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In relation to creating a logo that stands out, utilizing AI logo generators can simplify the process considerably. These tools offer various features, from hands-on customization to user-friendly interfaces, catering to both novices and experienced designers. By exploring options like LogoMakr, Looka, and Designhill, you can find the right fit for your branding needs. Each tool has unique advantages, but grasping them will help you make an informed choice for your business identity. Key Takeaways LogoMakr offers extensive customization and hands-on control, making it ideal for users seeking unique designs tailored to their brand identity. Looka simplifies logo creation with a user-friendly interface, perfect for non-designers wanting quick and tailored logo options. Designhill Logo Maker provides high-quality professional logos with extensive customization, suitable for businesses wanting strong brand alignment. Hatchful is a free logo generator focused on rapid creation, making it perfect for startups needing quick, consistent branding solutions. Tailor Brands combines an AI logo designer with a comprehensive branding suite, catering to businesses seeking ongoing branding support and tools. LogoMakr: Hands-On Control and Customization When you use LogoMakr, you’ll discover a platform that offers extensive hands-on control and customization for your logo design. This ai logo generator allows you to manipulate every aspect of your logo, ensuring it aligns perfectly with your brand vision. Although it’s one of the best ai tools for logo design, be prepared for a learning curve because of its multitude of features. The free basic download is a great starting point, but for high-resolution logos, you’ll pay a one-time fee of about $29. There are no recurring costs, making it a budget-friendly option for startups and small businesses. Nevertheless, if you need more advanced branding tools, you might want to consult a professional designer. Looka: User-Friendly Interface for Non-Designers Looka makes logo design easy for anyone, regardless of whether you don’t have design experience. You can start by entering your brand name, industry, and color choices, and then the AI quickly generates various logo options for you. With a range of customization features available, including colors and fonts, you can tailor your logo to fit your brand vision effortlessly. Intuitive Design Process Creating a logo doesn’t have to be a challenging task, especially with platforms that prioritize user-friendliness. Looka stands out as an intuitive AI design maker, allowing you to input your brand name, industry, and color preferences effortlessly. Within seconds, you can see numerous logo designs customized to your specifications. Feature Description Benefit User-Friendly Interface Simplifies the design process Accessible for non-designers Quick Generation Countless logo designs in seconds Saves time and effort Easy Downloads SVG, EPS, PNG formats available guarantees compatibility Moreover, Looka’s stellar customer support via live chat and email is always ready to assist you throughout your logo creation process. Customization Options Available Customization options are vital for tailoring a logo to fit your brand’s unique identity. With Looka, one of the best AI logo generators, you can easily adjust colors, fonts, and symbols to create a design that truly represents your vision. The platform generates countless logo variations in seconds, offering a wide range of styles to choose from. You can make real-time modifications, allowing you to see your changes immediately and fine-tune your design as needed. Once you’re satisfied with your logo, you can download it in various crucial formats like SVG, EPS, and PNG. This versatility guarantees your logo looks great across different applications, making Looka an influential tool for non-designers seeking professional results. Designhill Logo Maker: High-Quality Professional Designs Designhill Logo Maker stands out in the domain of online logo design tools, offering users a chance to create high-quality, professional logos customized to their brand identity. As one of the best AI logo generators, it provides an intuitive interface, though beginners might find the range of options slightly overwhelming at first. You can access a free trial to test the platform without commitment. High-resolution logos start at around $20, and you’ll receive files suitable for both digital and print use. The platform in addition allows extensive customization, enabling you to closely align your logo with your brand. For those seeking thorough branding solutions, full branding packages are available, though they come at a higher price. Brandmark: Extensive Customization and Support When you choose Brandmark for your logo needs, you’ll find a pricing structure that starts at just $25, making it accessible for various budgets. The platform furthermore offers extensive customization options, allowing you to tailor your logo to reflect your brand identity. In addition, you’ll benefit from design support services, ensuring you have the guidance needed throughout the logo creation process. Customization Options Available Creating a logo that accurately represents your brand requires careful attention to detail, and Brandmark makes this process straightforward with its extensive customization options. You can modify various design elements like colors, fonts, and layouts, ensuring your logo aligns with your brand identity. The platform offers useful guidelines to help you make informed choices during customization. Moreover, you can access full features through Brandmark’s subscription model, which includes generating an ai file logo for your use. This flexibility allows you to experiment with numerous design options until you find the best ai for logo design that suits your business. With these tools, you can refine your logo effectively, making it a true reflection of your brand. Design Support Services To guarantee your logo not just meets your vision but likewise resonates with your target audience, Brandmark provides robust design support services customized to your needs. With extensive customization options, you can tailor your logo to reflect your specific brand identity. The platform offers useful guidelines and context for your design choices, helping you make informed decisions throughout the process. Moreover, you’ll have access to a dedicated design team, ready to assist you in refining your logo and enhancing its overall quality. Using AI tools to create photos using your logo, you can quickly iterate and experiment with different design elements, ensuring your final product is exactly what you envisioned. Pricing Structure Overview Brandmark’s pricing structure is designed to accommodate a wide range of business needs, starting at just $25 for basic logo designs. For more thorough options, enterprise plans can go up to $175, ensuring you find a suitable fit. As one of the best AI for creating logos, Brandmark offers extensive customization options. This allows you to tailor your design precisely to your brand identity. You’ll as well receive useful guidelines and context for your design decisions, enhancing your overall experience. Furthermore, their subscription model grants access to full features and support from a design team for ongoing needs. Although the extensive options might be overwhelming, the customization and support make it a valuable tool for any logo design project. Logo.com: Simple and Quick AI-Driven Suggestions When you’re looking to create a logo quickly and efficiently, Logo.com stands out as a valuable resource that leverages AI-driven design suggestions personalized to your specific industry and preferences. This platform provides one of the best AIs for logos, ensuring you get customized options that fit your needs. You can easily customize your logo using straightforward editing tools, focusing on simplicity and speed throughout the design process. Logo.com furthermore offers a free AI design option, allowing you to download a basic logo at no cost. If you need additional files, they start at around $8, making it an affordable choice. With a one-time purchase model, you won’t face any recurring subscription fees, ensuring a hassle-free experience. Hatchful: Free and Easy Logo Creation for Beginners Hatchful serves as an excellent tool for those new to logo design, offering a free AI logo generator that emphasizes simplicity. With Hatchful, you can create logos quickly and easily, making it perfect for beginners with no design experience. The platform provides various templates and styles customized to different industries and brand aesthetics, ensuring you find something that resonates with your vision. You can generate logos in just a few clicks through its user-friendly interface, which simplifies the design process. Hatchful additionally offers social media assets alongside your logos, helping you maintain consistent branding across platforms. Although customization options are limited, this gã©nã©rateur de logo ia gratuit is ideal for quick logo creation based on straightforward logo design prompts. Tailor Brands: Comprehensive Branding Suite With Subscription Model For those looking for a more thorough approach to logo design and branding, Tailor Brands offers an AI logo designer as part of an extensive business development platform. This subscription model starts at approximately $10 per month, giving you access to various branding tools. You can crea logos con ia with options for wordmark, monogram, or icon designs. Plus, the platform allows for logo editing and provides multiple download formats, ensuring your logos fit various applications perfectly. Feature Details Pricing Starts at $10/month Customization Options Wordmark, Monogram, Icon designs Target Audience U.S.-based startups Tailor Brands is among the best AI image generator for logos, making it a solid choice for new businesses. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Best AI Image Generator for Designers? When considering the best AI image generator for designers, focus on tools that offer advanced features and customization. Look for options like Visual Electric, which allows you to refine designs with style selectors. User-friendly tools like Canva‘s Dream Lab let you create logos quickly, even without design skills. For customized results, choose generators like Looka or Brandmark, which enable you to specify styles and colors easily, ensuring your designs reflect your unique vision. Are AI Logo Generators Better Than Human Designers? AI logo generators aren’t inherently better than human designers; it depends on your needs. If you’re looking for quick, budget-friendly options, AI tools can deliver a variety of designs swiftly. Nevertheless, they often lack the personal touch and nuanced creativity that a human designer provides. For unique branding, skilled designers excel in creating custom logos suited to your vision. Consider starting with AI for ideas, then consult a designer for refinement if necessary. What Is the Best Tool to Generate Logos? To find the best tool for generating logos, consider your specific needs and budget. Looka offers customized designs for $20, whereas LogoMakr allows extensive customization for free or around $29 for high-resolution logos. Designhill provides professional-quality options starting at $20, and Brandmark ranges from $25 to $175, depending on features. If you want to create multiple logos at no cost, Canva’s Dream Lab lets you generate up to 20 logos monthly. Conclusion In summary, choosing the right AI logo generator can greatly improve your branding efforts. Each option, from LogoMakr’s customization to Looka’s user-friendly design, offers unique features customized to different needs. Consider your skill level and specific requirements when selecting a tool. By leveraging these platforms, you can create a professional logo that reflects your brand’s identity efficiently. Explore these generators to find the best fit for your business and start building your brand recognition today. Image Via Envato This article, "7 Best AI Logo Generators for Stunning Designs" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

