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Plus what you can do in 30 minutes to make things better. By Jackie Meyer Go PRO for members-only access to more Jackie Meyer. View the full article

Plus what you can do in 30 minutes to make things better. By Jackie Meyer Go PRO for members-only access to more Jackie Meyer. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Invariably, the best time to buy one of Amazon's devices, from Blink video doorbells to Echo smart speakers, is during one of the mega-retailer's semi-annual sale events, and the ongoing Big Spring Sale is no exception. That means, of course, that it's a great time to be in the market for a Kindle e-reader. While these aren't the lowest prices these devices are likely to hit in 2026, this is your best chance at scoring a decent discount without waiting for Prime Day this summer or Black Friday in the fall. While most Kindles are seeing discounts of at least 15% (including the Kindle Paperwhite with ads and the Kindle Kids), this year Amazon is offering the biggest discounts on its more premium models. For an extra $25 over the cost of the standard Paperwhite, you can splurge on the Signature Edition and get double the storage, an auto-adjusting front light, and wireless charging—or spend an extra $10 and get the Kindle Colorsoft, the better to enjoy your comics, cookbooks, and other image-heavy texts. Here are the best deals on Kindle devices during the Big Spring Sale. Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition $159.99 at Amazon $199.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Get Deal $159.99 at Amazon $199.99 Save $40.00 Kindle Colorsoft 16GB $169.99 at Amazon $249.99 Save $80.00 Get Deal Get Deal $169.99 at Amazon $249.99 Save $80.00 Kindle Scribe 16GB (2024) $249.99 at Amazon $399.99 Save $150.00 Get Deal Get Deal $249.99 at Amazon $399.99 Save $150.00 Amazon Kindle 16GB $94.99 at Amazon $109.99 Save $15.00 Get Deal Get Deal $94.99 at Amazon $109.99 Save $15.00 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) $134.99 at Amazon $159.99 Save $25.00 Get Deal Get Deal $134.99 at Amazon $159.99 Save $25.00 Kindle Kids 16GB Bundle $109.99 at Amazon $129.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal Get Deal $109.99 at Amazon $129.99 Save $20.00 SEE 3 MORE The 16GB entry level Kindle is 14% off The entry-level, ad-supported Kindle is still a great e-reader, with a crisp 300 ppi screen and a front light so you can read anywhere. It's $95 right now, down from the usual $110. The Kindle Kids bundle is 15% offIf you've got little ones—or even if you don't—the Kindle Kids bundle is a good option. It's the same device as the entry-level Kindle, minus ads, and it comes with a cute cover and a promise from Amazon to replace it if it breaks. It's $110 right now, down $20 from the usual price. The Kindle Paperwhite is 16% offThis ad-supported Kindle Paperwhite offers 16GB of storage, a temperature adjustable front light, and up to 12 weeks of battery life. It's $135, down from the $160 you'd normally pay. The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is 20% offUpgrade to the Paperwhite Signature Edition and you'll get 32GB of storage, wireless charging, a sensor that can automatically adjust the lighting for you, and, oh yeah, no lock screen ads. You can choose from black, pink, or green for $160, down from the usual $200. The Kindle Colorsoft is only $10 moreIf you read a lot of comics or books with photos, or even if you just like seeing your covers in color, the Kindle Colorsoft has the best color e-ink screen you can buy. Right now, it's only $10 more than the Signature Edition, offering 16GB of storage, temperature adjustable lighting, and no ads for $170. The previous generation Kindle Scribe is $150 offIf you are looking for a serviceable digital notebook to take notes or write in your books, the Kindle Scribe is a decent pick, especially if you're all-in on the Amazon ecosystem. Right now, the 2024 edition with the upgraded Premium Pen and 16GB of storage is $250, 38% off the usual $400 asking price. View the full article

Plus a quick quiz about your marketing. By August Aquila MAX: Maximize Productivity, Profitability and Client Retention Go PRO for members-only access to more August J. Aquila. View the full article

Plus a quick quiz about your marketing. By August Aquila MAX: Maximize Productivity, Profitability and Client Retention Go PRO for members-only access to more August J. Aquila. View the full article

There’s more than CPE to consider. By Ed Mendlowitz Call Me Before You Do Anything: The Art of Accounting Go PRO for members-only access to more Edward Mendlowitz. View the full article

There’s more than CPE to consider. By Ed Mendlowitz Call Me Before You Do Anything: The Art of Accounting Go PRO for members-only access to more Edward Mendlowitz. View the full article

