ResidentialBusiness

Reform UK attacks move to ‘cancel over 5.5mn votes in May’ after poll surge left it on course to win scores of seatsView the full article

Brussels to examine whether Chinese-founded fashion group that is targeting London listing is selling illegal goodsView the full article

The Google widget for your Android home screen has a new hidden feature that's disabled by default. In its latest update, the Google app has added a new customization feature, letting you add a new shortcut to the Google app's widget. This will let you tap an icon within the widget to quickly jump to reading the news, seeing weather updates, or catching up on sports scores. To get it, first ensure your Google app is updated to the latest version (16.3.34 or above). Then, open the Google app on your smartphone and tap the Profile icon in the top toolbar. Choose the Settings option and naigate to the Customize Search Widget menu. Here, you can take a moment to customize the look of the widget by tweaking the color and the transparency. Scroll down until you'll see the new Shortcuts section, featuring new shortcuts like Translate, Song Search, Weather, Translate (Camera), Translate (Text), Sports, Dictionary, Homework, and Finance. Tap the Plus button to add your new shortcut. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Choose the shortcut that you want, which you'll be able to preview right up top. The Google widget only supports one shortcut at a time, so you can't add multiple shortcuts right now. The new shortcut will appear next to the default icons for Voice Search and Lens, inside the Google search box. The icons don't support Material You theming, so they won't match with your home screen theme if you're using one. But for most Android users, that isn't an issue. In case you don't already have the Google widget set up, you can easily do so from the home screen. The steps differ slightly based on which Android OS you're using. Tap and hold on an empty part of the home screen and choose the Widgets option. Here, scroll to the Google app section and add the Google widget. You can expand it or make it smaller. Now, with the widget, you will see your new shortcut right there. Tap on the shortcut to jump to the relevant feature inside the Google app. View the full article

It's Android security patch time again, and in the Android Security Bulletin for February 2025, Google has addressed 47 different bugs affecting its mobile operating system—one of which "may be under limited, targeted exploitation." In other words, hackers may already be taking advantage of it in the wild. As usual, the patches here cover all kinds of different issues, from attacks that could take advantage of the AutoFill function on Android, to exploits in Qualcomm chips that could create corruptions in the memory on a device. Each bug is ranked in terms of its severity, and linked to a particular part of the system. Google doesn't offer too much detail about potential hacks in the interests of security, but the vulnerability that may have already been exploited is labeled CVE-2024-53104. As per The Hacker News, it relates to "privilege escalation" that could be triggered through an externally attached USB video device. That means malicious code could trick Android into giving it VIP access to the system, and to settings and data access that are normally closed off from third-party apps. It would need some clever manipulation of video frame data to work, and it's reportedly been present in the Linux kernel since 2008. According to GrapheneOS, one way the security hole could be taken advantage of is to pull data off a phone or tablet without permission—though physical access to the device would be required. There are no public details of how this might have been actively exploited, or by whom, but this latest update will fix the problem. What Android users need to do Check for security updates for your Android phone. Credit: Lifehacker As well as issuing updates for its own Pixel phones and applying patches to the core Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code that all Android manufacturers use, Google also gives the likes of Samsung, Motorola, and OnePlus at least a month's advance warning that these fixes are coming, so Android phone makers should be prepared. Security patches are usually pushed out fairly rapidly for obvious reasons, and in most cases all you need to do is sit and wait for an alert that an update is ready for your phone or tablet. These updates work in tandem with the real time security protection offered by Google Play Protect. If you're on a Pixel phone, you can check for updates by heading to Settings then tapping System > Software update > System update. Whether or not an update is available, you can see the version of Android you're on and when the last update was applied. Samsung Galaxy phones work along similar lines: Again, you'll find a Software update entry in Settings, and you can choose Download and install if there are any updates in the pipeline. Android devices from other manufacturers will offer a similar option. Google has actually split this security update into two, so its Android partners can address the most critical bugs more quickly before moving on to the second batch—so you may find you've got a couple of updates coming your way. "Android partners are encouraged to fix all issues in this bulletin and use the latest security patch level," says Google. View the full article

Tea is one of the most popular beverages around the world. As a result, starting a business that offers this healthy and delicious drink can be a rewarding and profitable experience. If you’re interested in starting a tea business, a franchise can help you get up and running quickly. These opportunities give you access to proven menus and systems. And you can attach yourself to a recognizable name right away. There are tons of tea franchises available, all with different niches and specialties. Understanding the options can help you make the best decision for your new business venture. Selecting the Perfect Tea Franchise: Our Methodology When it comes to owning a tea franchise, you’re entering the world of soothing brews and delightful flavors. But how do you pick the best one from the options available? We’ve ranked these criteria on a scale of importance, using a 1-10 rating scale, with 10 being the highest importance and 1 being the lowest: Quality of Tea Offerings (Rating: 10/10): The quality and variety of tea options should be exceptional, as it’s the core product and the primary reason customers visit a tea franchise. Brand Reputation and Recognition (Rating: 9/10): A well-established and recognized brand is crucial. It often reflects the quality of the tea and can help attract loyal customers. Location and Foot Traffic (Rating: 9/10): Choosing the right location with high foot traffic is vital for success. It’s equally crucial as brand reputation because it directly impacts visibility and sales. Menu Variety and Customization (Rating: 8/10): Offering a diverse menu with customization options can enhance the customer experience and cater to various tastes and preferences. Franchise Fees and Costs (Rating: 7/10): The financial aspect is important, but it’s not as vital as the quality of tea and location. Consider initial franchise fees, ongoing royalties, and startup costs. Marketing and Advertising Support (Rating: 7/10): Effective marketing support from the franchisor can significantly boost brand visibility and customer acquisition. Supplier Relationships (Rating: 6/10): Maintaining reliable and cost-effective supplier relationships is significant but slightly less crucial than core factors. Training and Support (Rating: 6/10): Comprehensive training and ongoing support from the franchisor are essential but not as high-priority as core elements. Equipment and Technology (Rating: 5/10): While having the right equipment and technology is important for running operations efficiently, it is considered less critical than other factors. Community Involvement (Rating: 4/10): Engaging with the local community can be beneficial, but it’s not as critical as the core factors. Unique Tea Franchises Here are tea franchise concepts to consider for aspiring entrepreneurs. Fava Tea Fava Tea is a retail tea business that currently has multiple locations in Wisconsin, with potential expansion opportunities throughout the U.S. The company sells a variety of specialty teas along with related products and gifts. The company also aims to provide a memorable experience for visitors. TeaGschwendner TeaGschwendner first opened in Germany in the late 1970’s. Since then, the company has opened up more than 130 retail locations in seven countries. Their U.S. operations are headquartered in Chicago. New franchisees and managers can receive training there before getting started. The Teahouse This Texas-based chain specializes in tea and other healthy beverages in a quick service environment. The Teahouse is a family-friendly company that has been established for many years. They use carefully chosen ingredients in their teas. Additionally, they aim to provide quality service and open communication to franchisees. The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Though not exclusively a tea franchise, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf offers a variety of both coffee and tea beverages. This tea and coffee franchising company has since grown to include more than 1,200 locations around the world. The company is looking to expand through multi-unit franchise development. The business also offers a variety of nontraditional models and location options, including those at airports, colleges, hotels, and grocery stores. It provides training, development, design, operations, marketing, and logistical support. Teapioca Lounge Originally established, Teapioca Lounge offers traditional and specialty teas along with other beverage options. The brand aims to mix both East and West tea traditions in quick service environments. The company is known for product quality, innovative drinks, and trendy settings. The franchise provides training and grand opening assistance for franchisees. Dobra Tea Founded in 1992 in Prague, Czech Republic, Dobra Tea aims to spread authentic tea culture from around the world. The company already has several locations throughout the U.S. and more in other parts of the world. Dobra’s team helps franchisees with training, publicity, and more. They specifically look for franchisees who love tea and tea culture. The company doesn’t list any franchise fees publicly. TSUJIRI TSUJIRI is a global tea brand that specializes in Japanese tea culture. The company even offers specialty products like matcha. TSUJIRI doesn’t currently have any locations in the U.S. However, there are a few in Canada. The company is open to expansion in new markets. Inquire about specific costs if you’re interested in bringing this franchise to a new customer base. Sweetwaters Sweetwaters is a franchise coffee and tea house. If you’re a tea lover, you’ll probably appreciate the variety of classic and premium teas, along with the tea boxes that are available for sale. Franchisees can enjoy a comprehensive training program along with marketing and operations support. Spice Merchants With stores in several states throughout the U.S., Spice Merchants is a retail business that offers spices, teas, and other specialty food items. The company offers help with training, inventory, and store setup. You don’t need a culinary or tea background to get started. Presotea Presotea specializes in espresso-style tea. The company has more than 370 locations in countries around the world. While the brand isn’t especially active in the United States, it is looking for new expansion opportunities. Presotea offers training and consultation along with management counseling and other services for franchisees. The Spice & Tea Exchange The Spice & Tea Exchange is a retail business with franchise opportunities available. There are already franchise locations set up throughout the United States. As a result, you’ll be able to enjoy some brand recognition depending on the market you choose. The company encourages new franchisees to learn from current business owners. It also offers a training program called Spice UniversiTEA. Jamba Juice Jamba Juice is a well-known chain, though not particularly famous for tea. However, it does offer a variety of tea products including Talbott Teas. Other products include smoothies, juice, and other healthy beverage options. The company provides training, operations support, and access to high-quality vendors. The brand looks for entrepreneurial individuals. Those with experience in food service or retail, as well as those interested in opening multiple locations, are preferred. Tea Shop Tea Shop is a tea franchise based in Spain. However, the company is expanding into new markets like Brazil and Italy as well. There’s no word on whether the company plans to expand into the U.S. market, but interested franchisees may want to keep this brand on their radar. The company provides individualized information about the business model and operations throughout each step of the franchising process. Hiccups Restaurant & Tea House Hiccups offers an Asian Fusion restaurant mixed with a trendy tea house. The brand is known for specialty drinks, fresh ingredients, and welcoming environments. Demmers Teahaus Demmers Teahaus offers a wide array of specialty teas in a traditional store environment. Most of the company’s locations are currently in Europe and Asia. The brand looks for individuals who are passionate about tea and have business experience. The company provides assistance with training, marketing, and logistics. Demmers doesn’t make franchising costs available. Interested franchisees must inquire directly to get more information. i-Tea i-Tea offers specialty drinks in a quick-service environment. Most of its current locations are in California. However, the brand is open to expanding to new markets as well. The stores also provide some food items. Fees and other expenses vary by location, and the company hasn’t published that information. As a result, those interested in becoming franchisees must contact the company for more information. Camellia’s Tea House Camellia’s Tea House offers tastings and specialty teas in traditional store and tea house environments. The company is heavily involved in traditional tea culture in the U.K. However, they now sell products in other countries as well. The company is still relatively small. They don’t publish information about costs and fees, but an inquiry might result in more information. Creating a Unique Tea Experience When you venture into the world of tea franchises, it’s not just about the product; it’s about the experience you offer to your customers. To stand out in a competitive market, consider these strategies to create a unique and memorable tea experience: Tea Tastings: Organize regular tea tastings that allow customers to discover various tea varieties while learning about their origins and health benefits. Custom Blends: Enable customers to craft their own unique tea blends, enhancing the personal aspect of their tea-drinking experience. Tea Workshops: Host workshops focused on tea preparation, brewing methods, and the skill of pairing tea with various foods. Local Artisan Collaborations: Collaborate with local artisans to provide distinctive tea-related products, including handcrafted tea accessories and artisanal treats that enhance your tea offerings. Seasonal Menus: Introduce seasonal tea menus that feature special blends and flavors inspired by the time of year, creating anticipation and excitement among customers. Interactive Tea Bar: Set up an interactive tea bar where customers can watch the tea-making process, from steeping to serving, enhancing transparency and engagement. Tea and Wellness: Emphasize the health benefits of tea by providing wellness-oriented options, including herbal blends that are recognized for their positive effects on well-being. Tea Subscription Services: Launch a tea subscription service that delivers curated tea experiences to customers’ doorsteps, allowing them to explore new flavors regularly. Cultural Events: Organize cultural events and tea ceremonies that celebrate tea cultures from around the globe, allowing customers to experience the rich traditions associated with tea. StrategyDescription Tea TastingsHost regular tea tastings to explore different tea varieties and educate customers on origins and health benefits. Custom BlendsAllow customers to create custom tea blends, adding a personal touch to their tea experience. Tea WorkshopsOrganize workshops on tea preparation, brewing techniques, and pairing tea with food. Local Artisan CollaborationsPartner with local artisans to offer unique tea-related products and artisanal treats. Seasonal MenusIntroduce seasonal tea menus with special blends and flavors inspired by the time of year. Interactive Tea BarSet up an interactive tea bar where customers can observe the tea-making process for transparency. Tea and WellnessHighlight wellness aspects by offering health-focused teas, such as herbal blends. Tea Subscription ServicesLaunch a tea subscription service for curated tea experiences delivered to customers' doorsteps. Cultural EventsCelebrate global tea cultures with cultural events and tea ceremonies to immerse customers. How Profitable is a Tea Franchise? A tea franchise can be profitable under the right circumstances. However, many are not profitable, at least in the first few years. Generally, they do not carry expensive products. Overhead for traditional store environments can be high. As a result, choosing a franchise with a diversified product offering and low operating expenses can make these businesses more profitable. What is the Cost of Opening a Tea Franchise? A franchise can cost between $50,000 and $400,000 to open. Most fall somewhere between $150,000 and $250.,000. Costs depend on the business model you choose. For example, a traditional store may cost more than a small cart or other non-traditional setups. What is the Best Tea Franchise to Own? The best tea franchise depends on what you’re looking for. If you love traditional tea, a business like the Spice & Tea Exchange or The Teahouse may be of interest. Those looking for brand recognition may opt for a business that offers other options like Jamba Juice or The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Photo via Shutterstock This article, "Tea Franchises to Consider" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Tea is one of the most popular beverages around the world. As a result, starting a business that offers this healthy and delicious drink can be a rewarding and profitable experience. If you’re interested in starting a tea business, a franchise can help you get up and running quickly. These opportunities give you access to proven menus and systems. And you can attach yourself to a recognizable name right away. There are tons of tea franchises available, all with different niches and specialties. Understanding the options can help you make the best decision for your new business venture. Selecting the Perfect Tea Franchise: Our Methodology When it comes to owning a tea franchise, you’re entering the world of soothing brews and delightful flavors. But how do you pick the best one from the options available? We’ve ranked these criteria on a scale of importance, using a 1-10 rating scale, with 10 being the highest importance and 1 being the lowest: Quality of Tea Offerings (Rating: 10/10): The quality and variety of tea options should be exceptional, as it’s the core product and the primary reason customers visit a tea franchise. Brand Reputation and Recognition (Rating: 9/10): A well-established and recognized brand is crucial. It often reflects the quality of the tea and can help attract loyal customers. Location and Foot Traffic (Rating: 9/10): Choosing the right location with high foot traffic is vital for success. It’s equally crucial as brand reputation because it directly impacts visibility and sales. Menu Variety and Customization (Rating: 8/10): Offering a diverse menu with customization options can enhance the customer experience and cater to various tastes and preferences. Franchise Fees and Costs (Rating: 7/10): The financial aspect is important, but it’s not as vital as the quality of tea and location. Consider initial franchise fees, ongoing royalties, and startup costs. Marketing and Advertising Support (Rating: 7/10): Effective marketing support from the franchisor can significantly boost brand visibility and customer acquisition. Supplier Relationships (Rating: 6/10): Maintaining reliable and cost-effective supplier relationships is significant but slightly less crucial than core factors. Training and Support (Rating: 6/10): Comprehensive training and ongoing support from the franchisor are essential but not as high-priority as core elements. Equipment and Technology (Rating: 5/10): While having the right equipment and technology is important for running operations efficiently, it is considered less critical than other factors. Community Involvement (Rating: 4/10): Engaging with the local community can be beneficial, but it’s not as critical as the core factors. Unique Tea Franchises Here are tea franchise concepts to consider for aspiring entrepreneurs. Fava Tea Fava Tea is a retail tea business that currently has multiple locations in Wisconsin, with potential expansion opportunities throughout the U.S. The company sells a variety of specialty teas along with related products and gifts. The company also aims to provide a memorable experience for visitors. TeaGschwendner TeaGschwendner first opened in Germany in the late 1970’s. Since then, the company has opened up more than 130 retail locations in seven countries. Their U.S. operations are headquartered in Chicago. New franchisees and managers can receive training there before getting started. The Teahouse This Texas-based chain specializes in tea and other healthy beverages in a quick service environment. The Teahouse is a family-friendly company that has been established for many years. They use carefully chosen ingredients in their teas. Additionally, they aim to provide quality service and open communication to franchisees. The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Though not exclusively a tea franchise, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf offers a variety of both coffee and tea beverages. This tea and coffee franchising company has since grown to include more than 1,200 locations around the world. The company is looking to expand through multi-unit franchise development. The business also offers a variety of nontraditional models and location options, including those at airports, colleges, hotels, and grocery stores. It provides training, development, design, operations, marketing, and logistical support. Teapioca Lounge Originally established, Teapioca Lounge offers traditional and specialty teas along with other beverage options. The brand aims to mix both East and West tea traditions in quick service environments. The company is known for product quality, innovative drinks, and trendy settings. The franchise provides training and grand opening assistance for franchisees. Dobra Tea Founded in 1992 in Prague, Czech Republic, Dobra Tea aims to spread authentic tea culture from around the world. The company already has several locations throughout the U.S. and more in other parts of the world. Dobra’s team helps franchisees with training, publicity, and more. They specifically look for franchisees who love tea and tea culture. The company doesn’t list any franchise fees publicly. TSUJIRI TSUJIRI is a global tea brand that specializes in Japanese tea culture. The company even offers specialty products like matcha. TSUJIRI doesn’t currently have any locations in the U.S. However, there are a few in Canada. The company is open to expansion in new markets. Inquire about specific costs if you’re interested in bringing this franchise to a new customer base. Sweetwaters Sweetwaters is a franchise coffee and tea house. If you’re a tea lover, you’ll probably appreciate the variety of classic and premium teas, along with the tea boxes that are available for sale. Franchisees can enjoy a comprehensive training program along with marketing and operations support. Spice Merchants With stores in several states throughout the U.S., Spice Merchants is a retail business that offers spices, teas, and other specialty food items. The company offers help with training, inventory, and store setup. You don’t need a culinary or tea background to get started. Presotea Presotea specializes in espresso-style tea. The company has more than 370 locations in countries around the world. While the brand isn’t especially active in the United States, it is looking for new expansion opportunities. Presotea offers training and consultation along with management counseling and other services for franchisees. The Spice & Tea Exchange The Spice & Tea Exchange is a retail business with franchise opportunities available. There are already franchise locations set up throughout the United States. As a result, you’ll be able to enjoy some brand recognition depending on the market you choose. The company encourages new franchisees to learn from current business owners. It also offers a training program called Spice UniversiTEA. Jamba Juice Jamba Juice is a well-known chain, though not particularly famous for tea. However, it does offer a variety of tea products including Talbott Teas. Other products include smoothies, juice, and other healthy beverage options. The company provides training, operations support, and access to high-quality vendors. The brand looks for entrepreneurial individuals. Those with experience in food service or retail, as well as those interested in opening multiple locations, are preferred. Tea Shop Tea Shop is a tea franchise based in Spain. However, the company is expanding into new markets like Brazil and Italy as well. There’s no word on whether the company plans to expand into the U.S. market, but interested franchisees may want to keep this brand on their radar. The company provides individualized information about the business model and operations throughout each step of the franchising process. Hiccups Restaurant & Tea House Hiccups offers an Asian Fusion restaurant mixed with a trendy tea house. The brand is known for specialty drinks, fresh ingredients, and welcoming environments. Demmers Teahaus Demmers Teahaus offers a wide array of specialty teas in a traditional store environment. Most of the company’s locations are currently in Europe and Asia. The brand looks for individuals who are passionate about tea and have business experience. The company provides assistance with training, marketing, and logistics. Demmers doesn’t make franchising costs available. Interested franchisees must inquire directly to get more information. i-Tea i-Tea offers specialty drinks in a quick-service environment. Most of its current locations are in California. However, the brand is open to expanding to new markets as well. The stores also provide some food items. Fees and other expenses vary by location, and the company hasn’t published that information. As a result, those interested in becoming franchisees must contact the company for more information. Camellia’s Tea House Camellia’s Tea House offers tastings and specialty teas in traditional store and tea house environments. The company is heavily involved in traditional tea culture in the U.K. However, they now sell products in other countries as well. The company is still relatively small. They don’t publish information about costs and fees, but an inquiry might result in more information. Creating a Unique Tea Experience When you venture into the world of tea franchises, it’s not just about the product; it’s about the experience you offer to your customers. To stand out in a competitive market, consider these strategies to create a unique and memorable tea experience: Tea Tastings: Organize regular tea tastings that allow customers to discover various tea varieties while learning about their origins and health benefits. Custom Blends: Enable customers to craft their own unique tea blends, enhancing the personal aspect of their tea-drinking experience. Tea Workshops: Host workshops focused on tea preparation, brewing methods, and the skill of pairing tea with various foods. Local Artisan Collaborations: Collaborate with local artisans to provide distinctive tea-related products, including handcrafted tea accessories and artisanal treats that enhance your tea offerings. Seasonal Menus: Introduce seasonal tea menus that feature special blends and flavors inspired by the time of year, creating anticipation and excitement among customers. Interactive Tea Bar: Set up an interactive tea bar where customers can watch the tea-making process, from steeping to serving, enhancing transparency and engagement. Tea and Wellness: Emphasize the health benefits of tea by providing wellness-oriented options, including herbal blends that are recognized for their positive effects on well-being. Tea Subscription Services: Launch a tea subscription service that delivers curated tea experiences to customers’ doorsteps, allowing them to explore new flavors regularly. Cultural Events: Organize cultural events and tea ceremonies that celebrate tea cultures from around the globe, allowing customers to experience the rich traditions associated with tea. StrategyDescription Tea TastingsHost regular tea tastings to explore different tea varieties and educate customers on origins and health benefits. Custom BlendsAllow customers to create custom tea blends, adding a personal touch to their tea experience. Tea WorkshopsOrganize workshops on tea preparation, brewing techniques, and pairing tea with food. Local Artisan CollaborationsPartner with local artisans to offer unique tea-related products and artisanal treats. Seasonal MenusIntroduce seasonal tea menus with special blends and flavors inspired by the time of year. Interactive Tea BarSet up an interactive tea bar where customers can observe the tea-making process for transparency. Tea and WellnessHighlight wellness aspects by offering health-focused teas, such as herbal blends. Tea Subscription ServicesLaunch a tea subscription service for curated tea experiences delivered to customers' doorsteps. Cultural EventsCelebrate global tea cultures with cultural events and tea ceremonies to immerse customers. How Profitable is a Tea Franchise? A tea franchise can be profitable under the right circumstances. However, many are not profitable, at least in the first few years. Generally, they do not carry expensive products. Overhead for traditional store environments can be high. As a result, choosing a franchise with a diversified product offering and low operating expenses can make these businesses more profitable. What is the Cost of Opening a Tea Franchise? A franchise can cost between $50,000 and $400,000 to open. Most fall somewhere between $150,000 and $250.,000. Costs depend on the business model you choose. For example, a traditional store may cost more than a small cart or other non-traditional setups. What is the Best Tea Franchise to Own? The best tea franchise depends on what you’re looking for. If you love traditional tea, a business like the Spice & Tea Exchange or The Teahouse may be of interest. Those looking for brand recognition may opt for a business that offers other options like Jamba Juice or The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Photo via Shutterstock This article, "Tea Franchises to Consider" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Current and retired federal employees say Treasury officials granted Elon Musk improper access to federal financial records, violating privacy laws. View the full article

