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In Texas, a Republican senator just introduced a bill that would require wastewater treatment facilities to do some extra testing—essentially making guidelines more stringent than those currently federally mandated. While that might sound like an uncharacteristically environmentally forward cause for a Texas Republican, what the senator wants to test for may give you even greater pause: It’s the abortion medication mifepristone. On Monday, Senator Bryan Hughes of Texas’s first district introduced bill SB1976, which would require testing for a number of “urinary metabolites in the form of gluconates,” including hormones like testosterone; ethinyl estradiol (which is common in birth control pills); and mifepristone, aka the abortion pill. While introducing the bill, Hughes told committee members that there is a particular concern around “endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as those found in birth control,” not being removed during treatment that may reenter the water supply. He pointed to “abnormalities in pregnant women and children” as a result of those contaminants and said “a lot of research has been done on this.” The interest in chemicals in wastewater makes sense. Experts agree that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are concerning for humans and wildlife for a number of reasons. They may cause certain cancers or metabolic disorders, and last year, research from the Endocrine Society pointed to the possibility that girls may be starting puberty earlier due to EDCs. And, worse, they’re essentially everywhere. They show up in personal care products, plastic, pesticides, industrial waste, and therefore, wastewater. Medications are excreted from humans into wastewater, not to mention from patients flushing leftover pills down the toilet. Some compounds are exceptionally tough to break down, too. Per the EPA’s 2009 Health Services Industry study, ‘‘synthetic compounds, such as pharmaceuticals, are often manufactured to be resistant to metabolic transformation. As a result, some pharmaceutical compounds that are present in the influent to POTWs (treatment facilities) may pass through treatment systems at conventional POTWs and discharge to receiving waters.’’ But if endocrine-disrupting chemicals are everywhere, where does the interest in mifepristone come from? Fast Company reached out to Senator Hughes to find out what evidence has been found to indicate that public safety depends on testing for mifepristone, or the chemical in birth control, but did not hear back by the time of publication. However, environmental experts are not convinced that bills like this make sense. Dr. Kimberly Garrett, PhD, MHP, an environmental toxicologist and postdoctoral researcher with Northeastern University’s Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute PFAS Project Lab, reviewed bill SB1976 and told Fast Company in a statement that it is “unscientific” and even called it “a form of weaponized environmentalism.” Garrett explained that while it may make sense to test for industrial chemicals—given that the main source of EDC pollution is from industrial and agricultural emissions—she doesn’t believe that is the bill’s goal. “Texas legislature is misappropriating environmental concerns about endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) to limit the reproductive health and choices of its residents,” she said. Further, Garrett explained that the method proposed in the bill won’t address the problem of EDCs in wastewater. “Notably, the bill targets urinary metabolites rather than the chemicals themselves. Urinary metabolites are waste products excreted after chemicals (including endogenous hormones) travel through the liver. Effectively, metabolite monitoring as proposed in this bill targets only an individual and their liver as an indicator of personal behavior.” Abortion-rights advocates raise concerns While it’s unclear what the real environmental goal for the bill is, there is another group with a specific interest in mifepristone and birth control chemicals in wastewater, which may have spurred the recent political interest. Students for Life, an anti-abortion group that advocates staunchly against the use of mifepristone, has been fighting for bills that target the drug. The group has long attacked the drug, alleging that it is unsafe and harmful to women, but the environmental argument is fairly new. In 2024, Students for Life sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calling on the organization to begin tracking mifepristone in addition to PFAS in wastewater on the basis that it presents a public health concern. The group has been succeeding in its efforts, too. According to Jessica Valenti, an abortion reporter who writes the Abortion, Every Day newsletter, in addition to the new Texas bill, legislation that calls for testing wastewater for mifepristone has been introduced in Oklahoma, Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, Maine, Idaho, and West Virginia. Valenti asserts that Students for Life has clear motives that have to do more with painting abortion medication as “toxic” rather than out of any real concern for the environment. “SFL has been lobbying the FDA to force women to bag up their blood and return it to a doctor as medical waste,” Valenti wrote. “One of the reasons conservatives hate abortion medication so much is that it robs them of the ability to harass patients outside of clinics.” Fast Company reached out to Students for Life for comment. Valenti also pressed that the bill may seek to target gender-affirming care, too, given that the list of hormones it wants to test for includes testosterone and estrone. “These are naturally occurring hormones, but conservatives could argue that an increase in either is proof that more people are getting gender-affirming treatment—or that the hormones are harming the environment,” Valenti wrote. During the Texas Senate committee’s meeting on Monday, the bill appeared to have some support, though Senator Nathan Johnson, a democrat, spoke out against it. After questioning experts about the scientific reasoning for the bill, Johnson gave a one-liner that mimicked both Valenti’s and Garrett’s concerns. He said that the legislation is more about “hunting for women who are using mifepristone,” rather than public health. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. Remember the letter-writer who manages a terrible slob and asked how to convince her upset coworker that it’s being handled? Here’s the update. I actually have an update to this situation right now! I appreciated so much of the advice in the comments, as well as yours. I didn’t get much into everything I had done with Sally since my question was really about Susie, but it really did sound like I was blowing off Susie without that additional context! Susie and Sally have separate offices with doors on a large campus. Most of Susie’s work happens on her computer, except for an occasional client meeting (once a week or so, which are not random and always scheduled in advance). Susie’s office is pristine. She has been offered the chance to switch offices to be away from Sally, and we are all permitted to work from home up to three times a week. Susie has refused both options. The nature of Sally’s work is only possible at that office so she is unable to transfer (the tools she needs are only available there). I do work from their office at minimum two times a week to keep an eye on the situation. Truly, I do not understand how the mess grows so large so quickly … it’s impressive and baffling. We work in a creative field, so this isn’t just typical paperwork and office supplies, but paints, tools, etc. I supervise a team of seven, and much of my direct responsibilities need to happen in my office. Between managing the other five people on the team and my own projects, babysitting the mess with Sally is adding quite a bit to my workload. And yes, per my boss, I do drop what I am doing to drive to the other office to clean if needed. The messes are frequent, but I want to make it clear that Susie will still call me crying over a mess that has already been cleaned. The mess could occur and be cleaned up on a Monday, and Susie is still calling me crying about it on a Friday. Along with a load of coaching, feedback, and less formal conversations, Sally has also been written up three times and is now on a PIP. This is the process in my company. My hands were tied by HR, who for some reason have a soft spot for Sally. I am a middle manager and had to go through my supervisor and HR — I don’t actually have the authority to fire anyone. The process was in place, I just had no idea how to professionally convey this information to Susie. I also want to add, Susie is continuously exceeding her goals and has been given a raise recently. Other than her mess, Sally also produces excellent work. Susie and Sally are actually quite good friends and hang out a lot outside of work. Susie recently had a baby and Sally threw a shower. I think that plays into this — Susie is not being completely honest with Sally on how this makes her feel, while also feeling obligated as a friend to help. I’m honestly surprised Sally never shared about the write-ups with Susie because they do seem to discuss everything. Anyway, for the update! Per our company’s policy, Sally was placed on the PIP, which she responded to well. She knew it was coming and has, so far, appreciated the clear direction. Unfortunately, she is dealing with a mental health crisis at the moment, and the problem with the messes really increased after a traumatic event in her life this winter. She is working with a doctor to address this issue at home with her family too, and is going to be looking into some extended time off. We’re working with our HR department to put some formal accommodations in place. She does produce excellent work and is a client favorite. I always wanted to see her succeed! As for Susie, she did actually catch on that my boss and I were actively addressing the situation with Sally because another coworker pointed it out (“don’t you notice that she has twice as many meetings with Sally as anyone else, and she comes out here multiple times a week, and continuously has HR check-ins on her calendar?”) I’m a little grateful that other team member pointed out what I was trying to allude to. Now that Sally has been more up-front about her personal situation, Susie has apologized to both Sally and I for responding with such anger. She and I have developed a system where she sends me a message on Teams that says “please come to our office today” if a mess needs to be addressed. She, thankfully, is starting to stop cleaning up after Sally and letting me know before it gets too bad so I can assist Sally with getting it cleaned up herself. Another great update — my boss voiced to me that she made a mistake by not escalating this to HR faster, and she has made a plan to spend more time at Sally’s office to help her address the ongoing mess. I appreciate the advice from you and read your site often! Thank you for what you do! View the full article