It’s a special “where are you now?” season at Ask a Manager and I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Remember the letter-writer whose coworkers were joking that she was pregnant when she wasn’t — including having a local radio host congratulate her on her “pregnancy”? Here’s the update. I was reading AAM as I do every afternoon when one of the recommended posts catapulted me back into my past. I’m the reader who wrote to you about six years ago about my co-workers who wrote into a local radio station to pretending I was pregnant as a “prank.” I’ve been meaning to share an update for a while now, and this felt like a sign In the years since, things got okay, worse and then much better. After the first post, I spoke to my director to put a stop to the joking around. No one apologized, acknowledged that they’d crossed a line, or even made eye contact for a while, but I was just grateful that the jokes were over. A few months later, my relationship unexpectedly fell apart, and a couple of weeks after that I found a channel on our internal messaging system that had been set up to talk about me behind my back. It had been running for months, predating the radio prank, and was absolutely a nail in the coffin. We also now had an external HR provision by this point, so I made a formal complaint against everyone involved. A coworker had been on the ropes for a while and they were let go not long after. I’m not sure how much the channel played a role in this, but it certainly didn’t help. The others apologized to my face, which I was grateful for at the time. As some background, when I first started the company was owned by two directors, a husband and wife. A couple of years into my tenure, one served the others with divorce papers and the business was squarely in the middle. But even before I started there were office norms that were only there to keep us in our lanes. We weren’t really allowed to talk to one another other than on IM, were made to take staggered lunches alone, had to sit with our screens facing outward so the boss could monitor what was on them, and so on. I found out later that my job only opened up because one director got drunk and threw a punch at a past employee on a work night out, prompting a few people to quit. When that director finally left, the other did try to open up communication but things just ran too deep. I’m sure I contributed to this environment too and I remember being deeply frustrated with nowhere for it all to go. I also don’t remember exactly what the messages in the channel said but I was so angry that it snapped me out of my post-breakup funk and made me realise that my workplace was crap and was not going to change. I searched for all the jobs I could find with a short list of prerequisites — they must have an active HR department, visible salary scales, and be based in an interesting part of the country. I applied for the one that was closing first, which turned into one of the best things I ever did. I said yes to an interview because I’d never been to this city and at least if I didn’t get the job I could spend a couple of hours in a museum I always wanted to visit. I interviewed in February 2020, got the job, and started my new role that April, just after the first Covid-19 lockdown hit in the UK. I moved to my new city about five years ago as restrictions were starting to lift, so as people were getting used to socializing again there was me starting life again in my late 20s. I’ve since changed roles a few times but have been in the same organization, and I can honestly say things are a million times better. My job is infinitely more fulfilling, has scope to grow, and I’m strengthening skills that are niche enough to be interesting and broad enough that I’m not stuck in a corner. I’m also actively involved in our workplace union so there’s a perfect outlet to channel any injustices in a positive way. I’m not in touch with anyone in my old job. I wish them the best and hope everyone is successful and fulfilled in their own ways, but it took me far too long to realize it wasn’t the place for me. The fact I didn’t realize this after someone wrote to a radio station to pretend I was pregnant is beyond what I’d ever put up with now. I’m still embarrassed by the whole ordeal but grateful I can look back on it as a bizarre story rather than a situation I’m still stuck in. The post update: my coworkers are joking that I’m pregnant when I’m not appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

