ResidentialBusiness

Robots have long been seen as a bad bet for Silicon Valley investors — too complicated, capital-intensive, and “boring, honestly,” says venture capitalist Modar Alaoui. But the commercial boom in artificial intelligence has lit a spark under long-simmering visions to build humanoid robots that can move their mechanical bodies like humans and do things that people do. Alaoui, founder of the Humanoids Summit, gathered more than 2,000 people this week, including top robotics engineers from Disney, Google, and dozens of startups, to showcase their technology and debate what it will take to accelerate a nascent industry. Alaoui says many researchers now believe humanoids or some other kind of physical embodiment of AI are “going to become the norm.” “The question is really just how long it will take,” he said. Disney’s contribution to the field, a walking robotic version of “Frozen” character Olaf, will be roaming on its own through Disneyland theme parks in Hong Kong and Paris early next year. Entertaining and highly complex robots that resemble a human — or a snowman — are already here, but the timeline for “general purpose” robots that are a productive member of a workplace or household is farther away. Even at a conference designed to build enthusiasm for the technology, held at a Computer History Museum that’s a temple to Silicon Valley’s previous breakthroughs, skepticism remained high that truly humanlike robots will take root anytime soon. “The humanoid space has a very, very big hill to climb,” said Cosima du Pasquier, co-founder of Haptica Robotics, which works to give robots a sense of touch. “There’s a lot of research that still needs to be solved.” The Stanford University postdoctoral researcher came to the conference in Mountain View, California, just a week after incorporating her startup. “The first customers are really the people here,” she said. Researchers at the consultancy McKinsey & Company have counted about 50 companies around the world that have raised at least $100 million to develop humanoids, led by about 20 in China and 15 in North America. China is leading in part due to government incentives for component production and robot adoption and a mandate last year “to have a humanoid ecosystem established by 2025,” said McKinsey partner Ani Kelkar. Displays by Chinese firms dominated the expo section of this week’s summit, held Thursday and Friday. The conference’s most prevalent humanoids were those made by China’s Unitree, in part because researchers in the U.S. buy the relatively cheap model to test their own software. In the U.S., the advent of generative AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini has jolted the decades-old robotics industry in different ways. Investor excitement has poured money into ambitious startups aiming to build hardware that will bring a physical presence to the latest AI. But it’s not just crossover hype — the same technical advances that made AI chatbots so good at language have played a role in teaching robots how to get better at performing tasks. Paired with computer vision, robots powered by “visual-language” models are trained to learn about their surroundings. One of the most prominent skeptics is robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks, a co-founder of Roomba vacuum maker iRobot who wrote in September that “today’s humanoid robots will not learn how to be dexterous despite the hundreds of millions, or perhaps many billions of dollars, being donated by VCs and major tech companies to pay for their training.” Brooks didn’t attend but his essay was frequently mentioned. Also missing was anyone speaking for Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s development of a humanoid called Optimus, a project that the billionaire is designing to be “extremely capable” and sold in high volumes. Musk said three years ago that people can probably buy an Optimus “within three to five years.” The conference’s organizer, Alaoui, founder and general partner of ALM Ventures, previously worked on driver attention systems for the automotive industry and sees parallels between humanoids and the early years of self-driving cars. Near the entrance to the summit venue, just blocks from Google’s headquarters, is a museum exhibit showing Google’s bubble-shaped 2014 prototype of a self-driving car. Eleven years later, robotaxis operated by Google affiliate Waymo are constantly plying the streets nearby. Some robots with human elements are already being tested in workplaces. Oregon-based Agility Robotics announced shortly before the conference that it is bringing its tote-carrying warehouse robot Digit to a Texas distribution facility run by Mercado Libre, the Latin American e-commerce giant. Much like the Olaf robot, it has inverted legs that are more birdlike than human. Industrial robots performing single tasks are already commonplace in car assembly and other manufacturing. They work with a level of speed and precision that’s difficult for today’s humanoids — or humans themselves — to match. The head of a robotics trade group founded in 1974 is now lobbying the U.S. government to develop a stronger national strategy to advance the development of homegrown robots, be they humanoids or otherwise. “We have a lot of strong technology, we have the AI expertise here in the U.S.,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of the Association for Advancing Automation, after touring the expo. “So I think it remains to be seen who is the ultimate leader in this. But right now, China has certainly a lot more momentum on humanoids.” —Matt O’Brien, AP technology writer Associated Press journalist Terry Chea contributed to this report. View the full article

