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Her voice cracking with emotion as she stood under the fluorescent lights, Janice Blanock asked her local legislators in southwestern Pennsylvania to take a moment and leaf through the photos of her son that she’d handed them. “There’s really nothing different that I can say to you that I haven’t said already over the last several months,” she told supervisors for the tiny township of Cecil outside Pittsburgh. “I can, however, share these photographs. These are just a few of the many pictures we have of our son Luke, from the time he became ill until before he died.” The supervisors were gathered to vote on a zoning ordinance amendment that would greatly increase the required buffer zone between oil and gas drilling operations and homes and schools. The proposed rule mandating a setback of 2,500 feet—five times the distance of the current law—had originally been proposed as a statewide requirement by Governor Josh Shapiro when he was Pennsylvania’s attorney general. A bill based on that recommendation later stalled out when introduced in the state House of Representatives. Blanock, a 30-year resident of Cecil, had a reason to take the issue seriously. Her son waged a three-year battle with a rare type of bone cancer known as Ewing’s sarcoma and died in 2016 at age 19. Many believe, though there’s yet to be demonstrable proof, that his cancer could be tied to oil and gas drilling’s many carcinogenic pollutants, some that are radioactive. In 2019, a cluster of Ewing’s sarcoma cases was identified in Washington County, where Cecil is located. Cecil’s school district was hit particularly hard. The county is home to more than 2,000 natural gas wells and was the 2004 birthplace of the state’s fracking industry. (Fracking is a process in which sand, water, and chemicals are blasted into the earth to free fossil fuel.) A growing body of peer-reviewed research has linked living near natural gas drilling operations to cancers and respiratory, reproductive, and neurological damage. In 2023, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the state Department of Health linked fracking exposure in the region encompassing Cecil to increased risk of asthma and lymphoma. “Will you look at the damn picture, Darlene,” Blanock urged one supervisor after handing her a photo of Luke. Around an hour later, the zoning ordinance passed and the room erupted with applause. With that, Cecil—a town of just 15,000 residents and no outsize political power—became the first jurisdiction in Pennsylvania to adopt such a restrictive measure, even as similar efforts at the state level have failed. But already it is facing legal challenges from two natural gas companies active in the area—Texas-based fracking company Range Resources, and Colorado-based gas pipeline company MarkWest Liberty Midstream. The Cecil Township Board of Supervisors meets monthly at the town’s Municipal Building. [Photo: Audrey Carleton] Under current requirements, natural gas wells in Pennsylvania must be at least 500 feet from buildings and water wells, which environmentalists and medical experts say is not far enough. In 2023, a bill that would have required all new natural gas wells in the state to be located at least 2,500 feet—nearly half a mile—from buildings and water wells was slated for a committee vote, but was abruptly killed at the request of Democratic leadership in the state House of Representatives. Three years before that, then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro released a grand jury report calling for a statewide 2,500-foot buffer between human activity and natural gas production. “There is one point that is impossible to deny,” the grand jury report stated. “The closer people happen to live to a massive, industrial drilling complex, the worse it is likely to be for them.” While that plea failed to get political traction, environmental groups continue to urge action. For their part, natural gas industry groups have minimized concerns about health risks associated with fracking exposure and have resisted proposals for setbacks or no-drill zones. But despite industry efforts, Cecil has gone its own way. The township’s updated oil and gas ordinance prohibits new oil and gas wells from being drilled within 2,500 feet of “protected structures,” which includes homes, businesses, and religious institutions, and within 5,000 feet of schools and hospitals. Though the ordinance does not call for an outright ban on new drilling, Range Resources contends it would limit fracking in Cecil in such a way that it violates state law. The township argues otherwise: Wells located outside Cecil can still be drilled under the town. The ordinance also imposes additional restrictions on the industry that have generated less debate: It prohibits retention ponds for water used in the fracking process, places new noise restrictions on drilling, and limits work hours on well pads. “I was not sure for the longest time that this was going to go this way,” said Sarah Martik, a Cecil resident and executive director of the Center for Coalfield Justice, a southwestern Pennsylvania-based nonprofit environmental justice organization. “This one thing is as far as we’ve ever gone, as far as regulating this industry in a way that is protective of our communities.” But the road to this outcome was fraught. Documents obtained by Capital & Main through right-to-know requests reveal an up-close look at life in the shale fields, with citizens largely fed up with living alongside the natural gas industry. Noise, bright lights, and shaking at all hours were among the complaints emailed to supervisors in the months ahead of the vote. “Here I am once again trying to prepare for another sleepless night,” one resident wrote to the supervisors in May. “My whole house shakes, my children are disturbed from sleep, my pets are afraid to be out in the yard—can you please help us.” “I have SUFFERED from vertigo for years,” another resident wrote in June, referring to vibrations from drilling at a nearby well pad that she felt in her home. “You know in some places they torture people with this kind of low res hum and vibration. Torture—because that is what it is.” Documents also offer a look at the playbook the industry followed to curry favor among Cecil residents. Over the five years before the ordinance was adopted in 2024, Range Resources, the township’s only active natural gas well operator with 34 active wells per state records, donated nearly to $300,000 to the community. The money was disbursed throughout the township, the encompassing school district, and local volunteer first responder organizations, and it was spent on festivals, children’s sports teams, a science fair, and CPR training sessions, according to a spreadsheet obtained by Capital & Main through a right-to-know request. Range Resources did not