Amid higher costs, longer wait times, and waning sales, Starbucks is ready for a brand refresh. The company’s new CEO, Brian Niccol joins Rapid Response to reveal how Starbucks plans to go back to its roots — prioritizing human connection and a local coffeehouse feel in the hopes of restoring the brand’s position in U.S. culture. Also, Niccol gives an inside look at the company’s subtle name change, which aligns with this new strategy. This is an abridged transcript of an interview from Rapid Response, hosted by the former editor-in-chief of Fast Company Bob Safian. From the team behind the Masters of Scale podcast, Rapid Response features candid conversations with today’s top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Subscribe to Rapid Response wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode. You’ve called your strategy ‘Back to Starbucks,’ and it’s included the return of a condiment station, the return of handwritten names on cups. It can sound like a lot of small details. Is that all that’s required—tuning the details? Look, I mean, we are in the retail business. We’re in the customer service business, and anybody that’s been involved with that knows the details do matter. And the reason why the details you just mentioned really matter for Starbucks is, frankly, those details are our point of difference. It’s how we get to another level of connection. It’s also how we kind of create a little bit of the magic, right? What turns the coffee and that craft beverage into something really special is the moment that potentially you have in our store, the community of the store, the moment you might have with our barista, or just the moment where you grab your cup and unexpectedly there’s a little smiley face on your cup. And it just changes the entire attitude of the customer. Obviously, you have to have a great product, you have to have a great experience, but if you have those little moments of connection, it just adds so much more. Well, it’s always interesting how, in food-related businesses, the product has to be satisfying, but so much of it is about the experience, about getting the experience to feel memorable and satisfying. Yeah, that’s right. And look, I think one of the things that veered Starbucks a little bit off was the whole mobile ordering, the COVID situation. I think it just really took a lot of the soul out of what this business is all about. And I’m sure, Bob, like me, you remember when the first Starbucks came to the neighborhood, and it was a moment for the neighborhood, right? I was living in Cincinnati, Ohio. I was working at Procter & Gamble at the time, and we were like, what a great spot. I really loved it when they were like, all right, Brian, grande Americano with an extra shot. And I’m like, yeah, all right, that’s me. I’m in. So, I think just what happened with mobile ordering is it kind of chipped away at a little bit of that soul and that connection because we went to labels and we stopped writing on the cups and we started looking at how you can remove seconds from the proposition as opposed to how you maintain the experience, the connection, and the integrity of what goes even beyond a great cup of coffee. There is this kind of impression that there was an earlier Starbucks heyday, but it’s not like the stock is that far from its all-time high. So, when you think of the life cycle of the company, what phase do you feel like it’s in? Or do you see phases ahead? Right now, the phase we’re in is we need to get things turned around, at least in the U.S. business. We need to get what I would call the soul of the business back, this connection back, and the partner experience back so that the customer feels the brand again, okay? And I think when we get that back, there’s tremendous growth ahead of us because, frankly, the reality is so many things isolate you as opposed to bringing you together. And I think people want to get out of the loneliness phase and get back to the connection phase. I’ve had the opportunity to travel around the world, and it’s true everywhere I’ve been, whether it was Italy, which was a little bit surreal because the whole Starbucks original idea came from Howard visiting Italy. Here I am back in Milan, seeing people walk around with Starbucks cups. And it just demonstrates this is one of those human truths that just connects people all around the world, connecting over a cup of coffee or connecting with your barista. It’s just a human truth. You mentioned Howard Schultz, the founder and multiple-time CEO there. Do you talk with him about what you’re doing, or are you kind of on your own? Howard’s been great. I think I’m fortunate that you still have a founder who can share the history of how Starbucks went from one store in Seattle to the iconic global brand it is. He doesn’t want to run the company. He doesn’t want to be involved in the day-to-day. He wants you to do that. But he’s available for me to inquire about his thinking when you introduced food into the cafe and how it competed with coffee, and ‘what was your thinking when we went from hot to cold,’ and it’s great to get that insight. During Starbucks’ life, there’s been an increasing proliferation of neighborhood coffeehouses. How much do you think about these hyper-local cafes as your competition? I was watching your new commercial, “That’s not my name.” And it ends with a tweaked name for you guys, a Starbucks Coffee Company, which sounds a little more local. Is that what you’re trying to signify? The reality is, Starbucks started as a coffee company, and at the heart, that’s what we are. Again, I went back and did a little history lesson, and when Starbucks first started, it had a very simple statement to be the purveyor of the finest coffee in the world. And we still believe that in a really big way. So I think it’s important to make that statement that we are the Starbucks Coffee Company. And what I want people to understand is we are so committed to coffee quality that we apply that same commitment of quality and craft to the food we do, the teas we might provide, but first and foremost, we’re a coffee company. And I think it’s important for people to be reintroduced to Starbucks from that point of view because I think we’ve forgotten to tell people that over the last, let’s call it last decade. I mean, it sounds like you need to focus more. Now you need to narrow down a little bit what you’re doing, get a little more streamlined. And then maybe once that is aligned, you could start adding things back again or adding new things. We’re going to continue to be an innovative company, but you’re best served to innovate when your core is strong. If you are innovating to try and compensate for a weak core, usually good things don’t happen. You end up just drifting. And my point is let’s have a strong, healthy core, and then we can innovate from there. 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. The Beats Studio Buds + are currently down to $119.99 (from $169.95), their lowest price to date, according to price comparison tools (in fact, all Beats headphones and speakers are seeing Black Friday and Prime Day equivalent discounts right now). Beats Studio Buds + $119.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $169.95 Save $49.96 Get Deal Get Deal $119.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $169.95 Save $49.96 Available in black/gold, cosmic silver, and a transparent finish, these earbuds come with four pairs of silicone ear tips (XS, S, M, L) for a customizable fit. Pairing is seamless with Bluetooth 5.3, with Apple users getting one-touch pairing across iCloud devices, plus Handoff support for quick audio transfers. For Android users, Google Fast Pair syncs them instantly with any linked Google account. Each earbud packs three microphones to enhance voice clarity, block noise with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and let in ambient sound with Transparency mode. Custom two-layer dynamic drivers power the audio, delivering a bass-heavy, crisp sound that remains distortion-free even at max volume. However, there’s no adjustable EQ, so you'll have to rely on iOS presets (if you use an Apple device) or the earbuds' default tuning. ANC performance of these earbuds is solid for the price, effectively cutting out low-frequency hums like airplane noise and reducing mid-range background chatter. Transparency mode is equally strong, making external sounds feel natural. Additionally, the on-ear button controls on the Studio Buds + are fairly straightforward, and according to this PCMag review, they're responsive without being overly sensitive, reducing accidental presses. For Apple users, the Studio Buds + integrate seamlessly with iOS, including support for Find My, which helps locate lost earbuds. That said, it only shows the last place your case (with the buds inside) was connected. If the buds were removed and the case was left sitting there, the location of the buds wouldn’t update. Android users get a solid experience as well, but they miss out on hands-free Siri and deeper system-level controls. These earbuds come with an IPX4 rating, meaning they can handle sweat and light splashes but they’re not built for heavy water exposure—if waterproofing is high on your must-have list, the JBL Reflect Aero ($99.95, down from $149.95) has a stronger IP68 rating and could be a better fit. View the full article