Managing your small business reputation is vital for success in today’s digital environment. It involves a strategic approach that includes regular online audits, building a strong online presence, and effectively handling customer feedback. By implementing these seven fundamental strategies, you can create a positive image and build trust with your audience. Comprehending the importance of each step can greatly impact your business’s long-term viability. Let’s explore how you can improve your reputation management efforts. Key Takeaways Conduct regular online audits to identify mentions and reviews, establishing a baseline for your business reputation. Optimize your online presence by claiming business profiles and ensuring consistent NAP information across platforms. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews while responding professionally to all feedback, showcasing appreciation and engagement. Address negative feedback promptly and sincerely, offering solutions and taking complex issues offline for resolution. Utilize positive testimonials in marketing efforts to enhance credibility and attract new customers. Understanding the Importance of Reputation Management Reputation management is fundamental for small businesses, as a single negative review can substantially undermine customer trust and discourage potential clients from engaging with your brand. By focusing on small business reputation management, you can create a positive image that attracts new customers. A strong reputation nurtures loyalty, leading to repeat business and referrals, which are essential for long-term success. Effective online presence management and web presence management help improve your visibility in search engine rankings, making it easier for customers to find you. Proactively addressing negative feedback can mitigate damage from PR crises, enhancing your business’s stability and resilience. Additionally, by actively managing your reputation, you can differentiate yourself in crowded markets, gaining a competitive advantage over those who neglect this vital aspect. In today’s digital world, comprehending the importance of reputation management is key to thriving as a small business. Conducting an Online Audit Conducting an online audit is vital for comprehending how your brand is perceived in the digital environment. Start by searching for your brand on search engines to analyze mentions and reviews. Regularly check platforms like Google Reviews and Yelp to gather feedback, which helps identify areas for improvement. Monitoring social media engagement is likewise fundamental, as it reveals customer sentiment and interactions in real-time. Tools like Google Alerts can provide notifications about your brand, enabling proactive reputation management. Compiling your findings documents insights and establishes a baseline for your current reputation. Aspect Action Required Tools/Platforms Search Engine Results Analyze mentions and reviews Google, Bing Review Platforms Collect customer feedback Google Reviews, Yelp Social Media Monitor engagement and sentiment Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Alerts Set up notifications Google Alerts This structured approach will guide your future reputation management strategies effectively. Building a Strong Online Foundation As you build a strong online foundation for your business, it’s crucial to guarantee that your digital presence accurately reflects your brand. Start by claiming and optimizing your business profiles on platforms like Google and Bing. This assures potential customers find accurate and consistent information about your business. Maintaining uniformity in your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) across all platforms boosts your credibility and prevents confusion. Next, create a professional website that showcases your brand identity and provides important information such as services, contact details, and customer testimonials. Additionally, consider utilizing monitoring tools like Google Alerts, which notify you of brand mentions and feedback, allowing for prompt responses to any issues. Encouraging and Managing Customer Reviews To effectively encourage and manage customer reviews, you need to create an environment that values feedback and makes it easy for customers to share their experiences. Here are three strategies to take into account: Regularly solicit reviews from satisfied customers by using automated systems that prompt them for feedback, helping you build a robust collection of positive testimonials. Respond professionally to all reviews, demonstrating appreciation for customer feedback. This showcases your commitment to customer satisfaction and builds trust. Highlight positive reviews in your marketing materials and on social media. Amplifying their impact improves your business’s credibility and visibility, attracting more potential customers. Handling Negative Feedback Effectively Handling negative feedback is an inevitable part of running a small business, and addressing it effectively can greatly impact your reputation. First, respond swiftly and professionally to show you value customer opinions. Acknowledge their concerns and offer a sincere apology if necessary, as this can turn a negative experience into an opportunity for loyalty. Consider offering solutions or compensation to demonstrate your commitment to improving customer satisfaction, which can help rebuild trust. For more complex issues, take conversations offline to resolve them privately and prevent further public escalation. This approach not only protects your reputation but likewise allows for more thorough discussions. Finally, use feedback from negative reviews as valuable insight for business improvement. Addressing underlying issues can greatly improve customer experiences and minimize future complaints. Leveraging Technology for Reputation Management In an age where online interactions shape consumer perceptions, leveraging technology for reputation management is crucial for small businesses. By utilizing the right tools, you can streamline your efforts and maintain a positive image. Here are three effective strategies: Utilize review management platforms like Broadly to improve customer communication and efficiently manage reviews. This helps guarantee you’re addressing feedback swiftly. Set up Google Alerts to receive real-time notifications whenever your brand is mentioned online. This allows you to tackle reputation concerns before they escalate. Employ social media management tools such as Hootsuite to monitor customer interactions across various platforms. This proactive approach enables you to engage with your audience effectively. Best Practices for Ongoing Reputation Management Managing your business’s reputation doesn’t end with implementing technology; it requires ongoing attention and strategic practices. Start by ensuring consistent messaging across all channels, which builds a recognizable brand and nurtures trust among customers. Train your employees on reputation management protocols to improve customer engagement and create a unified approach to feedback. Regularly monitor online reviews and conduct audits to adapt your strategies based on customer sentiment and industry trends. Utilize customer feedback as a tool for continuous improvement, enhancing overall satisfaction and loyalty. Maintain a proactive approach by regularly evaluating your strategies and addressing potential issues before they escalate. Here’s a concise overview: Best Practices Key Actions Benefits Consistent Messaging Align brand voice across channels Builds trust and recognition Employee Training Educate on feedback management Improves customer interactions Continuous Monitoring Review feedback and adjust strategies Adapts to customer needs and trends Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Six Pillars of Reputation? The six pillars of reputation are trust, credibility, reliability, consistency, accountability, and transparency. Trust forms the foundation of customer relationships, whereas credibility is reinforced by positive reviews. Reliability shows through consistent messaging and service delivery, nurturing customer loyalty. Accountability means acknowledging mistakes and addressing feedback, which improves reputation. Finally, transparency in operations encourages consumer support, as customers prefer Honest brands that are honest and open about their challenges and efforts for improvement. What Is the Reputation Management Strategy? A reputation management strategy involves actively monitoring and shaping how the public perceives your business. Start by establishing a solid online presence, ensuring your information is consistent across platforms. Engage with customers regularly, seeking their feedback and responding quickly to reviews. Implement a crisis communication plan to address negative feedback swiftly. Utilizing tools like Google Alerts can help you track mentions of your brand, enabling you to maintain a positive image effectively. How Do You Effectively Manage a Small Business? To effectively manage a small business, start by defining your goals and target audience. Develop a solid marketing strategy that includes both online and offline channels. Monitor your finances closely and adjust your budget as needed. Cultivate strong relationships with customers by providing excellent service and actively seeking feedback. Regularly assess your competition to stay relevant. Finally, invest in employee training to guarantee your team is skilled and motivated, contributing to overall success. How to Fix a Bad Reputation in Business? To fix a bad reputation in business, start by addressing negative feedback quickly. Respond within 24 hours to show you’re committed to customer satisfaction. Develop a crisis communication plan to guide your team during tough situations. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, and monitor online mentions regularly using tools like Google Alerts. Finally, invest in customer service training for your employees, as effective complaint handling can turn dissatisfied customers into loyal advocates. Conclusion To summarize, managing your small business’s reputation is crucial for long-term success. By conducting regular online audits, building a strong online foundation, encouraging customer reviews, and effectively handling negative feedback, you can create a positive image. Leveraging technology and establishing best practices will likewise help you maintain your reputation over time. By proactively implementing these strategies, you not only protect your business but additionally nurture trust and loyalty among your customers. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Essential Strategies for Managing Small Business Reputation" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Managing your small business reputation is vital for success in today’s digital environment. It involves a strategic approach that includes regular online audits, building a strong online presence, and effectively handling customer feedback. By implementing these seven fundamental strategies, you can create a positive image and build trust with your audience. Comprehending the importance of each step can greatly impact your business’s long-term viability. Let’s explore how you can improve your reputation management efforts. Key Takeaways Conduct regular online audits to identify mentions and reviews, establishing a baseline for your business reputation. Optimize your online presence by claiming business profiles and ensuring consistent NAP information across platforms. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews while responding professionally to all feedback, showcasing appreciation and engagement. Address negative feedback promptly and sincerely, offering solutions and taking complex issues offline for resolution. Utilize positive testimonials in marketing efforts to enhance credibility and attract new customers. Understanding the Importance of Reputation Management Reputation management is fundamental for small businesses, as a single negative review can substantially undermine customer trust and discourage potential clients from engaging with your brand. By focusing on small business reputation management, you can create a positive image that attracts new customers. A strong reputation nurtures loyalty, leading to repeat business and referrals, which are essential for long-term success. Effective online presence management and web presence management help improve your visibility in search engine rankings, making it easier for customers to find you. Proactively addressing negative feedback can mitigate damage from PR crises, enhancing your business’s stability and resilience. Additionally, by actively managing your reputation, you can differentiate yourself in crowded markets, gaining a competitive advantage over those who neglect this vital aspect. In today’s digital world, comprehending the importance of reputation management is key to thriving as a small business. Conducting an Online Audit Conducting an online audit is vital for comprehending how your brand is perceived in the digital environment. Start by searching for your brand on search engines to analyze mentions and reviews. Regularly check platforms like Google Reviews and Yelp to gather feedback, which helps identify areas for improvement. Monitoring social media engagement is likewise fundamental, as it reveals customer sentiment and interactions in real-time. Tools like Google Alerts can provide notifications about your brand, enabling proactive reputation management. Compiling your findings documents insights and establishes a baseline for your current reputation. Aspect Action Required Tools/Platforms Search Engine Results Analyze mentions and reviews Google, Bing Review Platforms Collect customer feedback Google Reviews, Yelp Social Media Monitor engagement and sentiment Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Alerts Set up notifications Google Alerts This structured approach will guide your future reputation management strategies effectively. Building a Strong Online Foundation As you build a strong online foundation for your business, it’s crucial to guarantee that your digital presence accurately reflects your brand. Start by claiming and optimizing your business profiles on platforms like Google and Bing. This assures potential customers find accurate and consistent information about your business. Maintaining uniformity in your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) across all platforms boosts your credibility and prevents confusion. Next, create a professional website that showcases your brand identity and provides important information such as services, contact details, and customer testimonials. Additionally, consider utilizing monitoring tools like Google Alerts, which notify you of brand mentions and feedback, allowing for prompt responses to any issues. Encouraging and Managing Customer Reviews To effectively encourage and manage customer reviews, you need to create an environment that values feedback and makes it easy for customers to share their experiences. Here are three strategies to take into account: Regularly solicit reviews from satisfied customers by using automated systems that prompt them for feedback, helping you build a robust collection of positive testimonials. Respond professionally to all reviews, demonstrating appreciation for customer feedback. This showcases your commitment to customer satisfaction and builds trust. Highlight positive reviews in your marketing materials and on social media. Amplifying their impact improves your business’s credibility and visibility, attracting more potential customers. Handling Negative Feedback Effectively Handling negative feedback is an inevitable part of running a small business, and addressing it effectively can greatly impact your reputation. First, respond swiftly and professionally to show you value customer opinions. Acknowledge their concerns and offer a sincere apology if necessary, as this can turn a negative experience into an opportunity for loyalty. Consider offering solutions or compensation to demonstrate your commitment to improving customer satisfaction, which can help rebuild trust. For more complex issues, take conversations offline to resolve them privately and prevent further public escalation. This approach not only protects your reputation but likewise allows for more thorough discussions. Finally, use feedback from negative reviews as valuable insight for business improvement. Addressing underlying issues can greatly improve customer experiences and minimize future complaints. Leveraging Technology for Reputation Management In an age where online interactions shape consumer perceptions, leveraging technology for reputation management is crucial for small businesses. By utilizing the right tools, you can streamline your efforts and maintain a positive image. Here are three effective strategies: Utilize review management platforms like Broadly to improve customer communication and efficiently manage reviews. This helps guarantee you’re addressing feedback swiftly. Set up Google Alerts to receive real-time notifications whenever your brand is mentioned online. This allows you to tackle reputation concerns before they escalate. Employ social media management tools such as Hootsuite to monitor customer interactions across various platforms. This proactive approach enables you to engage with your audience effectively. Best Practices for Ongoing Reputation Management Managing your business’s reputation doesn’t end with implementing technology; it requires ongoing attention and strategic practices. Start by ensuring consistent messaging across all channels, which builds a recognizable brand and nurtures trust among customers. Train your employees on reputation management protocols to improve customer engagement and create a unified approach to feedback. Regularly monitor online reviews and conduct audits to adapt your strategies based on customer sentiment and industry trends. Utilize customer feedback as a tool for continuous improvement, enhancing overall satisfaction and loyalty. Maintain a proactive approach by regularly evaluating your strategies and addressing potential issues before they escalate. Here’s a concise overview: Best Practices Key Actions Benefits Consistent Messaging Align brand voice across channels Builds trust and recognition Employee Training Educate on feedback management Improves customer interactions Continuous Monitoring Review feedback and adjust strategies Adapts to customer needs and trends Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Six Pillars of Reputation? The six pillars of reputation are trust, credibility, reliability, consistency, accountability, and transparency. Trust forms the foundation of customer relationships, whereas credibility is reinforced by positive reviews. Reliability shows through consistent messaging and service delivery, nurturing customer loyalty. Accountability means acknowledging mistakes and addressing feedback, which improves reputation. Finally, transparency in operations encourages consumer support, as customers prefer Honest brands that are honest and open about their challenges and efforts for improvement. What Is the Reputation Management Strategy? A reputation management strategy involves actively monitoring and shaping how the public perceives your business. Start by establishing a solid online presence, ensuring your information is consistent across platforms. Engage with customers regularly, seeking their feedback and responding quickly to reviews. Implement a crisis communication plan to address negative feedback swiftly. Utilizing tools like Google Alerts can help you track mentions of your brand, enabling you to maintain a positive image effectively. How Do You Effectively Manage a Small Business? To effectively manage a small business, start by defining your goals and target audience. Develop a solid marketing strategy that includes both online and offline channels. Monitor your finances closely and adjust your budget as needed. Cultivate strong relationships with customers by providing excellent service and actively seeking feedback. Regularly assess your competition to stay relevant. Finally, invest in employee training to guarantee your team is skilled and motivated, contributing to overall success. How to Fix a Bad Reputation in Business? To fix a bad reputation in business, start by addressing negative feedback quickly. Respond within 24 hours to show you’re committed to customer satisfaction. Develop a crisis communication plan to guide your team during tough situations. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, and monitor online mentions regularly using tools like Google Alerts. Finally, invest in customer service training for your employees, as effective complaint handling can turn dissatisfied customers into loyal advocates. Conclusion To summarize, managing your small business’s reputation is crucial for long-term success. By conducting regular online audits, building a strong online foundation, encouraging customer reviews, and effectively handling negative feedback, you can create a positive image. Leveraging technology and establishing best practices will likewise help you maintain your reputation over time. By proactively implementing these strategies, you not only protect your business but additionally nurture trust and loyalty among your customers. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Essential Strategies for Managing Small Business Reputation" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Roughly 75 million Americans will receive a 2.8% boost to their income in 2026, thanks to the upcoming cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. But other changes afoot to the program will affect people who are still working, without a glint of retirement yet in their eyes. The annual COLA update, as it’s known, is often the main change to Social Security we hear about because it’s a useful gauge to see how your pay increase compares. But because workers pay into the system, some of the annual changes also affect your paycheck. Here’s what to know. HIGHER INCOMES TO BE TAXED As part of its annual inflation-related update to the program, the Social Security Administration also adjusts the taxable maximum for wages—the primary source of funding for this program. While these changes affect high earners, it could mean that you’ll see some more money taken from your paycheck in taxes. Employees are taxed 6.2% of their earnings up to a certain limit for Social Security, while employers are required to chip in the same amount. In 2026, people earning up to $184,500 will pay Social Security taxes, up from 176,100 in 2025. HIGHER EARNING LIMITS FOR COLLECTING BENEFITS While many people may think of Social Security as a program that’s reserved solely for retirees, you can continue working while simultaneously receiving these benefits. And the federal agency has likewise increased the amount of income that people can earn before benefits are withheld. You can start receiving Social Security as early as 62 and in 2026, you can earn up to $24,480 without having any of these benefits withheld. For earnings beyond this amount, $1 in benefits will be deducted for every $2 earned. This earnings limit increased from $23,400 in 2025. Meanwhile, people who will reach full retirement age in 2026—a few months short of 67—then you can earn up to $65,160 in earnings before your benefits are withheld. Beyond that amount, $1 in benefits will be deducted for every $3 earned. That amount has increased from $62,160 in 2025. This may sound unfair, but withheld benefits come back to you later—you’ll receive larger monthly Social Security checks once you reach full retirement age, though claiming Social Security before full retirement age will reduce your monthly benefits for life. PART-TIME WORK CREDITS In order to eventually collect Social Security benefits, you must accrue a minimum 40 work credits in your lifetime—roughly equivalent to 10 years of work. But the amount of benefit you will be paid each month depends on your highest 35 years of earnings. For people who work especially part-time roles, it could become a little bit more challenging to earn those work credits starting in 2026. That’s because the value of each work credit is increasing from $1,810 to $1,890, which means that you need a total annual income of $7,560 to be eligible for the maximum of four credits. CHANGES FOR RETIREES Not surprisingly, the biggest changes to Social Security will affect those people who are collecting benefits. What’s new in 2026 may or may not be welcomed news. Take the COLA increase, for example. While it’s slightly above a 25-year average of about 2.6%, this increase may not be sufficient for many retirees, according to AARP. Even a 3% COLA for 2026 wouldn’t be enough, according to 77% of older adults surveyed by the organization in September. While retirees are getting some relief on one front, they’ll be paying more for healthcare. One provision in the tax bill known as the One Big Beautiful Bill means that people 65 and older could reduce or fully offset taxes on Social Security income—by up to $6,000 for eligible taxpayers. But retirees will be paying more to access healthcare. In November, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that the standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B, will increase 9.7% to $202.90 in January. All of the changes, both for retirees and workers, will go into effect beginning January 1. View the full article