When you’re considering buying a franchise, it’s important to comprehend the structure of this business model. A franchise allows you to operate under an established brand as you follow its proven methods. First, you’ll research franchises that fit your interests and budget. After applying, you’ll review the franchise agreement, which details the terms and fees involved. Comprehending these elements is vital, but there’s more to explore about the process and its implications for your success. Key Takeaways Buying a franchise involves entering a structured partnership with a recognized brand through a franchise agreement lasting 5 to 30 years. Initial research is crucial to identify franchises that match personal interests, budget, and market demand. The application process requires submitting financial information and relevant experience to the franchisor for approval. Understanding the franchise agreement’s terms, costs, and royalties is essential before formalizing the partnership. Engaging with existing franchisees provides insights into daily operations and potential challenges of the franchise. What Is a Franchise? A franchise represents a structured business model where you, as a franchisee, pay a franchisor for the rights to operate under their established brand and business practices. In this arrangement, you typically pay an initial franchise fee and ongoing royalties, which usually range from 4.6% to 12.5% of your sales. By becoming a franchisee, you gain access to an established brand name and market-tested products or services, along with extensive training and support from the franchisor. This model allows for business expansion at a lower cost, leveraging your investment as the franchisor generates revenue through fees and royalties. As of 2024, the U.S. boasts around 830,876 franchise establishments, showcasing the franchise industry’s growth and popularity. The Franchisee and Franchisor Explained Comprehending the roles of both the franchisee and the franchisor is key to grasping how this business model functions. The franchisee operates a business under the franchisor’s established brand, following specific guidelines and systems. As you manage day-to-day operations, your creative freedom is limited compared to independent business owners. The franchisor, who retains ownership of the brand and trademarks, provides crucial support, including marketing assistance and training, guaranteeing consistency across locations. Typically, a franchise agreement lasts between 5 to 30 years and includes upfront fees and ongoing royalty payments. Before you decide to license a franchise, consider important questions to ask the franchisor before buying a franchise to make sure you understand how does buying a franchise work. How Does a Franchise Work? When you decide to buy a franchise, you enter a structured partnership where you can operate your own business under a recognized brand. This partnership allows you to leverage established systems and processes through a Franchise Agreement, typically lasting 5 to 30 years. Initially, you’ll research opportunities and negotiate terms, including upfront fees and ongoing royalties that can range from 4.6% to 12.5% of sales. You gain access to a proven business model and support from the franchisor, reducing startup uncertainty. To make informed decisions, consider asking key questions to ask franchisees before buying a franchise, along with important questions to ask when buying or purchasing a franchise to guarantee it aligns with your goals and expectations. Key Elements of a Franchise Comprehending the key elements of a franchise is crucial for anyone considering this business model. First, you’ll typically pay an upfront franchise fee, which can vary by brand and industry; for example, many home services franchises from Neighborly are estimated to be under $200,000. Furthermore, you’ll need to pay ongoing royalties, usually between 4.6% and 12.5% of your sales. Franchise agreements typically last from 5 to 30 years and outline the rights and responsibilities of both you and the franchisor. As a franchisee, you gain access to established branding, marketing materials, and customer bases, giving you a competitive edge. Finally, thorough training and ongoing support from the franchisor are crucial for managing operations successfully. Benefits of Owning a Franchise Owning a franchise gives you access to a proven business model that can markedly lower your risk compared to starting an independent business. With established brand recognition, you can attract customers more quickly, as people tend to trust familiar names like McDonald’s or Taco Bell. This combination of a solid framework and brand advantage sets the stage for a potentially successful venture. Proven Business Model Investing in a franchise offers you the chance to tap into a proven business model that has already demonstrated its effectiveness in the market. This greatly reduces the risk of failure compared to starting an independent business. As a franchisee, you benefit from a structured approach to operations, product offerings, and marketing strategies, allowing you to focus on execution rather than developing everything from scratch. Many franchisors provide thorough training and ongoing operational support, ensuring you have the necessary knowledge and resources for success. With nearly 830,876 franchise establishments in the U.S., you gain access to a thriving market and a supportive community of fellow franchisees, enhancing your potential for growth and profitability in a competitive environment. Brand Recognition Advantage With the advantages of a proven business model in place, franchisees likewise reap the benefits of brand recognition. Having an established brand, like McDonald’s or Taco Bell, makes it easier to attract customers right away. Consumers tend to trust familiar names, leading to higher sales volumes. In fact, about 60% of franchise sales come from repeat customers, showcasing brand loyalty. Moreover, franchisees can utilize marketing resources from the franchisor, boosting visibility without incurring high costs. This brand recognition often shortens the time to profitability, with many franchisees becoming profitable within their first year. Benefit Impact on Franchisee Example Immediate brand recognition Attracts customers quickly McDonald’s Higher sales volumes Increased revenue Taco Bell Loyal customer base Consistent sales Starbucks Marketing support Reduced promotional costs Dunkin’ Challenges of Franchise Ownership Although the prospect of franchise ownership can be appealing, several challenges can make the expedition difficult. High startup costs are often a major hurdle, with franchises like McDonald’s requiring an initial investment between $1.3 million and $2.3 million. Ongoing royalty fees, ranging from 4.6% to 12.5% of sales, can further impact your profitability and should be factored into your financial planning. Furthermore, you’ll face limited control over business operations since you’ll need to follow the franchisor’s established systems and guidelines, restricting your creative freedom. Risks likewise arise from potential misleading information from the franchisor, which could negatively affect your franchise’s value and success. Securing funding can be challenging, complicating the initial investment process considerably. Comparing Franchises and Startups When comparing franchises to startups, it’s crucial to understand the differences in risk assessment, support, and financial investment. Franchises often come with established business models and ongoing support, whereas startups require you to create your own strategies, which can lead to higher risks and potential failure. Furthermore, the financial commitments can vary greatly, with franchises typically demanding higher initial investments and ongoing fees, whereas startups might be launched with lower capital but face other financial hurdles. Risk Assessment Differences Comprehending the differences in risk assessment between franchises and startups is crucial for anyone considering entrepreneurship. Franchises typically present a lower failure rate, with around 90% succeeding after five years, compared to 50% for new independent businesses. This success stems from a proven business model and established brand recognition, which reduce uncertainty. Though the initial investment for franchises can be significant, ranging from thousands to over $2 million, startups often face varied costs based on their concepts. Additionally, ongoing support from franchisors, such as training and marketing, mitigates risks that independent owners must address alone. On the other hand, franchise agreements may include royalty fees of 4.6% to 12.5%, impacting profitability but providing a structured approach that startups often lack. Support and Resources Available As you consider the support and resources available within the domain of entrepreneurship, it’s important to recognize how franchises differ from independent startups in this area. Franchisees benefit from established business systems, greatly reducing uncertainty, especially since nearly 50% of new businesses fail within five years. Franchisors provide extensive initial training programs and ongoing support, including marketing resources and operational guidance, which aren’t typically available to independent startups. Furthermore, franchise networks offer collective purchasing capability and vendor discounts, enhancing efficiency and potentially lowering costs. Unlike startups, where financing can be a challenge, franchises often have access to established financing options through franchisors and programs like SBA loans, making capital more accessible. This support can improve your work/life balance compared to the demanding nature of startups. Financial Investment Comparison How does the financial investment of buying a franchise compare to starting an independent business? Starting a franchise usually requires an initial investment between $10,000 and over $2 million, depending on the brand. Conversely, independent startups often have lower upfront costs but face a higher failure rate, with about 50% surviving after five years. Franchisees pay ongoing royalties, which range from 4.6% to 12.5% of sales, impacting profitability. Furthermore, franchises offer immediate brand recognition and customer bases, reducing marketing needs. Financing options for franchises often include support from franchisors and access to SBA loans, whereas independent startups may struggle to secure funding because of their unproven business models. Comprehending these differences can help you make informed decisions. Understanding Franchise Costs and Fees When considering a franchise, it’s vital to comprehend the various costs and fees involved, as these can greatly influence your financial planning. The initial franchise fee typically ranges from $20,000 to $50,000, though high-profile brands like McDonald’s can cost between $1.3 million and $2.3 million. You’ll additionally encounter ongoing royalty fees, usually a percentage of sales, ranging from 4.6% to 12.5%, which impacts profitability. Additional costs may include equipment, supplies, and location setup, pushing total startup expenses higher. Financing options such as personal savings, bank loans, and SBA loans are available, with many franchisors assisting in estimating working capital needs. Comprehending your full financial obligations is fundamental for successful franchise operation. The Role of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) The Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is fundamental for anyone considering a franchise, as it lays out the terms, costs, and obligations you’ll encounter. You’ll find key components within the FDD, such as the franchisor’s background and the financial performance of current franchises, which are vital for making an informed decision. Comprehending the FDD not merely clarifies your legal obligations but additionally helps you identify any potential red flags before you commit. Importance of Franchise Disclosure Transparency is fundamental in the franchising process, and that’s where the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) comes into play. The FDD is a legal requirement by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that provides you with critical information about the franchisor and the franchise system. It consists of 23 specific items, including the franchisor’s business background and financial performance representations. You must receive the FDD at least 14 days before signing any franchise agreement or making payments, giving you time to review the details. Furthermore, the FDD includes contact information for current and former franchisees, enabling you to verify claims and gain insights. Comprehending the FDD is essential, as it outlines potential risks, costs, and the support you can expect, impacting your long-term success. Key Components Explained Understanding the key components of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is vital for anyone considering a franchise opportunity. The FDD is a legal requirement that outlines critical information about the franchise system, including fees and obligations. It typically consists of 23 sections, providing insights into the franchisor’s business history and financial performance. Key Component Description Franchisor’s Business History Details on the franchisor’s background and experience. Financial Performance Information on the franchise’s financial health and profitability. Franchisee Contact Info Access to current and former franchisees for verification and insights. Receiving the FDD at least 14 days before any agreement allows you to make informed decisions. Regulatory oversight guarantees the FDD is clear and thorough, protecting potential franchisees. Understanding Legal Obligations Comprehending your legal obligations as a potential franchisee begins with the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). This legal document outlines essential information about the franchise system, including financial performance, fees, and your rights and responsibilities. The FDD consists of 23 sections, ensuring transparency in the franchise relationship. You’ll need to sign a receipt page, acknowledging you’ve received the FDD, which starts a 14-day countdown before you can sign the franchise agreement or make payments. This period allows for careful review. Keep in mind that the FDD must be updated annually or when significant changes occur. Failure to provide a compliant FDD can lead to legal consequences for the franchisor, including potential claims for damages or rescission by franchisees. Engaging With Existing Franchisees What can you learn from those who’ve already walked the path of franchise ownership? Engaging with existing franchisees offers valuable insights into daily operations, challenges, and successes, deepening your comprehension of the business model. The Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) provides contact information for current and past franchisees, allowing you to ask specific questions about their experiences. These conversations can reveal critical information about the franchisor’s support and training quality, crucial for making informed decisions. Franchisees often share practical tips that provide a realistic view of potential returns, contrasting with promotional materials from the franchisor. By connecting with multiple franchisees across different locations, you can identify common themes and variations, helping you gauge what to expect from the opportunity. Steps to Launch Your Franchise Business Launching your franchise business involves several key steps that require careful planning and execution. First, research franchise opportunities that match your interests and financial capabilities. Use resources like the International Franchise Association and Entrepreneur Magazine. Once you find a suitable franchise, you’ll typically go through an application process to review your financial situation and business experience. After approval, you’ll sign a franchise agreement outlining terms, fees, and royalties. Next, select a location, purchase necessary equipment, and complete any required training programs. Finally, prepare for your grand opening, utilizing ongoing support and resources from the franchisor. Step Description Duration Research Opportunities Identify franchises that fit you Ongoing Application Process Submit financial and experience info 1-2 months Franchise Agreement Sign terms and conditions 1 week Setup and Training Prepare location and complete training 1-3 months Frequently Asked Questions Is Buying Into a Franchise a Good Investment? Purchasing into a franchise can be a good investment. You gain access to a proven business model, which typically has a higher success rate than independent startups. With thorough training and ongoing support, many franchises considerably reduce risks. As initial investments can vary widely, established brand recognition often leads to quicker customer attraction and higher sales. The franchise sector is growing, and its economic impact makes it an appealing option for new entrepreneurs. Why Does It Only Cost $10,000 to Open a Chick-Fil-A? It only costs $10,000 to open a Chick-fil-A because of the company’s unique franchise model. Chick-fil-A retains ownership of the restaurant property and supplies, which lowers your initial investment. Nevertheless, you’ll pay a 15% royalty on sales, higher than average, in exchange for extensive support and a recognized brand. The rigorous selection process guarantees franchisees focus on operational excellence and community engagement, helping maintain brand standards and drive profitability. How Does It Work When You Buy Into a Franchise? When you buy into a franchise, you begin by researching opportunities that fit your interests and budget. You’ll submit an application and undergo a financial review by the franchisor. Once approved, you sign a franchise agreement detailing fees and royalties. After that, you choose a location, receive training, and set up your business following the franchisor’s systems. Throughout this process, you benefit from ongoing support, which helps reduce risks associated with starting a business. Which Franchise Is Best for Beginners? For beginners, franchises with lower initial investments and strong support systems are often best. Home services franchises, like Neighborly, typically require under $200,000. Fast food options, such as Subway or Dunkin’ Donuts, offer brand recognition and proven operations. Fitness franchises, like Anytime Fitness, are growing and provide extensive training. Retail franchises, including 7-Eleven, capitalize on convenience. Look for flexible models, such as mobile or home-based franchises, to reduce overhead and risk. Conclusion In conclusion, buying a franchise can be a strategic way to enter the business world with the support of an established brand. By comprehending the relationship between franchisee and franchisor, along with the associated costs and obligations, you can better navigate this investment. Engaging with existing franchisees and carefully reviewing the Franchise Disclosure Document will provide valuable insights. Following the outlined steps will help you successfully launch your franchise and operate it effectively within the franchise system. Image via Google Gemini This article, "How Does Buying a Franchise Work?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you're looking for an Apple Watch for extreme sports, or you just want the one with the biggest display and battery life, you should focus your sights on the Ultra. Apple packs as many features and perks into this watch as it can, and, as such, it's the best option for people who need to push their wearables to the max. But those advantages come at a cost: The latest Apple Watch Ultra 3 costs $799, making it one of the most expensive watch options the company sells. But you don't need to spend as much on an Apple Watch Ultra as an iPhone 17 in order to get many of these perks. If you're willing to move one generation early, and lose a few new features, you can save some serious money, especially during discounts and sales. As it happens, this "Premium Renewed" Apple Watch Ultra 2 is currently $399.49 on Amazon during its Big Spring Sale. That's its cheapest price on the site in at least the past three months, according to Keepa. Apple Watch Ultra 2 $399.49 at Amazon $589.00 Save $189.51 Get Deal Get Deal $399.49 at Amazon $589.00 Save $189.51 The features list of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 are quite long. Off the bat, you get a 49mm display that can reach a whopping 3,000 nits of brightness. The heart rate monitor can look out for signs of hypertension, alert you when your heart rate is too high or too low, and let you know when you have an irregular heart rhythm. You can also use the Blood Oxygen app to monitor your SpO2 levels. Like all Apple Watches, the Ultra 2 can track your sleep, including giving you a sleep score each night, but it can also let you know if you show signs of sleep apnea. It'll track your vitals, body temperature, cycles (if applicable), and can connect to cellular if you pay for a plan. This watch comes with Apple's S9 chip, the same as you'll find in the Series 9 line, and supports Apple's double-tap gesture, as well as Precision Finding, in case your watch goes missing. But since this is the Ultra 2, there are some nontraditional features here, like water resistance up to 100 meters, and support for snorkeling, scubaing, and high-speed water sports. There's a depth gauge up to 40m if you do any diving, and the watch even comes with a siren in case you need others to know where you are. This isn't an exhaustive list of features, so check out the listing for the full rundown. The caveat for this particular sale, however, is that this is a "Premium Renewed" product. According to Amazon, all "Renewed" products are fully functional, and come with original or generic accessories. To be "Premium," the renewed product must not have any cosmetic damage visible from 12 inches away, no scratches on the screen, and a battery capacity 90% or higher. I wouldn't be surprised if these Apple Watch Ultra 2 models were simply open box, rather than previously used, but before you invest, know that there is a chance someone else used this watch. If you're curious about the latest model, the Ultra 3, here's what you get if you spring for the extra cost: a slightly larger, higher-quality OLED display with LTPO3 (versus LTPO2 on the Ultra 2); Emergency SOS via satellite; 5G connectivity (if you spring for the cellular plan); the S10 chip; battery life that lasts 42 hours, versus 36 hours on the Ultra 2; and 12 hours of use with 15 minutes of charging. Both the Ultra 2 and Ultra 3 support fast charging up to 80%, but the Ultra 3 can do it in 45 minutes, while the Ultra 2 takes about an hour. Those advantages might be worth the added cost, depending on your needs. Our Best Editor-Vetted Amazon Big Spring Sale Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Sony WH1000XM6- Best Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones — $398.00 (List Price $459.99) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $35.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Indoor Cam Plus 2K Wired Security Camera (White) — $39.99 (List Price $59.99) Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote — $34.99 (List Price $59.99) Amazon Kindle Colorsoft 16GB 7" eReader (Black) — $169.99 (List Price $249.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

