ResidentialBusiness

FICO's claims about its 10T score highlight how its monopoly has stifled innovation and raised costs for homebuyers, according to the CHLA's Rob Zimmer. View the full article

Lufthansa announced on Monday it plans to cut thousands of workers as it aims to increase profitability and efficiency, in part by relying more heavily on artificial intelligence. The airline group said it will eliminate a total of 4,000 jobs worldwide by 2030, the majority of which will be in Germany—with a focus on administration roles, not operational ones. “The Lufthansa Group is reviewing which activities will no longer be necessary in the future, for example due to duplication of work,” the company said in a statement. “In particular, the profound changes brought about by digitalization and the increased use of AI will lead to greater efficiency in many areas and processes.” (The Lufthansa Group includes Germany’s Lufthansa, in addition to Austrian Airlines, Swiss, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways, the successor to Alitalia.) That restructuring will include the largest fleet modernization in the company’s history. To that end, the Lufthansa Group expects to add more than 230 new aircraft by 2030, including 100 long-haul aircraft. The Cologne-based German carrier said it plans to invest in the growth of its core business, expanding locations and its international presence, including in Canada and Portugal. It also plans to extend its digital business models, as part of its “Ambition 2030” program. The changes are expected to significantly increase revenue and profit by 2030. The airline also set new financial targets for 2028 to 2030, saying it expects its adjusted operating margin to reach 8-10% and over 2.5 billion euros in adjusted free cash flow per year. Lufthansa, like a number of companies including Klarna, Duolingo, and Salesforce, has recently turned to AI. Some of those companies even instituted “AI-first” workplaces as a way of slashing workforces toward greater profitability—but not without some missteps. According to a recent Nexford University survey, in the past year, around 65% of companies conducted layoffs, with 68% of companies identifying cost-cutting as the culprit, and 27% citing AI adoption. Lufthansa financials Lufthansa reported strong Q2 2025 results with considerable year-on-year growth, including a 27% increase in its operating profit compared to 2024, and a 3% increase in revenue (from €10 billion to €10.3 billion). Last year, Lufthansa increased its revenue by six percent year-on-year to EUR 37.6 billion as it offered more flights, making it the highest revenue in its history. However, the operating profit (adjusted EBIT) was EUR 1.6 billion, compared with EUR 2.7 billion the previous year, as the airline faced strikes and higher global costs. Lufthansa (Deutsche Lufthansa AG), which is traded under the stock ticker LHA on the Xetra and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges, closed up slightly on Monday. View the full article

Electronic Arts has announced plans to go private in what will be the largest leveraged buyout in history. The $55 billion purchase of the entertainment giant behind franchises that include Madden NFL and Battlefield is set to close in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will be, by far, the majority investor in EA, one of the largest third-party publishers of video games. Silver Lake and Affinity Partners (whose CEO is Donald The President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner) will own minority interests. CEO Andrew Wilson will continue to head EA. The all-cash deal calls for a buyout of EA stock at a price of $210 per share. The company was trading at $202 per share Monday afternoon. On Thursday, before The Wall Street Journal reported a buyout was imminent, shares were trading at roughly $171. EA is a long-time stalwart in the video game industry, but like many publishers of late, has been somewhat stalled financially as the gaming boom of the pandemic has slowed considerably. In 2022, EA reported $7.2 billion in revenues. The following year saw an increase to just $7.6 billion and 2024 saw the figure at $7.4 billion. The stock has also lagged far behind the S&P 500’s gains. Was EA sold for too little? While the industry has been in the midst of a consolidation trend, both in terms of buyouts and revenues, some analysts think EA might have been undervalued in this deal. “While the $210 per share take-out price represents a substantial premium to EA’s unaffected trading levels, we continue to believe the transaction undervalues EA’s long-term earnings power,” wrote Benchmark’s Mike Hickey in a note to investors. “We value EA at $250 per share, with a best-case path to $300 if Battlefield evolves into the market share leader.” The leveraged buyout, Hickey argues, transfers what he expects will be a “franchise-defining growth cycle” to new owners before current shareholders can realize those gains. “In our view, this transaction is a self-serving, opportunistic move by management and the investor group,” he wrote. Wedbush’s Alicia Reese didn’t go quite so far as Hickey, but did point out that the purchase price (about 20X EBITDA) was a lower multiplier than the Activision deal (which worked out to 21.5X) and roughly on par with the industry average over the last five years of 19.8X. EA, with its rich catalog of IP would presumably be able to command a higher multiple. Boon for Riyadh Assuming the deal closes, the buyout will be a victory for the PIF, which has been expanding its interests in the video game world in recent years. The group holds stakes in several well-known publishers. Prior to Monday’s deal, the PIF owned roughly 10% of EA’s shares. It also holds 6.2% of Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive Software and 4.2% of Nintendo. This spring, it purchased Niantic, maker of Pokemon Go, for $3.5 billion and also paid $4.9 billion for Scopely, the maker of mobile gaming hit Monopoly Go. The deal comes as criticism continues about the Saudi Royal family’s record of human rights abuses. While the $55 deal is expected to set a record as far as leveraged buyouts (CNBC reports EA has 45 days to solicit a better offer, though the deal was unanimously approved by the company’s board), it still falls short of an overall industry record. Microsoft’s $69 billion buyout of Activision-Blizzard remains the industry’s most expensive acquisition to date. Microsoft faced several hurdles from regulators in the U.S. and U.K. as it attempted to close that purchase. The Microsoft/Activision deal closed in 2023. In July of this year, Microsoft announced plans to lay off 9,100 workers, with many of those cuts coming in the gaming division. (That followed an additional 6,000 jobs lost in May of this year.) View the full article

