ResidentialBusiness

The Top 50 Firm is acquiring a firm based in the northwest suburbs of Chicago that specializes in real estate clients. View the full article

YouTube's recent price hike has clearly left a hole in the market. If you want a fully ad-free YouTube experience, you currently need to pay $13.99/month (up from $11.99) or use a third-party workaround. But now, YouTube has a compromise. The service's new Premium Lite plan comes in at $7.99/month ($6 cheaper) and is supposed to block ads on most, but not all, content. With YouTube Premium Lite, YouTube won't show ads on popular categories of long form video, like gaming, fashion, beauty, news, and more. That's a bit vague, but in a video with Johanna Voolich, YouTube's Chief Product Officer, she says this means that all "core creator content", including podcasts, gaming streams, and makeup tutorials will all be ad-free. The catch is that other content, like music and music videos, won't be. That said, I am curious where the line between "core creator" content starts and stops—it'll take some time before subscribers really test the boundaries of this system. What if a smaller creator has a gaming video that doesn't get flagged as being part of YouTube Gaming? Missing features Credit: YouTube Aside from ad-free play, the cheaper plan misses out on two other big Premium features. Namely, you won't get offline downloads or background play. There's no access to YouTube Music either, since that would give you ad-free listening. YouTube Premium Lite is designed for people who want to watch creator-uploaded long form content in peace, without ads, and who don't care about supplemental features or YouTube spin-offs. If you instead prefer to watch offline or like listening to long podcasts in the background or have playlists saved in YouTube Music, the $13.99/month YouTube Premium plan will probably still be more up your alley. YouTube is rolling this out as a pilot test program in the US, so how the subscription works might change in the future. The company plans to expand the testing to Thailand, Germany, and Australia in coming weeks. View the full article

Japan’s Seven & i, the parent company of the Japanese 7-Eleven convenience store chain, said Thursday it is selling its supermarket store assets to Bain Capital for about $5.4 billion. The company announced the deal a day after naming Stephen Dacus, its board chairman, to be its president and CEO. It also said it plans an initial public offering in the U.S. of 7-Eleven or SEI, its convenience store business in North America, by the end of 2026. Funds from the IPO and the sale to Bain will be returned to shareholders in the form of share buybacks worth 2 trillion yen ($5.4 billion). Seven & i’s share price jumped 6.1% in Tokyo. The deal follows Seven & i’s rejection of a takeover bid by Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard. Dacus said earlier that the offer had undervalued the potential of the convenience store business and failed to fully address U.S. regulatory concerns. The 7-Eleven franchise includes 86,000 stores in the U.S., Japan and other Asian nations. Last year, Seven & i announced a restructuring plan to strengthen its U.S. operations and streamline operations, closing some Ito-Yokado supermarkets in Japan. The omnipresent 7-Eleven convenience stores remain popular in Japan, having replaced many mom and pop shops. Convenience stores are a mainstay in many neighborhoods. Seven & i earlier sold its Sogo & Seibu department stores in Japan to Fortress Investment Group, a U.S. fund, for $1.5 billion. It said it also plans to reduce its share in Seven Bank —Elaine Kurtenbach, AP Business Writer View the full article

Remember when “team building” meant awkward icebreakers and trust falls? Well, the hybrid work revolution has tossed that playbook (and the mandatory nametags) out the window. With hybrid job postings skyrocketing from 9% in Q1 2023 to nearly 23% by the end of 2024, it’s clear that the workplace landscape is evolving faster than you […] The post Has anyone seen Jeff? How hybrid work shakes up team dynamics appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

Move would expand one-month carve-out for car imports to include all USMCA-compliant goodsView the full article

Aside from the launch of the sky blue M4-powered MacBook Air, this week's flurry of Apple announcements saw the introduction of the most powerful Apple silicon desktop processor yet. Given Apple's numbering scheme for its own chipsets, you'd think that would be one with an M4 label attached, but it's actually the M3 Ultra, which will power the newest Mac Studio. Since Apple started releasing its own chipsets with the M designation, we've seen a variety of different labels attached. First came the standard processor, then the Pro, then the Max, and then the Ultra, with performance improving with each iteration. We're now up to the M4 Max and the M3 Ultra. When preordering directly from Apple, you can fit the latest Mac Studio with either the M4 Max or the M3 Ultra, but the latter's superior capabilities are evident in the pricing: The starting price of an M3 Ultra Mac Studio is double that of an M4 Max Mac Studio. The M3 Ultra is available in the new Mac Studio. Credit: Apple Here's what's going on: As with previous generation chipsets with the Ultra moniker, the M3 Ultra is essentially two M3 Max processors fused together and appearing as one, using a technique Apple calls UltraFusion. You're basically getting twice the performance: This piece of silicon features an incredible 184 billion transistors. So many coresHere are some more stats: The M3 Ultra offers up to 32 CPU cores (compared to 24 on its most comparable predecessor, the M2 Ultra. It sports up to 80 CPU cores (compared to 76 on the M2 Ultra), 32 neural cores (the same as the M2 Ultra), support for up to 512GB of memory (compared to 192GB on the M2 Ultra), and up to 819GB/s of memory bandwidth (compared to 800GB/s). Overall, performance is around 1.5x of the Apple M2 Ultra. While the M2 Ultra chipset is the direct forebear to the M3 Ultra, if you're buying a Mac Studio, you'll be choosing between the M3 Ultra to the M4 Max—the latter being the processor that launched last year with the refreshed MacBook Pros. The M4 Max gives you up to 16 CPU cores, up to 40 GPU cores, 16 neural cores, support for up to 128GB of memory, and up to 546GB/s of memory bandwidth. One of the benefits of the M3 Ultra supporting so much RAM—more than half a terabyte—is that users can run more powerful AI models locally, on their own machines. A Mac Studio with an M3 Ultra inside should have enough oomph to run something like DeepSeek R1 locally, without having to connect to servers in China. Apple's two latest chipsets, compared. Credit: Apple The M3 Ultra also comes with a Thunderbolt 5 upgrade, doubling the maximum data transfer rates from Thunderbolt 4, up to 120Gb/s. This means you can even link multiple Mac Studios together (if you've got the budget for them), while the display engine on the M3 Ultra is capable of driving more than 160 million pixels—the equivalent of eight Pro Display XDRs. "M3 Ultra is the pinnacle of our scalable system-on-a-chip architecture, aimed specifically at users who run the most heavily threaded and bandwidth-intensive applications," says Johny Srouji, a senior vice president of hardware technologies at Apple. And what of the M4 Ultra? Apple hasn't said anything about it yet, but intimated to Ars Technica that it might not add an Ultra model this time around. That would make the M4 series the first to go without an Ultra variant, but as these super-powerful, super-expensive chipsets are only of interest to those with the most demanding needs and the deepest pockets, less frequent launches may be the most logical course of action. 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 need an extra set of eyes at home without spending a lot, the TP-Link Kasa KC410S indoor security camera is currently down to $26.99 from its usual $44.99. Kasa 2K QHD Security Camera Pan/Tilt $29.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $44.99 Save $15.00 Get Deal Get Deal $29.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $44.99 Save $15.00 You can swivel the KC410S 360 degrees horizontally and 113 degrees vertically for full-room coverage and motion tracking (though its pan and tilt controls can reportedly feel a bit jerky at times). As for its video quality, it delivers clear 2K footage during the day, with vibrant colors and good detail, but its nighttime performance depends on ambient light—if there isn’t enough, its Starlight sensor struggles, leaving the image dark and washed out. That said, according to this PCMag review, its black-and-white infrared night vision is crisp and well-lit. The KC410S also has sound and motion alerts, pushing notifications to your phone when it detects movement or a loud noise (intelligently differentiating between people and general motion, so you’re not getting spammed with alerts every time the AC kicks on). However, if you want to store video recordings, you’ll need to buy a microSD card (up to 256GB) or subscribe to Kasa Care. The Plus plan costs $3 per month for a single camera and gives you 30 days of video history, manual clip recording, and activity notifications with screenshots. If you have multiple cameras, the Premium plan, at $10 per month, supports up to 10 cameras and unlocks all features. Inserting a microSD card also lets you keep the camera running 24/7, regardless of motion or sound detection, if you prefer a continuous recording mode, The Kasa Smart app gives you full control over the camera, letting you view live footage, talk through the built-in mic, adjust motion sensitivity, enable night vision, and set patrol routes, among others. It integrates seamlessly with other TP-Link Kasa smart devices but doesn’t support Apple HomeKit. It does, however, work with Alexa and Google Assistant, so voice commands are still on the table. For a slightly higher price, the eufy Security Indoor Cam E220 ($34.99, down from $54.99) offers another solid indoor security camera with a high-res option. View the full article

