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Equities, dollar and oil slide as scale of US levies on Chinese imports deepens recession fearsView the full article

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Let's talk about one of the most confusing terms you’ll see on your fitness tracker—specifically your Apple Watch. Next to REM sleep, which you’ve probably heard of, and “deep” sleep, which feels self explanatory, there’s “core” sleep. And if you Google what core sleep means, you’ll get a definition that is entirely opposite from how Apple uses the term. So let’s break it down. On an Apple Watch, "core sleep" is another name for light sleep, which scientists also call stages N1-N2. It is not a type of deep sleep, and has no relation to REM. But in the scientific literature, "core sleep" is not a sleep stage at all. It can refer to a portion of the night that includes both deep and light sleep stages. There are a few other definitions, which I'll go into below. But first, since you're probably here because you saw that term in Apple Health, let's talk about how Apple uses it. "Core sleep" in the Apple Watch is the same as light sleepLet me give you a straightforward explanation of what you’re seeing when you look at your Apple sleep data. Your Apple Watch tries to guess, mainly through your movements, when you’re in each stage of sleep. (To truly know your sleep stages would require a sleep study with more sophisticated equipment, like an electroencephalogram. The watch is just doing its best with the data it has.) Apple says its watch can tell the difference between four different states: Awake Light (“core”) sleep Deep sleep REM sleep These categories roughly correspond to the sleep stages that neuroscientists can observe with polysomnography, which involves hooking you up to an electroencephalogram, or EEG. (That’s the thing where they attach wires to your head). Scientists recognize three stages of non-REM sleep, with the third being described as deep sleep. That means stages 1 and 2, which are sometimes called “light” sleep, are being labeled as “core” sleep by your wearable. In other words: Apple's definition of "core sleep" is identical to scientists' definition of "light sleep." It is otherwise known as N2 sleep. (More on that in a minute.) So why didn’t Apple use the same wording as everyone else? The company says in a document on its sleep stage algorithm that it was worried people would misunderstand the term "light sleep" if it called it that. The label Core was chosen to avoid possible unintended implications of the term light, because the N2 stage is predominant (often making up more than 50 percent of a night’s sleep), normal, and an important aspect of sleep physiology, containing sleep spindles and K-complexes. In other words, Apple thought we might assume that "light" sleep is less important than "deep" sleep, so it chose a new, important-sounding name to use in place of "light." A chart on the same page lays it out: non-REM stages 1 and 2 fall under the Apple category of “core” sleep, while stage 3 is “deep” sleep. That’s how Apple defined it in testing: If an EEG said a person was in stage 2 when the watch said they were in “core,” that was counted as a success for the algorithm. What are the known sleep stages, and where does core sleep fit in?Let’s back up to consider what was known about sleep stages before Apple started renaming them. The current scientific understanding, which is based on brain wave patterns that can be read with an EEG, includes these stages: Non-REM stage 1 (N1) N1 only lasts a few minutes. You’re breathing normally. Your body is beginning to relax, and your brain waves start to look different than they do when you’re awake. This would be considered part of your “light” sleep. The Apple Watch considers this to be part of your core sleep stage. Non-REM stage 2 (N2)Also usually considered “light” sleep, N2 makes up about half of your sleep time. This stage includes spikes of brain activity called sleep spindles, and distinctive brainwave patterns called K complexes. (These are what the Apple document mentioned above.) This stage of sleep is thought to be when we consolidate our memories. Fun fact: if you grind your teeth in your sleep, it will mostly be in this stage. This stage makes up most of what Apple reports as your core sleep. Non-REM stage 3 (N3) N3 is often called “deep” sleep, and this stage accounts for about a quarter of your night. It has the slowest brain waves, so it’s sometimes called “slow wave sleep.” It’s hard to wake someone up from this stage, and if you succeed, they’ll be groggy for a little while afterward. This is the stage where the most body repair tends to happen, including muscle recovery, bone growth in children, and immune system strengthening. As we age, we spend less time in N3 and more time in N2. (There was an older classification that split off the deepest sleep into its own stage, calling it non-REM stage 4, but currently that deepest portion is