Here he is, depicted at six months in office, chiseled and brawny, as mighty as the very nation. Here he is as a Star Wars Jedi wielding a patriot-red lightsaber, rescuing our galaxy from the forces of evil. Here he is taking over Gaza, transforming the strip into a luxury resort complete with a golden effigy of himself. You can be anything, perhaps you were told growing up. Doctor. Astronaut. Maybe, one day, the president. But even the chief executive of the United States, the free world’s leader, frames himself as something more epic — as someone not entirely himself. On the social media accounts of Donald The President and his second-term administration, a new, less official image of the president is emerging bit by bit: one generated artificially. A sign of the times, certainly — when the appeal of reimagining yourself with artificial intelligence has trickled up from us everyday citizens. Bored with your selfies? Join a viral trend: There’s an image generator or a chatbot that can turn you into a Renaissance-style painting, a Studio Ghibli character, or an action figure with box art and accessories. Artificial imagery isn’t new for The President, an early target of AI-generated simulacra who later exploited the technology during his 2024 campaign for the presidency. “It works both ways,” the Republican president said of AI-generated content at a news conference earlier this month. “If something happens that’s really bad, maybe I’ll have to just blame AI.” The AI images of The President posted by him and his team opt for the alternative — not deceptive but self-evident in their fictitiousness. Pope Francis dies, and The President jokes to reporters that he’d like to be pope. A week later, he is, but in an AI-generated image that he posts, reposted by the White House. The President likens himself to a king in a Truth Social post in February, and AI makes him one in an X post by the White House less than an hour later. The artifice arrives in The President’s usual style — brassy, unabashed, attention-grabbing — and squares with his social media team’s heavy meme posting, which it has promised to continue. The administration’s official social media accounts have grown by more than 16 million new followers across platforms since Inauguration Day, a White House official told NBC News. The White House recognizes the appeal. In July, it posted to its X account: “Nowhere in the Constitution does it say we can’t post banger memes.” Attached to the post, a photo of a sign on the White House lawn parodying the naysayers: “oMg, diD tHe wHiTE hOuSE reALLy PosT tHis?” Behind the commander in chief’s desire to craft an AI self — not itself uncommon — an infantry of official communications channels stands at his ready. And we, the people, can’t help but tune in. Feelings don’t care about your facts Like so much on the internet these days, The President’s AI portraits are primed for people to react, says Evan Cornog, a political historian and author of “The Power and the Story: How the Crafted Presidential Narrative Has Determined Political Success from George Washington to George W. Bush.” “By the time you’ve seen it, you’ve understood it. And that’s, of course, the efficacy,” Cornog said. “It requires no effort, either for the person generating it, but particularly for the person consuming it.” The expressive power of political imagery, regardless of the truth of its message, has long been understood by politicians and their detractors. President William Henry Harrison’s log cabin and hard cider campaign symbols, representing him as a “man of the people,” helped him win the election of 1840. Thirty years later, political cartoonist Thomas Nast would turn public opinion against William Marcy “Boss” Tweed with his scathing portrayals of the politician, whom he depicted satirically overweight from greed. “Let’s stop those damned pictures!” Tweed once said, or so the story goes. The decades since witnessed the birth of photo, film, TV, the internet, computer printers, image-editing software and digital screens that shrank until they could fit in our pockets, making it increasingly easy to create and disseminate — and manipulate — imagery. By contrast, today’s generative AI technology offers greater realism, functionality and accessibility to content creation than ever before, says AI expert Henry Ajder. Not to mention, of course, a capacity for endless automated possibility. Past presidents “had to actually have fought in a war to run as a war hero,” Cornog says. Now, they can just generate an image of themselves as one. On a horse — or no, a battlefield. With an American flag waving behind him and an eagle soaring. The AI images of The President shared by him and his administration chase a similarly heroic vision of the president. Potency — his and the country’s — is a consistent theme, Cornog added. Indeed, generative AI allows for an exposure of perhaps uncomfortably intimate inner worlds as people use such technology to illustrate and communicate their “fantasy lives” or cartoonish versions of themselves, says Mitchell Stephens, author of “The Rise of the Image, the Fall of the Word.” But it can just as easily fulfill an inverse desire: to depict or reinforce a subjective concept of reality. “Quite a lot of people are sharing AI-generated content, which is clearly fake but is almost seen as a revelatory kind of representation of someone,” Ajder said. This content feeds a mentality that mutters, “We all know they’re really like this.” “And so, even if people know it’s fake,” Ajder said, “they still see it as kind of reflecting and satisfying a kind of truth — their truth about what the world is like.” Commenters take up the mantle The lack of subtlety in The President’s AI images of himself helps explain their consistent virality. Commenters can be found lamenting the demise of presidential decorum (“I never thought I’d see the day when the White House is just a joke. This is so embarrassing.”) or relishing those very reactions (“Watching the left explode over this has been a treat.”). Other responses, even from the president’s base, remain unconvinced (as one X user griped under the White House post of The President as pope: “I voted for you, but this is weird and creepy. More mass deportations and less of whatever this is.”). But that is tradition for The President, who finds no trouble cashing the currency of our attention economy: Whether you cracked a smile or clutched your pearls, he still made you look. “In his first administration, he used Twitter in a way no president had,” said Martha Joynt Kumar, director of the White House Transition Project, an organization that facilitates the transition between presidents. “What they do in this administration is taking it further, as you’ve had an increase in what can be done online.” Or, as one Reddit user referred to the president: “Troll in Chief.” Does The President really think he should be pope? Does the White House really think him a king? Accuracy isn’t the point, not for a man who frequently arbitrates what counts as truth. The President’s use of AI sticks to a familiar recipe for bait: crude comedy sprinkled with wishful thinking. “It’s fine,” The President said in May, when asked whether the AI-generated post of him as pope diminished the substance of the official White House account. “Have to have a little fun, don’t you?” —Luena Rodriguez-Feo Vileira, Associated Press View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. The whole point of studying is to retain information you’ll need later in life, even if it’s just for an impending test on a subject you may never think about again in the future. That’s not easy when you’re taking in a bunch of unfamiliar phrases and concepts—which is why you need a quality method to structure your study sessions. Try the SQ3R technique next time you’re studying, and see the difference it can make. What is the SQ3R study method?I touched on a similar method briefly before when advising on best note-taking practices, but SQ3R has applications well beyond the moments when you’re taking notes in (and after) class. It’s actually a reading comprehension technique that was first introduced in 1946 by Francis P. Robinson in his book Effective Study. (Fun side note: The “P” stands for Pleasant!) SQ3R has withstood the test of time and is now widely recommended by academic counselors on campuses across the country. It’s named for the five steps involved in the method: Survey Question Read Recite Review How does SQ3R work?It’s important, first of all, to chunk up your work here. The goal is not to do this with an entire textbook or a bunch of materials, but to go chapter by chapter or section by section. You'll see why as you move through the steps, but just bear in mind you want to be hyper-focused on smaller sections. In general, chunking up your review work is a recommended practice and it works well with SQ3R and all kinds of other study approaches, so be sure to brush up on it while you're restructuring your study approach. SurveyYou survey your materials first, skimming them just enough to grasp what the overall idea is. Look at the chapter title, intros and conclusions, headings, sub-headings, graphics, tables, and summaries, but don’t read the whole thing. You can also call on contextual details here. If you got assigned to read this chapter in a lecture, think back on that class, especially on anything the teacher mentioned as being important. Go through any slideshows they uploaded as supplemental material, as well as any existing notes you have. Again, just skim, but get an idea of what, broadly, this section is about. QuestionThen, you come up with questions, like, “What is this section about?” or, “How will I use this information in real life?” The questions can be more specific than that and depend a lot on what the content of your chapter is. An easy trick is to turn subheadings into questions. If your subheading just says, “The assassination of Franz Ferdinand,” your question can be, “What were the immediate impacts of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand?” Something I like to do is ask myself, "How might this appear on a test?" If I'm reading about the founder of a movement, for instance, and they were born in a certain country in a particular year and those details were relevant to their rise to power, I'd assume there would be a question on that on the test, so I might be able to focus my studying better if I can anticipate that. ReadJot the questions down before moving on to the third step, which is finally reading the whole chapter or section, paying attention to anything that might answer your questions. Take notes. What helps here is writing the answers you find in the material directly under the questions you wrote down. Typically, I advocate for taking handwritten notes and studying with a pen and paper whenever possible, but here, you may find that you don't have enough room to answer the questions you write down or take notes on new information you find while reading. To be on the safe side (and stop yourself from making a disorganized, scribbled-out and erased-up mess) go ahead and use a word processing document for your questions and answers. RecitationThe next step is recitation. Use your own words to explain the contents of what you studied and answer your own questions. Pretend you’re explaining it to someone else or even write it all down in a small essay format. If you write it all down as a small essay, you'll be using the "blurting" method, or at least a variation of it. Blurting asks you to remember everything you can about a topic, then say or write it somewhere before checking your notes and materials for anything you missed. It forces active recall, or the act of digging something out of your memory. Here, don't feel too much pressure to remember everything; treat this more like an open-book test, especially if it's your first time through your review. You can use other techniques, like the Leitner flashcard method, to entrench the answers you find in your memory once you've got a grasp of the overall theme of the section. You can also go a step further and actually explain the material to someone. That's the Feynman method, which has you act like a teacher describing the content to someone who knows nothing about it. You can do this with a parent, a friend, or even ChatGPT. It helps you break the material down into easy-to-understand parts. If you don't understand something well enough to teach it to someone else, you don't understand it well at all. But again, incorporate this over time. You don't need to be ready for this step on your first run-through with SQ3R. It's just an easy way to gauge how well you're mastering a concept. ReviewFinally, review what you read, wrote, and/or said before starting the process again on another chapter. Feel free to move to another chapter or section before you have a firm grasp of the current one, too. Called interleaving, this practice of studying multiple concepts or ideas at once can force you to make connections between material and better understand both topics than if you were tackling them individually. The purpose of all of this is to get you thinking critically and help you stay engaged as you read, hunting for the answers to your questions. From there, you can branch off into the other techniques I mentioned, like Leitner and Feynman, because you created a solid base of chunks of information—questions and answers from the text, essentially—to study. Best practices with SQ3RI mentioned earlier that you might want to use a word processor or notes app for this, so you don't run out of space or get frustrated. You do have other options if handwriting and its benefits appeal to you. In that case, I recommend picking up a SQ3R notebook. It's only $6, and it provides designated spaces for the different steps; plus, since the sections are pre-defined, it forces you to take on your work in smaller chunks because you don't have room on the page to try to do too much at once. Play around with different methods, from digital to notebook, to see what works for you and the material you study. Finally, don't assume you've reached the end of studying when you hit the review portion of SQ3R. Studying is a long-term endeavor, so that "review" part is actually ongoing from the time you first get acquainted with the material. After you finish your first round of SQ3R, study the materials periodically, every few days. If, after a few reviews, you feel like you're not grasping the material as well as you want to, try the SQ3R method again on the same chunk of text you already did, formulating different questions and looking for other angles. Once you're more familiar with the topics, you'll come up with more in-depth questions, so repeating SQ3R a few times over a semester is a smart strategy. View the full article

