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The same ChatGPT chatbot that gave OpenAI’s chief financial officer Sarah Friar a tilapia recipe for a recent Sunday night dinner at home is also now doing her most mundane tasks at work like summarizing her emails and Slack messages. Friar and other company executives are banking OpenAI’s future on more of the latter as it shifts its focus to business-oriented products while shedding some of its consumer offerings as a pathway to profitability. OpenAI says it will introduce a new artificial intelligence model for “high-value professional work” as the company faces heightened competition with rival Anthropic in attracting corporate customers to adopt AI assistants in their workplaces. “You’ll see a new model coming from us in short order. We feel very excited about it,” Friar said in an interview with The Associated Press. OpenAI boasts of more than 900 million weekly users of its core ChatGPT product, and Friar said about 95% of them “don’t pay anything” for the popular chatbot. But while all those interactions build habits and reliance, they also strain the costly computing resources needed to power the company’s AI systems and highlight the need for big business customers to help pay the bills. OpenAI, valued at $852 billion, and Anthropic, valued at $380 billion, both lose more money than they make, putting the privately-owned San Francisco-based AI research laboratories in a fierce competition to generate more revenue as they race toward becoming publicly traded on Wall Street. A push to improve performance and sales of OpenAI’s business-oriented products — already Anthropic’s bread and butter — has driven OpenAI to abandon some consumer initiatives, like the AI video generator app Sora. “I think it was a little heartbreaking, but we’re like, OK, it’s not the main event right now,” Friar said. “We need to make sure that our new model that’s coming has enough compute.” Codenamed Spud, OpenAI says its “smartest model yet” offers “stronger reasoning, better understanding of intent and dependencies, better follow-through and more reliable output in production.” It will be part of OpenAI’s answer to Anthropic’s new Claude Mythos, which Anthropic claims is so “strikingly capable” that it is limiting its use to select customers because of its apparent ability to surpass human cybersecurity experts in finding or exploiting computer vulnerabilities. While most people can’t use Mythos, Anthropic also on Thursday released Opus 4.7, describing it as its most powerful “generally available” model. Friar, the former CEO of neighborhood social platform Nextdoor, said business customers accounted for about 20% of OpenAI’s revenue when she was hired in 2024 as chief financial officer. She said it’s now 40% and expected to account for half of OpenAI’s sales by the end of the year. It’s a sharp turnaround from late last year, when OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman was promoting a now-shuttered Sora partnership with Disney, launching a plan to sell ads on ChatGPT and floating the idea of letting ChatGPT engage in erotica with paid adult users. Altman said on the “Mostly Human” podcast earlier this month that a sharper focus was needed — and Friar agrees. “Tech companies, when they’re growing, it’s just this natural thing that happens. There’s so many cool things you could do,” she said, adding that companies can end up doing “really badly” if they do too many things, while “great companies are very good at, in a reasonable period of time, kind of doing that winnowing down and refocusing and it’s super painful.” Signaling that shift was the hiring three months ago of Slack CEO Denise Dresser to be OpenAI’s first chief revenue officer. Dresser said in a recent AP interview that she has been laser-focused on meeting with corporate leaders and positioning OpenAI as the go-to platform for workplaces employing AI agents to automate a variety of computer-based job tasks. “It’s really clear to me that companies are past the experimentation phase and they’re into using AI to do real work,” Dresser said. “Leaders at companies are recognizing that AI is probably the most consequential shift of their lifetime.” But those leaders also have a choice, namely Anthropic’s Claude that has become widely used by software professionals. Founded in 2021 by a group of ex-OpenAI leaders who said they wanted to prioritize AI safety, Anthropic has positioned itself as the more responsible AI vendor. The distinction drew attention when President Donald The President’s administration punished the startup after a contract dispute over AI use in the military, and Altman used the opportunity to cement OpenAI’s own deal with the Pentagon. Consumer interest in Anthropic surged and the company said its annualized revenues hit $30 billion, a higher number than what OpenAI has reported, though they measure it differently. Friar and Dresser declined to reveal OpenAI’s latest sales but both have suggested that Anthropic’s number is inflated because it doesn’t account for revenue it must share with cloud computing providers Amazon and Google. Even so, it remains a tight competition that’s also tied to the health of the stock market and the future of the economy. “They’re likely quite close,” said Luke Emberson, a researcher at nonprofit institute Epoch AI. “Certainly the trends show Anthropic is growing much faster than OpenAI. If that continues, they’re likely to cross soon.” The urgency led Dresser to send a memo to OpenAI employees on Sunday, first reported by The Verge, that asserted that Anthropic’s coding focus “gave them an early wedge” but expressing confidence that OpenAI has the “real structural advantage” as AI usage expands beyond software developers and OpenAI builds enough computing capacity to operate its AI systems. “Their story is built on fear, restriction, and the idea that a small group of elites should control AI,” Dresser’s memo said of Anthropic. “Our positive message will win over time: build powerful systems, put in the right safeguards, expand access, and help people do more.” But for skeptics of the financial viability of the AI industry, the trajectory of both money-losing companies is alarming as smaller startups increasingly become dependent on their AI tools. Anthropic has imposed rate limits on heavy users, forcing some to wait for hours to use Claude, and both companies have set up service tiers that reward premium payers, said author and AI critic Ed Zitron. “It’s what I call the subprime AI crisis,” Zitron said. “People built their lives and they built their businesses on top of these companies that, as they try and save money, will start turning the screws.” One thing that both AI leaders and critics agree on is that it is an expensive technology, though whether it is worth the cost in electricity-hungry AI computers remains to be seen. “People will say, well, ‘Once they go public, they’re safe.’ That’s not true,” Zitron said. “Public companies can and will die, especially ones that are dependent on $100 billion to $200 billion every year or so, just to keep breathing.” —Matt O’Brien, AP technology writer View the full article

Agreement could increase the chance of securing a permanent end to the war between the US and IranView the full article

If you've ever started a new workout routine with the best intentions only to find yourself skipping sessions by week two, you're not alone. I'm the type to get trapped in the same cycle of burnout, where I go hard for a couple of weeks, feel exhausted, feel guilty, and repeat. For me, what finally broke that cycle wasn't a new gym membership or a fancy fitness app, but a simple scheduling hack: the "3-3-3 rule." I'd seen this rule applied it to general productivity, and all the same principles can apply to your fitness habits, too. Here's how you can use the 3-3-3 rules to structure your workouts and create a habit that sticks. What is the 3-3-3 rule?The 3-3-3 "rule" (or "method," or "gentle suggestion") is essentially a weekly workout framework built around three types of movement, each done three times per week: Three strength training sessions. This includes lifting weights, bodyweight circuits, resistance bands, whatever builds muscle and challenges your body. Three cardio sessions. This includes running, cycling, swimming, jump rope, a dance class—what counts as "cardio" is up for debate, but here, I think of it as anything that gets your heart pumping. Three active recovery days. This includes light walking, yoga, stretching, foam rolling, and so on. And yes, I realize this math adds up to nine intentional days of movement across a seven-day week. Here's the thing: You do double duty some days, or skip workouts here and there, or adjust to a nine-day cycle, because the point isn't rigid scheduling. The point is rhythm over a strict structure. For me, the 3-3-3 rule provides a sense of momentum that's flexible enough to fit into real life, but consistent enough to actually stick to. Why the 3-3-3 rule works for meBefore I get into how the 3-3-3 rule helped me specifically, let's talk about why so many workout plans fall apart in the first place. I believe most of them make two classic mistakes. The first is doing too much, too soon. You go from zero to six days a week at the gym, you get burnt out, and the whole thing unravels. The second mistake is having no real structure at all—just vague intentions, like "I'll work out when I can," which never materializes into anything real for a lot of people. For me, the 3-3-3 rule solves both of those problems. It gives me enough structure to build habit and momentum, but not so much intensity that my body and brain feel overwhelmed. I personally adore running, but I struggle to motivate myself to lift weights; the 3-3-3 rhythm here helped me find a middle ground between those two workouts. When I know I have three strength sessions to hit in a week (or nine-ish day cycle), I can look at my calendar and find three slots without too much drama or dread. There's also plenty of breathing room built into the plan, which was the biggest game changer for me. I used to have the (toxic) thought that my rest days were wasted days, which is a mentality that led to either overtraining or complete inactivity with pretty much no middle ground. Plus, there's something psychologically satisfying about the number three. I know and love the rule of threes in photography, comedy, survival tips, and all over the place. How to make a 3-3-3 workout schedule work for youThe 3-3-3 rule has a ton of wiggle room for customization. Here are some ideas for how you can approach it: For strength days, pick a format you actually enjoy. That might be a full-body circuit, a push/pull/legs split, or a class at your gym. (Boxing, anyone?) Your focus on these days should be a progressive challenge—push yourself, yes, but don't obliterate yourself. For cardio days, variety helps. Mix a longer, easier effort with a shorter, more intense session (like a 20-minute interval run). I know I'm biased, but cardio really shouldn't feel like punishment. For recovery days, resist the urge to "make them count" by sneaking in extra work. The whole point is to let your body consolidate the gains from your harder days. Walk, stretch, breathe, and trust the process. Another practical tip: Pick a night to map out your 3-3-3 week ahead of time. You'll probably find that the week arranges itself pretty naturally once you're looking for those nine windows. The bottom lineAs always, consistency should always be your priority in fitness. If you've been struggling to find a rhythm, if your past workout plans have always fizzled out around week three, give the 3-3-3 rule an honest four-week try. Maybe start with a 1-1-1 month! After all, the 3-3-3 rule isn't a hack to totally transform your physique, but I do think it can provide something way more valuable. Finding a routine that works for you—like the 3-3-3 rule works for me—is the first step to make exercise a reliable, sustainable part of your life. View the full article