Shares in Google’s parent company, Alphabet (Nasdaq: GOOG), are down nearly 7% in premarket trading at the time of this writing. The fall comes a day after Google announced its fourth-quarter 2024 earnings results. Here’s what you need to know about those results and the likely reasons why GOOG stock is falling this morning. Google Q4 2024 results were a mixed bag Google saw both its revenue and earnings per share (EPS) increase in Q4 versus the quarter a year earlier. For the Q4 2024 quarter, Google posted nearly $96.5 billion in revenue—12% growth from Q4 2023. However, in that previous Q4 2023 quarter, Google’s revenue growth had been 13%, suggesting that growth is now slowing at the company, at least when comparing this quarter to the year-earlier quarter. Here are some of the most salient results from Google’s Q4: Total revenue: $96.47 billion Diluted earnings per share (EPS): $2.15 Google Cloud revenue: $11.96 billion YouTube ad revenue: $10.47 billion Google Services total revenue: $84.1 billion Despite growing at a slower rate in Q4 2024 than the same quarter a year earlier, Google’s revenue is still trending in the right direction. Yet, as CNBC notes, analysts expected Google to bring in $96.56 billion for the quarter. Google also missed analyst expectations regarding its all-important Google Cloud revenue. For the quarter, Google posted cloud revenue of $11.96 billion, while analysts had expected to see around $12.19 billion. While Google Cloud revenue was up 30% year over year, Reuters notes that the sector had grown 35% in Q4 of 2023. This, too, shows that the growth of one of Google’s primary revenue sources is slowing. Massive capital expenditure increase rattles investors In addition to missing analyst expectations on many fronts, the main thing that has rattled investors is Google’s announcement that it will significantly expand capital expenditures in an effort to maintain any competitive lead it has in the artificial intelligence sector. Announcing the company’s fourth-quarter 2024 results, Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed that the company expects “to invest approximately $75 billion in capital expenditures in 2025.” As Reuters pointed out, most analysts had expected Google to grow capital expenditures to $58 billion—a modest rise from the $52.5 billion it spent on capital expenditures in fiscal 2024. The $75 billion in expected capital expenditures for fiscal 2025 represents a massive capex growth of 29%. Google said that the majority of the capital expenditure will go into building data centers and servers. These resources are to a large part aimed at helping Google expand its AI capabilities. Yet many investors seem to have balked at this significant capex increase in the wake of DeepSeek. Last month, the Chinese AI startup claimed that it trained superior artificial intelligence models for less than $6 million, stunning both Wall Street investors and American artificial intelligence experts. American tech giants like Google have spent billions developing their artificial intelligence offerings. Many investors now are questioning whether Google’s plans for additional expenditure are prudent considering what DeepSeek has achieved. On the company’s financial call, Pichai conceded that the costs for using AI were coming down, but he argued that meant there would be more demand for AI in the future, and Google needs the infrastructure expansion to meet the demand. “The cost of actually using (AI) is going to keep coming down, which will make more use cases feasible,” he said. “The opportunity space is as big as it comes, and that’s why you’re seeing us invest to meet that moment.” GOOG is still up for 2025 Despite GOOG’s nearly 7% stock price fall in premarket trading this morning, the company’s share price is still up slightly year-to-date. As of yesterday’s close Google’s shares were up nearly 7.8% since the beginning of January. The company’s stock price has risen more than 44% in the past 12 months. View the full article

Want more housing market stories from Lance Lambert’s ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. On a nationally aggregated basis, U.S. single-family home prices, as measured by the Zillow Home Value Index, are up 2.8% year-over-year, while U.S. condo prices have risen 0.4% over the same period. In much of the Midwest, Northeast, and Southern California, regional home prices have seen even stronger gains. However, some areas—particularly around the Gulf—are experiencing greater softness, with a few even undergoing home price corrections. Look no further than Florida. Among the 26 major Florida condo markets that ResiClub tracks, condo prices are falling on a year-over-year basis in 24 metro area markets. In other words, condo prices are falling in 92% of Florida’s markets. The biggest year-over-year condo price declines are in these Florida markets: Punta Gorda, FL: -11.4% North Port, FL: -8.9% The Villages, FL: -8.4% Panama City, FL: -8.4% Cape Coral, FL: -8.2% Tampa, FL: -7.9% Sebastian, FL: -7.7% Port St. Lucie, FL: -7.3% Naples, FL: -7.2% Deltona, FL: -6.6% Condo prices are also down in Florida’s three largest metros: Miami (-3.4%); Tampa (-7.9%), and Orlando (-4.7%). When it comes to home prices, Florida single-family prices are holding up better than condo prices, however, there’s weakness there too. Among the 29 major Florida single-family markets that ResiClub tracks, single-family home prices are falling on a year-over-year basis in 19 metro area markets. In other words, single-family prices are falling in 66% of Florida’s housing markets. The biggest year-over-year single-family home price declines are in these Florida markets: Punta Gorda, FL: -7.3% Cape Coral, FL: -5.3% North Port, FL: -5.0% Naples, FL: -2.7% Palm Bay, FL: -1.6% Sebastian, FL: -1.5% Key West, FL: -1.5% Panama City, FL: -1.4 Crestview, FL: -1.4% Deltona, FL: -1.3% And here's how home prices have fared in Florida’s three largest metros: Miami (+3.2%); Tampa (-1.2%), and Orlando (+0.4%). Florida's particularly intense overheating during the pandemic housing boom is the key reason for its pricing vulnerability. While U.S. home prices rose +41% between March 2020 and June 2022, Florida home prices surged +51% over the same period. It just takes a big enough shift in the supply-demand equilibrium for that vulnerability to manifest into falling prices. Why has the supply-demand equilibrium shifted in Florida markets? It’s a combination of five factors, and some vary across Florida. The pandemic housing boom’s migration surge to Florida has fizzled out. Indeed, Florida saw net domestic migration of about 64,000 people in 2024, compared to about 314,000 in 2022. Without that higher influx of deep pocketed buyers from up North, Florida home prices have had to rely more on local incomes. Surfside condo fallout. Following the Surfside condo collapse in June 2021, which killed 98 people, Florida passed new structural safety rules, requiring more inspections and additional funds for repairs to be set aside by the end of 2024. That has led to Florida HOAs issuing sky-high special assessments and monthly HOA fee increases to cover these costs. This has had a greater impact on older coastal Florida condo buildings. Hurricane Ian spurred a greater SWFL softening. Markets like Cape Coral and Punta Gorda, which were hard-hit by Hurricane Ian in September 2022, saw thousands of damaged homes, and the subsequent need for renovations. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Hurricane Ian caused an estimated $112.9 billion worth of total damage, making Ian the third-costliest U.S. hurricane on record. This combination of increased housing supply for sale (i.e., the damaged homes), coupled with strained demand—the result of spiked home prices, spiked mortgage rates, higher insurance premiums, and higher HOAs—has translated into market softening across much of Southwest Florida. Supply elasticity. Unlike many housing markets in the Northeast and Midwest, Florida has a higher level of homebuilding and multifamily construction. As new supply enters the market in this affordability-strained environment, builders are using bigger affordability adjustments—such as mortgage rate buydowns—where needed. This has helped cool the resale market by drawing in some buyers who might have otherwise purchased existing homes. As a result, inventory of existing homes is building up, making Florida one of the few housing markets where active listings now exceed pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Home insurance shocks. Over the past three years, the median annual U.S. home insurance premium has jumped 33%, but Florida homeowners have been hit even harder. (You can find ResiClub's latest county-level home insurance report here.) The surge in Florida home insurance rates is partly driven by rising replacement costs—home prices and construction costs soared during the boom—and partly by increased hurricane risks and insurance payouts. Florida's sharp rise in insurance costs, combined with one of the biggest home price increases during the Pandemic Housing Boom, has led to one of the biggest housing affordability deteriorations. View the full article

Recruitment is a big part of what HR teams do, but it’s no secret that it can be both challenging and expensive. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), replacing an employee can cost a company anywhere from six to nine months of their salary. For highly trained positions, research shows that number can climb to as much as 213% of their salary! No matter your company’s size or industry, that’s a serious expense. The good news? A brand-savvy HR team can help bring these costs down. By addressing the key concerns of potential employees and attracting top-tier candidates who are a great fit, they can save valuable time and money in the recruitment and onboarding process. One of the biggest obstacles for job seekers, according to LinkedIn’s employer branding research, is not knowing what it’s like to work at a company before applying. Candidates are three times more likely to trust what current employees say about an organization over the company itself. Plus, 75% of job seekers evaluate an employer’s brand before deciding to apply, with over half checking out the company’s website and social media to learn more. By tapping into these insights and building a strong employer brand, HR teams can turn recruitment from a costly challenge into a more streamlined and effective process. How brand-savvy HR professionals can lower the cost of talent acquisition Unlike traditional HR roles focused on administrative tasks, brand-savvy HR professionals combine HR expertise with branding skills like marketing, storytelling, and people engagement. They use this blend to drive better ROI on HR investments and make a real impact on their company’s bottom line. These HR teams know when to handle branding efforts internally and when to collaborate with their branding teams—a synergy I like to call “Bhranding” (Branding + HR). One of the most effective ways brand-savvy HR teams cut recruitment costs is by applying the same engagement strategies marketers use—not to attract customers, but to create a workplace culture where employees feel excited and invested in their work. This kind of engaged culture becomes the foundation of a strong employer brand, naturally drawing top talent in the industry to the organization. And the benefits are undeniable. The same LinkedIn research shows that a solid employer brand can reduce turnover by 28%, cut hiring costs by 50%, and attract 50% more qualified candidates. Even better, it can halve the time it takes to fill positions, saving countless hours of work. All of these improvements add up, translating into significant time and cost savings—potentially millions for larger companies. How savvy HR teams attract top talent Brand-savvy HR professionals don’t just stop at creating an engaged workplace culture that attracts top talent—they go a step further. Proactive HR teams use strategies that were once the domain of professional marketers to actively target potential candidates. This means building impactful career websites, creating engaging social media content, and even managing entire social media channels to showcase their company culture and work environment. These efforts directly address a common challenge for job seekers: not knowing what it’s really like to work at a company. Take Spotify, for example. A quick search for “Life at Spotify” pulls up their dedicated career website, Instagram page, X (formerly Twitter) account, YouTube channel, and the hashtag #LifeAtSpotify—all designed to give potential candidates an inside look at what working there is like. Understanding that candidates trust employees’ descriptions of a company more than the company’s own messaging, many organizations also encourage employees to share their experiences in their own words. Google’s Build Your Future With Google and Marriott Careers’ blog are great examples of how companies leverage employee stories to attract talent. Some companies even take things further with full-blown marketing-style campaigns. General Electric’s “What’s the matter with Owen?” campaign repositioned the company as a destination for top talent and boosted recruitment eightfold. Similarly, Britain’s Royal Marines launched the intense “What’s Your Limit?” campaign, targeting only the toughest individuals willing to endure their grueling training. With the tagline “99.99% need not apply,” it made a bold statement and resonated with its audience. These examples show how using storytelling, creative branding, and marketing-inspired strategies can elevate recruitment efforts, turning potential candidates into excited applicants—and eventually into highly engaged employees. Candidates as customers By treating candidates like customers and engaging them as effectively as marketers engage customers, brand-savvy HR professionals can play a big role in attracting and engaging highly qualified candidates, reducing the time to hire, and having a measurable impact on profitability. By treating candidates as customers who need to be “wowed” by the brand – not to buy products and services, but to “buy into” the company’s purpose and vision for the future, brand-savvy HR professionals can optimize their efforts and convert curious candidates into highly engaged employees. If you’re looking for ways to positively impact your bottom line, consider encouraging your branding and HR teams to work together and find creative ways to attract the best and brightest of your industry to want to work at your organization. By engaging candidates with the same vigor that your marketing team engages customers, your brand-savvy HR team can help slash the costs of talent acquisition and, by extension, make a positive impact on your bottom line. View the full article

