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Small businesses are navigating a complex landscape filled with challenges, yet current research reveals a surprising level of optimism among entrepreneurs. According to a recent survey by JPMorgan Chase, 67% of small business leaders anticipate an increase in revenues over the next six months, despite ongoing inflation and hiring concerns. These findings stem from a comprehensive survey of over 500 small businesses, all with annual revenues under $20 million. The insights reflect how small business owners are dealing with pressing operational challenges, including inflation, tightening credit, and a limited labor market. “Despite ongoing concerns about recession, inflation, and staffing, small business owners are optimistic,” noted Ben Walter, CEO of Chase Business Banking. His statement captures the essence of the survey results—entrepreneurs are adept at adapting through varied economic cycles. As business leaders face rising operational costs, it’s no surprise that inflation remains a paramount concern. A striking 77% of respondents reported a rise in expenses by 6% or more, affecting their bottom line significantly. Other critical issues include: Hiring: 45% of respondents expressed deep concern over the limited supply of candidates. Taxes: 38% indicated that government should prioritize lowering tax rates and reducing various credits and deductions. Supply Chain: 16% saw supply chain disruptions as a top challenge. Yet adversity seems to stoke resilience. Many small business owners are not just weathering the storm; they are poised for growth. The survey indicates a notable shift, as 45% of respondents are “hitting the accelerator” on growth strategies—an increase of 10 percentage points from November 2022. While 47% foresee a recession in the latter half of 2023, their outlook remains encouraging. Here are some notable strides that entrepreneurs are taking: Expansion Plans: 81% are considering borrowing money, with 45% actively exploring ways to expand their business locations—a substantial rise from 35% since late last year. Mental Health Focus: As workplace stress becomes increasingly critical, 71% of leaders acknowledge the importance of mental health management. A corresponding rise of 13 percentage points in the offering of mental health days suggests a growing commitment to employee well-being. Global Reach: Over a third (36%) of businesses reported generating operations or sales outside the United States, marking a significant uptick since November. Agility: In response to rising costs, business leaders are adjusting strategies by raising prices on certain products, trimming nonessential expenses, and making smaller inventory purchases. Embracing Technology: A clear trend toward adopting new technologies is evident, with 33% planning to integrate ChatGPT into their operations and 42% looking into other AI applications—a substantial 14% increase since the last survey. These findings underscore that small business owners are not merely surviving but thriving through innovation and adaptability. While challenges like inflation and hiring persist, many entrepreneurs are finding ways to secure their futures by leveraging technology and expanding their markets. For small business owners, navigating these trends could mean the difference between stagnation and growth. Emphasizing employee mental health, exploring international markets, and embracing technology like AI could open new avenues for success. While optimism prevails, potential hurdles remain. Business leaders should continue focusing on adaptability to mitigate risks associated with inflation and labor shortages. Understanding the complexities of cash flow management and the impact of financial decisions will be paramount as they look to thrive in this dynamic environment. For those interested in further details, the complete survey findings are available at the original source, Chase Media. This resource can be essential for small business owners seeking actionable insights in a challenging economic landscape. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Small Business Leaders Remain Optimistic Despite Economic Challenges" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Small businesses are navigating a complex landscape filled with challenges, yet current research reveals a surprising level of optimism among entrepreneurs. According to a recent survey by JPMorgan Chase, 67% of small business leaders anticipate an increase in revenues over the next six months, despite ongoing inflation and hiring concerns. These findings stem from a comprehensive survey of over 500 small businesses, all with annual revenues under $20 million. The insights reflect how small business owners are dealing with pressing operational challenges, including inflation, tightening credit, and a limited labor market. “Despite ongoing concerns about recession, inflation, and staffing, small business owners are optimistic,” noted Ben Walter, CEO of Chase Business Banking. His statement captures the essence of the survey results—entrepreneurs are adept at adapting through varied economic cycles. As business leaders face rising operational costs, it’s no surprise that inflation remains a paramount concern. A striking 77% of respondents reported a rise in expenses by 6% or more, affecting their bottom line significantly. Other critical issues include: Hiring: 45% of respondents expressed deep concern over the limited supply of candidates. Taxes: 38% indicated that government should prioritize lowering tax rates and reducing various credits and deductions. Supply Chain: 16% saw supply chain disruptions as a top challenge. Yet adversity seems to stoke resilience. Many small business owners are not just weathering the storm; they are poised for growth. The survey indicates a notable shift, as 45% of respondents are “hitting the accelerator” on growth strategies—an increase of 10 percentage points from November 2022. While 47% foresee a recession in the latter half of 2023, their outlook remains encouraging. Here are some notable strides that entrepreneurs are taking: Expansion Plans: 81% are considering borrowing money, with 45% actively exploring ways to expand their business locations—a substantial rise from 35% since late last year. Mental Health Focus: As workplace stress becomes increasingly critical, 71% of leaders acknowledge the importance of mental health management. A corresponding rise of 13 percentage points in the offering of mental health days suggests a growing commitment to employee well-being. Global Reach: Over a third (36%) of businesses reported generating operations or sales outside the United States, marking a significant uptick since November. Agility: In response to rising costs, business leaders are adjusting strategies by raising prices on certain products, trimming nonessential expenses, and making smaller inventory purchases. Embracing Technology: A clear trend toward adopting new technologies is evident, with 33% planning to integrate ChatGPT into their operations and 42% looking into other AI applications—a substantial 14% increase since the last survey. These findings underscore that small business owners are not merely surviving but thriving through innovation and adaptability. While challenges like inflation and hiring persist, many entrepreneurs are finding ways to secure their futures by leveraging technology and expanding their markets. For small business owners, navigating these trends could mean the difference between stagnation and growth. Emphasizing employee mental health, exploring international markets, and embracing technology like AI could open new avenues for success. While optimism prevails, potential hurdles remain. Business leaders should continue focusing on adaptability to mitigate risks associated with inflation and labor shortages. Understanding the complexities of cash flow management and the impact of financial decisions will be paramount as they look to thrive in this dynamic environment. For those interested in further details, the complete survey findings are available at the original source, Chase Media. This resource can be essential for small business owners seeking actionable insights in a challenging economic landscape. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Small Business Leaders Remain Optimistic Despite Economic Challenges" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In his reflections on the 2025 Wall Street Journal CEO Council summit held in December, WSJ Leadership Institute president Alan Murray noted that CEOs are not actually preoccupied with AI, tariffs, or geopolitics. Instead, they’re focused on something far more fundamental: people and culture. How do you build an organization that can adapt, collaborate, and innovate amid persistent volatility? That instinct is correct. Yet one of the most effective tools for strengthening culture and developing talent remains surprisingly underused—skills-based volunteering (SBV). In a world shaped by geopolitical conflict, climate disruptions, pandemic aftershocks, and unpredictable supply chains, companies need employees who can navigate complexity with creativity and resilience. Skills-based volunteering is a proven, powerful way to build those capabilities while contributing meaningfully to communities and giving employees the purposeful work they crave. SBV is unlocking the next wave in talent potential and catalyzing the workforce of the future. WHY SBV DESERVES MORE CORPORATE ATTENTION SBV matches employees’ professional expertise with community-based organizations’ needs. Its impact goes well beyond traditional volunteering, to include: 1. Leadership development and creative problem solving Working with nonprofits and social enterprises—often in resource-limited or rapidly changing environments—exposes employees to new perspectives and teaches agility, systems thinking, and cooperation across differences. These are the exact qualities CEOs describe as essential, but are difficult to cultivate internally. 2. Strengthens culture and engagement Employees increasingly seek meaningful work and a sense of purpose. SBV offers both. It reconnects teams to shared values, supports well-being, and fosters belonging at a time when engagement across industries remains low. 3. Produces multi-layered return Nonprofits and other host organizations benefit from much-needed skills and networks. Communities receive unprecedented support and critical insights. Employees grow professionally and personally. Companies advance ESG commitments while enhancing their cultures. Few corporate initiatives produce value across so many dimensions. 4. Builds cross-sector fluency From climate resilience to healthcare access to food security to digital equity, the next decade of business challenges will require collaboration across government, civil society, and industry. SBV gives employees practical experience navigating those intersections, a form of strategic literacy that will soon be indispensable. This is why companies across industries—from technology and finance to logistics and manufacturing—have integrated SBV into their leadership and culture strategies. A GLOBAL CONTEXT Two developments underscore the timeliness of SBV. The first is that the United Nations designated 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development. Although not a major campaign, the initiative still signals a broader recognition that volunteer-driven action—especially skills-based engagement—is essential for achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Companies that embrace SBV now will be better positioned to contribute meaningfully to that global effort. Second, each January, the World Economic Forum in Davos convenes leaders to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. Davos is built around the search for solutions. SBV is a solution already available: a practical mechanism for aligning business capability with community needs, strengthening culture while improving outcomes for society. If even a portion of the companies gathering there committed to a coordinated SBV effort, the impact could be immediate and globally resonant. SBV is a practical, proven way to build the resilient, purpose-driven cultures companies say they want while contributing to the broader stability and well-being the world urgently needs. A NOTEWORTHY SBV DEVELOPMENT Against this global backdrop, two organizations known for advancing SBV—Pyxera Global (my organization) and Common Impact—announced that we are uniting our efforts. This alliance is designed to accelerate the work both have been doing for decades. We will retain our brands and long-standing relationships, but integrate strategically to help companies deploy SBV more effectively at a time when the need is acute. Our alignment reflects a broader shift occurring across the social impact sector: moving from fragmented initiatives to more collaborative, systems-oriented approaches. Our work also extends beyond SBV into partnerships focused on climate action, circular supply chains, economic opportunity and digital inclusion—further evidence that cross-sector partnership is becoming an essential strategy for addressing complex global challenges. THE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT Alan Murray is right: The central challenge facing CEOs is not technological but human. Yet culture doesn’t transform through messaging campaigns or structural reorganizations. It transforms through experiences—through opportunities that deepen empathy, expand perspective, and develop new skills. Skills-based volunteering offers exactly that. The companies that embrace it now will be better equipped to navigate the challenges ahead, and to help solve them. Deirdre White is CEO of Pyxera Global. View the full article

Hollywood kicked off 2026 with “Avatar: Fire and Ash” atop the box office for the third straight week and with hopes for a blockbuster-filled year after a disappointing 2025. In three weeks of release, “Fire and Ash” has cleared $1 billion worldwide. The third chapter in James Cameron’s Pandora epic collected $40 million over its third weekend in North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. “Fire and Ash” is doing its biggest business overseas; it’s grossed $777.1 million internationally thus far. The Walt Disney Co. on Sunday The Presidented the $1 billion milestone as “cementing another monumental achievement for James Cameron’s groundbreaking franchise.” But over the holidays, it wasn’t just about the weekend ticket sales. The whole week was a lucrative one for Hollywood, with most schools still out. What drove ticket sales, beyond “Avatar”? Sydney Sweeney, Timothée Chalamet and “Zootopia 2.” The most sustained success over the holiday collider in theaters belonged to a movie that opened all the way back in November. Yet Disney’s “Zootopia 2” has had remarkable staying power. It landed in second place with $19 million, dipping a mere 4% from the previous weekend. The animated sequel has amassed $1.59 billion in six weeks. That makes “Zootopia 2” Disney’s second highest grossing animated movie ever, trailing only 2019’s photorealistic “The Lion King” ($1.66 billion). “The Housemaid,” the twisty thriller starring Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, also emerged as a holiday-season hit for Lionsgate. It collected $14.9 million over the weekend, giving it $75.7 million domestically over three weeks. It dipped only 3% from last weekend. Internationally, “The Housemaid,” which cost a modest $35 million to make, has added $57.3 million. Just as Sweeney’s star power is propelling “The Housemaid,” so is Chalamet’s with “Marty Supreme.” The A24 release also held well in its third weekend, grossing an estimated $12.6 million. After two weeks of wide release, Josh Safdie’s frenetic table tennis tale has grossed $56 million in North America, passing the director’s previous film, “Uncut Gems” ($50 million worldwide). Just about everything playing in theaters saw small drops from the previous weekend. Sony’s action comedy “Anaconda,” starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, dipped 31% to collect $10 million in second weekend. Focus Features’ “Song Sung Blue” dropped only 17% in its second weekend with $5.9 million. The Hugh Jackman-Kate Hudson Neil Diamond cover band movie has earned $25 million domestically. With “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and a wide variety of smaller hits, Hollywood started 2026 strongly. Overall sales were up 26.5% from the same weekend in 2025, according to data firm Comscore. The movie industry is coming off a poor 2025, where domestic moviegoing continued to slide. U.S. and Canada ticket sales in 2025 amounted to $8.9 billion, a 2% increase from the year earlier, according to Comscore, but about 20% below pre-pandemic levels. That slight improvement was notably less than anticipated and was also boosted by higher ticket prices. Actual tickets sold declined from more than 800 million in 2024 to around 780 million in 2025. The industry is now awaiting a potentially seismic shift with Warner Bros., one of the most theatrical-friendly studios, agreeing to sell to Netflix. That $83 billion deal awaits regulatory approval. Yet studios are cautiously optimistic 2026 could be the best box-office year of the decade. A release slate filled with marquee franchises, including new “Toy Story,” “Avengers,” “Spider-Man,” “Super Mario Bros” and “Dune” movies, has raised hopes of a turnaround. Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” $40 million. “Zootopia 2,” $19 million. “The Housemaid,” $14.9 million. “Marty Supreme,” $12.6 million. “Anaconda,” $10 million. “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,” $8.2 million. “David,” $8 million. “Song Sung Blue,” $5.9 million. “Wicked: For Good,” $3.3 million. “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” $2.7 million. —Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer View the full article

