ResidentialBusiness

Key Takeaways Franchise Advantage: Owning a franchise barbershop provides instant brand recognition and a proven business model, making it easier to attract customers and establish trust. Support and Training: Franchisees benefit from comprehensive training and operational support from the franchisor, ensuring they are well-equipped to manage their businesses effectively. Growing Market: The grooming industry is thriving, generating over $50 billion annually in the U.S., offering significant growth potential for franchise barbershops. Cost Awareness: Starting a franchise barbershop involves initial investments, including franchise fees and ongoing royalties. Understanding these financial commitments is essential for long-term success. Competitive Landscape: The barbershop market is competitive, necessitating unique services or exceptional customer experiences to stand out from independent shops and larger chains. Popular Franchises: Established franchises like Floyd’s 99 Barbershop and Sport Clips offer unique selling points and support, enhancing the chances of franchisee success in the grooming industry. If you’re considering a venture into the world of entrepreneurship, a franchise barbershop could be your ticket to success. With the grooming industry booming and demand for quality haircuts on the rise, this model offers a unique blend of creativity and business acumen. You get to tap into a proven brand while also delivering personalized service to your clients. Owning a franchise barbershop means stepping into a community-focused environment where you can build lasting relationships. It’s not just about cutting hair; it’s about creating a welcoming space where customers feel valued. As you explore this opportunity, you’ll discover the benefits of established systems, training support, and marketing strategies that can help you thrive in a competitive market. Overview of Franchise Barbershops Franchise barbershops offer an appealing opportunity for small business owners interested in the grooming industry. These establishments combine brand recognition and a proven franchise model, making them an attractive venture for aspiring franchisees. Definition and Concept A franchise barbershop operates under a franchise agreement between the franchisor and franchisee. The franchisor provides a recognizable brand, established operational systems, and comprehensive training. The franchisee gains access to a proven business model along with support in areas like marketing and operations. This partnership allows you to focus on providing quality services while leveraging the franchisor’s experience and resources. Growth of Franchise Barbershops Franchise barbershops have experienced significant growth in recent years. The franchise industry overall has expanded due to increasing demand for grooming services. Statistics show that the grooming and personal care market generates over $50 billion annually in the U.S. With effective franchise marketing strategies and business support, you can capture a share of this lucrative market. Factors contributing to this growth include a rise in the number of franchise networks, evolving consumer preferences, and the expansion of multi-unit franchising. As a franchisee, you benefit from collective brand strength, which enhances customer loyalty and drives profitability. Benefits of Owning a Franchise Barbershop Owning a franchise barbershop provides several key advantages that enhance your chances of success. These benefits not only lower risks but also attract customers more effectively. Established Brand Recognition With a franchise barbershop, you tap into instant brand recognition. The franchisor has already built a reputable brand, which draws in customers familiar with the name. Recognized brands like V’s Barbershop, Sport Clips, and ManCave for Men foster trust and loyalty, ensuring a steady stream of clientele. Your positioning within a franchise network enhances your local appeal and strengthens your marketing strategy, making it easier to establish yourself in a competitive market. Support and Training Provided Extensive support and training come with owning a franchise barbershop. The franchisor offers a franchise operations manual covering everything from best practices to daily operations. You receive thorough franchise training focused on the art of barbering, employee management, and customer service. For instance, V’s Barbershop includes site selection guidance, employee onboarding techniques, and the use of advanced technology systems. This training ensures that you begin your franchise journey with the knowledge and tools necessary for success. Additionally, ongoing support allows you to navigate challenges efficiently, ensuring compliance with franchise regulations and promoting overall franchise growth. Challenges Faced by Franchise Barbershops Owning a franchise barbershop presents distinct challenges that every franchisee should consider. Initial Investment and Fees Starting a franchise barbershop requires significant initial investment. This investment typically includes franchise fees, equipment costs, leasehold improvements, and working capital. Franchise fees can range from $20,000 to $50,000, depending on the brand. You’ll also face ongoing royalty fees, often between 4% and 8% of gross sales. Ensure you review the franchise disclosure document for a comprehensive breakdown of costs. Understanding these expenses is crucial for effective franchise financing and operating a profitable unit franchise. Competition in the Market The barbershop market is saturated with numerous competitors, including independent shops and larger salon chains. To thrive, focus on differentiating your business through unique services or exceptional customer experiences. Creating a strong franchise marketing strategy and investing in franchise branding can help build brand recognition. This approach increases your visibility and draws in customers seeking quality grooming services. Implementing effective franchise recruitment marketing can also amplify your reach, allowing you to establish an exclusive territory that fosters customer loyalty and boosts franchise growth. Popular Franchise Barbershop Chains Franchise barbershop chains offer unique opportunities for aspiring small business owners. Several well-known franchises deliver brand recognition, operational support, and training. Here are details on a couple of leading brands in the franchise industry. Overview of Leading Brands Floyd’s 99 Barbershop Founded: 2001 Franchising since: 2005 Initial Investment: $294,000 – $642,000 Franchise Fee: $45,000 Royalty Fees: 6% Floyd’s 99 stands out with its rock-and-roll-inspired atmosphere. Creativity and self-expression are encouraged, offering a distinct experience for clients. Sport Clips Founded: 1993 Initial Investment: $266,300 – $439,500 Franchise Fee: $59,500 (first three stores), $12,500 (each subsequent store) Sport Clips creates a sports-themed barbershop experience. Clients enjoy watching sports during their haircuts, enhancing their overall service experience. Unique Selling Points Floyd’s 99 Barbershop Combines quality men’s grooming services with a fun environment. Fosters a relaxed vibe, making it inviting for clients seeking self-expression. Sport Clips Provides a unique sports viewing experience, catering to men who enjoy watching games. Combines efficient service with a fun, engaging atmosphere tailored to sports enthusiasts. These franchise opportunities demonstrate strong potential for business growth. Establishing a franchise in the barbershop industry allows you to benefit from proven business models and robust support systems. Conclusion Owning a franchise barbershop can be a rewarding venture that combines your passion for grooming with solid business opportunities. With the grooming industry on the rise and the benefits of established brands backing you, the potential for success is significant. By leveraging the support and training from franchisors, you can navigate challenges and focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences. Remember to differentiate your services in a competitive market and create strong marketing strategies that resonate with your community. As you consider this path, keep in mind that the right franchise can lead to both personal fulfillment and financial growth in a thriving industry. Frequently Asked Questions What is a franchise barbershop? A franchise barbershop operates under a franchise agreement where the franchisee uses the franchisor’s brand name, operational systems, and training support. This allows barbershop owners to focus on providing quality services while benefiting from established brand recognition and customer loyalty. What are the benefits of owning a franchise barbershop? Owning a franchise barbershop offers advantages like brand recognition, comprehensive training, and operational support, which enhance the likelihood of success. Additionally, franchisees can tap into proven marketing strategies and benefit from an established customer base. What challenges do franchise barbershops face? Franchise barbershops encounter challenges such as significant initial investments, which can range from $20,000 to $50,000 for franchise fees, plus ongoing royalty fees. The competitive market also requires franchisees to differentiate services and create strong marketing strategies to attract customers. How much does it cost to open a franchise barbershop? The cost to open a franchise barbershop typically includes franchise fees ranging from $20,000 to $50,000, with ongoing royalty fees of 4% to 8% of gross sales. Additional costs will depend on location, renovations, and equipment needed to start the business. What popular franchise barbershop chains are available? Popular franchise barbershop chains include Floyd’s 99 and Sport Clips. Floyd’s 99 offers a unique rock-and-roll atmosphere with investment costs from $294,000 to $642,000. Sport Clips provides a sports-themed experience with initial investments ranging from $266,300 to $439,500, depending on the number of locations. Image Via Envato This article, "Unlocking Success with a Franchise Barbershop: Your Path to Entrepreneurship" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Franchise Advantage: Owning a franchise barbershop provides instant brand recognition and a proven business model, making it easier to attract customers and establish trust. Support and Training: Franchisees benefit from comprehensive training and operational support from the franchisor, ensuring they are well-equipped to manage their businesses effectively. Growing Market: The grooming industry is thriving, generating over $50 billion annually in the U.S., offering significant growth potential for franchise barbershops. Cost Awareness: Starting a franchise barbershop involves initial investments, including franchise fees and ongoing royalties. Understanding these financial commitments is essential for long-term success. Competitive Landscape: The barbershop market is competitive, necessitating unique services or exceptional customer experiences to stand out from independent shops and larger chains. Popular Franchises: Established franchises like Floyd’s 99 Barbershop and Sport Clips offer unique selling points and support, enhancing the chances of franchisee success in the grooming industry. If you’re considering a venture into the world of entrepreneurship, a franchise barbershop could be your ticket to success. With the grooming industry booming and demand for quality haircuts on the rise, this model offers a unique blend of creativity and business acumen. You get to tap into a proven brand while also delivering personalized service to your clients. Owning a franchise barbershop means stepping into a community-focused environment where you can build lasting relationships. It’s not just about cutting hair; it’s about creating a welcoming space where customers feel valued. As you explore this opportunity, you’ll discover the benefits of established systems, training support, and marketing strategies that can help you thrive in a competitive market. Overview of Franchise Barbershops Franchise barbershops offer an appealing opportunity for small business owners interested in the grooming industry. These establishments combine brand recognition and a proven franchise model, making them an attractive venture for aspiring franchisees. Definition and Concept A franchise barbershop operates under a franchise agreement between the franchisor and franchisee. The franchisor provides a recognizable brand, established operational systems, and comprehensive training. The franchisee gains access to a proven business model along with support in areas like marketing and operations. This partnership allows you to focus on providing quality services while leveraging the franchisor’s experience and resources. Growth of Franchise Barbershops Franchise barbershops have experienced significant growth in recent years. The franchise industry overall has expanded due to increasing demand for grooming services. Statistics show that the grooming and personal care market generates over $50 billion annually in the U.S. With effective franchise marketing strategies and business support, you can capture a share of this lucrative market. Factors contributing to this growth include a rise in the number of franchise networks, evolving consumer preferences, and the expansion of multi-unit franchising. As a franchisee, you benefit from collective brand strength, which enhances customer loyalty and drives profitability. Benefits of Owning a Franchise Barbershop Owning a franchise barbershop provides several key advantages that enhance your chances of success. These benefits not only lower risks but also attract customers more effectively. Established Brand Recognition With a franchise barbershop, you tap into instant brand recognition. The franchisor has already built a reputable brand, which draws in customers familiar with the name. Recognized brands like V’s Barbershop, Sport Clips, and ManCave for Men foster trust and loyalty, ensuring a steady stream of clientele. Your positioning within a franchise network enhances your local appeal and strengthens your marketing strategy, making it easier to establish yourself in a competitive market. Support and Training Provided Extensive support and training come with owning a franchise barbershop. The franchisor offers a franchise operations manual covering everything from best practices to daily operations. You receive thorough franchise training focused on the art of barbering, employee management, and customer service. For instance, V’s Barbershop includes site selection guidance, employee onboarding techniques, and the use of advanced technology systems. This training ensures that you begin your franchise journey with the knowledge and tools necessary for success. Additionally, ongoing support allows you to navigate challenges efficiently, ensuring compliance with franchise regulations and promoting overall franchise growth. Challenges Faced by Franchise Barbershops Owning a franchise barbershop presents distinct challenges that every franchisee should consider. Initial Investment and Fees Starting a franchise barbershop requires significant initial investment. This investment typically includes franchise fees, equipment costs, leasehold improvements, and working capital. Franchise fees can range from $20,000 to $50,000, depending on the brand. You’ll also face ongoing royalty fees, often between 4% and 8% of gross sales. Ensure you review the franchise disclosure document for a comprehensive breakdown of costs. Understanding these expenses is crucial for effective franchise financing and operating a profitable unit franchise. Competition in the Market The barbershop market is saturated with numerous competitors, including independent shops and