On September 25, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol informed his employees in a public memo that the company would be cutting 900 corporate roles and closing down stores. However, the memo didn’t share exactly how many stores would close and where they’re located—leaving employees scrambling to compile that information on their own. Starbucks is framing the restructuring as a part of Niccol’s broader “Back to Starbucks” plan, a sweeping initiative designed to return Starbucks to its heyday in the mid-2010s. That includes redesigning store interiors, rethinking menus, and making the ordering experience feel less “transactional.” As of right now, Starbucks is still on shaky financial ground, facing a six-quarter streak of same-store sales declines. It appears that the new job and store cuts are intended to set Starbucks up for the next phase of Niccol’s turnaround plan. “During the review, we identified coffeehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed,” Niccol wrote in his recent memo. While Niccol’s letter shared a broad sense of the reasoning behind the move, it skirted around giving exact figures on store closures, only noting that employees would be informed within the week if their location is shutting down. For employees, that’s meant gathering on Reddit forums, shared spreadsheets, and Google Maps to figure out just how many coffeehouses are closing down. How many Starbucks locations are closing? In his note, Niccol wrote that, “our overall company-operated count in North America will decline by about 1% in fiscal year 2025 after accounting for both openings and closures,” adding that the company will end the fiscal year with nearly 18,300 locations in the U.S. and Canada. However, given that the 1% number accounts for both openings and closures, it’s unclear exactly how many stores are actually closing. Reached for comment by Fast Company, Starbucks declined to share details about the fate of specific locations. It said customers were informed via emails and signage and that the Starbucks app has already been updated to reflect the closures. Given this uncertainty, employees are taking the tabulation into their own hands. In the subreddit r/Starbucks, several threads discussing the closures have amassed hundreds of comments from employees and customers. Moderators of the subreddit have begun directing users to update a shared Google Sheet with confirmed closures. As of this writing, the document contains over 520 locations across the U.S. Redditors are also actively compiling the spreadsheet’s results into a map format that designates each store by its status in Starbucks’ union. Starbucks did not provide a comment on the accuracy of the list, and it’s important to note that this is an active, crowdsourced document. However, many of the stores indicated on the spreadsheet have disappeared from Starbucks’ store locator tool or are marked “permanently closed” on Google. Starbucks Workers United, a union that represents baristas at some locations, referred Fast Company to a statement it released last week in the wake of Niccol’s announcement. The statement opens by claiming that things are only going “Backwards at Starbucks” under Niccol’s leadership. “Yet again, we’re experiencing new policies and major decisions being made with zero barista input,” the union wrote. “Workers United is sending a formal request for information to Starbucks about the planned closures. We expect to engage in effects bargaining for every impacted union store, as we have done elsewhere, so workers can be placed in another Starbucks store according to their preferences.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. CMF, the budget-friendly sub-brand from Nothing, has launched its first pair of over-ear headphones. At $99, the CMF Headphone Pro are Nothing's answer to fans looking for an affordable alternative to the popular Headphone 1 (which will cost you $299). Though Nothing has a reputation for odd-looking tech, the CMF Headphone Pros look a little more traditional, but also appear to be highly customizable, potentially making them a better value overall. Here's what we know now about how the CMF Headphone Pros compare. What the CMF Headphone Pros offerToday's launch marks the release of CMF's first over-ear headphone, designed to integrate seamlessly with the broader Nothing/CMF ecosystem that includes smartphones, watches, and other audio products. The design includes a round power and Bluetooth button on one side, paired with a customizable action button on the other that can be programmed through the Nothing X app. There's more room for customization via $25 replacement ear cushions, available in vibrant orange or light green, allowing you to dramatically alter the headphones' appearance to match your mood or style. The standout control feature is the multi-function roller on one side, with an "Energy Slider" on the other. The multi-function roller handles volume adjustment, playback control, and ambient sound, while the Energy Slider allows you to tune your sound in real-time, instantly adjusting the treble and bass balance. Normally you'd have to dive into your headphone app's EQ settings to get that sort of control. As someone who always prefers tactile controls over sensitive touch-screens, I'm particularly excited by this design. And as you'd hope to find in a quality pair of over-ear headphones, the Headphone Pro has Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) to block ambient noise. Perhaps most impressive is the battery life: allegedly, these headphones will offer a staggering 100 hours of playback on a single charge (reduced to up to 50 hours with ANC turned on). That's 15 more hours than you’ll get from the Headphone 1 with ANC active, and much better performance than the highly rated Sony WH-1000XM6, which top out at 40 hours. The bottom line This is a promising product launch from Nothing. The CMF sub-brand appeals to budget-conscious segment of the market while still delivering on the aesthetic and technical appeal that drew fans to Nothing in the first place. The CMF Headphone Pro launches today in the EU and UK, but eager US customers do have to face a brief wait until Oct. 7 to get their hands on a pair. Whether these headphones will satisfy fans who have been requesting a more affordable option remains to be seen, but on paper, they appear to deliver exactly what was asked for: Nothing's design philosophy and build quality at a price that won't break the bank. View the full article