In Shift: Managing Your Emotions—So They Don’t Manage You, Ethan Kross shares a comeback story about tennis champion Novak Djokovic. It was the Wimbledon quarterfinal and Djokovic, who was the No. 1 seed, was down two sets (5-7, 2-6) against 20-year-old Jannik Sinner. After the second set, he requested a break. Then he awed the crowd by triumphantly winning the next three sets (6-3, 6-2, 6-2). What shifted? Djokovic shared that he gave himself a pep talk in the locker room. He looked himself in the eyes and said: “You can do it. Believe in yourself. Now is the time, forget everything that has happened. New match starts now. Let’s go, champ.” Djokovic utilized distanced self-talk, an emotion regulation tool that Kross writes about, to recalibrate himself. A week later, he won Wimbledon for the eighth time. Djokovic’s story illustrates the central theme of Shift: You don’t have to live at the mercy of your emotions. With the right tools, you can learn to master them. Kross is one of the world’s foremost experts on emotion regulation. As an award-winning professor at the University of Michigan, he leads its Emotion and Self-Control Lab and shares his work as a bestselling author. In our conversation, he illuminates how to cultivate emotional resilience, stop an anxiety spiral, and reframe stress to elevate performance. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You describe that our perception of self-efficacy is a master belief. When it comes to our emotions, learning what we can and can’t control is critical to building it. Can you explain? Several years ago, I came across a study that was as close as you can get to shivers running down your spine when reading scientific literature: 40% of respondents say that they can’t control their emotions. When I first encountered this finding, it was a mind blower. I run the Emotion and Self Control Lab. My whole life is dedicated to this concept. Yet, close to half of a sample doesn’t think that it’s even possible to manage your emotions. [Image: Courtesy of Ethan Kross] If you don’t believe that something is possible, why would you make any efforts to try to achieve that impossible goal? You wouldn’t. Decades of research demonstrate that compellingly. The 40% of people who said that you can’t control your emotions, it’s not that they were wrong. There are facets of our emotional lives and experiences that are out of our control. I share an anecdote about how when I’m in the gym, I’ll often have this very dark, maniacal thought about carrying a dumbbell and dropping it on someone’s face. What’s wrong with me that I’m thinking about that? That’s probably my brain preparing me for a worst-case scenario. So it motivates me to squeeze the dumbbell tighter or put it in the opposite hand so I don’t drop it. I never have, but I experience those dark thoughts sometimes. There’s this whole dimension of our lives that is characterized by these automatic emotional responses. We don’t have control over that. But what we do have control over is what happens once those thoughts and feelings are activated. You highlight the reframing paradox and explain that “when it comes to reframing, one of the big challenges is that people don’t know how to reframe their experiences adaptively and fall into the trap of reframing negatively.” What are the hidden traps of the reframing paradox and how can we avoid them? The way to avoid them is to first understand that this trap exists. Knowledge is power. We often think about reframing as a universal good. But reframing can be a force of good or bad. You can make the argument, as I have, that a lot of what happens when we’re anxious or depressed is that we’re reframing things. When I’m getting myself anxious, I’m thinking about all of the what if’s. I’m thinking differently about this, but in a negative direction. Then, the question is: If reframing is taking me in the wrong direction, how can I right the ship and have it take me in the right direction? There are a couple of tactics that are often useful. Distanced self talk: Try to give yourself advice like you would a friend. When friends are struggling with things, you don’t give them advice to make them feel worse. So, what would you say to a friend? We don’t always say those things to ourselves. Another reframing tool can be mental time travel: How am I going to feel about this next month, next week, or next year? The fires [in Los Angeles] are a great example of that. How are the fires going to feel next year? Five years from now? They are awful right now, but things are going to get better. Has there ever been a natural disaster that we haven’t recovered from in this country? For those who have survived thus far, you could also go back in time and think about other kinds of adversity to put this in perspective. There are a lot of people who are dealing with tragic circumstances who don’t have the resources, either personally or countrywide, that you have to deal with this. You share a study that found that our interpretation of our physiological stress response influences our levels of anxiety. Illustrate that process for us and how we can leverage it to not only regulate our emotions, but elevate our performance. This is one of my go to tactics. Experiencing physiological symptoms of stress or anxiety is a common part of that experience. Good luck trying to not have that reaction. It’s probably not desirable either, because we know that a moderate level of stress can be good for performance. It energizes you and mobilizes your resources. Research indicates that how you interpret what you’re experiencing physiologically can push you in different directions. If I’m getting butterflies in my stomach or I have to go to the bathroom, it’s not—Oh crap, I’m not prepared—which is one way of interpreting it. Instead, it’s saying: Lucky me. My body is like a Lamborghini. I’m getting ready to perform. It is a game changer to reframe what you’re experiencing, not as a threat and that there’s something wrong with you, but rather: This is how you’re supposed to be feeling. Use it to your benefit. Research shows that distanced self-talk promotes wise reasoning and intellectual humility. Why is it so effective? What tactics, such as using “you,” can help us apply it? Distancing as a tool is useful because it allows us to look at our experiences from a broader point of view, rather than getting trapped in a more narrow take on the situation, which can feel restrictive and fuel our emotional experiences. What are we taught to do from when we’re kids when it comes to a difficult problem? Roll up your sleeves and work through it. Zoom in really carefully. But, what we’ve learned is that sometimes doing the opposite—zooming out and looking at that bigger picture—is helpful for navigating these circumstances. What’s interesting about language is that it seems to allow us to relatively automatically shift our perspective. Take the word “you.” “You” is a word that we virtually use exclusively when we think about referring to other people. We know that it’s much easier for us to give advice to other people than it is for ourselves. So, when you use the word “you” to think about your own experience, it’s as though it’s automatically putting you into this advice giving mode. Now, I’m thinking about it like I’m talking to someone else. I’m pretty good with other people; Someone else goes through my problems and I can give you the solution for what they should do easily. But, I can’t do that for myself. “You” is applying that lens to my own life. We can also use the word “you” generically. What it involves is using the word “you” to refer to people in general; You don’t give a great talk. What are you going to do? It happens to everyone. There, I’m not using the word “you” to refer to myself. I’m using it to refer to the universal. We find that when people are trying to make meaning, being able to do this helps them, because it’s not just me. I’m talking about a personal experience in these universal terms. I’m taking it away from me and making it about anyone and everyone. You say that “avoidance is a key part of flexibility and flexibility is a key indicator of resilience.” Can you explain why avoidance can be a superpower? We like simple solutions for good reason. It’s easier to follow simple prescriptions. But, we know that research doesn’t support this idea that avoidance is always harmful. Yes, chronic avoidance can get us into trouble. But, being flexible can be effective. Importantly, what I’m talking about is being able to be flexible with how you deploy your attention. There’s a great study where after 9/11 researchers wanted to know which people were going to fair best over time. These were students who were living in New York City when the attacks occurred. The researchers were interested in how the ability to either express—approach and get your emotions out—or suppress—bottle up and avoid your emotions—might factor into this equation. What they did at the beginning of the study was measure the ability of people to express or suppress their emotions when told to do so. Then, they tracked them over time. What they found is that the people who fared the best were those who scored highest on their ability to both express and suppress their emotions. My grandmother grew up in Eastern Poland and was a young adult when the Nazis came. She saw most of her family being slaughtered and narrowly escaped. She lived through all of that and managed to survive. She would never tell me those stories. She wasn’t interested in getting into it, except one day a year when there was a Remembrance Day event that she and her fellow survivors organized where they let their emotions spill out. Over time, what I learned was that it wasn’t that she was chronically avoiding thinking about what happened to her. She was skilled at being flexible in how she deployed her attention. She’s a testament to this idea that it’s not about being dogmatic in how we apply these principles. Being flexible can make a difference. Let’s dive deeper into the psychological immune system. You share that time is one of the most important components of it. Still, there are non-traumatic circumstances that you may keep thinking about for years—say the loss of a job or friendship—despite them no longer impacting you. What can we do to clear these from our psychological immune system? Some experiences are harder to let go of. Particularly, the more intense they are, the more time it takes for them to dissipate. One thing I like to remind people of is that there’s this natural curve that goes up. Then, as time goes on, our emotional reactions tend to wane in intensity. That’s true of most of our experiences, but not all of them. With experiences that have happened, what you want to be able to do is to make meaning out of them. The fact that you’re still thinking about this suggests that you don’t have closure yet. The question is: What have you tried to do to get closure around this experience? What is standing in the way of you achieving that closure? Is there some cognitive work that you need to do to reframe it more effectively? Is it a conversation you need to have with this person to put it all out there? That’s what you would want to target to understand why you still think about it. Attention is an important aspect of our emotional life, particularly because we often focus on what’s going wrong rather than what’s going right. What are the most effective beliefs or practices to shift from having a scarcity mindset to an abundant mindset? It’s about being aware of that distinction and trying to find evidence that contradicts it. This is where the power to reframe can be so effective. We always have the ability to reframe our circumstances. A good example of this might be the work on social comparisons that I talk about. We tend to think about social comparisons as toxic, in particular, when we’re comparing ourselves against people who are doing better than us. It elicits envy. Yes, that is a pervasive phenomenon. But, what we lose sight of when we cling to that narrative is that we can also benefit from those social comparisons when we flip them. If I see someone who is outperforming me across the board and it elicits that initial sting, I can dwell on how much better their life is than mine or I can think about them as a beacon that I can try to navigate towards, like: Hey, if they can do it, so can I. Why don’t I try to achieve this? I’m flipping from what I don’t have to what I can attain. You can also do it in the opposite direction for people who are doing a lot worse than you. One of the ways that people often think about them is: Oh man, it happened to them. It can happen to me. That doesn’t feel good. Or, I can think: Wow, I’m really grateful that didn’t happen to me. Look at how much worse circumstances could be. Reflecting on our conversation and the book, a thread that stands out is that the quality of our thoughts determines the quality of our life experience. I’d love to close with a few questions that we can ask ourselves to continuously elevate that equation. I would say the nature of our thoughts, more than the quality. Our thoughts allow us to interpret the inputs that come in and that is one of our greatest superpowers. It means that we aren’t reacting in a default way to the situations that we encounter in the world. We can make sense of them in different ways, and how we make sense of them can put us on a completely different emotional trajectory. Simply recognizing that is number one. But, then committing ourselves to identifying the most profitable ways of making sense of our experiences. What I mean by profitable is, not in the monetary sense, but in the sense of: What are the interpretations of this world that allow you to live the life that you want to live? It’s an unbelievably powerful tool that we want to hone. View the full article

Wilson’s Airless Gen1 basketball is back. The hollow, $2,500 3D-printed basketball that doesn’t need to be inflated was first showcased at the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend. Now, Wilson is selling the ball via a new production run for the remaining few people who can afford to spend thousands of dollars on a basketball. The Airless Gen1 ball features a latticed pattern of hexagonal holes and doesn’t require an inflated bladder inside. By all accounts of professional and amateur players who have tried the airless wonder, its honeycomb architecture and plastic material makes it perform like a traditional basketball, matching its size, weight, and rebound characteristics. [Photo: Wilson] The initial release in February 2024 sold out rapidly. Now, Wilson is responding to the high demand by rereleasing the basketball in limited quantities, said Kevin Murphy, general manager of team sports at Wilson, in a press release: “We have been consistently overwhelmed by the excitement surrounding our Airless basketball products.” The rerelease features three color options: black, natural/white, and a new burgundy. Each ball is produced using the same 3D-printing process as the original, with refinements implemented to enhance production. I asked Nadine Lippa, Wilson’s innovation manager, why the company hasn’t been able to ramp up production so more people can buy it. “We’re still using the same printer, we’re still using the same type of smoothing and dyeing,” she explained. The Airless Gen1’s high price tag reflects the fact that 3D technology is not mature enough to make the jump to industrial production. It’s not a problem of the design, but of how slow and cumbersome 3D-printing technology still is. Without a quicker way to materialize these items, which need extra cleaning and sanding work to turn them into consumer products, it can’t really command production runs sizable enough to knock off at least one zero from that price tag. [Photo: Wilson] 3D-printing technology for industrial production keeps advancing but still faces big challenges like slow scalability, material limitations, and complex post-processing and quality control. While the industry is not stagnant, it is not yet fully realized for mass production. “The additive and 3D-printing ecosystem continues to evolve year-over-year,” says Lippa, “and the Wilson Labs team continues to monitor the progress and engage with key players in the industry.” Lippa tells Fast Company that Wison is still committed to making this technology more accessible in the future. Her team is continuously assessing all options on how to bring this to scale in the best way possible. “Our mission is to create great high-performing products at every level for every athlete, so we will continue to research and explore until we solve the problem,” she says. “Specific to our Airless Basketball, we are continuing to evaluate 3D-printing materials and technologies that offer the right properties needed to make a basketball perform at a much-lower cost.” Hopefully, one day we’ll be able to pick up one at the store just like we do with normal basketballs. But until then, the Airless Gen1 will remain a big-ticket item and an unreachable object of desire for b-ball fans everywhere. Starting Thursday, February 13, the Wilson Airless Gen1 will be available for purchase from Wilson.com. A limited number of units will also be available at NBA All-Star 2025 in San Francisco on February 17. Thankfully, you may have a higher chance of getting lucky, according to Lippa. “While we don’t share exact quantities, this will be our largest drop of the Airless Gen1 to date.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. For the past few months, I’ve had two salt shakers in my kitchen. One is Morton Salt Substitute, which is potassium-based, and I use it for the first few shakes of salt when I’m seasoning a dish. The other is regular table salt, which I use at the table. Now the World Health Organization is recommending that more of us try salt substitutes, and not just in the name of lowering sodium. Potassium is good for us, and it’s an easy way to get more in our diet. Morton Salt Substitute, 3.12 oz, 2 pk (Limited Edition) $11.98 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Get Deal Get Deal $11.98 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Benefits of potassium-based saltIf you’ve ever tried to lower your sodium intake, you’re probably familiar with low-sodium or no-sodium salt substitutes. One potential benefit is, of course, that they give you an easy way to lower your sodium intake if you do a lot of your own cooking. Sodium can contribute to high blood pressure and other health conditions, so the World Health Organization recommends that most of us keep our sodium intake under 2,000 milligrams per day. (The U.S. recommendation is a bit more generous, at 2,300 milligrams.) But this isn’t just about sodium. When it comes to heart health, most of us get more sodium than recommended and not enough potassium. Potassium is another mineral that our body needs, and consuming more of it has been found to reduce risks of cardiovascular disease. In this study, for example, people who switched to a potassium-based salt had fewer strokes, heart attacks, and deaths during the study than people who kept using a regular sodium salt. We normally get potassium in our diet from fruits and vegetables. Potassium salt shouldn’t replace that, but it can be a good extra source of the mineral. According to the National Institutes of Health, adult women should get at least 2,600 milligrams of potassium per day, and adult men at least 3,400. Downsides of potassium-based saltImportantly, potassium supplementation is not for everyone. If you have kidney disease or impaired kidney function, or if you’re taking a medication that changes how your body processes potassium, you may want to avoid these salts. (Your healthcare provider can tell you more.) How does potassium salt taste?The people promoting salt substitutes for health tend to wave away concerns about flavor. Most people won’t notice the difference, they say. They may be right, but there is a difference. Potassium salts have a subtly different flavor than regular sodium-based table salt. Sprinkle a little on your hand and lick it, and you’ll see what I mean. It’s still salty, and it doesn’t taste bad or anything, but it’s not quite the same. In large amounts, potassium-based salt substitutes can taste slightly metallic or bitter. When companies make low-sodium versions of their products, they know to use a mix of potassium and sodium salts, so that’s what I do at home. I use my salt substitute at the beginning of a recipe, when I’m browning meat or sautéing onions. It contributes a general saltiness to the dish. The next time I add salt, it’s usually the sodium kind. I figure I’m getting a roughly 50/50 balance, and then the salt shaker I bring to the dinner table is regular old table salt. If that’s too complicated, you can just mix both types of salt in the same container. Or buy a salt substitute like Morton Lite, which is a mix of sodium and potassium salts. And if you need a long-term review to convince you it will actually be fine for daily use, one of the largest studies on salt substitutes found that, after five years, 90% of participants were still happily using their salt substitute. View the full article

Welcome to Pressing Questions, Fast Company’s work-life advice column. Every week, deputy editor Kathleen Davis, host of The New Way We Work podcast, will answer the biggest and most pressing workplace questions. Q: How do I get a hiring manager to respond to me? A: I’ve been on both sides of this scenario. I know how frustrating it can be to send your résumé and cover letter out into the void and wait for weeks without hearing anything. I also know how overwhelming it can be as a hiring manager to shift through hundreds of applications while meeting all of the normal demands of your job. So it’s a delicate balance. As a candidate you just want to know, but you also don’t want to annoy the person who you are hoping to impress. Here’s how to approach it: Follow the rules The first and most important step is to follow the instructions for applying. If the job posting requires you to upload your résumé to the corporate site, do it. Read the listing carefully to make sure you apply in exactly the format they ask for with exactly the materials they ask for. If the listing asks for a cover letter, write one—and not a generic one, one that’s tailored to the position and company. If the listing asks candidates to include work samples or references, include those. This may sound basic, but many candidates just fire off résumés to hundreds of open positions. Not following basic instructions is an easy way to knock yourself out of the running. Give it a little time, then find a real person Even if the company needs to fill the role urgently, hiring takes time. Wait at least a week after applying to send out your first outreach. Do the leg work to find who is likely the hiring manager—or at least someone who works in the department. Do not blast ten people at the company with a “to whom it may concern” message. The same advice for getting people to respond to any email applies here, too. You have a much better chance of getting a response if you can find a common connection and have that person recommend you. Be clear and concise If you can’t find a connection, and you’re sending a cold email, be as clear and concise as possible. Make your subject line the title of the role you are applying for. Let the hiring manager know that you have applied according to the listing instructions and then in one or two sentences explain why you are excited about the role and how you are a good fit. If you have non-traditional experience, you can briefly explain your transferable skills so they will hopefully take a closer look at your application. If you do land an interview, you can end up with another bout of waiting after the interview. Your first step after an interview is to send a thank you note, which can help solidify a good impression and follow up on things you talked about in the interview. After that, the same rules apply as far as giving it at least a week before following up again and keeping your message short and sweet. Best of luck! Want some more advice on following up on a job? Here you go: How do I get people to respond to my emails? A recruiter shares the best way to follow up on a job application This is how to write a follow-up email that’s not annoying 12 effective strategies for messaging recruiters on LinkedIn that will get noticed Can I ask a hiring manager to reconsider if I don’t get the job? View the full article