just considered part of stage 3.) REM sleepREM sleep is so named because this is where we have Rapid Eye Movement. Your body is temporarily paralyzed, except for the eyes and your breathing muscles. This is the stage best known for dreaming (although dreams can occur in other stages as well). The brain waves of a person in REM sleep look very similar to those of a person who is awake, which is why some sleep-tracking apps show blocks of REM as occurring near the top of the graph, near wakefulness. We don’t usually enter REM sleep until we’ve been through the other stages, and we cycle through these stages all night. Usually REM sleep is fairly short during the beginning of the night, and gets longer with each cycle. How much core sleep do I need? Using Apple's definition, in which core sleep is the same as light sleep, it's normal for almost half of your sleep to be core sleep. Sleep scientists give an approximate breakdown (although the exact numbers may vary from person to person, and your needs aren't always the same every night): N1 (very light sleep): About 5% of the total (just a few minutes) N2 (light or "core" sleep): About 45%, so just under four hours if you normally sleep for eight hours N3 (deep sleep): About 25%, so about two hours if you normally sleep for eight hours REM: About 25%, so also about two hours. How to get more core sleepIf your Apple watch says you're getting less core sleep than what I mentioned above, you might wonder how you can get more core (or light) sleep. Before you take any action, though, you should know that wearables aren't very good at knowing exactly what stage of sleep you are in. They're usually (but not always!) pretty good at telling when you are asleep versus awake, so they can be useful for knowing whether you slept six hours or eight. But I wouldn't make any changes to my routine based on the specific sleep stage numbers. The algorithm can easily miscategorize some of your light sleep as deep sleep, or vice versa. That said, the best way to get more core sleep is to get more and better sleep in general. Start with this basic sleep hygiene checklist. Among the most important items: Give yourself a bedtime routine with at least 30 minutes of wind-down time where you try to do something relaxing. Have a consistent wake-up time. Don't look at screens right before bed. Keep your bedroom dark and cool. Don't have alcohol or caffeine in the evenings. Improving your sleep overall will improve all your sleep stages, whether your Apple Watch can tell them apart or not. Other ways people use the term “core sleep”I really wish Apple had chosen another term, because the phrase “core sleep” has been used in other ways. It either doesn’t refer to a sleep stage at all, or if it is associated with sleep stages, it’s used to refer to deep sleep stages. In the 1980s, sleep scientist James Horne proposed that your first few sleep cycles (taking up maybe the first five hours of the night) constitute the “core” sleep we all need to function. The rest of the night is “optional” sleep, which ideally we’d still get every night, but it’s not a big deal to miss out from time to time. He described this idea in a 1988 book called Why We Sleep (no relation to the 2017 book by another author) but you can see his earlier paper on the topic here. He uses the terms “obligatory” and “facultative” sleep in that paper, and switched to the core/optional terminology later. You’ll also find people using the phrase “core sleep” to refer to everything but light sleep. For example, this paper on how sleep changes as we age compares their findings in terms of sleep stages with Horne’s definition of core sleep. In doing so, they describe core sleep as mainly consisting of deep sleep stages N3-N4 (in other words, N3 as described above). From there, somehow the internet has gotten the idea that N3 and REM are considered “core” sleep. I don’t know how that happened, and I don’t see it when I search the scientific literature. I have seen it on “what is core sleep?” junk articles on the websites of companies selling weighted blankets and melatonin gummies. For one final, contradictory definition, the phrase “core sleep” is also used by people who are into polyphasic sleep. This is the idea that you can replace a full night’s sleep with several naps during the day, something that biohacker types keep trying to make happen, even though it never pans out. They use the term pretty straightforwardly: If you have a nighttime nap that is longer than your other naps, that’s your “core sleep.” Honestly, that’s a fair use of the word. I'll allow it. So, to wrap up: Core sleep, if you’re a napper, is the longest block of sleep you get during a day. Core sleep, to scientists who study sleep deprivation, is a hypothesis about which part of a night’s sleep is the most important. But if you’re just here because you were wondering what Apple Health or your Apple Watch's sleep app means by "core sleep," it means stages N1-N2, or light sleep. View the full article

