according to price trackers. It ships with a 90-day Woot warranty, but do note: shipping isn’t available to Alaska, Hawaii, or P.O. boxes. Razer Kaira Pro for PlayStation $89.99 at Woot $118.46 Save $28.47 Get Deal Get Deal $89.99 at Woot $118.46 Save $28.47 This model is officially licensed for PS5 and matches Sony’s aesthetic, so if you’re trying to keep a clean look with your console setup, this blends in pretty well. The headset's rotating earcups, plush leatherette memory foam, and metal frame give it a premium feel, though it can reportedly get a bit warm after long sessions. That said, while the materials feel nice overall, the creaky leatherette might bug you if you’re big on silence. Where the Kaira Pro gets interesting is with its HyperSense haptic feedback. Unlike rumble features on basic headsets, this one responds dynamically to the in-game audio and delivers directional vibrations—not just thumps from explosions, but subtle feedback based on where sound is coming from in the game. For example, if there's gunfire from your left? You’ll feel it in your left earcup. That alone makes it a different kind of experience—it's subtle tech that pulls you into the game without needing full surround sound. But even when the haptics are turned off, the headset delivers strong, well-balanced sound with its 50mm titanium drivers, especially when using Tempest 3D AudioTech on PS5, which adds more spatial awareness. Battery life holds up decently, offering around 11 hours with RGB lights and haptics on, or closer to 30 if you keep things toned down. It recharges via USB-C and supports both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless, so you can hop between PlayStation, PC, and mobile devices without much friction. You can’t stream audio from both sources simultaneously, but switching is quick. The detachable mic filters out background noise fairly well, and the companion app gives you access to EQ controls for customizing sound profiles and lighting tweaks, which is nice if you like fine-tuning things. View the full article

Apple aims to make most of its iPhones sold in the United States at factories in India by the end of 2026, and is speeding up those plans to navigate potentially higher tariffs in China, its main manufacturing base, a source told Reuters. Apple is holding urgent talks with contract manufacturers Foxconn and Tata to achieve that goal, said the person, who declined to be named as the planning process is confidential. Apple, Tata and Foxconn did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Apple sells over 60 million iPhones in the U.S. annually with roughly 80% of them made in China. The tech giant is now looking to move the majority of that production to India, the source said. Apple has already stepped up production in India to beat U.S. President Donald The President’s tariffs, shipping some 600 tons of iPhones worth $2 billion to the United States in March. The shipments from India marked a record for both its contractors Tata and Foxconn, with the latter alone accounting for smartphones worth $1.3 billion, Reuters reported last week. In April, the U.S. administration imposed 26% duties on imports from India, much lower than the more than 100% China was facing at the time. Washington has since paused most duties for three months, except for China. The President’s administration has since signalled openness to de-escalating the trade war between the world’s two largest economies that has raised fears of recession. The Financial Times first reported about Apple’s plan on Friday. As Apple diversifies its manufacturing beyond China, it has positioned India for a critical role. Foxconn and Tata, its two main suppliers there, have three factories in all, with two more being built. —Munsif Vengattil, Akash Sriram, and Disha Mishra, Reuters View the full article

Key Takeaways Role of Health Influencers: Health influencers significantly impact wellness journeys by sharing relatable advice and evidence-based information on various platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Criteria for Selection: When choosing health influencers, consider their engagement rate, content quality, audience alignment, brand voice consistency, and platform presence for effective partnerships. Engagement Strategies: Successful influencers prioritize community engagement by responding to follower comments and fostering discussions, which builds trust and brand loyalty. Impact on Wellness Decisions: Health influencers empower individuals to make informed health and nutrition choices, turning complex topics into accessible content that resonates with their audience. Emerging Trends: The rise of niche health influencers focusing on specific diets, fitness routines, and mental wellness offers unique opportunities for brands to partner and enhance community interaction. Shifting Focus Areas: There is an increasing emphasis on mental health and holistic wellness among health influencers, reflecting growing consumer interests and the need for brands to incorporate these themes into their social media strategies. In today’s digital age, health influencers play a crucial role in shaping our wellness journeys. With countless voices sharing insights on nutrition, fitness, and mental well-being, it can be overwhelming to know who to follow. The right influencers can inspire you to adopt healthier habits and provide valuable tips tailored to your lifestyle. From fitness gurus to nutrition