Paschal Donohoe’s comments come as investors speculate over shift in US dollar’s dominant roleView the full article

Tax season can reduce even the most organized individuals to stressed-out procrastinators. And if you're anything like me, you're not exactly the most organized individual in the first place. The complexity of gathering documents, understanding deductions, and meeting deadlines creates anxiety that many of us dread each year. But with a well-designed tax preparation checklist, I've been able to turn my taxes into a manageable (maybe even even satisfying?) task well before the April 15 deadline. Here's how you can, too. A tax preparation checklist serves as your personalized roadmap through the filing process. Luckily, I've create this template to get you started. It includes sections for personal information, income documentation, deductions and credits, a tax preparation timeline, and a final verification check-list. All you need to do is to download it or make a copy in Google Docs for your own use. Here's how to make the most of this checklist, or build your own from scratch. Gather personal informationStart with the basics. Your checklist should include spaces to confirm you have: Social Security numbers for yourself, spouse, and dependents Birth dates for all dependents Last year's tax return (helpful for reference) Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit Identify your income sourcesList all potential income sources to ensure nothing gets missed: W-2 forms from employers 1099 forms for self-employment, investments, etc. Income records from gig work or side hustles Alimony received Rental property income Social Security benefits Unemployment compensation Document potential deductionsThis section often represents the biggest opportunity for tax savings: Homeownership documents (mortgage interest, property taxes) Educational expenses (tuition, student loan interest) Medical expenses exceeding threshold amounts Charitable donations with receipts Business expenses for self-employed individuals Retirement contributions Childcare expenses Organize by timelineStructure your checklist with time-based sections: January: Collect arriving tax documents (W-2s, 1099s). February: Organize receipts and deduction documentation. March: Schedule appointment with tax professional or prepare software. April: Complete final review and file. Include verification stepsAdd verification checkpoints to ensure accuracy: Compare this year's return to last year's for consistency. Double-check math and entries. Verify all Social Security numbers. Confirm all required forms are signed. Make copies of everything for your records. Making the most of your tax prep checklistWhile the template provides a comprehensive starting point, your personal tax situation may require additional items. Customize your checklist so that it suits your tax needs. Review last year's return to identify recurring items specific to your finances. Digital vs. physical organizationChoose the system that works best for you: Digital: Use a spreadsheet, note-taking app, or dedicated tax software. Physical: Create a folder system with labeled sections for each category. Hybrid: Scan physical documents and organize them in digital folders. Begin earlyThe biggest tax preparation mistake is waiting until the last minute. Begin organizing as soon as all your documents first arrive, and you'll avoid the mid-April stress entirely. Review and improve annuallyAfter filing, take a few minutes to note what worked well and what didn't. Add a "Notes for Next Year" section to your checklist to remember adjustments needed for the coming tax season. The bottom line A personalized tax preparation checklist transforms tax filing from a dreaded chore into a methodical process. By breaking down the complex task into manageable steps, you'll not only reduce stress, but potentially identify additional deductions you might otherwise miss. Again, here's my downloadable template for you. Feel free to add or remove items based on your financial circumstances and filing requirements. With this system in place, you'll be able to approach tax season with confidence rather than anxiety. View the full article