Here are the most-read stories from National Mortgage News over the past year. View the full article

Freshworks Inc., a prominent player in service software, has announced its acquisition of FireHydrant, a leading provider of AI-powered incident management solutions. This strategic move aims to streamline IT service operations, offering small business owners an opportunity to enhance their operational efficiency and service reliability. In an era where quick recovery from IT disruptions is crucial, the integration of Freshservice’s IT Service Management (ITSM) with FireHydrant’s Incident Management capabilities presents a compelling case for small businesses. With a focus on creating a unified AI-native ServiceOps solution, the partnership will address the challenges of incident chaos, which often plagues IT teams. Dennis Woodside, CEO and President of Freshworks, explained, “We believe the FireHydrant technology will contribute to our vision of unifying IT and employee experiences where service, asset, and operations management converge with AI to drive business continuity and efficiency.” This vision speaks directly to the needs of small business owners who seek to minimize downtime and ensure smooth operations. Key benefits of this acquisition for small businesses include unified visibility across IT operations, enabling teams to track problems from identification to resolution seamlessly. This means fewer frustrating handoffs and faster service, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction. In a fast-paced market, quick response times can significantly improve a brand’s reputation. The FireHydrant platform leverages AI to streamline incident resolution. It reduces alert noise by summarizing incident context and guiding teams through structured response workflows. For small businesses with limited IT resources, this feature can be particularly beneficial, promoting collaboration across IT and engineering departments and facilitating faster resolutions. Moreover, by combining service and asset information with post-incident insights, small business teams can identify and address recurring issues. This proactive approach shifts the focus from reactive problem-solving to building resilience, allowing businesses to prevent incidents before they occur. Robert Ross, Founder and CEO of FireHydrant, emphasized the alignment of the companies’ philosophies: “We built FireHydrant to eliminate the chaos and pain of incident response. Now, with Freshworks, we are creating what we’ve always believed should exist: a unified, end-to-end operational and reliability platform.” For small business owners, this indicates a commitment to reducing operational complexity, a crucial factor in maintaining focus on core business functions. While the benefits of this acquisition are significant, small business owners should also consider the practical implications of integrating a new system into their existing workflows. Transitioning to a unified ServiceOps solution may require initial training and adaptation for team members. Incorporating new technologies can sometimes lead to resistance, particularly in businesses with established processes. Therefore, careful planning and change management strategies will be essential. Another potential challenge is the cost associated with adopting advanced IT solutions. Small businesses need to evaluate their budgets carefully when considering incorporating sophisticated software platforms. Freshworks aims to provide cost-effective solutions, but understanding the return on investment will be crucial as businesses navigate these new tools. Overall, the acquisition of FireHydrant by Freshworks presents an exciting opportunity for small business owners looking to enhance their IT operations. The combination of AI-driven incident management and streamlined service processes can lead to improved efficiency, faster response times, and a more proactive operational model. For more details on this development, you can read the full press release on Freshworks’ official site here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Freshworks to Acquire FireHydrant, Enhancing AI-Driven IT Operations" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Freshworks Inc., a prominent player in service software, has announced its acquisition of FireHydrant, a leading provider of AI-powered incident management solutions. This strategic move aims to streamline IT service operations, offering small business owners an opportunity to enhance their operational efficiency and service reliability. In an era where quick recovery from IT disruptions is crucial, the integration of Freshservice’s IT Service Management (ITSM) with FireHydrant’s Incident Management capabilities presents a compelling case for small businesses. With a focus on creating a unified AI-native ServiceOps solution, the partnership will address the challenges of incident chaos, which often plagues IT teams. Dennis Woodside, CEO and President of Freshworks, explained, “We believe the FireHydrant technology will contribute to our vision of unifying IT and employee experiences where service, asset, and operations management converge with AI to drive business continuity and efficiency.” This vision speaks directly to the needs of small business owners who seek to minimize downtime and ensure smooth operations. Key benefits of this acquisition for small businesses include unified visibility across IT operations, enabling teams to track problems from identification to resolution seamlessly. This means fewer frustrating handoffs and faster service, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction. In a fast-paced market, quick response times can significantly improve a brand’s reputation. The FireHydrant platform leverages AI to streamline incident resolution. It reduces alert noise by summarizing incident context and guiding teams through structured response workflows. For small businesses with limited IT resources, this feature can be particularly beneficial, promoting collaboration across IT and engineering departments and facilitating faster resolutions. Moreover, by combining service and asset information with post-incident insights, small business teams can identify and address recurring issues. This proactive approach shifts the focus from reactive problem-solving to building resilience, allowing businesses to prevent incidents before they occur. Robert Ross, Founder and CEO of FireHydrant, emphasized the alignment of the companies’ philosophies: “We built FireHydrant to eliminate the chaos and pain of incident response. Now, with Freshworks, we are creating what we’ve always believed should exist: a unified, end-to-end operational and reliability platform.” For small business owners, this indicates a commitment to reducing operational complexity, a crucial factor in maintaining focus on core business functions. While the benefits of this acquisition are significant, small business owners should also consider the practical implications of integrating a new system into their existing workflows. Transitioning to a unified ServiceOps solution may require initial training and adaptation for team members. Incorporating new technologies can sometimes lead to resistance, particularly in businesses with established processes. Therefore, careful planning and change management strategies will be essential. Another potential challenge is the cost associated with adopting advanced IT solutions. Small businesses need to evaluate their budgets carefully when considering incorporating sophisticated software platforms. Freshworks aims to provide cost-effective solutions, but understanding the return on investment will be crucial as businesses navigate these new tools. Overall, the acquisition of FireHydrant by Freshworks presents an exciting opportunity for small business owners looking to enhance their IT operations. The combination of AI-driven incident management and streamlined service processes can lead to improved efficiency, faster response times, and a more proactive operational model. For more details on this development, you can read the full press release on Freshworks’ official site here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Freshworks to Acquire FireHydrant, Enhancing AI-Driven IT Operations" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