experts, these individuals have built dedicated communities around their passion for health. They offer relatable advice and evidence-based information that can help you navigate your own wellness path. In this article, you’ll discover some of the top health influencers who are making waves and leading the charge toward a healthier you. Overview of Top Health Influencers Health influencers play a significant role in shaping wellness journeys through their strong online presence across various social media platforms. Their relatable advice and valuable insights can guide you toward healthier habits. Importance of Health Influencers Health influencers engage audiences on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, creating content that resonates with followers. Their ability to connect through storytelling and personal experiences fosters trust, which can significantly impact your decision-making regarding health and wellness. You might find that influencer marketing leads to greater brand awareness, especially for health-related products or services. These influencers often share user-generated content and reviews, further enhancing community interaction and customer feedback. Criteria for Selection When choosing health influencers to follow or partner with, consider several criteria: Engagement Rate: Look for influencers with high engagement rates. Higher interactions show that their audience values their content. Content Quality: Assess the quality of social media posts, including video content and storytelling capabilities. Well-produced content often reflects professionalism and dedication. Audience Alignment: Ensure their audience aligns with your target market. Consider demographic factors such as age, interests, and specific health topics. Brand Voice Consistency: Evaluate if the influencer maintains a consistent brand voice that matches your brand’s values and messaging. Platform Presence: Examine their presence on various social media platforms. Influencers excelling on Instagram and TikTok might be particularly effective for visual storytelling, while those active on LinkedIn could better reach a professional audience. By utilizing social media tools and analytics, you can track the success of influencer partnerships and measure the return on investment (ROI) from your social media campaigns. Profiles of Top Health Influencers Explore profiles of influential health experts shaping wellness decisions across various social media platforms. These influencers leverage their knowledge to connect with audiences, enhancing community engagement and promoting healthier lifestyles. Influencer 1: Dr. Mike Name: Dr. Mikhail Varshavski, known as “Doctor Mike.” Expertise: Board-certified family medicine physician. Influence: Dr. Mike engages millions of followers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. His content simplifies complex health topics, providing relatable health advice while debunking myths. Through engaging storytelling and interactive posts, he cultivates trust, helping you navigate your health journey. Influencer 2: Dr. Megan Rossi Name: Dr. Megan Rossi, known as “The Gut Health Doctor.” Expertise: Renowned gut health expert and registered dietitian with a PhD and research position at King’s College London. Influence: Dr. Rossi focuses on nutrition’s impact on gut health, empowering followers through informative Instagram stories and posts. Her social media strategy includes evidence-based tips for better dietary choices. By fostering community interaction, she enhances brand awareness around gut health. Influencer 3: [Insert Influencer Name Here] Name: [Insert Influencer Name Here]. Expertise: [Insert area of expertise]. Influence: [Insert description of influence, highlighting their social media platforms, engagement strategy, and approach to health promotion]. Each of these influencers showcases effective content creation and community management strategies, essential for bolstering your brand’s online presence and optimizing social media campaigns. Impact on Health and Wellness Health influencers shape wellness decisions across social media platforms. They empower individuals to make informed choices about health and nutrition. Social Media Reach Health influencers command significant reach on various social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. They leverage storytelling to connect with audiences, boost brand awareness, and create engaging content that resonates with followers. For instance, Dr. Mike’s content encourages audience engagement by simplifying complex health topics and debunking myths. Utilizing relevant hashtags and user-generated content enhances organic reach and fosters community growth. Small businesses can benefit from collaborations with such influencers to maximize their social media strategy. Community Engagement Effective community engagement leads to strong online presence and customer interaction. Health influencers actively communicate with their followers, responding to comments and feedback, which fosters trust and brand loyalty. Dr. Megan Rossi exemplifies this strategy through her focus on gut health, sharing evidence-based tips while engaging her audience in discussions. For small businesses, adopting similar community management practices encourages support and attracts potential customers. Regularly sharing video content, hosting Facebook groups, and utilizing social media analytics improves engagement rates and