The highly volatile interest rate environment will actually result in higher refinance mortgage volume than previous forecast for 2025 and 2026. View the full article

Google domains are consolidating to Google.com. Learn what this could mean for hreflang tags and what SEO steps you should take now. The post Google’s New Domain Structure: What’s Next For Hreflang? appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

TikTok launched two new ad placement controls – Video Exclusion List and Profile Feed Exclusion List – giving brands more power to block specific videos and user profiles from appearing alongside their ads. The update is part of TikTok’s broader Safety Suite, and comes alongside the debut of a new Brand Safety & Suitability Playbook to help advertisers navigate their options. What’s new. Two new tools are now available globally via the Brand Safety Hub in TikTok Ads Manager. Advertisers can manage their lists directly or partner with third-party verification firms: Video Exclusion List. Advertisers can block individual video IDs from appearing next to their ads, enabling near real-time control over ad adjacency. Profile Feed Exclusion List. Brands can exclude ads from running alongside specific TikTok user profiles, adding another layer of customization for sensitive placements. Why we care. As advertisers grow more selective about where and how their brands show up online, due to brand safety issues, platforms are under pressure to offer fine-tuned control over ad placements – especially in user-generated content environments. The playbook. TikTok also released its Brand Safety & Suitability Playbook, a comprehensive guide to its ad safety solutions. What’s inside: One-pagers on every tool in the Safety Suite. Industry-specific examples and case studies. Decision trees for choosing the right controls. Step-by-step activation walkthroughs. Between the lines. TikTok is shifting the conversation from brand safety to brand alignment, acknowledging that what’s “safe” isn’t always “right” for every brand. “Beyond brand safety, brands have unique values and preferences when it comes to ad placement,” the company said. View the full article