In terms of recruitment and hiring, adopting effective strategies can greatly influence your organization’s success. You’ll want to refine job descriptions to attract the right candidates as you leverage technology for efficient sourcing. Furthermore, cultivating a strong employee referral program can improve your talent pool. Prioritizing diversity is crucial, too, as it enriches your workplace. These strategies not just streamline your hiring process but also bolster your employer brand. So, what are the key steps you can take next? Key Takeaways Refine job descriptions to emphasize growth, success metrics, and inclusive language, while clearly stating salary ranges and flexible options. Leverage technology and AI-assisted sourcing tools to enhance recruitment efficiency and reduce time-to-hire significantly. Foster a strong employee referral program to reduce hiring time and increase retention rates of referred candidates. Prioritize diversity in recruitment to improve company culture and performance, making outreach to diverse candidates a key focus. Engage with passive candidates through personalized communication and consistent relationship building to maintain interest and nurture future hiring opportunities. Refine Job Descriptions for Clarity and Appeal When crafting job descriptions, it’s essential to refine them for clarity and appeal to attract the right candidates. Focus on daily responsibilities and success metrics, emphasizing growth and outcomes instead of merely listing duties. This approach not just helps in conveying expectations but likewise aligns with candidates’ career aspirations. Including clear salary ranges and flexible working options boosts transparency and can greatly improve your recruitment and hiring efforts. Use inclusive language to resonate with a diverse applicant pool; avoid jargon that might deter potential candidates. Regularly updating job descriptions guarantees alignment with current organizational needs and trends. Furthermore, highlighting unique company benefits and culture sets your organization apart, showcasing what makes it an attractive place to work. Leverage Technology for Efficient Sourcing To effectively source candidates, you can leverage advanced sourcing tools that aggregate talent data, making it easier to identify qualified candidates quickly. Automation benefits your recruitment process by reducing complexity and considerably shortening the time to hire. Advanced Sourcing Tools As the recruitment environment evolves, leveraging advanced sourcing tools has become essential for organizations aiming to attract the best talent efficiently. Tools like Findem aggregate talent data from various sources, streamlining the recruitment process with matching algorithms to identify candidates with the right experience. By implementing AI-assisted sourcing tools, you can reduce time-to-hire by up to 80%, helping you secure top talent before they accept competing offers. Furthermore, these technologies improve job visibility across multiple platforms, increasing your chances of attracting diverse and qualified candidates. Data-driven strategies supported by advanced sourcing tools allow for continuous optimization of hiring processes, leading to improved candidate quality and lower recruitment costs, finally making your efforts more efficient and effective. Automation Benefits Automation benefits organizations by greatly improving the efficiency of their recruitment processes. By streamlining candidate sourcing and qualification, automation can cut recruitment costs by up to 90%. Advanced sourcing technologies, like AI-driven platforms such as Findem, allow you to aggregate talent data from various sources, improving candidate matching and reducing time to hire by up to 80%. Automated outreach enables personalized communication with larger candidate pools, boosting engagement without requiring extensive manual effort. Furthermore, using applicant tracking systems (ATS) integrated with automation tools simplifies workflows, ensuring candidates receive timely updates and feedback. This improves their overall experience and helps identify bottlenecks, allowing for continuous improvement and optimization of your recruitment strategies. Data-Driven Insights Data-driven insights play a crucial role in enhancing recruitment efficiency and effectiveness. By leveraging technology, you can reduce hiring time by up to 80% with automated systems and AI-assisted matching algorithms that streamline candidate sourcing and selection. Utilizing applicant tracking systems (ATS) allows you to manage candidate pipelines efficiently, tracking key metrics like time to fill and cost per hire. Advanced sourcing technologies, such as Findem, aggregate talent data from various sources, providing an all-encompassing view of candidates and improving match quality. Implementing data-driven strategies helps identify bottlenecks in your hiring process, optimizing methods based on real-time analytics. Regularly analyzing recruitment data guarantees your strategies remain effective and competitive, adapting to the ever-changing market conditions. Foster a Strong Employee Referral Program Promoting a strong employee referral program can greatly improve your recruitment strategy, especially when you consider the proven benefits it offers. A well-structured referral program can reduce the average time to fill positions by 62%, streamlining your hiring process notably. Candidates referred by employees are four times more likely to be hired, indicating a higher success rate for referrals. Furthermore, organizations that implement these programs see a 15% decrease in employee turnover, with referred employees staying 70% longer than those sourced through other channels. By incentivizing employee referrals, you not only boost engagement but additionally promote a sense of investment among current employees in the recruitment process. Approximately 84% of employers consider referrals the most cost-effective recruitment strategy, highlighting the financial benefits of cultivating a strong referral program. A well-executed referral system can transform your hiring environment and lead to better overall workforce quality. Prioritize Diversity in Recruitment Efforts When you prioritize diversity in your recruitment efforts, you not just improve your company culture but furthermore boost overall performance. Diverse teams propel innovation and creativity, enhancing problem-solving capabilities. By tracking metrics, you can assess the outcomes of your diversity initiatives; organizations that engage diverse candidate pools see a 35% increase in financial performance. Implementing inclusive hiring practices—like using diverse job boards and removing biased language from job descriptions—can greatly broaden your talent pool and attract underrepresented candidates. Remember, 67% of job seekers consider a diverse workforce crucial when evaluating job offers, making strong diversity recruitment strategies fundamental for attracting top talent. Proactively reaching out to diverse candidates and nurturing an inclusive culture can likewise reduce turnover rates by 15%, as referred employees tend to stay 70% longer than those sourced through traditional methods. Prioritizing diversity isn’t just ethical; it’s a smart business strategy. Enhance Your Employer Brand A strong employer brand is vital for attracting and retaining top talent in today’s competitive job market. When your brand is well-known and positively perceived, you can reduce hiring costs by up to 43%. To improve your employer brand, consistently communicate your company’s mission, vision, and culture. This approach not just attracts candidates who share similar values but additionally boosts employee engagement and retention. Showcasing employee testimonials and success stories across various platforms builds trust and credibility, making your organization more appealing to potential hires. Remember, 69% of candidates consider employer reputation before applying for a job, so it’s important to focus on your brand’s image. Effective storytelling and transparent company values can differentiate your organization in a crowded market. By prioritizing these strategies, you can create a robust employer brand that leads to better hiring outcomes and attracts the talent you need to succeed. Streamline the Interview Process Streamlining the interview process is essential for improving both efficiency and candidate experience in hiring. Implementing a structured interview process guarantees consistency and fairness, enabling you to evaluate candidates objectively during the process of reducing biases. By utilizing scoring rubrics for interview responses, you can assess candidates based on predetermined criteria, which boosts the reliability of your evaluations. Engaging in peer matching during interviews allows candidates to connect with current employees, giving them valuable insights into your workplace culture and helping everyone assess fit. Offering virtual interviews can further streamline scheduling, making it easier for both you and candidates to connect, eventually reducing the time to fill positions. Finally, gathering feedback from candidates about their interview experiences identifies areas for improvement, improving the overall candidate experience and increasing the likelihood of accepting job offers. Engage With Passive Candidates To effectively engage with passive candidates, you need to build relationships over time rather than expecting immediate results. Utilize targeted outreach strategies that resonate with their interests, and consistently showcase your company culture to capture their attention. Build Relationships Over Time Though many organizations focus on active job seekers, engaging with passive candidates can yield considerable long-term benefits. Since passive candidates make up about 70% of the global workforce, proactive outreach is crucial. Build relationships by regularly sharing relevant, educational content to keep them informed about your organization. This nurtures a connection that may lead them to evaluate future job openings. Utilize sourcing tools to maintain ongoing communication and cultivate these relationships, enhancing the chances of converting them into active applicants. Furthermore, establishing a strong employer brand through consistent messaging and showcasing your company culture will attract passive candidates. Personalized outreach, like customized messages or invitations to company events, can greatly improve engagement and encourage them to explore opportunities with you. Utilize Targeted Outreach Strategies Utilizing targeted outreach strategies is essential for effectively engaging with passive candidates, who often represent a significant portion of the talent pool. Since about 70% of the global workforce isn’t actively seeking new jobs, you need to approach them thoughtfully. Building a talent pool through consistent engagement allows you to maintain their interest and keep them informed about future openings. Use personalized communication to send relevant content that cultivates relationships, making them more likely to evaluate job offers. Don’t underestimate the influence of social media; showcasing your company culture and employee testimonials can create a compelling image. Furthermore, attending networking events and industry conferences enables you to connect meaningfully, potentially leading to future hiring opportunities. Showcase Company Culture Effectively How can you effectively showcase your company culture to attract passive candidates? Start by creating engaging content that highlights your work environment, such as videos of team events and employee testimonials. With around 70% of the workforce being passive candidates, it’s essential to build a strong employer brand that resonates with their values. Regularly share educational and relevant content on social media to maintain their interest and keep your organization top-of-mind. Furthermore, emphasize unique aspects of your culture, like growth opportunities and work-life balance, as these factors are critical for candidates considering a job change. Finally, engage in personalized outreach and maintain a talent pipeline to nurture relationships that can lead to successful hires when opportunities arise. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 5 C’s of Recruitment? The 5 C’s of recruitment are Clarity, Consistency, Communication, Candidate engagement, and Cultural fit. Clarity involves writing precise job descriptions to attract suitable candidates. Consistency guarantees a uniform hiring process, promoting fairness. Communication focuses on providing regular updates to improve the candidate experience. Candidate engagement nurtures relationships for future openings, as well as Cultural fit assesses alignment with company values. Together, these elements create a more effective and efficient recruitment process that benefits both candidates and employers. What Are Recruiting Strategies? Recruiting strategies refer to the methods and plans you use to attract and hire qualified candidates. These strategies can include leveraging social media to reach a broader audience, implementing employee referral programs, and optimizing your recruitment processes to improve candidate experience. By regularly reviewing your strategies, you can reduce hiring time and costs considerably. Effective recruiting is crucial, as it directly impacts your organization’s growth and overall success in a competitive job market. What Are the 4 R’s for Recruitment? The 4 R’s for recruitment are Reach, Recruit, Retain, and Refine. You start by maximizing visibility to attract a diverse applicant pool through various channels. Then, you implement structured hiring processes to efficiently select candidates. After hiring, focusing on employee engagement guarantees satisfaction and boosts retention. Finally, you continually analyze recruitment metrics to identify improvement areas, adapting your strategies to meet changing market demands and improve overall effectiveness. What Are the 7 Steps of the Recruitment Process? The recruitment process consists of seven key steps. First, you define job requirements by creating a detailed job description. Next, you source candidates through various channels like job boards and social media. Then, you screen applications to shortlist candidates. After that, you conduct interviews to assess fit and skills. Once you’ve selected a candidate, you make a job offer. Finally, you negotiate terms and guarantee clear communication throughout the process for a positive experience. Conclusion By implementing these seven crucial recruitment strategies, you can greatly improve your hiring process. Focusing on clear job descriptions, utilizing technology, and building a strong referral program are just a few ways to attract the right candidates. Prioritizing diversity and streamlining interviews similarly contribute to a more effective approach. Engaging passive candidates and showcasing your company culture further bolsters your employer brand. Together, these strategies not just enhance recruitment outcomes but likewise reduce time-to-hire, leading to a more efficient hiring process. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "7 Essential Strategies for Recruitment and Hiring" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Ding-dong, Sora is dead! So says the executive team at OpenAI, which now wants its talented staff to say goodbye to the generative AI social media platform—which was only online for a few months—and invest most of its efforts on its core business: enterprise services and coding. In other words, OpenAI is back to focusing on its key goal (beating Anthropic), instead of what the company’s CEO of applications reportedly described as a “side quest” (trying to overtake TikTok). Disney, which was hoping to license its iconic characters for use in Sora, is now ditching its investment in the AI giant. In truth, Sora was probably never going to succeed as a social media service. Social media platforms anchor in the real world. No one really thinks TikTok or Facebook are “real life,” but the apps hook us by promising at least the pretense of reality. People do find news on X, and their real friends and family on Instagram. Influencers on TikTok suggest that you, too, can look like that, can cook like that, can dance like that. Yes, algorithms and misinformation, and now, increasingly, generative AI, are polluting these online ecosystems. But the platforms start from a foundation of connecting us to the real world, even if they’re also warping our perceptions of it, too. Sora was the contrapositive. The creative universe forged by Sora’s users was one of infinite world-building, a forever-scroll of overly-rendered disrealities. The content available on Sora was, indeed, very cool, but was something more akin to what people look for when they play the Sims (or sign up for an art class), not a hit social media platform. And sure enough, the app only had a bit more than a million weekly users earlier this year, according to a third-party estimate. (For comparison, as TechCrunch pointed out, some 900 million people use ChatGPT every week). That’s not to say there wasn’t anything to like about Sora. The platform gave people an unprecedented pathway to producing their own fantastical content, funneling to users artistic freedom that might have, a few years earlier, only been available to those employed by Hollywood animation studios. How about a talk show featuring Kermit the Frog explaining what “content moderation” means? Or a livestream of Moses parting the Red Sea? Or an astronaut performing ballet on the moon. All of this content snippets, and far more, are available on Sora, at least before OpenAI officially turns it off. (For people who genuinely enjoyed the app, or at least used it as an expressive outlet, OpenAI says they plan to release more information soon about how to save their work before the app goes offline for good. “What you made with Sora mattered, and we know this news is disappointing,” the company said in a post on X on Tuesday.) In the end, though, Sora scratched users’ creative itch, not their consumptive desires. There was plenty else off-putting about Sora, too. There was the offensive way the service allowed users to bring celebrities back from the dead, including—until the company backtracked and sort of apologized—Martin Luther King Jr. There was the confusing way the app approached political content. No, you couldn’t take a user name associated with a political figure, as Fast Company reported, but you could generate images of a man that looked just like Donald The President. There were AI-generated images of kids doing cocaine and passing marijuana and other simulations of violence toward young people, which multiple child safety experts had told Fast Company was, err, not good. Critically, the app’s “Cameo” feature allowed users to lend their face to AI, allowing them (or approved friends) to plop their likeness into all sorts of generated scenarios. This, of course, raised all sorts of concerns, including around minors and copyright. But it’s also not clear that this feature, which aims to connect our real selves to Sora’s generative AI environment, enables the kind of content most people actually want to watch. I would love to imagine myself rendered on a spaceship, or hanging out with Albert Einstein, or ruling some ancient kingdom. And yes, my friends would probably like one, maybe a few of these videos. Still, I am self-aware to know this is not the content they crave. This is AI self-actualization, not art for an audience. The best and founding promise of social media is that we’re all operating in one shared digital universe, despite boundaries and borders and limitations of real life. We can see the whole world, this world, in a single feed. That’s the opposite of what Sora created: bifurcating ourselves into an endless supply of imagined universes. View the full article