A Marketing Strategy Consultant helps businesses develop effective marketing plans customized to their goals. They conduct market research to analyze consumer behavior and competitor strategies, identifying target markets. By creating thorough marketing campaigns that integrate digital and traditional methods, they guarantee peak performance through data analysis. They likewise provide strategic guidance to improve marketing efforts. Comprehending their key responsibilities can clarify how they drive business success and improve marketing outcomes. What specific aspects of their role are most vital? Key Takeaways Conducts market research to identify trends and target audiences, using surveys and competitor analysis. Develops tailored marketing strategies aligned with clients’ business goals and customer preferences. Creates comprehensive marketing plans that outline initiatives, timelines, and budgets for effective execution. Monitors and analyzes campaign performance using analytics tools to provide actionable insights. Collaborates with clients’ marketing teams to ensure cohesive and effective strategy implementation. Key Responsibilities of a Marketing Strategy Consultant As a marketing strategy consultant, you’ll plunge into market research and analysis to pinpoint trends and target markets. You’ll create thorough marketing plans that detail key initiatives, tactics, timelines, and budgets to meet specific client goals. Utilizing marketing consulting services, you’ll monitor the performance of campaigns, employing analytics tools to evaluate effectiveness and make data-driven recommendations. Your role includes providing strategic guidance on best practices, helping clients set SMART goals as you optimize their marketing mix based on consumer preferences. Collaborating with clients’ marketing teams is essential to guarantee cohesive execution of strategies. Fundamentally, grasping the marketing consultant definition is significant as you contribute to implementing effective digital marketing strategy services and overall marketing management consulting services for the consulting business. Conduct Market Research and Analysis Conducting market research and analysis is crucial for developing effective marketing strategies that resonate with your target audience. A marketing strategy consultant gathers data on consumer demographics, preferences, and buying patterns to inform strategic decisions. They analyze competitor activities using SWOT analysis, identifying market opportunities and threats. Utilizing surveys and focus groups, they assess consumer behavior, gaining insights into customer preferences. This data allows consultants to pinpoint patterns that guide marketing efforts. Key Activities Purpose Gather Consumer Data Understand target audiences Analyze Competitor Strategies Identify market opportunities Conduct Surveys and Focus Groups Assess consumer behavior Develop Tailored Marketing Strategies To develop customized marketing strategies, you need to align your efforts with your business goals and clearly identify your target audiences. Start by analyzing market research to understand who your customers are and what they want. This focused approach allows you to create effective messaging that resonates with your specific audience segments. Align With Business Goals Aligning your marketing strategies with your business goals is vital for achieving long-term success. As you work with marketing consulting firms, it’s important to guarantee your strategies contribute directly to your overall objectives. A business marketing consultant typically conducts thorough market research and analyzes consumer behavior, helping you craft unique selling propositions that set you apart. By leveraging the expertise of a growth strategy consulting firm, you can define key performance indicators to measure your marketing effectiveness. Engaging with a digital marketing strategy company can additionally help tailor your messaging based on audience segmentation. Utilizing the best marketing consulting firms guarantees your marketing efforts align seamlessly with your business goals, fundamentally driving growth and enhancing customer engagement. Identify Target Audiences Identifying target audiences is essential for developing effective marketing strategies that resonate with potential customers. A digital marketing consultant uses market research to analyze consumer demographics, preferences, and behaviors. By segmenting target audiences based on criteria like age, income, and interests, you can craft customized marketing strategies that speak directly to each group. Criteria Example Insights Age 18-24 Trendy products preferred Income $40,000 – $60,000 Value-driven purchases Interests Outdoor activities Eco-friendly offerings Location Urban areas Convenience-focused options Establishing unique selling propositions (USPs) differentiates your brand, allowing you to reach target audiences more effectively through your marketing consulting agency or growth consulting services. Create Comprehensive Marketing Plans and Campaigns Creating thorough marketing plans and campaigns requires a structured approach that aligns with your business objectives and market demands. As a marketing strategy consultant, you’ll create all-encompassing marketing plans that outline key initiatives, tactics, timelines, and budgets. These plans include specific campaigns targeting identified demographics, using buyer personas for compelling messaging. You’ll set measurable goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track campaign performance, ensuring your strategies remain actionable and results-driven. Incorporating both digital and traditional marketing elements allows for a holistic approach to audience engagement. Continuous monitoring and adjustment of campaigns are crucial, enabling you to optimize strategies based on real-time performance data and market conditions. This method supports consulting for business growth and market expansion effectively. Provide Data Analysis and Insights Understanding your marketing performance is crucial for success, and data analysis plays a key role in that process. As a marketing strategy consultant, you’ll analyze marketing performance data using analytics tools to track customer engagement and behavior. Collect data from various sources, including market research, surveys, and website analytics, to gain a thorough view. By employing data visualization techniques, you can uncover patterns and provide actionable recommendations. Measure key metrics like conversion rates and return on investment (ROI) to guarantee your digital marketing strategy for consulting firms aligns with industry trends. Reporting your findings will facilitate informed decision-making, helping stakeholders adjust their strategies based on data-driven insights, ultimately enhancing future marketing efforts. Offer Strategic Guidance and Recommendations With a solid comprehension of data analysis, you’re now ready to focus on offering strategic guidance and recommendations. As a marketing strategy consultant, you’ll align marketing efforts with business objectives, ensuring strategies meet your clients’ specific goals. Utilize your role as a digital marketing advisor to help set SMART marketing goals, enabling effective tracking of progress. Consider these key areas: Evaluate and optimize the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion). Collaborate with clients to refine brand identity and positioning. Provide insights on budget allocation to maximize ROI. Monitor Campaign Performance and Optimize Tactics To effectively monitor campaign performance and optimize tactics, you’ll need to focus on key metrics that reveal how well your marketing efforts are resonating with your audience. Engage with an online marketing advisor or hire a marketing consultant to analyze engagement rates, conversion rates, and ROI. These professionals utilize analytics tools to track customer interactions, identifying trends that inform your strategy. Conduct A/B testing on campaign elements to discover which tactics work best. Regularly review data to make data-driven recommendations for improving performance. Furthermore, assess industry trends with a search marketing consultant to guarantee your strategies remain effective. Partnering with digital marketing consulting companies or a digital marketing advisor can further improve your ability to optimize tactics and achieve your goals. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Role of a Marketing Consultant? A marketing consultant guides you in crafting and implementing effective marketing strategies. They analyze market trends, consumer behavior, and competitor tactics to develop customized plans for your business. You’ll benefit from their insights as they monitor and optimize your marketing campaigns, ensuring they align with your goals. Moreover, they collaborate with your team, offering training and support to improve the execution of marketing initiatives, eventually driving better results for your business. What Are the 4 Things of Marketing Strategy? To develop an effective marketing strategy, you should focus on four key components. First, conduct thorough market research to understand consumer preferences and trends. Next, identify your target audience by segmenting based on demographics and behaviors. Third, establish unique selling propositions (USPs) that differentiate your brand from competitors. Finally, create a marketing mix by balancing the 4Ps: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion to effectively reach your audience and achieve your objectives. What Is the Role of a Strategy Consultant? A strategy consultant’s role involves helping organizations identify their goals and areas for improvement. You’ll conduct research on market trends and competitor strategies, developing actionable frameworks to tackle challenges. Do Marketing Consultants Make a Lot of Money? Yes, marketing consultants can make a lot of money, but it varies widely. Entry-level consultants might start lower, whereas experienced professionals can earn over $100,000 annually. Freelancers often experience fluctuating income, depending on their projects and clients. Specializing in high-demand areas like digital marketing, SEO, or social media strategy usually leads to better pay. Moreover, compensation packages may include bonuses and profit-sharing, further enhancing overall earnings. Conclusion In conclusion, a marketing strategy consultant plays an essential role in helping businesses succeed. By conducting thorough market research, developing customized strategies, and creating all-encompassing campaigns, they address specific client needs. Their use of data analysis guarantees informed decisions, whereas ongoing performance monitoring allows for continuous optimization. Engaging a consultant can improve your marketing efforts, provide valuable insights, and align your strategies with your overall business goals. This collaborative approach can greatly enhance your market positioning and effectiveness. Image Via Envato This article, "What Does a Marketing Strategy Consultant Do?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A Marketing Strategy Consultant helps businesses develop effective marketing plans customized to their goals. They conduct market research to analyze consumer behavior and competitor strategies, identifying target markets. By creating thorough marketing campaigns that integrate digital and traditional methods, they guarantee peak performance through data analysis. They likewise provide strategic guidance to improve marketing efforts. Comprehending their key responsibilities can clarify how they drive business success and improve marketing outcomes. What specific aspects of their role are most vital? Key Takeaways Conducts market research to identify trends and target audiences, using surveys and competitor analysis. Develops tailored marketing strategies aligned with clients’ business goals and customer preferences. Creates comprehensive marketing plans that outline initiatives, timelines, and budgets for effective execution. Monitors and analyzes campaign performance using analytics tools to provide actionable insights. Collaborates with clients’ marketing teams to ensure cohesive and effective strategy implementation. Key Responsibilities of a Marketing Strategy Consultant As a marketing strategy consultant, you’ll plunge into market research and analysis to pinpoint trends and target markets. You’ll create thorough marketing plans that detail key initiatives, tactics, timelines, and budgets to meet specific client goals. Utilizing marketing consulting services, you’ll monitor the performance of campaigns, employing analytics tools to evaluate effectiveness and make data-driven recommendations. Your role includes providing strategic guidance on best practices, helping clients set SMART goals as you optimize their marketing mix based on consumer preferences. Collaborating with clients’ marketing teams is essential to guarantee cohesive execution of strategies. Fundamentally, grasping the marketing consultant definition is significant as you contribute to implementing effective digital marketing strategy services and overall marketing management consulting services for the consulting business. Conduct Market Research and Analysis Conducting market research and analysis is crucial for developing effective marketing strategies that resonate with your target audience. A marketing strategy consultant gathers data on consumer demographics, preferences, and buying patterns to inform strategic decisions. They analyze competitor activities using SWOT analysis, identifying market opportunities and threats. Utilizing surveys and focus groups, they assess consumer behavior, gaining insights into customer preferences. This data allows consultants to pinpoint patterns that guide marketing efforts. Key Activities Purpose Gather Consumer Data Understand target audiences Analyze Competitor Strategies Identify market opportunities Conduct Surveys and Focus Groups Assess consumer behavior Develop Tailored Marketing Strategies To develop customized marketing strategies, you need to align your efforts with your business goals and clearly identify your target audiences. Start by analyzing market research to understand who your customers are and what they want. This focused approach allows you to create effective messaging that resonates with your specific audience segments. Align With Business Goals Aligning your marketing strategies with your business goals is vital for achieving long-term success. As you work with marketing consulting firms, it’s important to guarantee your strategies contribute directly to your overall objectives. A business marketing consultant typically conducts thorough market research and analyzes consumer behavior, helping you craft unique selling propositions that set you apart. By leveraging the expertise of a growth strategy consulting firm, you can define key performance indicators to measure your marketing effectiveness. Engaging with a digital marketing strategy company can additionally help tailor your messaging based on audience segmentation. Utilizing the best marketing consulting firms guarantees your marketing efforts align seamlessly with your business goals, fundamentally driving growth and enhancing customer engagement. Identify Target Audiences Identifying target audiences is essential for developing effective marketing strategies that resonate with potential customers. A digital marketing consultant uses market research to analyze consumer demographics, preferences, and behaviors. By segmenting target audiences based on criteria like age, income, and interests, you can craft customized marketing strategies that speak directly to each group. Criteria Example Insights Age 18-24 Trendy products preferred Income $40,000 – $60,000 Value-driven purchases Interests Outdoor activities Eco-friendly offerings Location Urban areas Convenience-focused options Establishing unique selling propositions (USPs) differentiates your brand, allowing you to reach target audiences more effectively through your marketing consulting agency or growth consulting services. Create Comprehensive Marketing Plans and Campaigns Creating thorough marketing plans and campaigns requires a structured approach that aligns with your business objectives and market demands. As a marketing strategy consultant, you’ll create all-encompassing marketing plans that outline key initiatives, tactics, timelines, and budgets. These plans include specific campaigns targeting identified demographics, using buyer personas for compelling messaging. You’ll set measurable goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track campaign performance, ensuring your strategies remain actionable and results-driven. Incorporating both digital and traditional marketing elements allows for a holistic approach to audience engagement. Continuous monitoring and adjustment of campaigns are crucial, enabling you to optimize strategies based on real-time performance data and market conditions. This method supports consulting for business growth and market expansion effectively. Provide Data Analysis and Insights Understanding your marketing performance is crucial for success, and data analysis plays a key role in that process. As a marketing strategy consultant, you’ll analyze marketing performance data using analytics tools to track customer engagement and behavior. Collect data from various sources, including market research, surveys, and website analytics, to gain a thorough view. By employing data visualization techniques, you can uncover patterns and provide actionable recommendations. Measure key metrics like conversion rates and return on investment (ROI) to guarantee your digital marketing strategy for consulting firms aligns with industry trends. Reporting your findings will facilitate informed decision-making, helping stakeholders adjust their strategies based on data-driven insights, ultimately enhancing future marketing efforts. Offer Strategic Guidance and Recommendations With a solid comprehension of data analysis, you’re now ready to focus on offering strategic guidance and recommendations. As a marketing strategy consultant, you’ll align marketing efforts with business objectives, ensuring strategies meet your clients’ specific goals. Utilize your role as a digital marketing advisor to help set SMART marketing goals, enabling effective tracking of progress. Consider these key areas: Evaluate and optimize the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion). Collaborate with clients to refine brand identity and positioning. Provide insights on budget allocation to maximize ROI. Monitor Campaign Performance and Optimize Tactics To effectively monitor campaign performance and optimize tactics, you’ll need to focus on key metrics that reveal how well your marketing efforts are resonating with your audience. Engage with an online marketing advisor or hire a marketing consultant to analyze engagement rates, conversion rates, and ROI. These professionals utilize analytics tools to track customer interactions, identifying trends that inform your strategy. Conduct A/B testing on campaign elements to discover which tactics work best. Regularly review data to make data-driven recommendations for improving performance. Furthermore, assess industry trends with a search marketing consultant to guarantee your strategies remain effective. Partnering with digital marketing consulting companies or a digital marketing advisor can further improve your ability to optimize tactics and achieve your goals. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Role of a Marketing Consultant? A marketing consultant guides you in crafting and implementing effective marketing strategies. They analyze market trends, consumer behavior, and competitor tactics to develop customized plans for your business. You’ll benefit from their insights as they monitor and optimize your marketing campaigns, ensuring they align with your goals. Moreover, they collaborate with your team, offering training and support to improve the execution of marketing initiatives, eventually driving better results for your business. What Are the 4 Things of Marketing Strategy? To develop an effective marketing strategy, you should focus on four key components. First, conduct thorough market research to understand consumer preferences and trends. Next, identify your target audience by segmenting based on demographics and behaviors. Third, establish unique selling propositions (USPs) that differentiate your brand from competitors. Finally, create a marketing mix by balancing the 4Ps: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion to effectively reach your audience and achieve your objectives. What Is the Role of a Strategy Consultant? A strategy consultant’s role involves helping organizations identify their goals and areas for improvement. You’ll conduct research on market trends and competitor strategies, developing actionable frameworks to tackle challenges. Do Marketing Consultants Make a Lot of Money? Yes, marketing consultants can make a lot of money, but it varies widely. Entry-level consultants might start lower, whereas experienced professionals can earn over $100,000 annually. Freelancers often experience fluctuating income, depending on their projects and clients. Specializing in high-demand areas like digital marketing, SEO, or social media strategy usually leads to better pay. Moreover, compensation packages may include bonuses and profit-sharing, further enhancing overall earnings. Conclusion In conclusion, a marketing strategy consultant plays an essential role in helping businesses succeed. By conducting thorough market research, developing customized strategies, and creating all-encompassing campaigns, they address specific client needs. Their use of data analysis guarantees informed decisions, whereas ongoing performance monitoring allows for continuous optimization. Engaging a consultant can improve your marketing efforts, provide valuable insights, and align your strategies with your overall business goals. This collaborative approach can greatly enhance your market positioning and effectiveness. Image Via Envato This article, "What Does a Marketing Strategy Consultant Do?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Burger King is getting into the Halloween spirit. The fast food chain just introduced its first-ever Monster Menu to kick off spooky season. According to a news release, the vamped up menu will drop on Sept. 30. “BK fans have come to expect something spirited from us during the Halloween season, and each year we try to bring even more fun to families,” said Joel Yashinsky, chief marketing officer, Burger King US&C in the release. Yashinsky continued, “This year, we’ve dialed up the fun and flavor, not only with our ‘Monster Menu’ line-up complete with themed menu innovation, packaging and a special crown, but also with collectible buckets and Scooby-Doo toys—creating even more experiences for everyone.” The menu will feature Halloween-themed twists on fan-favorites, such as the Jack-o-Lantern Whopper, which comes on a bright orange bun topped with black sesame seeds, Vampire Nuggets which come in the shape of fangs, Mummy Mozzarella Fries, and a Franken-Candy Sundae. Of course, there’s a special-edition meal just for kids coming too. The King Jr. Meal, featuring Vampire Nuggets is coming, too, along with a line-up of spooky collectible toys. To make the Monster Menu drop even more exciting, guests can also leave BK with a limited-edition Monster Menu-inspired Halloween Bucket, but not until starting October 13. BK is not the first fast food brand to get in on spooky season. McDonald’s announced it will bring back its Boo Buckets and its Halloween-themed menu this year, too. Wendy’s also introduced Wednesday-inspired Meal of Misfortune, as well as a Frosty Frights Kids’ meal. Last year proved to be a big one for brands sinking their teeth into Halloween. Even businesses like Chipotle and Bush’s Baked Beans had a case of the seasonal scaries, as they sold costumes of their own beloved food items—many of which even turned out to be popular selections for the scariest day of the year. View the full article