The latest foreclosure report adds to evidence from housing research groups that economic difficulties are beginning to impact a rising number of homeowners. View the full article

DeLory joined Equity Prime Mortgage from Carrington and helped to transition the Atlanta-based mortgage lender into a wholesale-only originator. View the full article

The YouTube TV app has been disappearing for some Roku users. Luckily, if you are among those affected, there are a few fixes you can try for this issue. Starting this week, several users on both Reddit and Roku's forums have separately reported issues opening the YouTube TV app or even locating it on their Roku devices. Those who tried reinstalling the YouTube TV app were able to see an Open App button, but pressing it simply resulted in an error. What's worse is that the issues seem isolated to Roku, with users of devices like the Google TV Streamer 4K not issuing the same complaints. Luckily, this issue only seems to be impacting people with dedicated Roku devices and not smart TVs with Roku streaming built-in. Here's how you can try to bring back YouTube TV if it's disappeared from your Roku. Fix disappearing YouTube TV app on RokuRoku has acknowledged the problem and provided a temporary solution while it investigates. To restart using the YouTube TV app on your Roku, try manually updating the device. Follow these steps: Press the Home button on the remote. Select Settings. Click System. Go to Software update. Hit Check Now to start a manual update. Once the software update is complete, Roku says you might be able to see the YouTube TV app on your Roku device, but it's not guaranteed. If you're still experiencing the problem, some Reddit users have also proposed just accessing YouTube TV from the standard YouTube app instead, which you can find on the very bottom-left of the app's interface. This little hiccup comes at a bad time for both Roku and YouTube. Recently, Roku has been in the news for experimenting with a new way to force users to watch ads, while YouTube TV's pricing has also been going up quite a bit. So maybe the real solution to this issue is to just stop using YouTube TV. OK, we jest, but while the app has gotten a facelift, the service may not always offer value for your money if the content you need isn't on it. View the full article

Another day, another recall. It if seems like there have been a number of recalls recently, you’re not imagining it. In the last month alone, there has been a recall for particular brands of soup, sparkling water, and vegetables. This time, it’s for butter. What’s happened? Agri-Mark, the maker of Cabot Creamery dairy products, conducted a voluntary recall for a single lot of its Extra Creamy Premium Butter, Sea Salted, totaling 1,700 pounds in 189 cases. Testing revealed an elevated level of coliform bacteria. The recall was initiated on March 26. Coliform bacteria often are considered indicators of fecal contamination. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified this as a Class III recall, which means the products are not likely to cause adverse health consequences. There have been no reported complaints or illnesses related to this product. “Agri-Mark successfully recovered 99.5% of the lot of the recalled product before it was sold to consumers,” the company said in a statement Wednesday. “A small amount—17 retail packages (8.5 lbs.)—was sold to consumers in Vermont,” where the company is based. Agri-Mark added that it has identified the cause and taken the appropriate internal actions to address it. No other products were affected. What states are affected? The recalled butter was distributed in seven states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. What product is being recalled? Cabot Creamery 8 oz. Extra Creamy Premium Butter, Sea Salted Best by date: Sept. 9, 2025 UPC: 0 78354 62038 0 Impacted lot code: 090925-055 Item Number: 2038 What should I do if I have the recalled product? First, do not eat a recalled food—even when the product in question is being recalled as a precaution, according to Foodsafety.gov. The company stated that “there have been a variety of news reports that are incomplete and have dramatically misrepresented this recall with respect to the risk it posed to consumers.” Consumers who have any concerns or questions about this product can contact Cabot Creamery, 888-792-2268 (weekdays, 9:30 a.m.– 5 p.m. ET) or via email here. View the full article

Last year, when Canva used a rap song to promote its new suite of products for businesses, the reaction online was about what you’d expect. “Call 911 I’m having a cringe overdose.” “This is Lin-Manuel Miranda’s fault.” The performance at Canva’s annual summit, Canva Create (Disclosure: Fast Company is a Create media partner), reminded many of corporate musical escapades of the past, like Bank of America’s adaptation of U2’s “One” back in 2006, or Randi Zuckerberg’s Twisted Sister-inspired ode to crypto in 2022. But for Canva, it drove attention and traffic to the brand. More than 50 million people saw the rap battle within 48 hours, which boosted social media chatter about Canva Enterprise by 2,500%. Co-founder and COO Cliff Obrecht said at the time, “Haters gonna hate.” Today at Canva’s fourth Canva Create event at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, the company doubled down on that confidence and rolled out another musical number. This time, to help unveil Visual Suite 2.0, which the company says is its biggest product launch since its founding in 2012. This year, the brand went for a Broadway-style tune that unspools the tale of how Canva used more than a billion pieces of user feedback to bring 45 of the most-asked-for updates to its products. The cast featured 42 performers including creator Tom McGovern, design influencer Roger Coles (who starred in last year’s performance), and a special appearance by Canva Design Advisory Board member Jessica Hische. There’s also 12 members of the Singers of Soul choir and an additional 12 members of the LA Marching Band. The lyrics of the song are inspired by and quoted directly from customer requests and feedback. And in case you missed any of the promised platform upgrades live, the song will be available on Spotify. Many cringe-happy observers will be quick to ask why Canva chose to put its message to music again. But the move illustrates the importance of self-awareness, and how crucial it is if you don’t want to be sloshed around by the tides of pop cultural trends, and instead.. ahem.. dance to your own tune. Community rap lessons Last year, more than 3,500 people attended Create, while millions of others tuned in to watch remotely, including at watch parties in cities from Tokyo to Delhi. It features 100 different speakers across 60 different stages. With more than 230 million monthly users, Canva has a large, attentive audience for its content. CMO Zach Kitschke says the event is the company’s biggest moment of the year for bringing its community together. Kitschke has observed over the years how big swings can cut through the noise of so much marketing. “It’s been a principle of our marketing, really since we launched, that people will remember these heightened experiences or moments,” he says. “Over 90% of our traffic is driven by brand and word-of-mouth these days, and that has come from a fostering of community. With the rap, it could have been a very, very boring topic that no one took note of, but learned you can change the conversation in a matter of minutes by creating a moment out of something like that.” What was often left out in the discourse around the rap last year, was that the idea came from Canva user and community member Roger Coles. At a time when more brands are looking to their hardcore fans and customers for how to connect with culture, Canva did just that. And that’s why it struck up the band again. Kitschke says that community runs through everything the brand does. “That means including them in our commercials, and putting them up on stage at events like this,” he says. “It’s not just marketing, but it’s an acknowledgement. And it’s a really special way to bring people into the fold.” View the full article