Causal dining chains had a pretty bad 2024 when it came to solvency issues. Major chains, including Red Lobster, TGI Fridays, and Roti, all filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year. And 2025 doesn’t seem to be fairing better for more restaurants. The latest restaurant chain to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection is the Tex-Mex casual dining chain On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina. Here’s what you need to know about the company’s bankruptcy filing. Why is On The Border filing for bankruptcy? On March 5, OTB Holding LLC, owner of the On The Border chain, announced it had voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Georgia. In the press release announcing the bankruptcy filing, the restaurant chain did not explicitly state why it filed for Chapter 11 protection. However, many casual dining chains have struggled with declining foot traffic in recent years as inflation-weary consumers opt to save money by staying home and cooking instead of eating out. On The Border’s president, Chris Rockwood, said that the “restructuring is the best path forward for On The Border. It allows us to address several financial and operational challenges and emerge stronger and re-focused on our growth.” In a court filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Northern District of Georgia, OTB’s chief restructuring officer, Jonathan M. Tibus, said the company had faced a “rapid loss of liquidity” in recent months, which resulted in it having to “quickly institute holds on vendor payments and rent payments to maintain cash.” This, in turn, has led landlords and vendors “to cut off service, withhold goods, repossess leased premises or exercise set-off rights,” which “resulted in the Company losing stores, additional operational challenges, and a severe liquidity crisis.” How many restaurants does On The Border have? According to the company, there are 80 On The Border restaurants across the United States and South Korea. A court filing reveals that the majority of those are in the United States. As the filing states, OTB currently operates 60 restaurants in the United States across 18 individual states. Are On The Border locations closing? The company hopes to continue operating. However, a court filing indicates that it has already closed at least 77 locations that were deemed underperforming or were expected to drive losses. On The Border has asked a court to allow it to reject the leases on these locations The list of locations it has closed spans 24 states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia. “The Debtors are no longer occupying, nor have use for, the Leased Premises,” the court filing states. By filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the company hopes to restructure itself and look for a buyer who would presumably keep operating the brand. In the company’s press release announcing its Chapter 11 filing, OTB stated, “The Company intends to use the proceedings to drive operational improvements and pursue a sale of substantially all of its assets.” The company also said that its remaining locations will remain open and operating as normal throughout the Chapter 11 process. What about On The Border employees? According to court documents, On The Border currently employs about 2,800 workers. Of those, 375 are full-time hourly employees and 216 are full-time salaried employees. The remaining 2,210 workers are part-time hourly employees. The court documents state that the company has filed “first day” relief pleadings in which it seeks permission to keep paying worker’s wages. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Corporations are a driving force behind almost every part of American life—including the movies we watch. It sometimes feels like they hold all the power, and, actually, they kinda do. But if the power of capitalism can’t be overcome, it can at least be checked once in a while. And it can be extremely satisfying to watch a crusader standing up for the rest of us. Here are 15 movies about heroes defying big corporations, most of them at least inspired by true events. Usually, reality is at least as wild as what made it to the screen. As The Constant Gardener author John le Carré observed in the afterward to (and the end credits of the film adaptation of) his almost entirely fictional novel: Nobody in this story, and no outfit or corporation, thank God, is based upon an actual person or outfit in the real world. But I can tell you this. As my journey through the pharmaceutical jungle progressed, I came to realize that, by comparison with the reality, my story was as tame as a holiday postcard. Erin Brokovich (2000) Real life provides plenty of examples of individuals standing up to corporations—with varying degrees of success. This is one of the more inspiring ones: Steven Soderbergh's crowd-pleasing legal drama was a box office triumph and an Oscar season contender, and it made a star of its titular real life activist. Julia Roberts plays Brokovich, who in 1993 was an unemployed single mother who couldn't keep out of her own way. Given a pity job as a paralegal by the man who served as her lawyer in an injury case, she stumbles onto some troubling medical documents while researching a real estate case. It soon becomes clear that Pacific Gas and Electric Company is hiding something in Hinkley, California—specifically, they've been dumping chromium-contaminated waste into several ponds around the town, and cancer incidents are way up in the region. It's here that Erin's dogged determination (and utter refusal to keep her mouth shut ,even when she'd be better off to do so) come in tremendously handy for the people of Hinkley, who now have an unlikely champion. You can stream Erin Brokovich on Netflix or rent it from Prime Video. Erin Brokovich (2000) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Dark Waters (2019) Dark Waters, from director Todd Haynes, kicks off with farmers discovering that their livestock are dying by the hundreds from exposure to waste in the water produced by a local DuPont chemical plant—which is just the beginning, as cancer rates among humans are also unexpectedly high. Mark Ruffalo stars as lawyer Robert Bilott, who takes on the farmers' case. It's based on the New York Times Magazine article "The Lawyer Who Became DuPont's Worst Nightmare" by Nathaniel Rich, and Haynes and company do a masterful job of dramatizing the high-stakes legal battle, as well as the problem of buy-in—parties to the legal action become pariahs in their community because many would rather take their chances with cancer than risk losing a big employer. This all happened within the last decade, so many of the issues related to so-called "forever chemicals" (those that never leave the bloodstream once exposed) are very much ongoing, and will only become more prominent in the current era of deregulation. You can rent Dark Waters from Prime Video. Dark Waters (2019) Learn More Learn More The Insider (1999) Michael Mann's account of tobacco industry shenanigans did only middling business at the box office, but nonetheless earned seven Oscar nominations—including one for Best Picture. It comes at the story from a smart, sideways angle: The focus is on the 60 Minutes piece that broke wide open the story of big tobacco's malfeasance over the risks of smoking—a story that made clear that these companies knew the true dangers of smoking, and lied about it to keep their customers addicted. In the movie's largely accurate telling, CBS producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino) coaxes former tobacco-company chemist Dr. Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe) to reveal what he knows, only to face pushback from fearful executives and threats from the tobacco industry. The narrative makes clear the high cost of telling even the most straightforward of truths. You can stream The Insider on The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. The Insider (1999) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Even the Rain (2011) In 1999, a group of investors lead by the American company Bechtel invested in a dam near Cochabamba, Bolivia. The thus contained water was then sold back to the locals at vastly higher rates. The resulting protests saw tens of thousands of people take to the streets. In director Icíar Bollaín's wildly ambitious film-within-a-film, a crew, led by director Sebastián (Gael García Bernal), comes to Cochabamba to make a movie based on Christopher Columbus' first voyage. His thoughtless executive producer Costa (Luis Tosar)stirs up trouble with his lack of consideration for the locals as the water protests simmer in the background. Weaving in themes that consider the long history of colonization, the film isn't shy about drawing clear lines between past and present. You can stream Even the Rain on Netflix. Even the Rain (2011) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Into the Weeds (2022) The jury is still out, I suppose, on the risks of glycophosphate (a prime ingredient in Monsanto's herbicide Roundup) in typical doses, but there's nevertheless much to cheer in Dewayne "Lee" Johnson's case against the chemical company. A school groundskeeper in California, Johnson was exposed to hundreds of gallons of the stuff over the years. He was diagnosed with a terminal case of non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of 42, and as this documentary reveals, Johnson won his case against the chemical giant—an extremely rare victory that, if even in only a small way, put these companies on notice. You can stream Into the Woods on Hoopla or rent it from Prime Video. Into the Weeds (2022) Learn More Learn More The Constant Gardener (2005)Ralph Fiennes stars as Justin Quayle, a British diplomat in Kenya, trying to solve the murder of his wife Tessa (Rachel Weisz, who won an Oscar for the role), an Amnesty International activist. It seems that Tessa had been investigating the deaths related to drug trials around something called Dypraxa. The movie alternates between the harrowing investigation and the story of the development of the relationship between the two. An adaptation of the John le Carré, both book and film were inspired by a Pfizer drug trial in Nigeria in 1996 that left 11 children dead. You can rent The Constant Gardener from Prime Video. The Constant Gardener (2005) Learn More Learn More The Informant! (2009) Nearly a decade after Erin Brockovich, Steven Soderbergh took on another real-life whistleblower, this time puncturing the self-importance and self-seriousness of white-collar criminals with a dose of dark comedy. (As we ought to have learned by now, capitalism rewards the goofy and dumb at least as often as it does those with half a brain.) Matt Damon plays corporate executive Mark Whitacre, who confesses to a couple of FBI agents (Scott Bakula and Joel McHale) about his involvement in a scheme to fix the price of commercial livestock-related chemical lysine. Whitacre gets increasingly loopy during his time wearing a wire for the Feds, a period during which his various other infractions come out. Oh, and during which he also embezzles a ton of money from the company he's purportedly trying to expose. You can stream The informant! on Prime Video. The Informant! (2009) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Radium Girls (2018) A fictionalized account of the real-life radium girls (oddly, it's not based on Kate Moore's nonfiction bestseller of the same name), this film follows Josephine and Betty Cavallo, sisters employed painting watch dials at an "American Radium" factory in New Jersey. In real life, radium workers were often called "ghost girls" for the ways in which the radium they worked with made their clothes and hair glow. Workers were assured the radioactive element was entirely safe, and even encouraged to lick their brushes to make the points finer for painting clocks and watches. In real life, much as in the movie, it was the United States Radium Corp. that fought to keep the truth about the dangers of radium from coming out, blaming illnesses and deaths on syphilis long after it was clear what was happening. The back half of Radium Girls dives into the famous court case that resulted, one that wasn't entirely a triumph at the time but that did pave the way for the creation of OSHA and other safety reforms that protected workers for decades—until very recently. You can rent Radium Girls on Prime Video. Radium Girls (2018) Learn More Learn More Michael Clayton (2007) A legal drama with a bit of extra swagger, Michael Clayton is from writer/director Tony Gilroy, the filmmaker who wrote and/or directed most of the Bourne movies. It manages to be just as thrilling, if in an entirely different way. George Clooney stars as the eponymous fixer, working at a major law firm finding legal loop holes that will benefit clients—until he starts to develop a conscience after discovering that his firm is working to clear a path for an agricultural chemical concern to escape the consequences of knowingly selling a cancer-causing weedkiller. The drama and action are on point, as following Clayton as he is hunted by chemical industry goons. It earned seven Academy Award nominations, including for one for Best Picture. You can stream Michael Clayton on Prime Video. Michael Clayton (2007) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Harlan County, USA (1976) Filmed as its history unfolded, Barbara Kopple's essential documentary chronicles what became known as the “Brookside Strike” against the owners of the Brookside Mine and Prep Plant in Harlan County, Kentucky. Kopple’s original intent was to create a film about efforts to unseat the wildly corrupt leader of the United Mine Workers of America union at the time, W.A. Boyle, who seemed to many to be in the pockets of the mine owners (he was later convicted of conspiracy in the murders of a reformist opponent’s entire family). That explosive story turned out to be a side-note to the brutal, bloody, violent opposition faced by the striking mineworkers and their families. These workers were no pushovers when it came to their rights and mine safety; nor were their wives and mothers. It's a throwback to an era when what we might call the "white working class" (though it was not exclusively white) would still fight fiercely against government and corporate greed. You can stream Harlan County USA on Max and The Criterion Channel. Harlan County USA (1976) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max North Country (2005) Though occasionally a bit formulaic, there's no faulting North Country for its ability to rouse, at least in moments, nor for its acting: both Charlize Theron and Frances McDormand earned Oscar nominations for their roles. While fictionalized, the film is based on the nonfiction book Class Action, by Clara Bingham and Laura Leedy Gansler, which examines Jenson v. Eveleth Taconite Co., the first-ever class-action sexual harassment lawsuit in the U.S., which took place in 1989. Theron plays Josey Aimes, who moves back to her hometown in northern Minnesota and takes a well-paying job in the local iron mine at the behest of an old acquaintance (McDormand). No rabble-rouser, Aimes nonetheless immediately sees how women at the mine are treated: Their skills are dismissed, and they're viewed as low-cost replacements for more deserving men. What's more, sexual harassment and even sexual assault are daily occurrences. With the (initially reluctant) backing of the local union, Aimes takes the mine to court on behalf of all the women workers, facing down a massive company more than willing to make an issue of her own sex life. You can stream North Country on Hoopla or rent it from Prime Video. North Country (2005) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Philadelphia (1993) Andrew Beckett isn't a traditional "little guy," instead a successful senior associate at a major corporate law firm in Philly. He's also gay and closeted, and starts displaying lesions (Kaposi's sarcoma, specifically) related to the AIDS diagnosis that he's been concealing. When he's fired with little reason given, he hires Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), one of the few lawyers who will take his wrongful termination suit. There were few mainstream films about about the darkest days of the first HIV/AIDS crisis (and we're living through another, as effective treatments and miracle preventatives have become increasingly scarce and unaffordable), and none had more cultural impact than this all-star legal drama. It's based loosely on the real-life case of attorney Geoffrey Bowers and his own lawyer, Clarence Cain, who took on the law firm Baker McKenzie under similar circumstances, though the Hollywood version has a somewhat happier end—Bowers' own case wasn't settled until eight years after his death. You can rent Philadelphia from Prime Video. Philadelphia (1993) at Prime Video Get Deal Get Deal at Prime Video The Rainmaker (1997) Matt Damon stars in this John Grisham adaptation, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, as Rudy S. Baylor, a poor kid who just barely made it through law school only to find himself in a profession that mostly makes him uncomfortable—not helped by the fact that his first boss is a smarmy con man played by Mickey Rourke. Convinced by scrappy paralegal Deck Shifflet (Danny DeVito) to join him in a little storefront operation, the two take on three cases around which the movie revolves, but the emotional core is in the one about a kid with cancer whose treatment his insurance company refuses to fund. It quickly becomes clear that Donny's life can't be saved, but there's hope that the insurance company can be forced to treat him like a person and not a line item anyway. It's still timely, except for the "hope" part. You can stream The Rainmaker on Pluto TV or rent it from Prime Video. The Rainmaker (1997) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Salt of the Earth (1954) Once of the first films that we'd recognize as independent in the modern sense (the writer, director, and producer were all blacklisted), Salt of the Earth was suppressed and dismissed as propaganda for its wild, still controversial propositions that racism is bad, women should maybe have some rights, and working conditions ought not be awful. Commie nonsense, to be sure, but presented not without dramatic flair. Based on a real 1951 strike, the movie is set in "Zinc Town, New Mexico" among mostly Mexican-American miners who are agitating for better working conditions—at least as good as those of their white counterparts. The strikers are arrested and the strike is put down by use of the real, and then recent, Taft-Hartley Act, the nation's most significant anti-union legislation (it's still in force, by the way). A loophole allows the miners' wives to march in their places, and the movement is lead by Esperanza Quintero (Rosaura Revueltas), the spouse of a jailed striker. You can stream Salt of the Earth on MGM+, Tubi, Pluto TV, and Prime Video. Salt of the Earth (1954) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The China Syndrome (1979) The Meryl Streep-starring Silkwood, the acclaimed film based on the real-life case of a nuclear whistleblower, isn't streaming or digitally rentable anywhere (conspiracy!), but The China Syndrome isn't a terrible substitute. Jane Fonda plays a reporter who begins to smell something fishy at the Ventana nuclear power plant, the owners of which are handing out radiographs that don't make much sense. It turns out there's a leak that they can't be bothered to fix, and rather than shelling out that money, they're putting out faked test results suggesting that all is fine, and surely the tragic accidents that befall anyone who considers speaking up are mere coincidences. Nuclear industry executives were initially livid at the suggestion that anything could ever go wrong at one of their plants, but got much quieter 12 days later, when the Three Mile Island nuclear accident occurred in Pennsylvania. Jane Fonda and Jack Lemmon both earned Oscar nominations for their performances. You can rent The China Syndrome from Prime Video. The China Syndrome (1979) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video View the full article