Israeli prime minister makes most explicit comments yet suggesting he will not seek a lasting truceView the full article

The wedding venue business is constantly evolving. To attract customers – and make money – the wedding venue business owner has to keep tabs on what people want, provide excellent customer service and be ready to adapt. To accomplish this in the ultra-competitive wedding venue industry, you’ll need a business plan that includes options for pivoting as the market demands. Understanding the Wedding Venue Business We’ll start with an overview of trends and challenges in the wedding venue business: Trends Eco-friendly Venues: With a rising emphasis on sustainability and environmental consciousness, many couples are seeking out eco-friendly venues. This includes places that utilize renewable energy, practice waste reduction, or are located in natural, conservation-friendly settings. Smaller, Intimate Weddings: Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been a shift towards micro-weddings and elopements. These are smaller, more intimate events, often with less than 50 guests. Versatility: Venues that can adapt to a variety of settings and themes are in demand. For example, a barn that can be dressed up for a glamorous event or toned down for a rustic feel is highly sought after. All-inclusive Packages: Many couples prefer venues that offer comprehensive services, from catering to decor to photography. This simplifies the planning process. Cultural and Non-traditional Venues: As societies grow more diverse, there is an increasing demand for venues that accommodate specific cultural or non-traditional ceremonies. Technology Integration: Modern weddings often incorporate technology. This includes things like live streaming for remote guests, drones for photography, and high-quality audio-visual setups for entertainment. Experiential Weddings: More than just a ceremony and reception, couples are now looking for venues that offer unique experiences, perhaps weekend-long activities or interactive elements for guests. Challenges Economic Fluctuations: Economic downturns can result in fewer weddings or reduced wedding budgets. Increased Competition: With the rise of unique and non-traditional venues, traditional venues may find it harder to attract clients. Regulations and Licensing: Meeting local regulations, obtaining the necessary licenses, and ensuring public safety can be complicated and costly. Weather Concerns: Outdoor venues, in particular, are at the mercy of unpredictable weather, which can disrupt events. Keeping Up with Trends: The wedding industry is trend-driven. Venue owners need to update and adapt to ensure they remain appealing continuously. COVID-19 and Health Concerns: The pandemic led to the closure or significant restrictions on many venues. As we transition back to “normal,” it’s important to be aware of the new health and safety considerations that have emerged. High Expectations: Thanks to platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, couples often have very high expectations and specific visions for their weddings. Meeting these expectations can be challenging. Seasonality: The wedding venue business can be highly seasonal, with certain times of the year (like spring and summer) being particularly busy, while other periods are much quieter. This seasonality can present cash flow challenges. The Importance of a Robust Wedding Venue Business Plan A business plan template is just that – an outline that includes the elements that are necessary in any business plan. The wedding venue business plan should include options for continued growth in the wedding venue business. For example, part of the business plan should include ways to keep up with trends in the wedding event venue. You can do that by attending related events, such as Bride Expos or Travel Conventions. When you connect with others in the wedding planning industry, whether it’s related to dresses or destinations, you’ll be able to monitor current customer trends. This awareness is a crucial element of any wedding venue business plan. Creating Your Wedding Venue Business Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide Every business plan includes certain elements. A well-written business plan is a crucial part of the business’s future, especially when it’s time to seek financing. In addition to receiving all the pertinent financial information, lenders want to see a comprehensive business plan. Writing Your Executive Summary The executive summary is a description of the business. It should include the business name and location, as well as contact information for the owner and/or partners. The executive summary should also describe all the services that will be provided at the wedding venue, such as photography, catering, lodging, and more. If you also plan on learning how to become a wedding planner to offer extra services to couples who book your venue, include those offerings in this section. The mission statement should be carefully crafted and include the reasons for starting that type of business. Crafting Your Company Description The company description is an expansion of the executive summary in the business plan. It should include the history of the business, such as an owner’s prior employment as a wedding planner, restaurant owner/caterer, or other related employment history. It should also include – while not being etched in stone – the nature of the wedding venue services that will be offered. This part should be “written in pencil” as it’s the most likely part of the business plan, which may be tweaked to adapt to the market. Conducting a Thorough Market Analysis of Wedding Venues In the wedding venue business, market analysis should be regularly conducted. Here are the key elements: Define the Objective: Understand why you’re conducting the analysis. Are you trying to start a new venue, optimize an existing venue, or perhaps diversify your services? Define the Geographic Scope: Are you targeting a particular city, region, or country? Clarifying this will assist you in refining your research. Industry Overview: Total number of weddings per year in your chosen area. Average spending on wedding venues. Growth trends in the wedding industry. Segmentation: Identify different segments within the wedding venue market. For example: Luxury venues vs. budget-friendly venues. Urban venues vs. countryside venues. Traditional venues vs. non-traditional venues. Competitive Analysis: Identify major competitors in each segment. Analyze their strengths, weaknesses, services offered, pricing, and unique selling propositions. Look at their online presence, customer reviews, and any media coverage. Demand Analysis: Conduct surveys or focus groups to understand what couples are looking for in a wedding venue. Understand emerging preferences, such as eco-friendliness, technological integrations, or unique experiences. Supply Analysis: Determine the number of venues available in your chosen area. Understand their capacity, availability, and booking trends. Pricing Analysis: Understand the average price range for wedding venues in your area. Determine the factors that influence pricing, like location, services, capacity, etc. Regulatory Environment: Identify any local regulations, permits, or licenses required to operate a wedding venue. Understand any upcoming regulatory changes that could impact the industry. Technological Trends: Investigate emerging technologies that could be relevant, like virtual tours, live streaming capabilities, or advanced lighting/sound systems. SWOT Analysis: Based on your findings, conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) for your business or potential business idea. This information will help you form a financial plan. Forecasting: Using the data collected, make projections about the future of the wedding venue market in your area. This will be valuable for long-term planning. Describing Your Organization and Management Structure In your business plan, name your business structure and management structure. For example, if you’re a partnership, name the people and their roles and responsibilities. If you’re a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), name the owner. Provide information about the individuals involved. The simplest method to achieve this is by incorporating a brief resume that outlines their previous employment, educational background, and any prior experience in business ownership. Outlining Your Wedding Venue Services What types of weddings can you accommodate? Black tie or Rustic? Small groups or 500 plus guests? Do you possess or have access to a distinctive feature like a covered bridge, a beautiful view, or a picturesque watercourse? If your primary emphasis is on outdoor weddings, how will you handle situations when the weather doesn’t cooperate? Do you provide limo services? Horse-drawn carriages? Set the scene when you describe the services. Remember that planning a wedding can be very stressful for people – if you can provide (subcontract) the caterer and photographer, customers may be grateful to have fewer details to juggle. Developing Your Marketing and Sales Strategy Marketing and sales are an important part of the wedding venue business plan template. Here are some key elements of the marketing and sales plan: Marketing Branding: Develop a strong brand identity (logo, colors, messaging). Define your venue’s unique selling proposition (USP). Website Development: Create a user-friendly, visually appealing website. Include high-quality photos, videos, and virtual tours of the venue. Add client testimonials and a blog section with wedding tips. Social Media: Regularly post on platforms popular with your target audience (e.g., Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook). Share real weddings and behind-the-scenes content, and engage with followers. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimize your website for search engines to drive organic traffic. Utilize local SEO practices to appear in local searches. Online Advertising: Invest in pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns targeting wedding-related keywords. Use social media ads to target engaged couples in your area. Networking: Collaborate with wedding planners, photographers, and caterers to get referrals. Attend wedding fairs and industry events. Email Marketing: Capture emails through your website. Send newsletters with special offers, upcoming events, and wedding tips. Content Creation: Share blog posts about wedding planning, venue decor ideas, and other relevant topics. Consider creating video content or webinars. Public Relations: Get featured in wedding magazines, blogs, and other media. Foster relationships with influencers in the wedding industry. Feedback and Reviews: Encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on platforms like Google and wedding-specific sites. Respond to feedback constructively and promptly. Sales Site Visits: Offer personalized venue tours for potential clients. Ensure the venue is always presentable. Pricing Packages: Offer tiered packages to cater to different budgets. Provide customizable options for flexibility. Open House Events: Host open house days where potential clients can experience the venue. Collaborate with other vendors for live demonstrations (e.g., catering, decor). Follow-up: Have a system in place to follow up with leads after initial contact or tours. Use a CRM system to track interactions and manage relationships. Referral Program: Offer incentives to past clients or vendors for referring new clients. Special Promotions: Offer limited-time discounts or added-value services during off-peak seasons. Quality Service: Ensure excellent customer service at every touchpoint. Provide clients with clear contracts and transparent communication. Upselling Opportunities: Offer additional services like decor rentals, extended hours, or partnered catering services. Highlight unique features of your venue that can be added at a premium. Training: Regularly train sales staff on the venue’s features, pricing, and how to handle objections. Feedback Loop: Regularly solicit feedback from clients to refine the sales process. Adjust strategy based on performance metrics and customer feedback. Creating Your Financial Projections This can be a daunting part of the business plan, but once you put the numbers together, you’ll have a clearer picture to help you make your financial plan. Start-Up Costs: List all initial costs required to start the business. This might include costs like licenses, initial inventory, equipment, lease deposits, website development, branding, and any other one-time costs. Sales and Revenue Forecast: Estimate the number of units or services you expect to sell monthly. Multiply this by the price per unit or service to get monthly revenue. Be realistic. It’s common for businesses to have slow sales at the start. Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): Calculate the direct costs associated with producing a product or delivering a service. For product-based businesses, this includes material and manufacturing costs. Operating Expenses: List recurring monthly costs like rent, utilities, salaries, marketing, and other overheads. Don’t forget about periodic costs like yearly licenses or subscriptions. Profit & Loss Projection: Subtract COGS and operating expenses from your sales forecast to estimate monthly profit or loss. This can be done on a monthly basis for the first year and then annually for the next two to five years. Break-Even Analysis: Determine when the business will start making a profit. This is the point where total revenues equals total costs. Cash Flow Forecast: Track when money will come in and go out. This is crucial to ensure you always have enough cash on hand to cover expenses, especially if customers don’t pay immediately or if there are seasonal variations in sales. Balance Sheet Projection: Create an anticipated balance sheet for the end of the year. It should include assets (both current and fixed), liabilities, and owner’s equity. Adjust for Seasonality and Growth: Adjust monthly projections if your business is seasonal (e.g., a holiday store). For growth, factor in a reasonable monthly or yearly growth rate based on industry averages and your marketing efforts. Scenario Analysis: Develop best-case, worst-case, and expected-case scenarios. This helps you prepare for different possibilities and understand potential risks. Type of ProjectionDescription Start-Up CostsList all initial costs needed to commence business operations. This includes items like licenses, initial inventory, equipment, deposits, website development, branding, etc. Sales and Revenue ForecastMonthly estimates of units or services expected to be sold multiplied by their prices. Note: It's common for slow initial sales. Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)Direct costs of producing a product or delivering a service. For products, this can be material and manufacturing costs. Operating ExpensesMonthly recurring costs including rent, utilities, salaries, marketing, and other overheads. Consider periodic costs like yearly licenses or subscriptions. Profit & Loss ProjectionMonthly profit or loss estimated by subtracting COGS and operating expenses from the sales forecast. Done monthly for the first year, then annually for the subsequent 2-5 years. Break-Even AnalysisThe point where total revenues match total costs, indicating when the business will start making a profit. Cash Flow ForecastPredicting the inflow and outflow of cash. Essential for ensuring sufficient cash is available to cover expenses, considering payment delays or seasonal variations. Balance Sheet ProjectionAn expected balance sheet at the end of the year, detailing assets (current and fixed), liabilities, and owner's equity. Adjust for Seasonality and GrowthFor businesses with seasonal variations, adjust projections accordingly. For growth, consider a feasible monthly or yearly growth rate based on industry norms and marketing plans. Scenario AnalysisContemplating best-case, worst-case, and expected-case scenarios. A valuable tool for risk understanding and preparation. Using a Wedding Venue Business Plan Template There are numerous templates for creating a business plan. However, given the service nature of the wedding venue business plan, you’ll need to adapt the typical template to include a section on the services you will provide. FAQs: Wedding Venue Business Plan Can owning a Wedding venue be profitable? The US wedding industry is a multi-billion dollar sector. The venue is typically one of the most significant expenses for couples and is often the largest portion of the wedding budget. Wedding venue businesses can include “add-ons” such as catering, decor, a wedding planning app for couples, and other services, which will increase profitability. You can also include equipment rentals, such as a sound system or on-site overnight lodging. However, profitability can be seasonal. The typical peak wedding seasons are spring and summer. Also, economic downturns can impact couples’ wedding budgets, which can affect bookings and pricing. How can I increase my Wedding venue revenue? Try to keep overhead costs down. If you’re managing a large area or maintaining a historic building, costs can be high. Also, add on services such as catering, equipment rentals, photography and other options. You can subcontract those services but charge the subcontractors a percentage. What is the first step in creating a successful Wedding venue business plan? Utilize a pre-existing business plan template and make necessary adjustments. Gather feedback from family, friends, and business associates. How long should a Wedding venue business plan be? There’s no set length. It should include all the needed elements. What makes a Wedding venue business plan effective? As is common with all business plans, the most effective plan is one that is regularly revisited and adjusted as needed. Can I use a template for my Wedding venue business plan? Yes, you can use a business plan template or business startup checklist and adjust it to add sections, such as including the services you’ll provide with your Wedding Venue business. How often should I update my Wedding venue business plan? As a minimum, it should be revisited and updated yearly. Since the business times for a wedding venue business are typically spring and summer, checking the business plan can be accomplished in the fall or winter months annually. Image: Depositphotos This article, "A Step-by-Step Wedding Venue Business Plan" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The