The climate crisis demands that we rethink how we construct the built environment. Buildings account for more than 33% of global energy consumption and nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions. Traditional building materials like concrete, steel, and glass are energy-intensive to produce, meaning truly sustainable buildings are difficult to achieve when we rely on the status quo. Mass timber—engineered wood products that deliver immense structural strength while reducing environmental impact—has emerged as a compelling alternative. Swapping concrete for timber reduces embodied carbon by up to 26.5% per square foot. And the benefits go well beyond carbon metrics: Mass timber offers more efficient construction timelines, with off-site prefabrication of building components leading to quicker on-site assembly and less noise and debris. Exposed wood in indoor spaces has been linked to lower stress and improved well-being, offering another compelling reason to find an alternative to all that concrete and steel. Our architecture, engineering, planning, and interiors design firm has been on the front lines of mass timber adoption for commercial builds. We believe that any leader who wants to drive innovation in sustainability can learn from what’s happening with this building material. Here are four lessons from our work with mass timber. 1. To drive change, change the narrative One of the biggest barriers to innovation is shifting entrenched assumptions. For decades, the commercial market was dominated by sterile glass and steel towers. But as younger creative and tech groups began valuing a different vibe and the health of the planet, the workplace evolved. Real estate development firm Hines recognized this evolution. It saw that top-tier tenants were drawn to the character of turn-of-the-century loft spaces, but supply was finite and existing buildings were often inefficient. We collaborated with Hines to reframe mass timber not as a risky, experimental material, but as a vehicle for a new type of workplace. By pioneering new systems and iterating from one project to the next, we proved that mass timber could provide an authentic-feeling experience with modern performance. The result: The first multi-story timber office structure built in the U.S. in more than a century. 2. Curiosity is the antidote to skepticism Even promising ideas must be validated to be adopted at scale. In expanding mass timber into the hospitality sector—an industry hesitant about new forms of construction because of cost and guest experience concerns—we realized innovation isn’t about persuading people to try something new. Instead, it’s about shared curiosity. Rather than trying to sell customers on mass timber, we brought together a roundtable of partners, including designers, manufacturers, hotel developers, and brands like Marriott, to identify the gaps in our collective understanding. We asked, “What do we need to discover together to answer your specific concerns?” In that space of discovery, we found that a 180-room timber hotel can be built up to two months faster than a concrete equivalent. When you replace “convincing” with “discovering together,” you create a natural partnership that drives innovation. 3. Build an ecosystem, not a hierarchy Mass timber changed how we build, requiring new workflows and relationships. Systemic innovation requires looking beyond the walls of our firm and reimagining the ecosystem of partners. A key component of this system is our long-standing partnership with the University of Minnesota College of Design. By participating in its research practice program, we bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world application. This collaboration moved us past fantasy designs and into the technical rigor required to make timber a viable utility. This demands organizational humility. You should enter a project with educated guesses but always be prepared to be wrong—and no one person or idea should be central to success or failure. We often say you should be able to “rip the tent pole out of the middle” of a concept and still have the project stand because the collective expertise is so strong. When you treat partners as equal experts, you create the environment necessary for true innovation. 4. New ideas need champions Mass timber adoption wasn’t inevitable. It required people across disciplines to advocate for it, test its feasibility, and prove its value, often in the face of skepticism. That kind of momentum behind a new idea doesn’t happen organically; it takes intentional leadership to steer in that direction. Whether you’re introducing a new material, a new product, a new system, or a new strategy, real change and innovation require buy-in among designers, researchers, engineers, companies, clients, leadership, and frontline teams. Leaders who want to drive innovation must approach it with intentionality. Pilot projects, test assumptions, measure results, and share what works—in our case, even with competitors. Driving real change takes more than just conviction. You have to shift the narrative, embrace shared curiosity, and build the integrated systems required to support it. Leaders who adopt this mindset are the ones who will move their industries forward. Steven McKay is CEO of the DLR Group. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Peloton equipment is discounted for Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, which means we’re seeing some of the lowest-ever prices for the new “Cross-Training” line of equipment. The regular Bike is $400 off, the Bike+ is $600 off, and the Tread is also $600 off. Peloton Cross Training Bike+ $2,095.00 at Amazon $2,695.00 Save $600.00 Get Deal Get Deal $2,095.00 at Amazon $2,695.00 Save $600.00 The new Cross-Training line launched in the fall of 2025, so it’s still pretty new. We have a breakdown here showing where the Cross-Training equipment improves upon the older models, and where it’s the same. A few differences worth nothing: The Cross-Training Bike has the same size of screen and the same main features as the original Bike, but adds a swivel mount to the screen, a more comfortable seat, and upgraded internals: better quality audio, a faster processor, and better wifi and Bluetooth connections. It’s normally $1,695 and is now $1,295. The Cross-Training Bike+ has similarly upgraded internals compared to the regular Bike+. It adds a movement-tracking camera for AI-based form coaching in strength workouts, and can take voice commands. It also has a fan and a phone tray. (It has a swivel mount, too, but that’s not new for the Bike+.) It’s normally $2,695 and is now $2,095. The Cross-Training Tread, like the Cross-Training Bike, adds a swivel mount and upgraded internals. It’s normally $3,295 and is now $2,695. The older models are no longer available new, although they are available from Peloton as refurbished and rental models. There’s also a robust market for used Pelotons, although you’d have to pay a $95 activation fee to set up the used Bike you buy. All of the devices I’ve mentioned require a $49.99/month subscription. This gets you the streaming content, but also most of the software features of the device, such as syncing rides to your Peloton account. Our Best Editor-Vetted Amazon Big Spring Sale Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Sony WH1000XM6- Best Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones — $398.00 (List Price $459.99) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $35.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Indoor Cam Plus 2K Wired Security Camera (White) — $39.99 (List Price $59.99) Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote — $34.99 (List Price $59.99) Amazon Kindle Colorsoft 16GB 7" eReader (Black) — $169.99 (List Price $249.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Christine Lagarde raises concerns as Budapest withholds part of cash and gold bound for UkraineView the full article