Robert Rodriguez wants to give you a cut of the action—in more ways than one. The director, writer, and producer behind movies including El Mariachi, From Dusk Till Dawn, Spy Kids, and Sin City recently announced Brass Knuckle Films, a new initiative inviting fans to become investors in action films. Powered by global investment platform Republic, Brass Knuckle Films will allow everyday fans to back projects from Rodriguez’s production company Troublemaker Studios, share in the profits, and access perks including exclusive previews, set visits, discussions with Rodriguez and his creative team, and even the chance to have their own idea made into a movie. Each Brass Knuckle Films investor will have the opportunity to submit a movie concept, which Rodriguez and his team at Troublemaker Studios will review based on originality, feasibility, and market potential. Ten finalists will be selected to pitch their concepts directly to Rodriguez, who will choose one to be developed into a full-length feature as part of the Brass Knuckle Films slate. “When I talk to studio execs, they’re like zombies in suits. They don’t watch movies. They’re not fans of movies. They’re in it for a business,” says Rodriguez, cofounder of Brass Knuckle Films. “You talk to a fan—you see the passion. They should be making the money.” Brass Knuckle Films is coming to the scene behind a similar company Legion M that launched in 2016 and billed itself as “the world’s first fan-owned entertainment company.” What could set Brass Knuckle Films apart is Rodriguez himself who’s built something of a cult fandom from his body of work, as well as how streamlined his Austin, Texas-based production company, Troublemaker Studios, operates with him as the writer, director, producer, and editor of his projects. “Studios have never made things efficient,” says Alexis Garcia, cofounder of Brass Knuckle Films. “So if you can offer [efficiency with] less cooks in the kitchen or because you own and control more of the food chain to making movies like we do with a studio here, that’s a value that nobody would argue with.” What’s also unique about Brass Knuckle Films is its specific focus on action films. Not only is it Rodriguez’s go-to genre, it’s what he’s seeing is in high demand—and that he could fill quickly and profitably. Rodriguez recalls a conversation with an executive at Netflix a few years ago where he was told the streamer needed more family films. Rodriguez took the prompt and wrote, directed, and produced the 2020 film We Can Be Heroes. To this day, the film remains in the top 10 most popular Netflix films globally. “Now when I ask, what do you need?, [studio executives] say, action, action, action. We just don’t have enough action movies,” Rodriguez says. “There’s such an appetite for these movies. [Studios] don’t care where they come from as long as they come. They can’t make them fast enough and they don’t know how to make them efficiently. So you’re solving their problem.” At the core of Brass Knuckle Films is Rodriguez’s desire to amplify his indie approach to action filmmaking and to give fans more equity in movies they’re ultimately supporting at the box office or by hyping them up on social media. “If it’s going to end with the fans anyway with them watching the movie, let’s begin with the fans and let them be a part of it, get a piece of the action,” Rodriguez says. “They’ll be more motivated to go tell their friends to go watch it because they’ll make more money.” “Democratizing and demystifying has always been a part of my DNA as an independent [filmmaker],” he adds. “Now I want to do that with an audience.” View the full article