immediately respond to Capital & Main’s request for comment. At least one township supervisor has financial ties to Range Resources. Records show Supervisor Darlene Barni has, for many years, maintained an oil and gas lease with the company; she ultimately recused herself from the final ordinance vote but participated in earlier stages of its development and routinely shares pro-oil and gas posts on Facebook. The company also weighed in at multiple stages during the drafting of the ordinance, using experts to testify against existing science that ties fracking to poor environmental and health outcomes and urging town leaders to refrain from enacting a setback as large as 2,500 feet. “At least 92% of Cecil Township’s surface property would be excluded from future oil and gas development,” an attorney for Range Resources told supervisors in a letter. This would have the effect of limiting residents’ oil and gas royalty payments, he wrote. The attorney said the setbacks were “exceedingly restrictive and inconsistent.” Though the company currently has no permits under consideration for new well pads, Range Resources is challenging the ordinance with the township’s Zoning Hearing Board. This process could take months, and the challenge is opposed by the township, residents, and several local environmental groups. At issue is whether Cecil’s ordinance is legal. “It’s a very, very specific question,” said Kara Shirdon, who chairs the Cecil Zoning Hearing Board but recused herself for Range Resources’ legal challenge to eliminate the appearance of bias (Shirdon has been publicly supportive of the setback ordinance.) Though she said she’s confident the ordinance will survive, she believes it will strain the township’s resources. “I think, honestly, the whole entire thing is because they’re pissed and they want to drain as much money as possible out of the township as punishment for not letting them do what they want to do.” * * * Michelle Stonemark moved to Cecil township in 2012 after her parents bought around 30 acres there with the intent of housing their children and grandchildren. Her parents, sister, and family friends all built homes next to one another, in succession. “And then it was my turn,” Stonemark told Capital & Main. “Just as I had gotten the drawing . . . we find out that Range Resources had applied to put a well pad in right behind my new house.” With around 30 days’ notice, she recalled, Stonemark and her family found legal help and learned “everything we could about fracking,” in order to oppose the project. But their effort failed. “We didn’t have enough time. We were starting from nothing,” she said. Drilling at the pad began in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown, as Stonemark, her husband and three children were stuck at home. Today, the well pad, known as Augustine George, sits just over 500 feet from her home, she said, and routinely rattles the walls and windows and sends fumes into the air. She said she and members of her family often experience headaches, nausea, nosebleeds, and earaches. They can feel vibrations from the well pad in their chests, she said. “Flaring would go off at any and all times, during the day, at night,” she said. Flaring, which involves burning off excess methane, has been linked to asthma and other respiratory conditions. In response, Stonemark launched a Facebook page she uses to serve as an industry watchdog: She posts photos, videos, and documents relevant to the oil and gas industry’s indiscretions, and publicly mourns the future she once envisioned for herself in Cecil. “As I stand outside on this beautiful morning I cannot enjoy the day,” she wrote in one post in May. “A foul odor lingers in the air, and the constant low noises pulsate through my ears and head.” Stonemark and her husband are also now attempting to intervene legally and become a formal party against Range Resources’ challenge to the setback ordinance. Shirdon said she first caught wind of Range Resources’ plans for a well pad in 2017, less than a year after moving into her home. Since then, she said she’s experienced headaches, sinus and respiratory issues, difficulty concentrating and sleeping, and irritability. “The part that people underestimate, I think, is how much anxiety it causes,” Shirdon said. “Every time you feel the rumble, or every time you get stopped on the road, you start to worry, ‘Are my kids being adversely affected by what’s going on here?’” Merle Lesko has lived in his house nearby for nearly 30 years. Lesko said he and Stonemark often jokingly spar over who lives closer to the Augustine George pad. Salmon pink sound walls, dozens of feet high, poke through a line of trees behind his property. Lesko first urged the township to adopt a new buffer ordinance in early 2024, after regularly recording the decibel level emitted by the Augustine George pad at different locations in his house. He moved his bed and the desk where he works based on the lowest noise reading he found in his residence—his basement—just to escape the vibrations that would rattle his house. “The noise was so bad, you could hear or feel the noise over a running lawnmower,” he said. “They’ve taken so many summers from me.” Though it took months of often impassioned debate, the adoption of Cecil’s ordinance has added fuel to a fight at the state level, where climate justice organizations are urging environmental regulators to increase the statewide oil and setback of 500 feet. In October, the Protective Buffers Pennsylvania campaign filed a petition with the state’s Environmental Quality Board, pushing for the adoption of an executive rule that would require a 3,281-foot buffer between fracking wells and buildings and water wells—a setback nearly 1,000 feet wider than in Cecil’s ordinance. “There should be a baseline floor of protection for everybody in the commonwealth,” said Lisa Hallowell, senior attorney at the Environmental Integrity Project, an environmental nonprofit that helped author the petition. More than 10% of Pennsylvanians lived within a half mile of an active oil and gas well as of 2022, the petition notes. Many share medical symptoms—rashes, cancers, sleep disorders—and have seen their water supplies affected by fracking, the petition states. Protective Buffers Pennsylvania has been involved in previous attempts to pass tougher statewide setback rules, including the 2023 bill that died in committee, Hallowell said. These efforts never got far. “The Legislature has not had an appetite for that,” she noted. Indeed, around the time that the 2023 setback bill was circulating through the Legislature, state Senator Gene Yaw of Williamsport, Republican chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, questioned the need for the measure at all, saying in a public hearing that he had “not heard” of any links between fracking and cardiovascular, reproductive, or