larger salon chains. To thrive, focus on differentiating your business through unique services or exceptional customer experiences. Creating a strong franchise marketing strategy and investing in franchise branding can help build brand recognition. This approach increases your visibility and draws in customers seeking quality grooming services. Implementing effective franchise recruitment marketing can also amplify your reach, allowing you to establish an exclusive territory that fosters customer loyalty and boosts franchise growth. Popular Franchise Barbershop Chains Franchise barbershop chains offer unique opportunities for aspiring small business owners. Several well-known franchises deliver brand recognition, operational support, and training. Here are details on a couple of leading brands in the franchise industry. Overview of Leading Brands Floyd’s 99 Barbershop Founded: 2001 Franchising since: 2005 Initial Investment: $294,000 – $642,000 Franchise Fee: $45,000 Royalty Fees: 6% Floyd’s 99 stands out with its rock-and-roll-inspired atmosphere. Creativity and self-expression are encouraged, offering a distinct experience for clients. Sport Clips Founded: 1993 Initial Investment: $266,300 – $439,500 Franchise Fee: $59,500 (first three stores), $12,500 (each subsequent store) Sport Clips creates a sports-themed barbershop experience. Clients enjoy watching sports during their haircuts, enhancing their overall service experience. Unique Selling Points Floyd’s 99 Barbershop Combines quality men’s grooming services with a fun environment. Fosters a relaxed vibe, making it inviting for clients seeking self-expression. Sport Clips Provides a unique sports viewing experience, catering to men who enjoy watching games. Combines efficient service with a fun, engaging atmosphere tailored to sports enthusiasts. These franchise opportunities demonstrate strong potential for business growth. Establishing a franchise in the barbershop industry allows you to benefit from proven business models and robust support systems. Conclusion Owning a franchise barbershop can be a rewarding venture that combines your passion for grooming with solid business opportunities. With the grooming industry on the rise and the benefits of established brands backing you, the potential for success is significant. By leveraging the support and training from franchisors, you can navigate challenges and focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences. Remember to differentiate your services in a competitive market and create strong marketing strategies that resonate with your community. As you consider this path, keep in mind that the right franchise can lead to both personal fulfillment and financial growth in a thriving industry. Frequently Asked Questions What is a franchise barbershop? A franchise barbershop operates under a franchise agreement where the franchisee uses the franchisor’s brand name, operational systems, and training support. This allows barbershop owners to focus on providing quality services while benefiting from established brand recognition and customer loyalty. What are the benefits of owning a franchise barbershop? Owning a franchise barbershop offers advantages like brand recognition, comprehensive training, and operational support, which enhance the likelihood of success. Additionally, franchisees can tap into proven marketing strategies and benefit from an established customer base. What challenges do franchise barbershops face? Franchise barbershops encounter challenges such as significant initial investments, which can range from $20,000 to $50,000 for franchise fees, plus ongoing royalty fees. The competitive market also requires franchisees to differentiate services and create strong marketing strategies to attract customers. How much does it cost to open a franchise barbershop? The cost to open a franchise barbershop typically includes franchise fees ranging from $20,000 to $50,000, with ongoing royalty fees of 4% to 8% of gross sales. Additional costs will depend on location, renovations, and equipment needed to start the business. What popular franchise barbershop chains are available? Popular franchise barbershop chains include Floyd’s 99 and Sport Clips. Floyd’s 99 offers a unique rock-and-roll atmosphere with investment costs from $294,000 to $642,000. Sport Clips provides a sports-themed experience with initial investments ranging from $266,300 to $439,500, depending on the number of locations. Image Via Envato This article, "Unlocking Success with a Franchise Barbershop: Your Path to Entrepreneurship" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As the federal government moves to eliminate U.S. climate rules, companies still face pressure to be better stewards of the planet from their customers, investors, employees, local communities, lenders, insurers, global trading partners, and many states. Each of those groups knows it will face increasing costs from rising temperatures and extreme weather if corporations don’t rein in their greenhouse gas emissions. Many companies will find that returning to past polluting ways isn’t in their best interest. Over 60% of chief financial officers surveyed by global management firm Kearney in December 2024 signaled that they intended to invest at least 2% of their revenue in sustainability in 2025. These companies may maintain a low profile about climate change while the The President administration is in power, but they have strong financial incentives to continue to reduce their emissions and their own climate risks. We study private environmental governance—the ways companies and organizations work outside government to improve the nation’s sustainability and reduce environmental damage. Our work finds that, in this polarized era, addressing climate and sustainability challenges is not just a matter of government action. That’s because a lot of climate and sustainability progress is underway in the private sector. Sustainability matters to companies’ bottom lines Businesses have used climate and sustainability initiatives for years to make their operations and supply chains more efficient and to reduce their long-term costs. When McDonald’s faced public pressure to reduce waste in the late 1980s, the company teamed up with the Environmental Defense Fund to analyze the problem. It was able to reduce its waste by 30% over the following decade, saving the company US$6 million a year. This early risk-taking by McDonald’s opened the door for other environmental groups to help businesses understand how to reduce their environmental impact, including emissions, while boosting the companies’ profitability. Maersk, the logistics giant responsible for nearly a quarter of global shipping, has responded to pressure from its corporate customers with a plan to reduce carbon emissions by one-third from 2022 to 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2045. It expects the combination of low-emissions vessels and a more efficient delivery network with hubs and shuttles to help meet its climate goals while increasing productivity. Companies have also helped drive the expansion of renewable energy, motivated by the competitive economics of renewables and business opportunities. Facebook’s parent company Meta and Google invested nearly $2 billion in projects to provide renewable energy in the Tennessee Valley Authority service area, even though no government required them to do so. And major companies continued signing renewable energy power purchase agreements in 2025. Microsoft and Amazon are responding to massive new power demand by trying to locate data centers near existing nuclear power plants for cleaner energy supplies. Thousands of companies report emissions via private systems Another sign of companies’ continuing commitment to sustainability is how many of them measure and report their greenhouse gas emissions even when governments do not require them to do so. Nearly 25,000 companies representing two-thirds of total global market capitalization and 85% of the S&P 500 report their emissions to the nonprofit CDP. Disclosing emissions is like keeping a fitness journal with a personal trainer. It helps a company track its progress and plan for future financial and environmental risks. More than 12,500 small- and medium-size companies also disclosed emissions to CDP in 2024. Many of these companies were initially motivated by pressure from environmental groups or corporate customers. Today, they have more reason to continue paying attention to emissions. California has its own formal reporting requirements designed to encourage companies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. And other states are considering setting climate disclosure rules. The The President administration has promised to challenge them, and announced that it also plans to cut federal greenhouse gas reporting standards, but companies will likely still face reporting rules in the future. The European Union also has reporting requirements. It delayed their start date in April 2025 to give companies more time to comply. Cleaner supply chains can also be more efficient Managing supply chains with climate and environmental risks in mind can also help businesses increase their efficiency and reduce the risk that climate change will disrupt their operations. The supply chain is the largest source of the average company’s emissions and may be particularly vulnerable to climate shocks. A storm can easily disrupt vital production or shipping, and droughts or heat waves can damage crops, stop work and increase costs. Companies estimate climate-related supply chain risks at $162 billion, nearly three times the cost of mitigating those risks. Many companies therefore have incentives to reduce emissions and their exposure to related hazards. Nearly 80% of the largest companies across seven global economic sectors had set environmental requirements for suppliers within their value chains as of 2023. These requirements include reporting carbon emissions, reducing emissions and using sustainable forestry practices. Walmart eliminated 1 billion tons of carbon emissions from its supply chain in less than seven years by sharing its expertise with suppliers and working with them to reduce their emissions. Walmart’s global director of sustainable retail noted in 2024 that the effort made its suppliers more efficient, too. Keeping employees and customers happy Companies also face pressure from average people − both employees and customers. More than two-thirds of Americans support action to address climate change. Even companies that are not consumer-facing need retail customer and employee support. Pro-climate actions have been found to improve employee and customer loyalty. The outdoor clothing company Patagonia ranked third out of over 300 brands in a 2024 customer experience survey, in part because of its reputation for sustainable practices. Many of the over 10,000 respondents cited the company’s sustainable practices as the leading reason for their support. Many companies also face pressure from lenders and insurers who want to reduce climate risks to their own bottom lines. Dozens of insurers have committed to ending or restricting underwriting for new fossil fuel projects. Others use incentives, such as lower premiums for companies that reduce emissions or invest in climate adaptation. Climate change may accelerate the current 5% to 7% annual increase in insured losses, according to estimates from insurer Swiss Re. That has led some insurance leaders to recommend insurance companies take bigger steps to reduce emissions through their investments and policy underwriting. Private climate governance can help buy time Media attention and interest group advocacy is often focused on government actions, but decisions made in boardrooms and through initiatives with nonprofits have created an important kind of private climate governance. As companies respond to their own economic risks and incentives, they help buy time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change until the political system recognizes the financial risks posed to the entire country. Ethan I. Thorpe is a fellow at the Private Climate Governance Lab at Vanderbilt University. Michael Vandenbergh is a professor of law and co-director of the Energy, Environment and Land Use Program at Vanderbilt University. Zdravka Tzankova is an associate professor of the practice in climate & environmental studies at Vanderbilt University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Sony said it will raise prices starting Monday for some PlayStation 5 video game consoles in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, citing global economic turmoil. The company unveiled the price hikes of at least 10%, saying it was a “tough decision” amid the “backdrop of a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates.” The recommended retail price for a PS5 Digital Edition will go up to 499 euros ($570) in Europe, according to a post Sunday on the official PlayStation blog. That’s up from 449 euros in a previously announced pricing update in 2022. In the United Kingdom, the new price will be 430 pounds ($565), up from 389 pounds previously while in Australia the price will increase to 749 Australian dollars ($474) from $649. The price in New Zealand will rise to 859 New Zealand dollars ($504). The PS5 Digital Edition is a slimmed-down version of the console that comes without a disc drive. Sony said the price in Europe and the U.K. for the standard PlayStation 5, which was released in 2020 and comes with a Blu-ray Disc drive, will remain unchanged, as will the price for the PS5 Pro version, which was released last year. U.S. President Donald The President’s move earlier this month to impose tariffs on nations around the world has roiled global manufacturing supply chains. News on the weekend that imports of electronics like smartphones and laptops are getting a temporary reprieve until the administration figures out a new tariff approach specific to the semiconductor industry has added to the confusion for exporters. —Associated Press 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. The Sony WF-1000XM line has been an innovative and solid series of headphones and earbuds for many years. Right now, the latest version of the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds are $179.99 (originally $299.99), a new record-low price, according to price-tracking tools. They are also the best earbuds for audio quality that you can get in 2025, especially if you want to use active noise canceling (ANC). Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds $179.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $299.99 Save $120.00 Get Deal Get Deal $179.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $299.99 Save $120.00 You can fully customize the sound of these earbuds with various EQ and personalization options in the accompanying app, but they sound balanced and full out of the box. You also get support for the high-end LC3 and LDAC Bluetooth codecs. Their ANC is great, but what makes them special is that, unlike many other ANC earbuds, their audio quality isn't hindered by using ANC, as noted in PCMag's "outstanding" review. You'll get an IPX4 rating, meaning you can use them during workouts—just don't wear them in the shower. The microphones are quite clear, making them suitable for Zoom or work calls. The battery life lasts eight hours with ANC and 16 hours without it. The carrying case gives you up to 24 hours with a full charge. The app comes with many high-end features that earbuds at this price point offer, like Ambient Sound (hear your surroundings), Adaptive Sound Control (switch between ANC and Ambient Sound), Speak-to-Chat (your media stops when you speak), voice assistance from Alexa or Google Assistant, and other features that you can read more about in CNET's review. View the full article