In a single day, OpenAI laid out the two pillars of its next empire: first, it signed a sweeping deal with AMD to secure no less than six gigawatts of GPU compute, an agreement that could give it up to a 10% stake in AMD if certain milestones are met. Then, on stage at DevDay, it unveiled a new layer of “mini-apps” that live inside ChatGPT, turning the chatbot into something much bigger: not a product, but a platform. Together, these moves define OpenAI’s ambition with perfect clarity: control the power and control the interface. Power, literally The AMD deal is more than a supply contract: it’s a signal. Six gigawatts of GPU compute by 2026, the first one-gigawatt plant in construction, and stock warrants worth up to 160 million shares at a cent apiece if performance goals are hit. That’s not procurement: it’s vertical integration through financial engineering. By embedding itself in AMD’s roadmap for the next-generation MI450 chips, OpenAI is locking in compute capacity at a planetary scale. It’s also buying influence: the right to co-design, the ability to shape pricing, and a hedge against Nvidia’s dominance. Compute has become the new oil, and OpenAI just secured drilling rights. From app to ecosystem Then came DevDay. On stage, Sam Altman introduced “mini-apps” from Spotify, Canva, Expedia, Zillow, and others, micro-interfaces that live inside ChatGPT. The goal: let users interact with third-party services without ever leaving the chat, OpenAI’s bid to make ChatGPT your conversational operating system. Think of it as the app store without the store. No icons, no screens, just conversation. You ask ChatGPT to plan a trip, it calls Expedia; you ask about housing, it queries Zillow; you design a logo, and Canva appears, seamlessly. The interface disappears. The agent decides. This is not a super-app in the Asian sense. It’s something deeper: an orchestration layer that sits above every other digital service, turning natural language into the default control surface for your digital life. If it works, ChatGPT stops being a chatbot and becomes the front end of the internet. We’ve been here before Anyone who has watched the history of Silicon Valley knows how this story goes. Platforms begin as enablers and end as gatekeepers. In the 1980s, Microsoft used Windows to control distribution. In the 2000s, Google turned search into an auction for attention. In the 2010s, Apple and Meta built app stores and ad ecosystems that extracted rents from everything that passed through them. Now, the interface itself, the conversation, becomes the platform. And the pattern is repeating. When ChatGPT “suggests” which app to use, who decides which ones appear? Zillow proudly claims to be the exclusive real-estate partner inside ChatGPT today. But what happens when competitors arrive, and we all know they will? Will placement depend on merit, or on bidding? Will we see a market where companies pay for their slot in the agent’s recommendations, as SEO for AI conversations? History suggests we will. The difference is that, this time, there’s no search results page to scrutinize. The decision happens invisibly, in the flow of a chat. The illusion of agency For users, the promise is pretty seductive and sounds apparently very well. You no longer need to juggle tabs or apps, the agent does it all, it even starts the conversations. But the price of convenience is asymmetry. When you ask ChatGPT to “find the best flight,” you’re not searching, you’re delegating. And we all know that delegation without transparency leads to dependence. Who audits the logic behind your agent’s choices? What data informs them? What economic incentives bias them? The more the interface simplifies, the more opaque the underlying process becomes. We’ve spent two decades complaining about algorithmic black boxes in search and social media. Now we’re about to build one around every digital decision we make. Compute as a barrier, distribution as capture The AMD alliance and the mini-apps announcement are two halves of the same strategy. Compute is the barrier to entry, distribution is the mechanism of capture. By securing vast energy and chip capacity, OpenAI ensures that no competitor can easily match its scale. By embedding itself as the interface to other apps, it ensures that even if competitors exist, they’ll have to go through its ecosystem to reach users. It’s the classic Silicon Valley playbook, executed with breathtaking speed and a layer of AI pixie dust. Altman learned from the best. He watched Apple, Google, and Facebook turn control of interfaces into control of economies. Now he’s applying the lesson to the age of agents: own the conversation, and you own the user. The energy question The AMD deal also underscores an uncomfortable truth: large-scale AI is energy-intensive by design. Six gigawatts is roughly the output of six nuclear reactors. Training and running advanced models already consume staggering amounts of power. What happens when the world’s most popular interface is also one of its biggest electricity buyers? OpenAI is not just building software: it’s building infrastructure with a carbon footprint and geopolitical consequences. When a private company starts locking up gigawatts of generation capacity, regulators should treat it not as a startup, but as a utility. The governance gap Every platform shift creates governance lags: rules arrive years after dominance is established. That’s how we ended up with app-store monopolies, ad-tech cartels, and search markets worth trillions, but accountable to no one. ChatGPT’s platformization is happening faster than any previous transition. And regulators, distracted by content moderation and copyright disputes, seem completely unprepared. The risks are not theoretical. Once an agent acts on your behalf (booking travel, recommending purchases, even making hiring decisions) it will be impossible to disentangle convenience from manipulation. The more we outsource judgment to machines, the easier it becomes for those who own the machines to shape our behavior. What happens next The momentum is undeniable. OpenAI is buying computing, embedding partners, and positioning ChatGPT as the front end of everything. The financial press reads it as a triumph of execution. The tech industry reads it as the dawn of agentic computing. Both may be right. But beneath the excitement, there’s a warning written in the footnotes of tech history. Every time a platform promises frictionless integration, it ends up centralizing power. Every time we think “this one will be different,” it isn’t. I’m not one more European obsessed with regulating everything, I’m just old enough to remember several previous experiences akin to this one. The world doesn’t need another operating system that mediates access to everything: it needs transparency, interoperability, and competition. If we don’t insist on them now, we may find ourselves living inside the most powerful black box ever built: one that doesn’t just answer our questions, but quietly decides which ones we’re allowed to ask. Be warned. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. October Prime Day is over, but some deals are still active. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more. Follow our live blog to stay up to date on the best sales we find. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. New to Prime Day? We have a primer on everything you need to know. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. Prime Day may have come and gone this fall, but you can still get top deals from coveted brands at their lowest price ever, like the Google Pixel Tablet (256GB), which is currently 38% off on Amazon in a post-Prime Day deal, marking its lowest price ever, according to price-trackers. Google Pixel Tablet (256GB) $309.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $190.00 Get Deal Get Deal $309.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $190.00 The Google Pixel boasts an 11-inch display with adaptive brightness and runs on Google’s Tensor G2 chip with 8 GB of RAM. The battery can provide around 12 hours of video streaming off a single charge, but this review from PCMag shows that claim may not be fully accurate. However, compared to the iPad, it has a similar battery life, lasting just 30 minutes less than the iPad, according to the tester. It features built-in Google AI and Gemini productivity tools, including Split Screen for multitasking and Magic Editor for easy photo editing. It supports WiFi 6 and hits peak download speeds of 380Mbps. The dual 8MP cameras capture 1080p video and can’t capture vivid details, but are good for video calls, which are supported by three microphones. Performance-wise, the tablet doesn’t lag and has a smooth, intuitive interface. While this model doesn’t come with the speaker dock, its front-facing speakers deliver clear, balanced audio. If you do purchase the additional dock, it has the ability to transform the tablet into a smart home hub, but even without he dock, it provides adequate sound for music, media, and podcasts. The design has a sleek, premium feel and is lightweight at 1.1 lbs. While it performs smoothly for daily tasks, it’s limited in refresh and contrast (no OLED or 120 Hz) compared to higher-end models. Overall, this tablet is a versatile dual-purpose device (especially if you choose to add on the speaker dock at some point), but even without it, it combines the best of an everyday tablet and a smart home hub. The Google Pixel Tablet (256GB) offers strong value for smart device control and media consumption for those who are part of the Google ecosystem; however, if you’re using it for detailed creative work or need a high refresh display, there are better options available. Our Best Editor-Vetted Prime Day Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $279.00 (List Price $349.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $148.94 (List Price $219.99) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Wyze Cam v4 2K Wired Wi-Fi Smart Security Camera (White) — $24.68 (List Price $35.98) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

If every afternoon, like clockwork, you find yourself at the vending machine punching in the code for your daily Diet Coke, you may want to rethink your selection. According to a newly released study, the popular drink may be doing damage to one of your body’s most important organs. The study, which was recently presented at the 2025 United European Gastroenterology Week conference in Berlin, involved tracking the beverage consumption habits of 123,788 participants. It found that just nine ounces of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), such as soda, can increase the risk of liver disease known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) by about 50%. However, when it comes to diet sodas, the findings are even worse. When it comes to diet drinks made with artificial sweeteners, the risk rises for 60%. At a 10.3 year follow-up, 108 of the participants had died from liver-related causes. However, while no significant association was found for the regular soda drinkers, consumption of low- or non-sugar-sweetened beverages (diet drinks) was linked to a higher rate of liver-related death. Both drinks were linked to higher liver fat content, as well. “SSBs have long been under scrutiny, while their ‘diet’ alternatives are often seen as the healthier choice. Both, however, are widely consumed and their effects on liver health have not been well understood,” lead author of the study, Lihe Liu, said in a press release. Liu continued, “Our study shows that LNSSBs were actually linked to a higher risk of MASLD, even at modest intake levels such as a single can per day. These findings challenge the common perception that these drinks are harmless and highlight the need to reconsider their role in diet and liver health, especially as MASLD emerges as a global health concern.” Diet beverages have also been associated with weight gain, insulin confusion, and even cancer. Regardless, Diet Coke has surged in popularity in recent years. Some social media users have even begun referring to the trendy habit as a “fridge cigarette,” given it’s a habit widely known to be unhealthy, but that just seems to hit the spot anyway. Experts say that it’s best to avoid consuming both drinks with any regularity. “The safest approach is to limit both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened drinks,” Liu says. “Water remains the best choice as it removes the metabolic burden and prevents fat accumulation in the liver, whilst hydrating the body.” View the full article