nervous system damage. Yaw has, separately, disclosed personal income from oil and gas companies EQT and Equinor, and won his reelection to the senate in November after accepting thousands of dollars in campaign donations from the oil and gas industry. A group of Democratic senators has announced that they soon plan to reintroduce the 2,500-foot setback proposal. But that bill will face an uphill battle in a divided Legislature. Janice Blanock at home [Photo: Audrey Carleton] After helping cement the setback proposal as law in Cecil, Blanock now wants to see other communities protected. “We’re hoping this movement goes far and wide,” Blanock said the day after the ordinance passed. “I think, just the fact that that happened last night, people will learn about it [and think], If they can do it, why can’t we?” Several months later, as legal challenges threaten Cecil’s hard-won victory, Blanock remains resolute. She still chokes back tears when she talks about Luke, and still resents having had her concerns about health risks associated with fracking exposure denied by the industry. “It’s not just about Luke,” she said. “This is about my other children, my grandchildren, my community, my family, friends, neighbors.” Blanock shares photos and mementos of her son Luke. [Photo: Audrey Carleton] “They can appeal it,” she said of the natural gas companies challenging the ordinance. “And then we can appeal it. We’re as strong in our resolve to win this as they are.” This piece was originally published by Capital & Main, which reports from California on economic, political, and social issues. View the full article

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The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the national program and specialty award winners for the 2025 National Small Business Week, which will take place from May 4-10. The awards recognize businesses and resource partners for their contributions in government contracting, disaster recovery, and key areas such as exporting, small business investment, and surety bonding. “SBA is proud to recognize excellence across our small businesses and key resource partners,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “As we prepare to highlight just a few of the many success stories during National Small Business Week, we are laser-focused on our mission to empower American job creators and drive economic growth.” Government Contracting Awards The SBA honored several small businesses for their achievements in federal contracting: 8(a) Graduate of the Year: Gina Hill, Owner/President of G.M. Hill Engineering Inc., Jacksonville, Fla. Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year: Karen Renee Paschal, President and CEO of Conco Inc., Louisville, Ky. Small Business Subcontractor of the Year: Antonio Martinez, President and CEO of Renaissance Global Services LLC, Holmdel, N.J. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence, which recognize prime contractors excelling in small business utilization, were awarded to: Construction: Glenn Sweatt, Vice President, Contracts and Compliance, Environmental Chemical Corporation, Burlingame, Calif. Manufacturing: Rondu Vincent, Executive Director, Supplier Diversity and Sustainability, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lawrence Township, N.J. Services: Lisa Tanner, Small Business Liaison Officer and Senior Manager of Supply Chain Excellence, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Aiken, S.C. Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery The SBA recognized resilience in disaster recovery efforts with the Phoenix Awards: Small Business Award: Luis and Amy Fuentes Ruiz, Island Catering LLC, Lahaina, Hawaii Outstanding Contributions, Public Official: Mayor Jennifer Linam Hobbs, Wynne, Ark. Outstanding Contributions, Volunteer: Senior Pastor John Grayson, Gospel Tabernacle Church, Selma, Ala. SBA Resource Partner Awards The SBA highlighted its resource partners that provide training and support to small businesses: SCORE Chapter of the Year: SCORE Greater Seattle, Seattle, Wash., led by Chapter Chair Suvendoo Ray Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award: Angelo State University Small Business Development Center, San Angelo, Texas, led by Director Dezaray Kathlaine Johnson Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award: Women’s Business Center of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, led by Director Anne Marie Wallace Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Year: Veterans Business Outreach Center at University of Texas Arlington College of Business, Arlington, Texas, led by Director Patrick Alcorn Specialty Awards Exporter of the Year: Louis Auletta, President and CEO, and Michael Auletta, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Bauer Inc., Bristol, Conn. Small Business Investment Company of the Year – Established Manager: GMB Capital Partners, Minneapolis, Minn. Surety Bond Agent of the Year: Alicia Marasco, Vice President of Bond Operations, Capstone Risk Management Services, Las Vegas, Nev. Upcoming Events The SBA will host a National Small Business Week virtual summit, with details on registrations and speakers available on the event’s official page. Local events can be identified by searching with #SmallBusinessWeek. As the week approaches, additional updates on programming and activities will be shared on the SBA’s official channels. This article, "SBA Announces 2025 National Small Business Week Award Winners" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the national program and specialty award winners for the 2025 National Small Business Week, which will take place from May 4-10. The awards recognize businesses and resource partners for their contributions in government contracting, disaster recovery, and key areas such as exporting, small business investment, and surety bonding. “SBA is proud to recognize excellence across our small businesses and key resource partners,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “As we prepare to highlight just a few of the many success stories during National Small Business Week, we are laser-focused on our mission to empower American job creators and drive economic growth.” Government Contracting Awards The SBA honored several small businesses for their achievements in federal contracting: 8(a) Graduate of the Year: Gina Hill, Owner/President of G.M. Hill Engineering Inc., Jacksonville, Fla. Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year: Karen Renee Paschal, President and CEO of Conco Inc., Louisville, Ky. Small Business Subcontractor of the Year: Antonio Martinez, President and CEO of Renaissance Global Services LLC, Holmdel, N.J. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence, which recognize prime contractors excelling in small business utilization, were awarded to: Construction: Glenn Sweatt, Vice President, Contracts and Compliance, Environmental Chemical Corporation, Burlingame, Calif. Manufacturing: Rondu Vincent, Executive Director, Supplier Diversity and Sustainability, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lawrence Township, N.J. Services: Lisa Tanner, Small Business Liaison Officer and Senior Manager of Supply Chain Excellence, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Aiken, S.C. Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery The SBA recognized resilience in disaster recovery efforts with the Phoenix Awards: Small Business Award: Luis and Amy Fuentes Ruiz, Island Catering LLC, Lahaina, Hawaii Outstanding Contributions, Public Official: Mayor Jennifer Linam Hobbs, Wynne, Ark. Outstanding Contributions, Volunteer: Senior Pastor John Grayson, Gospel Tabernacle Church, Selma, Ala. SBA Resource Partner Awards The SBA highlighted its resource partners that provide training and support to small businesses: SCORE Chapter of the Year: SCORE Greater Seattle, Seattle, Wash., led by Chapter Chair Suvendoo Ray Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award: Angelo State University Small Business Development Center, San Angelo, Texas, led by Director Dezaray Kathlaine Johnson Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award: Women’s Business Center of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, led by Director Anne Marie Wallace Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Year: Veterans Business Outreach Center at University of Texas Arlington College of Business, Arlington, Texas, led by Director Patrick Alcorn Specialty Awards Exporter of the Year: Louis Auletta, President and CEO, and Michael Auletta, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Bauer Inc., Bristol, Conn. Small Business Investment Company of the Year – Established Manager: GMB Capital Partners, Minneapolis, Minn. Surety Bond Agent of the Year: Alicia Marasco, Vice President of Bond Operations, Capstone Risk Management Services, Las Vegas, Nev. Upcoming Events The SBA will host a National Small Business Week virtual summit, with details on registrations and speakers available on the event’s official page. Local events can be identified by searching with #SmallBusinessWeek. As the week approaches, additional updates on programming and activities will be shared on the SBA’s official channels. This article, "SBA Announces 2025 National Small Business Week Award Winners" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Ferrero North America has launched the 2025 Famous Amos Ingredients for Success (IFS) Entrepreneurs Initiative in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. Now in its fifth year, the program provides financial support and resources to early-stage Black business owners. This year, IFS will award a total of $150,000 in grants, with three recipients each receiving $50,000, along with mentorship and access to networking and educational tools. The IFS initiative was created to honor the legacy of Wally Amos, the founder of Famous Amos, and to celebrate the qualities that make business owners unique. “Wally Amos was boldly original, and his vision and impact are still part of Famous Amos to this day,” said Rachna Patel, Vice President of Marketing for Famous Amos. “Ingredients for Success pays tribute to the brand’s roots by helping early-stage Black business owners work toward their dreams – ultimately helping fuel a community where individuality and innovation can thrive long-term.” Shawn Amos, entrepreneur, author, and son of Wally Amos, will serve as a judge for this year’s IFS awards. “Fifty years ago, my father put his dream into action and founded Famous Amos,” Amos said. “Since then, it has grown to become a globally recognized brand, and I’m honored to be a part of its evolution. I’m also grateful to serve as a judge for the Ingredients for Success program during this monumental year. So many entrepreneurs deserve a chance to grow their business to reach its fullest potential. IFS builds upon the lessons from my father and provides resources to help others’ business dreams become a reality.” To qualify for the IFS program, businesses must be at least 90% Black-owned, in operation for five years or less, based in the United States, and owned by individuals 21 years or older. Applications are open now and can be submitted at FamousAmosIngredientsForSuccess.com through April 23, 2025. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges that includes: Shawn Amos – Entrepreneur, author, and son of Wally Amos Steve Canal – Founder of ONE Venture Group, best-selling author, and branding expert Brittany Rhodes – Founder of Math Equals Me and a previous IFS winner Since its launch in 2020, IFS has awarded $600,000 to 12 business owners, fostering economic empowerment for Black entrepreneurs. The program has supported businesses ranging from educational tools and nostalgic card games to healthy food initiatives in underserved communities. This article, "Famous Amos Launches 2025 Ingredients for Success Initiative and ‘Famously You’ Campaign" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Ferrero North America has launched the 2025 Famous Amos Ingredients for Success (IFS) Entrepreneurs Initiative in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. Now in its fifth year, the program provides financial support and resources to early-stage Black business owners. This year, IFS will award a total of $150,000 in grants, with three recipients each receiving $50,000, along with mentorship and access to networking and educational tools. The IFS initiative was created to honor the legacy of Wally Amos, the founder of Famous Amos, and to celebrate the qualities that make business owners unique. “Wally Amos was boldly original, and his vision and impact are still part of Famous Amos to this day,” said Rachna Patel, Vice President of Marketing for Famous Amos. “Ingredients for Success pays tribute to the brand’s roots by helping early-stage Black business owners work toward their dreams – ultimately helping fuel a community where individuality and innovation can thrive long-term.” Shawn Amos, entrepreneur, author, and son of Wally Amos, will serve as a judge for this year’s IFS awards. “Fifty years ago, my father put his dream into action and founded Famous Amos,” Amos said. “Since then, it has grown to become a globally recognized brand, and I’m honored to be a part of its evolution. I’m also grateful to serve as a judge for the Ingredients for Success program during this monumental year. So many entrepreneurs deserve a chance to grow their business to reach its fullest potential. IFS builds upon the lessons from my father and provides resources to help others’ business dreams become a reality.” To qualify for the IFS program, businesses must be at least 90% Black-owned, in operation for five years or less, based in the United States, and owned by individuals 21 years or older. Applications are open now and can be submitted at FamousAmosIngredientsForSuccess.com through April 23, 2025. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges that includes: Shawn Amos – Entrepreneur, author, and son of Wally Amos Steve Canal – Founder of ONE Venture Group, best-selling author, and branding expert Brittany Rhodes – Founder of Math Equals Me and a previous IFS winner Since its launch in 2020, IFS has awarded $600,000 to 12 business owners, fostering economic empowerment for Black entrepreneurs. The program has supported businesses ranging from educational tools and nostalgic card games to healthy food initiatives in underserved communities. This article, "Famous Amos Launches 2025 Ingredients for Success Initiative and ‘Famously You’ Campaign" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