Mauritania isn’t typically a major tourist destination. But its only railway has recently become the subject of a viral TikTok travel trend: riding the “Iron Ore Train.” This 437-mile journey through the Sahara desert offers dramatic selfie backdrops—and no shortage of controversy. The History of the Iron Ore Train The Mauritania Railway, or “Iron Ore Train,” is the country’s only rail line. Since the 1960s, it has transported iron ore from the mining hub of Zouérat to the port city of Nouadhibou. Operated by the state-owned Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM), the train is a crucial economic lifeline for Mauritania—hauling up to 16,800 metric tons of iron ore per trip across remote desert terrain in open-air cars stretching up to two miles long. Iron ore makes up nearly 50% of the small nation’s exports. Why Tourists Are Drawn to the Mauritania Railway Although the Iron Ore Train includes a designated passenger car, the social media trend focuses on riding atop the loaded iron ore cars—promoted online as a daring travel adventure. TikTok videos showcase sweeping desert vistas described by commenters as “post-apocalyptic.” The now-ubiquitous selfies show tourists in what one blogger called “the uniform” of “ski goggles and a seche tied tightly around the head,” posing amid clouds of iron dust to “survive the elements.” The Risks and Challenges of Riding the Iron Ore Cars Many posts highlight the journey’s harsh conditions—constant iron dust coating travelers’ skin and lungs, freezing nights, scorching days, and no access to food, water, or restrooms for an average of 20 hours. But instead of serving as a warning, these challenges are often framed as selling points, promoting the trip as a “bucket list item” or “once-in-a-lifetime experience.” The train offers no safety measures for those riding atop the ore cars. If a rider falls off, operators likely wouldn’t know—leaving injured tourists stranded in the middle of the Sahara Desert. The Legal and Ethical Controversy As the trend has grown—and as videos show increasingly unsafe behavior, including backflips on moving cars—SNIM has officially banned tourists from riding on the iron ore cars. Still, that hasn’t stopped social media. Influencers now share tips for evading security, bribing officials, and sneaking onto the train. Some, like Isaac Elam, even sell guides for riding illegally. Social media can be a valuable tool for discovering unique experiences—but it’s important to question who’s sharing this “inside info.” Before chasing the latest viral trend, consider the safety, legal, and ethical risks to yourself and the communities you visit. The livelihood of Mauritania’s people depends on this railway. If reckless tourist behavior causes delays or shutdowns, the consequences could be far more serious than a missed photo op. View the full article

A San Diego restaurant owner has been sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for defrauding COVID-19 relief programs and filing false tax returns, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday. Leronce Suel, the majority owner of Rockstar Dough LLC and Chicken Feed LLC, operated restaurants in the San Diego area, including Streetcar Merchants in the North Park neighborhood. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Suel conspired with others to underreport more than $1.7 million in gross receipts on Rockstar Dough’s 2020 corporate tax return and COVID-19 relief applications. As a result of the scheme, Suel’s businesses fraudulently obtained $1,773,245 in funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, both created to help businesses suffering economic harm from the COVID-19 pandemic. Suel and a co-conspirator misused the relief funds by making substantial cash withdrawals from business accounts, purchasing a home in Arkansas, and storing more than $2.4 million in cash in Suel’s bedroom. In addition to the COVID-19 relief fraud, Suel failed to file timely tax returns for the 2018 and 2019 tax years. On the returns he did file for 2020 through 2023, he did not report income from his businesses, including large sums of withdrawn cash. In 2023, Suel also submitted false original and amended tax returns, including personal filings for 2016 and 2017 that listed fraudulent depreciable assets and fabricated business losses. A federal jury convicted Suel in September 2024 of multiple charges, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the United States, filing false tax returns, and failure to file tax returns. Following his conviction, Suel agreed to forfeit $1,466,918 in U.S. currency. U.S. District Court Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro, presiding in the Southern District of California, sentenced Suel to 42 months in prison and ordered him to pay approximately $1,773,245 in restitution to the Small Business Administration. The court also ordered Suel to forfeit $1,466,918. A separate restitution hearing concerning payments to the IRS is scheduled for June 6. This article, "San Diego Restaurant Owner Sentenced to Over Three Years for COVID-19 and Tax Fraud" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A San Diego restaurant owner has been sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for defrauding COVID-19 relief programs and filing false tax returns, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday. Leronce Suel, the majority owner of Rockstar Dough LLC and Chicken Feed LLC, operated restaurants in the San Diego area, including Streetcar Merchants in the North Park neighborhood. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Suel conspired with others to underreport more than $1.7 million in gross receipts on Rockstar Dough’s 2020 corporate tax return and COVID-19 relief applications. As a result of the scheme, Suel’s businesses fraudulently obtained $1,773,245 in funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, both created to help businesses suffering economic harm from the COVID-19 pandemic. Suel and a co-conspirator misused the relief funds by making substantial cash withdrawals from business accounts, purchasing a home in Arkansas, and storing more than $2.4 million in cash in Suel’s bedroom. In addition to the COVID-19 relief fraud, Suel failed to file timely tax returns for the 2018 and 2019 tax years. On the returns he did file for 2020 through 2023, he did not report income from his businesses, including large sums of withdrawn cash. In 2023, Suel also submitted false original and amended tax returns, including personal filings for 2016 and 2017 that listed fraudulent depreciable assets and fabricated business losses. A federal jury convicted Suel in September 2024 of multiple charges, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the United States, filing false tax returns, and failure to file tax returns. Following his conviction, Suel agreed to forfeit $1,466,918 in U.S. currency. U.S. District Court Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro, presiding in the Southern District of California, sentenced Suel to 42 months in prison and ordered him to pay approximately $1,773,245 in restitution to the Small Business Administration. The court also ordered Suel to forfeit $1,466,918. A separate restitution hearing concerning payments to the IRS is scheduled for June 6. This article, "San Diego Restaurant Owner Sentenced to Over Three Years for COVID-19 and Tax Fraud" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The Federal Aviation Administration said Sunday that the helicopter tour company whose sightseeing chopper broke apart in flight and crashed in New York, killing the pilot and a family of five visitors from Spain, is shutting down operations immediately. The FAA, in a statement posted on X, also said it would launch an immediate review of New York Helicopter Tours’ operating license and safety record. The move came hours after New York Sen. Chuck Schumer had called on federal authorities to revoke the operating permits of New York Helicopter Tours. The company’s sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair and plunged into the Hudson River Thursday, killing the tourists from Spain and the pilot, a Navy SEAL veteran. At a news conference Sunday, before the announcement by the FAA, Schumer said the company should be required to halt all flights as the National Transportation Safety Board investigates the deadly crash. The Senate Democrat minority leader also called on the Federal Aviation Administration to ramp up safety inspections for other helicopter tour companies, accusing them of “cutting corners and putting profits over people.” The victims included passengers Agustin Escobar, 49, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, 39, and their three children, Victor, 4, Mercedes, 8, and Agustin, 10. The pilot was Seankese Johnson, 36, a U.S. Navy veteran who received his commercial pilot’s license in 2023. “One of the things we can do to honor those lives and try to save others is to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Schumer said. “We know there is one thing for sure about New York City’s helicopter tour companies: They have a deadly track record.” Thursday’s crash has renewed safety concerns about New York’s sightseeing excursions, a popular tourist draw that whisks passengers high above the city, offering soaring views of the Statue of Liberty, the World Trade Center, and other landmarks. In the last two decades, five helicopters on commercial sightseeing flights have fallen into the Hudson and East rivers as a result of mechanical failures, pilot errors, or collisions, killing 20 people. The president of New York Helicopter Tours, Michael Roth, did not respond to phone and email inquiries. The company said in a statement published on its website that it was cooperating with authorities in the investigation. In response to Schumer’s calls for more oversight, an industry group, Eastern Region Helicopter Council, said Manhattan’s sightseeing choppers “already operate under the most stringent of regulations.” “We stand ready to work with leaders on finding ways to ensure the safety and preservation of our businesses and aviation community,” the group said. Critics of the industry have long sought to limit or entirely ban nonessential helicopter flights from taking off above the city, though they have had limited success. After New York City capped the number of flights that could take off from Manhattan heliports at 30,000 annually in 2016, many companies moved operations to New Jersey. Two years later, in 2018, five people died when a helicopter offering “open door” flights crashed in the East River after a passenger’s restraint tether snagged on a fuel switch, stopping the engine. The cause of Thursday’s crash is not yet determined. According to Schumer, rescue divers were continuing to search for the helicopter’s main rotor and assembly gear box, which would give clues about what happened. —Jake Offenhartz, Associated Press View the full article