A tariff refund program will open next week over The President’s now invalidated tariffs. But consumers shouldn’t get too excited — the program is only aimed at companies, not individuals. On Friday, the program was introduced by U.S. Customers and Border Protection (CBP), which said the tool, Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) will open in phases, with the first phase beginning on April 20. “CAPE will simplify International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) duty refund requests made pursuant to court order and in accordance with appropriate statutory authority by providing an electronic pathway to submit valid IEEPA duty refund claims,” CBP explains on its website. The tariff refund system’s introduction comes after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs President The President imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In his ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts said the president lacked the authority to impose such tariffs, given Congress did not grant him that power. He said, “In light of the breadth, history, and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorization to exercise it,” asserting that the president had not done so. After the Supreme Court’s ruling, Judge Richard Eaton then ordered CBP to calculate what importers would have paid without The President’s tariffs and to begin processing refunds. Eaton said that up to 82% of IEEPA duty payments, amounting to $127 billion, may be eligible for refunds. More than 3,000 companies have filed lawsuits over the impact of The President’s tariffs, according to research from Manufacturing Dive. Who should apply? Only businesses impacted by The President’s tariffs can apply for tariff refunds through CAPE. According to CBP, the first phase of CAPE’s launch will only be for “certain unliquidated entries and certain entries within 80 days of liquidation.” Applicants need to have an ACE Secure Data Portal account, provide CBP with their bank account information, and submit their declaration through the CAPE portal. CBP says, “Once a CAPE Declaration is validated and accepted, ACE will update the appropriate entry summary lines by removing the IEEPA Harmonized Tariff Schedule Chapter 99 provision and the corresponding IEEPA duties, resulting in an updated version of the entry.” Only businesses that paid IEEPA tariffs and customs brokers that paid duties on an importer’s behalf are eligible. CBP also noted that it will not accept applications from attorneys filing on behalf of importers. How long will refunds take? Refunds will take anywhere from 60 to 90 days following an acceptance from CAPE, “unless a compliance concern requires further CBP review,” CBP says. Questions about refunds can be sent to: traderelations@cbp.dhs.gov. What about consumers? CAPE is only designed to issue refunds to businesses, not consumers. Regardless, recent polling from Groundwork Collaborative and Data for Progress found that 42% of voters think “refunds should go directly to American households”, given businesses passed price hikes onto customers. According to a Joint Economic Committee fact sheet, American consumers paid more than $231 billion from February 2025 through January 2026 due to The President’s tariffs. On average, that comes out to around $1,745 per family. View the full article

A reader writes: About a year ago, I got prescribed a CPAP machine. Very important for, you know, supplying oxygen to my brain while I sleep, but one doozy of an adjustment period. It took me about a month to adjust to wearing it at night, and during that month I lowkey felt like I was dying. I was getting very little sleep, and that in small bursts. I was exhausted all the time, and exhaustion made me stupid and slow. I work in a compliance-related role. My job involves assessing regulatory liability for my employer and potential misconduct by licensed employees. If I find against an employee, it’s the kind of thing that could follow them for the rest of their career, whether at my firm or any other they move to. If I find in favor of my firm where I should have found fault, that can open us up to regulatory complaints and investigations. Operating on broken and insufficient sleep for a month while facing those potential consequences for bad calls scared the dickens out of me. I had productivity numbers to meet, but I simply could not stay focused enough to work at the normal speed, and awareness of the potential stakes of an error of judgment made me extra cautious. I was operating at about 40% of our expected performance, and even after I adjusted it took me some more time to fully get back up to speed as I paid off the sleep debt. But a month-plus of turning out a fraction of the work I’m expected to do had a predictably terrible effect on my career. I wound up on a performance improvement plan and lost a lot of credibility with my boss. And unfortunately for me, my boss is the kind of guy who doesn’t really understand exhaustion as an excuse. As he sees it, either you’re so badly off you should take PTO or you’re fine and coming in to work and doing what needs doing. But I couldn’t exactly take an entire month of PTO, that’s far more than my allotment! And I don’t think short-term disability can be applied here. I had a similar situation early in my career, too, when I was prescribed a strong bronchitis medication that interfered with my judgment and focus during the two weeks I was taking it. I only had five days’ sick time and had used half of it, so the only option I saw was to go to work high, which even at entry-level stakes is a bad idea. So, how does one navigate these situations? My understanding is that accommodations for health are meant to offer you support to maintain the expected productivity, not to make it okay to underperform. Are there ways to approach an “I know I’m underperforming but I can’t do better until my body stops doing a stupid thing, which is some indefinite number of weeks away” conversation that could actually sound credible? How do people navigate this? The wording you want is, “I’m dealing with a medical situation that is making it hard to be at 100% right now. I’m working with my doctor to resolve it and we’re hopeful I’ll be back to normal soon, but I wanted to mention it in case you notice me seeming off my usual game.” Or, “I want to let you know that I’m dealing with a medical condition that has been wearing me out lately. I’m working with my doctor on a treatment plan and I don’t expect it to continue long-term, but I wanted to mention it in case you notice me seeming off.” You don’t need to disclose details — just you might notice this, I’m working on it, and I’m hoping it will be resolved soon. It’s ideal to say it before your boss talks to you about changes in your work, but if you didn’t, you can still say it once they do. The idea is to give your manager context for what’s happening so they don’t have to wonder if you’re just being careless or aren’t invested in your job anymore, or otherwise draw the wrong conclusions about what’s going on. Most managers will give you a lot more slack if you explain that yes, you’ve flagged it too, there’s a reason for it, and you’re working to resolve it. The post how do I handle being off my game at work because of a medical situation? appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