Multi-manager firm says performance has not kept pace with expectations and cites cost of attracting tradersView the full article

AstraZeneca laid out plans on Monday to switch to a direct listing of its shares in the United States, as the drugmaker seeks to maximise gains from a booming U.S. stock market, even as it said it was not exiting London. The decision to remain UK-based and listed there will be of some relief to British investors after media reports suggested the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker—London’s most valuable company—was considering ditching its UK listing in favour of the U.S. London’s stock market has been shrinking due to companies moving away for higher valuations and access to deeper capital markets elsewhere, particularly the U.S., prompting listing reforms from regulators to score some wins. AstraZeneca said it would list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange and move away from the current depositary receipts structure, with trading expected on February 2, 2026. Trading in fully listed stocks is generally more liquid than in ADRs, attracting more investors. The company will remain headquartered in the UK and listed in London and Stockholm, with the plan subject to a shareholders’ vote on November 3. Its London-listed shares rose roughly 1% on Monday, taking the company’s gains for the year to about 6%. They have underperformed domestic rival GSK, which is up 13.6%, and the UK’s broader, blue-chip FTSE 100 index which has gained 14.2%. Commitment to UK Nearly 22% of AstraZeneca’s shareholder base is from North America, its biggest, according to LSEG data, in line with other top UK-based blue-chip companies. Iain Pyle at Aberdeen Group, a shareholder, said the main takeaway from the announcement was AstraZeneca’s “re-commitment” to the primary listing in the UK. “From our point of view, (AstraZeneca) remains an attractive investment on a fundamental basis, with a broad pipeline still undervalued by the market – the listing location doesn’t alter that view.” AstraZeneca Chair Michel Demare said the proposed “harmonised listing structure” would support the company’s long-term growth strategy. “Enabling a global listing structure will allow us to reach a broader mix of global investors,” he said. A spokesperson for Britain’s Treasury welcomed AstraZeneca retaining its London listing, while the London Stock Exchange said that there would be no change to the drugmaker’s place on the FTSE 100 following the switch. Peel Hunt analysts viewed AstraZeneca’s plans to stay in the UK as positive in the short term, but cautioned that U.S. success might prompt others to follow suit. U.S. investment and visibility Over the past decade, the FTSE 100 has severely underperformed U.S. markets, gaining only 53% while the S&P 500 more than tripled in value. Wall Street indices, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite, hit multiple record highs this month, broadening the market’s appeal. Companies are also ramping up U.S. investments to avoid hefty tariffs threatened by President Donald The President’s administration. AstraZeneca has pledged to invest $50 billion by 2030 in manufacturing in the U.S., its biggest market by sales. It has also said it will cut some direct-to-patient U.S. drug prices as drugmakers face pressure from the The President administration to reduce prices. The U.S. market remains pivotal for AstraZeneca, accounting for more than 40% of revenue in 2024. The company is betting on its U.S. expansion and expected launches to reach $80 billion in annual revenue by 2030 and offset generic competition. Earlier this month, AstraZeneca paused a planned 200 million pound ($268.80 million) investment in its research site in Cambridge, England, the latest drugmaker to pull back from the UK, citing a tough business environment. ($1 = 0.7440 pounds) —Pushkala Aripaka; Additional reporting by Maggie Fick, Josephine Mason, Sarah Young, Charlie Conchie, and Danilo Masoni, Reuters View the full article

UK carmaker plans to resume manufacturing this week following month-long shutdownView the full article

Rare joint statement with US Treasury seen as ‘green light’ for further currency intervention by Swiss central bankView the full article