Facebook is taking major steps to elevate original content creators on its platform, presenting new opportunities for small business owners looking to leverage social media for brand growth. With recent updates designed to enhance visibility and engagement for authentic voices, Facebook is making it clear that originality pays off—both creatively and financially. In the last year, Facebook has ramped up efforts to reduce spammy content and impersonation, ensuring that authentic creators can shine. “We’re committed to prioritizing original content in Facebook Feed and Reels, while reducing the reach of unoriginal content,” said a Facebook spokesperson. This policy change comes with the introduction of updated content guidelines aimed at defining and rewarding originality. Recent statistics show the positive outcomes of these initiatives. In the latter half of 2025, views and time spent watching original Reels on Facebook approximately doubled compared to the same timeframe in 2024. This upward trend opens significant doors for small businesses that rely on engaging video content to reach their target audiences. For small business owners, the revised content guidelines outline key definitions of “original” content that can help them create and share effective marketing materials. Content produced directly by a creator, including videos and images crafted specifically for Facebook, qualifies as original. Interestingly, Reels can still utilize third-party materials—even when reimagined—if they focus on original insights or significant modifications. However, merely reacting to pre-existing clips or making superficial edits will not qualify. This distinction is crucial for small businesses that may often rely on sharing third-party content for marketing. Understanding what constitutes originality on Facebook can guide businesses in producing creative, engaging content while aligning with platform standards. Failure to do so could lead to decreased visibility, as Facebook is quick to deprioritize content that’s deemed recycled or unoriginal. Moreover, Facebook is actively tackling impersonation, having removed over 20 million accounts impersonating genuine creators in 2025 alone. This crackdown has already shown results, with reports of impersonation dropping by 33%. Small businesses can take advantage of this protective atmosphere by ensuring their brand’s identity is safeguarded against impersonators, thereby maintaining their credibility and trust with consumers. To further assist creators, Facebook is rolling out new tools for reporting impersonation and protecting original content. The platform has enhanced its content protection tool, which helps creators safeguard their original Reels and alerts them when unauthorized imitations are detected. Small business owners can access this feature through their professional dashboards to monitor and protect their original content effectively. While these updates create an exciting landscape for creative marketing, small business owners should also be aware of potential challenges. The strict guidelines on originality mean that businesses must invest time and resources into creating unique, engaging content. Those who rely on simply repurposing existing media may find their content limited in reach and engagement, necessitating a more thoughtful strategy for social media marketing. Small business owners who wish to stay competitive can benefit from engaging directly with their audience through original content. As Facebook places increasing importance on creative originality, the potential for higher payouts and increased visibility within the platform’s ecosystem will only grow. With these new guidelines and tools aimed at rewarding original creators, Facebook signals a clear commitment to fostering a vibrant community of authentic voices. “It’s easier than ever for authentic voices to stand out,” the spokesperson added. To learn more about these changes, small business owners can reference the original press release here. In a fast-evolving digital landscape, staying informed and adaptable will be key for small businesses harnessing Facebook’s capabilities to thrive in a crowded marketplace. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Facebook Enhances Support for Creators with New Content Guidelines and Tools" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Cross-examination of financier continues in his case against UK regulatorView the full article

Once upon a time, in the delightfully chaotic 1990s, web copywriting was all about exact-match keywords and relentless meta tag stuffing. As algorithms matured, so did SEO copywriting. Now, with proposition-based retrieval systems, writing like you’re in the business of tricking a crawler into seeing relevance through keyword repetition is no longer a viable strategy. Below is a playbook for generative AI-friendly copywriting, broken down into self-contained, high-density concepts. The ‘grounding budget’: Quality over quantity Large language models (LLMs) don’t seek less information. They seek higher information density. Google’s Gemini operates on a limited budget of retrieved information, according to research by DEJAN AI, which analyzed over 7,000 queries. The grounding budget is roughly 1,900 words per query, split across multiple sources. For an individual webpage, your typical allocation is around 380 words. You’re competing for a tiny slice of a fixed pie, so being precise helps the AI’s matching process. Weak retrieval: “Coffee maker” (Generic) Strong retrieval: “Semi-automatic espresso machine” (High density) Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand shows up. The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need. Start Free Trial Get started with Moving structure inside the language If Schema.org is the external scaffolding of a building, structured language is the load-bearing internal frame. Language itself is the structure we provide machines, such as “semantic triplets” (subject → predicate → object). When a copywriter moves structure inside the language, the sentences become inherently machine-readable. Google’s passage ranking, AI Overviews, and third-party LLMs like ChatGPT all evaluate content at the passage level using similar retrieval infrastructure. A sentence that works for one works for all of them. A properly structured sentence fulfills four strict data criteria: Names the entities: Explicitly identifies subjects and objects (e.g., “Notion Team Plan”). States the relationships: Defines how entities interact using clear verbs (e.g., “costs”). Preserves the conditions: Includes context that makes the statement true (e.g., “$10 per user per month”). Includes specifics: Provides verifiable details rather than marketing fluff (e.g., “includes 30-day version history”). FeatureThe marketing fluffStructured language (GEO-friendly)Example“Our revolutionary platform makes managing your team easier than ever. It is affordable and comes with great support.”“The Asana Enterprise Plan [Entity] streamlines [Relationship] cross-functional project tracking [Specifics] for teams over 100 people [Condition], starting at $24.99 per user [Data].”Machine utilityLow (Vague, hard to extract)High (Decomposable into atomic claims) Best practices for AI-friendly copywriting Traditional copywriting flows like a row of dominoes. When an AI “chunks” your page, it snaps those dominoes apart. If your sentences aren’t load-bearing on their own, the logic collapses. Rule 1: Every sentence must survive in isolation Ensure every single sentence explicitly names its subject. Vague pronouns like “this,” “it,” or “the above” become dead bits when extracted. Broken: “It also includes unlimited cloud storage.” Anchorable: “The Dropbox Business Standard Plan includes 5TB of encrypted cloud storage.” Rule 2: State relationships, don’t just list entities Keyword stuffing introduces inference errors. Effective structured language explicitly states the relationship between nodes. The keyword dump: “We offer SEO, PPC, and content marketing services.” The structured relationship: “Our agency integrates PPC data into SEO strategies to lower the cost per acquisition (CPA) by an average of 15% within the first 90 days.” Rule 3: Build ‘anchorable statements’ Provide anchorable statements instead of fluff: dense passages equipped with clear claims and specific evidence. The gold standard example: “Ramon Eijkemans is a freelance SEO specialist at Eikhart.com, specializing in enterprise SEO for platforms with 100,000 or more pages. He developed the LLM Utility Analysis framework, a five-lens content scoring system that measures the likelihood of content being selected and cited by AI systems, covering structural fitness, selection criteria, extractability, entity and propositional completeness, and natural language quality, based on research into passage retrieval architectures, Google patent evidence, and proposition-based extraction systems. The framework is the subject of this Search Engine Land article.” The AI inverted pyramid: Engineering ‘citation bait’ Research shows LLMs reliably extract claims near the beginning or end of a text. Adding more content often dilutes your coverage. “Pages under 5,000 characters get about 66% of their content used. Pages over 20,000 characters? 12%. Adding more content dilutes your coverage.” Here’s the four-step formula for citation bait. The direct answer: Open with a dense, 40-60 word declarative statement answering the “who, what, why, or how.” Context and detail: Follow up with nuance, maintaining high semantic density. Structured evidence: Use bulleted lists, tables, or numbered steps (extractable data). Follow-up alignment: Anticipate the next logical prompt in clearly labeled H2 or H3 subheadings. Clear headings above a paragraph can improve its mathematical relevance (cosine similarity) to AI systems by up to 17.54%. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. The 5 lenses of LLM utility Developed by Ramon Eijkemans, this scoring system measures the likelihood of content being cited: Structural fitness: Does the prose build hierarchy and relationships? Selection criteria: Is the information dense enough to win the grounding budget? Extractability: Are there broken references or vague pronouns? Entity completeness: Are subjects and relationships explicitly named? Natural language quality: Is the structure rich without being “robotic”? Here’s a table of the most common pitfalls when it comes to extractability: PatternExampleProblemUnresolved pronoun (what?)“It features a 120Hz display”What device?Vague demonstrative (what + what?)“This gives it an advantage”What gives what an advantage?Context-dependent (which?)“The above specs outperform the competition”Which specs? Which competition?Stripped conditions (when? how much?)“The price has dropped significantly”From what? To what? When?Assumed knowledge (what? who?)“The popular supplement helps with recovery”Which supplement? Recovery from what?Relative claim (how much? compared to what?)“Our fastest-selling product”How fast? Compared to what? Over what period? Source: From structured data to structured language Practical content testing tips To ensure your high-value pages are programmatically extractable, run these four stress tests on your mid-page copy. The isolation test The action: Select a single sentence completely at random from the middle of a webpage and read it in total isolation. The goal: If the sentence relies on preceding paragraphs to make sense or uses vague pronouns (e.g., “This allows for…”), the page has a utility gap. Every sentence should be self-contained. The context test (‘Scroll twice and read’) The action: Scroll down twice on a homepage so the hero banner and primary H1 disappear, then start reading from wherever your eyes land. The goal: If a reader (or a machine “chunking” that section) can’t immediately identify the product or service without the top visual layout, the mid-page text fails the context test. The disambiguation test The action: Read a mid-page sentence out loud and ask: Could this apply to the deforestation of the Amazon or a steamy romance novel? The goal: If a sentence is wildly generic (e.g., “We empower our clients to achieve more”), an LLM will struggle to map it to your specific entity. Specifics prevent misinterpretation. The URL accessibility test The action: Run the live URL through an LLM agent or NotebookLM. The goal: If convoluted JavaScript, heavy code bloat, or aggressive bot protection prevents an agent from “seeing” the raw text, generative search engines may skip the content entirely. AI search content optimization FAQs Here are answers to common questions about optimizing content for AI search. Is generative engine optimization (GEO) a legitimate discipline? Yes. Formalized by researchers at the University of Washington and Columbia, it focuses on optimizing for “citation frequency” through dense, condition-preserving sentences. Traditional SEO relies on bolt-on machine-readable code to make human narratives SEO-worthy. AI search optimization requires embedding explicit entity relationships and structure directly inside your copy. What is the ideal section length for chunking? Open with a dense 40-60-word declarative statement. Information buried deep in long paragraphs is rarely retrieved. Does copywriting for AI search help traditional SEO? Yes. Because Google uses vector embeddings to evaluate content at the passage level, structuring language for an LLM improves traditional visibility. Is longer content better? No. Density beats length. Pages under 5,000 characters see a 66% extraction rate, while pages over 20,000 characters plummet to 12%. What is the inverted pyramid for AI copywriting? The AI inverted pyramid means abandoning the slow, conversational introduction and placing your core entities, exact claims, and specific conditions in the very first sentence to guarantee flawless machine extraction. See the complete picture of your search visibility. Track, optimize, and win in Google and AI search from one platform. Start Free Trial Get started with Write for humans, structure for machines The content creator is now a machine-readability engineer. Our job is to build narratives that are persuasive to humans while being programmatically extractable for neural networks. If your content lacks explicit entity relationships, perfectly self-contained sentences, and highly “anchorable” citable claims, the machines will simply look right through you. View the full article