helps refine your social media campaigns. Trends in Health Influencing Health influencing continues to evolve with emerging influencers and shifting focus areas that impact small businesses using social media. Emerging Influencers You’ll find new health influencers rising to prominence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These influencers often focus on niche topics that span specific diets, fitness routines, or mental wellness strategies, attracting dedicated followings. Their engagement rates can be higher, offering small businesses unique opportunities for influencer partnerships that yield substantial brand awareness. For instance, you might see collaborations with micro-influencers who create authentic content and share user-generated content, enhancing community interaction and driving organic growth. Shifting Focus Areas Health influencers are increasingly prioritizing areas like mental health and holistic wellness. This shift aligns with growing consumer awareness about stress management and emotional well-being. As you develop your social media strategy, consider utilizing Instagram Stories and Facebook groups to share valuable content around these topics. Content creation should include storytelling techniques to foster deeper connections with your audience, elevating brand consistency and enhancing social media engagement. In doing so, you can leverage social media ads and organic reach to promote wellness programs, encouraging customer feedback and interaction that strengthens your online presence. Conclusion Health influencers play a vital role in shaping your wellness journey. By following the right voices you can access valuable insights and evidence-based advice that inspire healthier choices. Their ability to connect through storytelling fosters trust and encourages informed decision-making. As you navigate the digital landscape of health and wellness it’s essential to choose influencers who align with your goals and values. Engaging with these experts can enhance your understanding of nutrition fitness and mental well-being. Remember to leverage social media tools to track the effectiveness of these partnerships and maximize your engagement. Embracing the guidance of top health influencers can lead to transformative changes in your lifestyle and well-being. So take the time to explore and connect with those who resonate with you. Frequently Asked Questions What is the role of health influencers? Health influencers guide individuals on wellness journeys by providing relatable advice and evidence-based information in areas like nutrition, fitness, and mental well-being. They foster trust through storytelling, helping followers make informed health decisions. How can I choose the right health influencers to follow? To choose the right health influencers, consider their engagement rates, content quality, audience alignment, and consistency of their brand voice. Look for those who provide reliable information and resonate with your personal wellness goals. Why are health influencers important? Health influencers are crucial as they command a significant reach across social media platforms. They help raise awareness about health topics and inspire their followers to adopt healthier habits through relatable content and community engagement. How do health influencers impact social media marketing? Health influencers enhance social media marketing by offering brands authentic connections with engaged audiences. Collaborating with them can improve brand awareness and trust, as their recommendations often have a substantial influence on consumers’ health-related decisions. What are some current trends in health influencing? Current trends include the rise of new influencers focusing on niche topics like specific diets and mental wellness, primarily on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. There’s also an increasing emphasis on holistic wellness and stress management, addressing growing consumer awareness. How can small businesses benefit from health influencers? Small businesses can benefit from collaborating with health influencers to enhance brand awareness and improve engagement. By leveraging influencer partnerships, they can reach a larger audience and utilize effective community management to attract potential customers. What strategies can improve community engagement with health influencers? To improve community engagement, brands should regularly share valuable content, actively communicate with followers, and adopt storytelling techniques. Utilizing tools like Instagram Stories and Facebook groups can foster deeper connections and enhance social media interactions. Image Via Envato This article, "Discover the Top Health Influencers Shaping Your Wellness Journey Online" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Role of Health Influencers: Health influencers significantly impact wellness journeys by sharing relatable advice and evidence-based information on various platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Criteria for Selection: When choosing health influencers, consider their engagement rate, content quality, audience alignment, brand voice consistency, and platform presence for effective partnerships. Engagement Strategies: Successful influencers prioritize community engagement by responding to follower comments and fostering discussions, which builds trust and brand loyalty. Impact on Wellness Decisions: Health influencers