AI has changed how people search – and what it means to be “visible” in results. Links and rankings still matter, but they’re no longer the full picture. Now, it’s about mentions, citations, and whether your brand even shows up in the conversation. Most SEO tools haven’t caught up. This makes tracking that kind of visibility hard – but not impossible. Here’s how to rethink visibility in the age of AI. Why tracking AI visibility is so tricky Remember when SEO was (relatively) simple? People typed in short phrases like: “Best project management tool or SEO tips 2020.” You knew how they searched, what they were probably looking for, and how to optimize for it. Fast-forward to today, and that same user might type: “Act as a SaaS expert and give me the top 3 project management tools for remote teams with a $50/month budget.” Welcome to the era of conversational search – where queries sound more like DMs to a colleague than keyword strings. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude have normalized full-sentence prompts and pushed search behavior into a new territory. We’ve seen glimpses of this shift before with voice search, but AI has made it feel seamless, fast, and dangerously convenient. That’s great for users – until it’s not. AI-generated answers don’t always cite their sources. Even when they do, the links might be missing, vague, or tossed in like an afterthought. As a result, people often end up back on Google to double-check facts, dig deeper, or figure out if the AI just hallucinated an entire case study. Still, many users are happy to take the shortcut – even if it means missing context or nuance – because who wants to read 20 blog posts when ChatGPT gives you an instant TL;DR? This has created a hybrid search habit: start with AI, fact-check with traditional search, and hope the truth lives somewhere in between. Or at least, this is the current situation. There is no guarantee it will be the same in six months. But even now, for SEOs, it’s chaos. Visibility is no longer just about ranking in Google’s top 10. Your brand might be mentioned in a Perplexity answer or your website cited in Google’s AI Overviews. And the tools we’ve relied on? They’re still stuck in the exact-match keyword era, blissfully unaware of how users are actually searching in these new environments. The result: SEO teams are flying blind. You can’t optimize for what you can’t see – and right now, most of what’s happening in AI-driven search is happening in the dark. It doesn’t sound great, right? So, what’s the next move? We can’t just sit and hope for the best. We should start from somewhere. The first step is to understand what matters in the AI era. Dig deeper: Answer engine optimization: 6 AI models you should optimize for Capabilities that matter in the AI era When it comes to tracking AI visibility, your needs will depend on your business size, market focus, and available resources. A small team may get by with basic tracking or even manual checks (something we have tried and I won’t recommend). But if you’re operating at mid-size or enterprise level – especially in a competitive niche – you’ll need more advanced features to get real value. Here’s a checklist of potential capabilities to look for when evaluating tools or building a solution in-house. Custom prompt tracking You should be able to import your prompts, not just rely on a default list. Without this, you’re measuring performance on queries your customers may never actually use. AI tools are smart, but your team knows the audience better. Multi-country and language support AI answers can vary widely by region and language. If you work on a website with multiple languages without localization, your visibility data might be incomplete or even wrong. For example, when you search in English, results in the U.S. and the UK might be completely different. Cross-platform tracking Your audience doesn’t live on one AI tool. A proper solution should cover ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and others. Otherwise, you’re only seeing part of the picture. Especially if you are a B2B business, some of your potential customers might be already “married” to Microsoft’s or Google’s ecosystem and unwilling to pay for another platform. Competitor identification You need the ability to set your known competitors and discover others based on how often they’re mentioned in the answers to the prompts. If you miss this, you might not realize who’s gaining ground. Historical data access AI results change fast. You’re not the only one optimizing your website – your competition is not sleeping. Tracking historical performance is essential for spotting trends. No history means no real benchmarking. Topic and platform breakdowns Not all mentions are equal. You should be able to slice your visibility data by topic, category, or platform. Without this, your reporting stays surface-level. Exportable answer sets Make sure you can export the full AI responses tied to your prompts. This is critical for internal analysis, validation, and documentation. If you can’t export it, you don’t own it. Visual dashboards To make sense of your data and communicate it effectively, you’ll need clear visualization by time, prompt, platform, or topic. Otherwise, you’re stuck sifting through raw tables and spreadsheets. Most tools on the market don’t do all of this perfectly, or if they promise that they can do it – their features come with a high price. Unfortunately, building something in-house also takes time and technical expertise. The key here is to prioritize based on your team’s goals – whether that’s: Improving brand presence. Monitoring competitors. Understanding how AI tools are shaping the customer journey. Also, be mindful of your own resources Buying a tracking tool won’t increase your capacity for optimizations, and it will just show you partly the right path. Once you’ve defined the right capabilities, the next step is knowing what to actually measure. Dig deeper: AI optimization – How to optimize your content for AI search and agents Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. What to measure when rankings don’t matter In AI-driven search, you’re no longer measuring rankings or CTRs – you’re measuring brand exposure. Traditional SEO metrics still matter, but they won’t tell you how often your brand is mentioned or cited in AI-generated answers. Many of the metrics SEOs now need to track look more like PR KPIs: Mentions. Citations. Share of voice. Visibility is less about position and more about presence – and whether you’re being referenced as an authority. Here’s a list of metrics that can help you understand and track your AI visibility. You likely won’t need (or be able) to track all of them – especially early on. However, knowing what’s possible can help you prioritize based on your goals and resources. Brand mentions The number of times your brand or the brand of your competitors is referenced in AI-generated responses, regardless of whether a link is included. Why it matters: Mentions are the new impressions – a signal of awareness and authority. If your competitors are mentioned more often, you’re losing visibility at the top of the funnel. Citations (linked references) The number of times your website and the websites of your competitors are actually linked in AI answers. Why it matters: Mentions are good, but links are better. They offer validation and can drive traffic (depending on how the platform displays links). Tracking citations helps identify which content AI models consider authoritative. Prompt-triggered visibility Which prompts lead to your brand being mentioned or cited? Which prompts trigger the same for your competitor? Why it matters: It helps you understand the user intent that surfaces your brand. This is especially valuable for optimizing messaging and identifying new positioning angles. Context of mentions Are you listed as the top recommendation? One of 10 options? Are you described positively, neutrally, or vaguely? Why it matters: The quality of the mention shapes user perception. Being “mentioned” isn’t always a win if you’re buried in a list or framed as a secondary option. Share of voice (SOV) What percentage of relevant AI answers include your brand vs. competitors? Why it matters: SOV gives you a benchmark to measure your presence relative to others in your category. It’s useful for spotting gains and losses in competitive positioning. Dig deeper: How to monitor brand visibility across AI search channels Link destination and depth Are the links going to your homepage, product pages, blog posts, or support content? Why it matters: Shows which content is earning trust – and what type of pages you should prioritize to increase citations. Visibility over time Mentions and citations aren’t static. You need to track changes over time to understand trends. Why it matters: It helps you measure the impact of SEO and content work, PR activity, or product updates on your AI presence. Platform-specific performance How does your brand visibility compare across different tools – ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, etc.? Why it matters: AI models pull from different data sources and respond differently to prompts. Tracking platform-specific visibility can help prioritize where to focus next. Not every team needs to track all of these, and most tools don’t cover all of them. Start with the metrics that align more closely with your goals and upgrade when needed. And now, for the fun part: finding tools that can track these metrics. Dig deeper: Your 2025 playbook for AI-powered cross-channel brand visibility Where to start with AI visibility tools The good news is that the landscape of AI visibility tools is evolving rapidly. The bad news is that most platforms currently don’t do it all. Most tools are still maturing and focusing on specific aspects of the visibility puzzle, such as just one or two of the main AI platforms. That makes tool selection less about finding “the best” solution and more about choosing the right fit for your needs and resources. Here are a few tools currently on the radar of SEO teams exploring AI visibility: Profound: Tracks brand visibility across AI platforms like Perplexity and ChatGPT. Peec AI: Designed for prompt monitoring, brand detection, benchmarking, and historical trendline. Otterly: Offers prompt research, similar to the keyword research process, and tracking of selected prompts. Goodie: Combines SEO data with generative AI monitoring across different models. Adsmurai: Originally ad-focused, now expanding into AI visibility and performance insights. RankRaven: Built for tracking brand mentions and share of voice in AI-generated answers. seoClarity: The enterprise suite now offers tools to monitor visibility in AI-driven search results. Many others are emerging – and more are launching every month. Some tools may eventually cover everything you need, but the price quickly becomes a factor. The reason is simple. For most SEO teams, this means adding yet another platform to an already crowded stack. Something that rarely excites stakeholders, whether you’re in-house or agency-side. Building your own system is also an option – and it might seem cost-effective on paper. However, maintaining a reliable AI tracking setup requires engineering time, constant testing, and a high tolerance for platform changes. Depending on your scale, it may cost more in time than it saves in budget. Some teams may end up using a combination of tools: One external tool for broad coverage. One internal for deeper tracking. Whatever direction you choose, set aside time to explore, test, and watch demos. Most of these platforms are still evolving, and what works for your team today might need rethinking in six months. A flexible mindset and a willingness to experiment are just as important as the tools themselves. Tracking AI visibility in a changing search landscape Tracking AI visibility isn’t about figuring it all out today – it’s about laying the groundwork. Define the signals that matter. Pick the tools that fit. Be ready to pivot as the landscape changes. This is an exciting time to rethink what visibility means. Take the opportunity to think outside of the box and experiment. Dig deeper: 6 easy ways to adapt your SEO strategy for stronger AI visibility View the full article