The MCP Server for Google Ads is now publicly available on GitHub, Google announced. This marks a major milestone in bringing AI agents closer to real-world marketing workflows. How it works. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that allows large language models to interact with external applications through natural language. The initial version of the MCP Server is read-only, designed for diagnostics and analytics. Developers can integrate it into any MCP-compatible AI system to retrieve insights from Google Ads accounts securely. Why we care. The release of the open-source Google Ads API Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server makes it easier for developers to connect AI models (like Google Gemini) directly to Google Ads data, unlocking new possibilities for campaign analysis, reporting, and automation. What’s next. Future iterations could expand beyond read-only functionality, potentially enabling AI-driven optimization or campaign management directly through MCP integrations. Google’s announcement. Open Source Google Ads API MCP Server View the full article

In an era where digital transformation is reshaping the business landscape, Stripe, the programmable financial services company, recently unveiled a groundbreaking suite of tools at its annual New York showcase that could dramatically impact small businesses. The introduction of Open Issuance, a platform enabling companies to launch their own stablecoins, promises to provide small businesses with greater autonomy over their financial operations. Additionally, Stripe’s new solutions for agentic commerce aim to help small enterprises leverage AI, making transactions smoother and more efficient. Will Gaybrick, Stripe’s president, technology and business, emphasizes the transformative potential of these developments: “Across stablecoins and AI, Stripe’s role is to pull frontier technology out of the experimental and into the mainstream.” For small business owners, this shift could open up a new realm of possibilities. Strikingly, the adoption of stablecoins is on the rise; their total supply grew 57% over the past year. Yet, many businesses that use coins issued by external providers miss out on the associated benefits, such as retaining yield from deposits. Traditionally, launching a proprietary stablecoin has posed significant challenges—regulatory compliance, liquidity management, and reserve management often deter small firms from pursuing this option. Enter Open Issuance. With this new platform, businesses can create and manage their own stablecoins with just a few lines of code, significantly reducing barriers to entry. They can freely mint and burn coins, customize reserves, and manage cash and treasury ratios. Notably, partnerships with renowned financial firms like BlackRock and Fidelity Investments for reserve management enhance this offering’s credibility. Zach Abrams, co-founder and CEO of Bridge, Stripe’s newly acquired stablecoin infrastructure company, states, “If money movement is core to your business, you should build with stablecoins. But don’t build on top of someone else’s coin.” This encapsulates the appeal of Open Issuance, allowing small businesses to create stablecoins that fit their specific needs and control the associated financial benefits. In addition to launching new stablecoins, Stripe offers features that could boost revenue for small businesses. The Optimized Checkout Suite now accepts recurring payments in stablecoins as a default option. This flexibility allows businesses to accommodate evolving customer preferences while streamlining operations. Moreover, businesses with Stripe’s Financial Accounts can now hold stablecoin balances, convert between fiat currencies, and manage payments cross-border—all of which can enhance cash flow management. As AI technologies integrate deeper into everyday commerce, Stripe has also introduced tools tailored for this evolving landscape. The new Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) allows businesses to transact within AI platforms. Small businesses can interact with AI agents for sales transactions while maintaining control over their branding and customer relationships. This promises to enhance customer engagement through AI, albeit requiring investment in technology and training. Furthermore, Stripe’s new tools facilitate hybrid revenue models, making it easier for small businesses to capitalize on subscription and usage-based pricing strategies. The introduction of enhanced fraud prevention measures via Stripe Radar also helps address common issues such as abuse of free trial periods, potentially saving small businesses from unexpected losses. Despite these promising developments, small business owners should consider a few challenges. While the benefits of stablecoins are enticing, navigating regulatory environments remains complex. The uniqueness of each business’s operational model may require tailored approaches, demanding time and resources that some small owners may find challenging to allocate. Additionally, the ongoing integration of AI into commerce may necessitate training and adaptation, which can be hurdles for businesses with limited technological expertise. Overall, Stripe’s recent announcements highlight a significant shift in how small businesses can approach financial technology, offering new avenues for growth and innovation. With the right strategies and understanding, small business owners can harness these advancements to drive economic gains while navigating the landscape’s inherent challenges. For further details on Stripe’s offerings and the full suite of product launches, visit the Stripe blog. Image via Stripe This article, "Stripe Unveils Open Issuance, Enabling Rapid Creation of Stablecoins" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In an era where digital transformation is reshaping the business landscape, Stripe, the programmable financial services company, recently unveiled a groundbreaking suite of tools at its annual New York showcase that could dramatically impact small businesses. The introduction of Open Issuance, a platform enabling companies to launch their own stablecoins, promises to provide small businesses with greater autonomy over their financial operations. Additionally, Stripe’s new solutions for agentic commerce aim to help small enterprises leverage AI, making transactions smoother and more efficient. Will Gaybrick, Stripe’s president, technology and business, emphasizes the transformative potential of these developments: “Across stablecoins and AI, Stripe’s role is to pull frontier technology out of the experimental and into the mainstream.” For small business owners, this shift could open up a new realm of possibilities. Strikingly, the adoption of stablecoins is on the rise; their total supply grew 57% over the past year. Yet, many businesses that use coins issued by external providers miss out on the associated benefits, such as retaining yield from deposits. Traditionally, launching a proprietary stablecoin has posed significant challenges—regulatory compliance, liquidity management, and reserve management often deter small firms from pursuing this option. Enter Open Issuance. With this new platform, businesses can create and manage their own stablecoins with just a few lines of code, significantly reducing barriers to entry. They can freely mint and burn coins, customize reserves, and manage cash and treasury ratios. Notably, partnerships with renowned financial firms like BlackRock and Fidelity Investments for reserve management enhance this offering’s credibility. Zach Abrams, co-founder and CEO of Bridge, Stripe’s newly acquired stablecoin infrastructure company, states, “If money movement is core to your business, you should build with stablecoins. But don’t build on top of someone else’s coin.” This encapsulates the appeal of Open Issuance, allowing small businesses to create stablecoins that fit their specific needs and control the associated financial benefits. In addition to launching new stablecoins, Stripe offers features that could boost revenue for small businesses. The Optimized Checkout Suite now accepts recurring payments in stablecoins as a default option. This flexibility allows businesses to accommodate evolving customer preferences while streamlining operations. Moreover, businesses with Stripe’s Financial Accounts can now hold stablecoin balances, convert between fiat currencies, and manage payments cross-border—all of which can enhance cash flow management. As AI technologies integrate deeper into everyday commerce, Stripe has also introduced tools tailored for this evolving landscape. The new Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) allows businesses to transact within AI platforms. Small businesses can interact with AI agents for sales transactions while maintaining control over their branding and customer relationships. This promises to enhance customer engagement through AI, albeit requiring investment in technology and training. Furthermore, Stripe’s new tools facilitate hybrid revenue models, making it easier for small businesses to capitalize on subscription and usage-based pricing strategies. The introduction of enhanced fraud prevention measures via Stripe Radar also helps address common issues such as abuse of free trial periods, potentially saving small businesses from unexpected losses. Despite these promising developments, small business owners should consider a few challenges. While the benefits of stablecoins are enticing, navigating regulatory environments remains complex. The uniqueness of each business’s operational model may require tailored approaches, demanding time and resources that some small owners may find challenging to allocate. Additionally, the ongoing integration of AI into commerce may necessitate training and adaptation, which can be hurdles for businesses with limited technological expertise. Overall, Stripe’s recent announcements highlight a significant shift in how small businesses can approach financial technology, offering new avenues for growth and innovation. With the right strategies and understanding, small business owners can harness these advancements to drive economic gains while navigating the landscape’s inherent challenges. For further details on Stripe’s offerings and the full suite of product launches, visit the Stripe blog. Image via Stripe This article, "Stripe Unveils Open Issuance, Enabling Rapid Creation of Stablecoins" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Thursday that it is opening an investigation into 2.88 million Tesla vehicles equipped with its Full Self-Driving system over more than 50 reports of traffic-safety violations and a series of crashes. The auto safety agency said FSD — an assistance system that requires drivers to pay attention and intervene if needed — has “induced vehicle behavior that violated traffic safety laws.” The agency said it has reports of Tesla vehicles using FSD driving through red traffic lights and driving against the proper direction of travel during a lane change. RECALL COULD FOLLOW IF NHTSA FINDS SAFETY RISKS In total, NHTSA is reviewing 58 reports of issues involving traffic safety violations when using FSD, including 14 crashes and 23 injuries. The new investigation comes amid growing scrutiny of Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system from Congress and weeks after a new NHTSA administrator was confirmed. Tesla, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, issued a software update to FSD this week. NHTSA said it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection.” NHTSA said four crashes resulted in one or more injuries. The investigation – a preliminary evaluation – is the first step before the agency could seek a recall of the vehicles if it believes they pose an unreasonable risk to safety. A driver in Houston in 2024 told NHTSA that FSD “is not recognizing traffic signals. This results in the vehicle proceeding through red lights, and stopping at green lights.” The complaint added: “Tesla doesn’t want to fix it, or even acknowledge the problem, even though they’ve done a test drive with me and seen the issue with their own eyes.” NHTSA also said it will review FSD behavior when approaching railroad crossings. Last month, Democrat Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal cited a growing number of reported near-collisions in urging the agency to investigate. Tesla’s FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year. In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced roadway visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust, including a 2023 fatal crash. Tesla says FSD “will drive you almost anywhere with your active supervision, requiring minimal intervention” but does not make the car self-driving. Tesla’s other automated vehicle features have also drawn agency scrutiny. In January, NHTSA opened an investigation into 2.6 million Tesla vehicles over reports of crashes involving a feature that lets users move their cars remotely. NHTSA is also reviewing Tesla’s deployment of self-driving robotaxis in Austin, Texas, launched in June. —David Shepardson, Reuters View the full article