wedding venue business is constantly evolving. To attract customers – and make money – the wedding venue business owner has to keep tabs on what people want, provide excellent customer service and be ready to adapt. To accomplish this in the ultra-competitive wedding venue industry, you’ll need a business plan that includes options for pivoting as the market demands. Understanding the Wedding Venue Business We’ll start with an overview of trends and challenges in the wedding venue business: Trends Eco-friendly Venues: With a rising emphasis on sustainability and environmental consciousness, many couples are seeking out eco-friendly venues. This includes places that utilize renewable energy, practice waste reduction, or are located in natural, conservation-friendly settings. Smaller, Intimate Weddings: Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been a shift towards micro-weddings and elopements. These are smaller, more intimate events, often with less than 50 guests. Versatility: Venues that can adapt to a variety of settings and themes are in demand. For example, a barn that can be dressed up for a glamorous event or toned down for a rustic feel is highly sought after. All-inclusive Packages: Many couples prefer venues that offer comprehensive services, from catering to decor to photography. This simplifies the planning process. Cultural and Non-traditional Venues: As societies grow more diverse, there is an increasing demand for venues that accommodate specific cultural or non-traditional ceremonies. Technology Integration: Modern weddings often incorporate technology. This includes things like live streaming for remote guests, drones for photography, and high-quality audio-visual setups for entertainment. Experiential Weddings: More than just a ceremony and reception, couples are now looking for venues that offer unique experiences, perhaps weekend-long activities or interactive elements for guests. Challenges Economic Fluctuations: Economic downturns can result in fewer weddings or reduced wedding budgets. Increased Competition: With the rise of unique and non-traditional venues, traditional venues may find it harder to attract clients. Regulations and Licensing: Meeting local regulations, obtaining the necessary licenses, and ensuring public safety can be complicated and costly. Weather Concerns: Outdoor venues, in particular, are at the mercy of unpredictable weather, which can disrupt events. Keeping Up with Trends: The wedding industry is trend-driven. Venue owners need to update and adapt to ensure they remain appealing continuously. COVID-19 and Health Concerns: The pandemic led to the closure or significant restrictions on many venues. As we transition back to “normal,” it’s important to be aware of the new health and safety considerations that have emerged. High Expectations: Thanks to platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, couples often have very high expectations and specific visions for their weddings. Meeting these expectations can be challenging. Seasonality: The wedding venue business can be highly seasonal, with certain times of the year (like spring and summer) being particularly busy, while other periods are much quieter. This seasonality can present cash flow challenges. The Importance of a Robust Wedding Venue Business Plan A business plan template is just that – an outline that includes the elements that are necessary in any business plan. The wedding venue business plan should include options for continued growth in the wedding venue business. For example, part of the business plan should include ways to keep up with trends in the wedding event venue. You can do that by attending related events, such as Bride Expos or Travel Conventions. When you connect with others in the wedding planning industry, whether it’s related to dresses or destinations, you’ll be able to monitor current customer trends. This awareness is a crucial element of any wedding venue business plan. Creating Your Wedding Venue Business Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide Every business plan includes certain elements. A well-written business plan is a crucial part of the business’s future, especially when it’s time to seek financing. In addition to receiving all the pertinent financial information, lenders want to see a comprehensive business plan. Writing Your Executive Summary The executive summary is a description of the business. It should include the business name and location, as well as contact information for the owner and/or partners. The executive summary should also describe all the services that will be provided at the wedding venue, such as photography, catering, lodging, and more. If you also plan on learning how to become a wedding planner to offer extra services to couples who book your venue, include those offerings in this section. The mission statement should be carefully crafted and include the reasons for starting that type of business. Crafting Your Company Description The company description is an expansion of the executive summary in the business plan. It should include the history of the business, such as an owner’s prior employment as a wedding planner, restaurant owner/caterer, or other related employment history. It should also include – while not being etched in stone – the nature of the wedding venue services that will be offered. This part should be “written in pencil” as it’s the most likely part of the business plan, which may be tweaked to adapt to the market. Conducting a Thorough Market Analysis of Wedding Venues In the wedding venue business, market analysis should be regularly conducted. Here are the key elements: Define the Objective: Understand why you’re conducting the analysis. Are you trying to start a new venue, optimize an existing venue, or perhaps diversify your services? Define the Geographic Scope: Are you targeting a particular city, region, or country? Clarifying this will assist you in refining your research. Industry Overview: Total number of weddings per year in your chosen area. Average spending on wedding venues. Growth trends in the wedding industry. Segmentation: Identify different segments within the wedding venue market. For example: Luxury venues vs. budget-friendly venues. Urban venues vs. countryside venues. Traditional venues vs. non-traditional venues. Competitive Analysis: Identify major competitors in each segment. Analyze their strengths, weaknesses, services offered, pricing, and unique selling propositions. Look at their online presence, customer reviews, and any media coverage. Demand Analysis: Conduct surveys or focus groups to understand what couples are looking for in a wedding venue. Understand emerging preferences, such as eco-friendliness, technological integrations, or unique experiences. Supply Analysis: Determine the number of venues available in your chosen area. Understand their capacity, availability, and booking trends. Pricing Analysis: Understand the average price range for wedding venues in your area. Determine the factors that influence pricing, like location, services, capacity, etc. Regulatory Environment: Identify any local regulations, permits, or licenses required to operate a wedding venue. Understand any upcoming regulatory changes that could impact the industry. Technological Trends: Investigate emerging technologies that could be relevant, like virtual tours, live streaming capabilities, or advanced lighting/sound systems. SWOT Analysis: Based on your findings, conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) for your business or potential business idea. This information will help you form a financial plan. Forecasting: Using the data collected, make projections about the future of the wedding venue market in your area. This will be valuable for long-term planning. Describing Your Organization and Management Structure In your business plan, name your business structure and management structure. For example, if you’re a partnership, name the people and their roles and responsibilities. If you’re a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), name the owner. Provide information about the individuals involved. The simplest method to achieve this is by incorporating a brief resume that outlines their previous employment, educational background, and any prior experience in business ownership. Outlining Your Wedding Venue Services What types of weddings can you accommodate? Black tie or Rustic? Small groups or 500 plus guests? Do you possess or have access to a distinctive feature like a covered bridge, a beautiful view, or a picturesque watercourse? If your primary emphasis is on outdoor weddings, how will you handle situations when the weather doesn’t cooperate? Do you provide limo services? Horse-drawn carriages? Set the scene when you describe the services. Remember that planning a wedding can be very stressful for people – if you can provide (subcontract) the caterer and photographer, customers may be grateful to have fewer details to juggle. Developing Your Marketing and Sales Strategy Marketing and sales are an important part of the wedding venue business plan template. Here are some key elements of the marketing and sales plan: Marketing Branding: Develop a strong brand identity (logo, colors, messaging). Define your venue’s unique selling proposition (USP). Website Development: Create a user-friendly, visually appealing website. Include high-quality photos, videos, and virtual tours of the venue. Add client testimonials and a blog section with wedding tips. Social Media: Regularly post on platforms popular with your target audience (e.g., Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook). Share real weddings and behind-the-scenes content, and engage with followers. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimize your website for search engines to drive organic traffic. Utilize local SEO practices to appear in local searches. Online Advertising: Invest in pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns targeting wedding-related keywords. Use social media ads to target engaged couples in your area. Networking: Collaborate with wedding planners, photographers, and caterers to get referrals. Attend wedding fairs and industry events. Email Marketing: Capture emails through your website. Send newsletters with special offers, upcoming events, and wedding tips. Content Creation: Share blog posts about wedding planning, venue decor ideas, and other relevant topics. Consider creating video content or webinars. Public Relations: Get featured in wedding magazines, blogs, and other media. Foster relationships with influencers in the wedding industry. Feedback and Reviews: Encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on platforms like Google and wedding-specific sites. Respond to feedback constructively and promptly. Sales Site Visits: Offer personalized venue tours for potential clients. Ensure the venue is always presentable. Pricing Packages: Offer tiered packages to cater to different budgets. Provide customizable options for flexibility. Open House Events: Host open house days where potential clients can experience the venue. Collaborate with other vendors for live demonstrations (e.g., catering, decor). Follow-up: Have a system in place to follow up with leads after initial contact or tours. Use a CRM system to track interactions and manage relationships. Referral Program: Offer incentives to past clients or vendors for referring new clients. Special Promotions: Offer limited-time discounts or added-value services during off-peak seasons. Quality Service: Ensure excellent customer service at every touchpoint. Provide clients with clear contracts and transparent communication. Upselling Opportunities: Offer additional services like decor rentals, extended hours, or partnered catering services. Highlight unique features of your venue that can be added at a premium. Training: Regularly train sales staff on the venue’s features, pricing, and how to handle objections. Feedback Loop: Regularly solicit feedback from clients to refine the sales process. Adjust strategy based on performance metrics and customer feedback. Creating Your Financial Projections This can be a daunting part of the business plan, but once you put the numbers together, you’ll have a clearer picture to help you make your financial plan. Start-Up Costs: List all initial costs required to start the business. This might include costs like licenses, initial inventory, equipment, lease deposits, website development, branding, and any other one-time costs. Sales and Revenue Forecast: Estimate the number of units or services you expect to sell monthly. Multiply this by the price per unit or service to get monthly revenue. Be realistic. It’s common for businesses to have slow sales at the start. Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): Calculate the direct costs associated with producing a product or delivering a service. For product-based businesses, this includes material and manufacturing costs. Operating Expenses: List recurring monthly costs like rent, utilities, salaries, marketing, and other overheads. Don’t forget about periodic costs like yearly licenses or subscriptions. Profit & Loss Projection: Subtract COGS and operating expenses from your sales forecast to estimate monthly profit or loss. This can be done on a monthly basis for the first year and then annually for the next two to five years. Break-Even Analysis: Determine when the business will start making a profit. This is the point where total revenues equals total costs. Cash Flow Forecast: Track when money will come in and go out. This is crucial to ensure you always have enough cash on hand to cover expenses, especially if customers don’t pay immediately or if there are seasonal variations in sales. Balance Sheet Projection: Create an anticipated balance sheet for the end of the year. It should include assets (both current and fixed), liabilities, and owner’s equity. Adjust for Seasonality and Growth: Adjust monthly projections if your business is seasonal (e.g., a holiday store). For growth, factor in a reasonable monthly or yearly growth rate based on industry averages and your marketing efforts. Scenario Analysis: Develop best-case, worst-case, and expected-case scenarios. This helps you prepare for different possibilities and understand potential risks. Type of ProjectionDescription Start-Up CostsList all initial costs needed to commence business operations. This includes items like licenses, initial inventory, equipment, deposits, website development, branding, etc. Sales and Revenue ForecastMonthly estimates of units or services expected to be sold multiplied by their prices. Note: It's common for slow initial sales. Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)Direct costs of producing a product or delivering a service. For products, this can be material and manufacturing costs. Operating ExpensesMonthly recurring costs including rent, utilities, salaries, marketing, and other overheads. Consider periodic costs like yearly licenses or subscriptions. Profit & Loss ProjectionMonthly profit or loss estimated by subtracting COGS and operating expenses from the sales forecast. Done monthly for the first year, then annually for the subsequent 2-5 years. Break-Even AnalysisThe point where total revenues match total costs, indicating when the business will start making a profit. Cash Flow ForecastPredicting the inflow and outflow of cash. Essential for ensuring sufficient cash is available to cover expenses, considering payment delays or seasonal variations. Balance Sheet ProjectionAn expected balance sheet at the end of the year, detailing assets (current and fixed), liabilities, and owner's equity. Adjust for Seasonality and GrowthFor businesses with seasonal variations, adjust projections accordingly. For growth, consider a feasible monthly or yearly growth rate based on industry norms and marketing plans. Scenario AnalysisContemplating best-case, worst-case, and expected-case scenarios. A valuable tool for risk understanding and preparation. Using a Wedding Venue Business Plan Template There are numerous templates for creating a business plan. However, given the service nature of the wedding venue business plan, you’ll need to adapt the typical template to include a section on the services you will provide. FAQs: Wedding Venue Business Plan Can owning a Wedding venue be profitable? The US wedding industry is a multi-billion dollar sector. The venue is typically one of the most significant expenses for couples and is often the largest portion of the wedding budget. Wedding venue businesses can include “add-ons” such as catering, decor, a wedding planning app for couples, and other services, which will increase profitability. You can also include equipment rentals, such as a sound system or on-site overnight lodging. However, profitability can be seasonal. The typical peak wedding seasons are spring and summer. Also, economic downturns can impact couples’ wedding budgets, which can affect bookings and pricing. How can I increase my Wedding venue revenue? Try to keep overhead costs down. If you’re managing a large area or maintaining a historic building, costs can be high. Also, add on services such as catering, equipment rentals, photography and other options. You can subcontract those services but charge the subcontractors a percentage. What is the first step in creating a successful Wedding venue business plan? Utilize a pre-existing business plan template and make necessary adjustments. Gather feedback from family, friends, and business associates. How long should a Wedding venue business plan be? There’s no set length. It should include all the needed elements. What makes a Wedding venue business plan effective? As is common with all business plans, the most effective plan is one that is regularly revisited and adjusted as needed. Can I use a template for my Wedding venue business plan? Yes, you can use a business plan template or business startup checklist and adjust it to add sections, such as including the services you’ll provide with your Wedding Venue business. How often should I update my Wedding venue business plan? As a minimum, it should be revisited and updated yearly. Since the business times for a wedding venue business are typically spring and summer, checking the business plan can be accomplished in the fall or winter months annually. Image: Depositphotos This article, "A Step-by-Step Wedding Venue Business Plan" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Ride-hailing group’s weaker forecast comes after record fourth quarter View the full article