This year it took a homebuyer seven years to save for a typical down payment on a house, compared with 12, according to Realtor.com. View the full article

Under a proposed rule, the agency would let most nationally chartered firms off the hook for heightened regulatory standards. The rule would raise the bar from $50 billion to $700 billion of assets and leave only eight firms subject to heightened regulation. View the full article

In a record weird year for the economy, the price of silver is the latest thing to behave strangely. The price of the second fiddle precious metal has soared over the last month, hitting record highs and outpacing the growth of gold. After hovering between $15 and $25 an ounce for much of the last decade, the price of silver topped $40 an ounce this fall before spiking to a record high of $82 at the end of December. After topping $80 on Monday, silver fell back closer to $70 an ounce – still more than double what the metal was worth only a year ago. Precious metals like silver tend to do well in times of economic uncertainty and 2025 has fit that bill and then some. Investors looking to insulate themselves from the The President administration’s chaotic economic choices turned to gold as a safe haven asset in 2025, sending the price of the top dog precious metal up. Like silver, gold’s price growth outstripped the stock market this year and hit new record highs. Long-awaited cuts to the federal interest rate, and future cuts on the near horizon, are also pushing the price of precious metals higher. Small time investors are getting in on the silver action, with amateur traders organizing on Reddit and plotting their moves like they did in the early heyday of meme stocks. Silver’s price was already on the rise, but a looming change to Chinese trade policy may be sending silver even higher. At the start of the year, China will implement a new set of rules on its metal exports designed to “step up the protection of resources and the environment” in the country – a change that is sowing concerns about silver’s supply. China also plans to place more stringent restrictions on exports of steel and other metals in the coming year to address what it calls an “insufficient supply-demand balance” in the steel trade. Silver isn’t just an investment Investors have flocked to silver over the course of the year, but the precious metal has many uses beyond holding its value over time. Silver has a wide range of applications and is used heavily in electric vehicles and solar panels – two areas that have boomed in recent years. Given those applications, any change to the global silver supply is a cause for concern for Elon Musk, who leads EV maker Tesla. “This is not good. Silver is needed in many industrial processes,” Musk posted in a reply to a post about China’s policy change on X. After Mexico, China is the world’s second largest supplier of mined silver. Silver features prominently in solar technology, where it is converted into a paste that coats solar cells. “When light strikes the silicon, electrons are set free and the silver – the world’s best conductor – carries the electricity for immediate use or stores it in batteries for later consumption,” global silver association The Silver Institute explains. In 2014, the solar industry accounted for only around 5% of global silver demand, a percentage that basically tripled a decade later. Data centers, currently an explosive area of investment for many major tech and AI companies, also rely heavily on silver and other metals. Trade changes aside, silver is known as a riskier bet than its more valuable sibling metal. In October, analysts at Goldman Sachs warned that silver’s big 2025 rally might fizzle out and wasn’t likely to stay as steady as gold through its gains. “In the near term, we see significantly more volatility and downside price risk for silver than for gold, which is the only commodity supported by a structural central-bank bid,” Goldman’s analysts wrote. “Silver lacks the institutional and economic profile that supports gold… Without a central bank bid to anchor silver prices, even a temporary pullback in investment flows could trigger a disproportionate correction.” Safe haven-seekers counting on silver’s winning streak may want to take note. View the full article

