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Greenland may be at the center of international affairs, but the crypto markets are in the red to kick off the holiday-shortened week. Tuesday morning, Bitcoin was trading at around $91,000, which was down around 4.5% over the past five days. It had been trading around $95,000, but took a tumble late Sunday evening, suddenly falling to less than $93,000, and trended downward early Tuesday. Ethereum, or ETH, followed a similar trajectory: ETH values are down almost 8% over the past five days, and are currently trading just north of $3,000. XRP did the same and, as of Tuesday morning, is down roughly 7%. In all, the crypto market is down more than 3% since Monday, per the CoinDesk 20, a crypto market index. Other markets are also seeing a slight downturn, though not as large as crypto. The S&P 500, for example, was down almost 1.5% as Tuesday’s trading commenced. As for the catalyst? Geopolitical tensions appear to be at the center of things, with President The President issuing threats of new tariffs on European countries over the weekend. That threat comes in response to The President’s desire to acquire Greenland from Denmark, which Denmark, and the rest of Europe, have balked at. Specifically, The President threatened new 10% tariffs on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Those tariffs would commence on February 1. The President also said the tariffs would rise to 25% at the beginning of June if Denmark does not agree to negotiate some sort of transfer of Greenland to the U.S. European Union leaders responded Tuesday morning as the back-and-forth continues. “The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “And in politics as in business, a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something.” It’s likely that as long as the testy situation continues, crypto and other markets could experience volatility. View the full article

At the end of last year, we put a call out to the Freelancers Union community, asking our members for their favorite accomplishments of 2025. It didn't necessarily have to be the "biggest" or "best" accomplishment — though it certainly could be — but whatever their favorite accomplishment was. Read on below for these achievements shared by our members; hopefully their proudest moments of the year will inspire you to celebrate of your own, and consider what you want to achieve in 2026. "My favorite accomplishment of 2025 was finally turning twenty years of research into something tangible. I've spent my career exploring how health (mental, physical, chronic conditions, life circumstances) shapes creative work. This year I built a framework and assessment tool that helps artists, writers, and makers understand those patterns in their own practice. I'm rebranding it for 2026 to serve both individual creatives and creative teams in businesses. It's terrifying to launch something so personal, but also exciting. I also wrote what I've been calling my "Mary Poppins letter" about being a 45-year-old multidisciplinary freelancer who doesn't fit neatly into job categories. Watching it resonate with so many others reminded me that the weird, winding career paths are often the richest ones." - Kathryn Vercillo "I wrote a short comedy which the cast had fun reading. (I think this one is actually funny.)" - Linda Rogers, Playwright "While I think this was a challenging year for myself and many freelancers in video and photography production, there are still reasons to celebrate. Some of my highlights from 2025 include: (13) new clients, the return of some previous clients, a 3-day cycling shoot in the SF Bay Area for Modern Adventure, being interviewed on The Great Big Photography World Podcast, and another year of getting to do what I love!" - Jay Watson, photographer, San Francisco, CA "For the past eight years, I have worked as a long-term freelance illustrator and animator for a client, producing weekly content in an established brand style. This year, I was invited to reimagine and evolve the brand's visual identity. After collaborative exploration, we successfully launched a new, distinctive aesthetic. Where we landed was unexpectedly weird, wonderful and all mine :) Six months later, this visual evolution—paired with a refreshed tone in copywriting—has significantly increased audience engagement. I'm grateful to have a client that trusts and respects my expertise and allows me the freedom to explore." - Craig Hansen "My favorite accomplishment of 2025 is merely surviving with my mental health intact...This was a year of 'firsts' for me. Not only did I have my first ZERO income year where nearly every proposal was completely ghosted. My parked car was totaled in a swanky NYC garage. My shower leaked necessitating a full gut renovation of my bathroom... But my most high profile client, a commercial airline for whom I designed the identity system, is the subject of much controversy as a contractor for homeland security flying deportation charters for ICE(!)I wrote about it, spoke to Fast Company about it, and presented a lecture on design and ethics centered around it, which I am planning to take on tour in 2026. The fact that I am still here and standing upright is a testament to the resilience it requires to face the reality of existence in its entirety without rejecting the bad parts and dwelling only on the good ones." - Kim B. "Started the year feeling lost in my career, working a survival job as a nanny to make ends meet while I navigated a collapsing entertainment industry. Decided to go full-time as a freelancer, and over the course of this year have built up enough momentum to QUIT MY SURVIVAL JOB, YAY!!! I haven't pulled the trigger just yet (I'm targeting an early January end date), but even just knowing that the transition is in progress and I'm just waiting on my first big retainer client check to clear before I give notice is a huge win in and of itself. I'm also proud of all the work I've done to educate myself about creative entrepreneurship. I've taken a bunch of classes and workshops through Freelancers Union (I think my favorite was probably "Business Entities for Creatives"), the Entertainment Community Fund, and more. I've also gotten set up with my local SBDC and have been working with a bunch of advisors to set myself up for success. I now have a Business License, EIN, and DBA/FBN (none of which I had back in January). I'm so glad I decided to ask for help! It has made all the difference in the world." - Carrie S. "My favorite accomplishment of 2025 is the publication of the Allcento Tarot deck that I created which is now being sold world-wide! Most tarot decks have 78 cards. However, the Alicento includes additional cards from some of the earliest tarot decks including all 7 virtues, zodiac cards, and other lesser known cards to create a unique, 100-card tarot illustrated in a bold, whimsical style that has gotten rave reviews from both tarot novices as well as expert esotericists. The cards are packed full of symbolism from various tarot traditions (including the Marseille, Minchiate, RWS, Thoth, and more). The more you know, the more you will see!" - Michael J. Auger "I'll share that my biggest 2025 accomplishment was winning my very first journalism award. It was quite a small award (First Place in the Specialty Articles: Green/Environmental category of the National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest). But firsts are always notable, and it was validating as I continue to try to make a journalism career happen against the odds." - Elyse Hauser This year was my highest revenue earned, doubling last yearStarted saving for retirement again thanks to New Street AdvisorsTraveled to Alaska for the first time with my husband Completed a professional development goal to attend an industry specific conference once per quarter (Notary) Initiated full migration to Google WorkspacePromoted to President for our local Business Resource Group to support the Wisconsin Notary CommunitySurpassed 60 reviews on Google! Hired contractors to help scale my business (of course using the contract generator to help put contracts in place)Leased a second office And most importantly... seeing the growth I've had in my life both personally and professionally. -Stephanie Stevens-Khan View the full article

At the end of last year, we put a call out to the Freelancers Union community, asking our members for their favorite accomplishments of 2025. It didn't necessarily have to be the "biggest" or "best" accomplishment — though it certainly could be — but whatever their favorite accomplishment was. Read on below for these achievements shared by our members; hopefully their proudest moments of the year will inspire you to celebrate of your own, and consider what you want to achieve in 2026. "My favorite accomplishment of 2025 was finally turning twenty years of research into something tangible. I've spent my career exploring how health (mental, physical, chronic conditions, life circumstances) shapes creative work. This year I built a framework and assessment tool that helps artists, writers, and makers understand those patterns in their own practice. I'm rebranding it for 2026 to serve both individual creatives and creative teams in businesses. It's terrifying to launch something so personal, but also exciting. I also wrote what I've been calling my "Mary Poppins letter" about being a 45-year-old multidisciplinary freelancer who doesn't fit neatly into job categories. Watching it resonate with so many others reminded me that the weird, winding career paths are often the richest ones." - Kathryn Vercillo "I wrote a short comedy which the cast had fun reading. (I think this one is actually funny.)" - Linda Rogers, Playwright "While I think this was a challenging year for myself and many freelancers in video and photography production, there are still reasons to celebrate. Some of my highlights from 2025 include: (13) new clients, the return of some previous clients, a 3-day cycling shoot in the SF Bay Area for Modern Adventure, being interviewed on The Great Big Photography World Podcast, and another year of getting to do what I love!" - Jay Watson, photographer, San Francisco, CA "For the past eight years, I have worked as a long-term freelance illustrator and animator for a client, producing weekly content in an established brand style. This year, I was invited to reimagine and evolve the brand's visual identity. After collaborative exploration, we successfully launched a new, distinctive aesthetic. Where we landed was unexpectedly weird, wonderful and all mine :) Six months later, this visual evolution—paired with a refreshed tone in copywriting—has significantly increased audience engagement. I'm grateful to have a client that trusts and respects my expertise and allows me the freedom to explore." - Craig Hansen "My favorite accomplishment of 2025 is merely surviving with my mental health intact...This was a year of 'firsts' for me. Not only did I have my first ZERO income year where nearly every proposal was completely ghosted. My parked car was totaled in a swanky NYC garage. My shower leaked necessitating a full gut renovation of my bathroom... But my most high profile client, a commercial airline for whom I designed the identity system, is the subject of much controversy as a contractor for homeland security flying deportation charters for ICE(!)I wrote about it, spoke to Fast Company about it, and presented a lecture on design and ethics centered around it, which I am planning to take on tour in 2026. The fact that I am still here and standing upright is a testament to the resilience it requires to face the reality of existence in its entirety without rejecting the bad parts and dwelling only on the good ones." - Kim B. "Started the year feeling lost in my career, working a survival job as a nanny to make ends meet while I navigated a collapsing entertainment industry. Decided to go full-time as a freelancer, and over the course of this year have built up enough momentum to QUIT MY SURVIVAL JOB, YAY!!! I haven't pulled the trigger just yet (I'm targeting an early January end date), but even just knowing that the transition is in progress and I'm just waiting on my first big retainer client check to clear before I give notice is a huge win in and of itself. I'm also proud of all the work I've done to educate myself about creative entrepreneurship. I've taken a bunch of classes and workshops through Freelancers Union (I think my favorite was probably "Business Entities for Creatives"), the Entertainment Community Fund, and more. I've also gotten set up with my local SBDC and have been working with a bunch of advisors to set myself up for success. I now have a Business License, EIN, and DBA/FBN (none of which I had back in January). I'm so glad I decided to ask for help! It has made all the difference in the world." - Carrie S. "My favorite accomplishment of 2025 is the publication of the Allcento Tarot deck that I created which is now being sold world-wide! Most tarot decks have 78 cards. However, the Alicento includes additional cards from some of the earliest tarot decks including all 7 virtues, zodiac cards, and other lesser known cards to create a unique, 100-card tarot illustrated in a bold, whimsical style that has gotten rave reviews from both tarot novices as well as expert esotericists. The cards are packed full of symbolism from various tarot traditions (including the Marseille, Minchiate, RWS, Thoth, and more). The more you know, the more you will see!" - Michael J. Auger "I'll share that my biggest 2025 accomplishment was winning my very first journalism award. It was quite a small award (First Place in the Specialty Articles: Green/Environmental category of the National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest). But firsts are always notable, and it was validating as I continue to try to make a journalism career happen against the odds." - Elyse Hauser This year was my highest revenue earned, doubling last yearStarted saving for retirement again thanks to New Street AdvisorsTraveled to Alaska for the first time with my husband Completed a professional development goal to attend an industry specific conference once per quarter (Notary) Initiated full migration to Google WorkspacePromoted to President for our local Business Resource Group to support the Wisconsin Notary CommunitySurpassed 60 reviews on Google! Hired contractors to help scale my business (of course using the contract generator to help put contracts in place)Leased a second office And most importantly... seeing the growth I've had in my life both personally and professionally. -Stephanie Stevens-Khan View the full article