J. Crew just revealed its apparel collection with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard teams for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. It’s an ode to retro ski aesthetics that even the most amateur athlete (or viewer) can get behind. The 26-piece collection, which includes everything from graphic sweatshirts and refined knitwear to ball caps, wool socks, and cozy leggings, is the first installment of J. Crew’s three-year-long partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, announced in March. Prices for the entire J.Crew U.S. Ski & Snowboard collection range from $49.50 to $498. It will be available online and in select J. Crew stores starting January 8. Each product collection is inspired by vintage logos and archival Olympic patches, blending touches of sportiness with laid-back, après-ski leisure. To package that aesthetic with this first launch, J. Crew has created an advertising campaign called “Alpine People,” featuring members of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team in a lighthearted spot that feels like Wes Anderson dropped onto the slopes in the ’70s. It’s a refreshing approach to Olympic-branded gear, which has been most closely associated with Ralph Lauren’s buttoned-up take on Americana aesthetics since that brand started designing Team USA’s ceremony outfits in 2008. Where Ralph Lauren’s Team USA collection for the 2026 Games has a more polished, preppy vibe, J. Crew’s collection feels both effortlessly casual and aspirational—a balance that can be tricky to achieve in a sport with a reputation for elitism. Vintage references offer a new route into chalet core In recent months, we’ve seen other brands put their own spin on ski apparel, including Nike x Jacquemus’s futurism-meets-’80s Après Ski collection, launched in late November, and North Face x Skims’ sporty, neutral-chic line, launched in early December. J. Crew’s interpretation, with its charmingly retro design and loungewear focus, feels like the best collection for hunkering down in a chalet with a hot beverage, even if you’ve never put on a set of skis in your life. To conceptualize the new skiing collection, J. Crew’s team started by consulting archival imagery of both ski apparel brands and Olympic games past. “We spent a lot of time immersed in the archives, both our own and U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s,” says Olympia Gayot, J. Crew’s creative director of women’s and children’s design. “We traveled to their headquarters and poured through historic imagery of the team and past Olympic moments, everything from old uniforms and outerwear to pins, patches, and ephemera that captured the spirit of different eras of the sport.” Details like the collection’s recurring red, white, and blue stripes and “U.S. Skiing” shield patch have a clear tie to vintage Olympic patches, which often featured the same color scheme and motif—typically alongside imagery like a torch, the Olympic rings, and, for skiing events, an illustration of an athlete descending the slopes. Dynamic athlete illustrations star in their own right across multiple items in this collection. One sleek line drawing shows a skier zooming down the slopes, which features on a comfy graphic tee and crew neck; as well as another of an athlete with their skis crossed mid-jump. “While we always start with our archives and brand DNA, the real inspiration for this collection comes from the sport itself, the skiers, the Olympics, and the energy of elite athletes,” Gayot says. Typographic call backs to American ski resorts of yesteryear The whole J. Crew Olympic skiing collection, and its accompanying campaign, is tied together by an ultra-’70s sans serif typeface, complete with blocky letterforms, bold curves, and a funky combination of caps and lowercase letters. Examples of this typeface appear in the apparel collection almost everywhere there’s lettering, as well as in the bright yellow, Wes Anderson-style captions that appear on the “Alpine People” campaign video. The typeface calls back to similar styles used in vintage ski apparel and destinations, including the Sugarloaf Ski Resort in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, which once had a groovy wordmark with a near-identical look. “You’ll see the vintage references reinterpreted in a way that feels timeless but also unique for this moment,” Gayot says. “Those elements show up across the collection as embroidered patches, knit-in graphics, and printed details, creating a through line that connects the heritage of both brands to the pieces in a way that feels thoughtful, nostalgic, and distinctly our own.” View the full article

In terms of boosting your sales prospecting strategy, having the right tools is essential. Tools like Cognism and ZoomInfo offer advanced search capabilities and real-time data updates. Meanwhile, platforms such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Lusha help you identify and engage with your target audience more effectively. These resources improve lead qualification and enhance conversion rates, but there are more options available. Exploring these tools can greatly impact your outreach efforts and overall success. Key Takeaways Utilize sales intelligence platforms like Cognism for accurate contact details and GDPR-compliant outreach to decision-makers. Leverage ZoomInfo’s extensive B2B database and AI-powered insights to enhance lead qualification and conversion rates. Employ LinkedIn Sales Navigator for real-time insights and InMail messaging to directly engage with targeted prospects. Use Lusha for its user-friendly interface to quickly retrieve verified contact information and technology filters for precise targeting. Access D&B Hoovers for in-depth market insights and analytics, enabling timely engagement with potential clients based on real-time business changes. Cognism Cognism is a robust sales intelligence platform that equips teams with accurate contact details for decision-makers, helping you identify and engage high-value accounts effectively. This platform stands out in the field of automated sales prospecting as it offers real-time data updates and GDPR compliance, ensuring you have the most relevant information for your outreach. With advanced search capabilities, you can filter leads based on specific criteria, streamlining your prospecting process. Cognism as well provides intent data, allowing you to pinpoint prospects actively seeking solutions. Recognized among the best sales prospecting tools, Cognism is particularly suited for larger businesses because of its customized pricing, making it a valuable investment for those looking to improve their sales prospecting software strategies. ZoomInfo ZoomInfo provides you with thorough access to a vast B2B contact database, featuring verified emails and phone numbers for over 75 million companies and 275 million professionals. Its AI-powered sales insights help you identify prospects actively seeking solutions, enabling you to prioritize leads based on their engagement signals. Moreover, the platform’s advanced search capabilities allow for hyper-targeted prospecting by filtering prospects according to specific criteria like industry, company size, and location. Comprehensive Data Access Accessing extensive data is crucial for effective sales prospecting, as it enables teams to identify and connect with potential customers efficiently. ZoomInfo stands out as one of the best prospecting tools available, offering a thorough B2B contact database filled with verified emails and phone numbers. This automated prospecting system allows you to leverage intent data, pinpointing prospects actively seeking relevant solutions. With advanced search filters, you can narrow down leads based on criteria such as industry and company size, enhancing your targeting efforts. Furthermore, ZoomInfo integrates seamlessly with various CRM platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot, streamlining your workflows. AI-Powered Sales Insights In the domain of sales prospecting, utilizing AI-powered insights can significantly improve your approach to identifying and engaging potential leads. ZoomInfo stands out as one of the best prospecting software options available, providing a vast B2B database with over 100 million verified contacts. Its AI-driven intent data helps you pinpoint prospects actively seeking solutions, enhancing your targeting strategies. With advanced search filters, you can segment leads based on industry, company size, or job title, facilitating automated prospecting efforts. Moreover, ZoomInfo integrates seamlessly with major CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot, streamlining workflows. Users report improved lead qualification and conversion rates because of real-time updates and detailed insights into buyer behavior and company trends, making it a top choice among sales prospecting platforms. LinkedIn Sales Navigator LinkedIn Sales Navigator stands out as a potent tool for sales professionals seeking to improve their prospecting efforts. As one of the best sales tools for startups, it offers advanced search filters that help you find targeted prospects based on industry, company size, and location. You’ll receive real-time insights about prospects, including job changes and LinkedIn updates, enabling timely outreach. Its InMail messaging feature allows you to contact leads directly, increasing your chances of engagement. Moreover, Sales Navigator integrates seamlessly with popular CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot, making it an effective choice among prospecting tools. By leveraging AI-driven lead recommendations, you can boost your prospecting efficiency and streamline your sales processes, making it a top contender for the best CRM for prospecting. Lusha Lusha is an effective prospecting tool that provides sales teams with accurate B2B contact information, enabling you to quickly access verified email addresses and phone numbers. As one of the best sales tools available, Lusha features a user-friendly interface that streamlines the process of searching for and retrieving contact data, making outreach more efficient. It integrates seamlessly with popular CRM systems, enhancing existing contact lists and improving your data quality. Moreover, Lusha offers technology filters, allowing you to target prospects based on their technology stack. For those looking for cost-effective options, Lusha likewise provides free sales tools to help you kickstart your lead prospecting efforts efficiently, whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise. Seamless.AI Seamless.AI stands out as an innovative B2B sales prospecting tool that leverages artificial intelligence to deliver up-to-date contact information for sales teams. This tool provides real-time access to crucial data, enhancing your lead generation efforts. With its user-friendly Chrome extension, you can gather insights effortlessly during your web browsing, making it one of the best free prospecting tools available. Seamless.AI likewise includes an AI feature that helps craft personalized outreach messages, maximizing your email prospecting tools’ effectiveness. Remarkably, you can start using the platform for free, with customized pricing options for those needing additional features. To conclude, Seamless.AI greatly boosts your sales prospecting strategy by ensuring you have accurate contact details readily available. LeadIQ In relation to streamlining lead data management, LeadIQ proves to be a valuable asset for sales teams. This prospecting software captures and manages lead data efficiently, allowing you to improve your outreach efforts. With its seamless CRM integration, you can achieve real-time data enrichment, facilitating better collaboration among team members. LeadIQ’s user-friendly interface simplifies finding and verifying contact information, greatly cutting down on time spent on manual data entry. Furthermore, it provides real-time insights and analytics to track engagement levels, helping you prioritize leads effectively. Feature Benefit Importance CRM Integration Real-time data enrichment Improves team collaboration User-Friendly Interface Simplifies contact verification Reduces manual entry time Analytics Tracks engagement levels Prioritizes leads based on activity D&B Hoovers D&B Hoovers serves as a crucial resource for sales teams looking to improve their prospecting efforts. With access to over 120 million business records and 100 million contacts, you can refine your lead generation precision. This platform offers advanced search capabilities, allowing you to filter prospects by industry, company size, and location, making it one of the top sales prospecting tools available. Furthermore, D&B Hoovers integrates seamlessly with CRM systems, enabling efficient lead management. You’ll likewise benefit from insights and analytics that help identify market trends and assess potential clients’ financial health. Real-time alerts on business changes empower you to engage prospects at the right moment, positioning D&B Hoovers among the best business prospecting tools in the market. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Best Tools for Sales Prospecting? When looking for the best tools for sales prospecting, consider options like Cognism for accurate, compliant data, and ZoomInfo for extensive company insights. Lusha offers high-quality B2B contact information, whereas LinkedIn Sales Navigator allows for direct outreach through advanced search filters. Tools like LeadIQ and Seamless.AI improve your prospecting capabilities with AI-driven features. Choose the tool that best fits your needs and integrates well with your existing sales processes to boost efficiency. What Are the 5 P’s of Prospecting? The 5 P’s of prospecting are Purpose, People, Process, Product, and Performance. First, define your goals clearly to guide your efforts. Then, identify your target audience, focusing on decision-makers. Establish a structured approach to streamline research and outreach methods. Understand your product’s value proposition to effectively communicate benefits to prospects. Finally, evaluate your performance regularly, refining your strategy based on metrics to improve your overall prospecting effectiveness. What Is the 30 Day Rule in Prospecting? The 30 Day Rule in prospecting emphasizes following up with leads within 30 days of initial contact to improve conversion chances. Leads can lose interest quickly, so timely follow-ups are essential. Research shows that contacting prospects within five minutes of their inquiry greatly boosts conversion rates. Consistent outreach within the 30-day window, with customized messages based on previous interactions, keeps engagement alive, increasing the likelihood of closing deals. How to Improve the Strategic Prospecting Plan? To improve your strategic prospecting plan, start by defining a clear Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) based on firmographics and behavior. Utilize data analytics to identify high-value prospects, and leverage CRM systems to automate follow-ups. Incorporate personalized outreach methods, like customized emails or video messages, to engage leads effectively. Regularly analyze your engagement metrics to refine your strategies and guarantee you’re targeting the right audience for maximum conversion rates. Conclusion Incorporating these seven crucial tools into your sales prospecting strategy can greatly improve your outreach efforts. By utilizing platforms like Cognism, ZoomInfo, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator, you can access advanced search features and real-time data updates. This allows you to identify and engage with targeted prospects more effectively. As you leverage these resources, you’ll likely see improved lead qualification and higher conversion rates, in the end driving revenue growth for your business. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Essential Tools for Boosting Your Sales Prospecting Strategy" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In terms of boosting your sales prospecting strategy, having the right tools is essential. Tools like Cognism and ZoomInfo offer advanced search capabilities and real-time data updates. Meanwhile, platforms such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Lusha help you identify and engage with your target audience more effectively. These resources improve lead qualification and enhance conversion rates, but there are more options available. Exploring these tools can greatly impact your outreach efforts and overall success. Key Takeaways Utilize sales intelligence platforms like Cognism for accurate contact details and GDPR-compliant outreach to decision-makers. Leverage ZoomInfo’s extensive B2B database and AI-powered insights to enhance lead qualification and conversion rates. Employ LinkedIn Sales Navigator for real-time insights and InMail messaging to directly engage with targeted prospects. Use Lusha for its user-friendly interface to quickly retrieve verified contact information and technology filters for precise targeting. Access D&B Hoovers for in-depth market insights and analytics, enabling timely engagement with potential clients based on real-time business changes. Cognism Cognism is a robust sales intelligence platform that equips teams with accurate contact details for decision-makers, helping you identify and engage high-value accounts effectively. This platform stands out in the field of automated sales prospecting as it offers real-time data updates and GDPR compliance, ensuring you have the most relevant information for your outreach. With advanced search capabilities, you can filter leads based on specific criteria, streamlining your prospecting process. Cognism as well provides intent data, allowing you to pinpoint prospects actively seeking solutions. Recognized among the best sales prospecting tools, Cognism is particularly suited for larger businesses because of its customized pricing, making it a valuable investment for those looking to improve their sales prospecting software strategies. ZoomInfo ZoomInfo provides you with thorough access to a vast B2B contact database, featuring verified emails and phone numbers for over 75 million companies and 275 million professionals. Its AI-powered sales insights help you identify prospects actively seeking solutions, enabling you to prioritize leads based on their engagement signals. Moreover, the platform’s advanced search capabilities allow for hyper-targeted prospecting by filtering prospects according to specific criteria like industry, company size, and location. Comprehensive Data Access Accessing extensive data is crucial for effective sales prospecting, as it enables teams to identify and connect with potential customers efficiently. ZoomInfo stands out as one of the best prospecting tools available, offering a thorough B2B contact database filled with verified emails and phone numbers. This automated prospecting system allows you to leverage intent data, pinpointing prospects actively seeking relevant solutions. With advanced search filters, you can narrow down leads based on criteria such as industry and company size, enhancing your targeting efforts. Furthermore, ZoomInfo integrates seamlessly with various CRM platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot, streamlining your workflows. AI-Powered Sales Insights In the domain of sales prospecting, utilizing AI-powered insights can significantly improve your approach to identifying and engaging potential leads. ZoomInfo stands out as one of the best prospecting software options available, providing a vast B2B database with over 100 million verified contacts. Its AI-driven intent data helps you pinpoint prospects actively seeking solutions, enhancing your targeting strategies. With advanced search filters, you can segment leads based on industry, company size, or job title, facilitating automated prospecting efforts. Moreover, ZoomInfo integrates seamlessly with major CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot, streamlining workflows. Users report improved lead qualification and conversion rates because of real-time updates and detailed insights into buyer behavior and company trends, making it a top choice among sales prospecting platforms. LinkedIn Sales Navigator LinkedIn Sales Navigator stands out as a potent tool for sales professionals seeking to improve their prospecting efforts. As one of the best sales tools for startups, it offers advanced search filters that help you find targeted prospects based on industry, company size, and location. You’ll receive real-time insights about prospects, including job changes and LinkedIn updates, enabling timely outreach. Its InMail messaging feature allows you to contact leads directly, increasing your chances of engagement. Moreover, Sales Navigator integrates seamlessly with popular CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot, making it an effective choice among prospecting tools. By leveraging AI-driven lead recommendations, you can boost your prospecting efficiency and streamline your sales processes, making it a top contender for the best CRM for prospecting. Lusha Lusha is an effective prospecting tool that provides sales teams with accurate B2B contact information, enabling you to quickly access verified email addresses and phone numbers. As one of the best sales tools available, Lusha features a user-friendly interface that streamlines the process of searching for and retrieving contact data, making outreach more efficient. It integrates seamlessly with popular CRM systems, enhancing existing contact lists and improving your data quality. Moreover, Lusha offers technology filters, allowing you to target prospects based on their technology stack. For those looking for cost-effective options, Lusha likewise provides free sales tools to help you kickstart your lead prospecting efforts efficiently, whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise. Seamless.AI Seamless.AI stands out as an innovative B2B sales prospecting tool that leverages artificial intelligence to deliver up-to-date contact information for sales teams. This tool provides real-time access to crucial data, enhancing your lead generation efforts. With its user-friendly Chrome extension, you can gather insights effortlessly during your web browsing, making it one of the best free prospecting tools available. Seamless.AI likewise includes an AI feature that helps craft personalized outreach messages, maximizing your email prospecting tools’ effectiveness. Remarkably, you can start using the platform for free, with customized pricing options for those needing additional features. To conclude, Seamless.AI greatly boosts your sales prospecting strategy by ensuring you have accurate contact details readily available. LeadIQ In relation to streamlining lead data management, LeadIQ proves to be a valuable asset for sales teams. This prospecting software captures and manages lead data efficiently, allowing you to improve your outreach efforts. With its seamless CRM integration, you can achieve real-time data enrichment, facilitating better collaboration among team members. LeadIQ’s user-friendly interface simplifies finding and verifying contact information, greatly cutting down on time spent on manual data entry. Furthermore, it provides real-time insights and analytics to track engagement levels, helping you prioritize leads effectively. Feature Benefit Importance CRM Integration Real-time data enrichment Improves team collaboration User-Friendly Interface Simplifies contact verification Reduces manual entry time Analytics Tracks engagement levels Prioritizes leads based on activity D&B Hoovers D&B Hoovers serves as a crucial resource for sales teams looking to improve their prospecting efforts. With access to over 120 million business records and 100 million contacts, you can refine your lead generation precision. This platform offers advanced search capabilities, allowing you to filter prospects by industry, company size, and location, making it one of the top sales prospecting tools available. Furthermore, D&B Hoovers integrates seamlessly with CRM systems, enabling efficient lead management. You’ll likewise benefit from insights and analytics that help identify market trends and assess potential clients’ financial health. Real-time alerts on business changes empower you to engage prospects at the right moment, positioning D&B Hoovers among the best business prospecting tools in the market. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Best Tools for Sales Prospecting? When looking for the best tools for sales prospecting, consider options like Cognism for accurate, compliant data, and ZoomInfo for extensive company insights. Lusha offers high-quality B2B contact information, whereas LinkedIn Sales Navigator allows for direct outreach through advanced search filters. Tools like LeadIQ and Seamless.AI improve your prospecting capabilities with AI-driven features. Choose the tool that best fits your needs and integrates well with your existing sales processes to boost efficiency. What Are the 5 P’s of Prospecting? The 5 P’s of prospecting are Purpose, People, Process, Product, and Performance. First, define your goals clearly to guide your efforts. Then, identify your target audience, focusing on decision-makers. Establish a structured approach to streamline research and outreach methods. Understand your product’s value proposition to effectively communicate benefits to prospects. Finally, evaluate your performance regularly, refining your strategy based on metrics to improve your overall prospecting effectiveness. What Is the 30 Day Rule in Prospecting? The 30 Day Rule in prospecting emphasizes following up with leads within 30 days of initial contact to improve conversion chances. Leads can lose interest quickly, so timely follow-ups are essential. Research shows that contacting prospects within five minutes of their inquiry greatly boosts conversion rates. Consistent outreach within the 30-day window, with customized messages based on previous interactions, keeps engagement alive, increasing the likelihood of closing deals. How to Improve the Strategic Prospecting Plan? To improve your strategic prospecting plan, start by defining a clear Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) based on firmographics and behavior. Utilize data analytics to identify high-value prospects, and leverage CRM systems to automate follow-ups. Incorporate personalized outreach methods, like customized emails or video messages, to engage leads effectively. Regularly analyze your engagement metrics to refine your strategies and guarantee you’re targeting the right audience for maximum conversion rates. Conclusion Incorporating these seven crucial tools into your sales prospecting strategy can greatly improve your outreach efforts. By utilizing platforms like Cognism, ZoomInfo, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator, you can access advanced search features and real-time data updates. This allows you to identify and engage with targeted prospects more effectively. As you leverage these resources, you’ll likely see improved lead qualification and higher conversion rates, in the end driving revenue growth for your business. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Essential Tools for Boosting Your Sales Prospecting Strategy" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Need some help writing your emails? Through the wonders of AI and Large Language Models (LLMs), you can now get messages composed on your behalf in Gmail, in Apple Mail, in Outlook, and in many other email clients. Most of the time, the AI option pops up straight away, ready to give you however much assistance you need. The pitch is that you can offload the drudgery of dealing with email to AI, and move on to other tasks that may be more interesting and important. Anecdotally, I've spoken to quite a few people who now use AI chatbots in this way. But it's not something I'm ready to embrace, and I don't think I ever will. These are my reasons, which may or may not resonate with you, though I haven't mentioned the issues of energy use and copyright violations that hang over the use of AI more generally. You can keep asking if I want some help in Gmail, Gemini, but I'd rather switch you off altogether. I don't want to forget how to write The daunting blank email. Credit: Lifehacker Writing's pretty easy, really—most of us can do it from an early age without too much trouble. Writing well is harder, but you don't have to be a best-selling author to fire off a few emails. So is there any harm in using AI for some low-level email composing? It may be quicker and more convenient, but I'm not sure it's actually beneficial. As author David McCullough once said: "Writing is thinking." The skill of being able to choose the right word to put in front of the previous one gets the cogs of the brain moving, and forces some thought about what's being said. Word choice and sentence structure matters, even on the shortest and most banal of emails. I don't want to sit down at a laptop one day and find myself struggling to compose a few lines of text. Is that far-fetched? Perhaps not, based on reports from those who've already tried farming out emails to AI. "Is it difficult trying to get that thought in your head translated to an email?" asks Google. Well, yes, it is, and that's sort of the point. People deserve a human responseIt's fair to say a lot of us get an excessive amount of email (if you don't, consider yourself lucky). Chances are that plenty of your incoming email will be from people you don't know personally, but no matter the sender and the recipient in an email conversation, I think human responses are worth the effort. If all of our emails—arranging work drinks, applying for jobs, discussing a project—are written by AI, then we're heading for piles and piles of machine-written missives that lack any kind of nuance or personal touch. Imagine a group email chain where every response sounds the same, irrespective of who sent it. Even if I'm writing a simple "no thanks" email, if I'm communicating with another human being, I'm of the opinion that they deserve a response that has come straight from me. This is more of a principled stance than anything else, but I'm sticking with it. AI writes a lot of generic slop An AI email that sounds like a lot of other AI emails. Credit: Lifehacker Get AI to write a thank you note to someone who hosted an event you recently attended, for example, and you're going to get a rather generic spiel that's the averaging out of countless other thank you notes. It's going to be bland, impersonal, and forgettable. I can see the temptation to use AI to compose an important email—applying for a job, maybe, or appealing against a company decision—but your message is likely to end up reading like the algorithm-processed, mass-produced text that it is. You're going to sound like everyone else, basically (see the previous point). You could get AI to do a draft and then edit it, but if I started down this path, I could see myself making fewer and fewer edits to my messages, out of laziness or habit. I don't trust AI to get the details rightAI still makes lots of mistakes, though the chatbot developers don't tend to mention them much. If you're drafting an email about a new project pitch, a family get-together, a customer inquiry or whatever it is, there's no guarantee that an AI will get all the details right. The more important the content of the email, the more important this becomes. The companies pushing AI-driven emails seem to be of the opinion that we can all be chasing business leads, organizing colleagues, and expressing heartfelt feelings over email with the help of AI, but I'm not convinced. People make mistakes as well, but I'd rather trust myself than a black box of algorithms that aren't even fully understood by the developers who code them. Does AI know the people I'm emailing, and the specific details they need? Of course not. AI talking to AI is not a future I want We may not even need to click "send" in the future. Credit: Lifehacker To paraphrase George Orwell, if you want a picture of the future, imagine your AI sending thousands of emails a minute to everyone else's AIs, forever. At what point do we abdicate responsibility completely to chatbots, and just let them get on with it? I don't even want to take a single step towards that. Right now, not even the most enthusiastic AI fans are suggesting that we start sending AI-written emails out into the ether without checking and editing them first, but isn't that the obvious next step? I can almost see the Google I/O on-stage presentation now—get Gemini to handle everything, for the ultimate productivity boost. Preliminary studies already show that we forget almost everything we write using AI, which has worrying implications if we're sending out important information that needs to be recalled later. It's not a future I'm going to be signing up for, no matter how insistent the AI prompts get. View the full article