You’re mid-sentence in a meeting, sharing an idea or outlining a strategy you’ve been thinking through for weeks—then it happens. Someone jumps in, cuts you off, and shifts the conversation. You fade out while they take the spotlight. It’s frustrating—but even more so when it’s subtle. Maybe you weren’t shouted over, but you were redirected, ignored, or sidelined. Over time, it takes a toll on confidence, clarity, and leadership presence. So how do you know it’s happening—and how do you stop it? Here are five signs you’re being talked over in meetings, plus practical strategies to reclaim your voice and authority. 1. You’re constantly “circling back” to what you were saying. If you often hear yourself say, “As I was saying earlier,” or, “Just to finish that thought,” you’re probably being interrupted more than you realize. These polite reentries signal you’ve been cut off—and trained to work around it. What to do: Don’t just circle back—own the space. Use direct language. “I’d like to finish my point before we move on,” or, “I wasn’t finished with that thought—let me complete it.” It’s not rude. It’s reclaiming your airtime. 2. You’re the idea originator—but someone else gets the credit. You suggest something early in the meeting. Ten minutes later, someone repeats it—and suddenly it’s a brilliant new direction. This isn’t just annoying—it’s a visibility issue. What to do: Speak up—gracefully but clearly. Stating, “Thanks for building on my idea from earlier,” signals ownership without confrontation. And when others do this to your colleagues, amplify them too. It builds a culture of mutual respect. 3. You’re interrupted before you finish a full sentence. This one is easy to spot—but easy to dismiss. If you rarely get through your full thought before someone else jumps in, you’ve been conditioned to shrink your communication. You may start to self-edit, speak faster, or say less. What to do: Pause, then continue. “I’d like to finish my point,” is powerful and direct. And don’t speed up or apologize. Take your time. If someone consistently interrupts you, address it privately: “I’ve noticed I’m often cut off mid-thought. Can we be more mindful of giving each other space?” 4. Your contributions get ignored until they come from someone else. You bring a new perspective. Silence. Later, a colleague echoes it—and gets enthusiastic agreement. This isn’t your imagination. What to do: Keep a strong, clear voice. “That’s similar to what I shared earlier—maybe we can build on that.” You can also enlist allies ahead of time to support your points, creating an environment where your voice is heard the first time. 5. You leave meetings feeling invisible—or exhausted. The biggest red flag is how you feel. If meetings leave you drained, frustrated, or questioning your value, it’s not about being too sensitive. It’s a sign your presence isn’t being respected—or that you’re overworking to be heard. What to do: Set boundaries and speak up. But also, reflect on the environments you’re in. Is this a meeting problem—or a culture problem? Change what you can, advocate when you need to, and know when it’s time to take your brilliance somewhere it’s truly valued. The bottom line Being interrupted or talked over in meetings isn’t just annoying—it’s a leadership issue. When your voice is minimized, so is your influence. These patterns are deeply embedded in workplace culture, but they aren’t unchangeable. Start with awareness. Add practical language. And remember: owning your voice is one of the most powerful leadership tools you have. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: Recently, my boss sent me five spreadsheets, several with multiple tabs, to fill out but offered no information on what went in which row, column, or tab. I managed to figure most of it out (she gets annoyed when I ask her questions) and asked for clarification on the rest. I only had hours to get all of this done because it was due the next day and she had sent it to me a few hours into my workday so I had to work quickly. I apparently filled out one of the columns wrong, subtracting the scores instead of adding them. I went to her office to address it, and she was infuriated. She proceeded to scream at me about my mistake. Despite my apologies and offers to immediately fix the error, which would take five minutes, she shooed me away. All of this happened with the door open. I was so shocked and embarrassed, I left and cried in my office. I sent an email apologizing for the mistake, ignoring that her clarification had been my reason for doing it the way I had. Later, two women who work on the same floor as my boss asked how I was doing. They were horrified to hear her screaming at me. The next week, I had to complete 12 individual information packets to send to her. I reviewed them thoroughly, and we went back and forth on them about four times (through email) before they were finalized. The next day, she calls me into her office and, again, with the door open, proceeds to speak in quite an agitated and frustrated tone about my mistake, which had involved pasting in the wrong name in one of the documents. I could tell she wanted to scream at me again because the more she went on, the louder her voice got. I only realized after she had cut into me for five minutes that the door had been open the entire time. I left feeling embarrassed but also angry. I am quite thorough when I do my work. I’ve been at this job for nine months, and this was the first time I had made a mistake. One of them wasn’t my fault because I was provided with zero instructions except “fill this out with these numbers” and the other I owned up to just as quickly. At one point in the second conversation with her, I acknowledged I had made two mistakes, and she said, “No, three,” pointing out a “mistake” I had “made” in a document that had not been finalized yet. It involved removing a single word, but I hadn’t even finished looking over the whole thing. I am quite defeated already. I thought her reactions were quite disproportionate to the mistake both times. I’m not sure whether this is “get a new job” worthy, but I want to have a conversation with her about her tone because I don’t mind having my mistakes corrected, but I do think there is a way to do it without embarrassing the person. I think it begins with closing the door, but how do I go about bringing this up? It begins with not yelling. It begins with not berating. The open door is the least of the issues! It sounds like you’re feeling embarrassed that people heard your boss laying into you — but I promise, that reflects terribly on her, not on you. After all, imagine if you were walking down the hall and heard someone’s boss screaming at them. Wouldn’t you think “jeez, what a jerk?” not “wow, that person being yelled at must really suck?” That’s why your two coworkers checked on you afterwards, and why they were horrified. People make mistakes. If your boss needed to correct your work, the appropriate action was to matter-of-factly correct your work. It doesn’t require berating or yelling or being “infuriated” (!). If you’re making so many mistakes or such serious mistakes that she’s frustrated or even questioning your fit for the job, the correct way to deal with that is to use the many, many tools she has at her disposal as your manager and actually manage you, which could be anything from more intensive training/coaching to formal warnings to actually firing you. At no point along that path of progressively serious consequences would it be appropriate for her to berate you or yell at you, even if you were a disaster of an employee. (And if these were your first mistakes in nine months, you’re clearly not a disaster of an employee — but even if you were, it wouldn’t justify being abusive.) I want to know what your relationship with your boss is like aside from this. I doubt that she’s seemed calm and reasonable all along until she suddenly become infuriated over a single mistake and unloaded on you like this, so I’m guessing there have been issues with her all along — and that’s your bigger problem than just these most recent reactions. You can certainly try a calm conversation along the lines of, “I take my work seriously and I want to know about mistakes so I can fix them, but I do not want to be yelled at like what happened last week.” And if she ever yells at you again, you should feel free to say, “I’m not willing to be yelled at, but I will of course talk with you about this later once you’re no longer yelling” and then leave. Truly, you’re allowed to do that. You should also feel free to simply stand up and close the door if you’re concerned a conversation is getting heated and you’d prefer privacy. But you have a boss problem that goes beyond these most recent incidents, and it’s the sort that’s probably only solved by leaving for a new job when you can. As long as you’re stuck working for her, though, keep in the forefront of your mind that this is about her, not you. People who have the skills to manage effectively don’t operate this way, and she’s telling on herself to you and anyone who happens to overhear. View the full article