In regard to generating engaging social media content, comprehending your audience is essential. Knowing what they like and how they interact can shape your approach considerably. High-quality visuals are vital, as they capture attention quickly. Furthermore, crafting captions that resonate with your audience can improve engagement. It’s important to utilize relevant hashtags and encourage interaction through questions or polls. As you refine your strategy, consider how curating and repurposing content might keep your feed dynamic. Key Takeaways Understand your audience by analyzing feedback, trends, and competitor content to tailor engaging material that resonates with their interests. Create visually appealing content optimized for mobile devices, maintaining consistent branding with eye-catching colors and clear typography. Utilize relevant hashtags strategically to enhance reach and engagement, combining popular and niche tags while monitoring their performance. Encourage interaction by incorporating questions, polls, and quizzes in your posts to boost audience participation and community building. Regularly monitor engagement metrics and conduct A/B testing to refine content strategies based on performance insights and industry trends. Understand Your Audience How well do you really know your audience? Comprehending your audience is vital for effective ai content creation. Start by conducting surveys or polls to gain direct insights into their preferences and interests. Monitor social media trends and discussions within your target demographic to stay informed on relevant topics. Analyzing competitor content can likewise help identify what resonates, offering valuable clues for your strategies. Tailor your content to reflect your audience’s needs, ensuring it remains engaging and relevant. Establish content pillars for social media that align with these insights, providing a structured approach to your messaging. Finally, utilize feedback and engagement metrics to continuously refine your comprehension, enhancing your content’s effectiveness over time. Create High-Quality Visuals To create high-quality visuals, you need to focus on consistent branding, mobile optimization, and eye-catching colors. Make certain your images and graphics align with your brand’s identity to help build recognition among your audience. Furthermore, optimizing visuals for mobile devices guarantees that your content looks great on any screen, maximizing engagement. Use Consistent Branding When you establish consistent branding across your social media platforms, you not just improve audience recognition but also build trust with your followers. About 60% of consumers prefer engaging with brands that showcase a cohesive visual identity. High-quality visuals—like professionally designed graphics—can boost engagement by up to 94%. Using tools like Canva or an ai social media post generator can streamline your content creation, ensuring uniform colors, fonts, and styles in every post. Incorporating your logo and brand colors can improve recall by 80%, helping your audience associate your content with your brand effectively. Finally, regularly update your visuals to meet each platform’s specifications for maximum performance and visual appeal across different networks. Optimize for Mobile As mobile devices account for over 50% of global web traffic, creating visuals optimized for these smaller screens is crucial for maximizing engagement and visibility. High-quality visuals can markedly boost engagement rates, so consider these tips: Use portrait or square formats to maximize screen space. Verify visuals load quickly; over half of mobile users abandon slow sites. Incorporate readable text overlays to convey messages clearly. Avoid excessive detail; concise graphics work best on mobile. To simplify your process, consider using an Canva social media post generator free or a free ai Instagram post generator to create engaging visuals that resonate with your audience. Adapting your visuals for mobile can make all the difference in your social media success. Incorporate Eye-Catching Colors Creating high-quality visuals goes beyond just optimizing for mobile; incorporating eye-catching colors can greatly improve your content’s effectiveness. Research indicates that using lively colors can increase engagement by up to 80%, making your posts stand out in crowded feeds. A well-chosen color palette not only aligns with your brand identity but likewise evokes emotions that influence audience interaction. Incorporating contrasting colors improves readability, drawing focus to key messages. Tools like Canva, a free content AI creator, allow you to experiment with various color combinations easily. Moreover, utilizing AI content creation tools can help you design striking graphics that resonate with your target audience, ensuring your content remains visually appealing and effective in capturing attention. Craft Compelling Captions To craft compelling captions, focus on using strong action words that grab attention and create urgency. Keep your captions concise, ideally around 150 characters or 15 words, as brevity can improve engagement. Use Strong Action Words Captivate your audience by using strong action words in your social media captions. These words create a sense of urgency and can greatly boost engagement. Here are some effective strategies you can apply: Join our community and stay updated on the latest trends. Discover exclusive offers that can transform your experience. Act now! Don’t miss out on this limited-time deal. Transform your routine with our innovative solutions. Incorporating these action-driven phrases not merely makes your ai posts more enticing but can increase click-through rates by up to 25%. As you craft captions, experiment with language that resonates with your audience. Keep It Concise Strong action words can greatly improve your social media posts, but without conciseness, even the most compelling messages can get lost. Aim for captions around 150 characters or 15 words to maximize engagement. Use strong, action-oriented language to spark curiosity and invite interaction. Here’s a quick guide to help you craft concise captions: Key Element Description Length 150 characters or 15 words Action Language Use verbs that inspire action Storytelling Incorporate relatable narratives SEO Optimization Include relevant keywords for visibility To learn how to generate content for social media, consider using an ai post generator free. This tool can help streamline your caption creation process effectively. Utilize Relevant Hashtags Utilizing relevant hashtags is essential for enhancing your social media presence and engagement. Here’s how to effectively use hashtags in your posts: Use 3-5 relevant hashtags on Instagram to boost engagement; posts with hashtags get 12.6% more interactions. Combine popular and niche hashtags to broaden reach during targeting specific audiences effectively. Limit to 1-2 hashtags on X/Twitter to optimize visibility, as too many can dilute your message. Stay updated on trending hashtags within your industry to capitalize on current conversations and increase discoverability. You can leverage a social media post generator or an AI Instagram post generator to help identify effective hashtags. Monitoring hashtag performance through analytics tools will guarantee you refine your strategy continually. Encourage Audience Interaction Building on the importance of relevant hashtags, encouraging audience interaction is a key strategy for enhancing engagement on social media. Incorporating questions in your posts can increase engagement by up to 20%, urging followers to share their thoughts and experiences. Tools like polls and quizzes can greatly boost participation, generating twice the engagement compared to static posts. Responding to comments and messages swiftly nurtures community, increasing follower loyalty by 30%. User-generated content campaigns not just drive interaction but likewise build trust, influencing 79% of consumers’ purchasing decisions. Finally, including calls to action (CTAs) in your posts can guide users effectively, leading to an impressive 285% increase in engagement rates. Consider using an Facebook post generator or social media ai generator to streamline your content creation. Curate and Repurpose Content Curating and repurposing content is a smart way to keep your audience engaged without the constant pressure of creating new material from scratch. Here are some effective strategies: Break down long-form content, like blog posts, into bite-sized social media posts for easy sharing. Share third-party posts to add value, always providing your viewpoint and linking to the original source. Transform internal resources, such as press releases, into concise posts highlighting key information relevant to your audience. Utilize tools like an artificial intelligence content generator or an ai Facebook post generator free to streamline your process. Regularly monitor the performance of your repurposed content to understand audience preferences better and improve your future content strategy. Analyze and Adapt Your Strategy As you navigate the intricacies of social media, analyzing and adapting your strategy is crucial for maintaining audience engagement and relevance. Regularly monitor engagement metrics like likes, shares, and comments to assess your content’s effectiveness. Using social media analytics tools, track post performance across different times and days to optimize your posting schedule. A/B testing various content formats and headlines helps you identify strategies that yield the highest engagement rates. Pay attention to audience feedback and comments for insights into their preferences, allowing you to tailor future content accordingly. Furthermore, keep an eye on industry trends and competitor strategies to guarantee your approach stays relevant. Consider using an AI FB post generator for efficient content creation. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the 5 5 5 Rule on Social Media? The 5-5-5 rule on social media suggests that for every 15 pieces of content you share, you should post 5 educational, 5 entertaining, and 5 promotional items. This balanced approach helps keep your audience engaged by meeting diverse preferences. Educational and entertaining posts encourage interaction, whereas promotional content drives conversions. Following this rule can improve your overall social media performance, increasing shares, likes, and comments, and nurturing a sense of community among your followers. How Do You Create Engaging Social Media Content? To create engaging social media content, start by using high-quality visuals, as they greatly improve viewer interaction. Write concise captions, ideally around 150 characters, integrating storytelling to connect with your audience. Include clear calls to action, encouraging likes, shares, and comments, which increase engagement rates. Research relevant hashtags to enhance discoverability, and respond swiftly to comments and messages, cultivating a sense of community that encourages further interaction and engagement. What Is the 50/30/20 Rule for Social Media? The 50/30/20 rule for social media content helps you balance your posts effectively. You should dedicate 50% of your content to engaging and entertaining your audience, which keeps them interested. Next, allocate 30% for educational and valuable content that informs your followers. Finally, use the remaining 20% to promote your products or services. What Are the 7 C’s of Social Media? The 7 C’s of social media are crucial for effective communication. Clarity guarantees your messages are easily understood. Consistency helps build trust through regular posting. Creativity allows you to produce unique content that captures attention. Connectivity emphasizes the importance of engaging with your audience. Community nurtures relationships and loyalty. Content focuses on delivering value, as curation involves sharing relevant information. Together, these elements improve your social media presence and engagement with followers. Conclusion In summary, generating engaging social media content requires a strategic approach. By comprehending your audience, creating high-quality visuals, and crafting compelling captions, you can capture attention effectively. Utilizing relevant hashtags and encouraging audience interaction further boosts engagement. Moreover, curating and repurposing content can save time during still providing value. Finally, analyzing metrics and adapting your strategy guarantees that your content remains relevant and effective. Implement these tips to build a more engaging online presence and cultivate community interaction. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Tips to Generate Engaging Social Media Content" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In regard to generating engaging social media content, comprehending your audience is essential. Knowing what they like and how they interact can shape your approach considerably. High-quality visuals are vital, as they capture attention quickly. Furthermore, crafting captions that resonate with your audience can improve engagement. It’s important to utilize relevant hashtags and encourage interaction through questions or polls. As you refine your strategy, consider how curating and repurposing content might keep your feed dynamic. Key Takeaways Understand your audience by analyzing feedback, trends, and competitor content to tailor engaging material that resonates with their interests. Create visually appealing content optimized for mobile devices, maintaining consistent branding with eye-catching colors and clear typography. Utilize relevant hashtags strategically to enhance reach and engagement, combining popular and niche tags while monitoring their performance. Encourage interaction by incorporating questions, polls, and quizzes in your posts to boost audience participation and community building. Regularly monitor engagement metrics and conduct A/B testing to refine content strategies based on performance insights and industry trends. Understand Your Audience How well do you really know your audience? Comprehending your audience is vital for effective ai content creation. Start by conducting surveys or polls to gain direct insights into their preferences and interests. Monitor social media trends and discussions within your target demographic to stay informed on relevant topics. Analyzing competitor content can likewise help identify what resonates, offering valuable clues for your strategies. Tailor your content to reflect your audience’s needs, ensuring it remains engaging and relevant. Establish content pillars for social media that align with these insights, providing a structured approach to your messaging. Finally, utilize feedback and engagement metrics to continuously refine your comprehension, enhancing your content’s effectiveness over time. Create High-Quality Visuals To create high-quality visuals, you need to focus on consistent branding, mobile optimization, and eye-catching colors. Make certain your images and graphics align with your brand’s identity to help build recognition among your audience. Furthermore, optimizing visuals for mobile devices guarantees that your content looks great on any screen, maximizing engagement. Use Consistent Branding When you establish consistent branding across your social media platforms, you not just improve audience recognition but also build trust with your followers. About 60% of consumers prefer engaging with brands that showcase a cohesive visual identity. High-quality visuals—like professionally designed graphics—can boost engagement by up to 94%. Using tools like Canva or an ai social media post generator can streamline your content creation, ensuring uniform colors, fonts, and styles in every post. Incorporating your logo and brand colors can improve recall by 80%, helping your audience associate your content with your brand effectively. Finally, regularly update your visuals to meet each platform’s specifications for maximum performance and visual appeal across different networks. Optimize for Mobile As mobile devices account for over 50% of global web traffic, creating visuals optimized for these smaller screens is crucial for maximizing engagement and visibility. High-quality visuals can markedly boost engagement rates, so consider these tips: Use portrait or square formats to maximize screen space. Verify visuals load quickly; over half of mobile users abandon slow sites. Incorporate readable text overlays to convey messages clearly. Avoid excessive detail; concise graphics work best on mobile. To simplify your process, consider using an Canva social media post generator free or a free ai Instagram post generator to create engaging visuals that resonate with your audience. Adapting your visuals for mobile can make all the difference in your social media success. Incorporate Eye-Catching Colors Creating high-quality visuals goes beyond just optimizing for mobile; incorporating eye-catching colors can greatly improve your content’s effectiveness. Research indicates that using lively colors can increase engagement by up to 80%, making your posts stand out in crowded feeds. A well-chosen color palette not only aligns with your brand identity but likewise evokes emotions that influence audience interaction. Incorporating contrasting colors improves readability, drawing focus to key messages. Tools like Canva, a free content AI creator, allow you to experiment with various color combinations easily. Moreover, utilizing AI content creation tools can help you design striking graphics that resonate with your target audience, ensuring your content remains visually appealing and effective in capturing attention. Craft Compelling Captions To craft compelling captions, focus on using strong action words that grab attention and create urgency. Keep your captions concise, ideally around 150 characters or 15 words, as brevity can improve engagement. Use Strong Action Words Captivate your audience by using strong action words in your social media captions. These words create a sense of urgency and can greatly boost engagement. Here are some effective strategies you can apply: Join our community and stay updated on the latest trends. Discover exclusive offers that can transform your experience. Act now! Don’t miss out on this limited-time deal. Transform your routine with our innovative solutions. Incorporating these action-driven phrases not merely makes your ai posts more enticing but can increase click-through rates by up to 25%. As you craft captions, experiment with language that resonates with your audience. Keep It Concise Strong action words can greatly improve your social media posts, but without conciseness, even the most compelling messages can get lost. Aim for captions around 150 characters or 15 words to maximize engagement. Use strong, action-oriented language to spark curiosity and invite interaction. Here’s a quick guide to help you craft concise captions: Key Element Description Length 150 characters or 15 words Action Language Use verbs that inspire action Storytelling Incorporate relatable narratives SEO Optimization Include relevant keywords for visibility To learn how to generate content for social media, consider using an ai post generator free. This tool can help streamline your caption creation process effectively. Utilize Relevant Hashtags Utilizing relevant hashtags is essential for enhancing your social media presence and engagement. Here’s how to effectively use hashtags in your posts: Use 3-5 relevant hashtags on Instagram to boost engagement; posts with hashtags get 12.6% more interactions. Combine popular and niche hashtags to broaden reach during targeting specific audiences effectively. Limit to 1-2 hashtags on X/Twitter to optimize visibility, as too many can dilute your message. Stay updated on trending hashtags within your industry to capitalize on current conversations and increase discoverability. You can leverage a social media post generator or an AI Instagram post generator to help identify effective hashtags. Monitoring hashtag performance through analytics tools will guarantee you refine your strategy continually. Encourage Audience Interaction Building on the importance of relevant hashtags, encouraging audience interaction is a key strategy for enhancing engagement on social media. Incorporating questions in your posts can increase engagement by up to 20%, urging followers to share their thoughts and experiences. Tools like polls and quizzes can greatly boost participation, generating twice the engagement compared to static posts. Responding to comments and messages swiftly nurtures community, increasing follower loyalty by 30%. User-generated content campaigns not just drive interaction but likewise build trust, influencing 79% of consumers’ purchasing decisions. Finally, including calls to action (CTAs) in your posts can guide users effectively, leading to an impressive 285% increase in engagement rates. Consider using an Facebook post generator or social media ai generator to streamline your content creation. Curate and Repurpose Content Curating and repurposing content is a smart way to keep your audience engaged without the constant pressure of creating new material from scratch. Here are some effective strategies: Break down long-form content, like blog posts, into bite-sized social media posts for easy sharing. Share third-party posts to add value, always providing your viewpoint and linking to the original source. Transform internal resources, such as press releases, into concise posts highlighting key information relevant to your audience. Utilize tools like an artificial intelligence content generator or an ai Facebook post generator free to streamline your process. Regularly monitor the performance of your repurposed content to understand audience preferences better and improve your future content strategy. Analyze and Adapt Your Strategy As you navigate the intricacies of social media, analyzing and adapting your strategy is crucial for maintaining audience engagement and relevance. Regularly monitor engagement metrics like likes, shares, and comments to assess your content’s effectiveness. Using social media analytics tools, track post performance across different times and days to optimize your posting schedule. A/B testing various content formats and headlines helps you identify strategies that yield the highest engagement rates. Pay attention to audience feedback and comments for insights into their preferences, allowing you to tailor future content accordingly. Furthermore, keep an eye on industry trends and competitor strategies to guarantee your approach stays relevant. Consider using an AI FB post generator for efficient content creation. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the 5 5 5 Rule on Social Media? The 5-5-5 rule on social media suggests that for every 15 pieces of content you share, you should post 5 educational, 5 entertaining, and 5 promotional items. This balanced approach helps keep your audience engaged by meeting diverse preferences. Educational and entertaining posts encourage interaction, whereas promotional content drives conversions. Following this rule can improve your overall social media performance, increasing shares, likes, and comments, and nurturing a sense of community among your followers. How Do You Create Engaging Social Media Content? To create engaging social media content, start by using high-quality visuals, as they greatly improve viewer interaction. Write concise captions, ideally around 150 characters, integrating storytelling to connect with your audience. Include clear calls to action, encouraging likes, shares, and comments, which increase engagement rates. Research relevant hashtags to enhance discoverability, and respond swiftly to comments and messages, cultivating a sense of community that encourages further interaction and engagement. What Is the 50/30/20 Rule for Social Media? The 50/30/20 rule for social media content helps you balance your posts effectively. You should dedicate 50% of your content to engaging and entertaining your audience, which keeps them interested. Next, allocate 30% for educational and valuable content that informs your followers. Finally, use the remaining 20% to promote your products or services. What Are the 7 C’s of Social Media? The 7 C’s of social media are crucial for effective communication. Clarity guarantees your messages are easily understood. Consistency helps build trust through regular posting. Creativity allows you to produce unique content that captures attention. Connectivity emphasizes the importance of engaging with your audience. Community nurtures relationships and loyalty. Content focuses on delivering value, as curation involves sharing relevant information. Together, these elements improve your social media presence and engagement with followers. Conclusion In summary, generating engaging social media content requires a strategic approach. By comprehending your audience, creating high-quality visuals, and crafting compelling captions, you can capture attention effectively. Utilizing relevant hashtags and encouraging audience interaction further boosts engagement. Moreover, curating and repurposing content can save time during still providing value. Finally, analyzing metrics and adapting your strategy guarantees that your content remains relevant and effective. Implement these tips to build a more engaging online presence and cultivate community interaction. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Tips to Generate Engaging Social Media Content" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you use WhatsApp, you may be targeted by scammers looking to take over your account by pairing their browser to your number. This scheme, dubbed GhostPairing by researchers, uses WhatsApp's device linking process to allow fraudsters to access all of your messages, impersonate you in chats, and perpetuate the scam to your contacts. Here's how threat actors are hijacking WhatsApp accounts—and how to defend yours. GhostPairing manipulates WhatsApp device linkingWhatsApp allows users to link their desktop or browser to their account without needing to enter login credentials in one of two ways: scanning a QR code and approving the session or confirming a numeric pairing code in the mobile app. While the GhostPairing scam could theoretically manipulate users in either approach, researchers found that the latter is much more common. The fraud begins with a short message sent from a contact with a link that purportedly goes to a Facebook photo or some type of Facebook content. If you click through, you'll be directed to a spoofed Facebook login page to enter your phone number—a familiar confirmation flow for Meta platforms. The next screen will likely show a numeric code with instructions to enter said code into WhatsApp to confirm the login (again, this may feel like a familiar two-step verification). If you're not paying attention, you may not realize that this didn't do anything on your end but instead registered the attacker's browser as a linked device to your account. The danger in this scam is that everything will seem normal on your device and in your account, as attackers haven't hijacked your credentials to lock you out. However, they can do anything and everything in WhatsApp that you can, such as reading chats, receiving messages, viewing and downloading media, collecting information from your contacts, and forwarding the same phishing link. As they learn more about you and the people you know, they can potentially use that for ongoing scams. How to protect your WhatsApp accountAs always, be wary of links received via messaging platforms, even if they seem harmless or you think you know and can trust the sender. Threat actors frequently use social media and direct messaging to spread phishing lures. If you do click a link in WhatsApp (or any other communication), read all prompts carefully before providing or verifying any information to identify scams. To protect your WhatsApp account specifically, you can set up two-step verification, which will also prevent attackers from adding or changing a connected email address. Go to Settings > Account > Two-step verification > Turn on or Set up PIN and add an email address when prompted. You can also check to see if there are any suspicious devices paired with your account under Settings > Linked devices and remove any you don't recognize or regularly use. Finally, if you have been targeted by this scam, let your WhatsApp contacts know, as threat actors may spread the malicious link by making it look like it came from you. View the full article