Key Takeaways Personalized Engagement: Custom stories create unique narratives that capture customer interests and experiences, fostering deeper emotional connections and loyalty. Enhanced Marketing Strategy: Incorporating custom stories into marketing efforts can significantly boost customer acquisition and retention by showcasing relatable narratives and testimonials. Diverse Applications: Custom stories can be utilized across various sectors, including gaming, education, and employee training, to captivate audiences and improve outcomes. Technological Integration: Utilizing AI, data analysis tools, and collaboration software streamlines the process of creating and distributing custom stories, enhancing operational efficiency. Cultural Adaptability: Custom stories can be tailored in different languages and themes to resonate with diverse audiences, broadening reach and impact. Competitive Advantage: Businesses that adopt custom storytelling strategies can differentiate themselves in a crowded market, driving growth and fostering brand loyalty. Imagine a world where every story is uniquely yours. Custom stories offer you the chance to dive into narratives crafted specifically to reflect your interests, preferences, and experiences. Whether you’re looking for a personalized gift, an engaging way to teach a lesson, or simply a fun escape, custom stories bring imagination to life in a way that generic tales can’t. In today’s fast-paced digital age, the demand for personalized content has skyrocketed. Custom stories not only entertain but also create lasting memories, making them perfect for any occasion. With the ability to tailor characters, settings, and plots, you can transform ordinary storytelling into an extraordinary adventure that resonates with your heart and soul. Get ready to explore the magic of custom stories and discover how they can enrich your life. Overview of Custom Stories Custom stories enable small businesses to craft unique narratives that resonate with customers. These personalized tales cater to individual interests and experiences, making them an effective tool for enhancing customer engagement. As businesses strive to differentiate themselves in a crowded market, the ability to tailor content gives you a competitive edge. Creating custom stories involves customizing characters, settings, and plots that align with your brand’s mission and values. This process not only fosters emotional connections with your audience but also enhances customer retention. When customers see themselves represented in the stories you tell, they are more likely to form a lasting relationship with your business. In today’s digital landscape, personalized content experiences play a crucial role in business growth. Custom stories can serve as powerful marketing strategies, helping you attract and retain clients by building brand loyalty. By integrating these narratives into your marketing campaigns, you effectively communicate your unique offerings and elevate customer service. Utilizing technology solutions and software tools can streamline the creation of custom stories. Employing data analysis helps you understand your audience’s preferences and tailor narratives accordingly. This strategic approach to content development enhances operational efficiency and aligns with your business goals. Incorporating custom stories into your marketing efforts can also drive sales and improve overall performance. Engaging narratives will capture attention, encourage sharing, and bolster your brand’s visibility, ultimately contributing to your business expansion and long-term success. Benefits of Custom Stories Custom stories offer numerous advantages that can significantly enhance your small business’s engagement and customer retention strategies. Personalization and Uniqueness Personalization stands at the core of custom stories, allowing you to create narratives that reflect your customer’s identity and experiences. When you incorporate elements relevant to your audience, such as their names or interests, you foster a deeper emotional connection. This unique representation boosts customers’ self-esteem and loyalty, ultimately leading to improved customer retention. Personalized stories resonate with your audience, instilling a sense of belonging that generic marketing rarely achieves. Enhanced Engagement Enhanced engagement through custom stories transforms how you interact with your customers. Personalized narratives capture attention effectively, motivating customers to participate actively with your brand. When they see themselves as the main characters in your storytelling, their interest in your products or services increases. You can leverage this strategy in marketing campaigns, maximizing the potential to boost customer acquisition. Engaging stories create memorable experiences, allowing your small business to stand out in a competitive market, elevating your overall business development efforts. Creating Custom Stories Custom stories enable small businesses to tailor narratives that resonate with customers. These personalized tales enhance engagement and create lasting connections, ultimately driving customer retention and business growth. Key Elements to Consider Personalization: Custom stories incorporate personal details, like the customer’s name, interests, and experiences. Personalization fosters a strong sense of connection and relevance, making your audience feel understood and valued. Language and Cultural Adaptation: Custom stories can be crafted in multiple languages, ensuring the tone and moral lessons translate effectively across cultures. This adaptability broadens your reach, allowing you to connect with diverse customer bases and enhance employee training efforts. Themes and Lessons: Selecting specific moral lessons or themes related to your audience’s life or interests strengthens the emotional impact of your narratives. Consider integrating lessons that align with your brand’s values and mission, enhancing your marketing strategy. Tools and Platforms Utilizing technology solutions and software tools streamlines the creation of custom stories. Here’s a list of effective resources: AI Content Generators: Leverage AI-powered platforms that assist in crafting stories based on input elements, optimizing workflow and saving time in the content creation process. Collaboration Tools: Use project management software to coordinate content development among team members. Tools like Trello or Asana improve team management and ensure deadlines are met. Data Analysis Tools: Incorporate business analytics tools to analyze customer feedback and engagement. Understanding your audience’s preferences supports informed decision-making and refines your storytelling approach. Marketing Automation: Implement marketing automation platforms to effectively distribute your custom stories. Automating campaigns enhances customer acquisition efforts while strengthening brand management. Adapting these elements ensures your custom stories resonate with your audience, driving engagement and fostering brand loyalty. Examples of Custom Stories Custom stories play a significant role in diverse settings, allowing you to craft tailored narratives that resonate with your audience. Here are a few notable examples: Custom Stories in Video Games Many small businesses in the gaming industry utilize custom stories to enhance player engagement. For instance, games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent allow users to design their narratives. To create a custom story, follow these steps: Set up a new folder within the game’s custom stories directory. Create a custom_story_settings.cfg file with the necessary configuration details. Design and save map files using the level editor. Optionally, add custom assets such as background images and scripts. This adaptability boosts customer retention and encourages a loyal player base. Custom Stories for English Language Learning You can leverage custom stories for educational purposes, especially in English language learning. Services like Really Learn English provide tailored stories focusing on specific grammar topics. This personalized approach enhances student engagement and aids learning. By aligning stories with learners’ interests, you improve participation and retention of concepts. Custom Stories in Marketing Campaigns Small businesses can adopt custom stories in their marketing strategies. By sharing narratives that reflect customer experiences or values, you can establish emotional connections. For example, highlight customer testimonials that tell unique stories of product use. This not only enhances brand loyalty but