Like homeowners insurance, auto insurance is getting significantly more expensive: Data show that policy costs rose 11% last year, likely due to factors like climate change, rising accident rates, and higher repair costs. Under certain circumstances, you may be able to offset or at least keep your car insurance premium stable, if not reduce it. If you go through any of the following life changes, it may be time to call your insurance company about lowering your policy premium. You've movedA move is a major life transition—and one that could impact your auto insurance policy for the better in a few ways. First, insurers factor where you park your car into your rate, so living in a lower density or safer neighborhood can potentially save you some money. Moving also gives you the chance to bundle your renters or homeowners insurance policy with your auto policy if you haven't already, which typically reduces the cost of both. Finally, moving can change your driving habits, which we'll get into next. You're driving lessLet's say your move has put your closer to work, or you've changed jobs or begun working remotely more frequently, or another shift in your routine has cut the number of miles you drive on a regular basis. Insurance companies consider annual mileage when calculating premiums, so a significant drop could save you some money. Your family size has changedIf you've had a teenager on your policy who now has their own vehicle or own policy and no longer lives at home, removing them from yours can save you a significant amount of money on your premiums (potentially cutting the cost by half). On the flip side, combining your policy with a new spouse's could reduce the cost per person. You've taken a defensive driving courseOne of the many discounts available on auto insurance is for taking a defensive driving course—in fact, some states require insurers to offer this discount. Typically, these discounts are good for several years before you need to retake the class. Discounts range from 5% to 20% off your premium. Your coverage is about to renew (or expire)Re-upping your policy won't save you money specifically, but it is a good time to call your current insurer about options for reducing your premium as well as to shop around for cheaper options. Other ways to lower your car insurance premiumEven if you don't have a life change that could qualify you for a lower insurance premium, there are other ways to reduce the cost of your policy: Increase your deductible: Raising your deductible (the amount you'll pay out of pocket before your policy kicks in) can lower your premium. Most policies have a $500 deductible, but bumping that up to $1,000 can potentially save you 25% on your policy cost, according to Consumer Reports. However, you'll want to consider whether you have an emergency fund to cover the added potential cost. Decrease certain types of coverage: Collision and comprehensive coverage may be optional in your state, and dropping one or both can reduce your policy premium. Collision may be an unnecessary expense if your car's value is especially low (and if your premium is more than 10% of that value). Ask about discounts: Many insurers offer policy discounts for things like setting up autopay or paperless statements, paying your premium upfront, maintaining a clean driving record, and bundling with other policies. Drive a cheaper car: This may not be a change you can make immediately, but when you're in the market for a vehicle, consider a make and model that's cheaper to insure. Look for usage-based policies: Usage-based insurance calibrates your policy to your real-life driving habits, so low-risk drivers pay less. However, this typically requires you to have a tracking app that sends data to your insurance company, which raises privacy concerns, and risky driving can actually increase your policy cost. View the full article

Move comes amid signs that inflation is returning to targetView the full article

Tuning out the external world may be tempting but it’s the wrong strategyView the full article

Branding is design. It’s the logos, typefaces, and design systems that bring a company to life. But it’s also strategy. A rebrand can reveal the priorities, motivations, and aspirations of a company if you look beyond the logo. In a recent conversation for FC Live, Fast Company‘s design editors Liz Stinson and Mark Wilson explored the true impact of branding through the lens of some of the biggest branding moments from the past year. If you missed the subscriber-only event, you’re in luck. You can catch the whole conversation in the video above. View the full article

Gina Trapani, founder of the website you're reading right now, popularized a plaintext format for to-do lists way back in 2006 (please excuse any weird formatting on that nearly 20-year-old article). Called Todo.txt, it is used by many people to this day, in part thanks to an ecosystem of applications built around the format. I recently stumbled on Calendar.txt, by author and teacher Tero Karvinen. It's a text document based on a similar philosophy—a stripped down, just-the-basics take on your overloaded calendar app. It's a concept worth considering. We're at least a decade into the "using a separate app for everything" era, and sure, a lot of those apps are pretty great. I've spent years recommending software-based tools for everything from managing tasks to making drinks, and I don't plan to stop anytime soon. But not everyone needs a bespoke app for everything they do. Productivity is personal, and everyone has different needs. I've known several highly technically competent people who still use paper day planners to track their appointments and tasks—a simple notebook is flexible in a way that no app can match. One line of text per dayI view plaintext tools like Calendar.txt in a similar light. This specific tool is about as simple as it gets: It uses one line of text for every day. You can download a pre-made file with lines for dates that stretches through the year 2033, or you can just make your own. Every line starts with the date, followed by the week number, followed by a three-letter week name. The idea is that you write your appointments after that, by simply writing the time, followed by the name of the event. Events are simply added, in order, to the line. So, for example, a line for today, with one appointment/task (me cleaning the house this afternoon) would look like this: 2025-03-06 w10 Thu 14 cleaning the house There are many shortcomings to this approach. There's no built-in tool for reminding you of events, for one thing, and there's no way to invite others to your appointment. But this simple approach might work for you. And, as todo.txt demonstrated two decades ago, there are benefits to using plaintext files. Plaintext is versatile, can be opened on any device, and your files won't disappear because some software company decides it wanted to change its priorities. If you're familiar with the command line, you can use existing tools in all kinds of interesting ways. For example, the calendar.txt documentation shows how you can use grep, a tool for searching text documents, to pull up today's appointments: grep 2025-03-06 calendar.txt You could use the same command to search for events by the day. Credit: Justin Pot Again, this approach won't seem useful to everyone—especially if you never open the command prompt—but not every tool needs to be for every user. Only you can decide which tools work best for you. View the full article

DEI measures may be under threat, but the reality is many workers want jobs at companies that value diversity. Comparably, a platform for salary data and work culture insights, just released its list of the top 100 large companies for diversity. To compile the list, Comparably asked 30,000 employees of color to weigh in on 16 different categories, including satisfaction with leadership, compensation, and career growth opportunities. The ratings were collected between February 10, 2024 and February 10, 2025. To qualify, large companies had to employ over 500 employees and needed at least 75 employee ratings. (Comparably also published a list of top 25 small-to-midsize companies for diversity.) It’s worth noting that nearly a quarter of the companies on the list have CEOs of color, including Informatica (led by Amit Walia) and Synopsis (led by Sassine Ghazi). While tech company HubSpot is celebrating its eighth year on the list, other tech giants such as Uber and IBM didn’t make this year. Apple and Meta haven’t been on the list since 2020, and Google and Microsoft last made an appearance on the list in 2021. Here are the top 25 large companies for diversity, according to Comparably: Elsevier: New York City, NY RingCentral: Belmont, CA Informatica: Redwood City, CA ADP: Roseland, NJ Calix: San Jose, CA Teleperformance: New York City, NY Esri: Redlands, CA TaskUs: New Braunfels, TX LexisNexis Legal & Professional: New York City, NY Synopsys: Sunnyvale, CA N-able: Burlington, MA Arista Networks: Santa Clara, CA Paycom: Oklahoma City, OK Squarespace: New York City, NY Adobe: San Jose, CA Altametrics: Costa Mesa, CA Baylor Scott & White Health: Dallas, TX DataStax: Santa Clara, CA Elastic: San Francisco, CA HubSpot: Cambridge, MA Boston Consulting Group: Boston, MA Trimble: Westminster, CO Remitly: Seattle, WA Sunrun: San Francisco, CA Workday: Pleasanton, CA View the full article