Media tycoon’s Northern & Shell sues Gambling Commission over bid to run UK’s National LotteryView the full article

Here’s an action plan for your own journey. By Jackie Meyer Go PRO for members-only access to more Jackie Meyer. View the full article

Here’s an action plan for your own journey. By Jackie Meyer Go PRO for members-only access to more Jackie Meyer. View the full article

Welcome to AI Decoded, Fast Company’s weekly newsletter that breaks down the most important news in the world of AI. I’m Mark Sullivan, a senior writer at Fast Company, covering emerging tech, AI, and tech policy. This week, I’m focusing on how generative AI and agents might radically change websites. I also look at the “circular” arrangements that are financing the AI boom, and at Blackrock’s big move into data centers. Sign up to receive this newsletter every week via email here. And if you have comments on this issue and/or ideas for future ones, drop me a line at sullivan@fastcompany.com, and follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @thesullivan. How AI and agents could completely change websites At OpenAI’s developer event this week, the company had a lot to say about autonomous agents, the AI-powered helpers that can understand what a user needs (sometimes proactively) and then do the work of getting it. The common narrative this week based on OpenAI’s announcements is that the company is building a “platform” around ChatGPT and people will use the chatbot as a gateway to all sorts of web content. Freestanding websites (like Fast Company) will likely still exist, but they might look and work very differently when powered by large language models and agents. How might they change? A new UX. Right now, we use a mouse or a touchscreen to peruse menus, tap buttons, and scroll. We do all this either to see what the publisher has on offer, or to find the specific content we want within the virtual layers of information on the website. The only intelligence guiding that process is the descriptive language in the menus and buttons. AI models could inject much more intelligence into the experience. Users might be able to just talk to the interface and let the website gather the most relevant information in real time—similar to the way AI search engines like Perplexity form a custom package of multimedia information after a user enters a query. And all that information might change in front of the user’s eyes as they give the AI more instructions. In other words, websites may no longer have a standard structure dictating how and where content is displayed. It may depend entirely on what the user is looking for and how they describe their need. Agent, my agent. At OpenAI’s developer event on Monday, Christina Huang, one of the company’s execs, used the platform’s new Agent Builder tool to create an agent (live, onstage, in under eight minutes) that would act as a sort of concierge to help users at a standard web page the company built about the event. It showed developers the agent builder was the main point, but it also gave a glimpse of how OpenAI is thinking about the future of websites. Website visitors could tell the agent what they hoped to learn at the conference, and the agent would assemble a schedule full of the best panels and work groups to suit that end. The agent also had its own personality and visual style. The user interacted with it by typing, but it could easily have been a voice interaction between user and agent, which would have added a new dimension to the agent’s vibe. An intelligent UX and agents might play key roles in the websites of the future, or at least in the first phase of AI influencing how we access information online. From there, it could evolve to types of interaction that are hard to imagine right now. We should also remember that it may not be all about us (humans). Researchers are already trying to understand how websites might be coded differently for when most of the site’s visitors are AI agents. AI’s incestuous funding circle A growing number of people are voicing concern that just a few well-monied individuals and companies will control the AI that powers much of business and personal life, along with unprecedented amounts of personal information willingly fed into it by consumers. But the risks of AI’s small circle of big players may run deeper than that. AI’s biggest players are investing in each other, which some fear could be artificially inflating the stock prices and valuations of the whole group, as Bloomberg’s Emily Forgash and Agnee Ghosh point out. For example, Nvidia announced a $100-billion investment in OpenAI, which will buy about 2% equity in the company. Notably, the Nvidia investment will time the release of the funds according to the pace at which OpenAI buys the chips: Nvidia gets guaranteed chip sales and a 2% share of OpenAI. “[T]hese investments might be circular and raise related party concerns, as Nvidia may own shares in a customer that will likely use such funds to buy more Nvidia gear,” writes Morningstar equity analyst Brian Colello in a research brief. OpenAI struck a similar agreement with Microsoft when it took a $10-billion investment from the software giant, then used the money to buy its Azure cloud computing services. After facing criticism for the circular nature of the Nvidia deal, OpenAI doubled down and struck a similar deal with AMD, a rival AI chipmaker. OpenAI will buy large quantities of AMD’s Instinct AI chips on a set schedule over the next decade. If it keeps to the schedule, it’ll get the option of taking a 10% stake in AMD. The deal gives OpenAI a solid second source for AI chips, and could give AMD the stamp of approval it needs to become a legit challenger to Nvidia. AMD CEO Lisa Su called the arrangement a “virtuous, positive cycle.” OpenAI’s Sam Altman said during a meeting with reporters this week that the industry is still experimenting with the right financial models to pay for AI’s immense development and hosting costs. On Tuesday, reports said Nvidia will buy a stake of up to $2 billion in Elon Musk’s xAI, which is now raising a $20 billion round. The financing includes equity and debt and is tied to the purchase of Nvidia GPUs for xAI’s Colossus 2 data center in Memphis. The return on these big bets depends on how quickly AI can bring broad new efficiencies to big business, and, perhaps, find new ways to pry more dollars from consumers. There just isn’t much real evidence that these things are about to happen—not yet. As Bloomberg puts it, AI remains an “untested” technology in business. So all the funding and equity and chip contracts flying back and forth between these companies are, in a sense, just promises among a relatively small group of people that AI indeed will pass the tests that lay ahead. That’s why the word “bubble” is on everybody’s lips. Blackrock is moving hard on data centers and energy The big money is moving into AI data centers. Blackrock, the world’s largest asset manager, is reportedly in advanced talks to spend almost $40 billion to buy Aligned Data Centers, which owns 78 data centers across the U.S., Canada, and South America. That news came two days after reports that Blackrock is also in advanced talks to buy the utility company AES in a deal said to be worth $38 billion. Massive amounts of investment are pouring into the data center space, fueled by a belief that AI models will soon power many business and personal computing functions. Among the biggest barriers to such a transformation is a dearth of both AI computing power and the electricity needed to power it. M&A in both the data center and energy spaces has surged. Blackrock is doing the deals through its Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) subsidiary. The Aligned Data Center deal, which was reported Friday by Financial Times and confirmed by others, could close any day now. MGX, an Abu-Dhabi AI investment firm backed by Mubadala/G42, may also participate independently in the deal, the reports say. The deal would be one of the biggest acquisitions of the year. Earlier this year, Aligned raised $5 billion in equity and more than $7 billion in debt financing to expand its global footprint. GIP, which Blackrock bought in early 2024, already co-owns another data center group called CyrusOne, which it bought for $15 billion in 2021. Tech companies and data center developers will likely break ground or advance several hundred new data center projects by the end of 2025. A ConstructConnect report found that data center construction “starts” reached $12.9 billion by the end of June (with $2.4 billion in June alone), a 48% increase from the prior year. OpenAI’s “Stargate” project alone will build massive data centers on five new sites. The big money behind that project comes from Oracle, Softbank, OpenAI, MGX, and Nvidia. Blackrock, with more than $10 trillion under management is often called a “shadow bank” because it manages funds for governments, pension funds, endowments, insurance companies, and corporations, as well as for individual investors. More AI coverage from Fast Company: How to figure out if an executive is AI fluent The President’s coal bailout won’t solve the data center power crunch Sanders: AI may take 100 million jobs in the next 10 years What can the rise and fall of NFTs teach us about the AI bubble? Want exclusive reporting and trend analysis on technology, business innovation, future of work, and design? Sign up for Fast Company Premium. View the full article