also supports customer acquisition efforts. Incorporating such narratives can boost your marketing effectiveness and differentiate your brand in a competitive market. Custom Stories in Employee Training Custom stories enhance employee training programs. By creating scenarios that address specific challenges within your business processes, you can simulate real-life situations. For instance, a story depicting a customer service interaction helps prepare employees for real-world encounters. This method fosters problem-solving skills and improves decision-making capabilities in your team, ultimately leading to better customer service. Utilizing these examples provides a clear pathway for your small business to implement custom stories effectively, driving engagement and supporting growth. Conclusion Embracing custom stories can transform how you connect with your audience. By personalizing narratives that reflect individual experiences, you create memorable moments that resonate deeply. This approach not only enhances engagement but also fosters loyalty among customers who see themselves in your stories. As you explore the potential of custom storytelling, remember the tools and strategies available to streamline the process. Whether you’re a small business owner or a content creator, leveraging these narratives can set you apart in a crowded market. Dive into the world of custom stories and unlock new avenues for connection, engagement, and growth. Frequently Asked Questions What are custom stories? Custom stories are personalized narratives created to align with individual interests and experiences. They allow readers to choose characters, settings, and plots, transforming traditional storytelling into a unique adventure that resonates deeply. Why are custom stories important for businesses? Custom stories help businesses stand out by fostering emotional connections with customers. They enhance engagement, improve customer retention, and strengthen brand loyalty in a crowded market. How can technology assist in creating custom stories? Technology, including AI content generators and data analysis tools, aids in streamlining the creation of custom stories. It ensures the narratives align with audience preferences and business objectives effectively. What are the benefits of using custom stories for customer engagement? Custom stories enhance customer engagement by reflecting their identities and experiences. This personalized approach fosters emotional connections, motivating active participation and increasing interest in products or services. In what settings can custom stories be used effectively? Custom stories can be utilized in various settings, such as video games, language learning, marketing campaigns, and employee training. They help improve engagement and create memorable experiences within these contexts. Image Via Envato This article, "Unleashing the Power of Custom Stories for Unique Engagement and Brand Loyalty" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Personalized Engagement: Custom stories create unique narratives that capture customer interests and experiences, fostering deeper emotional connections and loyalty. Enhanced Marketing Strategy: Incorporating custom stories into marketing efforts can significantly boost customer acquisition and retention by showcasing relatable narratives and testimonials. Diverse Applications: Custom stories can be utilized across various sectors, including gaming, education, and employee training, to captivate audiences and improve outcomes. Technological Integration: Utilizing AI, data analysis tools, and collaboration software streamlines the process of creating and distributing custom stories, enhancing operational efficiency. Cultural Adaptability: Custom stories can be tailored in different languages and themes to resonate with diverse audiences, broadening reach and impact. Competitive Advantage: Businesses that adopt custom storytelling strategies can differentiate themselves in a crowded market, driving growth and fostering brand loyalty. Imagine a world where every story is uniquely yours. Custom stories offer you the chance to dive into narratives crafted specifically to reflect your interests, preferences, and experiences. Whether you’re looking for a personalized gift, an engaging way to teach a lesson, or simply a fun escape, custom stories bring imagination to life in a way that generic tales can’t. In today’s fast-paced digital age, the demand for personalized content has skyrocketed. Custom stories not only entertain but also create lasting memories, making them perfect for any occasion. With the ability to tailor characters, settings, and plots, you can transform ordinary storytelling into an extraordinary adventure that resonates with your heart and soul. Get ready to explore the magic of custom stories and discover how they can enrich your life. Overview of Custom Stories Custom stories enable small businesses to craft unique narratives that resonate with customers. These personalized tales cater to individual interests and experiences, making them an effective tool for enhancing customer engagement. As businesses strive to differentiate themselves in a crowded market, the ability to tailor content gives you a competitive edge. Creating custom stories involves customizing characters, settings, and plots that align with your brand’s mission and values. This process not only fosters emotional connections with your audience but also enhances customer retention. When customers see themselves represented in the stories you tell, they are more likely to form a lasting relationship with your business. In today’s digital landscape, personalized content experiences play a crucial role in business growth. Custom stories can serve as powerful marketing strategies, helping you attract and retain clients by building brand loyalty. By integrating these narratives into your marketing campaigns, you effectively communicate your unique offerings and elevate customer service. Utilizing technology solutions and software tools can streamline the creation of custom stories. Employing data analysis helps you understand your audience’s preferences and tailor narratives accordingly. This strategic approach to content development enhances operational efficiency and aligns with your business goals. Incorporating custom stories into your marketing efforts can also drive sales and improve overall performance. Engaging narratives will capture attention, encourage sharing, and bolster your brand’s visibility, ultimately contributing to your business expansion and long-term success. Benefits of Custom Stories Custom stories offer numerous advantages that can significantly enhance your small business’s engagement and customer retention strategies. Personalization and Uniqueness Personalization stands at the core of custom stories, allowing you to create narratives that reflect your customer’s identity and experiences. When you incorporate elements relevant to your audience, such as their names or interests, you foster a deeper emotional connection. This unique representation boosts customers’ self-esteem and loyalty, ultimately leading to improved customer retention. Personalized stories resonate with your audience, instilling a sense of belonging that generic marketing rarely achieves. Enhanced Engagement Enhanced engagement through custom stories transforms how you interact with your customers. Personalized narratives capture attention effectively, motivating customers to participate actively with your brand. When they see themselves as the main characters in your storytelling, their interest in your products or services increases. You can leverage this strategy in marketing campaigns, maximizing the potential to boost customer acquisition. Engaging stories create memorable experiences, allowing your small business to stand out in a competitive market, elevating your overall business development efforts. Creating Custom Stories Custom stories enable small businesses to tailor narratives that resonate with customers. These personalized tales enhance engagement and create lasting connections, ultimately driving customer retention and business growth. Key Elements to Consider Personalization: Custom stories incorporate personal details, like the customer’s name, interests, and experiences. Personalization fosters a strong sense of connection and relevance, making your audience feel understood and valued. Language and Cultural Adaptation: Custom stories can be crafted in multiple languages, ensuring the tone and moral lessons translate effectively across cultures. This adaptability broadens your reach, allowing you