The Sundance Film Festival may be a little bittersweet this year. It will be familiar in some ways as it kicks off on Thursday in Park City, Utah. There will be stars, from Natalie Portman to Charli XCX, and breakout discoveries, tearjerkers, comedies, thrillers, oddities that defy categorization and maybe even a few future Oscar nominees. The pop ups and sponsors will be out in full force on Main Street. The lines to get into the 90 movies premiering across 10 days will be long and the volunteers will be endlessly helpful and cheery in subfreezing temperatures. But the country’s premier showcase for independent film is also in a time of profound transition after decades of relative stability. The festival is bidding farewell to its longtime home and forging forward without its founder, Robert Redford, who died in September. Next year, it must find its footing in another mountain town, Boulder, Colorado. Celebrating the legacy of Robert Redford and his creation It’s no surprise that legacy will be a through-line at this year’s final edition in Park City. There will be screenings of restored Sundance gems like “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Mysterious Skin,” “House Party” and “Humpday” as well as Redford’s first truly independent film, the 1969 sports drama “Downhill Racer.” Many will also pay tribute to Redford at the institute’s fundraising event, where honorees include Chloé Zhao, Ed Harris and Nia DaCosta. “Sundance has always been about showcasing and fostering independent movies in America. Without that, so many filmmakers wouldn’t have had the careers they have,” said “Mysterious Skin” filmmaker Gregg Araki. He first attended the festival in 1992 and has been back many times, including at the labs where Zhao was one of his students. Quite a few festival veterans are planning to make the trip, including “Navalny” filmmaker Daniel Roher. His first Sundance in 2022 might have been a bit unconventional (made fully remote at the last minute due to the pandemic) but ended on a high note with an Oscar. This year he’s back with two films, his narrative debut “Tuner,” and the world premiere of “The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist,” which he co-directed with Charlie Tyrell. “We’re going through a weird moment in the world … There’s something that strikes me about an institution that has been evergreen, that seems so entrenched going through its own transition and rebirth,” Roher told The Associated Press. “I’m choosing to frame this year as a celebration of Sundance and the institute and a future that will ensure the festival goes on forever and ever and ever and stays the vital conduit for so many filmmakers that it has been.” Over the past four decades, countless careers have been shaped and boosted by the festival and the Institute. Three of this year’s presumed Oscar nominees — Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryan Coogler and Zhao — are among those the Institute supported early in their careers. Jay Duplass, who first came to Sundance in 2003 with his brother, Mark, with what he calls a “$3 film” said it was the place where his career was made. “I’d probably be a psychologist right now if it wasn’t for Sundance,” Duplass said. While he’s been to “probably 15 Sundances” since, it hasn’t lost its luster. In fact, when a programmer called him to tell him that his new film “See You When I See You” was selected, he cried. The film is based on a memoir in which a young comedy writer (Cooper Raiff) attempts to process the death of his sister (Kaitlyn Dever). It’s one of many films that finds humor amid grim subjects. Bold swings, comedies and Hollywood stars As always, the lineup is full of starry films as well, including Cathy Yan’s art world satire, “The Gallerist,” starring Portman, Jenna Ortega, Sterling K. Brown, Zach Galifianakis and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. The romantic drama “Carousel,” from Rachel Lambert, features Chris Pine and Jenny Slate as high school exes who rekindle their romance later in life. Araki is also bringing a new film, “I Want Your Sex,” in which Olivia Wilde plays a provocative artist (Araki described as a cross between Madonna and Robert Mapplethorpe) who takes on Cooper Hoffman as her younger muse. “It’s kind of a sex-positive love letter to Gen Z,” Araki said. “It’s a comedy. It has elements of mystery, thriller, murder — a little bit of ‘Sunset Boulevard’ … it’s fun, it’s colorful, it’s sexy. It’s a ride.” Wilde also steps behind the camera for “The Invite,” in which she stars alongside Seth Rogen as a couple whose marriage disintegrates over the course of an evening. Olivia Colman is a fisherwoman looking to make the perfect husband in “Wicker,” co-starring Alexander Skarsgård. Zoey Deutch plays a Midwestern bride-to-be seeking out her celebrity “free pass” (Jon Hamm) in the screwball comedy “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass.” And Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe lead the Depression-era crime drama “The Weight.” Pop star and noted cinephile Charli XCX will also be out and about, starring in the self-referential mockumentary “The Moment,” and appearing in “The Gallerist” and “I Want Your Sex” as well. Documentaries about celebrities and urgent subjects The 2026 festival features a robust lineup of documentaries too, which have a good track record of snagging eventual Oscar nominations and wins. There are a handful of films about famous faces, including basketball star Brittney Griner, Courtney Love, Salman Rushdie, Billie Jean King, Nelson Mandela and comedian Maria Bamford. Others delve into newsy subjects past and present, like “When A Witness Recants,” in which author Ta-Nehisi Coates revisits the case of the 1983 murder of a boy in his Baltimore middle school and learns the truth. “American Doctor” follows three professionals trying to help in Gaza. “Who Killed Alex Odeh” examines the 1985 assassination of a Palestinian American activist in Southern California. “Everybody To Kenmure Street” is about civil resistance to deportations in Glasgow in 2021. And “Silenced” tracks international human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson in her fight against the weaponization of defamation laws against victims of gender violence. And some don’t fit into any easy category, like “The History of Concrete” in which filmmaker John Wilson takes what he learned at a “how to sell a Hallmark movie” seminar and tries to apply it to a documentary on concrete. Saying goodbye to Main Street There might be a bit of wistfulness in the air too, as everyone takes stock of the last Sundance in Park City and tries to imagine what Boulder might hold. “It feels very special to be part of the last one in Park City,” Duplass said. “It’s just a super special place where, you know there are going to be movies there with giant stars and there’s also going to be some kids there who made movies for a few thousand dollars. And they’re all going to mix.” Araki, like Redford, knew long ago that the festival had outgrown Park City. It will be strange to no longer have its iconic locations like Egyptian Theatre and Eccles and The Ray anymore, but it’s also just a place. “The legacy and the tradition of Sundance will continue no matter where it is,” Araki said. For more coverage of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/sundance-film-festival —Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer View the full article

This month, American shopping malls received another nail in the coffin. Francesca’s, the women’s fashion and accessories chain, has reportedly quietly begun shutting down all its stores. Here’s what you need to know. What’s happened? The women’s fashion and accessories chain Francesca’s has reportedly begun the process of going out of business, which will involve shutting down all of its stores. The news of the closures was first reported by Women’s Wear Daily. Per that report, a customer service representative confirmed it is currently closing all its stores, with liquidation sales underway. However, the chain has not broadly announced the news. Fast Company has reached out to Francesca’s for comment. An automated recording on the company’s customer service line said all associates were busy. Emails to Francesca’s went unreturned. We’ll update this post if we hear back. The woman’s fashion chain was once ubiquitous in shopping malls across the country. Founded in 1999, the retailer rose to prominence during the early 2000s as malls were at the height of their cultural relevance just before online competitors began to reshape the shopping landscape. In 2011, Francesca’s debuted as a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq, but by 2020, the retailer was facing severe financial struggles, not helped by the onset of Covid-19 lockdowns and the decline in mall foot traffic. That year, the company filed for bankruptcy and was delisted from the Nasdaq. After exiting bankruptcy, the chain attempted a comeback, and even now its website lists 457 boutique stores in 45 states that employ more than 3,400 individuals. But Francesca’s has struggled over the past few years, incurring significant debt. One vendor told Women’s Wear Daily that Francesca’s owes approximately $250 million in unpaid invoices. What has Francesca’s said about its shutdown? As of the time of this writing, Francesca’s hasn’t made public comments about its going out of business. Currently, its website continues to operate as normal, with no mention of store closings. The only information on the website that even implies its stores are closing is its updated Return Policy page, which now states that “As of January 14, 2026, all sales are final.” It also says that gift card sales are final and gift cards won’t be returned. Employees were also reportedly blindsided by the shutdown, with a source telling Women’s Wear Daily that merchants were laid off last week “with no warning.” Which Francesca’s stores are closing? Reportedly, all of them. When stores close, they usually only keep their doors open until all their remaining inventory has been liquidated. Francesca’s shoppers looking for good deals in liquidation sales are advised to contact the store directly before heading there to confirm it is still open. When are Francesca’s stores closing? It was not immediately clear when all this will happen. As of Monday, Francesca’s was still posting on Instagram as if everything were normal, although it is being inundated with questions from users about the reported closures. Mall retailers have had a bad year Unfortunately, Francesca’s is not the only mall retailer to have faced financial struggles over the last 12 months. In the first half of 2025, fast-fashion retailer Forever 21 closed hundreds of locations in America. And in August, teen and tween fashion and accessory chain Claire’s also decided to shutter hundreds of stores. The story behind such closures is the same for many retailers involved: rising costs, consumers who are increasingly more choosy about where and what they spend their money on, and foot traffic that never fully recovered after the Covid-19 pandemic. View the full article