In the absence of stronger federal regulation, some states have begun regulating apps that offer AI “therapy” as more people turn to artificial intelligence for mental health advice. But the laws, all passed this year, don’t fully address the fast-changing landscape of AI software development. And app developers, policymakers and mental health advocates say the resulting patchwork of state laws isn’t enough to protect users or hold the creators of harmful technology accountable. “The reality is millions of people are using these tools and they’re not going back,” said Karin Andrea Stephan, CEO and co-founder of the mental health chatbot app Earkick. ___ EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. ___ The state laws take different approaches. Illinois and Nevada have banned the use of AI to treat mental health. Utah placed certain limits on therapy chatbots, including requiring them to protect users’ health information and to clearly disclose that the chatbot isn’t human. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and California are also considering ways to regulate AI therapy. The impact on users varies. Some apps have blocked access in states with bans. Others say they’re making no changes as they wait for more legal clarity. And many of the laws don’t cover generic chatbots like ChatGPT, which are not explicitly marketed for therapy but are used by an untold number of people for it. Those bots have attracted lawsuits in horrific instances where users lost their grip on reality or took their own lives after interacting with them. Vaile Wright, who oversees health care innovation at the American Psychological Association, agreed that the apps could fill a need, noting a nationwide shortage of mental health providers, high costs for care, and uneven access for insured patients. Mental health chatbots that are rooted in science, created with expert input, and monitored by humans could change the landscape, Wright said. “This could be something that helps people before they get to crisis,” she said. “That’s not what’s on the commercial market currently.” That’s why federal regulation and oversight are needed, she said. Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission announced it was opening inquiries into seven AI chatbot companies — including the parent companies of Instagram and Facebook, Google, ChatGPT, Grok (the chatbot on X), Character.AI and Snapchat — on how they “measure, test and monitor potentially negative impacts of this technology on children and teens.” And the Food and Drug Administration is convening an advisory committee Nov. 6 to review generative AI-enabled mental health devices. Federal agencies could consider restrictions on how chatbots are marketed, limit addictive practices, require disclosures to users that they are not medical providers, require companies to track and report suicidal thoughts, and offer legal protections for people who report bad practices by companies, Wright said. Not all apps have blocked access From “companion apps” to “AI therapists” to “mental wellness” apps, AI’s use in mental health care is varied and hard to define, let alone write laws around. That has led to different regulatory approaches. Some states, for example, take aim at companion apps that are designed just for friendship, but don’t wade into mental health care. The laws in Illinois and Nevada ban products that claim to provide mental health treatment outright, threatening fines up to $10,000 in Illinois and $15,000 in Nevada. But even a single app can be tough to categorize. Earkick’s Stephan said there is still a lot that is “very muddy” about Illinois’ law, for example, and the company has not limited access there. Stephan and her team initially held off calling their chatbot, which looks like a cartoon panda, a therapist. But when users began using the word in reviews, they embraced the terminology so the app would show up in searches. Last week, they backed off using therapy and medical terms again. Earkick’s website described its chatbot as “Your empathetic AI counselor, equipped to support your mental health journey,” but now it’s a “chatbot for self care.” Still, “we’re not diagnosing,” Stephan maintained. Users can set up a “panic button” to call a trusted loved one if they are in crisis and the chatbot will “nudge” users to seek out a therapist if their mental health worsens. But it was never designed to be a suicide prevention app, Stephan said, and police would not be called if someone told the bot about thoughts of self-harm. Stephan said she’s happy that people are looking at AI with a critical eye, but worried about states’ ability to keep up with innovation. “The speed at which everything is evolving is massive,” she said. Other apps blocked access immediately. When Illinois users download the AI therapy app Ash, a message urges them to email their legislators, arguing “misguided legislation” has banned apps like Ash “while leaving unregulated chatbots it intended to regulate free to cause harm.” A spokesperson for Ash did not respond to multiple requests for an interview. Mario Treto Jr., secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, said the goal was ultimately to make sure licensed therapists were the only ones doing therapy. “Therapy is more than just word exchanges,” Treto said. “It requires empathy, it requires clinical judgment, it requires ethical responsibility, none of which AI can truly replicate right now.” One chatbot company is trying to fully replicate therapy In March, a Dartmouth University-based team published the first known randomized clinical trial of a generative AI chatbot for mental health treatment. The goal was to have the chatbot, called Therabot, treat people diagnosed with anxiety, depression or eating disorders. It was trained on vignettes and transcripts written by the team to illustrate an evidence-based response. The study found users rated Therabot similar to a therapist and had meaningfully lower symptoms after eight weeks compared with people who didn’t use it. Every interaction was monitored by a human who intervened if the chatbot’s response was harmful or not evidence-based. Nicholas Jacobson, a clinical psychologist whose lab is leading the research, said the results showed early promise but that larger studies are needed to demonstrate whether Therabot works for large numbers of people. “The space is so dramatically new that I think the field needs to proceed with much greater caution that is happening right now,” he said. Many AI apps are optimized for engagement and are built to support everything users say, rather than challenging peoples’ thoughts the way therapists do. Many walk the line of companionship and therapy, blurring intimacy boundaries therapists ethically would not. Therabot’s team sought to avoid those issues. The app is still in testing and not widely available. But Jacobson worries about what strict bans will mean for developers taking a careful approach. He noted Illinois had no clear pathway to provide evidence that an app is safe and effective. “They want to protect folks, but the traditional system right now is really failing folks,” he said. “So, trying to stick with the status quo is really not the thing to do.” Regulators and advocates of the laws say they are open to changes. But today’s chatbots are not a solution to the mental health provider shortage, said Kyle Hillman, who lobbied for the bills in Illinois and Nevada through his affiliation with the National Association of Social Workers. “Not everybody who’s feeling sad needs a therapist,” he said. But for people with real mental health issues or suicidal thoughts, “telling them, ‘I know that there’s a workforce shortage but here’s a bot’ — that is such a privileged position.” ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. —Devi Shastri, Associated Press health writer View the full article

Do you suffer from time anxiety? Before you answer, consider if any of the following scenarios sound familiar: You get a late start, and the whole day you’re running behind. You always feel rushed, to the point that you start to get panicky. You look at your task list at the end of the day, and you’ve only finished half of what you planned. You constantly feel that time is slipping away. In other words, you’re constantly battling the feeling that there’s simply not enough time. But what if you could reframe the way you think about time? Well, you can. It involves learning a little ancient Greek, and getting to know that society’s approach to time. As you do, you’ll have an emotionally intelligent tool that allows you to see time through a different lens. I like to call this tool the “Kairos Rule.” What is the Kairos Rule? And how can it help you manage your emotions, reduce anxiety, and make the most of your time? To answer those questions, let’s take a lesson in ancient Greek. (Sign up here for my free email emotional intelligence course.) Chronos, Kairos, and the ancient Greek view of time In her book Tiny Experiments, neuroscientist Anne-Laure Le Cunff explains how the ancient Greeks had not one, but two words to speak of time: Chronos refers to quantity. This is the time of clocks and calendars, productivity tools, and linear goals. Then, there’s kairos. Kairos expresses the quality of time, as opposed to the quantity. It recognizes each moment as unique, rather than a fixed, mechanical unit. Le Cunff describes moments of kairos as those instances “suspended in time,” where you are caught up in a moment with loved ones, or when you’re deeply engaged in self-reflection. “Kairos,” she says, “is when you feel like this moment, right now, is perfect.” (Interestingly, the Japanese have a similar expression: Ichi-go ichi-e, or “once in a lifetime.”) The Kairos Rule, then, basically says this: Not all moments are created equal, and the value of time depends on the situation. The Kairos Rule is helpful because of the world we live in—a world that idolizes productivity, but the wrong kind of productivity. Toxic productivity “Nobody really wants to live a productive life,” writes Le Cunff in Tiny Experiments. “We want to express ourselves, connect with others, and explore the world. Productivity is just a means to those ends; it should certainly not come at the expense of actually living life.” Le Cunff argues somewhere along the way society’s ideas of productivity went bad, to the point where we downplay the meaning of rest, reflection, and meaningful engagement. “Each project needs a clear outcome,” writes Anne-Laure. “Conversations become transactional. So-called unproductive moments of playful curiosity and quiet contemplation where our most profound insights can arise are eliminated.” It’s this broken view that causes many today to measure productivity in the short term, versus looking at the big picture—which is why we see so much stress-related sickness and burnout, and so many mental health issues. In contrast, the Rule of Kairos encourages you to make the most of those “moments of playful curiosity” and “quiet contemplation.” It empowers you to prioritize and maximize the minutes, hours, and days with friends and loved ones. So, how can you use the Rule of Kairos to reframe the way you think about time? I recommend using the following questions: How much time am I taking for the things that really matter—like spending time with loved ones? Or taking time to reflect, recover, and recharge? Do I really need to get everything on my task list done? If I do, will it come at the expense of more important things? What changes can I make to use my time more wisely, with the big picture in mind? Remember: Not everything you do will feel productive. And that’s OK. Instead of focusing on productivity, strive to see the unseen. See the kairos moments. If you do, you’ll start to realize something important: You’re not running behind at all. In fact, you’re right on time. — By Justin Bariso This article originally appeared on Fast Company‘s sister publication, Inc. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. View the full article