to connect with diverse customer bases and enhance employee training efforts. Themes and Lessons: Selecting specific moral lessons or themes related to your audience’s life or interests strengthens the emotional impact of your narratives. Consider integrating lessons that align with your brand’s values and mission, enhancing your marketing strategy. Tools and Platforms Utilizing technology solutions and software tools streamlines the creation of custom stories. Here’s a list of effective resources: AI Content Generators: Leverage AI-powered platforms that assist in crafting stories based on input elements, optimizing workflow and saving time in the content creation process. Collaboration Tools: Use project management software to coordinate content development among team members. Tools like Trello or Asana improve team management and ensure deadlines are met. Data Analysis Tools: Incorporate business analytics tools to analyze customer feedback and engagement. Understanding your audience’s preferences supports informed decision-making and refines your storytelling approach. Marketing Automation: Implement marketing automation platforms to effectively distribute your custom stories. Automating campaigns enhances customer acquisition efforts while strengthening brand management. Adapting these elements ensures your custom stories resonate with your audience, driving engagement and fostering brand loyalty. Examples of Custom Stories Custom stories play a significant role in diverse settings, allowing you to craft tailored narratives that resonate with your audience. Here are a few notable examples: Custom Stories in Video Games Many small businesses in the gaming industry utilize custom stories to enhance player engagement. For instance, games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent allow users to design their narratives. To create a custom story, follow these steps: Set up a new folder within the game’s custom stories directory. Create a custom_story_settings.cfg file with the necessary configuration details. Design and save map files using the level editor. Optionally, add custom assets such as background images and scripts. This adaptability boosts customer retention and encourages a loyal player base. Custom Stories for English Language Learning You can leverage custom stories for educational purposes, especially in English language learning. Services like Really Learn English provide tailored stories focusing on specific grammar topics. This personalized approach enhances student engagement and aids learning. By aligning stories with learners’ interests, you improve participation and retention of concepts. Custom Stories in Marketing Campaigns Small businesses can adopt custom stories in their marketing strategies. By sharing narratives that reflect customer experiences or values, you can establish emotional connections. For example, highlight customer testimonials that tell unique stories of product use. This not only enhances brand loyalty but also supports customer acquisition efforts. Incorporating such narratives can boost your marketing effectiveness and differentiate your brand in a competitive market. Custom Stories in Employee Training Custom stories enhance employee training programs. By creating scenarios that address specific challenges within your business processes, you can simulate real-life situations. For instance, a story depicting a customer service interaction helps prepare employees for real-world encounters. This method fosters problem-solving skills and improves decision-making capabilities in your team, ultimately leading to better customer service. Utilizing these examples provides a clear pathway for your small business to implement custom stories effectively, driving engagement and supporting growth. Conclusion Embracing custom stories can transform how you connect with your audience. By personalizing narratives that reflect individual experiences, you create memorable moments that resonate deeply. This approach not only enhances engagement but also fosters loyalty among customers who see themselves in your stories. As you explore the potential of custom storytelling, remember the tools and strategies available to streamline the process. Whether you’re a small business owner or a content creator, leveraging these narratives can set you apart in a crowded market. Dive into the world of custom stories and unlock new avenues for connection, engagement, and growth. Frequently Asked Questions What are custom stories? Custom stories are personalized narratives created to align with individual interests and experiences. They allow readers to choose characters, settings, and plots, transforming traditional storytelling into a unique adventure that resonates deeply. Why are custom stories important for businesses? Custom stories help businesses stand out by fostering emotional connections with customers. They enhance engagement, improve customer retention, and strengthen brand loyalty in a crowded market. How can technology assist in creating custom stories? Technology, including AI content generators and data analysis tools, aids in streamlining the creation of custom stories. It ensures the narratives align with audience preferences and business objectives effectively. What are the benefits of using custom stories for customer engagement? Custom stories enhance customer engagement by reflecting their identities and experiences. This personalized approach fosters emotional connections, motivating active participation and increasing interest in products or services. In what settings can custom stories be used effectively? Custom stories can be utilized in various settings, such as video games, language learning, marketing campaigns, and employee training. They help improve engagement and create memorable experiences within these contexts. Image Via Envato This article, "Unleashing the Power of Custom Stories for Unique Engagement and Brand Loyalty" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Central bank chair says ‘without price stability, we cannot achieve long periods of strong labour market conditions’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. A new version of the Kindle Scribe, an upgraded version of the classic e-reader designed for note-taking, came out this past December, with some nice upgrades that make the device more pleasant to use. Those upgrades don't come cheap, with prices on the new Kindle Scribe starting at $399.99. Right now, though, the 16GB version is discounted to $324.99, the 32GB version is going for $339.99 (originally $419.99), and the 64GB version is $364.99 (originally $449.99). Dimensions: 9.0 by 7.7 by 0.22 inches, Weight: 15.3 oz, Screen Size: 10.2 inches, Storage: 16 GB Amazon Kindle Scribe (16 GB) $324.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $399.99 Save $75.00 Get Deal Get Deal $324.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $399.99 Save $75.00 Dimensions: 9.0 by 7.7 by 0.22 inches, Weight: 15.3 oz, Screen Size: 10.2 inches, Storage: 32 GB Amazon Kindle Scribe (32 GB) $339.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $419.99 Save $80.00 Get Deal Get Deal $339.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $419.99 Save $80.00 Dimensions: 9.0 by 7.7 by 0.22 inches, Weight: 15.3 oz, Screen Size: 10.2 inches, Storage: 64 GB Amazon Kindle Scribe (64 GB) $364.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $449.99 Save $85.00 Get Deal Get Deal $364.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $449.99 Save $85.00 SEE 0 MORE The original Kindle Scribe first came out in 2022; that first version is currently $339.99 for the 16GB model, which puts how good of a deal this is in perspective. If you already have the 2022 version, there really is no reason to upgrade. The main difference is the 2024 version comes with the Premium Pen instead of the Basic Pen stylus. The tablet itself is shorter, narrower, and slimmer, but not by much (you can even still use the same case). The new screen also has texture, which will add more resistance when you're writing on it for a more natural feel, and the gap between the screen and the outer casing is smaller. But that's where the differences end, at least according to PCMag's 3.5-star review. Otherwise, you'll get the same book format compatibility, the same 15.3 oz weight, the same glare-free 300 ppi front-lit display screen, and the same 12-week battery life. Both tablets run the same software. Still, if you don't own a Scribe at all and are considering getting one, the newer version is the better option, especially since it is currently cheaper than the older version. View the full article