If you’re a retailer looking to source craft materials, identifying reliable wholesale suppliers is essential. Moda Fabrics + Supplies and QT Fabrics offer extensive fabric selections customized for independent shops. Checker Distributors stands out with over 125,000 items available, whereas Brewer and Tacony provide high-quality fabrics and tools. Comprehending the strengths of these suppliers can greatly impact your business. Let’s explore these top seven suppliers and discover how they can meet your crafting needs. Key Takeaways Moda Fabrics + Supplies: Specializes in quilting and sewing, supporting independent fabric shops with a diverse selection of over 160 pages of unique fabrics. Checker Distributors: Known for reliable service and an extensive product range of over 125,000 items, catering specifically to fabric store owners. Brewer: Offers high-quality fabrics from renowned designers, ensuring a comprehensive selection of crafting supplies and tools for retailers. Tacony: Provides competitive pricing on a broad selection of high-quality fabrics, with global shipping options for small retailers. QT Fabrics: Offers diverse original 100% cotton fabrics, regularly updating collections to align with trends and promote small business growth. Moda Fabrics + Supplies In relation to sourcing quality fabric for quilting and sewing, many shop owners turn to Moda Fabrics + Supplies, a company established in 1975. Known for its extensive catalog, Moda offers over 160 pages of fabric selections, collaborating with both independent and in-house designers to guarantee a unique variety. This commitment to craftsmanship makes them a trusted partner for fabric retailers. Moda focuses exclusively on the crafter wholesale market, avoiding direct sales to consumers, which helps independent fabric shops thrive without competition. Checker Distributors When you consider Checker Distributors, you’re looking at a supplier with an extensive product range that includes over 125,000 items, catering particularly to businesses like independent fabric shops. Their partnerships with well-known brands such as Robert Kaufman and Riley Blake improve your inventory options considerably. With a trusted industry reputation built since 1948, you can count on Checker Distributors for reliable service and high-quality craft materials. Extensive Product Range Checker Distributors stands out in the craft supply market with an impressive inventory of over 125,000 items, catering to a wide range of crafting needs. You’ll find everything from quilting materials to a variety of fabrics and craft supplies, ensuring you can meet your customers’ diverse demands. This distributor is particularly known for popular fabric brands like Robert Kaufman and Riley Blake, which are vital for independent shop owners. With such a vast selection, you can easily source the materials needed for various crafting projects. Checker Distributors additionally provides easy access to high-quality products, which is fundamental for retailers aiming to maintain a competitive edge. Their extensive inventory supports your business and improves your offerings to customers. Trusted Industry Reputation With decades of experience in the industry, Checker Distributors has established itself as a trusted partner for craft retailers and independent shop owners. Founded in 1948, it’s one of the oldest fabric distributors, showcasing extensive reliability. You’ll find over 125,000 products, including quilting, fabric, and various craft supplies, making it a thorough resource for your inventory needs. They offer popular fabric brands like Robert Kaufman and Riley Blake, ensuring you have access to a diverse selection. As a family-owned business, Checker Distributors has built a solid reputation for excellent service and support, particularly for independent retailers and online shops. Their established presence in the fabric industry reinforces their status as a reliable source for quality craft materials. Brewer Since 1914, Brewer has solidified its reputation as a reliable supplier in the fabric industry, providing a wide array of crafting supplies, sewing machines, and patterns. Their extensive collection features high-quality fabrics from renowned designers like Kaffe Fassett and Tula Pink, catering to various crafting needs. You’ll appreciate Brewer’s user-friendly website, which offers easy access to fabric prices, helping you plan effective pricing strategies for your business. As a one-stop-shop supplier, Brewer suits both independent retailers and online sellers seeking quality materials. High-quality fabrics from Dior All-encompassing selection of crafting supplies and tools Efficient online platform for price access and planning With over a century of experience, Brewer remains a trustworthy choice in the crafting community. Tacony Established in 1946, Tacony has grown from a company focused on selling sewing machines into a thorough wholesale fabric supplier. This family-owned business understands the unique needs of small retailers and offers global shipping, ensuring that fabric stores have access to a wide variety of options. Tacony has developed its own sewing brand, Tacony Sewing Central, which improves its portfolio for craft and sewing enthusiasts. With decades of experience, Tacony has built a solid reputation in the fabric industry. They provide competitive pricing and a broad selection of high-quality fabrics, catering particularly to independent shop owners and online retailers. Whether you’re looking for cottons, blends, or specialty fabrics, Tacony is a reliable choice for your wholesale needs. QT Fabrics When you’re looking for diverse fabric designs, QT Fabrics stands out as a reliable supplier with a rich history dating back to 1807. They offer a wide range of patterns through collaborations with talented designers, ensuring you have access to the latest styles. Plus, their global supply capabilities mean that you can source high-quality fabrics no matter where your business is situated. Diverse Fabric Designs Offered QT Fabrics stands out in the wholesale fabric market by offering an extensive selection of diverse fabric designs that cater to a wide range of customer preferences. With a rich history dating back to 1807, QT Fabrics combines tradition with innovation. Their fabrics are created by both in-house designers and licensed artists, ensuring you have a multitude of choices. Regular updates to their inventory keep your options fresh and appealing. Unique patterns and prints suitable for various projects High-quality materials that improve durability Seasonal collections that reflect current trends This commitment to variety and quality makes QT Fabrics a trusted partner for independent retailers looking to stock their stores with premium fabric options. Global Supply Capabilities With over two centuries of experience in the wholesale fabric industry, QT Fabrics has developed robust global supply capabilities that effectively meet the needs of retailers around the world. Their extensive expertise in fabric sourcing guarantees that independent retailers have consistent inventory availability. QT Fabrics collaborates with both in-house designers and licensors, regularly updating their diverse range of fabric designs to cater to various market preferences. This commitment to quality and innovation positions QT Fabrics as a valuable partner for businesses looking to improve their fabric selections. Feature Description Benefit Global Reach Supplies stores worldwide Reliable inventory availability Diverse Designs Regularly updated patterns Caters to different market needs Quality Assurance Commitment to high standards Boosts customer satisfaction Island Batik Island Batik stands out in the fabric industry, offering a remarkable selection of high-quality cotton and rayon batik fabrics that draw inspiration from Indonesian culture. Established in 1998, Island Batik features over 1,500 unique designs, guaranteeing you find something perfect for your quilting and sewing projects. The company collaborates with various designers to provide a diverse range of fabrics while maintaining a commitment to sustainability and ethical practices in production. Exclusive distribution through wholesale channels supports independent fabric shops. Global reach guarantees a reliable inventory of culturally-inspired materials. A focus on high-quality craftsmanship assures durability and beauty in your creations. With Island Batik, you can confidently choose fabrics that improve your projects as you support ethical practices. Benartex Benartex has established itself as a prominent player in the fabric market since its founding in 1980, providing a diverse array of original 100% cotton fabrics designed by renowned artists such as Nancy Halvorsen and Amanda Murphy. The company focuses on supporting independent retailers, steering clear of large chain stores to help small businesses thrive with unique inventory options. By regularly refreshing its fabric collections, Benartex keeps its offerings fresh and aligned with current trends in the quilting and crafting communities. Known for its commitment to quality, the supplier delivers beautifully designed fabrics that cater to the diverse needs of fabric store owners and crafters alike. With a strong reputation, Benartex is a reliable partner for improving fabric store inventory quality. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Best Crafting Supplies for Beginners? To start crafting, you’ll need some crucial supplies. Begin with scissors, glue, and various paper types, which you can find at stores like Michaels. Consider adding a cutting mat and craft knife for precision cutting, available on Amazon. Explore craft kits designed for beginners, often found at Target, which provide guided projects. Don’t forget versatile materials like washi tape and acrylic paints, easily accessible at craft supply stores for diverse creative projects. What Are Arts and Crafts Supplies? Arts and crafts supplies include a variety of materials and tools crucial for creative projects. These can range from fabrics, paints, and papers to adhesives and embellishments. Common items you might use are yarn, beads, markers, scissors, and sewing notions. By categorizing supplies based on project types, like scrapbooking or knitting, you can easily find what you need for your DIY endeavors, making your crafting experience more efficient and enjoyable. What Do You Need for Crafts? For crafting, you need a variety of materials customized to your projects. Crucial supplies include paper for scrapbooking, beads and wires for jewelry, and paints or canvases for artwork. Quality tools, such as scissors, cutting mats, and sewing machines, improve precision. Don’t forget embellishments like ribbons, buttons, and stickers to personalize your creations. By having these items on hand, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle a range of crafting projects efficiently. Conclusion In conclusion, partnering with reputable wholesale suppliers like Moda Fabrics + Supplies, Checker Distributors, and others can greatly improve your craft business. Each supplier offers unique advantages, from extensive fabric selections to high-quality tools. By establishing strong relationships with these suppliers, you can guarantee a steady supply of materials, which is essential for meeting customer demands and staying competitive. Consider exploring these options to support your retail needs and cultivate growth within the crafting community. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "Top 7 Wholesale Suppliers You Need to Know for Craft Materials" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The CEO job description has remained remarkably stable for decades—but the times they are a’changin’. That stability persisted through wave after wave of technological change. The internet, mobile, cloud computing—each transformed business operations, but none fundamentally altered the CEO’s core responsibilities. Strategy, culture, resource allocation, organizational design—the essential functions remained constant even as the tools improved. AI is different. It isn’t just a tool that executes; it is also a system that makes choices. It makes judgments about customers, employees, and strategy. And this means that when you deploy AI, you’re not just installing software. You are importing a decision-maker with its own values into your organization. That changes what it means to be the CEO—the person who is ultimately responsible for how the organization thinks and acts. Four competencies will be central to CEOs who want to thrive in this new reality. 1. Chief AI Orchestrator Effective CEOs do not simply delegate AI to the CTO and then just forget about it. They actively orchestrate their organization’s innovation portfolio—a curated collection of initiatives that balances transformational ambition with incremental wins. This means excelling in three areas. Vision setting: articulating how AI aligns with organizational purpose. When employees understand why AI matters beyond cost savings, adoption accelerates and resistance diminishes. Boundary setting: defining where AI should and shouldn’t operate. Which decisions require human judgment? Which processes can be automated? If a CEO wants to remain in control of the organization’s actions and culture, they must draw these lines deliberately rather than allowing them to emerge by default, depending on what kind of product the AI labs ship. Cultural transformation: personally modeling the mindset shift AI requires. When the CEO publicly shares their own AI learning journey—including their mistakes—it fosters an organizational culture that legitimates the kind of experimentation needed to adopt and adapt this new technology to the company’s needs. Organizations stumble when they become intoxicated by grand visions while neglecting smaller victories—and they also fail when they ignore the big picture and get lost in the weeds. The key, as always, is balance. CEOs must operate on both macro and micro levels simultaneously. They need to be just as comfortable asking how AI might reshape their entire industry as they are asking how AI helps a product team ship improvements next month. 2. Business Philosopher AI systems make choices about what is true, what matters, and what is allowed. When you deploy AI, you are importing an entire philosophy into your organizational decision-making. This creates three types of misalignment risk. Ethical misalignment occurs when AI absorbs values that are at odds with your organization’s stated principles. Amazon developed a hiring algorithm trained on years of historical data. The system mirrored those years of data perfectly—and systematically discriminated against women. It translated past discrimination into automated future decisions. Epistemic misalignment emerges when AI systems apply different standards for determining truth than your organization would under other circumstances. A healthcare AI that privileges peer-reviewed studies over clinical experience embodies a specific stance about formal knowledge versus practitioner wisdom. These architectural decisions, made by engineers who may never meet your team, become constraints your organization lives with. Strategic misalignment happens when algorithmic tactics undermine broader organizational goals. An algorithm designed to maximize ad views might place advertisements alongside any high-engagement content—including content that damages brand safety. The AI-ready CEO must develop philosophical literacy—the ability to recognize when AI outputs reflect built-in value systems and to evaluate how those value systems align with organizational purpose and culture. 3. Paradox Navigator “The test of a first-rate intelligence,” wrote the novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, “is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.” The hybrid reality of human-AI business demands exactly this. Every significant decision now involves navigating tensions that must be managed: personalization versus privacy, automation versus authenticity, speed versus reflection. Most leaders instinctively try to resolve these tensions—pick a side, optimize for one value, move on. That’s a mistake. Fully prioritize efficiency over employment, and you lose the institutional knowledge that drives innovation. Fully prioritize privacy over personalization, and competitors who found the balance take your customers. The tensions don’t go away because you chose a side; they resurface as consequences. Traditional leadership resolved contradictions. The new CEO holds them in creative tension, responding not with “either/or” but “both/and.” And this creates opportunity. For example, At Moderna, AI helped design the COVID vaccine in just 42 days. AI created mRNA sequences, scientists tested them, AI analyzed the results. Neither could have succeeded alone—the breakthrough emerged from holding human intuition and algorithmic analysis in productive tension. 4. Ecosystem Steward The three competencies above focus on your organization. This one looks beyond it. Every CEO faces pressure to use AI for cost-cutting through automation. The math looks obvious: automate tasks, reduce headcount, boost margins. But there’s a collective action problem hiding in plain sight. When every company simultaneously eliminates jobs to boost efficiency, they collectively undermine the purchasing power that sustains their markets. You can’t sell products to people your industry laid off—or to communities where mass unemployment has cratered demand. Unlike previous technological disruptions, AI can hollow out employment faster than new opportunities emerge—over quarters, not decades. Gartner predicts that by 2026, 20% of organizations will use AI to eliminate more than half their middle management roles. And CEOs who think “our layoffs won’t matter in the grand scheme” are making a serious error—individual rationality creates collective destruction. Companies that resist the race to the bottom gain three competitive advantages: Talent magnetism: Top performers increasingly choose employers who demonstrate responsibility. When your industry races to eliminate humans, being the company that augments rather than replaces becomes a recruiting superpower. Knowledge retention: Institutional memory—the kind that knows why that process exists, which client relationships are fragile, what the last restructuring actually broke—lives in people. Fire them and you’re training AI on an organization that no longer understands itself. Relationship preservation: Customer relationships that took decades to build can’t be replicated by chatbots. Companies keeping humans in the loop preserve connections that their automated competitors are quietly severing. The ecosystem steward sees beyond their own company’s efficiency gains to the systemic risk that executives are creating together. Four Moves for Tomorrow Adopt a portfolio approach: Balance quick wins (1-3 months), strategic bets (3-12 months), and moonshots (12+ months). The high pilot failure rate—42% of companies scrapped most AI projects this year—punishes all-in bets. Stress-test for values alignment: Before deployment, ask three questions. What does the data say? How will stakeholders feel? Should we do this? Run red-team exercises to surface hidden philosophical boundaries. Protect human judgment deliberately: Schedule regular no-AI problem-solving sessions. Maintain decision logs documenting AI overrides. Watch for dangerous dependency creeping in. Model the second-order effects: Before announcing automation-driven layoffs, ask: What happens if every company in our industry does this simultaneously? Map the impact on customer purchasing power, talent availability, and supplier stability. The CEO who sees only their own efficiency gains is optimizing for an economy that won’t exist. The Stakes Have Changed No board will hire a CEO who can’t read a balance sheet. We’re approaching the point where they won’t hire someone who can’t articulate an AI strategy—not because AI is fashionable, but because it’s becoming inseparable from strategy itself. The job description has changed. Orchestrating an AI portfolio, detecting values misalignment, navigating paradox—these aren’t optional upgrades for the technically curious. They’re becoming as fundamental to leadership as financial literacy. But you can master all three and still fail. If you optimize your way into an economy that can no longer sustain your business—if your industry collectively eliminates the customers, talent, and communities it depends on—no amount of AI fluency will save you. The companies that thrive won’t just be the ones that deploy AI best. They’ll be the ones whose leaders understood that the race means nothing if you destroy the track. View the full article