Winning over Gen Z employees isn’t about flashy perks or trendy office spaces—it’s about leadership that actually walks the talk. This younger generation of employees has different values than their predecessors. It expects transparency, meaningful work, and a culture that values their contributions. If leaders want to earn their trust and loyalty, they need to rethink traditional management styles and embrace a more authentic, collaborative approach. From recognition and flexibility to open communication, here’s what nine leaders say it takes to lead Gen Z employees in a way that actually resonates. Provide regular recognition I’ve seen how regular recognition can be crucial in building trust and loyalty with Gen Z employees. This generation values being acknowledged for their hard work and contributions, and when leaders show appreciation, it creates a positive work culture. We make it a point to regularly highlight the achievements of our team, whether in team meetings, through internal shout-outs, or personal messages. For example, every quarter during our company meeting, our CEO publicly recognizes a few employees for their outstanding contributions, reinforcing the importance of appreciation at every level. This helps people feel seen and motivates them to keep pushing forward. One approach that has worked really well for us is encouraging employees to regularly give shout-outs to each other for going above and beyond. One such example is via our Thankful Thursdays, where everyone is welcome to give recognition to a peer. This creates a sense of community and helps build trust among employees, as they know their colleagues are supporting and appreciating their efforts. It’s not just about top-down recognition; it’s also about fostering a culture of mutual respect. It helps Gen Z employees feel that their contributions matter, which in turn builds a sense of loyalty to the company. Vivek Vaidya, Cofounder & CTO, Ketch Foster transparency and authenticity Leaders can earn trust and loyalty from Gen Z employees by fostering a culture of transparency and authenticity in communication. Gen Z values honesty regarding decision-making, company direction, and understanding how their contributions fit into the bigger picture. They are not just looking for a paycheck—they want to feel like they’re part of something meaningful, and they want to work for open and genuine leaders. A key approach I’ve found effective is holding regular, informal check-ins that focus on achievements and challenges. During these sessions, I share company updates, discuss ongoing projects, and address any issues the business may face. I also encourage team members to ask questions, provide feedback, and share ideas on overcoming obstacles. This creates a sense of inclusivity, where employees feel their opinions are valued, and trust is built through open dialogue. Transparency extends to leadership decisions. When changes or challenges arise, I make it a point to explain the reasoning behind decisions rather than just delivering the outcome. This helps employees understand the “why” behind actions, turning decisions into shared experiences rather than top-down mandates. As a result, employees feel more engaged and involved, which deepens their trust in leadership. Providing opportunities for Gen Z employees to contribute their insights in these conversations further empowers them to take ownership of their work. When their input can influence the company’s direction, they develop a greater sense of purpose and connection to the organization’s success. For example, I worked with a client who wanted to improve communication with their younger team members. We set up biweekly “listening sessions,” where leadership openly discussed company goals and challenges, and Gen Z employees were invited to provide feedback and suggest solutions. These sessions fostered candid, two-way conversations that made employees feel more informed and involved. They also brought forward valuable insights that helped the company make better decisions. This approach builds trust by showing that leadership values Gen Z employees’ perspectives and treats them as active participants in decision-making. It emphasizes authenticity, open communication, and mutual respect, which are essential for earning loyalty from this generation. When leaders are transparent, inclusive, and willing to listen, they create lasting, meaningful relationships with their teams. April Eldridge, Founder/Principal – Fractional COO & Chief of Staff, April Eldridge Consulting Empower employees from day one From day one, we empower our Gen Z employees to take ownership of their career with our “Green Room,” a structured three-day period where new hires reflect on their past experiences, current skills, and future goals before meeting with leadership to cocreate their development plan. In case you’re wondering about the name Green Room, our brand is all green, and our Operations team loves theater. The Green Room asks new hires to consider their past roles, detailing what they loved, what drove them crazy, and what opportunities/support they wished they had. Instead of corporate onboarding, we encourage honest reflection about new hires’ career trajectory and aspirations. By day three, we discuss real metrics. New hires pitch their own KPIs and qualitative goals (the actual numbers they’ll be measured by) to their supervisors. Letting new employees set their own targets is exactly the kind of trust that makes Gen Z stick around. Promises of growth just don’t cut it when it comes to building trust with your new Gen Z hires; you have to prove to your employees that there is a clear path for advancement in your organization. I’m proud to say that over 50% of our current staff started as entry-level employees or Specialists (our paid internship program). Rather than trying to force Gen Z employees into traditional models, we’ve adapted our work environment to Gen Z’s preferences. We offer true flexibility: our team can work remotely, from our New Orleans HQ, or we’ll cover coworking space costs if they want the social aspects of office life without a full-time commute. Everyone on our team is empowered to choose the workplace environment where they work best, which shows that we trust our Optimists to be able to decide for themselves. Gen Z values transparency, so we have built in opportunities to bring candid dialogue to our Gen Z employees proactively. We’ve formalized the conversation around compensation by discussing it every four months. Flynn Zaiger, CEO, Online Optimism Respect work-life balance Gen Z values flexibility and well-being as much as career growth. Leaders who respect work-life balance and mental health earn their trust. It’s not just about perks—it’s about creating a culture where they feel valued as people, not just employees. One manager I coached introduced “No-Meeting Fridays” to reduce burnout and encourage deep work. A Gen Z employee later shared that this small change helped them feel more productive and less stressed, leading them to stay with the company longer than they had planned. Small, thoughtful shifts like this show genuine care, which builds trust and loyalty. Mauro Nardocci, Marketing and Leadership Expert – The Economist Top 10 ocean Change Maker, Sounding Board Avoid micromanaging One of the most successful ways for leaders to acquire the trust and loyalty of Gen Z employees is to refrain from micromanaging them and instead give them the freedom to make decisions regarding their projects. For instance, a leader could set clear objectives and expectations at the start of the process, then schedule regular check-ins, such as once or twice a week, to provide direction and feedback, instead of constantly monitoring every detail. The flexibility to innovate, problem-solve, and think creatively is something that Gen Z employees place a high value on, and this method gives them the opportunity to do so. An example of this strategy being put into practice in the real world is a technology company that has developed a “results-only work environment” (ROWE) for its employees who are members of Generation Z. Employees were given the authority to control their own time and procedures because managers focused on outcomes rather than specific processes or the number of hours spent. Not only did this increase productivity, but it also built a sense of trust and loyalty among employees, as they felt appreciated and trusted to deliver outcomes in their own unique way. It is possible for leaders to cultivate deeper, more collaborative relationships with Gen Z employees by providing them with the room to flourish while still maintaining open lines of communication. These relationships are the driving force behind both individual and organizational success. Rejoyce Owusu, Vice President of Human Resources, Umatta Consulting Embrace reverse mentoring I’ve seen firsthand how being open to learning from Gen Z employees fosters trust and loyalty. Gen Z thrives in collaborative, mission-driven environments, and they want leaders who respect their perspectives, not just dictate from the top. One key way I’ve built trust is by embracing reverse mentoring, where our younger team members educate leadership on digital trends, AI-driven workflows, and evolving workplace values. For example, when we were refining our approach to donor engagement, a Gen Z employee suggested leveraging short-form video content on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Initially, some senior leaders were skeptical, but after listening and implementing their ideas, we saw a noticeable increase in engagement from younger donors. By showing that we trust and act on their insights, we reinforce that their voices matter. This openness has created a culture where Gen Z employees feel valued, invested in our mission, and more likely to stay long-term. Justin Wheeler, Cofounder & CEO, funraise Follow through on promises The one thing leaders need to do to earn trust and loyalty from Gen Zers is to actually follow through. Gen Z grew up watching corporations make big, flashy promises about work-life balance, diversity, mental health, and flexibility, only to see those promises fall apart the moment things got tough. They’re skeptical, and honestly? They have every reason to be. Leaders who want their trust need to prove, through consistent actions, that their words aren’t just for employer branding. They aren’t looking for perfection though, but they are looking for consistency. They know that no leader or company gets everything right 100% of the time, and that’s not the issue. The issue is when leadership claims to stand for something but fails to show up when it actually matters. They don’t expect every policy to be flawless or every workplace to be utopian, but they do expect their leaders to be honest, accountable, and willing to back up their words with real action. This is where so many companies get it wrong. They roll out polished mission statements about work-life balance, but then glorify employees who burn out working late nights. They preach mental health support, but then guilt employees for taking a sick day. They talk endlessly about diversity and inclusion, but when promotion time comes, the leadership team still looks the same. It’s not the imperfections that cause them to lose trust, it’s the hypocrisy. For Gen Z, consistency means alignment between what a company says and what it actually does. It means if a company promises flexibility, it doesn’t punish employees for using it. If it claims to care about professional growth, the company should provide real opportunities for learning and mentorship, not just vague encouragement. If it commits to inclusivity, it doesn’t just hire diverse talent but actually fosters an environment where those employees have a path to leadership. At the core of this, Gen Zers are looking for leadership they can believe in. They want to work for companies that don’t just talk about values but embed them in their culture, decisions, and daily operations. For me, that’s the real key to earning their trust and loyalty. Be the kind of leader who doesn’t just make promises but follows through, even when it’s inconvenient. They demand authenticity and consistency. And if a leader can provide that, they’ll have a team that’s truly invested in the company’s success. Stephen Greet, CEO & Cofounder, BeamJobs Adopt expertise-driven leadership As an executive leadership coach, I’ve learned that Gen Z’s trust isn’t won through traditional management tactics. Instead, it’s earned through what I call “expertise-driven leadership.” This approach combines authentic coaching with transparent mentorship. I was working with a tech company that was seeing a concerning drop in Gen Z retention. The leaders were well-intentioned, but their approach was not very collaborative. So, we made a shift. We reimagined their leadership style to focus on coaching and mentorship rather than the usual top-down management. And, wow, did it make a huge difference. Gen Z values growth, but not necessarily in climbing a hierarchical ladder. In fact, 72% of them prefer advancing through expertise, not people management. So, we introduced “expertise exchange” sessions. Senior leaders stopped simply giving orders and instead became facilitators. They opened up about their challenges, invited team members to help solve them, and made room for innovative ideas. The results were incredible: engagement shot up, turnover decreased, and trust grew stronger. This change was more than just a leadership shift; it aligned perfectly with Gen Z’s core values. Research shows that companies with a strong coaching culture see a 60% boost in employee engagement. Here’s what I’ve realized: it’s not just about adding coaching; it’s about transforming how we think about leadership altogether. From my experience, the best leaders are the ones who prioritize curiosity over control. They’ve let go of the “I know best” mindset and embraced “collaborative expertise.” While leaders bring experience to the table, they also acknowledge that their Gen Z employees bring fresh, digital-savvy perspectives that can be just as valuable. Let’s not forget: Gen Z has grown up fact-checking everything online. They can spot inauthentic leadership a mile away. That’s why transparency is critical. I’ve seen the difference it makes when leaders admit their mistakes, share challenges openly, and seek input from their teams. It creates a space where psychological safety thrives, and Gen Z feels respected and heard. The truth is, Gen Z wants leaders who act as both coaches and collaborators. They want mentorship that guides their growth but respects their autonomy. When leaders adopt this dual role, they build trust and create an environment where both sides can flourish together. Zabrina Mok, Founder, Strategic EQ Inc. Prioritize authenticity and diversity Leaders can earn trust and loyalty from Gen Z employees by prioritizing authenticity and recognizing diverse communication styles. One effective approach is fostering an environment where individuals feel safe to express themselves while maintaining healthy boundaries. For example, a leader who openly acknowledges their own learning moments—whether about workplace dynamics, social issues, or evolving industry trends—demonstrates vulnerability and growth. This creates space for Gen Z employees to do the same, which encourages collaboration, innovation, and psychological safety. Equally important is rejecting binary thinking. Trust isn’t built through rigid right-or-wrong approaches but through transparency, nuance, and action. Leaders who navigate complexity—holding space for different perspectives while addressing bias—show a real commitment to fairness and continuous improvement. When leadership embraces the full spectrum of identities, experiences, and ideas, Gen Z employees know they don’t have to fit into a predefined mold to belong and thrive. Amanda Ralston, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA, & Founder / CEO, NonBinary Solutions View the full article