I vividly remember the first time that I buckled my 8-year-old son into a 4,000 pound, AI powered robot, pressed a button, and sent us careening through the streets of San Francisco with no one behind the steering wheel. We were riding a Waymo, one of the first self-driving cars to offer public rides in selected U.S. cities, our own city of San Francisco included. After a few minutes of riding, I asked my son what he thought. “I feel . . .” he said, taking a long pause before responding, “. . . uncomfortable. But, it’s really cool!” I suspect he’s not alone in feeling that way. According to data from AAA, 61% of Americans consider themselves “afraid” to ride in a self-driving car, with only 13% saying that they fully trust the technology. Yet people are immensely fascinated by these AI-powered machines–and surprisingly inclined to use them. A study in the journal Science and Public Policy explored early public dialogue around self-driving vehicles, finding that “The investment and excitement surrounding self-driving vehicles are huge.” That’s borne out by real-world data. In cities like San Francisco that adopted self-driving tech, autonomous rides now account for over 25% of all rideshare trips, surpassing the market share of companies like Lyft. Waymo has nearly 1,000 self-driving cars cruising the city’s streets on any given day. I ride self-driving Waymo vehicles 2–3 times per week, and here’s what I can tell you: They’re surprisingly boring. And that’s their superpower. Summon the robots When I tell friends and colleagues from other cities about my Waymo habit, they usually assume that summoning a self-driving car requires some kind of high-tech, sci-fi-like process. Perhaps there’s a glowing pendant you hold up in the sky, or some kind of supercomputing device that the company secretly issues to its cabal of riders. Maybe there are incantations. In reality, the process of calling up a Waymo is almost exactly like booking an Uber or Lyft. Waymo has an app with a user interface that looks entirely cribbed from the apps of its human-driven competition. You specify your destination, enter a credit card, and watch as a little animated car slowly approaches you on a map. Except instead of meeting John in a Kia Optima with a 4.93 rating, your vehicle is an anonymous robot with a rapidly spinning laser scanner on top. When your Waymo arrives, it pulls to the side of the road, trying its best not to block traffic. As annoyed human drivers curse under their breath and assertively careen around you (just like with a real Uber!), you climb inside, buckle your seatbelt, and press a button on the dashboard. Its steering wheel spinning as if controlled by some benign, rideshare-giving poltergeist, your Waymo turns into traffic, and you’re off. During my first Waymo trip, I felt much like my son—nervous, excited, in awe of the tech. By my second Waymo ride, it was already starting to feel old-hat. Today, after more than a year of riding the cars all over San Francisco, it feels entirely normal. The fact that I’m being chauffeured around town by an AI-powered, laser-studded robot barely registers. What does register is the surprisingly delightful sensory experience of riding in one of these super high-tech cars—and the immense, almost subversive pleasure of being totally alone. No person, please Sartre famously said “Hell is other people.” He was talking about the existential angst of the human condition. But he could just as easily have been describing a bad Uber ride. As a professional news and travel photographer, I’ve taken a lot of Ubers. And while most drivers are great, I’ve had some truly bad experiences. I’ve had drivers who appear to be on substances, who ask me probing questions about my life (one demanded to know, point-blank, “How much do you make per year?” and was unwilling to accept a noncommittal answer without a dollar figure attached), and drivers who seem to believe my airport ride across the Bay Bridge is secretly a time trial on the Nuremberg ring. And I’m lucky—many experiences are far worse. Data from the Government Accountability Office shows that over 4,600 people were sexually assaulted in rideshare vehicles in 2019. At least 19 people were killed in rideshare-related assaults. Both drivers and riders are at risk. To be clear, the vast majority of traditional rideshare trips end well, and rideshare companies are doing more and more to keep people safe. Still, even if a trip isn’t outright dangerous, there are times where you simply don’t feel like sharing space with another person–smelling their cologne, breathing their air, and answering their questions about your life. Without a human driver, Waymos offer something that no rideshare vehicle can provide—solitude. As you cruise through your city in one of the company’s cars, you’re present in the world around you. Yet simultaneously, you’re totally alone. Relaxing spa music plays over the car’s speakers. The leather-wrapped seats are clean and cool to the touch (Waymo uses Jaguar I-Pace vehicles, a luxury electric SUV that retails for over $75,000). A map shows your surroundings and ride time, complete with cheerful icons representing cyclists, pedestrians and fellow drivers. It’s pleasant, almost meditative. And people appear to love it. Again, when given the choice between Waymo and traditional rideshare vehicles, San Franciscans are increasingly choosing Waymo–even though a study by the rideshare data company Obi shows Waymo rides cost up to $11 more. Why? As Obi’s Chief Revenue Officer told TechCrunch, they like being alone. Back to the future Self-driving car skeptics usually criticize the tech on safety grounds, or claim that it’s an overhyped, faddish technology that riders will try once and abandon. Most critics compare the tech to traditional rideshares. What they’re missing is the fact that riding in a self-driving car isn’t like a traditional rideshare at all. Indeed, the whiz-bang sci-fi coolness of the tech quickly becomes boring. It’s the unique solitude and independence of the experience—not the fancy AI tech—that makes it an entirely new way of traveling. As with public transit, you’re moving through your city without needing to directly move yourself. Yet on public transit, you’re always surrounded by other people. Here, you’re not. In a private car, you’re alone. But you can never direct your attention away from the road for long enough to truly notice and experience your surroundings. During a recent Waymo ride, I realized that the technology reminded me most of a far older piece of transportation tech—the horse. If you’ve ever ridden on horseback, you know that you can never truly control your horse—you can merely suggest to it where you’d like it to go, and trust that the horse—an autonomous entity capable of acting on its own–will decide to act on your suggestions. You also can’t crash a horse. If you direct your attention away from the task of riding—or even drop the reins entirely—your horse will keep right on following its path. It can sense the space around it, and wants to walk into a tree even less than you do. As a kid, I even remember riding on old rental horses that knew their trails and routines so well, they’d turn around and head back to the stable of their own accord when your 60 minutes of riding time was up. Riding a Waymo feels similar. You’re in charge to a degree, but ultimately you’re ceding the task of moving your body to an independent, non-human intelligence. You give up control, yes. But you gain something else—the ability to move through the world while fully experiencing it. Alone and freed from the task of directing your own movement, you can open the window and watch city life unfold around you in an almost cinematic way—or just close your eyes and truly tune out for a moment. The AI is the boring part If the AI powering your Waymo constantly made its presence known, it would distract from this experience. Instead, the fact that the AI tech quickly becomes mundane—unnoticable, even–facilitates this entirely new way of moving. Last month, I took another first-time rider on a Waymo trip; my Boomer-age mom. Seated behind the non-existent driver, my mom told me she quickly forgot we were riding in an AI robot. We could chat and catch up without another person eavesdropping on—or perhaps joining in—our conversation. It was a pleasant ride. Waymo’s AI facilitated the experience, but nothing about it felt especially high-tech or futuristic. Ultimately—beyond the economics, or the novelty, or the safety—that’s why self-driving cars will succeed. They’re a uniquely pleasant way to get around. Their technology is boring, fading into the background. And that’s what makes them great. View the full article

How decisions in construction and property oversight can reshape multifamily loan performance. View the full article

From volunteer trips to virtual costume parties, lenders are looking for new ways to boost employee wellness to keep their teams happy and healthy. View the full article

The pharma group may not be planning to up sticks. But it is putting the UK on noticeView the full article

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. It's an exciting time to be an iPhone user. There's iOS 26, of course, which brings a number of major changes to the platform. For the daring, there's the iOS 26.1 beta, which continues to build upon the foundation of Apple's latest OS. If that weren't enough, however, it seems Apple is also working on yet another iPhone update—this time intended mostly to fix problems with the last one. The update, iOS 26.0.1, could drop any time in the coming days. These types of updates aren't necessarily unusual: Apple released iOS 18.0.1 three weeks after iOS 18 last year. The intention here is not to introduce new features or add changes; rather, you should notice bugs fixed and less instability. Per MacRumors, we may see four key bugs squashed with iOS 26.0.1. Those could include the following: A patch for a bug affected the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air's cameras A patch for a bug that causes wifi to disconnect and reconnect on the iPhone 17 series. Reportedly, this bug can also disconnect CarPlay in some cars. A patch for a bug that affects search in the Calendar app. A patch for a bug that stops some users from downloading Apple Intelligence models on the iPhone 17 series. This is not an exhaustive list by any means. We won't know exactly what Apple has planned for 26.0.1 until the update comes out. It's possible there will be other bugs patched here, as well as security updates not included in this list. You usually can tell how monumental an Apple update is by the numbers in its name: An update like iOS 26, a round number, indicates a major, one a year update; an update like iOS 26.1, with one decimal, denotes a minor update that still introduces new features; and an update like iOS 26.0.1, with two decimals, indicates a stability or security update. When Apple does release iOS 26.0.1, you can install it from Settings > General > Software Update. View the full article