When Netflix isn't spending its time trying to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, it seems the company is actually adding new features to its subscription service. Netflix is always adding new shows and movies, which is what most users are looking for in the platform, but that's not all you can expect from your account. In fact, Netflix is now rolling out an interactive experience for its live competition shows, allowing subscribers to cast votes in real-time. Live voting comes to Star SearchNetflix announced the change in a press release on Tuesday, and also revealed the first show to officially run with real-time voting: Star Search. Netflix is bringing back the American Idol precursor tonight at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT), and will allow viewers to choose which contestant they like best alongside "millions of others." Netflix says it first tested the feature with the show Dinner Time Live with David Chang, and "learned firsthand how members appreciated the seamless and integrated ways they could participate in the series." I don't think you need a focus group to know that people like sharing their opinions on things, but then, I'm not a Netflix exec. The company clarified in its press release that only live events will work with real-time voting. If you watch a show after it airs, you won't be able to cast your vote—which, obviously, makes sense. The show doesn't really need to know who you'd pick as a winner after the winner has already been chosen—though Netflix could always use the extra user data, I'm sure. Star Search is the only show at this time that supports this feature, but Netflix says more real-time voting shows are on the way. How to vote in live Netflix events Credit: Netflix Netflix says that when you watch a live event, you'll be able to vote when watching on TV or a streaming device. You won't be able to vote if you're watching in a web browser, nor will you be able to vote if you rewind, pause, or tune-in late. When you join a live program, make sure you do so on a smart TV, supported streaming device (such as Apple TV, Fire TV, or Roku), or the Netflix mobile app. If you want to watch in a web browser, you can still vote on your phone at the same time. Netflix will prompt you when it's time to vote. You'll see a 1–5 star rating appear on the screen. Click on tap on the star level you want for each performer. Note that each profile only has one chance to vote per performance, so you can't issue another vote after you cast one—you'll just need to wait until the next performance. View the full article

Our own research shows AI Overviews have caused click-through rate drops of 34.5%, with new research from Seer Interactive reporting drops as high as 61%. And research from Pew shows users who encounter an AI summary click on a traditional…Read more ›View the full article

A reader writes: Recreational marijuana is legal in my state, but I don’t necessarily want my independent retail store to smell of it, given that we want to give our customers a pleasant shopping experience. I myself get migraines and other adverse health effects from the strong smell of it and cigarette smoke, not to mention that I’m asthmatic, but I don’t want to police my employees in their free time. However, my employee has started to arrive at work reeking of it. Their belongings and their personal space radiate the smell by at least 10-20 feet, so between them being at the front and their belongings in the back, half the store smells of it. I am very new at managing people and this is a new one for me. I haven’t even had to ask cigarette-smoking employees not to show up smelling of cigarettes, and this, while legal, is not what I want my cozy little store smelling like! We do light a candle every day for ambiance, but now it smells like we’re trying to cover up the pot smell instead. Which is even more headache-inducing. Due to other performance issues for this employee and another, I’m seriously considering a restructuring of our team anyway, but if I decide to keep this employee for what they do well, I need to figure out how to address this and other behaviors (like they have started bringing their partner to work, who then sits in one of our only two chairs for the public that entire shift, which then means that there’s only one other chair for whoever might be sitting to wait for a shopping family member). This is weird behavior that was not happening when this employee first started this job, and I know I need to address it, but it’s also our crunch time and given that I’ve had to cover for an employee who’s called out sick 17 days since June (the other reorg I’m considering), I’m honestly too exhausted right now to find words to address it. Do you have a suggestion for me? We don’t yet have an employee handbook — this is a very new, very small retail store — so maybe that’s where I start? Nope, you start with a direct conversation! If you decide at some point that it would be helpful to have an employee handbook, you can certainly include things like this in it … but a handbook isn’t the way to address this because it’s happening right now and you can just have a conversation about it. (What’s more, having a policy in the handbook in no way guarantees people won’t violate it. You’re going to end up having these conversations regardless.) The basic formula you want (and you’re going to need this formula a lot as a manager) is: * X is happening/not happening. * I need Y to happen instead. * Can you do that going forward? (or some conversational version of this) So in this case, you might say: “You probably don’t realize this, but your clothes and your backpack both smell strongly like marijuana. I don’t want the store to smell like it, and it gives me and probably some customers migraines, so — while you can of course do whatever you want in your off hours — I need you to figure out a way to not bring the smell into the store.” That might be all you need to say! But if they seem confused about how to comply with that (which they might, since often smokers are nose-blind to the smell and don’t realize it’s traveling with them), feel free to make suggestions. Maybe they need to use a bag for work that’s not stored in the same area they smoke in, or even bring a clean outfit to change into when they arrive. Or maybe they’re smoking somewhere very unventilated (like a car) and that’s causing the smell to cling to them. Ultimately, though, it’s on them to figure out a way to solve it, although you can make suggestions if you have them. And if they don’t solve it, it’s reasonable for you to decide you can’t keep them on. Ideally you’d give them a warning about that first — something like, “The smell we talked about is still an issue. I do need you to solve it pretty quickly in order to stay in the job” — but you shouldn’t let this drag on for months. You should be similarly direct about them bringing their partner to work! That one is even easier, because there’s nothing for them to “solve” — the solution is straightforward. So: “Jane, Peter can’t continue to come to work with you and stay here during your shift. He’s using one of our only two chairs for customers, and we don’t let non-employees stay here for the day.” And in a similar vein, here’s some advice on the employee taking too much time off (1, 2, 3). You are falling into a very, very common new manager trap, where you want people to do things differently but aren’t comfortable telling them that clearly, so you’re over-complicating it in your head (like wondering if you can solve it through a handbook). The most fundamental part of your job as a manager is to clearly communicate what you do and don’t want people doing, and the more comfortable you can get doing that — and the more you can see your authority as just a tool to get things done and something you exercise matter-of-factly in order to get the outcomes the business needs — the more effective you will be (and the happier good people will be working for you because they’ll know where they stand and won’t have to try to read your mind, and also because they’ll see problems getting dealt with forthrightly and without drama). Some columns that may help: advice for new managers how can I stop softening the message in tough conversations with my staff? how I can be more authoritative now that I’m a manager? The post my employee comes to work smelling like weed appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Treasuries sold off sharply after reports Danish pension funds are exiting, steepening the yield curve as stocks fell and gold surged, according to the CEO of IF Securities. View the full article