The countdown is on for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The torch relay is already underway and some of the top athletes are already making headlines. There are 16 sports in all, including some never seen before, and 116 gold medals are waiting to be awarded when competition begins in less than a month. This will be the most spread-out Winter Games in history: The two primary competition sites are the city of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the winter resort in the Dolomites that is more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) away by road. Athletes also will compete in three other mountain clusters besides Cortina, while the closing ceremony will be in Verona, 160 km (100 miles) east of Milan. Get ready for all of the events with this guide of things to know! Key dates to know Competition runs Feb. 4-22. Here are some of the big days to mark on your calendar: Feb. 4: Competition begins (curling). Feb. 6: Opening ceremony. Feb. 7: First gold medal events. Feb. 8: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing downhill. Feb. 13: Gold medal, men’s figure skating. Feb. 18: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing slalom. Feb. 19: Gold medal, women’s figure skating. Gold medal game, women’s ice hockey. First gold medals in ski mountaineering, a new Olympic sport. Feb. 22: Gold medal game, men’s ice hockey. Closing ceremony. How to watch Dozens of countries will stream or air each day’s events, with some delaying broadcasts until primetime depending on the time zone. That will be the case in the U.S., where Eastern time is six hours behind Milan and Cortina. NBC will carry showcase events at night while streaming sports on Peacock. Top storylines Athletes to watch: Two of the most decorated Alpine skiers in history, 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin, opened the World Cup season in dominant form, raising American hopes of a golden run in Cortina. Eileen Gu is back in freestyle skiing, as is Chloe Kim in snowboarding. NHL players are back on Olympic ice for the first time since 2014 so watch for the likes of Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. Venues: All eyes are on the hockey arenas in Milan, which were still under construction in December; the main rink will be about 3 feet shorter than NHL and PWHL players are used to. And the athletes’ village in Cortina is a set of more than 350 mobile homes. Russian athletes: Some sports federations are deciding whether to let Russians compete as neutral athletes but only after they are cleared by an independent review to ensure that they have not publicly supported the war in Ukraine and are not affiliated with Russia’s military or other forces. What’s new: Ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut while skeleton has added a mixed team event, luge has added women’s doubles and large hill ski jumping added women’s and men’s super team events. AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics —Associated Press View the full article

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is often referred to as "the most powerful tech event in the world," bringing together tech companies from around the globe to unveil their latest innovations. The massive event is held across various locations, including the Las Vegas Convention Center, The Venetian, Mandalay Bay, and The Sphere, and is a staple event for both companies vying for recognition and media outlets that cover them. One day into "Unveiled," the media-only prelude to the trade show, I landed on what might be my mantra for my CES 2026 experience. "Cool, if true," Associate Tech Editor Michelle Ehrhardt had said about a new product booth, summarizing how I felt about the conference as a whole. Since arriving in Las Vegas on Saturday as a skeptical first-time attendee, I have seen cancer-detecting scanners, smart irrigation systems, and more assistive robots than I can count. I have also rolled my eyes at tech-enabled shoe insoles, smart-companion teddy bears, and AI-powered dog leashes. But I have also seen more grounded tech that lives just at the edge of where science fiction and practicality meet: walk-assisting exoskeletons, smart helmets with fall detection and one-touch SOS commands, and assistive mobility tech that can convert any standard wheelchair into an electric one. In short, CES is both chock-full of BS and a glimpse into the future of clever, helpful, and groundbreaking tech. Tech Editor Jake Peterson, Senior Health Editor Beth Skwarecki, Associate Tech Editor Michelle Ehrhardt, and I will be on the ground at CES throughout the week, covering the biggest, coolest, and weirdest tech we can find. We'll also join CNET, PCMag, and others in awarding the Best of CES 2026 awards for a second year in a row. Follow us here and on social media to see what it's like to be at the world's biggest technology trade show, and share with us your thoughts, questions, and what you'd like to see. There's a lot more cool tech to come. If true, of course. -Jordan Calhoun, Editor in Chief View the full article

If you’ve been noticing that cobalt-hued water bottles have started to pop up everywhere you’re not alone. The water has recently made an appearance on shelves at major retailers including Whole Foods and 7-Eleven, starred in viral social media videos created by fitness influencer Ashton Hall, adorned on tables at the Golden Globes, and beginning this week, will star in a fresh new advertising campaign featuring WNBA point guard Skylar Diggins. All of these marketing efforts represent a more expansive pitch by Saratoga Spring Water that the brand’s premium-priced water isn’t just for fine dining– which has been the brand’s core focus for the past several years — it’s for everyone. From fine dining to cultural signal “We have an opportunity to speak to a lot more people than I think we thought we did,” says Kheri Tillman, chief marketing officer of Saratoga’s parent company Primo Brands, in an interview with Fast Company. “Consumers love the blue bottle and want to engage with it in many different places, as opposed to just fine dining. It’s a bit of an affordable luxury.” Saratoga’s total points of distribution has swelled by 69% during the first 11 months of 2025 compared with the prior-year period, the brand told Fast Company, citing data from market researcher Circana. While partnerships with Michelin-starred chefs like Buddha Lo are still important, Saratoga felt it had room to stretch to a wider audience and has done so through a pop-up speakeasy at a 7-Eleven in Los Angeles held in November, a brand partnership with BMX star Nigel Sylvester, and water-food pairings at fancy restaurants developed with water sommelier Martin Riese. “It creates, dare I use a water pun, fluidity between the partners,” says Christi Lazar, head of The Lab, the in-house creative agency at Primo Brands that vets external partnerships. She says the throughline through each of these relationships is a connection to water that feels as authentic as possible. A new face for a broader audience The brand’s next big new moment is an ad campaign starring Diggins, which debuts on January 5 just days before the Golden Globes, an event that Saratoga sponsors as its “official water.” The ad spot will run across broadcast television; Instagram, TikTok and other paid social channels; and print titles including paid social channels including Instagram and TikTok, and print titles including Vogue and Travel + Leisure. “Skylar was really interesting, because she was this great mashup of super high-end, with a great look that you would expect from Saratoga, but then also just this every day work, hard grit that you would need to be to be a professional athlete, as well as a mother,” says Tillman. Diggins tells Fast Company that the campaign is a good fit for her own brand because “obviously, as an athlete, hydration is extremely important.” But, she adds that the campaign, which ends with Diggins appearing in front of flashing paparazzi cameras on a blue—not red—carpet appearance, represented her life off the court that’s “more style, elegance, and how I like to dress.” Letting virality do the work The viral moment with Hall skewed more male. Tillman says that Saratoga opted to allow that cultural moment to play out without any interference from the brand. “You can’t plan a viral moment, but what you can do is make your brand relevant enough, to certain people, to make them want to have it by their side,” says Tillman. Primo Brands says it grew the company’s audience on Instagram by 77% in 2025. Primo Brands is a relatively new entity, formed late in 2024 through the combination of Primo Waters, whose brands included Mountain Valley and Crystal Springs, and BlueTriton, the water purveyor of Saratoga, Deer Park, and Poland Spring. The combined company now sells one out of every four plain water bottles in the U.S., according to beverage industry publication Beverage Digest, easily making Primo Brands the most dominant seller of branded plain bottled water. Private label plain bottle water accounts for 62% of the market, while soda giants Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Keurig Dr Pepper are all in the single-digits, Beverage Digest’s data shows. Premium water’s crowded next chapter Duane Stanford, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, tells Fast Company that premium-priced water brands like Saratoga and Smartwater have reported growth that’s outpaced the total plain bottled water industry, which in total reported a volume increase of 27% over the past decade through 2024. Saratoga, he says, elevated the brand’s positioning through a focus on distribution to fine dining restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality channels. “They made a conscious effort to do a lot more with that brand and premiumize it and take advantage of that blue bottle,” adds Stanford. Primo Brands says that the company’s premium portfolio, which includes Saratoga and The Mountain Valley Spring Water, posted a 126% increase in retail sales for the first 11 months of 2025 versus the same period a year ago, citing retail scan data from Circana. But the category is competitive and rival brands have also rolled out major ad campaigns in 2025. Coca-Cola’s Smartwater reunited with pitchwoman Jennifer Aniston for a new campaign as macroeconomic pressures have dampened some demand for pricy water. Around the same time, rival Sanpellegrino, which is owned by Nestle, debuted an ad spot with “The Sopranos” stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa. Primo Brands has also leaned on celebrities for its advertising, including the Saratoga-Diggins spot and an advertising campaign starring “Perfect Pitch” actresses Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson to promote the Splash Refresher brand. Tillman says it is key for Primo Brands to differentiate the marketing strategy for the glass adorned Saratoga and Mountain Valley from the regional water brands like Poland Spring and Deer Park, a portfolio of six names that focus on more hyperlocalized marketing and particularly leverage a sponsorship with Major League Baseball. Some of those brands are big sellers—Poland Springs is a billion dollar brand that’s only sold in six states—but, “the intention is to keep them regional,” says Tillman. Saratoga’s fine dining efforts are also continuing through the work the brand does with Riese, a German-born water expert who created his first menu to explain regional variations and flavor in his home country in 2005. “When it comes to water, our most important beverage on this planet, we’re treating it as a commodity,” Riese tells Fast Company. He works with restaurants like Gwen, the Los Angeles Michelin-starred restaurant by chef Curtis Stone, to cultivate a water menu with selections from nine different countries, including Fiji from the Fiji Islands and France’s Evian. Saratoga’s sparking water has enough fizz that it can be enjoyed with appetizers as a champagne replacement, says Riese, who works with Primo Brands as a paid partner. “I don’t see water as hydration,” says Riese. “And I think, especially here in America, a lot of people don’t understand and don’t know it yet, that there’s an epicurean side to water.” View the full article