As Jennifer Harris, director of the Economy and Society Initiative at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, has recently pointed out, we are at a particularly fraught moment. Rising inequality means that fewer people have spending power, creating incentives that sharpen the affordability crisis for everybody else. But there are remedies that don’t require draconian taxes and are proven to work—at their core is ownership. Since 1984, worker productivity in the United States has risen by 80%. Real wages have risen by 20%. The stock market, in the same period, has risen by roughly 9,000%. Now comes artificial intelligence—poised, in BlackRock CEO Larry Fink’s words, to “repeat that pattern at an even larger scale.” The wealth from the next great technological wave—like the ones before it—is on track to flow to the people who own things, not the people who do things. We are right in the extraordinarily messy middle of what economic historian Carlota Pérez calls the installation phase of a technological revolution. During such periods, finance operates in a casino-like economy, financiers and high-tech barons capture most of the gains, inequality spikes, and populism rises. The Gilded Age looked like this. The Roaring Twenties looked like this. So does 2026. But Perez’s framework contains an underappreciated ray of hope. Every installation phase has eventually given way to a “golden age”—a deployment phase in which the new technologies spread widely, productivity and wages finally move together, and prosperity broadens. The age of steel, electricity and heavy engineering had its Belle Époque. The age of petroleum mass production had the postwar boom. With all the talk of AI widening income inequality, we should be spending at least as much energy and intellect on what conditions are necessary for a golden age to follow. Chief among those conditions, historically, is getting money out of the casino and into productive enterprise that benefits the workers who create the value. I believe there is a policy mechanism hiding in plain sight that could accelerate this shift. It won’t require taxing the rich into submission or building a new federal bureaucracy. It involves changing the incentives so that more companies convert to worker ownership—through Employee Stock Ownership Plans, worker cooperatives, or other broad-based equity structures. The idea is not new, but it is newly urgent, and the evidence for its benefits have never been stronger. The Evergreen Inspiration I had a revealing conversation recently with Dave Whorton, the founder of the Tugboat Institute and co-author (with Bo Burlingham) of Another Way: Building Companies That Last and Last and Last. Whorton spent years in Silicon Valley venture capital before becoming disillusioned with the grow-fast-and-exit model. He set out to find companies built on a different logic, and discovered what he calls “evergreen” companies. Examples include high-performing companies such as the SAS Institute, Springfield Remanufacturing, Enterprise Rental Car, and Radio Flyer. They share a set of practices that look countercultural from a Wall Street vantage point: little or no debt, open-book management, and people development practices favoring long-term skill development and growth. The fact that there are so many financially successful companies that people love to work at and that are regarded as exceptional employers raises a question: why aren’t more companies built this way? Whorton’s answer is simple and structural. “There’s a powerful ecosystem that financially benefits from the current model.” This includes the investment banks, private equity players, venture funds, and wealth managers who need the IPO-or-exit conveyor belt to continue running. The incentives tell you all you need to know. A Hard-Nosed Reason for a Golden Age approach But, we may well be on the brink of an era in which the smart money realizes the sheer destructiveness of the current model. Compelling recent evidence for the benefits of worker ownership comes from none other than KKR, one of the world’s largest private equity firms. Pete Stavros, KKR’s co-head of global private equity, has spent fifteen years proving a model. Starting in 2011, he began giving equity stakes to all employees in KKR’s investments, not just to senior management. The results have been remarkable by any measure. At C.H.I. Overhead Doors, an Illinois garage door manufacturer KKR acquired in 2015, only 18 employees were shareholders at the time of purchase. KKR extended ownership to all 800 workers. When the company was sold to Nucor in 2022, hourly employees averaging $50,000 a year received payouts averaging $175,000—plus $9,000 in dividends paid out earlier. More recently, at CoolIT Systems in Calgary, workers received average payouts of roughly $240,000 when KKR exited—Wall Street bonus territory. At Ingersoll Rand, 16,000 employees across 80 countries shared $800 million in wealth creation. KKR now oversees ownership plans at 84 portfolio companies covering nearly 200,000 non-management workers, and has already distributed $1.8 billion across 13 exits. Total projected payouts when remaining companies are sold or listed: as much as $14 billion. But here’s the thing Stavros wants the business world to understand: this is not philanthropy. Employee turnover at these companies has fallen dramatically. At some portfolio companies, KKR was “hiring three thousand fewer people every year” after implementing ownership—a direct cost saving. Engagement scores moved from the twentieth percentile to the ninetieth. Employee-owned companies attract better talent and keep it longer. KKR has won competitive auctions—including the $1.6 billion acquisition of Simon & Schuster in 2023—partly because sellers and employees value its commitment to broad ownership. Stavros is blunt about the underlying problem he’s trying to solve: “It’s hard to get rich on your labor alone. People build wealth in this country by owning things. But that hasn’t been the case for frontline workers.” What the Policy Landscape Is Missing Current ESOP law, created in the 1970s, was intended to formalize and incentivize broad ownership. But even today, only about 15 million workers are part-owners of their employers. The technical requirements are burdensome, the lawsuit exposure is high, and for large companies, converting to an ESOP structure is complex. Stavros’s nonprofit Ownership Works and its coalition Expanding ESOPs are pushing for federal legislative changes to simplify the rules, expand tax incentives, and provide better legal protections for ESOP transactions. This is the right direction. Here are several specific interventions that could further accelerate the conversion of firms to worker ownership: Expand seller-side tax incentives. Under current law, owners who sell their company to an ESOP can defer—and in some cases eliminate—capital gains taxes. This is a powerful incentive for business owners approaching retirement to sell to employees rather than to private equity or a strategic buyer or to simply shut the business. Pennsylvania recently extended this benefit at the state level. More could be done along these lines. Simplify the ESOP formation process. The legal and fiduciary requirements for forming an ESOP remain complex. A streamlined, standardized formation process—akin to the B Corp certification framework—would lower the barrier dramatically. Create a “cooperative conversion” loan facility. Just as the invention of the 30-year mortgage made the previously-unheard-of idea of average workers becoming homeowners, a similar innovation could help average workers become owners. The New Economy Coalition supports a version of such a facility. Reform stock buyback taxation to favor ownership investment. Since the SEC’s 1982 ruling legalizing open-market buybacks, public companies have funneled trillions of dollars into share repurchases rather than wages, training, or capital investment. The Inflation Reduction Act imposed a 1 percent excise tax on buybacks—a start, but too small to meaningfully alter behavior. Raising that tax while providing benefits for companies that implement broad employee ownership plans could shift the calculus. Require ownership disclosures in government contracting. The federal government spends over $700 billion a year on contracts. Requiring bidders to disclose their employee ownership structure and giving preference to firms with broad-based ownership or ESOP status could create powerful market incentives without mandates. The Challenge of the Turning Point Golden ages don’t just happen. They need governments to provide directionality. They need long-term corporate decisions, in which capital is directed productively, not, as Warren Buffett argues, “wasted” on a casino-like environment. They need fresh ideas, such as those coming out of the Committee on Economic Development, which shaped much of the Post WWII Golden Age. The gilded age of the current digital revolution has lasted longer than it should. Financialization has meant, as Whorton observed, that “you can make more money jiggling around with financial assets than you can investing in real companies.” Worker ownership is one of the most direct ways to break this loop. When employees are shareholders, the productivity gains from AI and other technologies accrue—at least in part—to the people doing the work. The incentive to underinvest in workers reverses. The “quit rate” falls because employees have a financial stake in the outcome. Open-book management, which Whorton’s evergreen companies practice almost universally, becomes natural because employees with equity have reason to understand and care about the numbers. Jack Stack rebuilt Springfield Remanufacturing on exactly this insight: “Give them the numbers, show them how to play the game and win—and they’ll help you do that.” The Moment We’re In A wave of baby boomer business owners is approaching retirement over the next decade. Something like $10 trillion in privately held business assets will change hands in the next twenty years. The default outcome, if nothing changes, is that most of those businesses will close, be sold to private equity or strategic acquirers, or broken up. The employees who built them will receive nothing beyond their wages. This is the window. With the right incentives, a meaningful fraction of those transfers could flow to workers, creating the kind of broad-based prosperity that Perez’s framework says is necessary for a golden age to take root. The Stavros model shows that this doesn’t require sacrificing returns. The evergreen companies show that it doesn’t require selling out to capital markets. What it requires is changing the defaults—the legal structures, the tax incentives, the financing tools—so that employee ownership becomes the default rather than an arduous exception. An even wilder idea is to imagine shifting away from the corporate forms suitable to the mass production era to those that fit an age of digitally enabled, smart offerings, such as LLC’s or even Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, governed by smart contracts. Imagine that—no formal Boards, no IPO’s, just owners, making the best decisions they can for the long-term health of themselves, their companies, and their communities. View the full article

Prime minister says ‘things can’t go on like this’ in meeting with tech groups View the full article

As founder, chair, and CEO of the Exceptional Women Alliance, I am privileged to engage with extraordinary female leaders across industries. This month, I spoke with Shari Hofer about a workforce issue hiding in plain sight: eldercare. For many organizations, caregiving is still viewed as something employees manage quietly outside of work. According to the 2025 Caregiving in the US report, released by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, approximately 63 million Americans provide family care, with almost 48 million providing unpaid care to adults. The 2021 AARP report estimated that the economic value of care was over $600 billion annually. Today, these professionals are simultaneously leading teams, raising families, and caring for aging parents. The result is an invisible workforce dynamic that is already impacting performance, retention, and leadership effectiveness. Hofer wrote With Love: A Practical Guide for Caregiving for Aging Parents Through End of Life with coauthor Shabnam Kazmi. Both built demanding global careers while raising families and caring for aging parents through dementia, Parkinson’s, and end-of-life decisions. Their new book reframes caregiving not as a private hardship, but as a leadership and organizational imperative. Q: How did your caregiving journey begin, and when did it significantly intensify—both personally and professionally? Hofer: It began when my siblings and I learned our father had macular degeneration and dementia. We had already lost our mother, and we were all living in different states. We knew the road ahead would be long and complex, and that we would need to step in, because our father wouldn’t make any changes or be able to care for himself without assistance. The intensity escalated when we moved him closer to us. That was the turning point—when caregiving shifted from something we managed at a distance to an integral part of our daily lives. Q: What was the moment caregiving shifted from a private responsibility to something that affected your work identity? Hofer: In the final years, I relied heavily on my team and my manager. I shared just enough to get support, but kept most of it private. The reality was too painful. And there was always a risk that sharing more broadly could change how I was perceived—a sad but very real part of corporate culture. When my father passed, everything surfaced. The physical effects of burnout and grief became impossible to ignore. I had powered through for years, but the cost showed up in my body and my ability to stay engaged. That’s when I realized: The effects of caregiving last long after the role ends. Q: Did caregiving change how you lead? Hofer: Absolutely. It deepened my understanding of trust, delegation, and succession planning—I had to rely on others in ways I hadn’t before. And it made me realize that our existing leadership structures need to be rebuilt because they did not factor in the reality of caregiving. More importantly, it changed how I view performance. High-performing employees are often carrying invisible weight. Leadership isn’t just about driving results—it’s about understanding context and creating systems that allow people to perform sustainably and consistently. Q: How did you handle burnout, and what workplace lessons did you take from it? Hofer: Burnout is not something you can outwork. Staying busy doesn’t fix it. When it surfaces, you have to listen and act. It’s a signal, not a weakness. From a workplace perspective, leaders must normalize conversations around capacity. Ignoring burnout doesn’t protect performance—it erodes it over time. Q: What do employers still misunderstand about employees who are caregivers? Hofer: They’re only seeing part of the story. If someone’s performance or engagement shifts, there’s often more beneath the surface. Caregiving is unpredictable and rarely linear. Leaders need to ask questions—with empathy—and create space for honest answers. Q: How can companies move beyond talking about work-life balance to actually supporting eldercare challenges? Hofer: It comes down to lived values. If organizations say they prioritize people, leaders have to model that. Flexibility cannot exist only in policy—it has to show up in daily behavior. Employees notice the gap between what’s said and what’s rewarded. Q: What should leaders do now? Hofer: Eldercare is not a future issue—it is a present reality. For organizations to effectively support a workforce increasingly shaped by caregiving responsibilities, leaders must move beyond awareness and into action. Three shifts are critical: 1. Normalize transparency around capacity 2. Redefine performance through context, not just output 3. Align culture with practice, not just policy. Organizations that continue to treat caregiving as an unspoken issue will face rising burnout, disengagement, and talent loss. Those that acknowledge it as a shared reality—and design cultures, expectations, and systems accordingly—will build stronger, more resilient, and more human organizations. Caregiving does not just change individuals. It is reshaping the workforce. The leaders who understand and act on that will define the next era of leadership. Larraine Segil is founder, chair, and CEO of The Exceptional Women Alliance. View the full article

Kanishka Narayan says Britain needs to ‘make most of opportunities’ as government launches £500mn unit View the full article