Winning an industry award can seriously impact how customers, clients, and colleagues regard your brand. Showcase your achievements and celebrate your professional excellence by entering the Search Engine Land Awards – the highest honor in search marketing! For the past 10 years, the Search Engine Land Awards have honored some of the best in the search industry – including leading in-house teams at Wiley Education Services, T-Mobile, Penn Foster, Sprint, and HomeToGo – and exceptional agencies representing Samsung, Lands’ End, Stanley Steemer, and beyond. This year, it’s your turn. The 2025 entry period is now open! Here’s what you need to know: This is the 10th anniversary of the Search Engine Land Awards, a program designed to celebrate individuals, agencies, and internal teams within the search marketing community who have demonstrated excellence in executing organic and paid search marketing campaigns. This year’s program features 19 unique categories, from Best Use of AI Technology in Search Marketing to Agency of the Year… click here to explore them all. Applying is easier than ever – send us an executive summary that showcases, in 750 words or less, the award-worthy work you and your team performed this past year. Completing your application empowers you to reflect on an impressive year of work, featuring its successes and lessons learned – an invaluable exercise for you and your team. Winning a Search Engine Land Award is a unique, rewarding, and cost-effective way to put your organization a step ahead of its competitors, gain well-earned publicity, boost company morale, and more. Submit your application by May 23 to enjoy Super Early Bird pricing – just $395 per entry ($300 off final rates!). Not sure where to begin? Check out this helpful collection of advice straight from past judges for insights on what makes a winning application. Don’t miss your opportunity to participate in the only awards program recognized by Search Engine Land, the industry publication of record. Begin your application today! View the full article

Judge tells Michael Viney ‘custody threshold has been crossed’ after he sold a flat in BarcelonaView the full article

President Donald The President bitterly attacked “60 Minutes” shortly after the CBS newsmagazine broadcast stories on Ukraine and Greenland on Sunday, saying the network was out of control and should “pay a big price” for going after him. “Almost every week, 60 Minutes … mentions the name ‘The President’ in a derogatory and defamatory way, but this Weekend’s ‘BROADCAST’ tops them all,” the president said on his Truth Social platform. He called on Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr to impose maximum fines and punishment “for their unlawful and illegal behavior.” The network had no immediate comment. The President has an ongoing $20 billion lawsuit against “60 Minutes” for how it edited an interview with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris last fall. The president claims it was edited in a way to make Harris look good, something the newscast denies. But there are ongoing reports that The President’s lawyers and CBS’ parent company are involved in settlement talks. Carr and the FCC have launched a parallel investigation of CBS News about the same case, one of several that it has undergone that also involve ABC News, NBC, PBS, NPR and the Walt Disney Co. Despite the legal battle, “60 Minutes” has been unstinting in its coverage of The President’s administration since he took office for a second term, particularly correspondent Scott Pelley. He traveled to Ukraine to conduct an interview with that country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the site of a Russian attack where nine children were killed earlier this month. In the interview broadcast on Sunday, Zelenskyy said he has “100%” hatred for Russian President Vladimir Putin for the invasion of Ukraine, and invited The President to his visit his country to see what has been done. Also Sunday, correspondent Jon Wertheim reported from Greenland on what some people in that nation are saying about The President’s desire to take control. In his social media message, The President said “60 Minutes” was no longer a news show but “a dishonest Political Operative simply disguised as ‘News,’ and must be responsible for what they have done, and are doing.” David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social —David Bauder, AP Media Writer View the full article

The death of downtown is now a familiar refrain. Central business districts (CBDs) in cities around the world—once bustling centers of office work—were hit hard by the pandemic and the shift to remote work, leading many to predict they would never fully recover. But instead of demise, downtowns are being reinvented. And Tokyo is leading the way. Traditional downtown business districts in cities around the world were defined and dominated by vertical towers where legions of white-collar professionals and support staff were stacked in isolated office buildings. The world’s largest metropolitan area is pioneering a new model where the city itself increasingly takes on functions that were once the province of the office, providing amenities and specialized services that enable companies to better attract and retain talent. Instead of a single monolithic CBD, Tokyo’s downtown has been reshaped into a mosaic of distinct downtown districts with their own that together make up its vibrant urban core. Each of them has its own distinct economic identity and unique mix of amenities which allow them to appeal to different kinds of talent. Evolving gradually over the past two decades, this approach is both an organic outgrowth of private sector shifts on development and office location, as well as innovative policies that relax zoning, incentivize mixed-use development, and prioritize public transport access. It also helps that people in Tokyo live in smaller homes and enjoy quick, reliable commutes on clean, efficient trains and subways—conditions that naturally support the return to office work. Taken together, these factors have enabled Tokyo’s downtown to experience one of the world’s strongest rebounds, with high rates of office return, higher commercial rents, and lower vacancy rates than nearly any other global city. We call this new model an urban knowledge campus. Indeed, Tokyo’s downtown districts resemble university campuses more than traditional downtown office clusters. After all, a great university campus is more than just a collection of lecture halls, dormitories, and dining facilities. It forms a complete ecosystem for learning, social interaction, and spontaneous exchange, encompassing labs and studios, sports and athletic centers, theaters, cultural venues, and green spaces. Our detailed research, released by the BCG Henderson Institute, examined five of Tokyo’s most prominent downtown districts—Marunouchi and Nihonbashi, Shibuya, Roppongi, Shinagawa, and Shinjuku—and identified the key characteristics that underpin their collective success as an urban knowledge campus. Density Done Right Tokyo’s downtown districts are among the densest, most intensively used urban spaces on the planet. With daytime populations exceeding 70,000 people per square kilometer in some areas, they are twice as dense as Manhattan but remain clean, orderly, and deeply livable. It’s this level of functional density that distinguishes Tokyo from more suburban innovation hubs like Silicon Valley or Boston’s Route 128. A True Urban Mix Tokyo is distinguished by more than physical density. Its messy, mixed-use urbanity fosters what we call interaction density—the constant, unplanned collisions that spark new ideas and connections. Office spaces intermingle with housing, vibrant retail, green spaces, restaurants, bars, clubs, cultural venues—and, importantly, schools and childcare facilities which help keep families with children in and around the urban core. In fact, office space accounts for less than 40% of land use in four of Tokyo’s five major downtown districts—far lower than in London’s Canary Wharf, where it exceeds 80%; Paris’s La Défense, where it makes up roughly 70%; or Lower Manhattan, where it comprises some 60%. Tokyo’s downtowns districts are 24/7 neighborhoods bustling with life long after business hours—a striking contrast to the CBDs of many global cities that are dominated by monolithic office towers and empty out after dark. A Mosaic of Distinctive Districts Tokyo’s urban knowledge campus isn’t a single entity but rather a mosaic of specialized urban environments that appeal to distinct industries. The unique amenities, services, and character, these districts appeal to different kinds of talent these industries require. This specialization is reflected in the chart below which arrays the city’s five main downtown districts based on two key factors: how specialized each is around particular industries, and how much of each district is dedicated to office space versus other uses. Marunouchi-Nihonbashi is comprised of two adjacent districts in central Tokyo that serve as the hub for the city’s financial and professional services industries. These districts attract finance professionals, strategic consultants, senior executives, and corporate leaders. They have the highest level of industry specialization, and offices make up the largest share of their total footprint. Anchored by major banks, global headquarters, and consultancies, these districts exude stability and formality, with prestige modern skyscrapers rising beside historic facades, and streets lined with luxury retail, fine dining, and shaded plazas. Unsplash Roppongi has evolved into a cosmopolitan center for technology and international business. It has a moderate level of industry specialization compared to Marunouchi-Nihonbashi and a greater variety of non-office uses. Drawing on its historic role as a hub for expatriates, it has become Tokyo’s main center for global corporations and international talent. Once known primarily for nightlife and dining, it now offers a more balanced set of amenities, including more sophisticated arts and culture venues, abundant green spaces, and schools and educational facilities for families. Shibuya is the city’s creative and digital epicenter, home to media firms, startups, and tech ventures. Its specialization and mix of uses are similar to Roppongi. The district is a magnet for the creative class: designers, coders, digital media workers, and creative professionals who thrive on collaboration, improvisation, and inspiration. Its colorful, neon-lit streetscape pulses with energy, featuring avant-garde architecture, ramen shops, clubs, pop-up boutiques, and live-music venues. Loud, fast, and experimental, Shibuya’s edgy vibe was a key factor in Google’s decision to place its Japanese headquarters here. Unsplash Shinjuku stands out as more balanced in terms of its industry mix and use of space. It attracts a diverse workforce—bureaucrats, executives, business travelers, and creatives—to its mix of government offices, high-rise hotels, entertainment venues, shops, and transit terminals. With amenities ranging from policy think tanks to karaoke bars, it’s the most “Tokyo” of the city’s districts: dense, vertical, chaotic, and dynamic. Unsplash Lessons for Corporate Location Strategy Companies in the U.S. and around the world have much to learn from what Tokyo has done. Choosing a location isn’t merely about real estate or cost; it’s about strategically positioning organizations in areas that can help attract, energize, and retain essential talent. The office today is more than a building or a place to work; it’s a platform for culture, community, and innovation. The urban knowledge campus is what this looks like when scaled to the level of the city. At a time when talented people have more choice than ever, companies must move beyond the idea that workers should simply report to an office. They must place themselves in locations that excite and inspire. The knowledge campus functions more as a magnet than a mandate. Companies must elevate location as a core element of their overall corporate strategy. Where a company chooses to locate shapes its culture, its innovation capacity, and its prospects for growth. Forward-thinking firms increasingly understand that talent attraction depends on far more than amenities inside the office. It depends on the quality of the broader environment—transit access, housing, schools, safety, vibrancy, and a sense of place. But this goes beyond simply selecting great locations. To truly succeed in this new era, companies must engage proactively in shaping the environments they inhabit, partnering with developers, local governments, and other institutions to co-create the kinds of neighborhoods that support their workforce and long-term success. In Tokyo, private developers have played a critical role in evolving the downtown districts into more livable, vibrant spaces. And such development has been facilitated by government policies that allow greater land-use flexibility; encourage mixed-use development; provide transit connectivity; and fill the urban core with schools, child-care facilities, and other essential services that keep families with children in the urban center alongside young people and empty-nesters. Such long-term public investments in urban ecosystems enable companies to thrive. Tokyo’s experience shows what’s possible when companies, developers, and government are aligned around making great places for companies and for people. In today’s knowledge economy, place matters more than ever. Choosing a location isn’t just about selecting an address—it’s the cornerstone of sustained competitive advantage. This research was conducted under the auspices of the BCG Henderson Institute. View the full article