President Donald The President’s plan to take control of Venezuela’s oil industry and ask American companies to revitalize it after capturing President Nicolás Maduro in a raid isn’t likely to have a significant immediate impact on oil prices. Venezuela’s oil industry is in disrepair after years of neglect and international sanctions, so it could take years and major investments before production can increase dramatically. But some analysts are optimistic that Venezuela could double or triple its current output of about 1.1 million barrels of oil a day to return to historic levels fairly quickly. “While many are reporting Venezuela’s oil infrastructure was unharmed by U.S. military actions, it has been decaying for many many years and will take time to rebuild,” said Patrick De Haan, who is the lead petroleum analyst at gasoline price tracker GasBuddy. American oil companies will want a stable regime in the country before they are willing to invest heavily, and the political picture remained uncertain Saturday with The President saying that the United States is in charge — while the current Venezuelan vice president argued, before Venezuela’s high court ordered her to assume the role of interim president, that Maduro should be restored to power. “But if it seems like the U.S. is successful in running the country for the next 24 hours, I would say there would be a lot of optimism that U.S. energy companies could come in and revitalize the Venezuelan oil industry fairly quickly,” said Phil Flynn, a senior market analyst at the Price Futures Group. And if Venezuela can grow into an oil production powerhouse, Flynn said “that could cement lower prices for the longer term” and put more pressure on Russia. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, The President said oil companies are “going to go in and rebuild this system.” A major shift in oil prices wasn’t expected because Venezuela is a member of OPEC, so its production is already accounted for there. And there is currently a surplus of oil on the global market. The price of U.S. crude oil lost 23 cents early Monday to $57.09 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gave up 18 cents to $60.57 per barrel. Proven reserves Venezuela is known to have the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves of approximately 303 billion barrels, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That accounts for roughly 17% of all global oil reserves. So international oil companies have reason to be interested in Venezuela. Exxon Mobil didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday. ConocoPhillips spokesperson Dennis Nuss said by email that the company “is monitoring developments in Venezuela and their potential implications for global energy supply and stability. It would be premature to speculate on any future business activities or investments.” Chevron is the only one with significant operations in Venezuela, where it produces about 250,000 barrels a day. Chevron, which first invested in Venezuela in the 1920s, does business in the country through joint ventures with the state-owned company Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., commonly known as PDVSA. “Chevron remains focused on the safety and wellbeing of our employees, as well as the integrity of our assets. We continue to operate in full compliance with all relevant laws and regulations,” Chevron spokesman Bill Turenne said. But even with those massive reserves, Venezuela has been producing less than 1% of the world’s crude oil supply. Corruption, mismanagement and U.S. economic sanctions saw production steadily decline from the 3.5 million barrels per day pumped in 1999 to today’s levels. The problem isn’t finding the oil. It’s a question of the political environment and whether companies can count on the government to live up to their contracts. Back in 2007, then President Hugo Chávez nationalized much of the oil production and forced major players like ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips out. “The issue is not just that the infrastructure is in bad shape, but it’s mostly about how do you get foreign companies to start pouring money in before they have a clear perspective on the political stability, the contract situation and the like,” said Francisco Monaldi, who is the director of the Latin American energy program at Rice University. But the infrastructure does need significant investment. “The estimate is that in order for Venezuela to increase from one million barrels per day — that is what it produces today — to four million barrels, it will take about a decade and about a hundred billion dollars of investment,” Monaldi said. Strong demand Venezuela produces the kind of heavy crude oil that’s needed for diesel fuel, asphalt and other fuels for heavy equipment. Diesel is in short supply around the world because of the sanctions on oil from Venezuela and Russia and because America’s lighter crude oil can’t easily replace it. Years ago, American refineries on the Gulf Coast were optimized to handle that kind of heavy crude at a time when U.S. oil production was falling and Venezuelan and Mexican crude was plentiful. So refineries would love to have more access to Venezuela’s crude because it would help them operate more efficiently, and it tends to be a little cheaper. Boosting Venezuelan production could also make it easier to put pressure on Russia because Europe and the rest of the world could get more of the diesel and heavy oil they need from Venezuela and stop buying from Russia. “There’s been a big benefit for Russia to see Venezuela’s oil industry collapse. And the reason is because they were a competitor on the global stage for that oil market,” Flynn said. Complicated legal picture But Matthew Waxman, a Columbia University law professor who was a national security official in the George W. Bush administration, said seizing control of Venezuela’s resources opens up additional legal issues. “For example, a big issue will be who really owns Venezuela’s oil?” Waxman wrote in an email. “An occupying military power can’t enrich itself by taking another state’s resources, but the The President administration will probably claim that the Venezuelan government never rightfully held them.” But Waxman, who served in the State and Defense departments and on the National Security Council under Bush, noted that “we’ve seen the administration talk very dismissively about international law when it comes to Venezuela.” Associated Press writers Matt O’Brien, Ben Finley, Darlene Superville and Rio Yamat contributed to this report. —Josh Funk, AP Business Writer View the full article