Seven key filters to use. By Anthony Zecca Leading from the Edge Go PRO for members-only access to more Anthony Zecca. View the full article

Seven key filters to use. By Anthony Zecca Leading from the Edge Go PRO for members-only access to more Anthony Zecca. View the full article

Today's Bissett Bullet: “I told your person on the phone I was happy with what my accountant does. Good.” By Martin Bissett See more Bissett Bullets here Go PRO for members-only access to more Martin Bissett. View the full article

Today's Bissett Bullet: “I told your person on the phone I was happy with what my accountant does. Good.” By Martin Bissett See more Bissett Bullets here Go PRO for members-only access to more Martin Bissett. View the full article

IDEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with: I. Robert Dilenschneider on respect on: “ A starting point to develop and demonstrate respectfulness is to first respect yourself. You cannot respect others if you do not respect yourself. Paradoxically, gaining self-respect requires not looking to others for respect or validation. It is a quality that must come from within. Then, and only then, can it extend outwardly authentically.” Source: Respect: How to Change the World One Interaction at a Time II. Sébastien Page on debating with brilliant people: “‘Your idea is not you.’ He believes you should approach intellectual debates on technical or complex matters with open-minded curiosity and an unquenchable thirst for the truth. You shouldn’t take anything personally. Start by putting all the facts on the table. Too often, heated debates occur because people aren’t starting from the same facts. And before you disagree, take a second to point out something you agree on. Explain that you’re about to debate ideas, nothing personal. Encourage people to be clear when they’re playing devil’s advocate. With clear rules of the game and genuine respect amongst members, IQ-led debates can turn into positive experiences. There’s no reason to sacrifice relationships to get there. ” Source: The Psychology of Leadership: Timeless principles to perfect your leadership of individuals, teams… and yourself! * * * Look for these ideas every Thursday on the Leading Blog. Find more ideas on the LeadingThoughts index. * * * Follow us on Instagram and X for additional leadership and personal development ideas. View the full article

This checklist combines proven SEO essentials with the new steps that matter for AI search. No fluff, no fuss. It will help you strengthen your SEO foundation, adapt to changing behaviors in AI search, and keep your brand visible across…Read more ›View the full article

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney raised the prospect of reviving the contentious Keystone XL pipeline project with U.S. President Donald The President during his White House visit this week, a government official familiar with the matter said Wednesday. A Canadian company pulled the plug on it four years ago after the Canadian government failed to persuade then-President Joe Biden to reverse his cancellation of its permit on the day he took office. It was to transport crude from the oil sand fields of western Canada to Steele City, Nebraska. The President previously revived the long-delayed project during his first term after it had stalled under the Obama administration. It would have moved up to 830,000 barrels (35 million gallons) of crude daily, connecting in Nebraska to other pipelines that feed oil refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. The Canadian government official said The President was receptive to the idea when it was talked about during their White House meeting Wednesday. The official said Carney linked energy cooperation to Canada’s steel and aluminum sectors, which are subject to 50% U.S. tariffs. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Carney mentioned building major projects and “unleashing Canadian energy” in a live video call with business leaders in Toronto on Wednesday. Biden canceled Keystone XL’s border crossing permit in 2021 over longstanding concerns that burning oil sands crude could make climate change worse and harder to reverse. A spokesperson for South Bow Corp., the oil pipeline operator that owns the existing Keystone pipeline system, said they are not privy to the ongoing discussions between the Canadian and U.S. governments. “South Bow is supportive of efforts to find solutions that increase the transportation of Canadian crude oil. We will continue to explore opportunities that leverage our existing corridor with our customers and others in the industry,” the spokesperson said in an email. Carney is under pressure from the oil-rich province of Alberta to get a pipeline built. Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said building a new pipeline to increase oil shipments to the U.S. Gulf Coast would be the cheapest, fastest, and least complicated route for a major oil pipeline. “Strategically, this would increase, not decrease our dependance on the US export market. But it would be a brilliant judo move to find common ground with the The President Administration, and help him to realize that the US benefits from and needs its privileged relationship to Canada, and access to our resources,” Kenney posted on social media. “Played smartly, Canada’s cooperation could be strong leverage to push for reductions in The President tariffs,” he added. Carney mentioned Wednesday in the call that tariffs on Canada’s aluminum exports are not wise, noting the country provides 60% of the aluminum the U.S. needs. “For the U.S. to produce that much aluminum, it would need the equivalent of the energy of 10 Hoover Dams,” Carney said. “Is making aluminum really the first best use of that power at a time when you’ve got the AI revolution, and you’re reassuring manufacturing that you want to keep people’s electricity costs down at home.” Carney also reiterated that Canada’s relationship with the U.S., which led to increasing integration over many years, has changed. “Our relationship will never again be what it was,” Carney said. “We understand America first.” —Rob Gillies, Associated Press View the full article