empower individuals to make informed health and nutrition choices, turning complex topics into accessible content that resonates with their audience. Emerging Trends: The rise of niche health influencers focusing on specific diets, fitness routines, and mental wellness offers unique opportunities for brands to partner and enhance community interaction. Shifting Focus Areas: There is an increasing emphasis on mental health and holistic wellness among health influencers, reflecting growing consumer interests and the need for brands to incorporate these themes into their social media strategies. In today’s digital age, health influencers play a crucial role in shaping our wellness journeys. With countless voices sharing insights on nutrition, fitness, and mental well-being, it can be overwhelming to know who to follow. The right influencers can inspire you to adopt healthier habits and provide valuable tips tailored to your lifestyle. From fitness gurus to nutrition experts, these individuals have built dedicated communities around their passion for health. They offer relatable advice and evidence-based information that can help you navigate your own wellness path. In this article, you’ll discover some of the top health influencers who are making waves and leading the charge toward a healthier you. Overview of Top Health Influencers Health influencers play a significant role in shaping wellness journeys through their strong online presence across various social media platforms. Their relatable advice and valuable insights can guide you toward healthier habits. Importance of Health Influencers Health influencers engage audiences on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, creating content that resonates with followers. Their ability to connect through storytelling and personal experiences fosters trust, which can significantly impact your decision-making regarding health and wellness. You might find that influencer marketing leads to greater brand awareness, especially for health-related products or services. These influencers often share user-generated content and reviews, further enhancing community interaction and customer feedback. Criteria for Selection When choosing health influencers to follow or partner with, consider several criteria: Engagement Rate: Look for influencers with high engagement rates. Higher interactions show that their audience values their content. Content Quality: Assess the quality of social media posts, including video content and storytelling capabilities. Well-produced content often reflects professionalism and dedication. Audience Alignment: Ensure their audience aligns with your target market. Consider demographic factors such as age, interests, and specific health topics. Brand Voice Consistency: Evaluate if the influencer maintains a consistent brand voice that matches your brand’s values and messaging. Platform Presence: Examine their presence on various social media platforms. Influencers excelling on Instagram and TikTok might be particularly effective for visual storytelling, while those active on LinkedIn could better reach a professional audience. By utilizing social media tools and analytics, you can track the success of influencer partnerships and measure the return on investment (ROI) from your social media campaigns. Profiles of Top Health Influencers Explore profiles of influential health experts shaping wellness decisions across various social media platforms. These influencers leverage their knowledge to connect with audiences, enhancing community engagement and promoting healthier lifestyles. Influencer 1: Dr. Mike Name: Dr. Mikhail Varshavski, known as “Doctor Mike.” Expertise: Board-certified family medicine physician. Influence: Dr. Mike engages millions of followers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. His content simplifies complex health topics, providing relatable health advice while debunking myths. Through engaging storytelling and interactive posts, he cultivates trust, helping you navigate your health journey. Influencer 2: Dr. Megan Rossi Name: Dr. Megan Rossi, known as “The Gut Health Doctor.” Expertise: Renowned gut health expert and registered dietitian with a PhD and research position at King’s College London. Influence: Dr. Rossi focuses on nutrition’s impact on gut health, empowering followers through informative Instagram stories and posts. Her social media strategy includes evidence-based tips for better dietary choices. By fostering community interaction, she enhances brand awareness around gut health. Influencer 3: [Insert Influencer Name Here] Name: [Insert Influencer Name Here]. Expertise: [Insert area of expertise]. Influence: [Insert description of influence, highlighting their social media platforms, engagement strategy, and approach to health promotion]. Each of these influencers showcases effective content creation and community management strategies, essential for bolstering your brand’s online presence and optimizing social media campaigns. Impact on Health and Wellness Health influencers shape wellness decisions across social media platforms. They empower individuals to make informed choices about health and nutrition. Social Media Reach Health influencers command significant reach on various social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. They leverage storytelling to connect with audiences, boost brand awareness, and create engaging content that resonates with followers. For