In a world without US security guarantees, all other priorities must give way to defenceView the full article

The question came innocently enough: What do you want to be when you grow up? Lindsay’s daughter, after a brief pause, looked up and confidently replied, “I want to be a client.” The simplicity of the answer hid the complexity of what she had observed: The clients always seemed to get the very best version of her mother. In her daughter’s young mind, being a client meant holding a special place—one that commands focus, care, and an unwavering commitment. As two mothers navigating full-time legal careers, that moment was not lost on either of us. It reveals a truth that is often glossed over in the narratives about working women, especially those of us balancing professional intensity with parenting. Beneath the thin veneer of “having it all,” we know all too well the quiet sacrifices and compromises that characterize our balancing act. The spotlight may be on our professional accomplishments, but in the shadows our children wait patiently for our attention, often competing with the demands of a profession that do not easily relent. The Weight of Expectation Too often the complexities of ambition, motherhood, and professional duty are distilled into stereotypes that seek to diminish rather than dignify. It’s a familiar story—the notion that a woman with power and responsibility must inevitably be lacking elsewhere. Or that her identity as a mother or partner is somehow contrary to her professional persona. These narratives, however veiled, carry weight. But let’s say what that really means. It means that the diligence and tenacity we bring to our careers and our clients are identical to the dedication we offer to our families. It means that the long hours spent advocating for clients are juxtaposed with the quiet moments at home, where the stakes are equally high, even if measured in hugs rather than verdicts. It means that, despite the portrayal of women in leadership as one-dimensional, we are more. We are multifaceted, resilient, and deeply invested in both our professions and our roles as mothers. Living with the Tension The path of a working mother demands a constant recalibration of priorities where both career and family vie for equal attention and each carries its own form of guilt. The notion of “balance” is a fallacy. At least that’s what we’ve learned from years of trying to juggle our careers and motherhood. Instead, it’s a constant series of trade-offs and compromises leading us to understand that each day is unique. There’s no neat division between “work” and “life” anymore. Mornings usually start early, working before the rest of the house wakes up. We often work with one eye on the clock, calculating the minutes until we sprint from the office to catch a school or sport event. Or days when there’s a sick child and no available caregiver, the idea of balance seems laughable. This has forced us to rethink how we define success—not by perfection but by flexibility and resilience. It’s about being okay with the days that feel like controlled chaos and accepting that sometimes one part of life will have to be put on pause for the other. When our daughters see us in action—they don’t just witness the power, grace, and poise required of our profession; they see the weight of that responsibility and the effort and dedication it takes to give both our clients and our children the best of us. The Lessons We Teach As children we dreamed of becoming lawyers, mothers, or both, imagining these roles as ultimate markers of success and happiness. Our daughters, however, have grown up watching us navigate the realities of those choices and their dreams for us are different. If a child believes happiness comes from being in a position where others give their full attention, then maybe that’s a mirror to our own internal narratives—the idea that to be happy we must be fully attended to, in control, or on the receiving end of care. But our journey has taught us that happiness, real happiness, isn’t about being a client. It’s not about receiving—it’s about the pursuit itself, the constant striving to give our best to both our careers and our children. So while our daughters might want to be “clients” today, we hope they understand, over time, that true fulfillment comes not from being at the center of attention, but from living and thriving with the tension. View the full article