China’s leader Xi Jinping said no one wins in a trade war as he kicked off a diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia on Monday, reiterating China’s commitment to global trade in contrast with U.S. President Donald The President’s latest tariffs moves. Although The President has paused some tariffs, he has kept in place 145% duties on China, the world’s second-largest economy. “There are no winners in a trade war, or a tariff war,” Xi wrote in an editorial jointly published in Vietnamese and Chinese official media. “Our two countries should resolutely safeguard the multilateral trading system, stable global industrial and supply chains, and open and cooperative international environment.” Xi’s visit lets China show Southeast Asia it is a “responsible superpower in the way that contrasts with the way the U.S. under President Donald The President presents to the whole world,” said Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute. Xi was greeted on the tarmac by Vietnam’s President Luong Cuong at the start of his two-day visit, a mark of honor not often given to visitors, said Nguyen Thanh Trung, a professor of Vietnamese studies at Fulbright University Vietnam. Students of a drum art group performed as women waved the red and yellow Chinese and Communist Party flags. While Xi’s trip likely was planned earlier, it has become significant because of the tariff fight between China and the U.S. The visit offers a path for Beijing to shore up its alliances and find solutions for the high trade barrier that the U.S. has imposed on Chinese exports. In Vietnam, Xi will meet with Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary To Lam, his counterpart, as well as the Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. “The trip to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia is all about how China can really insulate itself against the from The President,” said Nguyen Khac Giang, pointing out that since Xi became the president in 2013, he has only visited Vietnam twice. The timing of the visit sends a “strong political message that Southeast Asia is important to China,” said Huong Le-Thu of the International Crisis Group think tank. She said that given the severity of The President’s tariffs and despite the 90-day pause, Southeast Asian nations were anxious that the tariffs, if implemented, could complicate their development. Vietnam is experienced at balancing its relations with the U.S and China. It is run under a communist, one-party system like China but has had a strong relationship with the U.S. In 2023, it was the only country that received both U.S. President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping. That year it also upgraded the U.S. to its highest diplomatic level, the same as China and Russia. Vietnam was one of the biggest beneficiaries of countries trying to decouple their supply chains from China, as businesses moved here. China is its biggest trading partner, and China-Vietnam trade surged 14.6% year-on-year in 2024, according to Chinese state media. But the intensification of the trade war has put Vietnam in a “very precarious situation” given the impression in the U.S. that Vietnam is serving as a backdoor for Chinese goods, said Giang, the analyst at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute. Vietnam had been hit with 46% tariffs under The President’s order before the 90-day pause. China and Vietnam have real long-term differences, including territorial disputes in the South China Sea, where Vietnam has faced off with China’s coast guard but does not often publicize the confrontations. After Vietnam, Xi is expected to go to Malaysia next and then Cambodia. —- —Huizhong Wu and Aniruddha Ghosal, Associated Press View the full article

China appears to be pursuing a calculated effort to recruit recently laid-off U.S. scientists—particularly those with expertise in artificial intelligence—to relocate or contribute remotely to research operations based in Shenzhen. This campaign is reportedly being driven by a network of entities linked to a shadowy Chinese technology conglomerate. In March, advertisements offering “full-cycle support” for relocation to Shenzhen were placed on LinkedIn, Craigslist, and in several major international publications. (I was alerted to one such newspaper ad through a friend in the city.) The timing coincides with a wave of budget-driven layoffs across U.S. federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), following funding reductions by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The recruitment effort has drawn scrutiny from U.S. officials and intelligence analysts, who view it as part of a broader Chinese strategy to acquire advanced technological expertise through nontraditional channels. The FBI has previously warned that Chinese “talent programs” may serve as mechanisms to extract intellectual property and sensitive research from foreign institutions under the guise of academic or professional collaboration. Laid-off federal employees with security clearances or institutional knowledge are considered particularly vulnerable. Analysts suggest that financial strain and professional uncertainty may make these individuals more susceptible to overtures from foreign entities. While international recruitment of scientific talent is not unusual, the circumstances surrounding this initiative—particularly the use of potentially deceptive firms and the targeting of a freshly displaced U.S. workforce—raise significant counterintelligence and national security concerns. In response, U.S. agencies are reviewing protocols for layoffs involving sensitive personnel, including strengthening exit briefings and restrictions on post-employment affiliations. Platforms like LinkedIn have also stepped up efforts to detect and remove fraudulent recruiter profiles, which are often used in foreign influence and espionage operations. Shenzhen’s emergence as a global innovation hub is a relevant factor. Since being designated a Special Economic Zone in the 1980s, the city has attracted significant investment and become a core node in China’s technology ecosystem. Many U.S. companies have longstanding relationships in the region, leveraging its capacity for rapid prototyping and cost-effective manufacturing. There is reason to believe that China may frame Shenzhen as a politically neutral environment for scientific work, potentially increasing its appeal to foreign researchers. Sources familiar with current efforts tell me that remote collaboration options are being offered to further lower barriers—allowing scientists to contribute to Chinese research initiatives without relocating. However, analysts caution that any scientific contribution—remote or otherwise—ultimately supports the interests of the Chinese state. Shenzhen operates within the political and regulatory framework of the People’s Republic of China, and research conducted there is unlikely to remain fully compartmentalized or independent. Additionally, former U.S. government employees with security clearances may face legal and regulatory constraints that bar them from working with Chinese research entities, including academic institutions. This recruitment campaign highlights a broader strategic competition between the U.S. and China over leadership in critical technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. In this context, the targeting of displaced American scientific personnel represents a pragmatic, if provocative, maneuver by Beijing. While it remains uncertain how effective this strategy will be, it reflects a sophisticated understanding of the intersection between economic dislocation and talent acquisition—and reinforces the urgency of policy responses that address both national security and workforce resilience. View the full article

Big Lots continues to trickle back to life after a bankruptcy last year that was widely expected to lead to its demise. The discount retailer will see another 54 store reopenings at the beginning of next month, according to Variety Wholesalers, the North Carolina-based retail company that has taken control of hundreds of Big Lots leases. These “second wave” store openings will span 12 states across the South and Midwest, a Variety spokesperson shared with Fast Company. The stores are expected to open on Thursday, May 1. What happened to the original Big Lots? After suffering declining sales and foot traffic for years, Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2024. The company fell under the control of liquidation firm Gordon Brothers and had been expected to close every location. But Variety Wholesalers—which owns Roses, Super Dollar, Bargain Town, and other discount retail chains—agreed to take over at least 200 leases in a last-minute deal announced in December. As part of the deal, Variety agreed to operate the locations under the Big Lots brand. However, after selling off merchandise and holding going-out-of-business sales, the Variety-owned locations will still shutter for at least a few weeks while the company prepares them for reopening. The first wave of nine locations opened last week with stores in six states, as Fast Company first reported in March. Future openings are planned for June, for a total fleet count of 219 locations when all is said and done. At the time of the bankruptcy, Big Lots had more than 800 locations around the country, meaning its footprint under Variety will be significantly smaller, though hopefully no less beloved by fans of discount merchandise. North Carolina will see the biggest number of Big Lots openings in the second wave, with 12 locations set to open in the state. Additional second-wave stores will be located in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Indiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia. The full list appears below: Michigan 4157 E. Court Street, Burton, MI 48509 5112 Miller Rd, Flint, MI 48507 7651 23 Mile Rd, Shelby Township, MI 48316 Ohio 4331 Mahoning Ave NW, Warren, OH 44483 7100 South Ave, Boardman, OH 44512 1965 W State St, Alliance, OH 44601 498 Cadiz Rd, Wintersville, OH 43953 56104 National Rd, Bridgeport, OH 43912 6300 E Livingston Ave, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 Pennsylvania 866 Scranton Carbondale Hwy, Archbald, PA 18403 1010 O’Neill Hwy, Dunmore, PA 18512 7405 Westbranch Hwy, Lewisburg, PA 17837 West Virginia 1228 Country Club Rd, Fairmont, WV 26554 104 Thompson Dr, Bridgeport, WV 26330 710 Beverly Pike, Elkins, WV 26241 118 Hills Plz, Charleston, WV 25312 110 Eagle School Rd, Martinsburg, WV 25404 7200 Mccorkle Ave SE, Charleston, WV 25304 Kentucky 200 Sycamore St Ste 151, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 472 Eastern Byp, Richmond, KY 40475 1714 Perryville Rd Ste 400, Danville, KY 40422 942 Happy Valley Rd, Glasgow, KY 42141 Virginia 1090 Millwood Pike, Winchester, VA 22602 2715 W Main St, Waynesboro, VA 22980 4300 Portsmouth Blvd, Chesapeake, VA 23321 2646 Greensboro Rd, Martinsville, VA 24112 Indiana 195 S US Hwy 231, Jasper, IN 47546 Tennessee 1262 NW Broad St, Murfreesboro, TN 37129 4825 N Broadway St, Knoxville, TN 37918 420 Park Blvd, Rogersville, TN 37857 840 25th St NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 North Carolina 1504 N Bridge St, Elkin, NC 28621 1826 W US Hwy 421 Ste K, Wilkesboro, NC 28697 526c US Highway 70 SW, Hickory, NC 28602 2587 W Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, NC 28052 1328 Carter St, Mount Airy, NC 27030 1063 Yadkinville Rd, Mocksville, NC 27028 100 Westwood Village Dr, Clemmons, NC 27012 12295 Capital Blvd, Wake Forest, NC 27587 1110 Julian R Allsbrook Hwy, Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870 955 N Wesleyan Blvd, Rocky Mount, NC 27804 4956 Long Beach Rd SE Ste 8, Southport, NC 28461 2407 N Herritage St Ste E, Kinston, NC 28501 Alabama 5363 Hwy 90 W Ste C, Mobile, AL 36619 603 US Hwy 72 W, Athens, AL 35611 1820 6th Ave SE, Decatur, AL 35601 South Carolina 2349 Cherry Rd Ste 79, Rock Hill, SC 29732 1000 N Pine St, Spartanburg, SC 29303 915 S St Ste A, Simpsonville, SC 29681 1023A S Pendleton St, Easley, SC 29642 Georgia 558 Battlefield Pkwy, Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 323 Habersham Village Cir, Cornelia, GA 30531 110 E Northside Dr, Valdosta, GA 31602 2708 Peach Orchard Rd, Augusta, GA 30906 View the full article