The tariff row is further indication that he is quick to quarrel but also quick to settleView the full article

US president says reports of military threat to Tehran are ‘greatly exaggerated’View the full article

For all the industries that are facing existential crises from the emergence of artificial intelligence, one is seeing a happily profitable outcome. Architects are increasingly being commissioned to design the brick-and-mortar infrastructure supporting the AI boom. These data centers—big warehouse-like buildings stuffed with whirring servers sucking up hundreds of megawatts of power—are becoming a major, and majorly lucrative, part of the architecture industry’s bottom line. “We’ve got about 200 people working strictly on data center projects,” says Joy Hughes, a design manager at the architecture and design firm Gensler. It’s a subset of the architecture business that has surged in recent years. During the Covid pandemic, the demand for cloud-based online services from Zoom calls to streaming movies caused a spike in data center construction. “Now we’re seeing another jump in growth because of AI and machine learning coming on board,” Hughes says. Gensler, which has more than 6,000 employees in 57 offices worldwide, has seen its data center business skyrocket. The practice area is up 87% year over year from 2023, and the firm is projecting a growth of 40% for 2025. Gensler is not alone. Many other architecture firms, both big and small, are seeing data center work drive significant revenues. More than a dozen firms pulled in $1 million or more in data center revenue in 2023, according to Building Design + Construction’s annual list of architecture firm revenue. Ten firms earned more than $20 million in data center-related revenue in 2023. Third-ranked Gensler’s take was more than $69 million; Corgan, at the top of the list, raked in $135 million. Gabe Clark, data centers sector leader for Corgan, says the firm has been designing data centers for more than 15 years and anticipates year-over-year growth for at least the next five years. “We started executing one megawatt builds. We’re now designing now one gigawatt campuses,” he says. “There’s truly exponential growth in the marketplace, both in advancement of what data center design is and clearly in the need and the demand. And we don’t see that slowing down anytime soon.” The story behind these staggering figures is a simple one of demand. A recent report from McKinsey estimates that global demand for data center capacity could rise at an annual rate of between 19 and 22% through 2030. For architecture firms, that’s a steady pipeline of new projects for years to come. “Under construction data centers are expected to reach record highs in 2025. Demand for modern data center facilities continues to soar,” says Gordon Dolven, director of Americas data center research at the commercial real estate advisory CBRE. Databank Atlanta [Photo: courtesy of Gensler] Data center design evolves This boom is opening up new avenues for design. It’s an unexpected evolution for a very utilitarian building typology, which usually consists of a big warehouse with a few offices tucked in a corner and the majority of the space filled with precise rows of server racks. Gensler’s Hughes, who started her career with the firm doing IT work, has spent a lot of time in data centers and knows that their design is rarely the first priority. “When I walked into my first data center, there were no windows. You are walking into a concrete box,” she says. “A big gray box, sitting out in a corn field or a potato field or whatever. It wasn’t even painted. It was very, very nebulous.” But this is beginning to change, for reasons ranging from location to environmental concern to the availability of power. Hughes says some of Gensler’s large data center projects are being developed in a wide range of places, including the remote greenfields of the past as well as more suburban areas closer to end users. These data centers, often covering hundreds of acres, are becoming a bit more sensitive to their surroundings. Hughes says Gensler’s designers are adding public-facing amenities to them, like hiking trails and open spaces, to soften their edges and reduce the negative visual impact on communities. This is especially relevant for those data centers with their own power supplies, which often require large industrial infrastructure, substations, and power lines that can take up significant amounts of land. “We’ll probably start to see a lot more of that as on-site generation starts to take shape here in the U.S., especially in some of those more suburban and urban locations where we’re seeing some of these pop up,” she says. Databank Atlanta [Photo: courtesy of Gensler] Some data centers are even being built right within the footprint of existing office complexes. Gensler completed a project in midtown Atlanta in 2019 that’s nestled in a mixed use commercial development at Georgia Tech, providing data hall space for the university as well as leasable data center facilities for private sector clients such as the aerospace, security, and defense companies located in the area. “These types of data centers tend to be smaller, more compact, so they can fit within an office building, they can fit within an urban space,” Hughes says. Comarch [Photo: courtesy of Gensler] The overall look of data centers is also undergoing a change. One Gensler-designed project for the IT company Comarch is located in Mesa, Arizona, and the 50,000-square-foot building was designed to include a welcoming front-of-house area for the center’s staff, with lounge seating and informal meeting areas drenched in daylight. “You have floor-to-ceiling glass, you have all of this natural light, and you have all of these views out into the desert,” she says. “We design these buildings for computers, but we have to remember that even though there’s not a lot of people in them, there are still people in them. We still have to design for those people.” Environmental concerns are also affecting the way data centers are designed. Clark says Corgan’s wide range of data center projects are becoming increasingly focused on reducing not only their surging operational energy consumption but also the environmental footprint of the buildings themselves. Lower carbon materials, like mass timber, are becoming more common, as is insulation that allows for the buildings to be cooled more efficiently. “We have seen tremendously more opportunities over the last five years to work with clients to enhance their building image, both purely aesthetically, but also from a sustainability perspective,” Clark says. “There’s also a lot of eyes on data centers out in the world these days and knowing that these facilities are being built and powered in the most sustainable way possible is becoming more and more critical to our clients.” This kind of design thinking is also happening at a more abstract level. Goodman Group, a global data center operator recently announced a partnership with Oxman, designer Neri Oxman’s interdisciplinary innovation lab, to reinvent its building practices. The partnership is focused on developing practices that “maximize the ecological presence and utility of the built environment.” Microsoft [Photo: courtesy of Gensler] Land and power With such high demand for data centers, some of these concerns are pushed aside. Many data center developers and “hyperscaler” data center owner-operators like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon Web Services can’t build data centers fast enough. “Data center operators are willing to pay a pretty penny to get these up to meet demand, so getting them up quickly is really important,” says Jennie Karnes, a vice president in the Data Center Solutions group at CBRE. Access to power is the primary parameter guiding the location, size, and design of data centers, according to Karnes, and that’s led to a variety of approaches. Some operators are buying up sites that can easily latch into the electricity grid, while others are building facilities that have their own substations and power sources, including solar arrays, wind turbines, and natural gas. Some are being considered for construction on the sites of shuttered coal power plants, and others are looking at getting permitted for nuclear small module reactors. Karnes says that even though the power demands of data centers are growing—many are being designed to accommodate hundreds of megawatts of demand per hour—the size of the actual data halls in these facilities is remaining relatively stable. New chips, graphics processing units (GPUs), and improved cooling techniques means that the cabinets of servers inside a data center can operate at much higher power densities. “The same cabinet that used to take five kilowatts of power, now we’re looking at designing it to support 100 to 250 kilowatts of power. So 20 to 50 times what we saw five years ago,” Karnes says. That’s leading some data center racks to grow in height, raising ceilings in new builds to upwards of 16 feet. AI is driving much of this increased energy demand. And the higher the power density of a server rack, the more cooling it requires. Clark says that the AI boom is leading data center developers to integrate new approaches for cooling, and that additional mechanical equipment means data center facilities are requiring more space than in the recent past. Clark says data centers built primarily to support cloud services just a few years ago could often fit all of this attendant mechanical equipment on their roofs. Now, with AI in the mix, data centers have to have additional square footage outside the building. “All of the mechanical and electrical infrastructure to support that same footprint of data module or data hall has now, in some cases, doubled,” Clark says. Some of the concern around electricity demand may be tempered by the recent release of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup that built state-of-the-art model using a midrange type of computer chip. Because these chips can run using less energy, some have questioned whether data center energy demand will remain so high. But given the growth of AI, more efficient chip utilization isn’t likely to cause the size of data centers to go down, nor to reduce the demand for new facilities. Big boxes will still be built out in empty fields, and many are under construction now. Stargate, a joint venture between SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle, plans to feed AI’s demand by building up to $500 billion worth of large data centers in the coming years. One of Stargate’s first announced data center projects is a 1.2-gigawatt facility being built on more than 1,100 acres in Abilene, Texas. In terms of the form and size of data center designs, there’s no real model to follow. “If you look back even four years ago when everything was cloud-based, the market had kind of gelled around a program,” Clark says. “Generally, they were pretty homogeneous at the end of the day. What’s going on in the world now in regard to designing around AI, it’s a little bit of the Wild West. Everybody’s still trying to find what is the best approach.” [Photo: courtesy Lonestar Data Holdings] To the moon Some are looking far beyond the Wild West. Lonestar Data Holdings is a backup data storage provider that has developed a novel type of extraterritorial data center that are designed to operate beyond the surface of the earth. Its newest data center is the Future Payload, a solar-powered eight terabyte data backup device that will be part of a lunar lander mission launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in late February. Lonestar calls it the first data center to be sent to space. More prototype than product, it is designed to operate from the surface of the moon for a single lunar day, just 14 days here on Earth. Even this niche of the data center business is proving to be a boon to the architecture industry. Lonestar commissioned the architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) to design the data center. The device, which measures just 10 by 7 inches will be attached to the side of Athena, a lander developed by Intuitive Machines through NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. A thin 3D printed device, it was designed to cast shadows of the silhouettes of the faces of two NASA astronauts as the sun passes overhead. “BIG designs the future I want to live in. The future I thought I’d be living in. The future we’re working to build,” Lonestar CEO Chris Stott tells Fast Company by email. “The Freedom Payload is meant to be a symbol for all of humanity, a beacon of hope to the world as we strive towards that better future.” Compared to terrestrial data centers that can stretch across hundreds of acres and draw hundreds of megawatts of electricity around the clock, this lunar data center is a proof of concept both quaint and complex. But just like its counterparts whirring away on earth, the data center that could soon be running on the moon is the result of a significant amount of design and consideration. “As we prepare to return to the Moon to stay, it is important that everything we do these coming years of lunar settlement is done with intention and care,” says Bjarke Ingels, BIG founder and creative director. “Even if modest in scale, this data center is one of very few artifacts designed to remain part of the lunar landscape for years to come.” View the full article