Chief Operating Officer Joseph Gormley's appointment fills out a thin executive team at the government corporation, which plays a key role in funding mortgages. View the full article

When preparing for homemade pizza, it’s easy to hit the grocery store with mozzarella on your list. But what kind of mozzarella is best? Fresh, shredded, string? And is that really the best cheese for the pizza you’re craving? I sit here typing away when I should be nursing the burnt roof of my mouth because great pizza discoveries have been made in my kitchen today—my cheese-scorched mouth can wait. Similar to why there are good and bad cheese options for the best grilled cheese sandwich, pizza requires one with good melting properties (a fatty cheese), with a good balance of water, and not an overload of protein (which can resist melting). There are some surprises here, including cheeses you’d normally find at the sandwich counter and cheeses you’ve probably seen on pizza before. Here are the best cheeses to try on your next pizza, and unexpected ones to avoid. Muenster cheese (and fatty cheeses)For the longest time, I thought shredded cheese was the only cheese for my homemade slice, but I auditioned sandwich slices of Muenster cheese and was blown away. Muenster is a semi-soft cheese that doesn't break into oily pockets after cooking. I tore up a slice of muenster and scattered the irregular flats around my sauced pie. After 15 minutes or so in the oven, I removed a pizza that could stand up to even the most bougie Brooklyn pizzeria. Fatty sandwich slices of cheese—the same ones you use for grilled cheese—make great melting cheeses for high oven temperatures. They don’t become greasy after they melt, and they reward you with a lovely gooey cheese pull after slicing. Since they really melt out far and wide, don’t load up the pie too much. You can leave some space between each island and still have a nice balance of cheese to sauce. Other fatty cheeses like muenster: havarti, gouda, taleggio, and fontina. Some mozzarella Mozzarella is the pizza cheese. There’s no question that the flavor and stretchy consistency make for both the perfect centerpiece and a great canvas for toppings. However, there are a couple mozzarellas out there, and not all of them can stand up to the heat. The fresh mozzarella starts to squeeze out water which is puddling in the middle of the pie. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Fresh mozzarella and the like. Fresh mozzarella, burrata, and buffalo mozzarella are these gorgeous, moist orbs of creamy white cheese. They’re usually wrapped with some moisture in the packaging or submerged and floating in liquid. While you might think these cheeses would be insanely creamy and wonderful on pizza, stay your eager cheese hand. When fresh mozzarella cooks, especially at high temperatures like 350°F to 450°F, the protein network in the cheese begins to denature and tighten up, squeezing out the moisture that used to live in the network. Fresh mozzarella has a lot of moisture to give and it’ll end up on the surface of your pizza as a watery puddle. Besides the sadness of a floppy, wet pizza crust, you also have globs of rubbery cheese that pull off in one bite. There is a way to avoid this unfortunate result: During my tests, after about five minutes, the fresh mozzarella was lovely and melted. But after 10 minutes in my 450°F oven, the water started to puddle up as the cheese began to take on some color. Pizza takes at least 15 minutes to cook in a screaming hot oven. If you must use fresh mozzarella, my advice is to add it to the pizza during the last five minutes of the cooking time. Low-moisture mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella, burrata, and buffalo mozzarella are expensive and decadent. I’d hate for you to ruin them by cooking them for too long on your pizza. Instead, rely on trusty low-moisture mozzarella. This cheese is produced with way less moisture captured and you won’t risk it ending up on your pizza. You can buy it shredded, in slices, or in big bricks. You can enjoy all the flavor and meltability of fresh mozzarella in a more pizza-friendly. Parmesan (and hard cheeses) Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Parmesan and other aged, hard cheeses exhibit strong, bold flavors that are lovely on pizza. However, when cheeses age, they lose moisture, and that’s when they can become broken and greasy on a pizza. Cheeses melt best when they have a balance of fat, water, and protein, so when you have a hard cheese under a high temperature, it doesn’t do much except squeeze out fats and become even harder. I added shredded parmesan to cover one of my pizzas, and when I took the pie out of the oven, the cheese stayed put in its shredded form, not really melting out but instead becoming rather translucent. It almost looked like I barely added cheese at all. That said, the flavor was bangin’. Parmesan has a presence; it’s not a mild cheese like mozzarella. I would recommend shredded parmesan if you prefer flavor over cheese pull. It’s important to note that parmesan actually might be better on the bottom of your pizza. It makes a crispy, cheesy frico crust if you make a cast iron skillet pizza. Check out the recipe here. Flavor-packed hard cheeses like parmesan: Asiago, manchego, aged swiss, aged cheddars. The winner is a mixtureIt may not come as a surprise, but the best homemade pizza cheese will always be a mixture of cheeses. Each cheese has its strong suit, so don’t deprive yourself. Low-moisture mozzarella is stretchy but mild, so add some shredded asiago for a sharp touch of flavor. Love a good melty cheese pie? Skip the asiago and opt for something like fontina to mix in with your mozzarella. My favorite mixture so far has been mozzarella with pepper jack and a bit of muenster. The opportunities are only limited by your grocery store's cheese section, so grab some sandwich slices and get experimenting. Once you've selected your cheese combo, you're ready for more of my tips for making the best homemade pizza every time; to start with, you should ferment your dough. View the full article