A series of social media posts, from the US president over the weekend and then from the FHFA director and real estate scion Pulte on Wednesday, are helping put an S&P gauge of builders on track for a four-day losing streak. View the full article

Welcome to the first episode of The Exit Strategy, where founders open up about what really happens when you sell your business- the tough calls, the lucky breaks, and the lessons you only learn by living them. To kick things off, I sat down with Keith Schacht, co-founder of Mystery Science, an education startup that sold to Discovery Education for $140 million. Keith’s story isn’t just about a big payday—it’s about timing, focus, and the courage to start over. Knowing When to Sell Keith didn’t sell because he was burned out. He sold because the timing was perfect. As he watched the edtech world heat up, especially during the pandemic, he realized something important: Mystery Science was more valuable to buyers than to him at that moment. Rather than waiting for growth to plateau, he and co-founder Doug decided to sell while the market was hot. “We saw the consolidation wave coming,” Keith said. “You don’t want to sell when you have to but you want to sell when you can.” Takeaway: Keep a pulse on your industry. If your business is thriving and the market is peaking, it might be the ideal time to exit,a and not the time to double down. Structuring the Deal on Your Terms Keith and Doug were clear about one thing: they didn’t want to sell everything. They carved off the school-focused part of the business for Discovery Education and kept the consumer side for themselves. They also negotiated not to stay on after the sale, freeing them to explore new ventures immediately. “We wanted to retain the creative parts that mattered most to us,” Keith explained. “That made the deal work for both sides.” Takeaway: Think carefully about what you sell and what you keep. The best deals give you both liquidity and freedom for what’s next. How Mystery Science Went Viral One of Mystery Science’s biggest secrets? They barely had a sales team. Instead, they built their growth around referrals- 95% of new teachers came from other teachers. Keith borrowed strategies from consumer tech and applied them to education. “We engineered virality,” he said. “If teachers loved it, we made it easy for them to share.” Takeaway: Find the natural sharing loop in your customer base. Build tools and incentives around it, and your users will do the marketing for you. Surviving Due Diligence Selling a business isn’t just about finding a buyer, it’s about surviving due diligence without losing your sanity. Keith and Doug kept the process tight, involving only a few trusted team members and hiring top-tier legal help. They documented everything in advance, so there were no surprises. “The diligence process is like an audit and a therapy session combined,” Keith laughed. “You need pros in your corner.” Takeaway: Get organized early, hire great advisors, and protect your time. The best founders keep their business running smoothly even while the sale is underway. Helping the Team Transition Acquisitions can rattle even the strongest teams. Keith’s approach? Prepare them well before the sale. He built a leadership team that could operate independently, which made the transition to Discovery Education smoother. Many employees even found new opportunities there. Takeaway: Take care of your people. A smooth handoff builds goodwill and your reputation follows you into your next venture. Life After the Sale Post-exit life wasn’t all smooth sailing. Because of IP restrictions, Keith couldn’t use the Mystery Science brand or content in future products. The new consumer venture he started eventually shut down after three years. “You think you’ll just build the next thing faster but sometimes, you have to start from scratch,” he said. Takeaway: When negotiating a sale, pay close attention to brand and IP rights. If you can’t keep them, be ready for a clean reboot. Luck, Timing, and Passion Keith is the first to admit that luck played a role. The pandemic boom in digital education helped, but so did years of passion for teaching science creatively. “You can’t control timing,” he said. “But you can control whether you’re doing something you care about enough to keep at it until the timing hits.” Takeaway: Passion fuels perseverance and perseverance meets luck. Lessons for Small Business Owners Watch the market: Sell when the conditions are great, not when you’re tired. • Keep what matters: Structure deals that preserve your future opportunities. • Build virality: A great product plus word-of-mouth can beat any sales team. • Be ready for diligence: Preparation and good advisors save headaches later. • Support your team: They’ll remember how you handled the transition. • Plan your next act: Be realistic about what you can (and can’t) use post-sale. • Stay humble: Entrepreneurship is equal parts skill, timing, and luck. Final Thoughts Keith Schacht’s story is more than a case study, it’s a reminder that selling your company isn’t the end of the story. It’s just a new chapter. For founders, his journey offers a roadmap: stay curious, act before you’re forced to, and never forget why you started in the first place. Because in the end, as Keith says, entrepreneurship is a combination lock, you just have to keep turning the tumblers until it clicks. This article, "Behind the Scenes of a $140 Million Sale: Keith Schacht’s Journey with Mystery Science" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Welcome to the first episode of The Exit Strategy, where founders open up about what really happens when you sell your business- the tough calls, the lucky breaks, and the lessons you only learn by living them. To kick things off, I sat down with Keith Schacht, co-founder of Mystery Science, an education startup that sold to Discovery Education for $140 million. Keith’s story isn’t just about a big payday—it’s about timing, focus, and the courage to start over. Knowing When to Sell Keith didn’t sell because he was burned out. He sold because the timing was perfect. As he watched the edtech world heat up, especially during the pandemic, he realized something important: Mystery Science was more valuable to buyers than to him at that moment. Rather than waiting for growth to plateau, he and co-founder Doug decided to sell while the market was hot. “We saw the consolidation wave coming,” Keith said. “You don’t want to sell when you have to but you want to sell when you can.” Takeaway: Keep a pulse on your industry. If your business is thriving and the market is peaking, it might be the ideal time to exit,a and not the time to double down. Structuring the Deal on Your Terms Keith and Doug were clear about one thing: they didn’t want to sell everything. They carved off the school-focused part of the business for Discovery Education and kept the consumer side for themselves. They also negotiated not to stay on after the sale, freeing them to explore new ventures immediately. “We wanted to retain the creative parts that mattered most to us,” Keith explained. “That made the deal work for both sides.” Takeaway: Think carefully about what you sell and what you keep. The best deals give you both liquidity and freedom for what’s next. How Mystery Science Went Viral One of Mystery Science’s biggest secrets? They barely had a sales team. Instead, they built their growth around referrals- 95% of new teachers came from other teachers. Keith borrowed strategies from consumer tech and applied them to education. “We engineered virality,” he said. “If teachers loved it, we made it easy for them to share.” Takeaway: Find the natural sharing loop in your customer base. Build tools and incentives around it, and your users will do the marketing for you. Surviving Due Diligence Selling a business isn’t just about finding a buyer, it’s about surviving due diligence without losing your sanity. Keith and Doug kept the process tight, involving only a few trusted team members and hiring top-tier legal help. They documented everything in advance, so there were no surprises. “The diligence process is like an audit and a therapy session combined,” Keith laughed. “You need pros in your corner.” Takeaway: Get organized early, hire great advisors, and protect your time. The best founders keep their business running smoothly even while the sale is underway. Helping the Team Transition Acquisitions can rattle even the strongest teams. Keith’s approach? Prepare them well before the sale. He built a leadership team that could operate independently, which made the transition to Discovery Education smoother. Many employees even found new opportunities there. Takeaway: Take care of your people. A smooth handoff builds goodwill and your reputation follows you into your next venture. Life After the Sale Post-exit life wasn’t all smooth sailing. Because of IP restrictions, Keith couldn’t use the Mystery Science brand or content in future products. The new consumer venture he started eventually shut down after three years. “You think you’ll just build the next thing faster but sometimes, you have to start from scratch,” he said. Takeaway: When negotiating a sale, pay close attention to brand and IP rights. If you can’t keep them, be ready for a clean reboot. Luck, Timing, and Passion Keith is the first to admit that luck played a role. The pandemic boom in digital education helped, but so did years of passion for teaching science creatively. “You can’t control timing,” he said. “But you can control whether you’re doing something you care about enough to keep at it until the timing hits.” Takeaway: Passion fuels perseverance and perseverance meets luck. Lessons for Small Business Owners Watch the market: Sell when the conditions are great, not when you’re tired. • Keep what matters: Structure deals that preserve your future opportunities. • Build virality: A great product plus word-of-mouth can beat any sales team. • Be ready for diligence: Preparation and good advisors save headaches later. • Support your team: They’ll remember how you handled the transition. • Plan your next act: Be realistic about what you can (and can’t) use post-sale. • Stay humble: Entrepreneurship is equal parts skill, timing, and luck. Final Thoughts Keith Schacht’s story is more than a case study, it’s a reminder that selling your company isn’t the end of the story. It’s just a new chapter. For founders, his journey offers a roadmap: stay curious, act before you’re forced to, and never forget why you started in the first place. Because in the end, as Keith says, entrepreneurship is a combination lock, you just have to keep turning the tumblers until it clicks. This article, "Behind the Scenes of a $140 Million Sale: Keith Schacht’s Journey with Mystery Science" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Let’s discuss chaos — or just mildly embarrassing / funny / off-key things — that happened when you were eating in a restaurant for work. Some stories that have been shared here in the past: I was in my mid-twenties traveling to a conference with my fifty-something boss. He could be odd and a bit awkward but never creepy or inappropriate. We were having dinner at the hotel restaurant when approached by a violin player obviously offering romantic musical accompaniment. I politely declined but my boss excitedly requested a specific piece. I then had to sit there awkwardly for several minutes while the violin player played his piece circling around us as if he was enhancing our romantic dinner. My boss smiled the whole time and afterward spoke about how lovely the music was as if he had no clue everyone was thinking I was his much younger mistress meeting up at with him at a hotel. We were both married to other people and after this we went back to discussing business. • • • • • I had just been promoted and my new boss invited me to lunch to discuss the job and any suggestions I might have. Having been a faceless drone for most of my short career, I was beyond excited and desperate to make a good impression. Above all, I wanted to order something tidy and easy to eat so that I could spend the lunch hour being insightful, witty, and bristling with helpful contributions. I ordered French onion soup. While channeling the business version of Dorothy Parker/Oscar Wilde, I quickly swallowed a spoonful of soup and discovered to my horror that the glob of rubbery cheese now nestled in my stomach, was attached via a rope of the stuff to the glob still in the soup bowl. While gagging and choking, I bit and gnashed at the rope like a demented shark, hoping I could finally swallow it and be free. A memorable first impression. • • • • • My third interview for my very first managerial job involved me flying into Chicago where I would be meeting with “the Big Boss” right at the airport. Finding each other, he suggested we get a table at one of the restaurants, where we both ordered sodas. As he was speaking, keeping my eyes focused on his face, I bent down to take a sip of my soda. My straw went way up one of my nostrils! Neither of us said anything and I prayed he somehow had not noticed. I got the job! Years later, it was time for me to move on. On my last day, that same boss called me in to say good bye. Grinning ear to ear, he asked me if I remembered what he called “the Straw Incident” when he had first interviewed me. (As if that were something I could forget!) • • • • • At a business meeting at a private club, I ordered a glass of lemonade and received a glass of lemon juice. Nothing like a cool refreshing mouthful of acid! • • • • • My brother’s mother-in-law was a vegetarian in a rural community who once accompanied her husband to his company’s annual dinner. The dinner organizers were very proud of themselves for coming up with something they assured her was much better than the plates of plain vegetables she’d been served in the past. Her husband got steak. She got a slice of watermelon cut into the shape of a steak. • • • • • Please share your own stories of work restaurant meals gone wrong in the comment section. The post let’s discuss chaos at work restaurant meals appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