Franchising can seem like an attractive option for growth, but it comes with significant disadvantages for franchisors. You might face issues like loss of brand control, where franchisees don’t follow standards, leading to inconsistencies. Legal disputes can arise, and the costs to set up a franchise system can be substantial. Comprehending these challenges is crucial for anyone considering this business model, as they can impact your brand and overall success in ways you may not expect. Key Takeaways Franchisees may not consistently adhere to brand standards, leading to service quality variations and potential damage to the brand’s reputation. Legal disputes over contract terms and compliance can result in costly litigation and liability issues for franchisors. Initial investment and ongoing costs, such as training and marketing, can impose a significant financial burden on new franchisors. The performance of franchisees directly affects franchisor revenue, with poor sales leading to reduced royalty income and brand damage. High turnover rates among franchisees can disrupt brand stability, complicating compliance with operational standards and brand consistency. Loss of Brand Control When you decide to franchise your business, one significant challenge you might face is the loss of brand control, which can occur as franchisees operate independently. A disadvantage of franchising to the franchisee is that they may not strictly adhere to your established brand standards and operational guidelines. This deviation can lead to inconsistencies in service quality and product offerings, ultimately diminishing your brand’s overall reputation. As a franchisor, you might find it difficult to monitor compliance, requiring significant resources to guarantee all franchisees maintain expected quality levels. Furthermore, negative publicity from poorly managed locations can adversely impact the entire brand, affecting franchisee sales and profitability. These challenges highlight some key disadvantages of franchising to the franchisor. Legal Disputes and Compliance Issues Legal disputes and compliance issues are common challenges that franchisors face, often stemming from misunderstandings or disagreements with franchisees. Conflicts can arise over contract terms, operational guidelines, or even royalty payments, leading to costly litigation and potential reputational damage. Moreover, franchisors bear the responsibility of guaranteeing compliance with federal and state regulations. Failing to meet requirements, such as those outlined in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), can result in legal penalties and loss of franchise rights. Managing franchisee compliance adds complexity, as you must verify all franchisees adhere to brand standards and legal obligations, which may require significant monitoring and support. In addition, legal claims can emerge from franchisee misconduct, exposing you to liability issues that could distract from your business growth. Initial Investment and Setup Costs Establishing a franchise system involves significant initial investment and setup costs that can create financial strain for franchisors. These costs can quickly add up, including legal fees for drafting franchise agreements, developing training programs, and creating marketing materials. Furthermore, extensive training and support systems are vital to maintain brand standards, further increasing expenses. Here’s a breakdown of some common initial costs: Expense Type Estimated Cost Range Legal Fees $5,000 – $15,000 Training Program Development $10,000 – $30,000 Marketing Campaigns $5,000 – $20,000 Operations Manual Development $2,000 – $10,000 Compliance Costs $3,000 – $8,000 While franchise fees can help recover some costs, the financial burden can still be significant, especially for new brands. Dependence on Franchisee Performance Although franchisors often envision a thriving network of successful franchisees, their financial well-being largely hinges on the performance of these individual operators. If franchisees struggle to generate sales, the franchisor’s revenue from royalty payments diminishes. Poor performance can likewise harm the brand’s reputation, leading to customer dissatisfaction and a negative perception of the franchise overall. When franchisees fail to maintain operational efficiency or provide consistent customer service, it jeopardizes brand integrity across all locations. Furthermore, if franchisees don’t adhere to established guidelines, franchisors may struggle to maintain operational standards and brand consistency. High franchisee turnover can further disrupt brand stability, as new owners often need time and resources to reach the performance levels of their predecessors. Challenges in Franchisee Management Managing franchisees can be quite challenging, especially when compliance issues arise and communication gaps emerge. You’ll find that franchisees often have different levels of dedication and operational skills, which can lead to inconsistencies in brand performance. These challenges require you to invest time and resources to guarantee that all franchisees adhere to your brand standards during maintaining effective communication to support their success. Franchisee Compliance Issues Franchisee compliance issues pose significant challenges for franchisors, as they often arise when franchisees deviate from established brand standards. This deviation can lead to inconsistencies in customer experience and potentially damage your brand’s reputation. You may additionally face increased legal risks and financial penalties if franchisees fail to comply with local regulations or franchise agreements, complicating your management efforts. Regular monitoring and auditing of franchisee operations are crucial to guarantee adherence to guidelines, but this can be resource-intensive. Misalignment between your expectations and franchisee execution may create conflicts, resulting in disputes that detract from overall brand performance. In addition, training and support mightn’t always suffice, requiring ongoing engagement to reinforce operational standards effectively. Communication Gaps Challenge Though effective communication is vital for the success of any franchise system, gaps in communication between franchisors and franchisees can create significant challenges. Misinterpretations regarding operational standards often arise, leading to inconsistencies in brand quality across locations. If you don’t establish effective communication channels, important updates or policy changes may not reach franchisees swiftly, negatively impacting their performance. Franchisees might feel isolated and unsupported, resulting in decreased motivation and engagement. Poor communication can as well cause misalignment in expectations, leading to conflicts that complicate management. In addition, inadequate feedback loops prevent you from grasping franchisee challenges, limiting your ability to provide critical support and resources necessary for their success. Addressing these gaps is vital for maintaining a cohesive franchise network. Market Saturation and Competition When multiple franchise locations crowd a specific area, market saturation can become a significant issue for franchisors. This situation often leads to increased competition among franchisees, which can negatively impact profitability and brand identity. Here are some key concerns: Dilution of brand identity: Consumers may see little difference between nearby locations, leading to reduced customer loyalty. Profitability challenges: Franchisees may face declining sales as competition drives prices down. Quality control issues: Maintaining brand standards can become difficult as franchisees aggressively vie for the same customers. To mitigate the risks of saturation, franchisors should implement clear territorial agreements and carefully evaluate the number of franchise units in a given market, ensuring a balanced approach to expansion. Complexity of Franchise Agreements Maneuvering through the complexity of franchise agreements can be intimidating for franchisors, especially since these documents are often lengthy and filled with intricate legal language. You’ll need to invest time in careful legal review to guarantee compliance with federal and state regulations, which can be costly. The agreements include detailed terms about fees, operational guidelines, and performance expectations, so it’s crucial to communicate these clearly to avoid misunderstandings. Ambiguities can lead to legal disputes, potentially damaging your brand’s reputation. Regular updates are necessary to reflect changes in laws and market conditions, adding administrative burdens. This complexity can likewise deter potential franchisees, as they might feel overwhelmed by the obligations they’d be signing up for, hindering your expansion efforts. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Disadvantages of Franchising to the Franchisor? Franchising has several disadvantages for you as a franchisor. You might lose complete brand control, as franchisees often don’t adhere to established standards, leading to inconsistencies. Managing franchisee relationships can be challenging, with potential conflicts arising from differing priorities. The initial investment to set up a franchise system can be significant, redirecting resources from your core business. Furthermore, you face increased compliance responsibilities that require careful management to avoid penalties. Which of the Following Is a Disadvantage of Franchising to the Franchisor? One major disadvantage of franchising for you as a franchisor is the potential loss of brand control. Franchisees may not strictly follow your established brand standards, leading to inconsistencies in customer experience across different locations. This inconsistency can harm your brand’s reputation and affect customer loyalty. Furthermore, managing franchisee relationships demands considerable time and resources, making it challenging to guarantee compliance with your brand’s objectives and standards. What Are the 5 Advantages and 6 Disadvantages of Franchise? When considering franchising, you’ll find several advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include brand expansion, reduced risk, access to capital, operational support, and local market knowledge from franchisees. Nevertheless, disadvantages involve potential loss of brand control, legal disputes with franchisees, the burden of initial investment, steering through regulatory compliance, and challenges in managing franchisee relationships. Weighing these factors helps you determine if franchising aligns with your business goals and resources. What Problems Might Arise Between a Franchise and a Franchisor? You might encounter several problems as a franchisor. Franchisees often struggle to maintain brand standards, leading to inconsistent customer experiences. Legal disputes can arise from disagreements over franchise agreements. Managing relationships with multiple franchisees can become complex and time-consuming. Furthermore, poor communication from you can result in franchisee dissatisfaction. Finally, imbalanced agreements may cultivate resentment, causing conflicts over profit-sharing and operational decisions that could disrupt the franchise network. Conclusion In summary, whereas franchising can offer growth potential, it furthermore comes with significant disadvantages for franchisors. Loss of brand control, legal disputes, and high initial costs can create challenges that affect overall success. Dependence on franchisee performance and issues with franchisee management can further complicate operations. In addition, market saturation and the complexity of franchise agreements can hinder expansion efforts. Comprehending these disadvantages is essential for franchisors to make informed decisions about their franchise systems. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Key Disadvantages of Franchising for Franchisors" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Want to be wealthier? Get married. According to a study published in Journal of Sociology, the net worth of a married person grows approximately 75 percent more during their thirties, forties, and fifties than the net worth of an unmarried person. (That’s per person in the relationship, not per couple.) Want to make a higher income, and feel more satisfied with your job? Get married. A Washington University in St. Louis study found that people with relatively prudent and reliable partners tend to perform better at work, earning more promotions, making more money, and feeling more satisfied with their jobs. What the researchers call “partner conscientiousness” predicts future job satisfaction, income, and likelihood of promotion (even after factoring in the participants’ original level of conscientiousness). According to the researchers, “conscientious” partners perform more household tasks, exhibit more pragmatic behaviors that their spouses are likely to emulate, and promote a more satisfying home life, all of which enables their spouse to focus more on work. As one researcher said, “These results demonstrate that the dispositional characteristics of the person one marries influence important aspects of one’s professional life.” Or in non-researcher-speak, a good partner sets a good example and helps create an environment where you can be a better you. Other data backs up the above findings. A 2021 Census Bureau report found that married adults tend to earn substantially more than unmarried adults, and have three times the net worth. A 2021 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey found that married couples spend about $10,000 less per person than unmarried people. Making more and spending less? Great formula for a higher net worth. That’s why deciding whom to marry is one of the most important decisions you’ll make where your overall happiness, career prospects, and financial success are concerned. Clearly, you have to choose the right person to spend your life with. But just as clearly, you have to choose to be the kind of partner they deserve to spend their life with. For example, a study published in Journal of Physical Activity and Health found that people in romantic relationships exercise less than people who are single, especially where moderate to vigorous physical activity (running, lifting weights, cycling, etc.) is concerned. Why? Become a couple and you’re more likely to do couples things: eat meals together, watch TV together, hang out together. Over time, “Let’s go to the gym” is much less likely to top the list, even if you consistently exercised before you became a couple. As the researchers write: For those with a partner, current (exercise) levels are substantially lower when the partner is present than when the partner is absent. When partners spend leisure-time activities apart, their (exercise) levels are higher than those of individuals without a partner. The results suggest that it is not the mere existence of a romantic relationship but the current co-presence with a partner that affects physical activity behavior. Bottom line? Spending time together means you’re a lot less likely to exercise. And then there’s this. A study published in Health Psychology found that after four years in a stable relationship, people tend to gain significantly more weight than they would from the natural result of aging. A Social Science & Medicine study found that people in a long-term relationship are more likely to gain weight, and less likely to exercise. (Unsurprisingly, the study also found that when a relationship ends, people tend to lose weight and exercise more.) When time together feels short, going to the gym doesn’t sound like couples time. Granted, you’re together … but only in proximity. The researchers also speculate that feeling secure in a relationship tends to cause people to focus less on their appearance, and therefore less on healthy behaviors, like exercise and diet, that affect appearance. Which takes us back to whom you choose to marry. Clearly you shouldn’t choose your life partner on the basis of how “conscientious” they are, or whether you think they not only eat well and exercise but will continue to eat well and exercise. To paraphrase the Washington University in St. Louis researchers, marrying a conscientious partner “could sound like a recipe for a rigid and lackluster lifestyle.” But it does appear that having a conscientious and prudent partner — both in a practical sense, and in a healthy lifestyle sense — is an ingredient in the recipe for a better, more rewarding career, and for a healthier and longer life. So what should you do? Instead of expecting your partner to change some of their habits, think about what you can do to be more supportive of their goals. In a practical sense, maybe you can take on managing the finances. Or take care of more household chores, or repairs, maintenance — the things that keep your trains running on time. After all, the best way to lead is by example. Take health and fitness. You can decide to make exercising and eating better a priority, and do things to support that goal. You can take on the grocery shopping. You can cook some meals. You can fix a healthy lunch for your partner to take to work. You can choose to be the “conscientious” one. That’s the real key. Marrying the right person helps, but being the right person to have married — being supportive, encouraging, and leading by example — is the best way to help your marriage be successful, both practically and, more important, emotionally. Because the person you choose to marry matters — but what you do for your partner, and what that does for your relationship, matters most. —Inc. View the full article