Senators want to investigate the rapid changes to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's boards of directors, and seek more clarity about reported layoffs. View the full article

Most companies operate like one-sided cubes—what the world sees is curated and polished, but the rest remains hidden, even to the people inside. Strategy becomes surface-level. Teams chase goals without grounding. Leaders lead without alignment. In a world growing more complex and emotionally disoriented, that’s not just unsustainable—it’s dangerous. It’s time for a Strategy Renaissance. We need to move beyond sterile planning cycles and rediscover the human heart of strategy. In this new era of work, meaning isn’t a bonus feature—it’s your sharpest edge. The Great Divide Between Strategy and Meaning We have long treated strategy as the realm of numbers and logic, while purpose was relegated to the marketing department or buried in mission statements no one remembers. This divide has created companies that appear aligned on paper, but feel disjointed in practice. Metrics without meaning drive burnout. Planning without purpose breeds disengagement. And when disruption inevitably hits, strategies built only on spreadsheets crumble. What endures? Shared purpose, collective clarity, and meaningful momentum. Illuminate the Whole Strategy Cube Imagine your organization as a cube. Each face represents a facet of identity: values, operations, leadership, culture, customers, and employees. Most companies only illuminate one or two sides—the brand and the performance dashboard. The rest remains in the shadows. And when strategy reflects only the visible parts, it becomes hollow. The companies that are thriving today are the ones brave enough to illuminate the whole cube. That means surfacing the hidden brilliance within teams, reclaiming the narratives that shape culture, and embracing the messy, multidimensional nature of real human work. I advised a global biotech company whose strategy had become siloed, driven by financial targets but disconnected from employee experience. Through facilitated dialogue sessions, we helped the executive team rediscover their collective purpose. Within months, they restructured their planning process around a set of guiding principles, resulting in a 22% improvement in employee engagement scores and a renewed sense of cohesion across departments. When you bring every side of the cube into the light, strategy becomes not just aligned—but alive. Dialogue Before Direction: The Campfire as a Strategic Tool Strategy doesn’t start with a spreadsheet. It begins with a story. Before defining your next bold move, gather your people around a campfire—not a literal fire (though that helps), but a space of intentional dialogue where people can share pivotal moments, hopes, fears, and what really matters. When I run campfire sessions with leadership teams, something powerful happens: People stop performing and start connecting. The surface melts, and what emerges is a collective clarity that no off-site whiteboard session can replicate. Great strategy isn’t declared—it’s cocreated. It emerges from shared stories and is strengthened by mutual meaning. Meaning Is Your Talent Magnet Today’s workforce isn’t just looking for a paycheck. They’re looking for alignment—especially Gen Z and millennial talent. They want to know what you stand for, how decisions are made, and whether your values are actually lived. A McKinsey study found that 70% of employees believe their sense of purpose is defined by their work; however, only 15% feel their company’s purpose is well-activated in their day-to-day roles. That gap isn’t just cultural—it’s costly. Meaning is no longer a perk. It’s your recruitment strategy. Your innovation strategy. Your long-game success strategy. The Rise of the Multidimensional Strategist This Strategy Renaissance demands a new kind of thinking, which I call multidimensional strategy. In a world that rewards specialization, it’s time to embrace integration: blending creativity with analysis, intuition with logic, and personal story with business direction. We need leaders who don’t just see the road ahead—they see the people walking it. They know that strategy isn’t just about what to do next. It’s about who we are, why it matters, and how we move forward—together. How to Begin Your Strategy Renaissance If you want to move from hollow plans to meaningful progress, here’s a simple framework to “LIGHT” your way—five ways to reclaim strategy as a human-centered practice: L – Listen Beneath the Metrics. Before examining KPIs, ask: “What isn’t being said? Who’s feeling unseen or unheard?” Strategy begins by tuning into the underlying current. I – Illuminate the Whole Cube. Map the six sides: customers, employees, culture, operations, values, and leadership. Which sides are well-lit? Which are neglected? Make the invisible visible. G – Gather Around the Campfire. Create regular spaces for storytelling and reflection—not just reporting. Ask: “What has challenged us? What has changed us?” Connection breeds clarity. H – Harness Your Hidden Brilliance. Invite diverse voices into strategic conversations, especially those of outliers, creatives, and skeptics. Often, the perspective you most need is the one least consulted. T – Translate Purpose Into Practice. Move from statements to systems. How is your purpose reflected in hiring, decision-making, and how people spend their time? Don’t think of this as a checklist; think of it as a shift in perspective, from a performative strategy to a purposeful design. The Renaissance was a reawakening of human potential. What we need now is no different. Let this be the moment your organization stops performing purpose—and starts living it. Allow this to be the season when strategy becomes more than a plan. Let it become a story that your people want to tell—a movement they want to lead. When you illuminate the full spectrum of who you are as an organization, strategy becomes not just compelling but unforgettable. View the full article

US chipmaker reveals $5.5bn impairment, while full hit to China revenues could surpass $10bnView the full article

If your Windows computer is crashing unexpectedly and showing you a blue screen error, there's now a fix for that. As BleepingComputer reports, Windows updates pushed in March and April are triggering a secure kernel fatal error, causing devices running Windows 11 version 24H2 to crash and display a blue screen exception with error code 0x18B, indicating a SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR. To address this issue, Microsoft has released a Known Issue Rollback (KIR), which is a quick, targeted fix for non-security bugs. It's a temporary solution since it rolls back earlier updates, while the company works on a new update to patch the problem. Here's how to apply it to your device. What Windows users need to doIf you have a personal or non-managed work computer running Windows 11, the resolution will automatically be pushed to your device from Windows Update and Microsoft Update in the next day or so. According to Microsoft's support page, restarting may help the fix apply faster. As such, make sure you reboot your PC in order for this latest update to take effect as soon as possible. For enterprise devices managed by IT departments, the issue will resolve once your network admin installs and configures the Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025 KB5053656 250412_03103 Known Issue Rollback Group Policy. The Group Policy can be found under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > . You will also need to restart any affected devices to apply the group policy settings. The blue screen bug follows Microsoft's big Patch Tuesday update, which fixed 134 security vulnerabilities in Windows—including one actively-exploited zero-day flaw. It also comes as Microsoft is testing out a new blue screen design altogether. Soon enough, future crashes like this will look different, though the company's procedural response will likely remained unchanged. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I am one of the lucky few who have not been greatly affected by layoffs in my region. While I am working from home, I am still working. I work in an industry that is fairly well insulated, considering the circumstances. I have a friend who has been laid off from their job in a very different field. This friend emailed me the other day asking me if I had any leads on jobs that they could apply to. The only person I know in a field anywhere close to theirs is in the same position, laying off workers. I have no idea what to say to this person in response. Can you help? I answer this question — and three others — over at Inc. today, where I’m revisiting letters that have been buried in the archives here from years ago (and sometimes updating/expanding my answers to them). You can read it here. Other questions I’m answering there today include: Rejecting a candidate due to our past personal history My employee tells us way more than we need about his schedule Colleague cc’s herself on every email she sends View the full article

US homebuilder confidence barely rose this month on a pickup in current sales, though demand expectations stumbled to a more than one-year low and prices of construction materials are climbing on the heels of higher tariffs. View the full article

Vehicle sales jump in March before implementation of steep leviesView the full article