Over the past few years, words that once had no place in workplace conversations have slowly entered HR agendas: menstruation, endometriosis, perimenopause, menopause, breast cancer and—more slowly—male andropause or prostate cancer. These are not passing trends. They signal a deeper shift in how we understand work and the people who do it. For decades, work was designed around a fiction, that of the “neutral” worker, an abstract individual assumed to be fully available, consistent, rational, and unaffected by bodily constraints. But this neutrality was never real. As Caroline Criado Perez has shown in her brilliant book Invisible Women, many systems and environments have been designed around a male body treated as the default. And that includes workplaces. Hence, the implicit expectation is that women adapt to a model never designed for them, to organizational structures, as well as tools and equipment. Yet people do not leave their bodies at the door when they enter the workplace. Hormonal cycles, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, menopause, and andropause are not “private” issues without professional consequences. They affect energy levels, cognitive load, availability, and sometimes long-term career trajectories. Their historical invisibility has come at a huge cost (albeit largely ignored) both for individuals and for organizations. It is essential to note that gendered health is not only about biological differences. It also reveals how work itself is structured. Women, for example, experience higher rates of musculoskeletal disorders, partly because they are overrepresented in repetitive jobs and are more likely to carry a disproportionate share of unpaid caregiving and domestic labor. Work is never experienced in isolation. It is embedded in real lives, with cumulative fatigue, constraints, and vulnerabilities. Gendered health, in that sense, sits at the intersection of biology and the sociology of work. Persistent taboos Taboos are slowly shifting. Menstruation, endometriosis, and menopause are more visible in public debate than they were a decade ago. Yet in many organizations, silence remains the norm. Many women remain cautious about speaking openly, all too aware of the risk of being reduced to sexist stereotypes. Male themes are as invisible if not more. Andropause, i.e. the gradual testosterone decline associated with aging, is less socially recognized than menopause. Its invisibility reinforces the myth that only women’s bodies are a “problem”. In reality, aging affects everyone. As workforces age and careers extend, organizations are increasingly confronted with more diverse, uneven, and non-linear health trajectories. There is a structural tension here. Acknowledging gendered health can trigger unintended consequences. It can reinforce bias by framing women as less stable. In some cases, even well-designed policies—such as leave for endometriosis or pregnancy loss—are underused because employees fear stigma. In cultures that remain implicitly sexist, formal rights do not automatically translate into real usage. A more universal approach is required This is why a purely category-based approach has its limitations. A more effective lens may be a more universal approach to vulnerability. Rather than segmenting workers into fixed groups (“women,” “seniors,” “caregivers”), it may be more accurate to focus on life “moments”. Work lives are punctuated by predictable and unpredictable disruptions: disease, grief, separation, caregiving responsibilities, burnout, recovery periods. These situations are widespread and recurrent. Today, a majority of workers are caregivers in one way or another. And there will be more and more of them with population aging. At the same time, careers lengthen and transitions multiply. Therefore the stable, continuous and homogeneous industrial model of work no longer reflects reality. This is where the idea of universal design comes in handy. Originally developed in disability studies, it proposes designing systems starting from the most constrained users. In practice, what improves accessibility for people with disabilities often improves usability for everyone. Applied to work, this logic invites us to rethink schedules, career paths, flexibility, and recovery periods—not as exceptions, but as structural features. The goal is robustness through inclusivity. And we need to think differently about age All this also requires revisiting how we think about age. Behind gendered health lies another blind spot: ageism. We still tend to treat chronological age as a proxy for capability. Yet age is a weak indicator of health, energy, or engagement. With longer life expectancy, variation within age groups is widening. A 60-year-old worker may be fully capable—or significantly constrained. The average says increasingly little. Long term the model of the “ideal worker” is unsustainable. This fully available, always-healthy, unencumbered employee has never been representative of reality. But demographic change is making this fiction even less viable. Organizations should now be managing diversity of conditions as a structural norm. That’s why gendered health is not a niche topic. It is an entry point into a broader question: how durable is work as currently designed? Recognizing bodies, ages, and life moments is the very condition for organizational resilience. View the full article

Visa is stepping into the future of commerce with its latest offering, Intelligent Commerce Connect, aimed at revolutionizing how small businesses engage with consumers in an increasingly AI-driven marketplace. This innovative solution promises to streamline payment processes and provide small business owners with a competitive edge in a rapidly changing retail landscape. As consumers become more reliant on AI agents to handle their purchases, the need for businesses to adapt their payment systems has never been more urgent. Intelligent Commerce Connect acts as a seamless bridge, allowing businesses to connect with and leverage AI-powered commerce without the complexities typically associated with establishing new payment systems. Andrew Torre, President of Value-Added Services at Visa, emphasized the significance of this change: “From small businesses to the world’s biggest retailers, Visa powers how people pay every day, millions of times over. Intelligent Commerce Connect brings that same, trusted payment acceptance infrastructure into the emerging world of AI-driven commerce, so businesses can let AI agents buy on behalf of consumers, securely and at scale.” Key benefits for small business owners include: Integration with Major Token Vault Providers: This feature allows businesses to use existing credential infrastructure, providing flexibility and preventing vendor lock-in. Seamless Acceptance of Agent-Initiated Payments: Merchant adoption of payments initiated through established agent protocols, including Trusted Agent Protocol and Machine Payments Protocol, becomes straightforward and accessible. Discoverability of Merchant Catalogs: This allows small businesses to make their products easily discoverable within AI platforms, enhancing visibility and potential sales without extensive marketing efforts. Support for Transaction Processing: For businesses that may feel overwhelmed by the technical requirements of AI-driven commerce, Visa offers support for the orchestration and compliance aspects of agentic transactions. Single Integration via Visa Acceptance Platform: This modular suite makes it simpler for businesses to integrate various payment tools without needing multiple systems. Small businesses, particularly those still adapting to e-commerce, may find the idea of integrating AI payment systems daunting. The digital landscape is littered with complex systems and high entry barriers—Intelligent Commerce Connect aims to dismantle these obstacles. However, while this technology presents numerous advantages, small business owners may face challenges that require consideration. Integrating new systems often brings risks, particularly about training staff and ensuring cybersecurity. As AI technology rapidly evolves, staying informed about potential vulnerabilities becomes crucial. Additionally, there is the underlying requirement for small businesses to evaluate whether their target market adopts AI payment methods. Those primarily serving customers who prefer traditional purchasing methods may need to think critically about the timing of this integration. The pilot phase for Intelligent Commerce Connect is currently ongoing with select partners, including companies like AWS and Mesh, with broader rollout anticipated throughout the year. As more small businesses are encouraged to explore this technology, they must weigh its advantages against practical challenges in their operations. In an era where digital adaptation often determines success, Visa’s Intelligent Commerce Connect offers a promising pathway for small businesses. With powerful tools designed to enhance transaction efficiency and consumer engagement, small business owners are urged to consider this evolution in commerce seriously. For more insights on Intelligent Commerce Connect, you can visit the original Visa press release here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Visa Launches AI-Driven Commerce Solution to Simplify Business Payments" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Visa is stepping into the future of commerce with its latest offering, Intelligent Commerce Connect, aimed at revolutionizing how small businesses engage with consumers in an increasingly AI-driven marketplace. This innovative solution promises to streamline payment processes and provide small business owners with a competitive edge in a rapidly changing retail landscape. As consumers become more reliant on AI agents to handle their purchases, the need for businesses to adapt their payment systems has never been more urgent. Intelligent Commerce Connect acts as a seamless bridge, allowing businesses to connect with and leverage AI-powered commerce without the complexities typically associated with establishing new payment systems. Andrew Torre, President of Value-Added Services at Visa, emphasized the significance of this change: “From small businesses to the world’s biggest retailers, Visa powers how people pay every day, millions of times over. Intelligent Commerce Connect brings that same, trusted payment acceptance infrastructure into the emerging world of AI-driven commerce, so businesses can let AI agents buy on behalf of consumers, securely and at scale.” Key benefits for small business owners include: Integration with Major Token Vault Providers: This feature allows businesses to use existing credential infrastructure, providing flexibility and preventing vendor lock-in. Seamless Acceptance of Agent-Initiated Payments: Merchant adoption of payments initiated through established agent protocols, including Trusted Agent Protocol and Machine Payments Protocol, becomes straightforward and accessible. Discoverability of Merchant Catalogs: This allows small businesses to make their products easily discoverable within AI platforms, enhancing visibility and potential sales without extensive marketing efforts. Support for Transaction Processing: For businesses that may feel overwhelmed by the technical requirements of AI-driven commerce, Visa offers support for the orchestration and compliance aspects of agentic transactions. Single Integration via Visa Acceptance Platform: This modular suite makes it simpler for businesses to integrate various payment tools without needing multiple systems. Small businesses, particularly those still adapting to e-commerce, may find the idea of integrating AI payment systems daunting. The digital landscape is littered with complex systems and high entry barriers—Intelligent Commerce Connect aims to dismantle these obstacles. However, while this technology presents numerous advantages, small business owners may face challenges that require consideration. Integrating new systems often brings risks, particularly about training staff and ensuring cybersecurity. As AI technology rapidly evolves, staying informed about potential vulnerabilities becomes crucial. Additionally, there is the underlying requirement for small businesses to evaluate whether their target market adopts AI payment methods. Those primarily serving customers who prefer traditional purchasing methods may need to think critically about the timing of this integration. The pilot phase for Intelligent Commerce Connect is currently ongoing with select partners, including companies like AWS and Mesh, with broader rollout anticipated throughout the year. As more small businesses are encouraged to explore this technology, they must weigh its advantages against practical challenges in their operations. In an era where digital adaptation often determines success, Visa’s Intelligent Commerce Connect offers a promising pathway for small businesses. With powerful tools designed to enhance transaction efficiency and consumer engagement, small business owners are urged to consider this evolution in commerce seriously. For more insights on Intelligent Commerce Connect, you can visit the original Visa press release here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Visa Launches AI-Driven Commerce Solution to Simplify Business Payments" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As the capabilities of frontier models advance, gaining access to the technology could become critically importantView the full article