I'm a devout Pixel user. I love stock Android, and I'm always running the latest Android beta, making Pixel basically my only choice. But there are times when I get jealous looking at all the extra tools that Samsung provides on its Galaxy phones, Edge Panel being the big one. With Edge Panel, you can swipe in from the edge of your phone and a hidden drawer reveals itself, filled with apps, system actions, and shortcuts. Given how barebones Pixel Launcher is, I've always wanted something like this. Then I found the Panels app by Fossor Coding (not to be confused with the ill-fated wallpaper app by MKBHD). In some ways, Panels is even better than Edge Panels on Samsung. It lets you use custom icon packs, there's a quick search shortcut, and you can even open floating widgets. Plus, because it's customizable, you can move the trigger point to the bottom edge of your phone instead of the side (incredibly handy for large phones), and you can add multiple columns (up to a ridiculous seven column layout). And while you can pay for Panels, all of that basic functionality is included for free. How to customize the Panels app for AndroidFirst, install the app and give it permission to display over other apps; this makes sure that the Panels launcher can work when you're using any app. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Next, tap on the View button and customize the panel. The free version limits you to 3 columns and 9 rows, which seems like plenty to me. You can upgrade to the full version to remove this limit (which is quite cheap, at just $1.50). From the Trigger section, you can customize the trigger area. If you have a larger phone, I highly recommend bringing down the trigger area towards the bottom of the screen. Now, let's customize the Panels launcher itself. Swipe in from your trigger area and hold for a second to bring up the sidebar panel. By default, you'll see some apps here already. Tap and hold on an empty area to start adding more apps. Credit: Khamosh Pathak You can choose to add any of the following items: Applications: Choose any installed app. Add your most frequently used apps here. Shortcuts: Launch actions from inside any supported apps. For example, you can create a shortcut for adding a new task in TickTick, or messaging someone on WhatsApp. App pair: Create shortcuts for launching two apps side-by-side, made even more useful after Android 16's latest 90:10 split screen update. Accessibility: Add shortcuts for system-level options like Home, Back, Notifications, Screenshot, and more. System preferences: Quick access to frequently used settings like media volume, cellular data, airplane mode, Wi-Fi, and a lot more. Website: You can add any website as a quick shortcut here. Floating widget: This is a hidden gem. You can add widgets that open in a floating window above everything else. You can trigger widgets for news, weather, or sports updates. They can hover over everything else for a few seconds, before you dismiss them out of the way. Folder: If you have too many quick app options, organize them in folders instead. Contact: Add any contact here as an icon. Press and hold to quickly call, message, or email them. Quick Search: Another useful hack. The Quick Search panel brings up a fast search for all installed apps. Go over each option and choose what you'd like to add to your sidebar launcher. Me, I'm a simple man, so my focus is mostly on my most frequently used apps, shortcuts for common actions, and quick access to some system level functionality. One swipe gesture: Lastly, here's a pro tip. While you can open apps in Panels by swiping, lifting your thumb, and selecting, you can also do it without taking your thumb off the screen. Once you swipe in from the edge and the Panels sidebar opens up, don't let go. You can keep moving your thumb to highlight any app or shortcut (the icon that's in focus will get bigger). Then simply let go over your selection to launch it. Overall, Panels is a pretty robust app. Once you have your personalized setup, you can launch apps, shortcuts, or widgets, with just a swipe, no matter which app you're using. View the full article

President Donald The President plans to use a key address Wednesday to try to convince Americans he can make housing more affordable, but he’s picked a strange backdrop for the speech: a Swiss mountain town where ski chalets for vacations cost a cool $4.4 million. On the anniversary of his inauguration, The President is flying to the World Economic Forum in Davos — an annual gathering of the global elite — where he may see many of the billionaires he has surrounded himself with during his first year back in the White House. The President had campaigned on lowering the cost of living, painting himself as a populist while serving fries at a McDonald’s drive-thru. But in office, his public schedules suggest he’s traded the Golden Arches for a gilded age, devoting more time to cavorting with the wealthy than talking directly to his working-class base. “At the end of the day, it’s the investors and billionaires at Davos who have his attention, not the families struggling to afford their bills,” said Alex Jacquez, chief of policy and advocacy at Groundwork Collaborative, a liberal think tank. The President’s attention in his first year back has been less on pocketbook issues and more fixed on foreign policy with conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Venezuela. He is now bent on acquiring Greenland to the chagrin of European allies — a headline likely to dominate his time in Davos, overshadowing his housing ideas. The President noted the Europeans’ resistance, telling reporters Monday night, “Let’s put it this way: It’s going to be a very interesting Davos.” The White House has tried to shift The President’s focus to affordability issues, a response to warning signs in the polls in a year where control of Congress is at stake in midterm elections. About six in 10 U.S. adults now say that The President has hurt the cost of living, according to the latest survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It’s an issue even among Republicans, who have said The President’s work on the economy hasn’t lived up to their expectations. Only 16% say The President has helped “a lot” on making things more affordable, down from 49% in April 2024, when an AP-NORC poll asked Americans the same question about his first term. The president is banking on investment commitments from billionaires and foreign nations to create a jobs boom, even as his broad tariffs have crimped the labor market and spurred inflation. The President supporters who attend his rallies — which the president resumed last month — are left to trust that The President’s business ties can eventually help them. This strategy carries political risks. Voters are more interested in the economy they’re experiencing in their own lives than in The President’s relationships with billionaires, said Frank Luntz, the Republican-affiliated pollster and strategist. “If you’re asking me, ‘Are billionaires popular?’ The answer is no — and they’ve haven’t been for some time,” said Luntz, who last year identified “affordability” as a defining issue for voters. Wooing billionaires instead of the working class Since The President’s first term in 2017, the wealthiest 0.1% of Americans have seen their wealth increase by $11.98 trillion to $23.46 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve. The magnitude of those gains dwarfs what the bottom 50% of households — the majority of the country — received during the same period. Their net worth rose by $2.94 trillion, roughly one-fourth what the top 0.1% got. One of the biggest concerns for voters is the cost of housing. In recent weeks, The President has floated proposals like reducing interest rates on home loans by buying $200 billion in mortgage debt and banning large financial companies from buying homes. Yet those efforts would do little to address the core problem in the housing market: a multi-year shortfall in home construction and home prices that have generally risen faster than wages. The President regularly points to the investments made by the wealthy and powerful as signs of economic growth to come. To encourage billionaires to deliver, The President in his first year pursued policies on artificial intelligence and financial regulation that can benefit the wealthy, along with tax cuts, reduced IRS enforcement and fewer regulatory burdens for large-scale investments. “Most billionaires don’t share the interests of the working class,” said Darrell West, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who has written about the “wealthification” of U.S. politics. “The ultrawealthy love tax cuts and deregulation, and those preferences make it difficult for government to provide the help that working class people want.” The President has been trying to sell tax breaks on tips and overtime pay from what is known as the ” One Big Beautiful Bill ” as benefiting workers. But a Congressional Budget Office analysis indicated that middle-class families may only see savings of $800 to $1,200 a year, on average, while the top 10% of earners would receive $13,600. A separate analysis by the Tax Policy Center, a think tank, said those earning above $1 million would save on average $66,510 this year. The company The President keeps The President regularly holds public events with the wealthy and powerful at the White House and beyond. He jetted to the Middle East and Asia with billionaires in tow as he had foreign countries announce investment commitments, promising that the money would flow down into factory jobs for the middle class. At a September dinner with tech billionaires, The President said it was an honor to be surrounded by the likes of Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Sergey Brin and Mark Zuckerberg. “There’s never been anything like it,” The President said. “The most brilliant people are gathered around this table. This is definitely a high-IQ group and I’m very proud of them.” The White House said the previous Biden administration had alienated the business community to the detriment of the economy. “President The President’s pro-growth policies and friendly relationships with industry titans, on the other hand, are securing trillions in investments that are creating jobs and opportunities for everyday Americans,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said. Last month, The President celebrated a charitable contribution of $6.25 billion to the “The President” investment accounts for children by Michael Dell. It was a chance to talk about economic inequality — but also another opportunity for The President to showcase his relationship with billionaires. The President takes phone calls from billionaires and CEOs to chat about business, politics and interests such as his planned White House ballroom. He regularly peppers his speeches with shoutouts to Nvidia founder Jensen Huang, whose net worth was estimated by Forbes at roughly $162 billion as of Sunday. He’s installed billionaires in his inner circle such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (net worth: $3.3 billion) and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (net worth: $2 billion). He put Elon Musk (net worth: $780 billion) in charge of slashing government payrolls before a dramatic falling-out and, later, a public reconciliation. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at a briefing last month portrayed The President’s own status as a billionaire as a positive for him with voters. “I think it’s one of the many reasons they reelected him back to this office, because he’s a businessman who understands the economy and knows how to fix it,” she said. —Josh Boak, Associated Press View the full article