The state of incorporation is where your business is legally established, and it greatly impacts operational aspects like corporate laws, taxes, and compliance duties. Choosing the right state can influence your company’s success and long-term expenses. States like Delaware and Nevada are well-known for their business-friendly environments. Comprehending these factors is essential for making an informed decision, as the implications extend beyond just registration. So, how do you determine the best state for your business? Key Takeaways The state of incorporation is where a business is legally established, impacting its legal framework and operational regulations. Incorporation state influences tax obligations, with states like Delaware and Nevada offering favorable tax conditions. Corporate laws and compliance requirements vary by state, affecting annual fees and operational complexities. Delaware is popular for its flexible corporate laws and specialized court system, beneficial for larger businesses. Choosing the right state can lead to strategic advantages and long-term business success based on legal protections and costs. Definition and Importance of State of Incorporation The state of incorporation refers to the specific U.S. state where a business is legally established, and it plays a crucial role in shaping how that business operates. Fundamentally, the state of incorporation meaning encompasses the legal framework that governs your business, affecting corporate laws, operational regulations, and compliance requirements. Your choice of incorporation state influences tax obligations, legal protections, and operational costs, directly impacting your business’s success. For instance, Delaware is a favored state owing to its flexible corporate laws and specialized court system for resolving disputes. Selecting the Right State for Incorporation When you’re deciding where to incorporate your business, it’s essential to weigh various factors that can impact your operations and profitability. Here are three key considerations: State Taxation Laws: States like Nevada and Delaware offer no state corporate income tax for certain entities, which can improve your bottom line. Compliance Obligations: Incorporating in a foreign state may lead to additional annual fees and registration requirements in your home state, so consider the long-term costs. Corporate Environment: Delaware is popular for its flexible corporate laws and specialized Court of Chancery, making it appealing for larger businesses seeking investment. Evaluating these factors can help you choose the best state for your business incorporation, balancing benefits against potential costs. Legal and Strategic Considerations When you choose a state for incorporation, you’re not just picking a location; you’re establishing the legal framework that governs your business. This includes comprehending corporate governance rules, which dictate relationships among shareholders, directors, and officers, in addition to compliance obligations that can vary widely. Being aware of these factors is key to making informed strategic decisions that can affect your company’s long-term success. Legal Framework Overview Incorporating a business requires careful consideration of the legal framework that governs its operations, as this choice directly affects corporate governance, shareholder rights, and fiduciary duties. The state of incorporation shapes your company’s legal environment, influencing essential aspects such as: Regulatory Compliance: You must adhere to the laws of your chosen state, which can vary considerably. Operational Efficiency: States like Delaware and Nevada offer flexible corporate laws, simplifying management structures and reducing regulatory burdens. Legal Protections: The Internal Affairs Doctrine guarantees consistent governance by the laws of your incorporation state, no matter where you operate. Choosing the right state is vital for your business strategy, impacting not just your operational costs but also your overall legal protections and tax obligations. Corporate Governance Rules Corporate governance rules play a pivotal role in shaping how a corporation operates and interacts with its shareholders and stakeholders. The state of incorporation determines the legal framework governing these rules, including shareholder rights and fiduciary duties. Different states have various default rules that can affect your business objectives, making the choice of incorporation state vital. Delaware is often favored for its strong corporate laws and specialized Court of Chancery, which offers a predictable legal environment. The internal affairs doctrine states that a corporation is governed by the laws of its incorporation state, regardless of where it operates. Furthermore, organizational documents like bylaws allow for customization of governance, providing flexibility to meet specific needs. Compliance Obligations Explained Grasping compliance obligations is vital for any business, as these responsibilities arise directly from the state of incorporation and can influence your company’s operational strategy. Comprehending these obligations helps you avoid penalties and maintain a good standing. Here are three key compliance considerations: State Laws: You must adhere to the specific laws of your incorporation state, including filing annual reports. Foreign Registration: If you operate in a different state, you’ll need to register as a foreign entity, which adds costs and obligations. Internal Affairs Doctrine: This principle reinforces that your corporation is governed by the laws where it’s incorporated, making it important to know and follow those regulations for effective governance. Popular States for Incorporation When you’re considering where to incorporate your business, Delaware often stands out because of its business-friendly laws and specialized court system that handles corporate disputes efficiently. Nevada similarly attracts many entrepreneurs with its lack of state corporate income tax and no residency requirements for shareholders or directors. Each state has unique advantages, so it’s vital to weigh these factors based on your business needs and goals. Delaware Corporate Advantages Delaware stands out as a top choice for incorporation due to its business-friendly environment and legal framework. Many entrepreneurs find distinct advantages here, making it a popular option. Consider these key benefits: Flexible Corporate Structure: You can have a single individual serve as officer, director, and shareholder, simplifying governance. Court of Chancery: This specialized court handles business disputes effectively, providing a reliable legal environment. Low Franchise Tax: Delaware’s franchise tax rates start as low as $175 for small corporations, making it financially attractive. With over 1.5 million business entities incorporated, including more than 60% of Fortune 500 companies, Delaware’s reputation as a premier incorporation state is well-established, offering a compelling choice for your business needs. Nevada Tax Benefits If you’re looking for a state that offers significant tax benefits for incorporation, Nevada deserves your attention. The state doesn’t impose a corporate income tax, which means you can minimize your tax liabilities effectively. In addition, Nevada has no franchise tax, allowing your business to keep more earnings without added state taxation. With low filing fees, typically around $75, incorporating in California or Texas can be more cost-effective than in states like California or Texas. Moreover, Nevada’s business-friendly environment includes strong privacy protections, as it doesn’t require shareholder identities to be disclosed in public filings. You’ll also benefit from a streamlined incorporation process, with online filing options and quick processing times, enhancing your efficiency as a new business owner. State-Specific Considerations Choosing the right state for incorporation can considerably impact your business’s future, as each state offers distinct advantages and disadvantages. Here are three popular states for incorporation: Delaware: Known for its business-friendly laws and efficient court system, Delaware has no state corporate income tax for companies not operating within the state. Nevada: With no corporate income tax or franchise tax and minimal reporting requirements, Nevada is a cost-effective choice for many entrepreneurs. California: In spite of higher fees around $150, California attracts businesses owing to its vast market potential and strong economy, particularly in tech and entertainment. Each state has unique requirements and fees that can influence your decision based on your business’s operational needs and financial implications. IRS Classification and Compliance Requirements When you form a corporation, it’s important to understand that the IRS automatically classifies it as a C corporation, except you take action to elect S corporation status by filing IRS Form 2553. Compliance with federal tax obligations is significant, requiring you to file annual tax returns and maintain proper accounting records. Each state likewise has its own compliance requirements, including annual report filings and franchise taxes. Compliance Type Requirements Federal Compliance File annual tax returns, maintain records State Compliance Annual report filings, franchise taxes Consequences of Non-Compliance Penalties, fines, or dissolution Keeping up with both federal and state obligations is crucial to avoid legal complications and guarantee operational legitimacy. Factors for Choosing a Formation State Selecting the right state for incorporation can considerably impact your business’s long-term success and operational efficiency. When deciding, consider these key factors: Cost of Formation: Different states have varying formation and post-formation fees, which can affect your budget. State Taxation Laws: Assess corporate income tax and franchise tax requirements, as these can directly influence your profitability and cash flow. Compliance Provisions: Each state has unique compliance requirements that may impose operational constraints on your business. States like Delaware and Nevada are popular because of flexible corporate laws and no state income tax. Evaluating your projected revenue alongside state income tax implications is vital to determine the most advantageous state for your business incorporation. Frequently Asked Questions Why Does the State of Incorporation Matter? The state of incorporation matters as it shapes your business’s legal environment. It determines governance rules, compliance requirements, and taxation, which can impact your operations and profitability. For instance, incorporating in states like Delaware or Nevada offers favorable laws and tax benefits, attracting investors who seek stability. Your choice influences how easily you can raise capital and align your business strategies with applicable legal frameworks, in the end affecting your company’s success. What Is Incorporation and Why Is It Important? Incorporation is the legal process that establishes your business as a separate entity from its owners, offering limited liability protection. This means you’re only responsible for the company’s debts up to your investment amount. Incorporation is important since it improves credibility, simplifies ownership transfer, and can provide tax benefits. Nonetheless, it additionally requires compliance with state regulations and formal governance structures, which can complicate operations but ultimately safeguard your interests. What Is the State of Incorporation Mean? The state of incorporation refers to the specific U.S. state where your business is legally registered. This choice affects various aspects of your operations, including tax obligations, legal protections, and compliance requirements. Different states offer unique corporate laws; for instance, Delaware is popular for its business-friendly regulations. Your incorporation state dictates governance rules, shareholder rights, and fiduciary duties, which can align with or contradict your business goals, making this decision essential for your strategy. Why Does It Matter Where a Company Is Incorporated? Where a company is incorporated matters due to it influencing its legal framework, tax obligations, and compliance requirements. Different states have varying corporate laws, which can affect governance and shareholder rights. For instance, incorporating in states like Delaware or Nevada may offer advantages such as lower taxes and specialized courts. Furthermore, incorporating in your home state simplifies operations, avoiding the intricacies and costs of foreign qualification when doing business in other states. Conclusion Incorporating your business in the right state is essential for its success and operational efficiency. The choice affects legal obligations, tax liabilities, and compliance requirements. By comprehending the specific advantages and disadvantages of different states, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals. Whether you opt for a state like Delaware for its favorable laws or another state that meets your needs, this choice will influence your company’s long-term viability and growth. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is the State of Incorporation and Why Does It Matter?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The state of incorporation is where your business is legally established, and it greatly impacts operational aspects like corporate laws, taxes, and compliance duties. Choosing the right state can influence your company’s success and long-term expenses. States like Delaware and Nevada are well-known for their business-friendly environments. Comprehending these factors is essential for making an informed decision, as the implications extend beyond just registration. So, how do you determine the best state for your business? Key Takeaways The state of incorporation is where a business is legally established, impacting its legal framework and operational regulations. Incorporation state influences tax obligations, with states like Delaware and Nevada offering favorable tax conditions. Corporate laws and compliance requirements vary by state, affecting annual fees and operational complexities. Delaware is popular for its flexible corporate laws and specialized court system, beneficial for larger businesses. Choosing the right state can lead to strategic advantages and long-term business success based on legal protections and costs. Definition and Importance of State of Incorporation The state of incorporation refers to the specific U.S. state where a business is legally established, and it plays a crucial role in shaping how that business operates. Fundamentally, the state of incorporation meaning encompasses the legal framework that governs your business, affecting corporate laws, operational regulations, and compliance requirements. Your choice of incorporation state influences tax obligations, legal protections, and operational costs, directly impacting your business’s success. For instance, Delaware is a favored state owing to its flexible corporate laws and specialized court system for resolving disputes. Selecting the Right State for Incorporation When you’re deciding where to incorporate your business, it’s essential to weigh various factors that can impact your operations and profitability. Here are three key considerations: State Taxation Laws: States like Nevada and Delaware offer no state corporate income tax for certain entities, which can improve your bottom line. Compliance Obligations: Incorporating in a foreign state may lead to additional annual fees and registration requirements in your home state, so consider the long-term costs. Corporate Environment: Delaware is popular for its flexible corporate laws and specialized Court of Chancery, making it appealing for larger businesses seeking investment. Evaluating these factors can help you choose the best state for your business incorporation, balancing benefits against potential costs. Legal and Strategic Considerations When you choose a state for incorporation, you’re not just picking a location; you’re establishing the legal framework that governs your business. This includes comprehending corporate governance rules, which dictate relationships among shareholders, directors, and officers, in addition to compliance obligations that can vary widely. Being aware of these factors is key to making informed strategic decisions that can affect your company’s long-term success. Legal Framework Overview Incorporating a business requires careful consideration of the legal framework that governs its operations, as this choice directly affects corporate governance, shareholder rights, and fiduciary duties. The state of incorporation shapes your company’s legal environment, influencing essential aspects such as: Regulatory Compliance: You must adhere to the laws of your chosen state, which can vary considerably. Operational Efficiency: States like Delaware and Nevada offer flexible corporate laws, simplifying management structures and reducing regulatory burdens. Legal Protections: The Internal Affairs Doctrine guarantees consistent governance by the laws of your incorporation state, no matter where you operate. Choosing the right state is vital for your business strategy, impacting not just your operational costs but also your overall legal protections and tax obligations. Corporate Governance Rules Corporate governance rules play a pivotal role in shaping how a corporation operates and interacts with its shareholders and stakeholders. The state of incorporation determines the legal framework governing these rules, including shareholder rights and fiduciary duties. Different states have various default rules that can affect your business objectives, making the choice of incorporation state vital. Delaware is often favored for its strong corporate laws and specialized Court of Chancery, which offers a predictable legal environment. The internal affairs doctrine states that a corporation is governed by the laws of its incorporation state, regardless of where it operates. Furthermore, organizational documents like bylaws allow for customization of governance, providing flexibility to meet specific needs. Compliance Obligations Explained Grasping compliance obligations is vital for any business, as these responsibilities arise directly from the state of incorporation and can influence your company’s operational strategy. Comprehending these obligations helps you avoid penalties and maintain a good standing. Here are three key compliance considerations: State Laws: You must adhere to the specific laws of your incorporation state, including filing annual reports. Foreign Registration: If you operate in a different state, you’ll need to register as a foreign entity, which adds costs and obligations. Internal Affairs Doctrine: This principle reinforces that your corporation is governed by the laws where it’s incorporated, making it important to know and follow those regulations for effective governance. Popular States for Incorporation When you’re considering where to incorporate your business, Delaware often stands out because of its business-friendly laws and specialized court system that handles corporate disputes efficiently. Nevada similarly attracts many entrepreneurs with its lack of state corporate income tax and no residency requirements for shareholders or directors. Each state has unique advantages, so it’s vital to weigh these factors based on your business needs and goals. Delaware Corporate Advantages Delaware stands out as a top choice for incorporation due to its business-friendly environment and legal framework. Many entrepreneurs find distinct advantages here, making it a popular option. Consider these key benefits: Flexible Corporate Structure: You can have a single individual serve as officer, director, and shareholder, simplifying governance. Court of Chancery: This specialized court handles business disputes effectively, providing a reliable legal environment. Low Franchise Tax: Delaware’s franchise tax rates start as low as $175 for small corporations, making it financially attractive. With over 1.5 million business entities incorporated, including more than 60% of Fortune 500 companies, Delaware’s reputation as a premier incorporation state is well-established, offering a compelling choice for your business needs. Nevada Tax Benefits If you’re looking for a state that offers significant tax benefits for incorporation, Nevada deserves your attention. The state doesn’t impose a corporate income tax, which means you can minimize your tax liabilities effectively. In addition, Nevada has no franchise tax, allowing your business to keep more earnings without added state taxation. With low filing fees, typically around $75, incorporating in California or Texas can be more cost-effective than in states like California or Texas. Moreover, Nevada’s business-friendly environment includes strong privacy protections, as it doesn’t require shareholder identities to be disclosed in public filings. You’ll also benefit from a streamlined incorporation process, with online filing options and quick processing times, enhancing your efficiency as a new business owner. State-Specific Considerations Choosing the right state for incorporation can considerably impact your business’s future, as each state offers distinct advantages and disadvantages. Here are three popular states for incorporation: Delaware: Known for its business-friendly laws and efficient court system, Delaware has no state corporate income tax for companies not operating within the state. Nevada: With no corporate income tax or franchise tax and minimal reporting requirements, Nevada is a cost-effective choice for many entrepreneurs. California: In spite of higher fees around $150, California attracts businesses owing to its vast market potential and strong economy, particularly in tech and entertainment. Each state has unique requirements and fees that can influence your decision based on your business’s operational needs and financial implications. IRS Classification and Compliance Requirements When you form a corporation, it’s important to understand that the IRS automatically classifies it as a C corporation, except you take action to elect S corporation status by filing IRS Form 2553. Compliance with federal tax obligations is significant, requiring you to file annual tax returns and maintain proper accounting records. Each state likewise has its own compliance requirements, including annual report filings and franchise taxes. Compliance Type Requirements Federal Compliance File annual tax returns, maintain records State Compliance Annual report filings, franchise taxes Consequences of Non-Compliance Penalties, fines, or dissolution Keeping up with both federal and state obligations is crucial to avoid legal complications and guarantee operational legitimacy. Factors for Choosing a Formation State Selecting the right state for incorporation can considerably impact your business’s long-term success and operational efficiency. When deciding, consider these key factors: Cost of Formation: Different states have varying formation and post-formation fees, which can affect your budget. State Taxation Laws: Assess corporate income tax and franchise tax requirements, as these can directly influence your profitability and cash flow. Compliance Provisions: Each state has unique compliance requirements that may impose operational constraints on your business. States like Delaware and Nevada are popular because of flexible corporate laws and no state income tax. Evaluating your projected revenue alongside state income tax implications is vital to determine the most advantageous state for your business incorporation. Frequently Asked Questions Why Does the State of Incorporation Matter? The state of incorporation matters as it shapes your business’s legal environment. It determines governance rules, compliance requirements, and taxation, which can impact your operations and profitability. For instance, incorporating in states like Delaware or Nevada offers favorable laws and tax benefits, attracting investors who seek stability. Your choice influences how easily you can raise capital and align your business strategies with applicable legal frameworks, in the end affecting your company’s success. What Is Incorporation and Why Is It Important? Incorporation is the legal process that establishes your business as a separate entity from its owners, offering limited liability protection. This means you’re only responsible for the company’s debts up to your investment amount. Incorporation is important since it improves credibility, simplifies ownership transfer, and can provide tax benefits. Nonetheless, it additionally requires compliance with state regulations and formal governance structures, which can complicate operations but ultimately safeguard your interests. What Is the State of Incorporation Mean? The state of incorporation refers to the specific U.S. state where your business is legally registered. This choice affects various aspects of your operations, including tax obligations, legal protections, and compliance requirements. Different states offer unique corporate laws; for instance, Delaware is popular for its business-friendly regulations. Your incorporation state dictates governance rules, shareholder rights, and fiduciary duties, which can align with or contradict your business goals, making this decision essential for your strategy. Why Does It Matter Where a Company Is Incorporated? Where a company is incorporated matters due to it influencing its legal framework, tax obligations, and compliance requirements. Different states have varying corporate laws, which can affect governance and shareholder rights. For instance, incorporating in states like Delaware or Nevada may offer advantages such as lower taxes and specialized courts. Furthermore, incorporating in your home state simplifies operations, avoiding the intricacies and costs of foreign qualification when doing business in other states. Conclusion Incorporating your business in the right state is essential for its success and operational efficiency. The choice affects legal obligations, tax liabilities, and compliance requirements. By comprehending the specific advantages and disadvantages of different states, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals. Whether you opt for a state like Delaware for its favorable laws or another state that meets your needs, this choice will influence your company’s long-term viability and growth. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is the State of Incorporation and Why Does It Matter?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Before we toss the year 2025 onto the temporal dungheap where it belongs, let's take a look back at the year that has passed from the point of view of the people who have to live here even longer than we have to. Below is a month-by-month replay of the year, focusing on the memes, events, and ideas that shape and define Generations Z and Alpha. January: "TikTok refugees" move to RedNoteFor Gen Z, 2025 began with a panic that turned into a unique cross-cultural experiment. In January 2025, ByteDance, the Chinese company behind TikTok, announced that it was about to shut down the social media platform in the U.S. Ahead of the shut-down (which didn't end up happening) a wave of TikTokers moved over to RedNote, another Chinese social media platform, but one that was previously only used in China. The result was a few weeks where very different cultures met on common ground, and it was low-key beautiful. Young people from China and the U.S. asked each other questions about their respective cultures, TikTok refugees showed off their newly acquired Mandarin-speaking skills, while RedNoters demonstrated their English by doing a lot of imitations of Donald The President, and everyone learned we weren't all that different. But it was only temporary: The geopolitical drama was solved (for now), TikTok stayed open, and TikTokers, for the most part, went back to their digital home—but hopefully young people took a little empathy with them. February: The rise of "6-7" Like it or not, 2025 is the year of 6-7. The ubiquitous slang term really started in late 2024 with the release of Skrilla's "Doot Doot (6 7)" video on YouTube, but it took a couple months to catch on and filter down to the schoolyard, and a few more months to become the biggest slang word of the year. As I'm sure you know by now, "6-7" doesn't mean anything specific, it's just a fun thing to say, but even with no definition, 6-7 has remarkable staying power. Even after every parent and teacher on Earth learned what it meant, kids kept saying it. Whatever was funny about the joke hasn't been funny for a long time, so maybe 2026 will see the death of 6-7, but I wouldn't put money on it. It seems like one of those jokes that will go from funny to unfunny and back to funny a million times until it finally dies. March: the "80/20 rule" In March, Netflix released the series Adolescence, a distressing exploration of the inner worlds of alienated young men. In Adolescence, one of the teenage characters mentions the “80/20 rule” as a way of explaining the incel/red pill culture central to the murder plot and central to the worldview of too many real-life young men. Put simply, the 80/20 rule is an axiom that states 80% of women are attracted to only 20% of men. Despite being based on almost nothing, in incel spaces, the 80/20 rule is regarded as absolute truth, and the 80/20 rule (and other "mano-sphere" ideas) are spreading to more mainstream young people. Understanding the pervasiveness of belief in the 80/20 rule is essential to understanding the specific strain of misogyny that's afflicting young people. There's a helplessness implied by it—the 80/20 rule, like the rest of incels' elaborate theories about how men and women relate to each other, boils down to "it's not my fault, and there's nothing I can do to change my situation." The spread of the 80/20 rule is the almighty algorithm rewarding the worst in people, and victims often have too few real-life relationships to reveal the obvious flaw in the rule's logic. April: A Minecraft Movie In their fractured and balkanized media landscape, Generations Z and A have few shared cultural experiences, but in 2025, A Minecraft Movie was a rare exception. The pre-release buzz (and "chicken-jockey!" memes) suggested that many young people were expecting an ironically enjoyable experience—something "so bad it's good"—but A Minecraft Movie is actually so good it's good, and appealed to everyone, younger kids, teenagers, and parents alike. Tapping Jared Hess—who helmed Napoleon Dynamite—to direct was inspired, as was the casting of Jack Black and Jason Momoa, but the real star of A Minecraft Movie is Minecraft, a video game that was released in 2009 and still has an estimated 200 million people (mostly young) playing it regularly. The success of A Minecraft Movie (and The Super Mario Bros Movie in 2023) indicates that Hollywood has finally figured out how to make decent movies out of video games. May: "100 men vs. one gorilla""Who would win in a fight to the death, one gorilla or 100 men?" sounds like a dumb question at first, but the more you think about it, the deeper it gets. My first thought was 100 men are taking it, no problem, but then I considered the overwhelming power of an enraged gorilla, how it could literally tear off limbs and bite off faces, and the scale started tipping heavily the other way. No matter where you land on the answer, the question is fascinating, and the internet was briefly obsessed with this imaginary battle in May. Taking a broader view, the debates, memes, and TikTok videos the gorilla question birthed are an illustration of how the technology that connects us took what would have been an interesting hypothetical discussion among a few weird friends 20 years ago and turned it into a worldwide discussion and convenient excuse to learn about primates. June: Steal a Brainrot"Steal a Brainrot" came out in late May 2025, and by June, all the kids were playing it; 20 million of them, anyway. "Steal a Brainrot" is a multiplayer mini-game within maxi-games Roblox and Fortnite. In a game of Brainrot, up to eight players share a server, and each has their own base. The object of the game is to buy brainrots for your base and/or steal brainrots from other players' bases, while defending your own brainrots from thieves. The brainrots themselves are objects meant to reference "Italian brainrot," i.e.: low-quality internet memes. They vary in value and have vaguely Italian names, but they aren't based on actual brainrot memes. The lesson: Good game design only needs the lightest hook to create a compelling experience. July: the death of fart jokes?In July, teachers and parents posted videos that may point to one of the most defining cultural touchstones of Generation Alpha: they don't think fart jokes are funny. They don't laugh when someone farts in public. They don't feel the need to say "He who smelt it, dealt it." I realize a couple TikTok videos is the opposite of hard evidence, but judging from the comments and the kids being interviewed, it feels true, and important. Gen A don't seem like they're trying to be accepting of others, or mature; they seem genuinely bewildered by the idea that anyone would think farts are funny. Which is cool; they're right. But still, I can't help but feel sad for the poor fart jokes that have brought us all so much joy for so many centuries. August: performative malesThe "performative male" is another "gift" from the toxic-masculinity corner of youth culture. The term is an insult young men throw at other young men whose tastes, hobbies, and lifestyle are seen as a performance aimed at obtaining societal approval, especially the approval of young women. Performative male traits include matcha lattes, Labubu toys, listening to Clairo, tote bags, and reading in public. "Performative male" is mildly sexist on the surface—it's mocking dudes who like things associated with women (gasp)—but if you go deeper, it's similar to older slang words like “white knight” and “virtue signaling.” A performative male is fundamentally dishonest, because no real man would read in public, so it must be fake, and why would men be fake if not to make women like them? September: the tragic story of D4vdIf young people are going to remember any news story from 2025, it's likely to be the one about singer D4vd. On September 8, Los Angeles police discovered a body in the trunk of an abandoned Tesla registered to 20-year-old musician David Anthony Burke, aka D4vd. The body was later identified as the remains of Celeste Rivas, who was reported missing from her home in Riverside on April 5, 2024, when she was just 13 years old. The singer's rise to fame is a quintessentially Generation Z story. His career began with online fame gained through posting Fortnite videos online, but YouTube removed his content for using copyrighted music. At the suggestion of his mom, D4vd began recording original songs using free iPhone tools, which he posted to SoundCloud. The end result was a recording contract, an album, a couple of moody, dreamy songs with over 1.5 billion plays on Spotify, and a body in the trunk of a car. D4vd has not been charged with any crimes in connection with the body, but neither has anyone else, so this story is likely to continue into 2026. October: Portland frog and chicken protestorsThis year, young people in Portland changed the perception of what "protesting" means. At demonstrations against Federal immigration enforcement, young people started showing up dressed in colorful, inflatable Halloween costumes. Frog guy was first. Then chicken guy. Then a panoply of unicorns and other fanciful creatures. The idea seems to be to highlight the farce of a heavy police presence on American streets by appearing as harmless as possible. Protestors have been using ridiculousness to make their point since protests began, but the instant, worldwide dissemination of videos from Portland's "front line" is fairly new, and they really deliver the message. Images of heavily armed and armored law enforcement officers staring down Portland weirdos in unicorn and panda costumes makes a more compelling point than would clashes with radicals in ski masks—you don't have to think very hard to know which side you're on. November: quarter zipsA quarter zip is a pullover sweater with a zipper that goes a quarter way down the chest, and it's becoming the go-to look for young men, especially Black men. Wearing a quarter zip isn't exactly "dressed up," but it's more sophisticated than rocking athleisure wear. More importantly, the quarter zip is often a signifier of status and intention. Like flannel shirts in previous generations, the quarter zip is marks one as belonging to an in group, being a “quarter zip man," and the even being part of the “quarter zip movement.” December: millennial optimismThe younger generation closed out the year by looking backwards, but only a little bit backwards. The trend of December was "millennial optimism," the romanticization of the years around 2010. Some younger people imagine it as as a more innocent, hopeful time that they missed out on, and many millennials who were setting those trends in the 2010s are feeling nostalgic for their lost youth/relevance, so both groups are posting TikTok videos about "millennial optimism." Being older than both groups, I can say with confidence that both groups are wrong for different reasons. "Missed-out-on-it" types are wrong because a period that included the recession of 2008 and the election of Donald The President was not "optimistic," and the millennials only think of it as a fun, awesome time because it's when millennials were young (and having a fun, awesome time.) View the full article