instance, Dr. Mike’s content encourages audience engagement by simplifying complex health topics and debunking myths. Utilizing relevant hashtags and user-generated content enhances organic reach and fosters community growth. Small businesses can benefit from collaborations with such influencers to maximize their social media strategy. Community Engagement Effective community engagement leads to strong online presence and customer interaction. Health influencers actively communicate with their followers, responding to comments and feedback, which fosters trust and brand loyalty. Dr. Megan Rossi exemplifies this strategy through her focus on gut health, sharing evidence-based tips while engaging her audience in discussions. For small businesses, adopting similar community management practices encourages support and attracts potential customers. Regularly sharing video content, hosting Facebook groups, and utilizing social media analytics improves engagement rates and helps refine your social media campaigns. Trends in Health Influencing Health influencing continues to evolve with emerging influencers and shifting focus areas that impact small businesses using social media. Emerging Influencers You’ll find new health influencers rising to prominence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These influencers often focus on niche topics that span specific diets, fitness routines, or mental wellness strategies, attracting dedicated followings. Their engagement rates can be higher, offering small businesses unique opportunities for influencer partnerships that yield substantial brand awareness. For instance, you might see collaborations with micro-influencers who create authentic content and share user-generated content, enhancing community interaction and driving organic growth. Shifting Focus Areas Health influencers are increasingly prioritizing areas like mental health and holistic wellness. This shift aligns with growing consumer awareness about stress management and emotional well-being. As you develop your social media strategy, consider utilizing Instagram Stories and Facebook groups to share valuable content around these topics. Content creation should include storytelling techniques to foster deeper connections with your audience, elevating brand consistency and enhancing social media engagement. In doing so, you can leverage social media ads and organic reach to promote wellness programs, encouraging customer feedback and interaction that strengthens your online presence. Conclusion Health influencers play a vital role in shaping your wellness journey. By following the right voices you can access valuable insights and evidence-based advice that inspire healthier choices. Their ability to connect through storytelling fosters trust and encourages informed decision-making. As you navigate the digital landscape of health and wellness it’s essential to choose influencers who align with your goals and values. Engaging with these experts can enhance your understanding of nutrition fitness and mental well-being. Remember to leverage social media tools to track the effectiveness of these partnerships and maximize your engagement. Embracing the guidance of top health influencers can lead to transformative changes in your lifestyle and well-being. So take the time to explore and connect with those who resonate with you. Frequently Asked Questions What is the role of health influencers? Health influencers guide individuals on wellness journeys by providing relatable advice and evidence-based information in areas like nutrition, fitness, and mental well-being. They foster trust through storytelling, helping followers make informed health decisions. How can I choose the right health influencers to follow? To choose the right health influencers, consider their engagement rates, content quality, audience alignment, and consistency of their brand voice. Look for those who provide reliable information and resonate with your personal wellness goals. Why are health influencers important? Health influencers are crucial as they command a significant reach across social media platforms. They help raise awareness about health topics and inspire their followers to adopt healthier habits through relatable content and community engagement. How do health influencers impact social media marketing? Health influencers enhance social media marketing by offering brands authentic connections with engaged audiences. Collaborating with them can improve brand awareness and trust, as their recommendations often have a substantial influence on consumers’ health-related decisions. What are some current trends in health influencing? Current trends include the rise of new influencers focusing on niche topics like specific diets and mental wellness, primarily on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. There’s also an increasing emphasis on holistic wellness and stress management, addressing growing consumer awareness. How can small businesses benefit from health influencers? Small businesses can benefit from collaborating with health influencers to enhance brand awareness and improve engagement. By leveraging influencer partnerships, they can reach a larger audience and utilize effective community management to attract potential customers. What strategies can improve community engagement with health influencers? To improve community engagement, brands should regularly share valuable content, actively communicate with