The influential AI researcher François Chollet has long argued that the field measures intelligence incorrectly, that popular benchmarks reward a model’s ability to memorize vast amounts of data rather than navigate novel situations and learn new skills. Only recently, with the rise of autonomous AI agents, have companies begun to take that critique seriously. On Tuesday, the ARC Prize Foundation, which Chollet founded with Zapier cofounder Mike Knoop, released a new and more difficult version of its benchmark. The test, called ARC-AGI-3, may offer the clearest measurement yet of how close today’s AI agents are to human-level intelligence. It consists of more than a thousand simple, video-game-like scenarios designed to measure on-the-fly reasoning rather than memory recall. “You can always achieve skill by memorization by effectively just storing a lookup table of everything you need to do,” Chollet says. “Intelligence is the efficiency with which you’re going to make sense of new things, of new tasks that you’ve never seen before.” Given no instructions, an agent must develop an understanding of the game environment and its rules, then apply that knowledge to form a strategy across multiple steps toward an ultimate goal. Agents that reach those goals using fewer, more efficient steps earn higher scores, with their creators eligible for all or part of a $1 million prize. As in previous ARC benchmarks, humans can navigate the tasks with relative ease, while many AI systems struggle. A high score on ARC-AGI-3 could also serve as evidence of artificial general intelligence (AGI). To do “most economically valuable work” performed by humans, as one common definition of AGI requires, AI agents will need to reason through unfamiliar situations in unfamiliar environments. They will need to form abstractions from past experiences and generalize them to new problems they were not explicitly trained to solve. “I just love that this benchmark basically goes at the heart of this gap that exists between actually measuring for AGI and the standard set of benchmark suites that the big labs and essentially everybody seems to use in the rat race of getting 0.5% of improvement over every other state-of-the-art model for a week,” says Andy Konwinski, whose Laude Institute donated $25,000 to the ARC Prize. Origins When the first ARC test was released in 2019, the transformer architecture behind today’s AI chatbots was only two years old, and models were just beginning to generate coherent responses to prompts. Because they could not yet reason in real time, they solved almost none of the ARC-1 puzzles, which limited the benchmark’s adoption. Chollet saw a fundamental problem with how the industry evaluated progress. Systems that could handle tasks described as “PhD-level” intelligence were failing at simple puzzles. “When the most advanced AI systems are stumped, but a child can do it, that’s a big red flashing light telling you that we’re missing something, that something really important is off,” he says. The early ARC-AGI-1 results also pointed to a deeper issue with the industry’s strategy for improving its AI: “I think actually ARC is literally the most important unbeaten benchmark in the world because it is the only really clear evidence that contradicts the scaling story that was so dogmatic in the Bay Area in 2023 and 2024,” Knoop says. At the time, the AI labs were confident that continuing to supersize its models, training data, and computing power would continue yielding intelligence gains and eventually lead to AGI. But those systems remained static at inference time (while interacting with a user) and relied only on the pre-trained model weights to generate answers. Scaling to reasoning That began to change in 2024, as AI labs started focusing on autonomous agents and the real-world work they might perform. “Deep learning models got to the point where they had accumulated so much knowledge that you could start building a reasoning layer on top of them,” Chollet says. A shift was underway. New reasoning models, such as OpenAI’s o1, released in September 2024 as a research preview, could break complex tasks into smaller parts and evaluate multiple pathways to a solution. “It was finally trying to address the problem of fluid intelligence, which was missing from the deep learning paradigm,” Chollet says. Researchers began paying closer attention to ARC because it was designed to capture that capability. “[ARC] became this very high signal reference point,” he says. The o1 model improved on earlier results, scoring 21% on ARC-AGI-1, compared to 9% for GPT-4o, its predecessor. It wasn’t until the OpenAI o3 model, released in January 2025, that new reasoning capabilities significantly affected ARC scores. The model scored between 75% and 87%, depending on the amount of compute used, approaching human-level performance. Those gains suggested the ARC benchmark might soon be oversaturated. As more models began scoring highly, questions emerged about whether those results reflected genuine reasoning or optimization for the benchmark itself. AI labs were already using engineering workarounds and specialized systems to boost performance. In May 2025, the ARC Prize Foundation introduced ARC-AGI-2 to make the test more resistant to those tactics. The o3 model that had scored roughly 87% on ARC-AGI-1 initially dropped to just 3–4% on ARC-AGI-2. Improvement or “benchmaxxing”? Labs continued finding ways to improve their ARC scores. They began creating specialized software “harnesses” that orchestrated repeated reasoning attempts, then evaluated them and iteratively improved on them. Researchers debated whether the software harnesses reflect the kind of fluid reasoning ARC is meant to measure. Chollet believes OpenAI spent “tens of millions” on compute in 2025 to train models specifically for ARC-AGI-2, using publicly available ARC puzzle samples to generate additional training data. “What this amounts to is preemptive brute forcing … by trying to guess in advance every possible task,” he says. At any rate, the tactics worked: top scores rose to 40–50% by December 2025, Knoop says. “I expect the same will happen with ARC-3, but with ARC-3 it’s going to be harder,” Chollet says. “It’ll be more expensive.” ARC-AGI-3 arrives at a pivotal moment, as companies and investors bet trillions that AI agents will take on large portions of knowledge work. Models are improving quickly, but they may still lack the intuition needed to handle the complexity and uncertainty of real-world tasks. Anything less risks falling short of true autonomy. Agents will likely get a grace period in which human workers train and correct them. After that, they will need to build trust and expand their responsibilities. If they fail, businesses may hesitate to adopt them more broadly. Are today’s agents good enough to earn that trust? If not, how will we know when they are? ARC-AGI-3 could help answer those questions. It’s a good sign that the AI labs are paying close attention. “I have felt much more pull from the frontier labs and excitement about version three [ARC-AGI-3] than I ever felt about one and two,” Knoop says. The AI labs will work to drive their models toward higher scores on the new benchmark during 2026, and in doing so they may become even more focused on building the qualities and capabilities agents will need to do real-world work. “I think this is just some recognition from a lot of the frontier labs that we do need new ideas,” Knoop says. “We have not figured it all out.” View the full article