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An HR compliance audit is a vital process that evaluates your organization’s human resources practices against established laws and regulations. This assessment not merely helps identify potential compliance issues but likewise reveals outdated practices that could hinder operational efficiency. By ensuring that your HR policies are aligned with legal requirements, you protect your organization from penalties and lawsuits. Comprehending the key components of these audits can greatly impact your talent acquisition and retention strategies, making it imperative to explore their benefits further. Key Takeaways HR compliance audits assess HR policies and practices for alignment with laws and regulations, ensuring organizations avoid legal pitfalls. They identify non-compliance issues that could lead to costly penalties or lawsuits, protecting the organization’s financial health. Audits improve operational efficiency by revealing outdated practices and facilitating updates to HR policies. Regular audits promote accountability and transparency, fostering trust among employees and enhancing workplace culture. Conducting HR compliance audits provides a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining top talent through a compliant and trustworthy environment. Understanding HR Compliance Audits Grasping HR compliance audits is vital for any organization looking to maintain lawful operations and cultivate a positive workplace environment. An HR compliance audit is a thorough evaluation of your organization’s HR policies, procedures, and practices, ensuring they align with applicable laws and regulations. This human resource audit includes evaluating employee documentation, payroll practices, and compliance with workplace safety standards at federal, state, and local levels. Regular HR compliance audits help you identify potential areas of non-compliance and operational inefficiencies, allowing you to address issues proactively before they escalate into legal disputes. Conducting these audits encourages a culture of accountability and transparency, enhancing employee trust and morale. In the end, HR compliance audits serve as a strategic tool for long-term business success, supporting the alignment of your HR practices with organizational goals as well as reducing the risk of penalties from non-compliance. Importance of HR Compliance Audits Recognizing the importance of HR compliance audits is vital for any organization aiming to navigate the complex terrain of employment law effectively. These audits play a significant role in identifying non-compliance issues that could lead to costly penalties, protecting your organization from potential lawsuits and fines. By conducting regular audits, you nurture a culture of accountability and transparency, which can greatly improve employee trust and morale. Moreover, HR compliance audits help boost operational efficiency by revealing outdated or ineffective HR policies, allowing for better alignment with current laws. Proactively addressing compliance gaps supports your sustainable growth strategy, ensuring adherence to evolving regulatory changes. Furthermore, regular audits can provide a competitive advantage by improving workplace culture, eventually enhancing your organization’s ability to attract and retain top talent. Key Components of HR Compliance Audits To effectively manage compliance risks, organizations must focus on the key components of HR compliance audits. First, conduct a thorough review of your policies and procedures to guarantee they align with federal, state, and local employment laws. It’s essential that your employee handbook accurately communicates company policies and is updated regularly to reflect any legal changes. Furthermore, maintaining and securing employee records is imperative for safeguarding sensitive information and complying with data privacy regulations. You’ll also need to verify the accuracy of employee classifications, payroll practices, and adherence to workplace safety standards. Finally, an all-encompassing examination of HR functions during the audit helps identify potential compliance gaps proactively. This minimizes legal risks and cultivates a fair workplace environment, eventually enhancing your organization’s overall compliance posture and employee satisfaction. The HR Process Audit How can organizations guarantee their HR functions remain effective and compliant? One of the most reliable methods is conducting an HR process audit. This thorough evaluation examines HR functions such as recordkeeping, hiring processes, and safety compliance, ensuring they align with legal standards and organizational policies. Key steps include defining the audit scope, collecting relevant documents, and interviewing HR personnel to assess how policies are practically applied. Benefits and Best Practices of HR Compliance Audits Even though many organizations recognize the importance of HR compliance audits, the specific benefits and best practices can greatly boost their effectiveness. Regular audits help you identify potential compliance gaps early, mitigating legal risks and preventing costly penalties. They likewise improve operational efficiency by revealing outdated HR practices, leading to better resource allocation. Moreover, conducting audits promotes a culture of accountability and transparency, which boosts employee trust and morale. To maximize the benefits, consider implementing the following best practices: Best Practices Benefits Frequency Annual audits Early identification of gaps Annually Continuous improvement Stay updated with laws Ongoing Employee training (e.g., EasyLlama) Reinforce comprehension As needed Documentation review Improve process efficiency Bi-annually Feedback mechanisms Improve transparency Regularly Frequently Asked Questions What Is an HR Compliance Audit? An HR compliance audit is a thorough evaluation of your organization’s HR policies and practices. It checks for alignment with legal and regulatory standards, reviewing employee documentation, payroll practices, and workplace safety. By identifying potential compliance gaps, it helps you mitigate risks and avoid costly penalties. Regular audits improve transparency, bolster employee morale, and guarantee your HR practices adapt to evolving laws, keeping your organization legally sound and operationally efficient. What Is HR Audit and Its Importance? An HR audit evaluates your organization’s HR policies and practices, ensuring they meet legal requirements and standards. It identifies compliance gaps, which helps mitigate risks associated with employment law violations. The importance of an HR audit lies in its ability to improve transparency and trust within your workforce, streamline processes, and adapt to evolving regulations. Regular audits can furthermore improve operational efficiency and support your efforts in attracting and retaining top talent effectively. What Is Compliance in HR and Why Is It Important? Compliance in HR means following employment laws and regulations at local, state, and federal levels. It’s vital since it helps you avoid legal issues that can lead to hefty fines or lawsuits, affecting your organization’s reputation. By ensuring compliance, you create a fair workplace, enhancing employee trust and morale, which boosts productivity and retention. Regularly evaluating your HR practices through audits helps identify and address potential compliance gaps proactively, safeguarding your organization’s interests. Why Is Compliance Audit Important? Compliance audits are essential for maintaining adherence to legal standards and regulations in your organization. They help you identify non-compliance areas, preventing costly penalties or lawsuits. Regular audits promote a culture of transparency and accountability, enhancing employee trust. By updating outdated policies and improving operational efficiency, compliance audits support overall business performance and sustainable growth. Staying informed about regulatory changes guarantees that your HR practices remain aligned with current legal requirements, safeguarding your organization’s reputation. Conclusion In conclusion, an HR compliance audit is essential for ensuring your organization adheres to legal standards and best practices. By regularly evaluating your HR policies and procedures, you can identify potential risks, improve operational efficiency, and promote a culture of accountability. Implementing effective audit practices not just protects your organization from legal issues but furthermore strengthens your talent acquisition and retention efforts. Prioritizing HR compliance audits supports sustainable growth and positions your organization for long-term success. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Is HR Compliance Audit and Why Is It Essential?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