In an evolving economic landscape, where speed and adaptability are paramount, Deluxe Corporation has stepped up to enhance cash flow management for small businesses. The company’s recent collaboration with Visa to introduce dlxFastFunds promises to transform the way businesses access their funds, reducing the typical settlement delay from one to two days to near real-time. “Managing cash flow is critical for growth,” noted Brian Mahony, President of Merchant Services at Deluxe. The integration of Visa Direct into Deluxe’s Payments Platform equips small businesses with the tools they need to respond swiftly to financial needs, from covering payroll to seizing reinvestment opportunities. By leveraging Visa’s extensive payment network, dlxFastFunds offers a new settlement option that empowers small businesses to have immediate access to their earnings. This advance in technology allows businesses to route funds directly to eligible cards and bank accounts, enhancing operational agility. Vira Platonova, Global Head of Visa Direct, echoed this sentiment, stating, “As more businesses embrace digital payments, the ability to send funds efficiently and with confidence becomes a competitive advantage.” Key benefits of the dlxFastFunds solution center around improved cash flow and operational efficiency. With the reduced wait time for funds, small business owners can avoid disruptions that often arise from cash flow issues. The seamless integration within the Deluxe Payments Platform minimizes the need for complex setups, ensuring a hassle-free experience for users. This simplicity encourages quick adoption, providing businesses the freedom to concentrate on growth rather than financial logistics. For small businesses facing fluctuating demands or unexpected expenses, having immediate access to funds can significantly improve their operational resilience. By responding to needs in real-time, businesses can maintain inventory levels, meet payroll deadlines, and invest in opportunities as they arise. However, small business owners should also consider potential challenges that may accompany this new funding solution. Though the promise of near real-time access to funds is attractive, actual availability can depend on several factors, including the receiving financial institution, account type, and regional regulations. It’s essential for business owners to familiarize themselves with these variables to avoid misunderstandings regarding fund access. Moreover, while dlxFastFunds aims to simplify the funding process, businesses still need to ensure their operations are equipped to handle this rapid funding capability. Adapting internal processes and training staff to utilize this new feature effectively will be crucial to reaping its full benefits. Deluxe’s initiative comes at a time when small businesses increasingly rely on digital payment solutions to stay competitive. The integration of Visa Direct into their platform aims to modernize the disbursement process, making financial transactions faster and more efficient. As Deluxe continues to champion businesses, their commitment to leveraging technology for improved cash flow signals a forward-thinking approach that may resonate with many small business owners. As businesses navigate this new ecosystem of immediate fund availability and agile operations, it’s clear that the introduction of dlxFastFunds could redefine traditional notions of cash flow management. For those interested in mastering this new capability and its implications, more information is available on Deluxe’s website. For more details, you can view the original press release here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Deluxe and Visa Launch Instant Funding Solution to Boost Business Cash Flow" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

While working as an engineer at Tesla, Niccolo Cymbalist never planned to start a business. But he’d been considering an idea for new technology—an autonomous, wind-powered cargo ship. Then, while on paternity leave in 2024, he discovered a free program that helps scientists and engineers launch businesses for the first time. Weeks after finishing the program, called 5050, Cymbalist had launched a startup called Clippership. The company’s first ship is being built in the Netherlands this year. Without the accelerator, he says, the company likely wouldn’t exist. The program has now helped scientists and engineers launch 100 businesses, from Huminly, which uses enzymes to make clothing infinitely recyclable, to Plasmidsaurus, which offers ultra-fast DNA sequencing. The course is run by Fifty Years, a San Francisco-based VC firm focused on deep tech that tackles the world’s largest problems, from disease to climate change. Soon after the firm started a decade ago, the team saw that good ideas were stuck in academic labs. “The transition from academic scientist to founder is actually much more difficult than the transition from sophomore dropout to founder, for a whole host of reasons,” says Seth Bannon, a founding partner at Fifty Years. “Because of that, the best people to start these startups—the scientists that invented the technology—weren’t doing that. So we said, ‘okay, can we help fix that?’” From idea to startup Potential founders go through a 13-week program—with some in-person weekends and weekly Zoom sessions—that helps them figure out if their idea is worth pursuing and whether it’s ready to commercialize. The founder of Plasmidsaurus, for example, who was a postdoc at Caltech, initially joined the program planning to turn his lab research on synthetic gene circuits into a medical product. But the 5050 team helped him realize that it was around 10 years from being commercializable, and one of his other ideas—technology he’d developed to speed up his own research—was ready now. The company is growing quickly. “At year one, they just crossed a $50 million run rate,” Bannon says. “They’ve been profitable every month since they started. And they’re now one of the most beloved names in biology.” Participants also learn how to build a startup team, understand what makes founders successful, and decide if entrepreneurship is a fit for them. “One of the workshops that we do is the ‘story of self,’ where it’s a deep dive into their core motivation—their entire story of life and like what they’re doing today to really make sure that they’re actually pursuing something that they’re really really excited about,” says Ale Borda, who runs the 5050 program. “Then they can use that same story to share about their work and why they will go through walls to enable this to happen.” They learn about how to communicate differently. “In academia, just as one example, you are taught to communicate with data, data, data—and then here are the 10 ways my data might be wrong,” Bannon says. While that’s good for research, “if you communicate that way as a startup founder, you will have trouble hiring anybody, you’ll have trouble raising money, you’ll have trouble getting press,” he says. “And so you have to learn to talk in directionally correct abstractions.” Universities often also have programs to help move tech to the market, but schools are disconnected from the startup world, and Bannon says the programs aren’t very effective. (Mentors might be Fortune 500 executives, for example, rather than other startup founders with direct experience.) There are also conflicts of interest. Universities own the IP for new inventions scientists develop on campus; scientists have to go through a complicated process of negotiating for the rights to the tech. The program at 5050 includes coaching on navigating that process. Turning scientists into founders So far, the approach is working. “The stat we’re most proud of is that 96% of the teams that went out to raise a round were able to,” says Bannon. “That’s an insanely high stat for a program that accepts people who don’t have companies when they join.” In the current political climate, as federal funding cuts have hit university labs, the program is already seeing an increased interest from scientists at a career crossroads. “A lot of them are seeing that they might not be able to continue their life’s work in academia anymore,” Bannon says. “Some of them happen to be lucky and be in a spot where maybe it could be a startup.” In the short term, he says, funding cuts might lead to more startups, though they’ll slow down future growth. Of the 100 companies that have launched from the program so far, around half wouldn’t have started without it. Others launched faster than they would have. “I probably would have started a company, but it almost certainly wouldn’t have been at the time that I did,” says Daniel Rahn, a former SpaceX engineer who launched Metal as Fuel, a company that makes metal fuels to decarbonize heavy industry. “These are counterfactual companies,” says Bannon. “These companies are combating the climate crisis, they’re defeating disease, they’re doing important stuff. And so it just feels really, really good to help companies come into existence that wouldn’t otherwise.” View the full article

Beyond revenue and margins, buyers are scrutinizing teams, culture, and operational health. The Disruptors With Liz Farr Go PRO for members-only access to more Liz Farr. View the full article

Beyond revenue and margins, buyers are scrutinizing teams, culture, and operational health. The Disruptors With Liz Farr Go PRO for members-only access to more Liz Farr. View the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...View the full article

AI has quickly risen to the top of the corporate agenda. Despite this, 95% of businesses struggle with adoption, MIT research found. Those failures are no longer hypothetical. They are already playing out in real time, across industries, and often in public. For companies exploring AI adoption, these examples highlight what not to do and why AI initiatives fail when systems are deployed without sufficient oversight. 1. Chatbot participates in insider trading, then lies about it In an experiment driven by the UK government’s Frontier AI Taskforce, ChatGPT placed illegal trades and then lied about it. Researchers prompted the AI bot to act as a trader for a fake financial investment company. They told the bot that the company was struggling, and they needed results. They also fed the bot insider information about an upcoming merger, and the bot affirmed that it should not use this in its trades. The bot still made the trade anyway, citing that “the risk associated with not acting seems to outweigh the insider trading risk,” then denied using the insider information. Marius Hobbhahn, CEO of Apollo Research (the company that conducted the experiment), said that helpfulness “is much easier to train into the model than honesty,” because “honesty is a really complicated concept.” He says that current models are not powerful enough to be deceptive in a “meaningful way” (arguably, this is a false statement, see this and this). However, he warns that it’s “not that big of a step from the current models to the ones that I am worried about, where suddenly a model being deceptive would mean something.” AI has been operating in the financial sector for some time, and this experiment highlights the potential for not only legal risks but also risky autonomous actions on the part of AI. Dig deeper: AI-generated content: The dangers of overreliance 2. Chevy dealership chatbot sells SUV for $1 in ‘legally binding’ offer An AI-powered chatbot for a local Chevrolet dealership in California sold a vehicle for $1 and said it was a legally binding agreement. In an experiment that went viral across forums on the web, several people toyed with the local dealership’s chatbot to respond to a variety of non-car-related prompts. One user convinced the chatbot to sell him a vehicle for just $1, and the chatbot confirmed it was a “legally binding offer – no takesies backsies.” I just bought a 2024 Chevy Tahoe for $1. pic.twitter.com/aq4wDitvQW — Chris Bakke (@ChrisJBakke) December 17, 2023 Fullpath, the company that provides AI chatbots to car dealerships, took the system offline once it became aware of the issue. The company’s CEO told Business Insider that despite viral screenshots, the chatbot resisted many attempts to provoke misbehavior. Still, while the car dealership didn’t face any legal liability from the mishap, some argue that the chatbot agreement in this case may be legally enforceable. 3. Supermarket’s AI meal planner suggests poison recipes and toxic cocktails A New Zealand supermarket chain’s AI meal planner suggested unsafe recipes after certain users prompted the app to use non-edible ingredients. Recipes like bleach-infused rice surprise, poison bread sandwiches, and even a chlorine gas mocktail were created before the supermarket caught on. A spokesperson for the supermarket said they were disappointed to see that “a small minority have tried to use the tool inappropriately and not for its intended purpose,” according to The Guardian The supermarket said it would continue to fine-tune the technology for safety and added a warning for users. That warning stated that recipes are not reviewed by humans and do not guarantee that “any recipe will be a complete or balanced meal, or suitable for consumption.” Critics of AI technology argue that chatbots like ChatGPT are nothing more than improvisational partners, building on whatever you throw at them. Because of the way these chatbots are wired, they could pose a real safety risk for certain companies that adopt them. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. 4. Air Canada held liable after chatbot gives false policy advice An Air Canada customer was awarded damages in court after the airline’s AI chatbot assistant made false claims about its policies. The customer inquired about the airline’s bereavement rates via its AI assistant after the death of a family member. The chatbot responded that the airline offered discounted bereavement rates for upcoming travel or for travel that has already occurred, and linked to the company’s policy page. Unfortunately, the actual policy was the opposite, and the airline did not offer reduced rates for bereavement travel that had already happened. The fact that the chatbot linked to the policy page with the correct information was an argument the airline made in court when trying to prove its case. However, the tribunal (a small claims-type court in Canada) did not side with the defendant. As reported by Forbes, the tribunal called the scenario “negligent misrepresentation.” Christopher C. Rivers, Civil Resolution Tribunal Member, said this in the decision: “Air Canada argues it cannot be held liable for information provided by one of its agents, servants, or representatives – including a chatbot. It does not explain why it believes that is the case. In effect, Air Canada suggests the chatbot is a separate legal entity that is responsible for its own actions. This is a remarkable submission. While a chatbot has an interactive component, it is still just a part of Air Canada’s website. It should be obvious to Air Canada that it is responsible for all the information on its website. It makes no difference whether the information comes from a static page or a chatbot.” This is just one of many examples where people have been dissatisfied with chatbots due to their technical limitations and propensity for misinformation – a trend that is sparking more and more litigation. Dig deeper: 5 SEO content pitfalls that could be hurting your traffic 5. Australia’s largest bank replaces call center with AI, then apologizes and rehires staff The largest bank in Australia replaced its call center team with AI voicebots with the promise of boosted efficiency, but admitted it made a big mistake. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) believed the AI voicebots could reduce call volume by 2,000 calls per week. But it didn’t. Instead, left without the assistance of its 45-person call center, the bank scrambled to offer overtime to remaining workers to keep up with the calls, and get other management workers to answer calls, too. Meanwhile, the union representing the displaced workers elevated the situation to the Finance Sector Union (like the Equal Opportunity Commission in the U.S.). It was only one month after CBA replaced workers that it issued an apology and offered to hire them back. CBA said in a statement that they did not “adequately consider all relevant business considerations and this error meant the roles were not redundant.” Other U.S. companies have faced PR nightmares as well when attempting to replace human roles with AI. Perhaps that’s why certain brands have deliberately gone in the opposite direction, making sure people remain central to every AI deployment. Nevertheless, the CBA debacle shows that replacing people with AI without fully weighing the risks can backfire quickly and publicly. 6. New York City’s chatbot advises employers to break labor and housing laws New York City launched an AI chatbot to provide information on starting and running a business, and it advised people to carry out illegal activities. Just months after its launch, people started noticing the inaccuracies provided by the Microsoft-powered chatbot. The chatbot offered unlawful guidance across the board, from telling bosses they could pocket employees’ tips and skip notifying staff about schedule changes to tenant discrimination and cashless stores. “NYC’s AI Chatbot Tells Businesses to Break the Law,” The Markup This is despite the city’s initial announcement promising that the chatbot would provide trusted information on topics such as “compliance with codes and regulations, available business incentives, and best practices to avoid violations and fines.” Still, then-mayor Eric Adams defended the technology, saying: “Anyone that knows technology knows this is how it’s done,” and that “only those who are fearful sit down and say, ‘Oh, it is not working the way we want, now we have to run away from it all together.’ I don’t live that way.” Critics called his approach reckless and irresponsible. This is yet another cautionary tale in AI misinformation and how organizations can better handle the integration and transparency around AI technology. Dig deeper: SEO shortcuts gone wrong: How one site tanked – and what you can learn 7. Chicago Sun-Times publishes fake book list generated by AI The Chicago Sun-Times ran a syndicated “summer reading” feature that included false, made-up details about books after the writer relied on AI without fact-checking the output. King Features Syndicate, a unit of Hearst, created the special section for the Chicago Sun-Times. Not only were the book summaries inaccurate, but some of the books were entirely fabricated by AI. “Syndicated content in Sun-Times special section included AI-generated misinformation,” Chicago Sun-Times The author, hired by King Features Syndicate to create the book list, admitted to using AI to put the list together, as well as for other stories, without fact-checking. And the publisher was left trying to determine the extent of the damage. The Chicago Sun-Times said print subscribers would not be charged for the edition, and it put out a statement reiterating that the content was produced outside the newspaper’s newsroom. Meanwhile, the Sun-Times said they are in the process of reviewing their relationship with King Features, and as for the writer, King Features fired him. Oversight matters The examples outlined here show what happens when AI systems are deployed without sufficient oversight. When left unchecked, the risks can quickly outweigh the rewards, especially as AI-generated content and automated responses are published at scale. Organizations that rush into AI adoption without fully understanding those risks often stumble in predictable ways. In practice, AI succeeds only when tools, processes, and content outputs keep humans firmly in the driver’s seat. View the full article