Have you noticed that in the current discourse around artificial intelligence, the narrative often slips into one of two extremes? There is either a techno-utopian dream of total automation or a dystopian nightmare where human agency is erased. But there are other options! As we navigate this inflection point in civilization, I invite you to consider a third path: pragmatic optimism. And that’s because we are currently in the midst of a human revolution, not a tech revolution. The most successful organizations of 2026 and beyond will not be those that simply use AI to do more things faster. Instead, they will be the ones that use AI as a creativity accelerator, freeing up human capacity for the work that only we can do: imagining, connecting, and creating meaning. Optimistic macroeconomic forecasts, such as those from Citrini Research, suggest that AI could trigger a global intelligence boom, driving sustained productivity growth and real wage gains, provided that we treat machine intelligence as complementary to human judgment and truth. To ensure this virtuous cycle benefits everyone, leaders must move beyond managing compliance and begin cultivating the conditions and structures where creativity and psychological safety can flourish. By integrating the principles of Move, Think, and Rest (or MTR, pronounced “motor”) into the core of organizational culture, we can build creative resilience and work with AI rather than be displaced by it. Here are three calls to action to help us remain the architects of our own future. 1. Design in Friction In a world obsessed with seamless automation, friction is often viewed as a bug. But friction is where learning happens. To Move within this principle, become a “clumsy student” of something physical. Embodied learning, the kind that comes from using your hands or your body, is irreplaceable and builds what I call sentient intelligence. To Think, resist the urge to automate everything immediately. Instead, struggle with ambiguity: read fiction, ask “But… why?” Follow the question past the obvious answer. And to Rest, pause before automating any workflow. Rather than simply making an old process faster, use that pause to reimagine the workflow entirely- much like the shift from steam to electrification required a total redesign of factory floors, not just faster steam engines. The leaders who will thrive are not those who eliminate friction. They are those who learn to distinguish productive friction, the kind that generates insight, from the kind that merely generates frustration. Remember, at the end of the day, friction yields energy! Nissan’s former head of design, Jerry Hirshberg, called this “creative abrasion”. 2. Protect Serendipity As digital experiences accelerate, high-touch, analog encounters will become the new premium. To Move toward serendipity, prioritize in-person interactions that allow for the “creative abrasion” necessary for innovation. Ideas that change industries rarely emerge from a Slack thread. To Think, lean into fun ambiguity. Seek out conversations and encounters that don’t have a predetermined outcome. That’s where the most original thinking is born. To Rest, I recommend the Dutch practice of Niksen: the deliberate art of doing nothing, together. It is in the quiet space between people that human connection deepens and unexpected insights surface. Serendipity is not accidental. It is a design choice. Organizations that schedule unstructured time, invest in physical space for collision, and resist the urge to fill every moment with an agenda are making a bet on human creativity that no algorithm can replicate. 3. Pay Attention The speed of AI should buy us time, not just fill it with more tasks. To Move, lean into what is real: touch, taste, nature, smell. These are not indulgences; they are vital inputs of sentient intelligence that no large language model can access. To Think, be rigorous in daily self-assessment. Ask yourself: “Is this tool sharpening my thinking, or is it replacing it?” The answer should make you uncomfortable at least occasionally. That discomfort is useful data. To Rest, be intentional about the time you reclaim. If AI returns hours to your day, the question is not what to fill them with, but what deserves that space. Attention is the scarcest resource in the Imagination Era. The leaders and organizations that protect it structurally, culturally, and personally- will have a durable advantage over those who simply automate their way to busyness. The Architects of Our Own Future Ultimately, AI should be our co-pilot, amplifying what makes us uniquely human. By being intentional about how we design friction, protect serendipity, and pay attention, we can ensure that the “intelligence boom” leads to true human flourishing rather than the mere acceleration of the status quo. The Imagination Era is not something that will happen to us. We must call upon our own agency to ensure that we are building a human-centric future, one decision at a time. The question is whether those decisions will be made by default or by design. View the full article

ChatGPT citations favor pages that rank well, match the query in their headings, and stay tightly focused, according to an AirOps study of 16,851 queries. The top retrieval result was cited 58% of the time, and pages that answered the main query more narrowly outperformed broader, more comprehensive guides. Why we care. This study clarifies how to earn ChatGPT citations: win retrieval, mirror the query in your headings, and answer one question extremely well. In this study, that mattered more than breadth. The findings. Retrieval rank was the strongest signal. Pages in the top search position were cited 58.4% of the time, versus 14.2% for pages in position 10. Heading relevance was the strongest on-page factor. Pages with the strongest heading-query match were cited 41.0% of the time, compared with roughly 30% for weaker matches. Focused pages also beat comprehensive ones. Pages that answered the main query more narrowly outperformed broader, more comprehensive guides, undercutting the usual “ultimate guide” approach. What drove ChatGPT citations. In this study, pages that won citations usually ranked well, used headings that closely matched the query, and stayed focused on answering it. Structure helped, but only slightly: Pages with JSON-LD markup posted a 38.5% citation rate versus 32.0% for pages without it, and articles with 4 to 10 subheadings performed best. Beyond a certain point, length hurt performance: Pages between 500 and 2,000 words performed best, but pages longer than 5,000 words were cited less often than pages under 500 words. Freshness helps, up to a point. Pages published 30 to 89 days earlier performed best, while pages newer than 30 days performed worse. This suggests new content may need time to build retrieval signals. Pages more than 2 years old were cited less often, which suggests that content refreshes could help if you’re already ranking for the right queries. About the data. AirOps said it scraped ChatGPT’s interface, not the API, and analyzed 50,553 responses generated from 16,851 unique queries run three times each. The dataset included 353,799 pages and more than 1.5 million fan-out detail rows across 10 verticals and four query types. The study. The Fan-Out Effect: What Happens Between a Query and a Citation View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. As HBO's Industry begins, the recent grads working at prestigious investment bank Pierpoint & Co. are given their marching orders: There are a lot of them and only a few full-time job openings, so they'll need to prove themselves if they hope to stick around. They respond to this challenge by doing whatever it takes—whatever it takes. Renewed for a fifth and final season, Industry has been the streaming era's most cogent take on the world of finance bros (of any gender), and modern white collar workers in a more upscale Glengarry Glen Ross mode. While you wait for this story of disaster capitalism to return, dive into these 10 other shows that make work look even more stressful than it is. Sweetbitter (2018 – 2019) Taking on restaurant culture in place of finance, Sweetbitter finds much of the same stress, intensity, and competitiveness non display—probably no surprise if you watch The Bear. The show is adapted from the Stephanie Danler novel of the same name; she based it on her experiences as an NYC waitress (she also created the series and wrote the pilot), so we can assume a certain level of verisimilitude. Yellowjackets' Ella Purnell plays Tess, 21 at the series' opening and arriving in the city with big dreams. She gets a job at a prestigious restaurant where, as we (and she) quickly learn, there's at least as much drama (including drugs, booze, and sex) on the service side of the industry as there is in the kitchen. Stream Sweetbitter on Prime Video. Sweetbitter (2018 – 2019) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014) A critically-acclaimed sensation on its initial release, there's a really impressive, stressful, universal sense of realism in this show about white-collar work in South Korea. Im Si-wan is Jang Geu-rae, a young man who has done nothing but work toward his goal of becoming a professional Baduk (a game which you might know better as Go) player since childhood. By his 20s, though, it's clear that it's not to be, and all he can do is take an office job as a provisional contractor with a shipping company. A complete outsider, he's even less prepared than the other interns for a high-stress world in which a work-life balance is all but impossible. Its intensity is very much in the mode of Industry, but there's hopefulness in Geu-rae's determination not to lose himself. Stream Misaeng: Incomplete Life on Netflix and Tubi. Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Billions (2016 – 2023) Less young-Brit oriented and more of a cat-and-mouse game, this one is a (darkly) satirical dive into the shady world of high finance. Paul Giamatti is rather ruthless as U.S. attorney Chuck Rhoades (based in part on the real-life Preet Bharara), who is working to bring down shady hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis). The tone is that of a darkly comic soap opera, and it stays fresh over seven seasons by playing off the contrast between Axelrod's willingness to use all the money and power at his disposal to stay on top and out of jail, and Rhoades' willingness to resort to shady, not-entirely-legal tactics to reel in his big fish. Stream Billions on Paramount+ and Prime Video. Billions (2016 – 2023) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ How to Make It in America (2010 – 2011) A bit of counter-programming, perhaps, in this dramedy about a couple of scrappy New York City outsiders who would never fit in with the Industry crew. And yet! There's a sense here that getting ahead requires tremendous hustle, and that drive for big success carries with it the potential for an even bigger fall. Bryan Greenberg is Ben Epstein, a quiet guy with any number of big ideas, while Victor Rasuk is outgoing, often shameless, Cam Calderon—together they manage a startup clothing business with the benefits of neither money nor experience, amiably hustling their ways to success, maybe. It's like Industry if that show were about nicer, goofier guys who are at their best when talking themselves out of trouble. Stream How to Make It in America on HBO Max and Netflix. How to Make It in America (2010 – 2011) at HBO Max Learn More Learn More at HBO Max The Dropout (2022) The passage of time has made the story of Theranos founder and fraudster Elizabeth Holmes feel positively quaint, not least because a few of her high-profile backers are serving in the current White House. Amanda Seyfried plays the "entrepreneur" whose rise and precipitous fall has already been the subject of a handful of documentaries. It starts at age 18, when she dropped out of Stanford to build a startup around an at-home blood testing machine that didn't work even a little bit. Years of charming big-name investors with big promises, lies agreed upon, and cleverly faked results lead to big money for Theranos and a lot of bad diagnoses for patients. Stream The Dropout on Hulu. The Dropout (March 3) at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu WeCrashed (2022) Another true-life story of big business and a big fall, this one stars Jared Leto, Anne Hathaway, and Kyle Marvin as the co-founders of WeWork, the (eventually) billion-dollar company that leases co-working spaces. The focus is on Leto and Hathaway's Adam and Rebekah Neumann, portrayed as simultaneously delusional and calculating, operating as almost toxically nice cult leaders while firing people for stepping into their eyelines at the wrong time. The title's crash comes when the company files an now-infamous S-1 form to go public, confidently documenting big losses, extremely precarious financial arrangements, and the weird relationship between the Neumanns and the larger company. Don't worry, though, this one has a happy ending: WeWork lost billions but the Neumanns remain very, very rich. Stream WeCrashed on Apple TV. WeCrashed (2022) at Apple TV Learn More Learn More at Apple TV Mad Men (2007 – 2015) One of the deservedly big names in prestige TV, Mad Men feels, in many ways, like the blueprint for Industry; each creates characters with novelistic depth in wildly cynical and intense environments. The mid-century modern stylings of a New York City ad agency make for a contrast with that of a modern London finance house, but the pressure-cooker environments and excesses feel very much in line. Stream Mad Men on HBO Max. Mad Men (2007 – 2015) at HBO Max Learn More Learn More at HBO Max Boiling Point (2023) Back to the restaurant industry: BBC One's Boiling Point serves as a direct sequel to the 2021 film, though it doesn't really require you to have seen the original—all you really need to know is that the movie's main character, Andy Jones (Stephen Graham) is recovering from a stress and substance abuse-fueled heart attack, while series lead and Andy's former sous chef Carly (Vinette Robinson) has poached much of the old staff to start a new operation called Point North. The show navigates between the high-pressure environment of a restaurant start-up and the personal lives of its staff, while Andy's fall from grace smartly offers a glimpse of a possible future for the driven staff. Stream Boiling Point on Prime Video. Boiling Point (2023) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Skins (2007 – 2013) I'm calling this one a prequel to Industry (it absolutely is not), in that it deals with similar themes in a (largely) high school environment. Skins makes clear that adolescence is an absolute pressure-cooker, and it feels as though any number of these intense, competitive, often hard-partying characters could graduate into Industry—and, in fact, the final season of Skins sees one-time Kaya Scodelario's Effy Stonem take a job in finance (and dabble in insider trading) as part of an arc that feels very much like Industry in miniature. The popular and controversial British series launched names like Nicholas Hoult, Daniel Kaluuya, and Dev Patel while dealing with hot-button issues like mental illness, substance abuse, and bullying. Look for Freya Mavor (Industry's Daria Greenock) in both shows. Stream Skins on Hulu. Skins (2007 – 2013) at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Halt and Catch Fire (2014 – 2017) A show that largely flew under the radar during its four seasons, this one offers up a (heavily) fictionalized portrait of the rise of personal computers in the 1980s, into the early days of broad adoption of the internet in the '90s. Lee Pace plays Joe MacMillan, the antihero lead who leaves IBM in 1983 to join the fictional Cardiff Electric. He's charismatic, manipulative, and not terribly tech-proficient, but nonetheless has dreams of building the next big tech innovation—starting by reverse-engineering the IBM PC. It's a show that comes up on any number of critical best-of lists and has a sick opening sequence. And did I mention Lee Pace? Stream Halt and Catch Fire on Prime Video. Halt and Catch Fire (2014 – 2017) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video View the full article