SoftBank Group will acquire digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge Group in a deal valued at $4 billion, the companies said on Monday, as the Japanese investment firm looks to deepen its AI-related portfolio. The acquisition would expand SoftBank’s exposure to digital infrastructure as the Japanese conglomerate is positioning its portfolio to focus on artificial intelligence. DigitalBridge shares rose about 9.7% to $15.27 on Monday, following a 45% rise earlier this month after Bloomberg News first reported the acquisition talks. The $16 per share offer represents a 15% premium over DigitalBridge’s closing price on Friday and values the company at $2.92 billion, with the deal expected to close in the second half of next year. SoftBank’s billionaire founder Masayoshi Son is seeking to capitalize on surging demand for the computing capacity that underpins artificial intelligence applications. The acquisition “is certainly a milestone in solving critical infrastructure issues,” said Jacob Yahiayan, CEO at DigitalBridge investor Urban Logistic Advisory Services, but noted SoftBank is still far from controlling 10% of the global hardware- and software-as-a-service market. DigitalBridge invests in digital infrastructure sectors such as data centers, cell towers, fiber networks, small-cell systems and edge infrastructure, with a portfolio including companies such as Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. Founded in 1991 as real estate-focused Colony Capital, the firm pivoted under CEO Marc Ganzi into digital infrastructure and rebranded as DigitalBridge in 2021 after shedding most of its legacy property assets. Ganzi will continue leading DigitalBridge as a separately managed platform, the companies said. As of September 30, DigitalBridge managed around $108 billion in assets, making it one of the largest dedicated investors in the digital ecosystem. The company, along with OpenAI, Oracle and Abu Dhabi-based tech investor MGX, is investing billions of dollars in the Stargate project, a large-scale computing and infrastructure initiative aimed at supporting advanced AI development. OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank said in September they plan to build five new computing sites across Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio, which are expected to have a combined power capacity of about seven gigawatts when in operation. —Akash Sriram and Mihika Sharma, Reuters View the full article