followers, and adopt storytelling techniques. Utilizing tools like Instagram Stories and Facebook groups can foster deeper connections and enhance social media interactions. Image Via Envato This article, "Discover the Top Health Influencers Shaping Your Wellness Journey Online" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Data breaches targeting healthcare and compromising patient information seem to be coming fast and furious, the latest of which occurred at Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS), a massive nonprofit healthcare network in Connecticut. Hackers stole the data of more than 5.5 million individuals during an attack in March 2025. Other major cyber incidents revealed by healthcare organizations in recent weeks include Blue Shield of California's exposure of 4.7 million members' data to Google along with a breach at Maryland's Frederick Health Medical Group, which affected nearly a million patients. What happened at Yale New Haven Health? According to a public notice on the YNHHS website, the organization discovered "unusual activity" on its system on March 8, 2025, which was later identified as unauthorized third-party access that allowed bad actors to copy certain patient data. While the information stolen varies by individual, it may include the following: Name Date of birth Address Phone number Email address Race Ethnicity Social Security number Patient type Medical record number YNHHS says the breach did not include access to medical records, treatment information, or financial data (such as account and payment information). What to do if your records were affectedIf you've been a patient in the YNHHS network, your data may have been compromised. The organization began sending notices to those affected on April 14, so keep an eye out for a letter in the mail. YNHHS is providing complimentary credit monitoring and identity protection services to patients whose Social Security numbers were stolen, with directions for taking advantage of these services presumably included in the mailed notices. You can call the support line at 855-549-2678 Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET if you have questions about the incident or how you may be affected. There are also class action lawsuits in the works seeking damages for individuals impacted by the breach, so you can keep an eye out for news on those filings. As always, you can't reclaim stolen data, but you can minimize the potential negative impact on your life. Freeze your credit, place a fraud alert, and request copies of your credit report regularly. Lock down your Social Security number to prevent identity theft. You should also review medical bills and statements from YNHHS and report any discrepancies immediately. Exercise good digital hygiene practices, such as avoiding clicking links in messages you receive. View the full article

A new report has uncovered a community of Roblox players who digitally re-create and “play” through real-life school shootings. Known as “Active Shooter Studios,” or A.S.S., the group has attracted hundreds of fans on Roblox with detailed recreations of horrific mass shootings, including Columbine, Uvalde, and Parkland, according to a report published this week by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. The disturbing games are created by anonymous users using Roblox’s in-game tools and browser. In one game viewed by Bloomberg, more than 60 players surrounded a school holding pitchforks, chanting the white supremacist phrase “You will not replace us.” The game has since been removed. One of A.S.S.’s most popular maps re-creates the 1999 Columbine shooting, allowing players to take on the roles of mass murderers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Players can maim and dismember others—something nominally prohibited by Roblox’s community standards—fighting to the death or eventually committing suicide when police arrive in the game. The A.S.S. is part of a darker corner of the internet known as the True Crime Community (TCC), an online subculture where followers idolize serial killers and mass murderers. The Columbine shooting is among the events most romanticized by TCC members. A Roblox spokesperson told Fast Company, “Roblox is committed to safety and civility, and our Community Standards explicitly prohibit any content or behavior that depicts, supports, glorifies, or promotes terrorist or extremist organizations in any way.” They confirmed that steps are taken to remove material and accounts that violate these standards. “We have a dedicated team focused on proactively identifying and swiftly removing such content, as well as banning the individuals who create it, and we will continue to diligently enforce our policies,” they added. This is not the first time such re-creations have been found on the platform. The ADL previously discovered re-creations of the 2019 mosque shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand. Despite Roblox’s efforts, removing these maps often becomes a game of whack-a-mole. According to the report, A.S.S. members have started hosting games on paid Roblox private servers to evade detection. With over 80 million active users logging onto Roblox daily—many of them children or teens—games that glorify mass violence risk desensitizing players and may serve as a gateway to other extremist content. However, Roblox insisted “the vast majority” of users on its platform do not seek out A.S.S. content and that it is not easily searchable. “Because of the swift, proactive safety measures we have in place, it is very unlikely users would be exposed to such content on our platform,” the spokesperson said. “Combatting content that supports extremist views is an internet-wide challenge, as these individuals constantly try to evade detection,” they continued. “We work closely with other platforms and in close collaboration with law enforcement to keep content that violates our policies off our platform.” View the full article