Google announced updates to Chrome that let searchers use AI Mode in a more “engaging” and “deeper” way. Chrome lets you do all of this without switching tabs and potentially losing your place. What is new. Chrome added these new features: (1) Search side-by-side: When you’re using AI Mode in Chrome desktop, clicking a link will open the webpage side-by-side with AI Mode. This makes it easier to visit relevant websites, compare details, and ask follow-up questions while maintaining the context of your search. Here is what it looks like: (2) Search across your tabs: On Chrome desktop or mobile, you can tap the new “plus” menu on the New Tab page (or the existing plus menu in AI Mode) to select recent tabs and add them to your search, allowing AI Mode to provide tailored responses and suggest more sites to explore. (3) Multi-input and easy tool access: You can also mix and match multiple tabs, images, or files like PDFs and bring that context into AI Mode. Additionally, tools like Canvas or image creation, are accessible wherever you see the new plus menu in Chrome. Why we care. These are some new Chrome specific features for users in the U.S. English language that help you unlock more AI Mode features. Again, it is specific to Chrome users right now but it does show you the direction Google is taking AI Mode. View the full article

New Ahrefs data shows Reddit pages appeared often in ChatGPT retrievals but rarely as visible citations. The post ChatGPT Often Retrieves But Rarely Cites Reddit Pages, Data Shows appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

This week's Freddie Mac mortgage rate survey shows rates at the lowest in four weeks, but homebuyers are giving mixed signals even with improved purchase power. View the full article