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It’s fair to say that 2025 continues to fly out the blocks on a wild mission to bring even higher levels of change, unpredictability, and flux shaping our world. But, as I started writing this on Blue Monday in January, apparently the saddest day of the year, this is not intended as an article lamenting the cultural whiplash we are experiencing within our daily feeds. Instead, it is a more positive perspective on how as businesses and brands, we can not just survive but supercharge in this era of incredible unpredictability. The only constant in a changing world is change itself According to an article by GlobeScan, at the end of 2023, nearly 8 out of 10 people believed that “the world is changing too quickly for me.” But, quoting the immortal lyrics of the Chalamet-rekindled Bob Dylan, it’s clear that “the times they are-a-changin’,” and they will continue to change, with the only constant in this forever-changing world being change itself. So in an unpredictable world with a market and consumers that believe the world is changing too quickly for them, what is the role and impact that brands can have to bring belief, partnership, and confidence to the communities they serve as they also reel and react to daily change? The answer in a less sporadic and challenged world would be for a company’s chief marketing officer to have a clear brand plan that could be adjusted and evolved upon against fluctuating market conditions. But in this new world order of no real order, having a plan is only as useful as the famous Mike Tyson quote, “until you get punched in the face.” And in a world where we are all ducking and diving daily, that’s not enough, and a new posture and mindset is needed for the chief marketing officer, or change management officer as their 2025 moniker might become, to supercharge brand impact on a daily changing basis. Optimism is the 2025 driver of confidence Optimism is the core value of our company 72andSunny, and has been since we launched 20 years ago. And in 2025 this is the mindset and driver of confidence that we are seeing emerge amongst some of the global brands that we partner with, and more broadly within those pioneering thinkers shaping the marketing industry at large. The optimism we see is a multi-dimensional energizing mindset that stretches way beyond the dictionary definition of optimism as, “the hopefulness and confidence about the future or success of something.” Optimism challenges the status quo We see an optimistic mindset that is more ready to challenge the status quo and define new ways of thinking within categories. Whether that is Zurich Insurance creating a global platform “What Could Go Right?” in an insurance category obsessed with things going wrong, Indeed, championing the need to call out that the world of work isn’t working, by creating a global mission to make the world work better and calling out job injustices along the way, or the NFL leading the way to make girl’s flag football officially a varsity sport in all 50 states. We are seeing the brands that consumers gravitate towards being those that are optimistically challenging convention and bringing new math to the categories and culture they inhibit. Optimism creates unexpected partnerships We see an optimistic mindset that is more open and driven by collaboration across sectors and brands to create unexpected partnerships and noise. From the wonderfully bizarre partnership for the Super Bowl of Wrexham FC and Channing Tatum bringing Magic Mike-inspired comedy to their big game ad for Stok Cold Brew Coffee, to Nike opening its doors to Kim Kardashian and the SKIMS crew as the attempt to bring relevancy back to their product in the world. Curating the collaborations that provoke intrigue and innovation is a masterskill of modern marketeers. Optimism provokes play We see an optimistic mindset that is driving more brands to provoke play and bring a positive energy into the categories they inhibit. On, the running shoe brand’s latest commercial in a category that is driven by competitiveness and performance flipped the script and brought joy and wonder with the Elmo/Federer campaign created by the equally whimsically named NYC agency The Flower Shop, to e.l.f. curating an “e.l.f.time show” second screen experience for the Super Bowl to bring a shoppable dose of playfulness to its community during the big game. Optimism drives results And we get excited by this, because in a world where Ipsos believes that only 31% of people are optimistic about what the future might bring, the world of brand and marketing feels like it’s finding its own way to reverse that trend with a mindset that creates momentum and real business change. We see this type of marketing optimism being the unlock for boardroom success from Nike’s share point having risen by 6.2% post the SKIMS news, to momentum busting e.l.f. posting well over 20 consecutive quarters of growth. And at 72andSunny, a company whose name is imbued with an optimistic disposition, we are excited to see how our industry can flex and drive this cultural and commercial change in the most unpredictable of years. Chris Kay is president international of 72andSunny. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. View the full article