Wall Street’s main indexes kicked off the final week of the year on a softer note on Monday, as heavyweight technology stocks retreated from last week’s gains that had pushed the S&P 500 to record highs. The information technology sector weighed on the S&P 500, as most tech and AI-linked stocks declined, with Nvidia down 1.8%, Broadcom off 1%, and Palantir Technologies shedding 1.4%. “This is (not) the beginning of the end of the tech dominance, it’ll turn out to be a buying opportunity,” said Hank Smith, director and head of investment strategy at Haverford Trust. “A big reason for that is the top tech names, excluding Tesla, do not have challenging valuations given their growth rate, the moat around their business and their financial strength, which is unparalleled.” Tesla also fell 1.8% after hitting a record high last week and weighed on the consumer discretionary sector. Materials slipped 1%, with precious metal miners sliding as silver dropped sharply after topping $80 per ounce for the first time, while gold also fell after back-to-back record highs last week. Conversely, energy stocks gained the most, up 1.2%, tracking a 2% rise in oil prices. At 11:13 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 217.14 points, or 0.45%, to 48,493.83, the S&P 500 lost 28.77 points, or 0.42%, to 6,901.26 and the Nasdaq Composite lost 150.02 points, or 0.63%, to 23,443.07. Stocks pulled back after the S&P 500 was in the 1% range of the 7,000-point mark, and the blue-chip Dow hit a record closing high last week. Some investors were eyeing a “Santa Claus rally”, a seasonal phenomenon where the S&P 500 typically posts gains in the last five trading days of the year and the first two in January, according to Stock Trader’s Almanac. All three indexes are headed for firm monthly gains, with the Dow and S&P 500 on pace for their eighth consecutive month in the green. The bull market, which began in October 2022, stayed intact despite concerns over high valuations of technology companies and market volatility, on the back of continued optimism around AI, interest-rate cuts and a resilient economy. All three main indexes are set for their third consecutive yearly gain. On the macro front, minutes from the Fed’s previous meeting and a weekly reading of jobless claims will be on the radar in an otherwise data-light week. The S&P 500 has added about 17% so far this year, as the frenzy to capitalize on AI helped the U.S. benchmark overtake Europe’s STOXX 600, despite investors diversifying away from U.S. stocks earlier in the year. DigitalBridge gained 9.6%, with Japan’s SoftBank Group set to acquire the digital infrastructure investor in a deal valued at $4 billion. Trading volumes are expected to be light in the holiday-affected week with U.S. markets shut on Thursday for New Year’s Day. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.85-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 2.56-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 posted 9 new 52-week highs and one new low while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 22 new highs and 177 new lows. —Purvi Agarwal and Shashwat Chauhan, Reuters View the full article

One of the most annoying restrictions in Gmail is that, once you've picked an email address, you're stuck with it. There are exceptions for third-party addresses, like work emails tied to a company's domain, but for the typical @gmail.com account, no dice. Personally, I've had a number of loyalty programs and store accounts tied to an embarrassingly edgy email from high school for decades now, but finally, it seems like I'll be able to change it. A recently updated Google support page says the company is now "gradually rolling out" the ability to change your Gmail address, with some limitations. Oddly, the page is only available in Hindi for the moment, so I've reached out to Google for clarification about where and when the feature will be available and will update when I hear back. Still, the support page does say (through a machine translation) that the feature's coming "to all users," which implies it'll see a global release at some point. For good measure, I checked if I could change any of my personal gmail addresses, but no luck. But once the feature rolls out to you, here's how you'll be able to do it. On a computer or mobile device, navigate to myaccount.google.com/google-account-email. At the top of the page, click or tap "Personal Information." On mobile, this may show up as "Personal Info." Click or Tap on "Google Account Email." From there, click or tap on "Change Your Google Account Email Address" and enter your updated email address. Note that these instructions were filtered through a machine translation, so exact wording may differ depending on region. I'll update with official English instructions when available, but the process does seem simple enough. There are a couple of wrinkles, however. The big one is that emails sent to your old address will still be sent to your new one, and that your old email may still show up instead of your new one in some cases, like on Calendar events created before you changed your address. That's because your former name will be listed as an alias for the account, rather than deleted. That could be a pain if you're trying to leave old contacts behind, but it'll also ensure important contacts don't get lost in the shuffle, and it'll keep anyone else from registering a new account with that email address. You'll also still be able to use your old gmail address to sign into any accounts associated with it, and regardless of which name you sign in with, you'll still have access to all of your messages, photos, and other files. You can also revert to your old address at any time, but as for changing it to a new address, you can only do it once a year, and only three times total. So no changing it to a wacky new address every Halloween and then back to normal come November. Still, it should be a major quality-of-life upgrade, and should help Google's email service better catch up to more permissive email providers like Proton. No more sounding like an edgelord every time I talk to the checkout clerk at Sephora. View the full article

Rapid post-Christmas rally unwinds, dragging down gold and other precious metalsView the full article

Below, Muriel Wilkins shares five key insights from her new book, Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential. Muriel is the founder and CEO of the leadership advisory firm Paravis Partners. She is also an executive coach to high-performing C-suite and senior executives, as well as host of the award-winning podcast Coaching Real Leaders. What’s the big idea? When leaders get stuck, their first instinct is to do more and push harder. But those actions don’t create lasting results because they’re focused on what they do and not on what they think. Sustainable leadership growth comes from examining the beliefs that drive our actions. Left unchecked, we risk stunting our leadership potential. Listen to the audio version of this Book Bite—read by Muriel herself—below, or in the Next Big Idea App. 1. You’re part of the problem. Every leader goes through rough patches. If you haven’t yet, you will. I’ve seen many accomplished leaders, from executives to emerging managers, eventually hit a wall. They’re chasing results that remain out of reach, struggling to influence, or trying to find their footing in a new role. No matter their title or situation, they share one thing in common: something is standing in the way of their leadership potential. Despite their best efforts, they’re still blocked. Usually, it’s because they’re focusing on what’s happening around them instead of what’s happening within them. Many high achievers try to hustle their way through whatever is holding them back. They double down on tactics and skills, thinking that if they just do more, they’ll break through. But until you turn inward and uncover what’s holding you back, you’ll keep repeating the same struggle and leadership will feel harder, more draining, and less rewarding than necessary. 2. Old beliefs can’t create new results. We’ve all been told that if you want to change something, change your actions: work harder, build new habits, learn new skills. But a change in behavior only scratches the surface. Real change happens on the level of your beliefs. “Beliefs that helped you succeed at one stage of your career may no longer serve you during the next.” The Buddha said, “What we think, we become.” Modern research backs that up. Scholars of psychology like Alia Crumb, Ellen Langer, and Carol Dweck have shown that what you believe about yourself, your circumstances, and your ability to grow has a measurable impact on outcomes. Beliefs act like the internal code that drives your leadership operating system. Beliefs that helped you succeed at one stage of your career may no longer serve you during the next. If you believe you need to have all the answers, you’ll struggle to empower others. If you believe your value comes from being in the details, you lose sight of leading through others. If you believe you can’t make a mistake, you’ll avoid risk and stifle innovation. You can’t lead at a new level with the same inner operating system. Until you evolve your beliefs, your results will stay the same. 3. Seven common beliefs quietly keep high performers stuck. Most leaders share a common set of beliefs that keep them stuck. I call these hidden blockers because they keep us locked in unproductive patterns, and they’re experts at eluding detection: I need to be involved. I need it done now. I know I’m right. I can’t make a mistake. If I can do it, so can you. I can’t say no. I don’t belong here. These self-talk mantras aren’t character flaws. They’re old success strategies. When you can identify the belief you’re leading from, you regain choice. Awareness is the first step to unblocking. 4. Ease comes when you can uncover, unpack, and unblock. To lead with more ease, the work is to uncover, unpack, and unblock what drives you: Uncover: Bring your belief to awareness. Unpack: Examine where the belief came from and how it shows up. Unblock: Reframe the belief so that it serves how you need to lead. This framework isn’t about positive thinking; it’s about strategic thinking. When you align your beliefs with the present moment, you expand your range and elevate your leadership altitude. 5. Great leaders learn to coach themselves. The ultimate goal is developing the capacity to coach yourself. When you can observe your patterns, question your beliefs, and realign in real time, you no longer need a crisis or coach to spark growth. You become your own coach—grounded, adaptive, and effective—in each moment. As you increase your capacity to coach yourself, you increase your capacity to coach others, which after all is what great leaders do. “A leader cannot transform an organization beyond their own capacity to transform themselves.” To lead differently, you must think differently. A leader cannot transform an organization beyond their own capacity to transform themselves. It can feel lonely and difficult at the top, but you don’t have to suffer through your leadership challenges, nor should others suffer because of how you lead. Becoming free of your hidden blockers unlocks your potential for achieving goals, delivering results, and leading with ease. Enjoy our full library of Book Bites—read by the authors!—in the Next Big Idea App. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission. View the full article