Microlending platforms serve as a bridge between borrowers, often from underserved communities, and lenders ready to provide small loans, typically under $50,000. These platforms operate through various models, such as peer-to-peer lending and institutional microfinance. Borrowers submit applications detailing their financial needs, and upon approval, they receive funds to support their ventures. Comprehending how these platforms function can reveal their potential benefits and challenges for aspiring entrepreneurs. What factors should you consider before applying for a microloan? Key Takeaways Microlending platforms connect borrowers, often from underserved communities, with lenders willing to provide small loans, typically under $50,000. They utilize various models, including peer-to-peer financing and institutional lending through microfinance organizations. Platforms like Kiva and Accion Opportunity Fund offer loans alongside financial education and business training to enhance borrower success. Approval processes typically involve evaluating personal and business financial details, allowing access even for those with low or no credit scores. Microlending platforms aim to empower individuals and promote financial independence while managing risks such as high interest rates and potential default. What Is Microlending? Microlending is a financial practice that provides small loans, typically under $50,000, to individuals and entrepreneurs who mightn’t qualify for traditional banking services. Originating with Grameen Bank in 1976, microlending aims to empower marginalized groups, particularly women, by offering them vital financial resources for business ventures. Unlike traditional loans, microloans have less stringent qualification criteria, making them accessible to people with limited or no credit history. Interest rates usually range from 6.5% to 15%, with repayment terms from one to five years, depending on the lender’s policies and the borrower’s creditworthiness. Today, microlending platforms, often utilizing p2p platforms, connect borrowers directly with lenders. These digital platforms streamline the loan application process as they evaluate creditworthiness through alternative data points, enhancing the chances for underserved communities to secure needed funding. Consequently, microlending plays a significant role in promoting financial inclusion and economic empowerment. How Microlending Works When you consider microlending, it’s important to understand the application process and how funding works. You’ll typically need to fill out an application and provide documentation, which can lead to funding in about 30 to 90 days. Once approved, you’ll repay the loan in installments, with interest rates varying based on your creditworthiness and the lender’s policies. Application Process Overview Applying for a microloan involves several key steps that you should comprehend before proceeding. First, you’ll need to choose a microlender and complete an application, which typically requires personal and business details along with supporting documents. Once submitted, the approval process can take anywhere from 30 to 90 days, during which lenders assess your creditworthiness and business viability. Microloans usually range from $500 to $50,000, with the average amount around $13,000; interest rates often vary between 6.5% and 15%. Furthermore, many microlending platforms connect borrowers with lenders, including options for peer-to-peer lending, where multiple investors can fund a single loan. Comprehending these steps will help you navigate the microloan application process effectively. Funding and Repayment Structure For those seeking small loans, microlending offers a unique funding structure that caters to individuals who may struggle to access traditional credit. Typically, microloans range from $500 to $50,000 and have simpler qualification criteria. You can apply through various microlending platforms, which evaluate your creditworthiness using personal and business data. Once approved, repayment terms usually vary from 1 to 7 years, depending on the lender and loan specifics. Interest rates can range from 6.5% to 15%, though some platforms, like Kiva, offer 0% interest loans funded by crowdfunding. Generally, the application process takes 30 to 90 days, and you’ll need to repay the loan in installments according to the agreed terms. Borrower Qualifications for Microloans Comprehending borrower qualifications for microloans is essential if you’re considering this financing option to support your business endeavors. Microloans have specific criteria that potential borrowers must meet, which can vary by lender. Here are some common qualifications: Basic credit assessment, with low or no credit scores often accepted Evaluation of personal income, business revenue, and operational duration Documentation to verify income sources, business plans, and intended use of funds Focus on supporting underserved groups, like women and minorities Targeting new entrepreneurs or small business owners Understanding these qualifications can help you prepare your application effectively. Since microlenders prioritize business plans and revenue potential, focusing on these aspects can improve your chances of securing the funds you need. Types of Microlending Models During the exploration of the domain of microlending, it’s important to understand the various models available, as each offers distinct features and benefits. The primary models include peer-to-peer (P2P) financing and institutional lending through microfinance organizations or nonprofits. In the P2P model, you can connect directly with individual borrowers, often selecting them based on their profiles and loan requests. This approach allows for pooling funds from multiple lenders to meet the loan amount. On the other hand, institutional lenders, like microfinance institutions (MFIs), typically focus on social impact, offering loans along with business training and support. Some platforms, such as Kiva, implement crowdfunding to gather capital for microloans, enabling individual investors to fund small portions of loans with zero interest and flexible repayment terms. Each model has its own eligibility criteria and loan structures, with microloans usually ranging from $500 to $50,000, aimed at those who may struggle with traditional financing. Benefits of Microlending for Borrowers Microlending offers you easier access to capital, especially if you struggle to qualify for traditional loans. With flexible repayment terms and amounts customized to your needs, you can manage your finances more effectively. Furthermore, many microlending platforms provide financial education opportunities, helping you build the skills necessary for long-term success. Easier Access to Capital Access to capital can be a significant hurdle for many aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those from underserved communities. Microlending platforms ease this challenge by providing funding options typically ranging from $500 to $50,000. These platforms often prioritize social impact, allowing individuals with limited credit histories to secure loans. Here are some key benefits of microlending: Flexible qualification criteria cater to diverse backgrounds. Lower interest rates, usually between 6.5% and 15%, make financing more affordable. Shorter repayment periods of 1 to 5 years help manage cash flow. Access to additional resources, such as business training and mentorship. Empowerment of small business owners who mightn’t qualify for traditional loans. These factors make microlending an appealing opportunity for many. Flexible Repayment Terms For many borrowers, the flexibility of repayment terms offered by microlending platforms can greatly ease the financial burden often associated with loans. These platforms typically allow you to choose repayment timelines that fit your unique situation, often ranging from 1 to 5 years. This adaptability helps reduce financial pressure when compared to traditional loans with rigid structures. Furthermore, many microlending platforms report your repayments to credit bureaus, which aids in building your credit history. With interest rates usually between 6.5% and 15%, microlending offers competitive options. The average loan amount is around $13,000, making it manageable for small businesses to repay without overextending financially. This flexibility finally empowers you to make informed financial decisions. Financial Education Opportunities How can financial education transform your borrowing experience? Microlending platforms often provide valuable resources that improve your financial management skills. These initiatives empower you, especially if you’re a woman entrepreneur, by offering not just loans but also extensive training. Here are some key benefits you’ll gain from financial education through microlending: Access to business training workshops Mentorship opportunities in budgeting and financial planning Improved credit scores from timely repayments Upgraded operational management skills Connections to community networks for ongoing support Risks and Challenges in Microlending Though microlending platforms provide essential financial services to underserved populations, they come with notable risks and challenges that borrowers and investors should carefully consider. Microlending often involves higher interest rates, ranging from 7.99% to 35.99%, reflecting the increased risk of lending to individuals without traditional credit histories. Borrowers frequently face short repayment terms of 1 to 5 years, which can create financial strain if their cash flow is limited. Significant default rates may result in little or no recovery for lenders, as economic factors can hinder borrowers’ ability to repay. The lack of collateral requirements can encourage over-borrowing, leading to unsustainable debt levels. Furthermore, high service fees associated with these platforms can diminish overall returns for investors, making microlending a riskier investment option compared to traditional lending. Careful assessment of these factors is vital for anyone considering participation in microlending. Leading Microlending Platforms As you explore the scenery of microlending platforms, you’ll find several leading options that cater to diverse borrower needs and investor preferences. These platforms provide unique advantages and target different demographics, making them valuable resources in the microlending environment. Here’s a look at some of the top players: Kiva: Offers interest-free loans starting at $25, supporting entrepreneurs globally. Accion Opportunity Fund: Provides microloans from $5,000 to $100,000, focusing on diverse business owners and offering financial education. Grameen America: Targets women entrepreneurs with loans starting at $2,000 and emphasizes community support. LendingClub: Facilitates peer-to-peer lending for loans ranging from $1,000 to $40,000, with flexible terms. Upstart: Requires accredited investors, offering loans with a minimum investment of $100 and terms of three or five years. These platforms illustrate the variety and adaptability found within the microlending sector. How to Apply for a Microloan Have you ever wondered what it takes to secure a microloan? The application process begins with checking your eligibility, which involves evaluating your personal credit score, annual revenue, and existing debt. You’ll typically complete an online form that requires both personal and business information, alongside uploading supporting documents. Here’s a quick overview of the steps: Step Description Timeframe Check Eligibility Evaluate credit score, revenue, and debt status Before applying Complete Application Fill out online form and upload documents 1-2 hours Approval Process Wait for processing and verification A few days to weeks Repayment Terms Understand repayment schedule and terms 6 months to several years Once approved, you’ll need to repay the loan in installments according to the lender’s terms. Is Microlending Right for Your Business? Is microlending the right choice for your business? If you’re a small business owner needing quick access to funds, microlending may be a viable option. These platforms offer loans between $500 and $50,000, often with flexible qualification criteria. Nevertheless, consider the following: Average microloans are around $13,000, suitable for inventory, payroll, or operational costs. Approval times can take 30 to 90 days, impacting immediate cash flow. Borrowers may face higher interest rates, typically between 6.5% and 15%. Repayment terms are usually shorter, ranging from 1 to 5 years. Microlending can support underserved communities, including women and minorities. Evaluate your business needs and financial situation carefully. Microlending can provide valuable resources, but it’s crucial to understand the implications of borrowing before making a decision. Frequently Asked Questions What Is Microlending and How Does It Work? Microlending is a financial practice where small loans, usually under $50,000, are provided to individuals or businesses lacking access to traditional banking services. You apply through a microlender, and the funding process typically takes 30 to 90 days. Interest rates range from 6.5% to 15%, with repayment terms from one to five years. Lenders evaluate your creditworthiness using various factors, often relying on alternative data because of limited credit histories. Who Typically Uses Micro Lending? You’ll find that microlending is often utilized by entrepreneurs, particularly those from underserved communities. Small business owners, including many women, seek these loans to start or grow their ventures when traditional JPMorgan Chase deny them access. Typically, individuals with low incomes or poor credit scores turn to microlending platforms, as they offer flexible eligibility criteria. Loan amounts can range from $500 to $50,000, with the average microloan being around $13,000. What Is the Best Example of Micro Financing? The best example of microfinancing is Kiva, which offers interest-free microloans starting at $25 to borrowers worldwide. You can lend directly to entrepreneurs in underserved communities, encouraging financial inclusion. Kiva’s crowdfunding model shows a repayment rate over 96%, emphasizing its effectiveness. What Is Micro Financing and How Does It Work? Microfinancing is a financial service providing small loans, usually under $50,000, to individuals or businesses that lack access to traditional banking. You apply through a microlender, submit necessary documentation, and receive funding within 30 to 90 days. Repayment occurs in installments with varying interest rates, typically between 6.5% and 15%. These loans can be used for business needs like inventory or operational costs, but not for settling debt or purchasing real estate. Conclusion In conclusion, microlending platforms provide vital financial support to underserved borrowers, enabling them to access small loans for their entrepreneurial needs. By comprehending how these platforms operate, the types of loans available, and the qualifications required, you can make informed decisions about your financing options. During microlending offers numerous benefits, it’s important to evaluate the associated risks and challenges. In the end, appraising whether microlending aligns with your business goals can help you leverage this resource effectively. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Are Microlending Platforms and How Do They Function?