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What a time to be alive. Looking at the sci-fi movie canon and the years in which these films take place, we’re 10 years past Robocop (set in 2015) and 7 years away from Demolition Man (set in 2032). As often as sci-fi serves as inspiration for the tech world, from the AI girlfriend of Her (2013) to an Iron Man-inspired tactical battle suit, so rarely does the tech world regard the thematic warnings underpinning their favorite depictions of the future. I believe in the power and opportunity of tech, and I’ve made a career of building applications with integrity. Many emerging advancements—AI-assisted breast cancer screenings, for example—will change our world for the better. But a few new technologies give me that “Danger, Will Robinson!” feeling. Here are three of them. 1. Humanoid housekeeping robots Companies like Norway’s 1X, the U.S.’s Figure, and Canada’s Sanctuary AI are creating humanoid housekeeping robots, combining robotic hardware with AI-powered software. These robots can receive vocal instruction and translate that instruction to physical action. Astounding! I get the use of these robots in warehouse and manufacturing settings, which are designed to accommodate the human form. Humanoid robots could take on the dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks that are too risky for humans. In the home is a different matter. Aside from a general uncanny valley creepiness, I can’t see how these robots would be safe. Current large language models (LLMs) used by AI platforms like ChatGPT aren’t too difficult to jailbreak—i.e., bypassing built-in security guardrails. A jailbroken LLM can be tricked into revealing sensitive credentials and secrets or giving harmful instructions like, say, how to build a bomb or 3D print a gun. Now imagine a jailbroken robot in your home. No thanks. 2. AI social media personas A few weeks ago while scrolling Instagram, I was prompted to try chatting with Instagram’s new AI characters. Meta’s been rolling them out in a stop-and-start fashion since last year, and while they’ve been repealed (for the moment) from Facebook, there are still a few on Instagram you can chat with. I think often how technology’s principle of eliminating friction has gone too far. Friction and discomfort are necessary in the human experience. To be a person in community is to be vulnerable, to risk showing yourself to others. I worry technology has lulled us into such comfort that the most normal, natural aspects of being social animals have come to feel like a chore, if not a danger. We shouldn’t equivocate simulated interactions with human ones, especially for kids, even in the most benign contexts. The less benign contexts are even more grim. Anyone can create an AI agent and say you should use it as your therapist or your girlfriend or financial advisor. Even with whimsical accounts—like a Spongebob Squarepants chat agent—you (or your child) is still essentially talking to a stranger. A troubling formula: The humanness of the AI agent makes it feel trustworthy, and the machine-ness of the AI makes it feel unbiased and without agenda. On a broader scale, I worry about these accounts’ potential for spreading misinformation, not by shouting from the streets of X with a bullhorn, but by whispering directly into our ears. 3. Microsoft’s Majorana 1 chip Quantum computing—another deeply sci-fi topic— is coming into reality. The science behind quantum mechanics is quite dense, but here’s a primer. In computing, a classical “bit” is either a 1 or 0. A quantum bit (or qubit) can be both 0 and 1 simultaneously. The capability of a quantum computer is dependent on how many qubits are powering it. Quantum computers can make many attempts at a problem at once, compared to traditional computers that make one attempt at a time, albeit very quickly. For many, the standard of a “quantum relevant” computer is its ability to break RSA encryption (aka, the algorithmic formula commonly used to encrypt data) reliably at scale. Many nations are racing to develop quantum capabilities across several verticals and use cases—China, Germany, Canada, the U.S., India, and Japan are leading the way. There’s no way of knowing when quantum will reach a point of commercial or personal viability. That said, Microsoft’s new Majorana 1 chip represents a significant step toward that reality. The architecture used to develop the Majorana 1 appears capable of supporting a million qubits. For reference, when IBM released the first quantum processor in 2023, it had over 1,000 qubits, and that was a big deal. In 2021, the University of Science and Technology of China debuted a 66-qubit processor that solved a calculation in just 1.2 hours that would have taken a traditional super computer 8 years to solve. My concern isn’t for the chip itself. The Majorana 1 is marvelous. My concern is that the world will not be ready for the quantum paradigm shift that Majorana 1 portends. Stepping into a quantum world will require organizations and infrastructure providers of all types to adopt quantum-resistant algorithms to protect our data and themselves against disruption. However, such cryptographic shifts have been historically painful. Many verticals still struggle with migrating to decade-old standards like AES or SHA-2. Our modern world and way of life relies deeply on encryption, and almost certainly nation-state enemies would use quantum capabilities against us if they beat us to the punch. We’ll see what sticks It’s fun to look back in time to failed inventions from the early 20th century. Today, they seem so kooky and cumbersome. So many unique ideas that once appeared to be the next game changer fell flat, then fell into obscurity. I get the same sense about our current era. AI, quantum, and other breakthroughs are forging so many new possibilities, especially as they collide and combine with one another. The technologist in me feels like a kid in a candy store. I only hope the technology that survives serves our interests and individuals and as a species. Lindsey Witmer Collins is the founder of WLCM App Studio. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. 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. Travel deals can be hit or miss as prices jump around and deals disappear before you can check your schedule. The OneAir Elite Lifetime Subscription is designed to do the heavy lifting for you. A members-only deal-alert service, it tracks flight prices using AI, scans for mistake fares, and alerts you when there’s a significant drop—and currently, it's on StackSocial for $99.99 (originally $790), but apply the promo code FLY30 and you can get it for just $70. The sale runs until March 30. OneAir’s coverage is broad, spanning 60+ countries and multiple fare classes, including premium economy and business. That’s useful if you’re flexible with your routes and don’t mind hopping on an unexpected deal. It even includes hidden city fares, which can sometimes cut costs significantly. The biggest advantage here is that OneAir does the searching for you, so that you’re not spending hours checking flights manually. However, travelers with strict schedules or those who only fly specific airlines may not always get the most value. Some of the best deals require booking fast, so it works best for those ready to jump on an opportunity. At $70 for lifetime access, it’s cheaper than most annual flight deal subscriptions, and if you book even one discounted flight using its alerts, it could pay for itself in one trip. That said, it won’t magically make every flight cheaper—deals depend on availability and timing. If you like tracking flights yourself or only travel occasionally, free services like Google Flights or Skyscanner alerts might be enough. But if you want to save money without the hassle, this could be a solid tool to have. View the full article