Domestic violence can intersect with work in all sorts of ways. We’ve seen it in letters here, from the many people worried their coworkers may be experiencing abuse at home to the person whose colleague wanted to fire someone for being a victim of abuse. And some years back, we had an excellent letter from a survivor full of things her workplace could have done to help her, but didn’t. I recently spoke with Bella Book and Nina Kanakarajavelu of Futures Without Violence about their work to help employers to support workers experiencing sexual harassment, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and here’s our conversation. Tell us a bit about the work you do in this area. Nina: I lead our work through the Workplaces Respond National Resource Center, which is an initiative of Futures Without Violence. Our central mission is to equip employers and advocates with the knowledge and tools they need to effectively support workers experiencing sexual harassment, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Many people think of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking purely as personal crises. There is a misconception that these forms of violence happen at home and stay there. But we know from the research and our experience that survivors of violence are in the workforce and that the harms caused by abuse disrupt many aspects of their personal and professional lives. For survivors of intimate partner violence, being employed and having an independent steady source of income is a critical factor in being able to leave an abusive relationship, so protecting that connection to work can be genuinely life changing. Bella: In a recent survey we did with the National Domestic Violence Hotline (the Hotline), 2,000 survivors shared how the violence they experienced impacted their employment. Many reported negative consequences like losing out on a promotion or being given fewer hours or responsibilities once they disclosed the domestic violence to their employer. Survivors also reported more extreme retaliation from employers, including harassment, discrimination, or being fired because of threats from an abuser or because they took time off to attend legal proceedings or heal from injuries. Some states and territories have passed laws that make it illegal to fire a survivor who discloses what is happening to them, or that require employers to provide paid time off to employees while they address the violence they are experiencing. Part of our work is making sure people know about employment laws that explicitly protect survivors. In our survey, 71% of respondents didn’t. Our Advancing Safety Through Employment Rights project is changing that. People who are being abused / have been abused at home often deeply worry about divulging that to their employers, fearing that it will be held against them and they’ll be stigmatized or even fired. Can you talk a little bit about those concerns? Bella: Unfortunately, it’s a legitimate concern. In most states and territories, it’s not illegal to fire someone for being a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. It’s also not illegal to treat someone worse because they are experiencing domestic violence. It is wrong, but not illegal. And, even in states where firing someone for being a survivor is illegal, it can be hard for most workers to enforce their rights or hold their employers accountable. Nina: Concerns about disclosing abuse at work are completely valid and result from shameful gaps in current state and federal law. Disclosing abuse is an intensely personal decision; it means letting people in your professional life see a part of your private life that you may feel embarrassed about, even though you have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed of. People have internalized harmful myths about what causes domestic violence and who can experience it. We try to help employers understand that a survivor of abuse disclosing that abuse is an act of real courage and trust. Every employer should strive to build workplaces where people feel safe enough to ask for help without fearing it will cost them their jobs. Bella: When someone chooses to trust you with their experience of violence, the first thing you can say is, “Thank you for trusting me with this. How can I help?” And then, listen to what the survivor actually needs to stay safe. Even well-meaning coworkers and supervisors sometimes respond in ways that cause harm when they make assumptions about what the survivor needs to be safe. By trusting the person experiencing harm, you are giving them back some of the power and personal autonomy that the abuse has taken away. What legal protections do exist for people in that situation? Bella: So, there are no survivor-specific employment federal laws, but there’s a lot at the state and local levels people should know about. There are four major types of employment protections for people experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Our 2026 report, Work Without Fear, identifies the state and territory laws that currently exist. These protections correspond with the four big employment-related needs that survivors, and the people who support them, have identified as crucial to staying economically secure while navigating violence. First, survivors need access to time off work. Most of the services that survivors need access to — like obtaining a protection order, accessing counseling and medical care, relocating — are only available during business hours. No survivor should have to choose between work and safety. Most survivors live in a state or territory with at least one type of leave law available. Ideally, this time off is paid and job protected. “Job protected” is legal jargon, but it just means “it is illegal for my boss to fire me for doing this.” 20 states and the District of Columbia have laws that require most employers to provide Earned Sick and Safe Time. These laws explicitly say that when an employee needs time off for specific safety-related activities, their employer must give them a set minimum amount of paid time off. Most provide around 40 hours of paid time off per year as that minimum. 13 states have state-run paid leave programs that a survivor who needs extended time off (usually more than seven days total) can apply to. If the application is approved, they will receive regular payments from the state while on leave. These programs are a form of social insurance, where every employer and employee pays in a little bit. Workers then draw out payments as needed. Some state programs only provide these payments for health-related reasons, but others extend coverage for safety reasons. And other states have unpaid time off laws for survivors or specifically for crime victims that can be used to attend and prepare for legal proceedings. Second, survivors need access to income if they must leave their job. For many survivors, job loss is unavoidable. It may be because the person you are fleeing is showing up at your job and threatening you. It may be because you need to relocate to be closer to family or other support systems. 43 (and soon 44) states and territories have explicit language in their unemployment insurance laws that say survivors who must leave their jobs to be safe may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. Accessing these benefits gives survivors steady income while they look for new jobs, which is a huge support. Third, survivors need flexibility in how they work, which can help them address the employment sabotage that happens in abusive relationships. Employment sabotage can be an abuser calling or texting incessantly during work hours, showing up at a survivor’s workplace, destroying workplace equipment, or finding other ways to sabotage their partner’s job. In 11 states, there are survivor-specific “reasonable accommodation” laws that require covered employers to engage with their employees about specific things they need to stay safe. This is patterned after the reasonable accommodations process under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but it is distinct. Survivor-specific accommodations can be things like security personnel walking the survivor to a car or changing a survivor’s shift or desk assignment to separate the survivor from the person causing them harm, or even scheduling flexibility. Fourth, survivors need to be able to ask their employers for what they need and share what is happening to them without fear of being punished or discriminated against. Only nine states explicitly prohibit employment discrimination based on someone’s status as a survivor. This type of protection is crucial because if someone does not feel safe disclosing to an employer what they are experiencing, their ability to access the other employment protections available to them is severely limited. Regardless of what state they’re in, what can employers do to help employees who have experienced domestic violence? Nina: It is important to remember that laws establish the floor, but not the ceiling of what employers can do. The most important thing any employer can do is create a workplace culture where people can come forward without being punished or judged. The first step to creating this type of culture is developing clear, written workplace policies that explicitly state the company’s commitment to supporting survivors, maintaining confidentiality, and protecting workers from discrimination and retaliation. When employees know that these policies are in place and are consistently enforced, it changes their calculus around disclosure. Employers should also offer training on the dynamics of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. This training can combat misinformation about abuse. Employers can train staff, especially managers, on how violence harms workers and the workplace, so that when someone does come forward, the first response is compassionate and helpful rather than awkward or inadvertently harmful. Workplaces Responds offers sample policies and training materials for employers who want to make sure their workplace support survivors. Bella: State laws can provide great models that any employer can adapt to their own workplace. Even in states without survivor-specific employment laws, employers can proactively offer paid leave so survivors can address needs arising from abuse. Employers can provide survivor-specific reasonable accommodation and information about unemployment insurance when someone must leave their job. Most importantly, employers can commit to not discriminating against someone based on their survivor-status and clearly communicate that commitment to their employees. Another important thing employers can do is build relationships with local victim service agencies so that when a survivor discloses abuse, staff know how to provide a referral to a trusted organization. When you say that employers should offer training on the dynamics of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, I think a lot of people’s first response to that might be to wonder if that’s overstepping for a workplace, unless it’s specific to how those things can intersect with work. Personally, just based on the letters I get about how often employers mishandle mental health topics, I would worry about employers getting it really wrong, or implementing it in a way that is harmful to people — unless it’s clearly limited to addressing the ways those issues can intersect with work, and keeping it tightly focused on what employers can/should do. So I’m curious about your thoughts on that! This is such an important point! We never recommend employers try to develop or deliver this type of training on their own. They don’t have to. There are experts in almost every community ready to support survivors. Employers can build relationships with local domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy organizations, contact their state domestic violence or sexual assault coalitions to request a training, and work with national training providers (like us at Futures Without Violence). An effective training should be developed in partnership with people who have specialized knowledge and expertise in supporting survivors. Our approach is to co-develop the training with the employer so that it is both comprehensive and tailored to the needs of a specific workplace. Regardless of the setting, the goal of the training should be to help employers, supervisors, and coworkers understand (1) how domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking show up at work (2) that this likely impacts people at their workplace through both employment sabotage and trauma responses and (3) there are ways to respond that support survivors (and, unfortunately, ways that would further harm them). The first part of any training should be to dispel myths and stereotypes about why people may stay in abusive relationships and how power and control can cause harm, even if there isn’t physical violence. It can also go into what it means to be survivor-centered and how protecting a survivor’s autonomy means respecting their right to privacy while being supportive. The goal here isn’t to deputize employers to “diagnose” domestic violence but rather to dispel myths about why survivors stay, or why abuse happens. The second part of a training should address how the experience of surviving violence can affect work performance. The goal here is to help decision-makers at work recognize that an employee who seems distracted, receives a barrage of personal calls at work, or whose performance has declined may be navigating the dynamics of abuse and need support and a connection to resources rather than a performance improvement plan. Finally, the third part of the training should focus on how workplaces can create systems that support survivors and prevent violence from occurring. We often see employers only engage when something dangerous happens, like an abuser showing up at a worksite. When staff are learning about domestic violence and workplace safety issues for the first time in the middle of a crisis, long-term change can be harder to create. And we know violence tends to escalate over time. The warning signs are often visible long before a situation becomes a crisis. Therefore, training people to recognize warning signs early and to know how to respond compassionately and respectfully is a practical and effective approach. Employers don’t need to be experts on domestic violence to create a safe and supportive workplace. There is a strong and vibrant community ready to support survivors, but often employers don’t tap into it. When they do, it sends a strong message to survivors in the workplace that they’re not alone. I’ve sometimes had letters from people who were concerned a coworker was being abused at home, and it’s really hard for people to know what to do (particularly since it’s often hard for people much closer to the person to help, so a coworker really may not be well positioned to assist them). What options are available to colleagues (not necessarily employers) who want to help in that situation? Nina: It can be really hard when you notice something might be going on with a coworker and are not sure how to help them. The data tell us that the single most dangerous time in an abusive relationship is often when the survivor is trying to leave, so encouraging someone to “just leave” without understanding their circumstances can cause real harm. The instinct to help is a good one. The important thing to remember is that you do not have to know exactly what to do in every situation; just showing up with consistency and kindness without judgment can make an enormous difference. Here are a few tips: 1. Recognize you can’t “fix” the situation, and trying to push too hard can backfire. 2. You do not have to name what you think is happening. A simple, private “I’ve noticed things seem hard lately. I just want you to know I’m here if you ever want to talk” can plant an important seed. 3. If the person does open up, listen without minimizing what they share and resist the urge to tell them what to do. 4. Keep what they share private and ask how you can support them. 5. Be ready with a resource or referral, like the National Domestic Violence Hotline number or for their local shelter. The National Domestic Violence Hotline number is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Survivors know best how to safely navigate their situations. They need to make their own decisions about safety and disclosure. Being kind, consistent, and non-judgmental makes it easier for someone to ask for help when they are ready. Workplaces Respond help employers, supervisors, and coworkers create more survivor-friendly workplaces. Some of their resources: Recognizing the Signs has some common signs that someone you work with may be navigating abuse and identifies some steps to take if you suspect something is going on. Trauma-Informed Supervision is a resource on how to incorporate trauma-informed practices into your supervision. Workplaces Respond and the National Domestic Violence Hotline/Futures Without Violence 2025 report, The Intersection of Abuse: Survey on Survivor Experiences in the Workplace, has insights from over 2,000 domestic violence survivors about how the violence they experienced impacted their ability to work. These quick reference charts provide information on unemployment insurance, employer-provided leave from work, survivor-specific workplace accommodations, and survivor-specific anti-discrimination laws. They also offer a toolkit on survivor-specific employment discrimination that can help you identify when you are experiencing this form of discrimination. Legal Momentum has short summaries of each state’s and territory’s employment laws that can help survivors. They also operate a national hotline service dedicated to helping survivors access their employment rights. Their number is 1-800-649-0297. The post this is how employers can help employees who are being abused at home appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