An HR compliance audit is a vital process that evaluates your organization’s human resources practices against established laws and regulations. This assessment not merely helps identify potential compliance issues but likewise reveals outdated practices that could hinder operational efficiency. By ensuring that your HR policies are aligned with legal requirements, you protect your organization from penalties and lawsuits. Comprehending the key components of these audits can greatly impact your talent acquisition and retention strategies, making it imperative to explore their benefits further. Key Takeaways HR compliance audits assess HR policies and practices for alignment with laws and regulations, ensuring organizations avoid legal pitfalls. They identify non-compliance issues that could lead to costly penalties or lawsuits, protecting the organization’s financial health. Audits improve operational efficiency by revealing outdated practices and facilitating updates to HR policies. Regular audits promote accountability and transparency, fostering trust among employees and enhancing workplace culture. Conducting HR compliance audits provides a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining top talent through a compliant and trustworthy environment. Understanding HR Compliance Audits Grasping HR compliance audits is vital for any organization looking to maintain lawful operations and cultivate a positive workplace environment. An HR compliance audit is a thorough evaluation of your organization’s HR policies, procedures, and practices, ensuring they align with applicable laws and regulations. This human resource audit includes evaluating employee documentation, payroll practices, and compliance with workplace safety standards at federal, state, and local levels. Regular HR compliance audits help you identify potential areas of non-compliance and operational inefficiencies, allowing you to address issues proactively before they escalate into legal disputes. Conducting these audits encourages a culture of accountability and transparency, enhancing employee trust and morale. In the end, HR compliance audits serve as a strategic tool for long-term business success, supporting the alignment of your HR practices with organizational goals as well as reducing the risk of penalties from non-compliance. Importance of HR Compliance Audits Recognizing the importance of HR compliance audits is vital for any organization aiming to navigate the complex terrain of employment law effectively. These audits play a significant role in identifying non-compliance issues that could lead to costly penalties, protecting your organization from potential lawsuits and fines. By conducting regular audits, you nurture a culture of accountability and transparency, which can greatly improve employee trust and morale. Moreover, HR compliance audits help boost operational efficiency by revealing outdated or ineffective HR policies, allowing for better alignment with current laws. Proactively addressing compliance gaps supports your sustainable growth strategy, ensuring adherence to evolving regulatory changes. Furthermore, regular audits can provide a competitive advantage by improving workplace culture, eventually enhancing your organization’s ability to attract and retain top talent. Key Components of HR Compliance Audits To effectively manage compliance risks, organizations must focus on the key components of HR compliance audits. First, conduct a thorough review of your policies and procedures to guarantee they align with federal, state, and local employment laws. It’s essential that your employee handbook accurately communicates company policies and is updated regularly to reflect any legal changes. Furthermore, maintaining and securing employee records is imperative for safeguarding sensitive information and complying with data privacy regulations. You’ll also need to verify the accuracy of employee classifications, payroll practices, and adherence to workplace safety standards. Finally, an all-encompassing examination of HR functions during the audit helps identify potential compliance gaps proactively. This minimizes legal risks and cultivates a fair workplace environment, eventually enhancing your organization’s overall compliance posture and employee satisfaction. The HR Process Audit How can organizations guarantee their HR functions remain effective and compliant? One of the most reliable methods is conducting an HR process audit. This thorough evaluation examines HR functions such as recordkeeping, hiring processes, and safety compliance, ensuring they align with legal standards and organizational policies. Key steps include defining the audit scope, collecting relevant documents, and interviewing HR personnel to assess how policies are practically applied. Benefits and Best Practices of HR Compliance Audits Even though many organizations recognize the importance of HR compliance audits, the specific benefits and best practices can greatly boost their effectiveness. Regular audits help you identify potential compliance gaps early, mitigating legal risks and preventing costly penalties. They likewise improve operational efficiency by revealing outdated HR practices, leading to better resource allocation. Moreover, conducting audits promotes a culture of accountability and transparency, which boosts employee trust and morale. To maximize the benefits, consider implementing the following best practices: Best Practices Benefits Frequency Annual audits Early identification of gaps Annually Continuous improvement Stay updated with laws Ongoing Employee training (e.g., EasyLlama) Reinforce comprehension As needed Documentation review Improve process efficiency Bi-annually Feedback mechanisms Improve transparency Regularly Frequently Asked Questions What Is an HR Compliance Audit? An HR compliance audit is a thorough evaluation of your organization’s HR policies and practices. It checks for alignment with legal and regulatory standards, reviewing employee documentation, payroll practices, and workplace safety. By identifying potential compliance gaps, it helps you mitigate risks and avoid costly penalties. Regular audits improve transparency, bolster employee morale, and guarantee your HR practices adapt to evolving laws, keeping your organization legally sound and operationally efficient. What Is HR Audit and Its Importance? An HR audit evaluates your organization’s HR policies and practices, ensuring they meet legal requirements and standards. It identifies compliance gaps, which helps mitigate risks associated with employment law violations. The importance of an HR audit lies in its ability to improve transparency and trust within your workforce, streamline processes, and adapt to evolving regulations. Regular audits can furthermore improve operational efficiency and support your efforts in attracting and retaining top talent effectively. What Is Compliance in HR and Why Is It Important? Compliance in HR means following employment laws and regulations at local, state, and federal levels. It’s vital since it helps you avoid legal issues that can lead to hefty fines or lawsuits, affecting your organization’s reputation. By ensuring compliance, you create a fair workplace, enhancing employee trust and morale, which boosts productivity and retention. Regularly evaluating your HR practices through audits helps identify and address potential compliance gaps proactively, safeguarding your organization’s interests. Why Is Compliance Audit Important? Compliance audits are essential for maintaining adherence to legal standards and regulations in your organization. They help you identify non-compliance areas, preventing costly penalties or lawsuits. Regular audits promote a culture of transparency and accountability, enhancing employee trust. By updating outdated policies and improving operational efficiency, compliance audits support overall business performance and sustainable growth. Staying informed about regulatory changes guarantees that your HR practices remain aligned with current legal requirements, safeguarding your organization’s reputation. Conclusion In conclusion, an HR compliance audit is essential for ensuring your organization adheres to legal standards and best practices. By regularly evaluating your HR policies and procedures, you can identify potential risks, improve operational efficiency, and promote a culture of accountability. Implementing effective audit practices not just protects your organization from legal issues but furthermore strengthens your talent acquisition and retention efforts. Prioritizing HR compliance audits supports sustainable growth and positions your organization for long-term success. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Is HR Compliance Audit and Why Is It Essential?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Most people never change careers, which is remarkable when you consider how little evidence most of us had when we chose our first one. For many professionals, early career decisions are shaped less by talent or long-term fit than by convenience and coincidence. We follow friends into certain degrees, accept the first decent offer, listen to family advice, or pursue interests that feel meaningful at 18 but prove less durable at 38. These choices are understandable, but they are weak predictors of where our strengths will compound over time, or of what will sustain both performance and satisfaction across decades of work. In essence, we follow our own or other people’s intuition rather than facts or data, which is rarely a recipe for success. The problem is further compounded by how fast the ground has shifted, especially over the past decades. Even before the rise of generative AI, career predictability had been steadily eroding. Globalization, repeated economic shocks, declining job tenure, the collapse of clear promotion ladders, and the shift from stable organizational careers to project-based and boundary-less work all contributed to rising uncertainty. Longitudinal labor data shows that occupational half-lives were shrinking well before automation became a mainstream concern, with entire roles emerging and disappearing within a decade. In parallel, individuals were expected to manage their own employability, continuously update skills, and absorb risks once carried by employers or institutions. AI has not created this uncertainty so much as amplified it, accelerating the obsolescence of skills, compressing career ladders, and blurring professional boundaries. Knowledge and technical expertise, once reliable sources of differentiation, are increasingly commoditized. At the same time, employers place growing value on judgment, learning agility, influence, and curiosity, capabilities that universities still struggle to measure or systematically develop. The result is a widening gap between what people trained for, what they are good at, and what the labor market actually rewards. It is therefore no surprise that career anxiety is rising, even among people who appear successful on paper. Gallup data shows that roughly 60% of employees feel emotionally detached at work, while fewer than one in four strongly believe their job aligns with their strengths. LinkedIn data consistently finds that the average worker will change roles every three to four years, yet meaningful career pivots remain rare and often delayed until dissatisfaction becomes acute. At the same time, mobility has slowed. After the Great Resignation came what economists now call the Big Stay: people feel stuck rather than settled. They are rethinking their careers cognitively, but postponing action behaviorally. In other words, “job hugging” has replaced “job hopping”. So how can you tell whether you are merely going through a rough patch or whether it is genuinely time for a career pivot? Decades of research on career development, identity, and motivation point to four reliable signals. 1. Your learning has stalled, not just your motivation One of the most robust predictors of engagement and career satisfaction is perceived progress. When people feel they are learning, they tolerate stress and uncertainty better. When learning stops, even high performers disengage. Professor Herminia Ibarra’s research on career transitions shows that people rarely pivot successfully through introspection alone. Clarity follows action, not the other way around. If your role no longer exposes you to new skills, perspectives, or problems, that is not a temporary slump but a structural constraint. Before quitting outright, experiment: Be ready to fail smart, in the sense of learning from your experience and becoming wiser as a consequence. As the saying goes, “experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted to get”. For example, take on side projects, advisory roles, or temporary assignments that test alternative identities. Stagnation becomes dangerous only when experimentation stops. 2. Your strengths no longer translate into value Many careers falter not because people lose competence, but because the market stops rewarding what they are good at. Technological change makes this especially common. Skills that once differentiated professionals are automated, standardized, or absorbed into platforms. As I have illustrated in one of my previous books, AI is far more likely to automate tasks within jobs—changing the skills constellation needed to perform them—than actual jobs. Research on person–job fit shows that sustained misalignment between strengths and role predicts burnout and underperformance, even among conscientious high achievers. A useful diagnostic question is whether your best contributions still feel essential or merely adequate. Successful pivots rarely involve abandoning strengths. They involve redeploying them where they matter more. 3. Your career identity has become rigid Ibarra’s work highlights that career change is as much an identity transition as a skills transition. People delay pivots not because they lack options, but because they are overly attached to who they think they are supposed to be. This is also why authenticity is overrated: Why limit yourself to your past and present self when you can instead create or sculpt a broader, more diverse, and richer version of yourself? This is where the “squiggly careers” concept, popularized by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis of Amazing If, is especially useful. Modern careers are no longer linear ladders but adaptive paths, shaped by lateral moves, pauses, reinventions, and redefinitions of success. If you feel compelled to defend your current title, industry, or trajectory rather than evolve it, you may be protecting a legacy identity rather than building a future one. Indeed, progress is not a straight line! 4. You are succeeding externally but disengaging internally One of the most overlooked signals is sustained performance paired with declining well-being. Longitudinal studies show that people can maintain output for years after motivation erodes, but at a cost to health, creativity, and long-term employability. If your reputation is strong but your curiosity, energy, or sense of meaning is steadily diminishing, that is not ingratitude. It is misalignment. Career satisfaction is not a soft outcome. It is a leading indicator of future performance and adaptability. In short, we tend to romanticize career pivots as bold acts of reinvention. But the evidence suggests the opposite. Successful pivots usually happen through small, low-risk experiments that reshape identity over time, guided less by passion than by a disciplined willingness to revise assumptions in response to reality. In an era where work will change repeatedly, the real risk is not changing direction too often, but staying in place long after the signals suggest you should move. The most resilient professionals are not those with fixed plans, but those who know when the cost of standing still has quietly begun to exceed the cost of change. View the full article

Six incidents in six days follow a year without any reports of damage to underwater infrastructureView the full article

The geopolitical implications of President The President’s controversial weekend attack on Venezuela and the capture and extradition of its president, Nicolás Maduro, are still being digested by legal and security experts in the two days following the shocking announcement. What is more certain is the immediate market reaction from a select number of publicly traded stocks that have the potential to be impacted by the military action. Here’s how America’s top energy, defense, and tech stocks are moving on the first trading day after the U.S. intervened in the affairs of its South American neighbor. America’s oil and energy stocks soar Some of the most closely watched stocks today will be those of oil and energy giants traded on U.S. exchanges, particularly Chevron Corporation. The Texas-based oil company is the American energy giant with the biggest footprint in the region, notes CNBC, and thus the one primed to benefit the most from The President’s stated desire to “start making money for the country.” But Chevron isn’t the only one that stands to benefit. In a Saturday press conference addressing America’s military intervention, The President said, “We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies—the biggest anywhere in the world—go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure.” While the president did not name any specific companies, based on premarket trading this morning, investors seem to think that the following oil and energy giants stand to benefit from the intervention: Chevron (NYSE: CVX): up 7.3% Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM): up 4.5% ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP): up 7.3% Halliburton Company (NYSE: HAL): up 10.3% One interesting thing to note: Two prominent oil companies that trade on the New York Stock Exchange are currently down slightly in premarket trading. Those companies are Shell (NYSE: SHEL), down 0.7%, and BP (NYSE: BP), down 0.7%. Shell is a British-Dutch company and BP is a British company. Investors may believe that The President is unlikely to allow foreign oil companies—even those of its allies—to profit from America’s intervention in Venezuela. But investors are cautious about defense stocks America’s military intervention in Venezuela suggests that under The President’s second term, the U.S. may engage in a new expansionist hard power policy, directly using its military might to enforce changes around the globe. Indeed, as noted by Reuters, The President has already threatened another military operation against a southern neighbor—this time in Colombia. While the moral and legal aspects of such action are debatable, it’s undeniable that an expansion of America’s military action is good for the bottom lines of the country’s most prominent defense companies. However, investors so far seem to be taking a cautious approach to U.S. companies operating in the defense space, with many companies up only slightly in premarket trading on Monday: Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT): up 1% RTX (NYSE: RTX): up 0.7% Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC): up 1% General Dynamics (NYSE: GD): up 1% The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA): up 0.2% Defense-adjacent tech stocks are also up While many of America’s tech giants, including Google and Microsoft, have defense contracts, some smaller tech firms almost exclusively cater to the country’s military and security apparatus. Such companies likewise stand to benefit from increased U.S. military operations. Yet as of the time of this writing, investors also seem to be taking a more cautious approach to these stocks, which include: Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR): up 3.8% Honeywell International (NASDAQ: HON): up 0.2% L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX): up 0.7% View the full article

Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I’m Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning. Twenty twenty-six will be a year of financial corrections, AI-driven biological breakthroughs, and new thinking about cybersecurity and executive protection—at least according to the CEOs I recently asked to provide bold prognostications. Here’s how 12 of them responded. New threats, new protections Rick Caccia, CEO of AI security platform WitnessAI, believes 2026 will bring the first major AI-driven cyberattack that causes significant financial damage. After that happens, he predicts corporations will augment their existing security budgets, and those deals will close three times faster than current cycles as companies move fast to secure their systems. “Currently, enterprise AI spending remains largely compliance-focused as companies prepare for regulatory requirements in the absence of active threats,” Caccia says. An AI-powered attack will highlight the need for additional security investment, he says, adding, “This will create a new market dynamic where AI security moves from ’nice to have‘ to ’business critical‘ overnight.” Ted Bailey, founder and CEO of Dataminr, and Balaji Yelamanchili, CEO of ThreatConnect, see business leaders demanding threat intelligence that’s tailored to their specific organizations in 2026. Amid tight budgets and staffing shortages—not to mention AI threats—companies need real-time intelligence about threats, communicated in the context of their businesses and investments. They say information that can’t answer the question How does this affect my organization? is unhelpful, and that 2026 will see organizations matching data about external threats with the effectiveness of their internal controls to understand their true vulnerabilities. Filip Kaliszan, CEO and cofounder of software-driven building security company Verkada, predicts that attacks on politicians and executives will drive a “new era of investment and standardization in executive protection.” Rising threats, ranging from harassment and doxxing to high-profile physical attacks such as the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s Brian Thompson—will prompt boards of directors to think differently about C-suite security. “Just as cybersecurity teams measure dwell times, breach costs, and vulnerability exposure, executive protection teams will increasingly quantify risk reduction and operational impact—how many threats were identified, potential losses avoided, or disruptions mitigated,” he says. AI infrastructure evolves KR Sridhar, founder, chairman, and CEO of Bloom Energy, maker of fuel-cell energy systems, predicts that AI data centers and large-scale manufacturing facilities that need massive, reliable energy will move to onsite power rather than relying solely on the central grid. “As AI’s explosive growth collides with grid limitations, businesses and regulators will accelerate adoption of next-generation energy models that deliver clean, affordable, and abundant power,” Sridhar says. “This is essential for building a future where innovation and sustainability go hand in hand.” And Sami Issa, director and CEO of Global AI, believes the world will treat sovereign AI—a nation’s ability to use its own infrastructure and data to produce AI—the same way it treats national energy grids. “This shift may look sudden from the outside, but from my vantage point, the demand signals are already impossible to ignore,” Issa says. “Nations will compete to secure gigawatt-scale, single-tenant capacity, and the organizations that move early will define the next decade of AI capability and security.” Evan Beard, CEO and cofounder of Standard Bots, predicts the United States will hit 45,000 new industrial robot installations as AI-powered robots prove they can handle sustained production. He believes that first-time automation buyers, especially small to midsize manufacturers, will embrace the technology as industrial robots become more accessible and affordable. “By year-end, those new deployments will empirically confirm what American manufacturers already tell us: When companies adopt advanced robotics, they become more cost-competitive, improve productivity, and retain or grow their workforce in more technical and higher-wage roles,” he says. AI: big and small Bam Azizi, CEO and cofounder at Mesh, a global payment network, predicts the true engine of growth for agentic commerce—AI agents handling digital transactions—won’t be fueled by consumer shopping but by business-to-business applications, especially micropayment processing. “Agents are set to perform thousands of high-velocity, fractional transactions for API (application programming interface) calls and cross-border services that traditional card rails can’t handle,” Azizi says. Micha Breakstone, cofounder and CEO of biotech company Somite AI, predicts venture capitalists this year will prioritize investing in biotech companies that essentially transform cellular biology into a predictive engineering science that can transform medicine and drug development. He asserts that these companies “will be valued less like traditional biotech and more like Tesla. The value proposition to investors is not just the individual car (the drug), but the ‘autonomous driving software’ (the platform) that powers it.” A coming correction A few CEOs expressed concerns about overheated financial markets. “I’ve been in private equity for 31 years, and I’ve never seen anything like the current level of froth in the credit markets,” says Graham Weaver, founder and CEO of Alpine Investors. Indeed, corporate bond issuance and growth in the $1.1 trillion private credit market showed little sign of slowing last fall. “I can’t predict when this ends—maybe it’s 2026, maybe not—but as night follows day, it will end,” Weaver says. “When it does, and when debt becomes less available and the froth begins to fade, [over-leveraged] companies could face a very painful reckoning. My advice is to prepare now so the de-leveraging becomes a soft landing rather than a crash landing.” Sam Miller, CEO and cofounder of payments app Kasheesh, offers an even starker warning: “In 2026, America could face the largest financial correction in modern history, and AI will not be the safety net for everyday Americans.” As AI scales, he says, corporations will gain efficiency and speed, but small businesses and consumers will struggle. “We need AI built for inclusion, designed for those being left behind, to create a financial system that helps everyone rise, not just those already ahead.” Then again . . . If these projections feel unsettling, you can always take solace in the words of Kunal Kapoor, CEO of Morningstar, who takes a refreshingly contrarian stance: “I predict that most predictions will not come true!” (Disclosure: Morningstar’s executive chairman, Joe Mansueto, owns Inc. and Fast Company’s parent company.) Kapoor adds: “Put me in the optimist camp when it comes to thinking about the impact changing technology will have on our industry, the economy, or business landscape.” Indeed, being a Modern CEO requires a good measure of enthusiasm and sanguinity in the face of change and uncertainty, which we’re sure to experience throughout 2026. Your predictions What big changes are you anticipating in 2026? Send your bold predictions to me at stephaniemehta@mansueto.com, and I’ll compile the most compelling prognostications in a future newsletter. Read more: unpredictable predictions Axios Pro Rata’s Dan Primack collected one-line predictions on AI, life sciences, and more Three futurists weigh in on how AI will change the world in 2026 AI predictions from a ChatGPT pioneer View the full article