Embarking on a personal transformation, often termed a “glow up,” encompasses more than just external changes; it’s about building confidence and holistic wellbeing. While the multi-billion-dollar beauty industry offers numerous products to aid in this journey, an accessible and potent tool is often overlooked: music. Scientific research underscores the profound impact of music on essential aspects of well-being, including sleep quality, stress management, and exercise performance. By integrating music into these areas, one can enhance overall health and, consequently, personal appearance. Music and sleep: Your secret weapon for restorative rest Good sleep hygiene means creating a consistent routine and an environment that promotes deep, uninterrupted sleep—and music can be a game-changer when it comes to catching enough z’s. Here’s what music can do for sleep: Facilitate faster sleep onset: A study involving women with insomnia found that participants who listened to self-selected music at bedtime for 10 nights reduced their time to fall asleep from 27 to 69 minutes to just 6 to 13 minutes. Lower cortisol levels: Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, can keep you wired when you need to wind down. Music has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, promoting relaxation and deeper sleep. Trigger dopamine release: Listening to music before bed can stimulate dopamine, the same “feel-good” hormone released during pleasurable activities like eating, exercising, and intimacy. That means music doesn’t just help you sleep—it helps you feel happier, too. How does sleep impact wellbeing and confidence? It promotes skin repair and regeneration, reduces inflammation, and it improves cognitive function and memory, along with emotional and mental health. Music and exercise: Amplifies performance Music isn’t just about setting the vibe for your workout—it has measurable physiological and psychological benefits that can push you to perform at your best. Increases endurance and reduces perceived effort: A study by Professor Costas Karageorghis and colleagues found that syncing music with a runner’s pace increased muscle endurance by 15% while reducing perceived effort by 12%. In other words, you can work harder while feeling like you’re doing less. Boosts performance across different workout types: Research shows that music provides ergogenic (performance-enhancing) benefits in endurance, sprint, and resistance-based activities. It improves physiological responses like heart rate and muscle activation, leading to better results. Elevates mood and motivation: The right playlist can shift your mindset, making workouts feel less like a chore and more like an energizing experience. How does exercise impact wellbeing and confidence? It boosts your mood and reduces anxiety, enhances brain function, while building self-esteem and body image. Music and stress management: A scientifically-proven relaxation tool We all know stress wreaks havoc on our health, skin, and overall wellbeing. The good news? Music is a powerful tool for relaxation, and science is backing it up in the emerging field of biomusicology—an area that fuses auditory neuroscience, psychology, and music cognition. Biomusicology shows that music: Reduces anxiety: A 2021 meta-analysis concluded that music therapy significantly improves anxiety during treatment, providing tangible mental health benefits. Promotes deep relaxation: The most effective relaxation music is slow in tempo, low in frequency, and free from sudden changes or jarring sounds. It helps slow the heart rate and create a calming effect. Supports individual needs: Whether you prefer instrumental melodies or soft vocals, music can be tailored to your specific relaxation goals—whether you’re meditating, journaling, or simply unwinding after a long day. How does stress management impact wellbeing and confidence? It reduces premature aging, prevents breakouts, improves sleep, and it reduces anxiety and depression. The takeaway: Music is your free, science-backed glow up tool A glow up isn’t just about what you put on your skin or how you style your hair—it’s about how you feel, inside and out. Music is an accessible, research-backed way to improve sleep, maximize workouts, and manage stress, all of which contribute to a healthier, more radiant you. So next time you’re curating your self-care routine, don’t underestimate the power of a great playlist. By harnessing the therapeutic benefits of music, individuals can support their holistic well-being, contributing to a more radiant and confident self. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. View the full article

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The San Francisco bank announced Monday that it has shed its fifth regulatory order this year — this one related to loss mitigation practices in its home lending business. 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. Sonos takes their user-friendliness seriously. When people complained about an update on their companion app that got rid of many cool features, Sonos listened and put them back. That's the kind of commitment to their customers you can expect from Sonos, and why they've been so popular in the audio market. So when there's a Sonos sale with actual good discounts, take advantage of it. Right now you can get the Roam 2 for $139 (originally $179), the Sonos Era 100 for $199 (originally $249), Sonos Sub Mini for $343 (originally $429), and the Sonos Arc for $629 (originally $899). All of these speakers are at their lowest price, according to price-tracking tools. Maximum Output: 4E+1 Watts, Connectivity: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, Output Mode: Mono, Mounting:Tabletop Sonos Roam 2 $139.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.00 Save $40.00 Get Deal Get Deal $139.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.00 Save $40.00 Maximum Output: 10 Watts, Connectivity: Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/USB, Output Mode: Surround, Mounting: Shelf Sonos Era 100 $199.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $249.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $199.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $249.00 Save $50.00 Maximum Output: 250 Watts, Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Output Mode: Surround, Mounting: Floor Sonos Sub Mini $343.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $429.00 Save $86.00 Get Deal Get Deal $343.