iPhone users have a new tool to combat the scourge of nuisance phone calls: a virtual gatekeeper that can screen incoming calls from unknown numbers. It’s among the bevy of new features that Apple rolled out with last month’s release of iOS 26. The screening feature has been getting attention because of the ever-increasing amount of robocalls and spam calls that leave many phone users feeling harassed. Here’s a run-through of the new function: How to activate call screening First, you’ll need to update your iPhone’s operating system to iOS 26, which is available to the iPhone 11 and newer models. To switch call screening on, go into Settings—Apps—Phone. Scroll down and you’ll find a new option: Screen Unknown Callers. You’ll be presented with three choices. The Never option lets any unknown call ring through, while Silence sends all unidentified numbers directly to voicemail. What you want to tap is the middle option: Ask Reason for Calling. If the option isn’t there, try restarting your phone. I still couldn’t find it after updating to iOS 26, but, after some online sleuthing, I checked my region and language settings because I saw some online commenters reporting they had to match. It turns out my region was still set to Hong Kong, where I lived years ago. I switched it to the United Kingdom, which seemed to do the trick and gave me the updated menu. How it works Call screening introduces a layer between you and new callers. When someone who’s not in your contacts list dials your number, a Siri-style voice will ask them to give their name and the purpose of their call. At the same time, you’ll get a notification that the call is being screened. When the caller responds, the answers will be transcribed and the conversation will pop up in speech bubbles. You can then answer the call. Don’t want to answer? Send a reply by tapping one of the pre-written messages, such as “I’ll call you later” or “Send more information,” which the AI voice will read out to the caller. Or you can type out your own message for the computer-generated voice to read out. If you don’t respond right away, the phone will continue to ring while you decide what to do. Teething troubles In theory, call screening is a handy third way between the nuclear option of silencing all unknown callers — including legitimate ones — or letting them all through. But it doesn’t always work perfectly, according to Associated Press colleagues and anecdotal reports from social media users. One AP colleague said she was impressed with how seamlessly it worked. Another said it’s handy for screening out cold callers who found his number from marketing databases. “However, it’s not great when delivery drivers try to call me and then just hang up,” he added. Some internet users have similar complaints, complaining that important calls that they were expecting from their auto mechanic or plumber didn’t make it through. Perhaps the callers assumed it was an answering machine and didn’t seem to realize they had to stay on the line and interact with it. I encountered a different issue the first time it kicked in for me, when an unknown caller — whether mistakenly or not — threw me off by giving my name instead of theirs. So I answered because I assumed it was someone I knew, forgetting that I could tap out a reply asking them again for their name. The caller turned out to be someone who had obtained my name and number and was trying to get me to do a survey. I had to make my excuses and hang up. If you don’t like call screening, you can turn it off at any time. As for Android Apple is catching up with Google, which introduced a similar automatic call screening feature years ago for Pixel users in the United States. Last month, the company announced the feature is rolling out to users in three more countries: Australia, Canada and Ireland. If it’s not already on, go to your Phone app’s Settings and look for Call Screen. Google’s version is even more automated. When someone you don’t know calls, the phone will ask who it is and why they’re calling. It will hang up if it determines that it’s a junk call, but let calls it deems to be legit ring through. Google warns that not all spam calls and robocalls can be detected, nor will it always fully understand and transcribe what a caller says. Samsung, too, lets users of its Galaxy Android phones screen calls by using its AI assistant Bixby’s text call function, which works in a similar way. Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip. —Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer View the full article