Where there is a will (to boost military capabilities), there is a wayView the full article

Fila is looking to Hailey Bieber to help its struggling brand. The South Korea-based sports apparel company is today launching a 13-piece spring/summer 2025 collection made in collaboration with Bieber, who is the founder of Rhode beauty. The pieces, which include a baby tee, sweatpants, and an oversized pullover, are designed to be “wardrobe staples,” according to the company, and are now available on FILA’s website and select Urban Outfitters stores. It’s clear the Hailey Bieber x FILA Collection is geared toward athleisure rather than performance activewear based on the campaign photography, which in one photo shows Bieber spilling an iced coffee. [Photo: Fila] Fila’s North American division said last year it would downsize in the U.S., and in January it laid off 130 employees at its headquarters and warehouse in Towson, Maryland. The rise of activewear accelerated by the pandemic has been great business for athletic apparel brands like Lululemon and Alo Yoga, which catered to spendy customers with clothes for everyday wear. Fila, however, failed to make similar gains. Last year, the brand partnered with Bieber for a retro-inspired collection also designed for everyday wear. This Bieber collaboration is another push to capture share of the growing female athleisure market. The collaboration follows a marketing strategy that’s becoming more common among athletic brands looking to expand their consumer base: securing celebrity rather than performance athlete brand ambassadors. Nike took this approach most recently when it partnered with Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims on a new women’s brand called NikeSkims. (Of course, Skims also has the appeal of a $4 billion valuation.) While Fila is better known for its partnerships with athletes and tennis players, including a sponsorship announced earlier this year with New Zealand’s Lulu Sun, just like the NikeSkims deal, teaming up with Bieber gives the brand access to a celebrity who sells a lifestyle, rather than an athlete who sells performance. [Photo: Fila] “If I wouldn’t wear it, I wouldn’t put it out into the world,” Bieber says in a promotional video for the collection. Considering the popularity of tenniscore fashion last summer and fall, the Hailey Bieber x FILA Collection is well timed. The collection also includes a lightweight twill pleated skirt and oversized knit sweater meant as a modern take on a tennis classic. For Fila, the Bieber collaboration is about more than just selling clothes, it’s about defining the brand’s place in an athleisure market dominated by competitors who already cemented their place in it. By tapping a celebrity and model, the sports apparel brand could better appeal to consumers more interested in aesthetic and versatility than athletic performance. View the full article

Murray Auchincloss’s share awards drop sharply to £2.75mn, compared with £4.36mn in 2023View the full article

The L.A.-based fashion brand Lisa Says Gah just teamed up with Polly Pocket for a new limited-edition collection, and it appears to be a sign that Mattel is already gunning to recapture the marketing magic of the Barbie movie. Polly Pocket Says Gah! is an assortment of cardigans, baby tees, accessories, and PVC slingback kitten heels, all rendered in a pastel palette and topped with playful details like ruffled edges and quilted stitching. Prices range from $50 to $198. It debuts today exclusively on the Lisa Says Gah website. [Photo: Lisa Says Gah] A Polly Pocket film has been in the works with MGM since 2021, but it faced a bump in the road last July when Lena Dunham, who was going to write and direct the movie, ultimately dropped out of the project. Communications on the status of the Polly Pocket film have been quiet since then—but the movie is still in the development, Mattel confirmed to Fast Company. The studio has yet to share a release date. On the design side, the collaboration merges an ongoing interest in coquette aesthetics and Y2K nostalgia. But more broadly, it’s also harbinger that Mattel’s next blockbuster marketing campaign is launching sooner than we thought. [Photo: Lisa Says Gah] Coquette core meets ’90s nostalgia The seed for Polly Pocket Says Gah! was first planted when Mattel reached out to the fashion brand with an Instagram DM. Lisa Says Gah founder Lisa Bühler felt the partnership would be a natural fit. “Growing up in the ’90s, Polly Pocket was such a core memory—playing with those tiny outfits, mixing and matching looks—it was all about creativity and self-expression,” says Bühler. “LSG has always had Polly Pocket undertones in our playful cuts, graphic tees, and vibrant energy.” [Photo: Lisa Says Gah] The limited collection represents an evolution of the coquette core trend that emerged last winter: An aesthetic that fully embraces feminine touches like bows, ribbons, and lace. For the past year or so, this look has come to encompass a cultural movement online toward accepting the trappings of “girlhood” (e.g., “girl dinner” and “girl math”) that some women say they previously felt compelled to repress. Coquette core has enjoyed a longer-than-usual trend cycle thanks to the influence of rising stars like Sabrina Carpenter, whose Brigitte Bardot-esque look highlights soft, flirty touches and light pastels. According to Pinterest, the trend is expected to continue into 2025: per the site’s Pinterest Predicts 2025 report, searches for both “ultra-feminine,” rococo-inspired looks and “doll-like” makeup are on the rise. [Photo: Lisa Says Gah] It makes sense that the Polly Pocket Says Gah! collab would incorporate nods to coquette fashion (like heart-shaped jacket pockets and tiny ribbon bows on handbags) given that Polly Pocket was created as a line of miniature doll toys for young girls. The collection adds its own spin to the trend, though, by fusing its whimsical details with recognizable ’90s Polly Pocket IP as a nod to grown-up fans—building on a current Y2K resurgence that’s popped up everywhere from the cereal aisle to music and tech. [Photo: Lisa Says Gah] Lisa Says Gah’s life-size Polly Pockets Instead of incorporating the Polly Pocket brand’s current logo, the Lisa Says Gah collection uses the brand’s original logo, which ran from 1989 to 1998. It also takes clear inspiration from the packaging of vintage Polly Pocket toys, which recently began selling for upward of $1,000 due to a burgeoning market of collectors. In fact, one of Polly Pocket Says Gah’s signature prints is made up of various Polly Pocket compacts, a must-have portable toy in the ’90s that was meant to mimic real makeup packaging but contained a whole tiny dollhouse. “This was a true collaboration,” Bühler says, noting that Mattel provided her team with ’90s Polly Pocket images and prints from its archives for inspiration. “Our goal was to bring Polly Pocket’s tiny, magical world to life in a way that feels fresh, wearable, and true to LSG and its community.” That comes through in the apparel. Each detail of the new collection seems crafted to allow ’90s babies to dress like life-size Polly Pocket dolls. [Photo: Lisa Says Gah] The first sign of a ‘Polly Pocket’ movie Long before the Barbie movie debuted in theaters on July 21, 2023, the world had already been introduced to more than 100 Barbie-based brand tie-ins, including a signature XBox console, a line of Ruggable rugs, a Hot Wheels car, and a collection at Gap. Mattel and Universal’s wide-reaching marketing effort made the Barbie brand virtually unavoidable (and forced Fast Company to issue a moratorium on any new Barbie collabs.) It was such a smash hit that it arguably changed the way that major movie studios approach adapting recognizable IP, as in the case of 2024’s Wicked, which similarly engaged in a months-long brand collab blitz. Now it looks like Mattel is gearing up for an even more drawn-out movie marketing play. Alongside the Lisa Says Gah collab, Polly Pocket has also recently debuted collaborations with The Office, Cotton On, and Funko (the latter two also use the brand’s ’90s logo.) For now, it’s unclear whether there is a Polly Pocket summer on the horizon—but if there is, we can be sure to expect plenty more collaborations to come. View the full article