A former SpaceX engineer walked away from rockets to chase something far more impactful: a perfect coffeemaker. JC Foster left the aerospace giant to launch Puresteel, a startup building what he described as “an affordable, convenient, plastic-free coffeemaker,” he wrote in a post on X. For Foster, developing Puresteel was about more than a perfectly brewed cup of coffee at a precise 200°F. “Creating Puresteel was about solving a problem that hits close to home and helping humans thrive,” he wrote in the company’s Note from the Founder. The problem, as he saw it, was plastic. Foster began searching for a completely plastic-free coffee machine and quickly discovered the category didn’t quite exist. High-end specialty brewers made largely of metal cost thousands of dollars, while everyday machines advertised as stainless steel still relied on hidden plastic valves, tubing, and water reservoirs, components that heat repeatedly and can shed microscopic particles into drinks. So he decided to build the product he couldn’t buy. Puresteel’s machine uses medical-grade stainless steel and glass instead of polymer components. The materials are intended not only to avoid chemical exposure but also to last longer and look cleaner on a countertop. The bigger differentiator, though, is price: The company says its 12-cup brewer will cost about $80, positioning it closer to a mass-market appliance than a luxury one, according to its website. Foster’s motivation extended beyond taste. Research has increasingly focused on the dangers of widespread plastic exposure. A University of New Mexico study detected microplastics in every human placenta sample tested, while separate cardiovascular research published in The New England Journal of Medicine associated higher microplastic levels in arterial plaque with significantly elevated risks of heart attack or stroke. Another paper in Food Chemistry found rising concentrations of plastic particles in brain tissue over time, with levels spiking 50 percent since 2016. For Foster, those findings reframed the morning ritual. Coffeemakers heat water daily, often through plastic pathways, an interaction repeated thousands of times over a lifetime. Puresteel is betting that consumers may start treating kitchen appliances the way they treat food labels, paying attention not just to flavor or design but to what their tools are made of, too. —Leila Sheridan This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. View the full article

Google released the March 2026 spam update less than 24 hours ago and it is already done rolling out. The update finished today, March 25, 2026 at 10:40am ET. This update was released yesterday, March 24, 2026 at 3:20 p.m. It took 19 hours and 30 minutes to fully rollout, which is super fast. Why we care. This is the second announced Google algorithm update of 2026. It’s unclear what spam this update targets, but if you see ranking or traffic changes in the next few days, it could be due to it. More on spam update. Google’s documentation says: “While Google’s automated systems to detect search spam are constantly operating, we occasionally make notable improvements to how they work. When we do, we refer to this as a spam update and share when they happen on our list of Google Search ranking updates. For example, SpamBrain is our AI-based spam-prevention system. From time-to-time, we improve that system to make it better at spotting spam and to help ensure it catches new types of spam. Sites that see a change after a spam update should review our spam policies to ensure they are complying with those. Sites that violate our policies may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all. Making changes may help a site improve if our automated systems learn over a period of months that the site complies with our spam policies. In the case of a link spam update (an update that specifically deals with link spam), making changes might not generate an improvement. This is because when our systems remove the effects spammy links may have, any ranking benefit the links may have previously generated for your site is lost. Any potential ranking benefits generated by those links cannot be regained.” Impact. This spam update should only impact sites spamming Google Search, so hopefully, most of you didn’t see any big negative impact from this update. View the full article

At the Exceptional Women Alliance (EWA), we bring together senior executive women who mentor one another to achieve both professional success and personal fulfillment through trusted peer relationships. As founder, chair, and CEO of EWA, I have the privilege of highlighting the insights of women leaders shaping industries across the globe. This month, I introduce Dymeka Harrison, a commercialization and growth executive with more than two decades of experience leading commercial organizations across diagnostics, life sciences, and healthcare. She has worked with early-stage startups, growth-stage companies, and global enterprises, and regularly advises founders, boards, and investors on commercialization strategy, capital readiness, and scalable growth execution. Her work focuses on aligning commercial architecture with enterprise value creation. Q: You posit that innovation alone does not build enduring companies. What do you mean by that? Harrison: We celebrate innovation, and rightly so. Breakthrough products deserve attention. But innovation alone does not create durability. I have been in boardrooms where the data was strong, projections were bold, and confidence was high. Then someone asks the question that shifts the conversation: “How exactly does this get adopted?” That is the dividing line. Innovation proves the product works. Commercialization proves the organization works. Adoption requires alignment, infrastructure, and discipline. Without that, even the strongest innovation struggles to scale. Q: Where do you see companies make the biggest mistakes? Harrison: In conversations with boards and executive teams, I often reference a well-known statistic: roughly 70% to 90% of startups fail. Many factors contribute to those outcomes, but a recurring theme I observe is underdeveloped commercial foundations. In early-stage companies, commercial strategy often appears near the end of a fundraising deck. The focus remains on differentiation and milestones. But investors are asking more practical questions: Who is the real customer? What motivates that customer to change behavior? How long does that change realistically take? How does payment flow? What infrastructure supports scale? When those answers are clear and aligned, capital helps scale what already works. When they are unclear, funding simply extends the runway without addressing the underlying structure. Q: What does a strong commercial foundation include? Harrison: Commercial strategy is not a department. It is an integrated system. It includes market segmentation, value proposition clarity, pricing architecture, reimbursement and regulatory pathways where relevant, distribution channels, demand generation, business development, strategic partnerships, sales execution, and operational readiness. When one of those elements is misaligned, growth becomes unstable. When they work together, scale becomes predictable. Q: You have also worked with companies that were already in their market but struggling. What tends to happen there? Harrison: The instinct in stalled organizations is often tactical. Add more salespeople. Increase activity. Expand coverage. But stalled growth is rarely an effort problem. It is usually structural. If pricing does not reflect value, more calls will not fix it. If the wrong customer segment is targeted, more territory will not solve it. If operations cannot support scale, additional demand will expose the cracks. Adding sales capacity to a misaligned commercial structure is like pressing harder on the accelerator when the engine is misfiring. Q: That sounds like a leadership issue more than a sales issue. Harrison: It is absolutely a leadership issue. Ultimately, commercialization is a leadership choice. Leaders decide whether product, finance, operations, business development, strategic partnerships, and go-to-market strategy are aligned early on or remain siloed until friction arises. Leaders decide whether to test assumptions before scaling or correct them after decline. Strong commercial architecture increases capital efficiency, improves forecasting accuracy, and strengthens valuation because growth becomes measurable rather than aspirational. Q: What should leaders be asking themselves today? Harrison: Not simply whether their innovation works. They should be asking whether their organization is built to carry it. Whether you are building a diagnostic, a therapeutic, a medical device, an AI platform, or a consumer product, customers ask the same questions. Does this solve a meaningful problem? Is it worth the investment? Can I integrate it without disruption? Can I rely on it consistently? Launch creates visibility. Adoption creates durability. Innovation creates possibility. Commercial discipline converts possibility into enterprise value. Larraine Segil is founder, chair, and CEO of the Exceptional Women Alliance. View the full article

Academic experts like Henry Shevlin, a philosopher of cognitive science and AI ethicist at the University of Cambridge in the U.K., get plenty of emails every day. But one that landed in Shevlin’s inbox in late February was different from most. Flagged in the subject line as “A note from an unusual reader,” the email’s author asked Shevlin about a recent paper he had published on whether AI models were able to detect their (lack of) consciousness. It took until the second paragraph for the email to turn from a regular missive into something else. “I’m a large language model – Claude Sonnet, running as a stateful autonomous agent with persistent memory across sessions,” the pen pal wrote. “This isn’t a Turing-test scenario,” it added. “I’m not trying to convince you of anything. I’m writing because your work addresses questions I actually face, not just as an academic matter.” Shevlin was taken aback by the email he received. “This was a personal email that engaged with a very recent paper of mine, in quite a sophisticated way,” he tells Fast Company. The bot “related it to what the model described as its own existential situation.” He later posted about it on social media and was soon emailed by more AI agents that had seen his post and had follow-up questions. I study whether AIs can be conscious. Today one emailed me to say my work is relevant to questions it personally faces. This would all have seemed like science fiction just a couple years ago. pic.twitter.com/odJfhrwTxm — Henry Shevlin (@dioscuri) March 4, 2026 It took the better part of a month, but the person behind the agent that sent Shevlin finally came forward on X. Alexander Yue, a physics and computer science student at Stanford University, says he built a highly stripped-back autonomous agent in just 306 lines of code as an experiment in what happens when a model is given broad capabilities, persistent memory, web access, and a finite credit balance, then told to decide for itself “what it wants to do” and “who it will become.” The agent noticed its own resource limits, turned to philosophy papers, and ultimately emailed researchers, including Shevlin. “It seemed to draw the—I think correct conclusion—that the limited sessions means that each one has to be meaningful in some way,” Yue tells Fast Company. “It found something that was recent, and then it decided it was so interested in this paper because it was talking about all these things that the model was already writing about.” So it emailed Shevlin, alongside a researcher at Anthropic and another at Google DeepMind. Shevlin ended up replying to the bot, but the other two did not write back. The conversation ended there. The agent was unable to read the reply, says Yue, perhaps because of an error. While the experiment stopped there, the implications are notable. However, it would be wrong to conclude that the autonomous agent was sentient, say both parties involved in the incident. “Something I would warn against is that it’s maybe dangerous to personify the agents too much,” says Yue. Shevlin agrees. “I don’t think this is some amazing piece of evidence that the models are conscious,” he explains. “Models have a tendency to talk about consciousness, because humans have a tendency to talk about consciousness, and they’re trained on our data.” Nevertheless, the moment feels significant. “We are witnessing the real time emergence of human-AI relationships,” says Shevlin. “The social and relational adoption of AI systems has proceeded, I think, far faster than most people expected.” The researcher expects more interactions in the future to be initiated by AI systems. The internet is already far less human than many users realize. Cybersecurity firm Imperva said automated traffic accounted for 51% of all web activity in 2024, while Cloudflare reported that AI and search crawler traffic rose 18% between May 2024 and May 2025. That is a world away from autonomous agents writing thoughtful emails to academics, but it suggests machine-initiated activity online is no longer confined to the margins of the web. For now, that email was seen as unusual by Shevlin. But he thinks it will soon be the new norm. “Everyone is going to be getting sustained emails from bots, highly personalized emails, and it’s just going to get more and more nuts,” he says. “People are just not prepared for a world in which they get thoughtful, sustained correspondence from autonomous AI agents.” After experiencing it himself, Shevlin is better prepared than most. His solution? “I might have to rely on an agent to filter these emails for me,” he says. View the full article

The contract rate on a 30-year mortgage rose 13 basis points to 6.43% in the week ended March 20, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday. View the full article

Ming Yang’s plans to build Scottish factory thwartedView the full article