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $429.00 Save $86.00 Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Output Mode: Surround, Mounting: Wall Sonos Arc Soundbar $629.00 at Amazon $899.00 Save $270.00 Get Deal Get Deal $629.00 at Amazon $899.00 Save $270.00 SEE 1 MORE The Roam 2 is their version of a portable, and like most Sonos speakers, they integrate seamlessly into the ecosystem to play multi-room media. It has a speakerphone feature, in-app EQ, wireless charging, is water resistant, and has Alexa and Sonos voice assistant, according to PCMag's review. At $139 (originally $179), the Roam 2 is the cheapest way to try a Sonos speaker. The Sonos Era 100 is a smart speaker that can work as stereo with a pair or as rear speakers in a Sonos surround sound system. It is an updated version of the Sonos One smart speaker, offering better bass and other improvements. It has an "excellent" review from PCMag for its ability to play stereo with a single device (it has a dual tweeter setup), its balanced audio, and the well-developed companion app that allows you to adjust the EQ. The Sonos Sub Mini is a smaller and more affordable version of the Sonos Sub, perfect for a small apartment or room where you want a soundbar and subwoofer combo. You can read the CNET review here. And if you're looking for a top-notch soundbar, consider the Sonos Arc. This smart soundbar came out in 2020 and received an "excellent" review from PCMag for its Dolby Atmos compatibility, ease of expansion, support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and its wide sound field and powerful bass (even without a subwoofer). Its current $629 price is the cheapest it has ever been (although it's shipped and sold by a third-party Amazon store). View the full article

The financial services industry is facing an era of unparalleled fragmentation. Consumers are no longer limited to a single bank or financial provider in an increasingly nomadic digital environment. Instead, consumers can move seamlessly between services and products across multiple platforms. This creates a highly competitive marketplace while still maintaining some degree of segmentation. As fintech disruptors and traditional financial institutions compete for consumers, creating brand differentiation and customer loyalty has become one of the hardest and most critical aspects of growing a business. Adding to this challenge, banks and financial service providers face an environment of unprecedented consumer choice. In the 2024 banking outlook, Deloitte cautions the industry that “retail customers are spoiled for choice, and it has become easier for them to switch accounts and diversify deposits across multiple platforms.” However, solutions are emerging that can break down the barriers between financial institutions and allow consumers to access a bundle of value-added features and capabilities alongside traditional financial products—all in one place. Lessons from travel and e-commerce industries The financial system is undergoing a seismic shift akin to the transformation that occurred over the past several decades in the travel industry, where consumers now prefer one-stop marketplaces like Kayak or Expedia for their travel needs. Closed loop ecosystems (e.g. I get my banking, personal loan, insurance, mortgage and brokerage all from one bank) are now being challenged by a la carte open systems where products are becoming provider agnostic and more goals oriented. Consumers are often asking, “what is the optimal basket of financial products for me today?” E-commerce giants like Amazon continue to illustrate changing consumer behavior by providing a range of add-on services, from groceries to online medical consultations. Like the travel sites, customers can do all this on Amazon itself, not separately going to the individual companies and services. Because of today’s e-commerce and travel platform experiences, customers are accustomed to one-stop shopping—it’s become an expectation, not just a want. However, shopping for financial services has always lagged behind the other vertical industries. This has produced a drive to create financial ecosystems with a seamless, holistic shopping and checkout experience. A broad spectrum of companies can come together to offer financial services and products personalized for each consumer, offered in one centralized marketplace. For consumers, this means greater convenience and tailored products and financial solutions without needing to navigate multiple platforms. For financial institutions and service providers, this offers a chance to showcase their products and services to a wider audience, creating loyalty and trust while reducing the cost of customer acquisition. Data and AI can further fuel personalization Data analytics can be a powerful tool in revealing consumer behaviors and demands. Right now, consumers are demanding executable and tailored options, but in a simplified way (as in, a “ready to checkout” way). The emergence of low-latency deployable AI models in digital interfaces now allows the industry to customize offer deliveries right from the source of truth (e.g. a bank or financial institution’s offer catalog) quickly and seamlessly. Again, insights and observed consumer behaviors from the travel industry are instructive in setting the next stage of financial services. An Expedia survey found that 50% of respondents were interested in using generative AI to plan their next trip in 2024. In addition, nearly 40% of travelers said they would use AI to find the perfect stay. Consumers are beginning to trust AI to make informed decisions at a time when the traditional, fragmented financial system is losing trust and loyalty. By using AI tools to provide additional financial options faster and more seamlessly, the industry can rebuild trust and loyalty with customers. Consumers tend to trust when they are given options, rather than being told what to do, and offered little choice. That consumer demand is as equally true when shopping for a hotel as it is when shopping for a savings account. They want to see the full picture rather than one product or service. To achieve this, a more unified ecosystem of financial service providers is needed, built with the help of AI tools, so consumers do not have to dig to find the right options in a fragmented landscape. A critical juncture The financial services industry faces a critical juncture where customer loyalty is being heavily tested by competitive offers and a fragmented digital environment. However, by leveraging AI and data, this challenge will be turned into an opportunity. Just as the travel industry has evolved to meet consumer demands through comprehensive platforms, the financial sector must embrace technology innovation and collaboration to offer one holistic, user-friendly experience. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. 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