New York City Mayor Eric Adams ended his struggling reelection campaign Sunday, an acknowledgment that he was no longer a credible contender after a year of scandal and political turmoil. In a video released on social media, Adams spoke proudly of his tenure as mayor. But he said his now-dismissed federal corruption case left voters wary of him, and “constant media speculation” about his future made it impossible to raise enough money to run a serious campaign. “Despite all we’ve achieved, I cannot continue my reelection campaign,” he said. Adams did not endorse any of the remaining candidates in the race, but he warned of “insidious forces” using local government to “advance divisive agendas.” “That is not change, that is chaos,” Adams said. “Instead, I urge New Yorkers to choose leaders not by what they promise, but by what they have delivered.” Adams’ capitulation could potentially provide a lift to the campaign of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a fellow centrist who portrayed himself as the only candidate able to beat the Democratic Party’s nominee, state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani. It is unclear, though, whether enough Adams supporters will shift their allegiances to Cuomo to make a difference. Mamdani, 33, would be the city’s youngest and most liberal mayor in generations if elected. He beat Cuomo decisively in the Democratic primary by campaigning on a promise try to lower the cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities. Mamdani, Cuomo and Sliwa remain in the race In a statement after Adams’ announcement, Mamdani took aim at Cuomo, who is trying to make a political comeback after resigning the governor’s office after being accused of sexual harassment by multiple women. “New York deserves better than trading in one disgraced, corrupt politician for another. On November 4th, we are going to turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas and deliver a government every New Yorker can be proud of,” Mamdani said. Cuomo, in a statement on social media, praised Adams for “putting the well-being of New York City ahead of personal ambition.” “We face destructive extremist forces that would devastate our city through incompetence or ignorance, but it is not too late to stop them,” Cuomo said. Republican Curtis Sliwa also remains in the race, though his candidacy has been undercut from within his own party; The President in a recent interview called him “not exactly prime time.” Rough showing in polls Speculation that Adams wouldn’t make it to Election Day has been rampant for a year. His campaign was severely wounded by both the bribery case and liberal anger over his warm relationship with President Donald The President. He skipped the Democratic primary and got on the ballot as an independent. Polls conducted in early September illustrated his challenges. One poll by The New York Times and Siena University and another by Quinnipiac University showed likely voters favoring Mamdani over Cuomo, with Sliwa and Adams trailing further behind. The Quinnipiac poll suggested the gap between Mamdani and Cuomo could narrow if Adams dropped out. The Times/Siena poll suggested that if both Adams and Sliwa withdrew, Mamdani’s advantage over Cuomo could shrink even further. Sliwa, though, has repeatedly insisted he will not quit. “Curtis Sliwa is the only candidate who can defeat Mamdani,” his spokesperson, Daniel Kurzyna, said Sunday. In recent weeks, The President administration intermediaries interested in blocking Mamdani’s path to victory by getting him into a one-on-one matchup with Cuomo had approached Adams to see if he could be coaxed out of the contest with an offer of a government job. Amid reports on those discussions, Adams called a news conference where he pledged to keep running and derided Cuomo and Mamdani as “spoiled brats.” Later, on social media, Adams called Cuomo “a liar and a snake.” Indictment overshadows progress Adams, 65, is the city’s second Black mayor. A former New York City police captain and Brooklyn borough president, he took office in 2022 promising to crack down on crime and revitalize a city still bouncing back from the coronavirus pandemic. On his signature issue, he succeeded. Crime rates that ticked upward after COVID-19 hit the city have fallen back to pre-pandemic levels, though it’s unclear how much that had to do with Adams’ policies. But scandals and corruption probes have crippled Adams’ chances at another term. Over a head-spinning period of weeks last year, his police commissioner, schools chancellor and several deputy mayors resigned following a series of federal raids on their homes. None have faced criminal charges. Then, in late September, federal prosecutors brought fraud and bribery charges accusing Adams of accepting illegal campaign contributions and steep travel discounts from a Turkish official and others, and in exchange later accelerating the opening of Turkey’s diplomatic building, among other favors. The President intervenes Adams denied wrongdoing and pledged to remain in office. He also began speaking warmly about The President, then seen as having a growing chance of regaining the White House. He defended The President in media briefings, urged his party to tone down rhetoric against the Republican and refrained from criticizing him. After The President won, Adams met with The President’s border czar, Thomas Homan. Then, in February, The President’s Justice Department ordered federal prosecutors in New York to drop the charges against Adams so the mayor could assist with the Republican president’s immigration agenda. The extraordinary intervention triggered fresh tumult in City Hall and the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office, with some of Adams’ closest allies suggesting he had struck a deal with the White House for his freedom. Adams announced he would skip the June Democratic primary but would stay in the race. In late August, Adams former top adviser — who served as a campaign volunteer — was hit with fresh bribery charges. Another former aide was removed from the campaign after handing a potato chip bag full of cash to a local reporter. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has endorsed Mamdani, said after Adams’ announcement that she has been proud to have worked with him for the past four years, adding in her statement that he leaves the city “better than he inherited it.” This story has been corrected to reflect that Adams said “New Yorkers should choose leaders” by what they have delivered, not “leaders should choose leaders” by what they have delivered. —Jake Offenhartz and Anthony Izaguirre, Associated Press View the full article

Pending sales of US existing homes rose in August to the highest level in five months, as falling mortgage rates gave a much-needed lift to the sluggish housing market. View the full article

Today (Monday, September 29) is National Coffee Day. To celebrate, many coffee shops and eateries are promoting discounts and freebies. Keep these National Coffee Day deals and freebies in mind when stopping to get your daily dose of caffeine. Bruegger’s Bagels Rewards members can get a free hot or iced coffee with a purchase when ordering in the app. Burger King Burger King Royal Perks rewards members can get a free medium iced coffee with a minimum purchase of $1 when ordering through the Burger King app. Members must activate the offer before placing an order. Caribou Coffee On September 29, receive a free medium hot or iced classic latte with a purchase of another beverage when ordering in-store or through the Caribou Coffee app. Dunkin’ Dunkin’ Rewards members can get a free medium coffee with hot or iced coffee with a purchase when ordering in the Dunkin’ app. Dutch Bros On September 29, customers who buy a “Drink More Coffee” hat in-store will get any drink of their choice for free. Einstein Bros. Bagels On September 29, Einstein Bros. Rewards members can get any size free hot or iced coffee with purchase when ordering in-app or online. Krispy Kreme The donut chain that loves to give things away for free is getting in on the action. On September 29, get a free medium hot or iced coffee and a free donut of your choice, with no purchase necessary. Paris Baguette PB rewards members can get a free medium hot or iced coffee with purchase through September 29. To join, download the Paris Baguette app. Pret a Manger On September 29, get a free 16 oz. Barista-made drink for free. Drink options include hot or iced coffees, lattes, cappuccinos, and more. Starbucks Through September 29, when purchasing a hot or iced brewed coffee of any size, Starbucks Rewards members will earn 100 bonus stars, which can be redeemed for a free hot or iced brewed coffee or tea, bakery item, or packaged snack. Members must activate the offer within the Starbucks app before placing their order. View the full article

Bad Bunny will bring his Latin trap and reggaeton swagger to the NFL’s biggest stage next year: The Grammy winner will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show in Northern California. The NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Sunday that Bad Bunny will lead the halftime festivities from Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California. The Puerto Rican superstar’s selection comes amid another career-defining run: He’s fresh off a historic Puerto Rico residency this month that drew more than half a million fans and is leading all nominees at the Latin Grammys in November. He has become one of the world’s most streamed artists with albums such as “Un Verano Sin Ti,” an all-Spanish-language LP. Bad Bunny will host “Saturday Night Live” on Oct. 4. “What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” Bad Bunny said in a statement. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.” Roc Nation founder Jay-Z said in a statement that what Bad Bunny has “done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.” The 31-year-old artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has won three Grammys and 12 Latin Grammys. He has become a global ambassador for Latin music, starred in films such as “Bullet Train,” “Caught Stealing” and “Happy Gilmore 2,” and collaborated with top fashion houses. He’ll enter the Latin Grammys as the leading nominee with 12, dethroning producer and songwriter Édgar Barrera. Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of the halftime show. Hamish Hamilton will serve as director. “We know his dynamic performances, creative vision, and deep connection with fans will deliver the kind of unforgettable experience we’ve come to expect from this iconic cultural moment,” said Jon Barker, SVP of Global Event Production for the NFL. Last year, Kendrick Lamar shined with guest SZA in New Orleans, setting the record for the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show with 133.5 million viewers. His performance surpassed the audience for Michael Jackson’s 1993 show. “His music has not only broken records but has elevated Latin music to the center of pop-culture and we are thrilled to once again partner with the NFL and Roc Nation to deliver this historic performance to millions of fans worldwide,” said Oliver Schusser, the vice president of Apple Music and Beats. “We know this show will be unforgettable.” —Jonathan Landrum Jr., AP Entertainment Writer View the full article