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Microlending platforms serve as a bridge between borrowers, often from underserved communities, and lenders ready to provide small loans, typically under $50,000. These platforms operate through various models, such as peer-to-peer lending and institutional microfinance. Borrowers submit applications detailing their financial needs, and upon approval, they receive funds to support their ventures. Comprehending how these platforms function can reveal their potential benefits and challenges for aspiring entrepreneurs. What factors should you consider before applying for a microloan? Key Takeaways Microlending platforms connect borrowers, often from underserved communities, with lenders willing to provide small loans, typically under $50,000. They utilize various models, including peer-to-peer financing and institutional lending through microfinance organizations. Platforms like Kiva and Accion Opportunity Fund offer loans alongside financial education and business training to enhance borrower success. Approval processes typically involve evaluating personal and business financial details, allowing access even for those with low or no credit scores. Microlending platforms aim to empower individuals and promote financial independence while managing risks such as high interest rates and potential default. What Is Microlending? Microlending is a financial practice that provides small loans, typically under $50,000, to individuals and entrepreneurs who mightn’t qualify for traditional banking services. Originating with Grameen Bank in 1976, microlending aims to empower marginalized groups, particularly women, by offering them vital financial resources for business ventures. Unlike traditional loans, microloans have less stringent qualification criteria, making them accessible to people with limited or no credit history. Interest rates usually range from 6.5% to 15%, with repayment terms from one to five years, depending on the lender’s policies and the borrower’s creditworthiness. Today, microlending platforms, often utilizing p2p platforms, connect borrowers directly with lenders. These digital platforms streamline the loan application process as they evaluate creditworthiness through alternative data points, enhancing the chances for underserved communities to secure needed funding. Consequently, microlending plays a significant role in promoting financial inclusion and economic empowerment. How Microlending Works When you consider microlending, it’s important to understand the application process and how funding works. You’ll typically need to fill out an application and provide documentation, which can lead to funding in about 30 to 90 days. Once approved, you’ll repay the loan in installments, with interest rates varying based on your creditworthiness and the lender’s policies. Application Process Overview Applying for a microloan involves several key steps that you should comprehend before proceeding. First, you’ll need to choose a microlender and complete an application, which typically requires personal and business details along with supporting documents. Once submitted, the approval process can take anywhere from 30 to 90 days, during which lenders assess your creditworthiness and business viability. Microloans usually range from $500 to $50,000, with the average amount around $13,000; interest rates often vary between 6.5% and 15%. Furthermore, many microlending platforms connect borrowers with lenders, including options for peer-to-peer lending, where multiple investors can fund a single loan. Comprehending these steps will help you navigate the microloan application process effectively. Funding and Repayment Structure For those seeking small loans, microlending offers a unique funding structure that caters to individuals who may struggle to access traditional credit. Typically, microloans range from $500 to $50,000 and have simpler qualification criteria. You can apply through various microlending platforms, which evaluate your creditworthiness using personal and business data. Once approved, repayment terms usually vary from 1 to 7 years, depending on the lender and loan specifics. Interest rates can range from 6.5% to 15%, though some platforms, like Kiva, offer 0% interest loans funded by crowdfunding. Generally, the application process takes 30 to 90 days, and you’ll need to repay the loan in installments according to the agreed terms. Borrower Qualifications for Microloans Comprehending borrower qualifications for microloans is essential if you’re considering this financing option to support your business endeavors. Microloans have specific criteria that potential borrowers must meet, which can vary by lender. Here are some common qualifications: Basic credit assessment, with low or no credit scores often accepted Evaluation of personal income, business revenue, and operational duration Documentation to verify income sources, business plans, and intended use of funds Focus on supporting underserved groups, like women and minorities Targeting new entrepreneurs or small business owners Understanding these qualifications can help you prepare your application effectively. Since microlenders prioritize business plans and revenue potential, focusing on these aspects can improve your chances of securing the funds you need. Types of Microlending Models During the exploration of the domain of microlending, it’s important to understand the various models available, as each offers distinct features and benefits. The primary models include peer-to-peer (P2P) financing and institutional lending through microfinance organizations or nonprofits. In the P2P model, you can connect directly with individual borrowers, often selecting them based on their profiles and loan requests. This approach allows for pooling funds from multiple lenders to meet the loan amount. On the other hand, institutional lenders, like microfinance institutions (MFIs), typically focus on social impact, offering loans along with business training and support. Some platforms, such as Kiva, implement crowdfunding to gather capital for microloans, enabling individual investors to fund small portions of loans with zero interest and flexible repayment terms. Each model has its own eligibility criteria and loan structures, with microloans usually ranging from $500 to $50,000, aimed at those who may struggle with traditional financing. Benefits of Microlending for Borrowers Microlending offers you easier access to capital, especially if you struggle to qualify for traditional loans. With flexible repayment terms and amounts customized to your needs, you can manage your finances more effectively. Furthermore, many microlending platforms provide financial education opportunities, helping you build the skills necessary for long-term success. Easier Access to Capital Access to capital can be a significant hurdle for many aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those from underserved communities. Microlending platforms ease this challenge by providing funding options typically ranging from $500 to $50,000. These platforms often prioritize social impact, allowing individuals with limited credit histories to secure loans. Here are some key benefits of microlending: Flexible qualification criteria cater to diverse backgrounds. Lower interest rates, usually between 6.5% and 15%, make financing more affordable. Shorter repayment periods of 1 to 5 years help manage cash flow. Access to additional resources, such as business training and mentorship. Empowerment of small business owners who mightn’t qualify for traditional loans. These factors make microlending an appealing opportunity for many. Flexible Repayment Terms For many borrowers, the flexibility of repayment terms offered by microlending platforms can greatly ease the financial burden often associated with loans. These platforms typically allow you to choose repayment timelines that fit your unique situation, often ranging from 1 to 5 years. This adaptability helps reduce financial pressure when compared to traditional loans with rigid structures. Furthermore, many microlending platforms report your repayments to credit bureaus, which aids in building your credit history. With interest rates usually between 6.5% and 15%, microlending offers competitive options. The average loan amount is around $13,000, making it manageable for small businesses to repay without overextending financially. This flexibility finally empowers you to make informed financial decisions. Financial Education Opportunities How can financial education transform your borrowing experience? Microlending platforms often provide valuable resources that improve your financial management skills. These initiatives empower you, especially if you’re a woman entrepreneur, by offering not just loans but also extensive training. Here are some key benefits you’ll gain from financial education through microlending: Access to business training workshops Mentorship opportunities in budgeting and financial planning Improved credit scores from timely repayments Upgraded operational management skills Connections to community networks for ongoing support Risks and Challenges in Microlending Though microlending platforms provide essential financial services to underserved populations, they come with notable risks and challenges that borrowers and investors should carefully consider. Microlending often involves higher interest rates, ranging from 7.99% to 35.99%, reflecting the increased risk of lending to individuals without traditional credit histories. Borrowers frequently face short repayment terms of 1 to 5 years, which can create financial strain if their cash flow is limited. Significant default rates may result in little or no recovery for lenders, as economic factors can hinder borrowers’ ability to repay. The lack of collateral requirements can encourage over-borrowing, leading to unsustainable debt levels. Furthermore, high service fees associated with these platforms can diminish overall returns for investors, making microlending a riskier investment option compared to traditional lending. Careful assessment of these factors is vital for anyone considering participation in microlending. Leading Microlending Platforms As you explore the scenery of microlending platforms, you’ll find several leading options that cater to diverse borrower needs and investor preferences. These platforms provide unique advantages and target different demographics, making them valuable resources in the microlending environment. Here’s a look at some of the top players: Kiva: Offers interest-free loans starting at $25, supporting entrepreneurs globally. Accion Opportunity Fund: Provides microloans from $5,000 to $100,000, focusing on diverse business owners and offering financial education. Grameen America: Targets women entrepreneurs with loans starting at $2,000 and emphasizes community support. LendingClub: Facilitates peer-to-peer lending for loans ranging from $1,000 to $40,000, with flexible terms. Upstart: Requires accredited investors, offering loans with a minimum investment of $100 and terms of three or five years. These platforms illustrate the variety and adaptability found within the microlending sector. How to Apply for a Microloan Have you ever wondered what it takes to secure a microloan? The application process begins with checking your eligibility, which involves evaluating your personal credit score, annual revenue, and existing debt. You’ll typically complete an online form that requires both personal and business information, alongside uploading supporting documents. Here’s a quick overview of the steps: Step Description Timeframe Check Eligibility Evaluate credit score, revenue, and debt status Before applying Complete Application Fill out online form and upload documents 1-2 hours Approval Process Wait for processing and verification A few days to weeks Repayment Terms Understand repayment schedule and terms 6 months to several years Once approved, you’ll need to repay the loan in installments according to the lender’s terms. Is Microlending Right for Your Business? Is microlending the right choice for your business? If you’re a small business owner needing quick access to funds, microlending may be a viable option. These platforms offer loans between $500 and $50,000, often with flexible qualification criteria. Nevertheless, consider the following: Average microloans are around $13,000, suitable for inventory, payroll, or operational costs. Approval times can take 30 to 90 days, impacting immediate cash flow. Borrowers may face higher interest rates, typically between 6.5% and 15%. Repayment terms are usually shorter, ranging from 1 to 5 years. Microlending can support underserved communities, including women and minorities. Evaluate your business needs and financial situation carefully. Microlending can provide valuable resources, but it’s crucial to understand the implications of borrowing before making a decision. Frequently Asked Questions What Is Microlending and How Does It Work? Microlending is a financial practice where small loans, usually under $50,000, are provided to individuals or businesses lacking access to traditional banking services. You apply through a microlender, and the funding process typically takes 30 to 90 days. Interest rates range from 6.5% to 15%, with repayment terms from one to five years. Lenders evaluate your creditworthiness using various factors, often relying on alternative data because of limited credit histories. Who Typically Uses Micro Lending? You’ll find that microlending is often utilized by entrepreneurs, particularly those from underserved communities. Small business owners, including many women, seek these loans to start or grow their ventures when traditional JPMorgan Chase deny them access. Typically, individuals with low incomes or poor credit scores turn to microlending platforms, as they offer flexible eligibility criteria. Loan amounts can range from $500 to $50,000, with the average microloan being around $13,000. What Is the Best Example of Micro Financing? The best example of microfinancing is Kiva, which offers interest-free microloans starting at $25 to borrowers worldwide. You can lend directly to entrepreneurs in underserved communities, encouraging financial inclusion. Kiva’s crowdfunding model shows a repayment rate over 96%, emphasizing its effectiveness. What Is Micro Financing and How Does It Work? Microfinancing is a financial service providing small loans, usually under $50,000, to individuals or businesses that lack access to traditional banking. You apply through a microlender, submit necessary documentation, and receive funding within 30 to 90 days. Repayment occurs in installments with varying interest rates, typically between 6.5% and 15%. These loans can be used for business needs like inventory or operational costs, but not for settling debt or purchasing real estate. Conclusion In conclusion, microlending platforms provide vital financial support to underserved borrowers, enabling them to access small loans for their entrepreneurial needs. By comprehending how these platforms operate, the types of loans available, and the qualifications required, you can make informed decisions about your financing options. During microlending offers numerous benefits, it’s important to evaluate the associated risks and challenges. In the end, appraising whether microlending aligns with your business goals can help you leverage this resource effectively. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Are Microlending Platforms and How Do They Function?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A reader writes: One of my employees has asked for a massive raise. He has good reasons for wanting a raise: his responsibilities have ended up being very different than what he was originally hired for, he’s been doing very well with them, and he’s definitely paid below market for what he’s ended up doing. We hired him at $15/hour for an entry-level position with no hard requirements, and based on some quick market research, I’d say the work he’s doing now is closer to a $20-$25 range, so I’m actually in favor of giving him a pretty substantial increase. The trouble is that he’s asked for an increase to $40/hour, and he’s only been here for four months. That’s more than I make, and I’m honestly shocked that he thought this was reasonable to ask for. He says he did some market research, but that number hasn’t been supported by anything I’ve been able to find. Four months also seems like a short amount of time to me, but I don’t know if the significant change in duties should override that. I want to advocate for my employee with our company’s owner (who is very reluctant to spend money), but I am suspicious that bringing the employee’s $40/hour request to him will make my employee (and potentially me as well) look completely out of touch with reality. Our owner is extremely hands-off — we’re all remote, and I talk to him maybe once every month or two for about 10 minutes. I told my employee that $40/hour was more than I make and gently suggested that asking for a lower number might be a better idea, but he shrugged that off and said he isn’t set on that number, but sees it as a good “starting point.” Any suggestions for how to approach this? I answer this question over at Inc. today, where I’m revisiting letters that have been buried in the archives here from years ago (and sometimes updating/expanding my answers to them). You can read it here. The post my employee asked for a 170% raise appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Modern-day Luddites are gaining ground because tech titans haven’t shown people how innovation will improve their livesView the full article

And why it changes everything for you. By Hitendra Patil Client Accounting Services: The Definitive Success Guide Go PRO for members-only access to more Hitendra Patil. View the full article

And why it changes everything for you. By Hitendra Patil Client Accounting Services: The Definitive Success Guide Go PRO for members-only access to more Hitendra Patil. View the full article