Doug Duncan may be retired from Fannie Mae, but not from the housing market—his new firm is ramping up with writing, speaking, and advisory work. View the full article

Yesterday was an eventful day for shareholders and employees of Intel Corp. The American chipmaker reported its Q1 2025 results while its new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, confirmed earlier reports that Intel would be laying off employees. Here’s what you need to know about those layoffs and the latest movement in Intel’s stock price. New Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan confirms job cuts The most devastating news to come out of Intel yesterday was that earlier reports were correct and the company would be laying off employees. On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that Intel was preparing to lay off up to 20% of its current workforce. Given that Intel reported having 108,900 employees at the end of 2024, that 20% cut would equate to roughly just under 22,000 people being laid off. The 22,000 layoff figure, if accurate, would be larger than Intel’s last round of mass layoffs in August 2024, when then-Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger announced 15,000 job cuts. Intel’s CEO confirmed the new job cuts in an email he sent to employees on April 24, which Intel then later published on its website. In the email, Tan laid out his desire for Intel to once again become an engineering-focused company so it can better compete in the chip marketplace and begin innovating again. But in order to refocus the company to one that is engineering-first, Tan said Intel will need to find ways to reduce its existing costs. Some of that cost reduction will come from layoffs. In a poorly subtitled section of his email called “Flattening the Organization,” Tan said he was “a big believer in the philosophy that the best leaders get the most done with the fewest people.” In order to refocus the company on engineering, Tan said, Intel would need to remove its organizational complexity and unnecessary bureaucracy. To this end, Tan said there was “no way around the fact that these critical changes will reduce the size of our workforce.” However, Tan didn’t state the size of this workforce reduction—neither in terms of the number of employees that will lose their jobs, nor in the percentage of Intel’s workforce that would be let go. That means it is currently unknown if Bloomberg’s 20% figure was correct. Fast Company has reached out to Intel for comment on the number of upcoming layoffs. What Tan did confirm is that the layoffs would happen in Q2—which is Intel’s current quarter. He also said that the company “will move as quickly as possible [with the layoffs] over the next several months.” Intel stock price sinks after Q1 earnings results But Intel employees weren’t the only ones who got bad news yesterday. Investors did, too. After Intel released its Q1 2025 numbers yesterday, the company’s stock (Nasdaq: INTC) is currently down a significant amount in premarket trading this morning. As of the time of this writing, INTC shares are currently down around 6.7% to just above $20 per share. INTC shares had gained 4.3% yesterday to close at $21.49 before the company revealed its Q1 performance. Unfortunately, investors usually see layoffs as a good thing for a company because when a company lets go of workers, it can save a lot of money. Fewer employees mean fewer associated costs. Yet still, INTC shares are down after the company’s Q1 results and layoffs confirmation. But why? Intel announced that its Q1 revenue was $12.7 billion—essentially flat year-over-year. It also reported a loss equal to 19 cents a share. But those disappointing numbers didn’t seem to bother investors as much as Intel’s quarterly forecast for its current Q2. Intel issued revenue guidance for its Q2 of $11.2 billion to $12.4 billion. But as Reuters notes, the analysts’ average estimate was $12.82 billion. Many investors thus saw the guidance as an admission from Intel that its turnaround effort will take time. The company is largely seen to have fumbled the opportunity to take advantage of the AI boom in the early years of this decade, and thus seeded AI chip dominance to Nvidia. Intel’s Tan is now hoping to make Intel into an AI chip juggernaut, but the company’s guidance suggests that’s not going to happen overnight—and certainly not in the next quarter. Until yesterday, Intel was one of the few major tech companies in America whose shares were up for the year. INTC closed yesterday at $21.49, up 7.18% for the year. But with its nearly 7% premarket decline this morning, INTC shares are now essentially flat for the year to date. Looking out to a longer timeline, INTC shares have performed much more poorly. As of yesterday’s close, INTC shares had fallen nearly 38% over the past 12 months. Over the past five years, INTC shares were down nearly 64% as of yesterday’s close. View the full article