The Federal Reserve is slated to undertake a number of important rules and regulations in 2026, but decisions around agency leadership and the The President administration's avowed effort to exert greater control over the central bank are likely to leave a lasting legacy at the agency. 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. Most outdoor speakers claim they can handle water. The Soundcore Boom 3i goes further: it's fully waterproof and dustproof with an IP68 rating, but it also resists saltwater, which is still rare at this size and price. That matters if your weekends involve beaches, boats, or the ocean rather than a backyard patio. Also, it floats, and more importantly, it does so facing upward, which keeps the drivers out of the water and the sound clear. That one detail makes a real difference when waves or movement would normally flip a speaker onto its side. The Boom 3i usually sells for $129.99, but it’s currently down to $79.99, its lowest price so far, according to price trackers. Soundcore Boom 3i by Anker, Compact Outdoor Speaker, IP68 Waterproof, Floating Playback, Saltwater-Resistant, BassUp 2.0, 50W Portable Speaker, Bluetooth 5.3, 16H, TWS, Kayak/Fishing/Camping-Blue $79.99 at Amazon $129.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $79.99 at Amazon $129.99 Save $50.00 It weighs a little over three pounds and comes with a shoulder strap, so carrying it to a beach or campsite doesn’t feel like a chore. And pushing up to 50 watts, the Boom 3i is loud enough to cover a small gathering of about eight people without sounding strained. The sound quality is solid but not dramatic. You get punchy mid-bass and a warm tone, but very little deep bass, which is expected from a compact, front-facing speaker. There’s a BassUp button on top if you want more low-end emphasis, and the Soundcore app includes a nine-band equalizer for finer tuning. Battery life sits around 15 to 16 hours at moderate volume, and you can keep listening while charging over USB-C. The Boom 3i’s interesting extras include a Buzz Clean mode, which plays a low-frequency tone to shake sand and grit out of the speaker after a beach day. It works surprisingly well, though you may still need to rinse or shake it afterward. Plus, there’s an emergency alarm and voice amplifier built in, which could be useful for kayaking or group outings, even if they’re not things you’ll use often. On the downside, the speaker reportedly down-mixes stereo audio to mono unless you pair it with a second unit, and the app doesn’t show an exact battery percentage. All said, this isn’t the speaker for indoor listening or detailed sound. It’s for water-heavy trips where durability matters more than finesse. At this price, it’s a strong option for that specific use case. Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $229.99 (List Price $249.00) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $139.99 (List Price $219.99) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p 3-Camera Kit With Sync Module Core — $189.99 (List Price $189.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 (List Price $49.99) Meta Quest 3 512GB Mixed Reality VR Headset with Controllers — $499.00 (List Price $499.00) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

A significant portion of the loans in the pool by balance, 44.5%, are designated at non-QM, according to DBRS, adding that about 50% of the loans in the pool were made to investors for business purposes. View the full article

A modest improvement in prices and mortgage rates encouraged buyers. Signings have now increased for four straight months, matching a pandemic streak. View the full article

Ukraine president says after talks with Donald The President that 15-year assurance is not enough to deter RussiaView the full article

It’s that time — December’s waning days, when we prepare to turn the calendar page. Many Americans take stock, review goals accomplished and unmet, ponder hopes and plans. How’s our health? What’s up with our money? What about the country? Will the coming year look like the departing one year, or be something entirely different? Are we ready? It can be an overwhelming period. So The Associated Press reached out to professionals with varying expertises — home organization, risk management, personal training, personal finance, and political science — to talk about their perspectives on changes and transitions. And for something a little different, we gave each interviewee a chance to ask a question of one of the others. So let’s talk endings and beginnings. The change expert: Milestones stir emotions Transitions are professional organizer Laura Olivares’ working life. As co-founder of Silver Solutions, she works with senior adults and their families to help make sure they’re in safe environments, whether that means decluttering a lifetime of possessions, downsizing to another home, or helping families clear a house after a loved one’s passing. She offers this: Changes, even exciting ones, can unearth sadness or grief over places, things and people left behind. Acknowledging those feelings can help smooth the move from one chapter to another. “When you let go of something that was meaningful to you, it deserves a moment,” she says. “Whatever that moment is, could be a second, could just be an acknowledgement of it. Or maybe you set it on the on the mantle and you think about it for a while and when you’re ready to let it go, you let it go.” NEXT QUESTION: Certified personal trainer Keri Harvey asked: “What small weekly habits can I build that will help me stay organized during the year?” Olivares’ tips: In December, do a brain dump of thoughts, ideas, and goals. Then, before Jan. 1, schedule out tasks that move those priorities forward over the course of 2026. Olivares suggests three tasks on each of three days, so nine tasks per week. The actuary: Planning is important — but sometimes fickle Probably no group of people think more about the future than actuaries. Using data, statistics and probabilities, they devise models on how probable it is that certain events happen, and what it could cost to recover from them. Their work is vital to organizations like insurance companies. Listen to R. Dale Hall talk, though, and he sounds almost … philosophical. He’s managing director of research at the Society of Actuaries. Asked how the general public could think about a new year, he readily brings up strategies like mapping out risk scenarios and how to respond. There’s a balance to be struck, he says: We can’t control or predict everything and must accept the possibility of something unexpected. And the past isn’t always a perfect guide; just because something happened doesn’t mean it must again. “It’s the nature of taking risk, right? That yeah, there are going to be uncontrollable things,” Hall says. “There are ways to maybe diversify those risks or mitigate those risks, but no one has that perfect crystal ball that’s going to see three, six, nine, 12 months into the future.” NEXT QUESTION: From personal finance educator Dana Miranda: “Thinking about the variables we consider when making decisions or plans, how might the juxtaposition of the holiday season with the new year affect the way people are evaluating their finances and setting goals at the beginning of each year? … What do you recommend they do to ensure the holiday experience doesn’t skew financial goal-setting?” Hall’s advice: Keep ’em separate. He recommends people enjoy the holidays and hold off on financial goals until January. The personal finance authority: Be intentional about money In her work as a financial writer and a personal finance educator, Miranda encourages people to make conscious choices around their spending and saving, and understand that there’s no absolute rule. Miranda, author of “You Don’t Need a Budget,” says details are key. What works for one person may not work for another. And it’s something Americans should consider as another year of goals and resolutions approaches. Insisting that the same technique works for everybody can leave people feeling stuck, Miranda says. “We tend to be not good at talking about the nuances and that leaves people with, ‘Here’s the one right rule. It’s not possible for me to achieve that perfection, so I’m just going to feel ashamed of every move that I make that is not moving toward that perfect goal.'” NEXT QUESTION: From Jeanne Theoharis, a political science professor, who asked how Miranda gets people to look beyond the micro and consider the larger system of capitalism. “How does she also get people to think about more collective solutions—like union organizing, pressing City Council or Congress for changes?” Miranda is quick to make it clear she’s not an organizer but says she tries to evoke larger systemic issues when discussing personal finance. “The way that I try to move that needle just a little bit is to always bring in that political aspect to whatever conversation we’re having … to make the systemic and the cultural impact visible.” The trainer: Make goals attainable When it comes to changes and new years, one of the most popular areas is fitness, the subject of many a (failed) resolution. Personal trainer Harvey, of Form Fitness Brooklyn, says you can make positive, lasting change in fitness (and generally) with one philosophy: Start small and build. “We want to be mindful of making sure that we’re not asking too much or trying to overcompensate for what we feel like we left behind this past year or what we feel like we left on the table this past year,” she says. “It’s very reasonable to try and have the goal of getting to the gym twice a week, maybe three times a week, and then building from there instead of saying ‘Jan. 1, I’m starting, I’m gonna be at the gym five days a week, two hours a day.’ That’s not realistic and it’s not kind to ourselves.” NEXT QUESTION: From Hall: “What advice do you have for me to transition to an even more robust workout schedule in 2026 without falling into the risk of injuring myself by doing too much too soon?” Harvey emphasized warming up and having a mobility routine, and making the goal attainable by making it fun. “Find things that you actually enjoy doing and try and fit those in as well so that the idea of starting something new or adding to it isn’t one that comes with a negative like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to have to do this,’ where you’re dragging yourself into it.” The historian: Learn from your past It’s not just as individuals that we think about transitions. Nations and cultures have them, too. We can learn from them if we look at our history honestly and not through the guise of trying to hide the ugly parts, says Theoharis, professor of political science and history at Brooklyn College and the City University of New York Graduate Center. She points to the story of Rosa Parks, remembered as the catalyst of the Montgomery bus boycotts 70 years ago. But when Parks chose to resist, she didn’t know what her arrest would mean or what the outcome would be. Theoharis sees a lesson there for people looking to make change in today’s world and even individuals wanting to evolve. “A number of us would be willing to do something brave if we knew that it would work,” Theoharis says. “And we might even be willing to have some consequences. But part of what looking at the actual history of Rosa Parks or the actual history of the Montgomery bus boycott is in fact you have to make these stands with no sense that they will work.” NEXT (AND LAST) QUESTION: From Olivares, who wanted Theoharis’ thoughts on today’s civil rights battles. Theoharis referenced voting rights, which have been eroded in recent years. At the same time, remembrances of the turmoil during the Civil Rights years have become glossed over by a mythology of America overcoming its injustices. There’s a lesson there about what it takes to make real change for individuals, too, Theoharis says: It’s difficult to move forward if you’re not honestly addressing what’s come before. “Part of how we’ve gotten here is by that … lack of reckoning with ourselves, lack of reckoning with where we are, lack of reckoning with history.” —Deepti Hajela, Associated Press View the full article

Chip Wilson nominates three board directors and says investors have lost confidence in Lululemon’s leadershipView the full article