Explore the rising threat of national debt, future tax hikes, and how Americans can prepare. The Concierge CPA With Jackie Meyer For CPA Trendlines Go PRO for members-only access to more Jackie Meyer. View the full article

Explore the rising threat of national debt, future tax hikes, and how Americans can prepare. The Concierge CPA With Jackie Meyer For CPA Trendlines Go PRO for members-only access to more Jackie Meyer. View the full article

It was early morning, and I was sitting by a lake in Maine, a cup of coffee in hand when one of those bolt-from-the-blue moments of clarity struck me. Before I share my big a-ha moment, let me give you some context. I am a business coach for creative entrepreneurs and freelancers and have dedicated my entire career to helping creative professionals build profitable and successful businesses and careers. You’re my people! I am also a neurotypical parent of a neurodivergent child. Until I had my son, I had no idea how different neurocognitive styles impacted everything from time management and planning to motivation and focus (yep, some neurotypical privilege right there!). It was only with this new insight that I realized just how much everything - from the school system to work environments and expectations - was created for neurotypical folks. I started to gain a glimmer of understanding about how operating within those structures, not only put additional pressure on already taxed neurodivergent brains but compounded the feelings of shame around being “different.” It was during this time that I also started to realize that several of my coaching clients had ADHD. Just like that, sitting by a lake in Maine, I saw what all had been there along - an observable relationship between creativity, entrepreneurship, and ADHD. Fast forward a couple of years and I graduated as a certified ADHD coach, equipped with a deeper level understanding, empathy, and resources needed to support ADHD creatives working and building businesses in a neurotypical world. I continue to work with creatives for all stripes and neurotypes, just working with an expanded view and grab bag of tools. If you’re reading this with a diagnosis or suspicion that you might have ADHD, you’re probably very aware that you think differently. As a creative professional, thinking differently is a good thing! When your brain is working its magic, you: ● are an idea-generating powerhouse ● are not limited by constraints (thinking outside the proverbial box) ● are relentlessly curious and dive deep into researching new topics And while all that ideating and creating is your sweet spot, you may also struggle with: ● Feeling overwhelmed by everything you “should” be doing ● Getting motivated (especially if the task at hand is boring) ● Juggling priorities and time Finding a balance between your gifts and the challenges of ADHD can be tough. What worked yesterday may not work today, so rather than share the latest strategy or app (because I know you’ve got plenty of those already!), I’d like to share a golden rule that I hope will help you return your focus to what matters. The beauty of this golden rule is that it works for everyone. Introducing: The Rule of Three The Rule of Three is a commitment to define and focus on no more than three things at a time. Put differently, there are three and there are too many. Here are three areas (see what I did there?) you can apply this rule: 1) Have no more than 3 goals you are actively working towardsDo you have a million goals and priorities? Maybe your goals look more like a never-ending to-do list. Or perhaps you’re so busy working in your business, that you forget to set any goals, priorities, or commitments in the first place. Wherever you land, it’s all good. Take the opportunity now to either review your goals or set some. This exercise can be as simple or as involved as you want (my vote is simple). Just be sure to have no more than three things you will devote your precious resources of time, creativity, and energy. 2) Have no more than 3 ideal client segmentsWhether you have clear client profiles or have operated under the premise of “any client is a good client,” a regular review of the clients you’ve worked with over the last year or so is always a great idea. Here’s how: list them any way you want to (spreadsheet, notebook - just keep it simple) and write down what the project entailed, how much you got paid, what you enjoyed, and what you didn't. Now give each client or project a grade. What do the A’s and B’s have in common? What do the C’s, D’s, and F’s have in common? Congratulations, you now have a clearer idea about who makes an ideal client. Focus ALL your time, energy, and brainpower to connect with those people from now on! 3) Have no more than 3 core services or offeringsDo you have a services page that reads like a diner menu? You’re not alone! In my opinion, having too many services is what puts the biggest strain on our focus, energy, operations, and boundaries. Using the insight you’ve gleaned from #2, identify the projects where you were (a) most creatively engaged (b) most respected and valued by the client, and (c) paid for the value you deliver. Now look for the opposite: the projects where you were (a) creatively unfulfilled (b) driven bananas by the client (c) paid based upon hours rather than value. Offer ONLY the services where you are in your zone of genius, can deliver outstanding results, and are most profitable. OK, we covered a lot here, so feel free to pick and choose the area you’d like to focus on (pun intended!). There is no right order, and you can’t get it wrong, just start where you are. You’ve got this! View the full article

It was early morning, and I was sitting by a lake in Maine, a cup of coffee in hand when one of those bolt-from-the-blue moments of clarity struck me. Before I share my big a-ha moment, let me give you some context. I am a business coach for creative entrepreneurs and freelancers and have dedicated my entire career to helping creative professionals build profitable and successful businesses and careers. You’re my people! I am also a neurotypical parent of a neurodivergent child. Until I had my son, I had no idea how different neurocognitive styles impacted everything from time management and planning to motivation and focus (yep, some neurotypical privilege right there!). It was only with this new insight that I realized just how much everything - from the school system to work environments and expectations - was created for neurotypical folks. I started to gain a glimmer of understanding about how operating within those structures, not only put additional pressure on already taxed neurodivergent brains but compounded the feelings of shame around being “different.” It was during this time that I also started to realize that several of my coaching clients had ADHD. Just like that, sitting by a lake in Maine, I saw what all had been there along - an observable relationship between creativity, entrepreneurship, and ADHD. Fast forward a couple of years and I graduated as a certified ADHD coach, equipped with a deeper level understanding, empathy, and resources needed to support ADHD creatives working and building businesses in a neurotypical world. I continue to work with creatives for all stripes and neurotypes, just working with an expanded view and grab bag of tools. If you’re reading this with a diagnosis or suspicion that you might have ADHD, you’re probably very aware that you think differently. As a creative professional, thinking differently is a good thing! When your brain is working its magic, you: ● are an idea-generating powerhouse ● are not limited by constraints (thinking outside the proverbial box) ● are relentlessly curious and dive deep into researching new topics And while all that ideating and creating is your sweet spot, you may also struggle with: ● Feeling overwhelmed by everything you “should” be doing ● Getting motivated (especially if the task at hand is boring) ● Juggling priorities and time Finding a balance between your gifts and the challenges of ADHD can be tough. What worked yesterday may not work today, so rather than share the latest strategy or app (because I know you’ve got plenty of those already!), I’d like to share a golden rule that I hope will help you return your focus to what matters. The beauty of this golden rule is that it works for everyone. Introducing: The Rule of Three The Rule of Three is a commitment to define and focus on no more than three things at a time. Put differently, there are three and there are too many. Here are three areas (see what I did there?) you can apply this rule: 1) Have no more than 3 goals you are actively working towardsDo you have a million goals and priorities? Maybe your goals look more like a never-ending to-do list. Or perhaps you’re so busy working in your business, that you forget to set any goals, priorities, or commitments in the first place. Wherever you land, it’s all good. Take the opportunity now to either review your goals or set some. This exercise can be as simple or as involved as you want (my vote is simple). Just be sure to have no more than three things you will devote your precious resources of time, creativity, and energy. 2) Have no more than 3 ideal client segmentsWhether you have clear client profiles or have operated under the premise of “any client is a good client,” a regular review of the clients you’ve worked with over the last year or so is always a great idea. Here’s how: list them any way you want to (spreadsheet, notebook - just keep it simple) and write down what the project entailed, how much you got paid, what you enjoyed, and what you didn't. Now give each client or project a grade. What do the A’s and B’s have in common? What do the C’s, D’s, and F’s have in common? Congratulations, you now have a clearer idea about who makes an ideal client. Focus ALL your time, energy, and brainpower to connect with those people from now on! 3) Have no more than 3 core services or offeringsDo you have a services page that reads like a diner menu? You’re not alone! In my opinion, having too many services is what puts the biggest strain on our focus, energy, operations, and boundaries. Using the insight you’ve gleaned from #2, identify the projects where you were (a) most creatively engaged (b) most respected and valued by the client, and (c) paid for the value you deliver. Now look for the opposite: the projects where you were (a) creatively unfulfilled (b) driven bananas by the client (c) paid based upon hours rather than value. Offer ONLY the services where you are in your zone of genius, can deliver outstanding results, and are most profitable. OK, we covered a lot here, so feel free to pick and choose the area you’d like to focus on (pun intended!). There is no right order, and you can’t get it wrong, just start where you are. You’ve got this! View the full article

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

Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article