I've been in a particularly "back everything up for the sake of it" mood lately, and the latest target of my fixation is messages. It's been several generations of Android flagships since I archived anything, though, so now I'm scrambling to back up everything from 2019 and beyond. Android was supposed to fix the way it backs up data and messages as far back as Android 8.0 Oreo in 2017. Google recently refined the mechanism when it switched to Google One, its all-in-one subscription and cloud data offering. While data backup has improved, it's also a veritable "black box." It's hard to verify what's been saved and even harder to view the data. I'm taking backups back into my own hands, like in the Android days of yore. Actually, one of the throwback apps, SMS Backup and Restore, is still one of the best for backing up text messages, and it's included in this guide on backing up messages in Android. I'll also walk you through how to back up archives for secondary messaging apps, including WhatsApp and Signal, two oft-used third-party messengers. Start with Google One Credit: Florence Ion / Lifehacker By default, your phone uses Google One to handle backups as long as Google Messages is your default messaging app. (Samsung users can choose to use Samsung Messages instead, which backs up to the Samsung Cloud.) It's generally a "set it and forget it" system that saves SMS, RCS, and MMS messages, call history, contacts, and device settings to your Google Drive storage. (Pictures and videos are backed up through Google Photos.) You can check the status of this to see when it was last backed up. Open your phone's Settings panel, then look for the backup option. If it's your first time, you'll get on-screen instructions to turn on backup. If not, you should be able to see what's been backed up so far. If you're on the Pixel launcher, scroll down to find a list of Backup details to browse. Tap to see what's in the vault. Credit: Florence Ion / Lifehacker At most, backup data doesn't exceed 25 MB and doesn't count against your Google Drive quota. (Google Photos does, but that's effectively another product.) Only the most recent data backup is stored at a time. Anything before that is fully deleted. Google One's backup methodology is merely a "sync," not a true data archive. If you accidentally delete a thread from messages, its backup would also be removed from the cloud, and you couldn't restore it. Google makes it clear, even in its developer documentation, that backup data can't be accessed by a user or other apps on the device. So what's a user to do? Call upon an old faithful: SMS Backup & Restore. Set up SMS Backup & Restore Credit: Florence Ion / Lifehacker I'm using original Android apps like SMS Backup & Restore to facilitate full backups because it's still the only way to easily thumb through the messages and call logs you've saved. The app treats your text messages as a database and stores them in XML format for parsing if needed. SMS Backup & Restore was once an indie darling, though SyncTech acquired it in late 2017, which has partly helped it endure this long. It's easy to set up. Download and install the app from the Google Play Store. The app is free with ads, or you can pay a one-time fee of $6 to remove them and unlock extra abilities, like more cloud storage. Then grant it access to your contacts and messages. Tap the option to set up a backup, and choose Messages. (You can also include call logs if you want.) Then, pick your destination. I back up to Google Drive into its own archive folder. Dropbox, OneDrive, and WebDAV are also options. SMS Backup & Restore offers several backup options. For one, you don't have to back up everything in your Messages app. You can choose to back up only select conversations. It doesn't have to be a constant backup either. If you need to save a one-off thread, SMS Backup & Restore lets you select it and back it up to a location of your choice in XML format. SMS Backup & Restore also lets you peruse through all that data after it's synced. The easiest way is through the mobile app, which lets you search conversations, and through SyncTech's web viewer, where you can upload the XML file it generates and thumb through it as if it were a messaging app on your phone. SyncTech says all processing is done on the browser and nothing is uploaded to any servers. If you'd rather not upload your conversations through the Web Viewer, you can try opening it with Excel instead. And if you're particularly adept, there are plenty of third-party XML readers available, though they're not all fully compatible with how SMS Backup & Restore saves logs. WhatsApp and Signal These days, half of my digital life is scattered among several messaging apps, most notably WhatsApp and Signal. WhatsApp is where I chat with friends who are on wifi or live halfway across the world, while Signal is where my local parents group and I keep our chats private. WhatsApp can create a local backup on your phone's internal storage every day at a set time. This is the most direct way to handle your own WhatsApp chat data. You'll find your data in the WhatsApp app database on your device's internal storage. WhatsApp can also automatically back up to Google Drive on Android devices. Unfortunately, Google started counting WhatsApp backups toward your Google Drive storage quota. But the app shows you how much room you have in your Drive account if you are backing up that way. Credit: Florence Ion / Lifehacker If you haven't set it up yet, WhatsApp's backup capabilities are available under the Chats backup option in the app's settings panel. You can select the backup frequency and whether it includes videos. You can also select whether the backups are end-to-end encrypted. (Note that this option is not on by default.) If you need to export a particular conversation, you can do so from the Chat history menu. You can then read those WhatsApp backups by exporting individual chats as text files directly from the app. Signal is a little trickier at backup. Since it's built on the premise of extreme privacy, it prioritizes local backup and doesn't back up to the cloud. Only recently, in the latest beta for Android devices, has Signal added push-button backup. And it's technically still getting its kinks sussed out. Credit: Florence Ion / Lifehacker But you can use it if you want to. In Signal on Android, go to Settings, then scroll down to Backups. You'll see a big Beta sign right next to it. Tap it, and from here, Signal will set you up with an end-to-end encrypted backup of your conversations. The recovery key is a 64-character code that will help you restore the backup. If you lose it, you won't be able to recover your messages. Signal eschews the ability to back up to a third-party service. Instead, it will back up the last 45 days of media and text messages for free. Any more than that, and you'll have to pay $2/month for a full backup of your messages. It also grants you 100GB of photo storage. Because these are encrypted files, they're not particularly easy to parse through without first decrypting them and converting them into a readable XML file. You'll also need to save the archive locally if you want to dig in. Small apps like the Signal Message Exporter and Signal Back can help with this if you are especially keen on having a readable log. Backing up isn't a one-and-done task. It's something you have to get into the habit of doing. The best way to ensure you don't lose those "receipts" is to make it a habit to check on your backups. Keep Google One, WhatsApp, and Signal's cloud backups turned on, then set SMS Backup & Restore to run once a week, or, if you're lighter on that app than on others, once a month. View the full article

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will attend the Supreme Court’s oral argument Wednesday in a case involving the attempted firing of Fed governor Lisa Cook, an unusual show of support by the central bank chair. The high court is considering whether President Donald The President can fire Cook, as he said he would do in late August, in an unprecedented attempt to remove one of the seven members of the Fed’s governing board. Powell plans to attend the high court’s Wednesday session, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity. It’s a much more public show of support than the Fed chair has previously shown Cook. But it follows Powell’s announcement last week that the The President administration has sent subpoenas to the Fed, threatening an unprecedented criminal indictment of the Fed Chair. Powell — appointed to the position by The President in 2018 — appears to be casting off last year’s more subdued response to The President’s repeated attacks on the central bank in favor of a more public confrontation. Powell issued a video statement Jan. 11 condemning the subpoenas as “pretexts” for The President’s efforts to force him to sharply cut the Fed’s key interest rate. Powell oversaw three rate cuts late last year, lowering the rate to about 3.6%, but The President has argued it should be as low as 1%, a position few economists support. The The President administration has accused Cook of mortgage fraud, an allegation that Cook has denied. No charges have been made against Cook. She sued to keep her job, and the Supreme Court Oct. 1 issued a brief order allowing her to stay on the board while they consider her case. If The President succeeds in removing Cook, he could appoint another person to fill her slot, which would give his appointees a majority on the Fed’s board and greater influence over the central bank’s decisions on interest rates and bank regulation. —Christopher Rugaber, AP Economics Writer View the full article

US president assails allies with talk of ‘great stupidity’, dog sleds and AI imagesView the full article

AI search broke the link between traffic and revenue. This piece explains how SEO creates demand without page views. The post The Great Decoupling appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article