As a McAfee subscription customer, it’s important that you’re aware of the various scams that are going around so you can protect your computer and data. That’s why, in this article, we’ll reveal McAfee scams you need to watch out for related to phishing emails, your McAfee subscription, and more. Let’s get started! Can You Get Scammed From a Computer Security Software Company Like McAfee? Getting scammed by the official McAfee company is quite unlikely. However, there are many scammers who try to take advantage of the well-known McAfee name. Scammers trick people and gain access to their money or personal information using malicious software. READ MORE: McAfee and Visa Form Partnership Top McAfee Scams Every Small Business Owner Should Know Similar to other widely used antivirus programs, McAfee attracts scammers who focus on identity theft. Below are some of the most prevalent mcafee scams that small business owners should be mindful of: McAfee Phishing Scams Phishing emails are one of the most common types of scams. For this phishing scam, fake email messages are sent by a scammer who poses as a legitimate company. They send phishing emails to try and trick you into clicking suspicious links to a fake company website and giving them your personal information or money. How to Stay Safe: Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from suspicious emails. Verify the authenticity of the email by checking the sender’s address. Use McAfee’s official website for any subscription-related actions. McAfee Pop-Ups Scam Another common scam is fake pop-ups that claim to be from McAfee. These pop-ups usually contain a virus or will install malware that can infect your computer if you click on them. So, be very careful when you see any pop-ups on your computer, even if they claim to be from a reputable company like McAfee. How to Stay Safe: Do not click on unsolicited pop-ups, even if they appear to be from McAfee. Keep your browser and antivirus software updated to block malicious pop-ups. Use pop-up blockers and avoid visiting untrusted websites. McAfee Scam Emails Scam emails are another way that scammers try to trick you into giving them your personal information. These fake emails often contain official-looking offers or deals that seem too good to be true. So, be very careful when you receive any emails claiming to be from McAfee. How to Stay Safe: Be skeptical of emails with offers or deals that seem too good to be true. Look for inconsistencies in the email content, such as spelling and grammatical errors. Always verify offers by visiting McAfee’s official website. McAfee Renewal Scam The McAfee renewal scam is when scammers contact you and try to trick you into renewing your McAfee subscription. They do this by providing fake invoices and offering a special deal or a discount on the renewal price. However, if you give them your login credentials or credit card information, they will actually bill you for a much higher amount than what you were originally quoted. How to Stay Safe: Renew your subscription directly through the official McAfee website or authorized retailers. Be cautious of unsolicited calls or emails offering renewal deals. Do not provide credit card information over the phone to unknown callers. McAfee Antivirus Plus Scam For this scam, scammers contact you and try to sell you a fake version of McAfee’s Antivirus Plus program. They may even send you an email with a link to download the program. However, this program is actually a virus that can infect your computer. How to Stay Safe: Purchase McAfee products only from the official website or authorized retailers. Be wary of emails or websites offering discounted McAfee software. Verify the authenticity of the software before downloading. McAfee Tech Support Scam First and foremost, McAfee tech support will only call you if you have reached out to them first. Therefore, if you receive a call from someone claiming to be from McAfee tech support, it’s a scam. These scammers often attempt to gain remote access to your computer, which allows them to install a virus or steal your sensitive information. How to Stay Safe: Remember that McAfee’s official tech support will not contact you unless requested. Do not grant remote access to your computer to unsolicited callers. If in doubt, contact McAfee’s official support for verification. McAfee Fake Virus Scan Scam This is a scam where scammers create a fake virus scan and claim that your computer is infected with a virus. They will then try to sell you a fake antivirus program to remove the supposed virus so you no longer have your computer “infected.” How to Stay Safe: Do not trust unsolicited virus scan alerts, especially from unknown sources. Use McAfee’s official antivirus tools for scanning your computer. Avoid downloading software from pop-up alerts or unfamiliar websites. McAfee Free Trial Scam The McAfee free trial scam is when scammers offer you a free trial of their fake antivirus program. However, once the trial is up, they will bill you for the full price of the program, which is usually a lot more than what you would pay for a legitimate antivirus program. How to Stay Safe: Sign up for free trials only through the official McAfee website. Read the terms and conditions of any free trial offer carefully. Be cautious of providing payment details for a free trial offer. McAfee Subscription Cancellation Scam This scam involves fraudsters contacting McAfee users, claiming that their subscription is about to be automatically renewed, and offering to cancel it for a fee. The scammer may ask for remote access to your computer to “assist” with the cancellation, during which they install malware or steal sensitive information. How to Stay Safe: Never give remote access to your computer to unsolicited callers. If you receive a call about your McAfee subscription, verify its legitimacy by contacting McAfee directly through their official website. Be aware that legitimate companies like McAfee will not charge you to cancel a subscription. McAfee Refund Scam In this scam, you might receive an email or call claiming that you are eligible for a refund from McAfee. The scammers will ask for bank details to process the supposed refund, but instead, they use this information to steal money from your account. How to Stay Safe: Be skeptical of unsolicited refund offers. Never share your banking details over email or phone with someone claiming to be from McAfee. Verify any refund claims by contacting McAfee through their official channels. Fake McAfee Job Offer Scam Scammers posing as McAfee HR representatives offer fake job opportunities. They may ask for personal information or money for “training” or “equipment” as part of the hiring process. How to Stay Safe: Verify the job offer by contacting McAfee directly through their official website. Remember, legitimate companies will not ask for money during the hiring process. Be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true, especially if you did not apply for the job. McAfee Mobile App Scam Cybercriminals create fake McAfee mobile apps and upload them to app stores. Once downloaded, these apps can infect your device with malware or steal personal data. How to Stay Safe: Always download apps from official and reputable app stores. Check reviews and ratings before downloading any app. Look for inconsistencies in the app’s description and avoid apps with poor grammar or spelling. How to Avoid a McAfee Scam McAfee antivirus software is a popular choice for computer protection, but cybercriminals are now using McAfee branding to scam people. Here are five tips to avoid phishing scams that use the McAfee name and protect your bank account: Check the URL before you click. Cybercriminals will often create fake websites that look like legitimate companies in order to phish for your personal information. Before you click on any links, check to make sure the URL is correct. Grammatical errors. A common method to identify a fake website is to check for grammatical mistakes. Since many scammers are not native English speakers, they often make errors in their grammar. Sender’s address. Be cautious of any emails that come from a free email service like Gmail or Yahoo. These are more likely to be scams. Hover over links. Before you click on any links in an email, hover your mouse over the link to see where it will take you. If the URL looks suspicious, don’t click on it. Call the company. If you’re unsure whether an email or website is legitimate, call the company to verify. Don’t use the contact information in the email, look for the company’s contact information on their website. TipDescription Check the URL before you clickVerify the authenticity of URLs before clicking on them to prevent falling victim to fake websites and phishing attempts. Grammatical errorsIdentify potential scams by examining the grammar in communications. Scammers often make grammatical mistakes due to language barriers. Sender's addressExercise caution with emails from free email services like Gmail or Yahoo, as they are commonly used by scammers. Hover over linksHover your mouse cursor over links in emails to preview the actual destination URL. If it seems suspicious, avoid clicking on it to prevent malware installation. Call the companyWhen in doubt about an email or website's legitimacy, contact the company directly using official contact details from their website to verify the information. Why Do You Keep Getting Fake McAfee Emails? Spam filters are not foolproof, and occasionally, fake emails can get through. If you continue to receive fake McAfee emails, it’s probable that your email address has been included on a list sold to scammers. While you can attempt to block the sender, they will likely use a different email address. The most effective action is to delete the email and report it as spam. Is the McAfee Renewal Email Asking for Credit Card Details a Phishing Scam? The McAfee Renewal email is a phishing scam. The email asks you to update your credit card payment information and renew your subscription. However, the email is not from McAfee, and clicking on the link will take you to a fake website where your personal information can be stolen. Where Do You Report McAfee Scams? If you have been the victim of a McAfee scam, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can also report the scam to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) if you have lost money or personal information as a result of the scam. Finally, you can report the scam to McAfee’s Anti-Spam Abuse department. Can You Get Your Money Back From a McAfee Scam? If you have been scammed by a fake McAfee website, it is possible to recover your money. If you paid with a credit card, you can dispute the charges by contacting your credit card company. Be prepared to provide the transaction date, the name of the company, and the amount charged. However, if you paid via wire transfer, recovering your money is unlikely. You can report the scam to the IC3, but they can only assist if the scammer is located in the United States. Protecting Yourself from McAfee Scams: Tips and Actions As a vigilant McAfee subscription customer, safeguarding your computer and personal information is paramount. In the digital landscape, scams abound, and being aware of potential threats is crucial. Here are valuable insights to help you stay secure and outsmart scammers: Be Wary of Suspicious URLs: Before clicking on any links, examine the URL closely. Cybercriminals often create fake websites resembling legitimate companies. Verify the URL’s authenticity to avoid falling prey to phishing attempts. Spot Grammatical Errors: Scammers often display poor grammar in their communications, which may be a result of language barriers. If you come across an email or website with obvious grammatical errors, it’s important to be cautious, as it could indicate a fraudulent attempt, possibly related to McAfee scams. Evaluate Sender’s Address: Scammers frequently use free email services like Gmail or Yahoo. Emails from such addresses should raise a red flag. Be skeptical of emails originating from suspicious sources. Hover over Links: Hover your mouse cursor over links in emails before clicking them. This action reveals the actual URL destination. If the link appears suspicious, refrain from clicking to prevent potential malware installation. Contact the Company Directly: When in doubt about an email’s legitimacy, contact the company through official channels. Do not use the contact information provided in the suspicious email. Seek out the company’s contact details on their official website for verification. Report Fake Emails and Scams: If you encounter a fake McAfee email or fall victim to a scam, promptly report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), especially if you’ve suffered financial losses or personal information compromised. Responding to McAfee Renewal Emails: Beware of McAfee renewal emails asking for credit card details; these are phishing scams. Authentic McAfee renewal communications would never solicit sensitive information via email. Always verify the legitimacy of such requests through official channels. Recovering from Scams: In the unfortunate event of falling victim to a McAfee scam, take immediate action. If payments were made via credit card, contact your credit card company to dispute charges. For wire transfers, recovery options may be limited. Reporting the scam to the IC3 can help if the scammer operates within the United States. Educating Yourself is Key: Staying informed about scams and developing a strong sense of digital security is essential. Keep up-to-date with the latest scam tactics and learn to recognize red flags to bolster your defenses against scammers. By following these precautions and remaining vigilant, you can protect yourself from falling victim to McAfee-related scams and other malicious activities. A proactive stance combined with informed decision-making empowers you to navigate the digital world with confidence and security. Conclusion As a customer of McAfee, being aware of common scams is your best defense against cyber threats. This in-depth look at McAfee scams has provided you with valuable insights into the methods scammers use to take advantage of your trust and access your sensitive information. By remaining informed and vigilant, you can effectively protect your computer and personal data. Remember, although McAfee scams targeting users are common, they can be managed effectively. By adopting the suggested security practices—such as checking URLs, examining sender addresses, and being wary of phishing attempts—you can greatly decrease your chances of becoming a victim of these scams. In the ever-evolving landscape of cybercrime, knowledge is your greatest ally. Educate yourself, stay alert, and leverage the available resources to report scams promptly. Through your proactive efforts, you not only protect yourself but also contribute to a safer digital environment for everyone. As technology advances, so do the strategies of cybercriminals. However, armed with the insights and precautions provided in this article, you are well-equipped to navigate the digital realm with confidence, resilience, and the ability to thwart even the most sophisticated scams. Stay informed, stay cautious, and stay secure. Image: Depositphotos This article, "McAfee Scams to Watch Out For" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As a McAfee subscription customer, it’s important that you’re aware of the various scams that are going around so you can protect your computer and data. That’s why, in this article, we’ll reveal McAfee scams you need to watch out for related to phishing emails, your McAfee subscription, and more. Let’s get started! Can You Get Scammed From a Computer Security Software Company Like McAfee? Getting scammed by the official McAfee company is quite unlikely. However, there are many scammers who try to take advantage of the well-known McAfee name. Scammers trick people and gain access to their money or personal information using malicious software. READ MORE: McAfee and Visa Form Partnership Top McAfee Scams Every Small Business Owner Should Know Similar to other widely used antivirus programs, McAfee attracts scammers who focus on identity theft. Below are some of the most prevalent mcafee scams that small business owners should be mindful of: McAfee Phishing Scams Phishing emails are one of the most common types of scams. For this phishing scam, fake email messages are sent by a scammer who poses as a legitimate company. They send phishing emails to try and trick you into clicking suspicious links to a fake company website and giving them your personal information or money. How to Stay Safe: Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from suspicious emails. Verify the authenticity of the email by checking the sender’s address. Use McAfee’s official website for any subscription-related actions. McAfee Pop-Ups Scam Another common scam is fake pop-ups that claim to be from McAfee. These pop-ups usually contain a virus or will install malware that can infect your computer if you click on them. So, be very careful when you see any pop-ups on your computer, even if they claim to be from a reputable company like McAfee. How to Stay Safe: Do not click on unsolicited pop-ups, even if they appear to be from McAfee. Keep your browser and antivirus software updated to block malicious pop-ups. Use pop-up blockers and avoid visiting untrusted websites. McAfee Scam Emails Scam emails are another way that scammers try to trick you into giving them your personal information. These fake emails often contain official-looking offers or deals that seem too good to be true. So, be very careful when you receive any emails claiming to be from McAfee. How to Stay Safe: Be skeptical of emails with offers or deals that seem too good to be true. Look for inconsistencies in the email content, such as spelling and grammatical errors. Always verify offers by visiting McAfee’s official website. McAfee Renewal Scam The McAfee renewal scam is when scammers contact you and try to trick you into renewing your McAfee subscription. They do this by providing fake invoices and offering a special deal or a discount on the renewal price. However, if you give them your login credentials or credit card information, they will actually bill you for a much higher amount than what you were originally quoted. How to Stay Safe: Renew your subscription directly through the official McAfee website or authorized retailers. Be cautious of unsolicited calls or emails offering renewal deals. Do not provide credit card information over the phone to unknown callers. McAfee Antivirus Plus Scam For this scam, scammers contact you and try to sell you a fake version of McAfee’s Antivirus Plus program. They may even send you an email with a link to download the program. However, this program is actually a virus that can infect your computer. How to Stay Safe: Purchase McAfee products only from the official website or authorized retailers. Be wary of emails or websites offering discounted McAfee software. Verify the authenticity of the software before downloading. McAfee Tech Support Scam First and foremost, McAfee tech support will only call you if you have reached out to them first. Therefore, if you receive a call from someone claiming to be from McAfee tech support, it’s a scam. These scammers often attempt to gain remote access to your computer, which allows them to install a virus or steal your sensitive information. How to Stay Safe: Remember that McAfee’s official tech support will not contact you unless requested. Do not grant remote access to your computer to unsolicited callers. If in doubt, contact McAfee’s official support for verification. McAfee Fake Virus Scan Scam This is a scam where scammers create a fake virus scan and claim that your computer is infected with a virus. They will then try to sell you a fake antivirus program to remove the supposed virus so you no longer have your computer “infected.” How to Stay Safe: Do not trust unsolicited virus scan alerts, especially from unknown sources. Use McAfee’s official antivirus tools for scanning your computer. Avoid downloading software from pop-up alerts or unfamiliar websites. McAfee Free Trial Scam The McAfee free trial scam is when scammers offer you a free trial of their fake antivirus program. However, once the trial is up, they will bill you for the full price of the program, which is usually a lot more than what you would pay for a legitimate antivirus program. How to Stay Safe: Sign up for free trials only through the official McAfee website. Read the terms and conditions of any free trial offer carefully. Be cautious of providing payment details for a free trial offer. McAfee Subscription Cancellation Scam This scam involves fraudsters contacting McAfee users, claiming that their subscription is about to be automatically renewed, and offering to cancel it for a fee. The scammer may ask for remote access to your computer to “assist” with the cancellation, during which they install malware or steal sensitive information. How to Stay Safe: Never give remote access to your computer to unsolicited callers. If you receive a call about your McAfee subscription, verify its legitimacy by contacting McAfee directly through their official website. Be aware that legitimate companies like McAfee will not charge you to cancel a subscription. McAfee Refund Scam In this scam, you might receive an email or call claiming that you are eligible for a refund from McAfee. The scammers will ask for bank details to process the supposed refund, but instead, they use this information to steal money from your account. How to Stay Safe: Be skeptical of unsolicited refund offers. Never share your banking details over email or phone with someone claiming to be from McAfee. Verify any refund claims by contacting McAfee through their official channels. Fake McAfee Job Offer Scam Scammers posing as McAfee HR representatives offer fake job opportunities. They may ask for personal information or money for “training” or “equipment” as part of the hiring process. How to Stay Safe: Verify the job offer by contacting McAfee directly through their official website. Remember, legitimate companies will not ask for money during the hiring process. Be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true, especially if you did not apply for the job. McAfee Mobile App Scam Cybercriminals create fake McAfee mobile apps and upload them to app stores. Once downloaded, these apps can infect your device with malware or steal personal data. How to Stay Safe: Always download apps from official and reputable app stores. Check reviews and ratings before downloading any app. Look for inconsistencies in the app’s description and avoid apps with poor grammar or spelling. How to Avoid a McAfee Scam McAfee antivirus software is a popular choice for computer protection, but cybercriminals are now using McAfee branding to scam people. Here are five tips to avoid phishing scams that use the McAfee name and protect your bank account: Check the URL before you click. Cybercriminals will often create fake websites that look like legitimate companies in order to phish for your personal information. Before you click on any links, check to make sure the URL is correct. Grammatical errors. A common method to identify a fake website is to check for grammatical mistakes. Since many scammers are not native English speakers, they often make errors in their grammar. Sender’s address. Be cautious of any emails that come from a free email service like Gmail or Yahoo. These are more likely to be scams. Hover over links. Before you click on any links in an email, hover your mouse over the link to see where it will take you. If the URL looks suspicious, don’t click on it. Call the company. If you’re unsure whether an email or website is legitimate, call the company to verify. Don’t use the contact information in the email, look for the company’s contact information on their website. TipDescription Check the URL before you clickVerify the authenticity of URLs before clicking on them to prevent falling victim to fake websites and phishing attempts. Grammatical errorsIdentify potential scams by examining the grammar in communications. Scammers often make grammatical mistakes due to language barriers. Sender's addressExercise caution with emails from free email services like Gmail or Yahoo, as they are commonly used by scammers. Hover over linksHover your mouse cursor over links in emails to preview the actual destination URL. If it seems suspicious, avoid clicking on it to prevent malware installation. Call the companyWhen in doubt about an email or website's legitimacy, contact the company directly using official contact details from their website to verify the information. Why Do You Keep Getting Fake McAfee Emails? Spam filters are not foolproof, and occasionally, fake emails can get through. If you continue to receive fake McAfee emails, it’s probable that your email address has been included on a list sold to scammers. While you can attempt to block the sender, they will likely use a different email address. The most effective action is to delete the email and report it as spam. Is the McAfee Renewal Email Asking for Credit Card Details a Phishing Scam? The McAfee Renewal email is a phishing scam. The email asks you to update your credit card payment information and renew your subscription. However, the email is not from McAfee, and clicking on the link will take you to a fake website where your personal information can be stolen. Where Do You Report McAfee Scams? If you have been the victim of a McAfee scam, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can also report the scam to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) if you have lost money or personal information as a result of the scam. Finally, you can report the scam to McAfee’s Anti-Spam Abuse department. Can You Get Your Money Back From a McAfee Scam? If you have been scammed by a fake McAfee website, it is possible to recover your money. If you paid with a credit card, you can dispute the charges by contacting your credit card company. Be prepared to provide the transaction date, the name of the company, and the amount charged. However, if you paid via wire transfer, recovering your money is unlikely. You can report the scam to the IC3, but they can only assist if the scammer is located in the United States. Protecting Yourself from McAfee Scams: Tips and Actions As a vigilant McAfee subscription customer, safeguarding your computer and personal information is paramount. In the digital landscape, scams abound, and being aware of potential threats is crucial. Here are valuable insights to help you stay secure and outsmart scammers: Be Wary of Suspicious URLs: Before clicking on any links, examine the URL closely. Cybercriminals often create fake websites resembling legitimate companies. Verify the URL’s authenticity to avoid falling prey to phishing attempts. Spot Grammatical Errors: Scammers often display poor grammar in their communications, which may be a result of language barriers. If you come across an email or website with obvious grammatical errors, it’s important to be cautious, as it could indicate a fraudulent attempt, possibly related to McAfee scams. Evaluate Sender’s Address: Scammers frequently use free email services like Gmail or Yahoo. Emails from such addresses should raise a red flag. Be skeptical of emails originating from suspicious sources. Hover over Links: Hover your mouse cursor over links in emails before clicking them. This action reveals the actual URL destination. If the link appears suspicious, refrain from clicking to prevent potential malware installation. Contact the Company Directly: When in doubt about an email’s legitimacy, contact the company through official channels. Do not use the contact information provided in the suspicious email. Seek out the company’s contact details on their official website for verification. Report Fake Emails and Scams: If you encounter a fake McAfee email or fall victim to a scam, promptly report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), especially if you’ve suffered financial losses or personal information compromised. Responding to McAfee Renewal Emails: Beware of McAfee renewal emails asking for credit card details; these are phishing scams. Authentic McAfee renewal communications would never solicit sensitive information via email. Always verify the legitimacy of such requests through official channels. Recovering from Scams: In the unfortunate event of falling victim to a McAfee scam, take immediate action. If payments were made via credit card, contact your credit card company to dispute charges. For wire transfers, recovery options may be limited. Reporting the scam to the IC3 can help if the scammer operates within the United States. Educating Yourself is Key: Staying informed about scams and developing a strong sense of digital security is essential. Keep up-to-date with the latest scam tactics and learn to recognize red flags to bolster your defenses against scammers. By following these precautions and remaining vigilant, you can protect yourself from falling victim to McAfee-related scams and other malicious activities. A proactive stance combined with informed decision-making empowers you to navigate the digital world with confidence and security. Conclusion As a customer of McAfee, being aware of common scams is your best defense against cyber threats. This in-depth look at McAfee scams has provided you with valuable insights into the methods scammers use to take advantage of your trust and access your sensitive information. By remaining informed and vigilant, you can effectively protect your computer and personal data. Remember, although McAfee scams targeting users are common, they can be managed effectively. By adopting the suggested security practices—such as checking URLs, examining sender addresses, and being wary of phishing attempts—you can greatly decrease your chances of becoming a victim of these scams. In the ever-evolving landscape of cybercrime, knowledge is your greatest ally. Educate yourself, stay alert, and leverage the available resources to report scams promptly. Through your proactive efforts, you not only protect yourself but also contribute to a safer digital environment for everyone. As technology advances, so do the strategies of cybercriminals. However, armed with the insights and precautions provided in this article, you are well-equipped to navigate the digital realm with confidence, resilience, and the ability to thwart even the most sophisticated scams. Stay informed, stay cautious, and stay secure. Image: Depositphotos This article, "McAfee Scams to Watch Out For" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article