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg once considered separating Instagram from its parent company due to worries about antitrust litigation, according to an email shown Tuesday on the second day of an antitrust trial alleging Meta illegally monopolized the social media market. In the 2018 email, Zuckerberg wrote that he was beginning to wonder if “spinning Instagram out” would be the only way to accomplish important goals, as big-tech companies grow. He also noted “there is a non-trivial chance” Meta could be forced to spin out Instagram and perhaps WhatsApp in five to 10 years anyway. He wrote that while most companies resist breakups, “the corporate history is that most companies actually perform better after they’ve been split up.” Asked Tuesday by attorney Daniel Matheson, who is leading the antitrust case for the Federal Trade Commission, which incidence in corporate history he had in mind, Zuckerberg responded: “I’m not sure what I had in mind then.” Zuckerberg, who was the first witness, testified for more than seven hours over two days in the trial that could force Meta to break off Instagram and WhatsApp, startups the tech giant bought more than a decade ago that have since grown into social media powerhouses. While questioning Zuckerberg on Tuesday morning, Matheson noted that he had referred to Instagram as being a “rapidly growing, threatening, network.” The attorney also pointed out Zuckerberg’s referring to trying to neutralize a competitor by buying the company. But Zuckerberg said while Matheson was able to show documents in court that indicated his concern about Instagram’s growth, he also had many conversations about how excited his company was to acquire Instagram to make a better product. Zuckerberg also said Facebook was in the process of building a camera app for sharing on mobile phones, and he thought Instagram was better at that, “so I wanted to buy them.” Zuckerberg also pushed back against Matheson’s contention that the reason for buying the company was to neutralize a threat. “I think that that mischaracterizes what the email was,” Zuckerberg said. In his questioning of Zuckerberg, Matheson repeatedly brought up emails—many of them more than a decade old—written by Zuckerberg and his associates before and after the acquisition of Instagram. While acknowledging the documents, Zuckerberg has often sought to downplay the contents, saying he wrote them in the early stages of considering the acquisition and that what he wrote at the time didn’t capture the full scope of his interest in the company. Matheson also brought up a February 2012 message in which Zuckerberg wrote to the former chief financial officer of Facebook that Instagram and Path, a social networking app, already had created meaningful networks that could be “very disruptive to us.” Zuckerberg testified that the message was written in the context of a broad discussion about whether they should buy companies to accelerate their own developments. Zuckerberg also testified that buying the company, taking it off the market, and building their own version of it was “a reasonable thing to do.” Later Tuesday, Mark Hansen, an attorney for Meta, began his questioning of Zuckerberg. Hansen, in his opening statements Monday, emphasized that Meta’s services are free and that the company, far from holding a monopoly, actually has a lot of competition. He made a point of bringing up those issues in just over an hour of questioning Zuckerberg, with more expected to come Wednesday. “It’s very competitive,” Zuckerberg said, noting that charging for using services like Facebook would likely drive users away, since similar services are widely available elsewhere. The trial is one of the first big tests of President Donald The President’s FTC’s ability to challenge Big Tech. The lawsuit was filed against Meta—then called Facebook—in 2020, during The President’s first term. It claims the company bought Instagram and WhatsApp to squash competition and establish an illegal monopoly in the social media market. Facebook bought Instagram—which was a photo-sharing app with no ads—for $1 billion in 2012. Instagram was the first company Facebook bought and kept running as a separate app. Until then, Facebook was known for smaller “acqui-hires”—a popular Silicon Valley deal in which a company purchases a startup as a way to hire its talented workers, then shuts the acquired company down. Two years later, it did it again with the messaging app WhatsApp, which it purchased for $22 billion. WhatsApp and Instagram helped Facebook move its business from desktop computers to mobile devices, and to remain popular with younger generations as rivals like Snapchat (which it also tried, but failed, to buy) and TikTok emerged. However, the FTC has a narrow definition of Meta’s competitive market, excluding companies like TikTok, YouTube, and Apple’s messaging service from being considered rivals to Instagram and WhatsApp. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg is presiding over the case. Late last year, he denied Meta’s request for a summary judgment and ruled that the case must go to trial. —Brian Witte, Associated Press View the full article

In early April, Ikea unveiled the latest edition of its iconic Stockholm 2025 collection, marking 40 years since the original collection was released in 1985. The 96-item lineup includes a range of pieces, like bold statement sofas, side tables, and elegant chandeliers. The designs are keeping with the brand’s signature Scandi aesthetic, but with a twist: inspiration from the natural world. The collection is now available in stores and on the Ikea website. At the core of the collection is a thoughtful focus on materials. Solid wood is paired with tactile surfaces and natural fibers like mouth-blown glass and rattan to create a variety of pieces, such as wooden furniture, handwoven rugs, and chandeliers, says the Ikea team. The designers selected these materials not just for their beauty, but for how they age and interact over time. “The purpose of the Stockholm collections has always been to prove that high quality doesn’t need to come at an intimidating cost,” says Karin Gustavsson, creative leader for Stockholm, in a press release. “We have worked to create a no-compromise kind of collection where every piece tells a story. Craftsmanship is at the heart of this project, where traditional techniques and hands-on methods have resulted in durable and beautiful design pieces that stands the test of time.” Swedish designers Ola Wihlborg, Nike Karlsson, and Paulin Machado developed the collection, which was deeply rooted in its namesake city of Stockholm, according to the press release. Two noticeably different sofas serve as the foundational centerpieces of Ikea’s Stockholm 2025 collection. One of them is a wide modular sofa that was designed by Wihlborg and is available in four colors, including a striking turquoise velvet. His frustration with sofas that constantly require cushion fluffing sparked the design concept, says the designer. “I wanted to create a high-quality sofa that maintains its shape and looks the same even after you stand up from sitting in it. Something that prioritizes comfort without needing extra pillows,” he explains. After developing more than 30 prototypes to refine the balance between structure and softness, the final product is a sleek, boldly scaled sofa. Its modular design allows each piece to stand alone or be connected to fit a variety of spaces and lifestyles. Karlsson took a different route with his creation. His sofa, constructed with a solid pine wood frame and soft white cushions, embraces a foam-free design made entirely from natural materials, including woven fabric, natural latex, and coconut fiber, describes the designer. Nature was the main source of inspiration for textile designer Paulin Machado’s pieces. The collection’s lampshades have delicate leaf and mushroom motifs, and color palettes drawn from the shifting tones of Scandinavian seasons. The handwoven wool rugs in earthy greens or minimalist black-and-white echo birch tree patterns. “Nature is the best designer—every colour matches beautifully in the natural world,” Machado says. With its latest collection, the Swedish furniture maker brings the outdoors in. View the full article

Technology and the economy threw some wrenches into the mix. By CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

Technology and the economy threw some wrenches into the mix. By CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

Maker of ‘teaspressos’ and ‘teapuccinos’ could be second-biggest Chinese listing in US in more than three yearsView the full article

Chipmaker leads declines as Wall Street sell-off reignitesView the full article

Discover the easiest way to add your business to Google Maps to reach more customers. View the full article