2026 will be a year of architectural showstoppers. Major projects, from corporate headquarters to sports stadiums and museums, will wrap construction and open to the public in 2026, bringing bold, sometimes audacious buildings to cities around the world. Here are nine buildings opening in 2026 to watch for. Arena Milano—opening in February Milan David Chipperfield Architects Built partly to host ice hockey games during the 2026 Winter Olympics, Arena Milano is a 16,000-seat multipurpose arena that’s expected to become a new center for sports and concerts in Milan. Pritzker Prize-winning David Chipperfield Architects’ design, done in conjunction with Arup, is the standout venue for this edition of the Olympics. An inverted triple-decker layer cake that calls to mind Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum in New York, the building is intended to evoke the elliptical form of the city’s former Roman amphitheater. Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s David Geffen Galleries—opening in April Los Angeles Peter Zumthor Inherently controversial, architect Peter Zumthor’s Wilshire Boulevard-spanning blob-like replacement of Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA’s) main gallery buildings has been more than a decade in the making, with no shortage of hand-wringing about its shape, cost, and necessity. The concrete building’s ink blot form spreads across a single elevated floor, marking a hard departure from the museum’s mid-century campus design. One early review—ahead of a slightly odd three-day preview in June 2025 of what was essentially an empty building—found the execution of Zumthor’s vision flawed, but also calls the building a refreshingly risk-taking piece of architecture. Hudson Valley Shakespeare Theater—opening in June Garrison, New York Studio Gang The Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center is the first permanent, purpose-built stage for Hudson Valley Shakespeare, an open air theater company that has been performing under a glorified tent since 1987. Tucked under a swoopy timber tortoise shell of a canopy, the new theater was designed by Studio Gang to shield performers and audience members from the elements and the sun’s glare during dusk performances. It’s also a picture frame for the site’s epic view, opening fully behind the stage to provide audiences a panorama of the ridgelines of the Hudson Valley. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Expansion—opening in June Bentonville, Arkansas Safdie Architects The 2011 opening of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Northwest Arkansas was a bold investment by Walmart heir Alice L. Walton in broadening access to world class art beyond the typical metropolitan centers of the U.S. Now, 15 years later, Safdie Architects has returned to broaden the museum’s reach even further. The project expands the museum’s space by 50% while extending the aesthetics of the original design. Future visitors may be unable to tell where the expansion begins, or that there ever even was one. Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library—opening in July Medora, North Dakota Snøhetta Set in the wide openness of North Dakota where Theodore Roosevelt ranched for years before becoming the 26th president of the United States, the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is a stunning earthship of rammed earth, mass timber, and a nearly camouflaged roofline. Designed by Snøhetta to physically blend into the landscape, the building is meant to reflect Roosevelt’s environmental stewardship and deep connection to the landscape of the North Dakota Badlands. Buffalo Bills’ Highmark Stadium—opening in summer 2026 Orchard Park, New York Populous The Buffalo Bills NFL team is moving on from its previous home of more than 50 years into a brand new 60,000-seat stadium. Despite—or possibly because of—Buffalo’s snowy winters, the stadium was designed to be an open bowl, welcoming the elements onto the field and all but the uppermost stadium seats. The stadium’s designer, sports architecture specialists Populous, calls it “one of the most intimidating home field environments in the league.” Lucas Museum of Narrative Art—opening in September Los Angeles MAD One of the most anticipated new cultural institutions in recent years, George Lucas’s $1 billion museum is hotly awaited both for its extensive art collection and its far-out architecture. Designed by MAD Architects with an integrated landscape by Studio-MLA, the spaceship-shaped building is a curvaceous modern behemoth in Los Angeles history-laden Exposition Park. Though his firm has built dozens of shapely museums and opera houses across China, this will be lead architect Ma Yansong’s first major cultural institution in the U.S. Atlassian Central—opening in November Sydney SHoP Architects When software giant Atlassian’s new headquarters building opens in 2026, this 39-story skyscraper will be the world’s tallest hybrid timber building. Made up primarily of six mass timber four-level buildings-within-the-building, the tower encases everything in a criss-crossing steel exoskeleton wrapped in operable glass windows. Designed by SHoP Architects, the tower is also a hybrid at ground level, preserving a historic train shed and converting part of it into the tower’s new lobby. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi—opening TBD Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Gehry Partners Possibly the last major project to be designed by architect Frank Gehry before his death in December 2025, the long-awaited Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is expected to open to the public sometime in 2026, 20 years after it was first announced. Appearing to be a jumble of funnels, tubes, and cubes, the museum fully embodies Gehry’s signature style. Its government backers hope the museum also taps into the energy of previous Gehry projects, like its counterpart museum in Bilbao, Spain. One official recently told a local newspaper the museum aspired to be “a civic space.” View the full article

A world order built around great power spheres of influence is a recipe for instability and conflictView the full article

A few months ago, I was scrolling through TikTok when I came across a video that stopped me in my tracks. It starred an animated frog, dressed in a wizard hat, robe, and pink nail polish, superimposed over a psychedelic background and speaking in a hypnotizing, ethereal voice. “It’s time to stop doing nothing, and start doing something,” he crooned. “I cast . . . motivation!” I’d stumbled across the Pine Wizard Frog—a recurring character on the official TikTok account of household cleaning fluid Pine-Sol. Pine-Sol’s page, with its surrealist visuals and hypnotizing songs, is an example of what I call “brain-rot-brand TikTok”: It’s a subgenre of digital marketing that rejects traditional advertising in favor of the kind of content that actually performs well on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Rather than selling products directly, brain-rot-brand TikTok embraces head-turning, often nonsensical choices, like fried visuals, abrasive design, and unsettling storylines, to spread brand awareness and—presumably—boost sales. A few years ago, most companies wouldn’t have touched brain-rot TikTok with a 10-foot pole. But as brands like Duolingo have built entire communities around bucking digital brand norms, others have gradually jumped on the bandwagon. Nutter Butter might be the first brand that went full brain rot, with hits like a Nutter Butter taking a trip to the playground on what appeared to be way too much acid. More recently, Brita, Amtrak, Sour Patch Kids, Brisk Canada, Mug Root Beer, and Dr Pepper have adopted some flavor of brain-rot branding. The strategy appears to be working. According to Clorox, which owns Brita and Pine-Sol, in the past year Pine-Sol was the only brand to crack the top 15 in TikTok’s #cleaning category (the other 14 were creators with followings). In June, Brita’s TikTok content raked in more than 44 million views. In July, Amtrak scored its most-viewed Instagram post of all time by trying out a weirder brand voice. And multiple years into its brain-rot experiment, Nutter Butter still regularly amasses millions of views with its TikToks. But as someone who’s now likely watched hundreds of these videos (for research, obviously), I’ve been wondering: Is brain-rot-brand TikTok cringe yet? As more and more brands try to break through the crowded attention economy with wackier social concepts, at what point does it stop feeling like they’re in on the joke and more like a desperate plea for attention? To get to the bottom of this query, I rang up Ryan Benson. He’s the self-described “social media menace” who led Nutter Butter’s original brain-rot strategy, helped build Sour Patch Kids’s uniquely threatening brand voice, and has since gone on to found his own creative agency, Loudmouth. We discussed Nutter Butter’s creepy ’60s commercial, a tea brand that’s weirdly into cheese, and Dunkin’s horny spider donut. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Can you give a bit of background on the brand story you were telling with Nutter Butter? Why did it make sense to go so weird—even weirder than Duolingo, which many people cite as the OG unhinged brand? With Nutter Butter, our agency contract was for I think 23 Mondelēz brands. Nutter Butter was a tier three—there were three tiers, so they were on the bottom. Like a C-list snack? Yes, exactly. And that meant the resources that were available to each brand were fully dependent on what tier they were. So tier one is Oreo, and as you can imagine Oreo has six agencies working for it and endless resources. There are ads on TV, billboards, all sorts of agencies. Nutter Butter had $2,000 in an expense account and me. The narrative we were working with was, this is an old cookie, there’s not a lot of story here. What can we do to get people talking about Nutter Butter? And as we experimented with different formats—brain rot being one of those—what we learned is people were left asking, “Is Nutter Butter okay?” And we were like, “Hey, it’s not, ‘How do I buy a Nutter Butter off the shelf,’ but they’re talking about this.” Nutter Butter So then we learned how to feed the conversations that they wanted to see. We picked up from the comments like, “Oh, they’re talking about this aspect of the photo–let’s make sure that we edit that into the next one.” Or, “They’re noticing that we put Morse code in the bottom of the image. Let’s make sure we put a message in a different coded language in the next one.” It actually became a conversation. Through that, we developed Aidan and brought back the Nutter Butter man from the ’60s commercial, and we really started to reintroduce all these creepy analog horror themes. [Editor’s note: Aidan is an original recurring character in Nutter Butter’s videos, based on one of the brand’s biggest online fans.] I think what some people miss when they’re like, “Let’s copy and paste the Nutter Butter approach,” is that we didn’t have to make things up. We were just pulling from the old commercial that exists already. If you were consulting for another brand, how would you advise them on whether they should get in on this strategy? The first question I would be asking is, “Why?” And if their reason is anything at all about Nutter Butter, I would tell them no. What made Nutter Butter so successful is that we already had the audience that was receptive to the weirdness. We were playing off of things that we saw—they were posting, they were reposting, they were interacting on—so we knew that our audience had a shared interest. We understood that some of the outrage that we saw was actually fanship. They were following, they wanted to find out, they were up for the antics. And somehow, at the end of the day, we actually influenced people to go buy more off the shelves. Once the client saw that it was actually somehow affecting sales numbers, they were like, “Okay, go for it.” I encourage everyone to try out-of-the-box things and do new things for brands that haven’t had attention on them. But if the only reason you want to do it is because it worked for Nutter Butter, go back to the drawing board, because I don’t want you to waste your time. Sure, weird people might see it, but are you going to alienate all of your actual followers? Are you also noticing more of this brain-rot-brand strategy online? If so, I’m curious if there are any examples that come to mind. Yeah, absolutely. One of my new favorite things that I’ve just developed as a personality trait is I attract people sending me things from brands that are going rogue or going brain rot, and they’re like, “This is your legacy. You did this.” Off the top of my head, some brands that I love that are doing the brain-rot approach right now: Mug Root Beer is insane; Brisk Canada is insane; Dr Pepper is doing a big one right now—not necessarily analog horror vibes, but they are deep-frying images, they’re purposefully low quality. It’s stupid, irreverent humor. These are promising to me because they all seem like they’re playing off the same energy of like, “Oh, it worked in the comments last time.” Brisk Canada’s thing is cheese. They make tea in a can, but they love shredding cheese onto the can. They love just copious amounts of cheese. It makes no sense. They don’t sell cheese. Duolingo What kinds of mistakes do you see companies making when they try this out? The thing that I see being a problem is that some of these brands have adopted this brain-rot strategy not understanding that it’s a means of communication that transcends traditional marketing. It does that for a reason, because we’ve developed this ability to communicate without selling. But then if a brand comes and co-ops this ability to communicate without selling in order to sell, they’re just kind of shitting on it. I think that we will continue to see brands try to adopt this, but I don’t know how many will be successful, because they have to understand that at the end of the day, they’re selling to people who experience real things and experience a real world outside. There are two different worlds operating, and the mastery is understanding how to join these communities and have conversations that are two-sided, instead of just showing up and being like, “Hello, you dumb kids—you like cheese on your tea? Well, I have a six-pack and it’s $29.99.” You lose people. And for some brands, all of this is just a ploy to sell, so it will have issues. Dunkin’ Donuts I don’t want to make you burn any bridges with brands, but I am curious if you’ve seen anyone try the more unhinged strategy in a way that wasn’t really working for you. I don’t have any bridges here, so it may burn, but I’m not on the other side. Dunkin’ Donuts and their spider donut thing. They did a first post with an apology graphic, where they bolded certain letters and it spelled out “spidey” or something. That was actually duplicative of my work two or three years ago, where I posted an apology from Nutter Butter and bolded letters to spell “Aidan.” It was the exact same format—with their logo and their colors—almost down to the font. And then they did it again the next year. This last year, they put a lot of budget into an experiential drive-through where they decorated the store, but I did see some commentary of fans being like, “Hey, we’re kind of done with the horny spider donut thing.” They’re milking it. On that note, do you see a point at which we reach a critical mass of this kind of thing? What’s going to happen that makes people say, like, “Ugh, this is stupid—I’m over it”? Honestly, sometimes I question if we’re there. I think back to the evolution of the Nutter Butter account. When I started, we were not immediately posting these deep-fried, demon-in-a-closet-covered-in-peanut-butter-type vibes. We were posting memes and text posts on Twitter and doing brand things. So it’s not like we’re a full anomaly and we’ve never done the things that other brand accounts have done. We tried everything. So I question how many brands right now are in the early stages of what we did and are about to hit a wall of responses of people being like, “Meh,” because there’s already comments on my old stuff being like, “Okay, guys, you’ve played this out too long.” I also questioned the apology trend that hit a couple months ago. For me that was a turning point, because when we did it, we fully understood like, “Hey, it’s not normal for brands to post an apology, it could go south.” We understood this itself is a little bit risky, absurd, extreme. And then it devolved. I question how many brands are about to be shamed, because going back to what I was saying earlier, this method of communication is supposed to be human-based. I don’t know how many brands are pursuing it with that in mind. If you’re just deploying 15 assets in a campaign that are scheduled, you’re not doing any community management, so there’s no user insights in whatever you’re building. They won’t necessarily feel like they’re along for the ride. It will just be like, “Oh, they’re doing an absurdist thing.” If you add in another degree of people doing it just because it worked for Nutter Butter, there’s no natural tie-in. Now you’re just throwing a pizza party for the marketing team. It’s hard to make a prediction, but I just feel like we’re going to see a brand like Palantir get in on it, or we’re going to see something dystopian, and then everyone’s going to be like, “We’ve had enough.” I don’t think we’re there yet, but I feel like we’ve been bordering on it. View the full article