A few weeks ago, we caught Google linking text within its AI Overviews to its own search results. Well, today that has become a new official feature within AI Overviews. “To help people more easily explore topics and discover relevant websites, we’ve added links to some terms within AI Overviews when our systems determine it might be useful,” a Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land. What it looks like. Here is a screenshot we posted of this back then: Clicking on those underlined links in the text of the AI Overview, both at the top and in the middle section, will take you back to a new Google Search. The smaller link icons take you to the side panel links, those go to publishers and external websites. Why. Google said they are doing this to make it easier for searchers to explore topics. Google told me they have seen that people often end up manually searching for certain terms as a separate query from these AI Overviews. Google said that during their extensive testing, they have heard from users that they find it helpful to be linked directly to a relevant results page in these cases. This helps reduce the need for searchers to enter a new query, instead they can just click on these links. Google says this leads to a “much better search experience.” Google’s systems prioritize linking to third party websites within the AI Overview response when Google has a high confidence that those websites will help the user find the information they’re seeking, a Google spokesperson told me. Where. Google said this new feature is available in English in the US, on both mobile and desktop. Why we care. Publishers have been begging Google to send them more traffic through Google Search. Now, with this new feature officially launching, you have to assume Google will send less traffic to publishers and more traffic to its own search results. Again, Google says this is about giving searchers what they want and making it easier for them to explore topics. But again, for publishers and site owners, this may not be a good thing. View the full article

A recent letter addressed to the FHFA fueled a consumer advocacy group to look at salaries, which have been criticized as not aligned to the system's purpose. View the full article

Stakeholders are anyone who has a vested interest in the project. They can be internal, such as project managers, teams, owners or investors, or external, such as clients, customers or suppliers. There can be a lot of stakeholders in any project and managing them requires stakeholder management templates. ProjectManager is project management software that helps you manage projects and stakeholders. If you’re not ready for a free trial of the software, we also offer dozens of free project management templates for Excel and Word that can help with every phase of your project. Here are some free stakeholder management templates. 1. Stakeholder Analysis Template There may be many stakeholders in any project, but your job as a project manager is to identify them. Each stakeholder can have a different interest or those interests can evolve over the course of the project. Using our free stakeholder analysis template for Excel helps you devise an effective stakeholder communication plan to keep them properly informed. /wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Stakeholder-Analysis-Screenshot.jpg There are fields to capture basic stakeholder information, including their title, contact information and influence or power over the project. Then you can place each stakeholder as they stand in relation to the project, noting their priority, if they have subject matter expertise and whether they’re decision-makers. Then you can assess each stakeholder’s commitment to the project and better manage them. 2. Project Status Report Template Stakeholders need to stay informed throughout the project. Depending on the stakeholder, however, that level of information and the frequency in which they’re updated can change. Whether they need details or just an overview, project managers still must report regularly. Using our free project status report template for Excel is a great tool to capture a period of time in the project. /wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Status-Report-Screenshot.jpg The trouble with a static template is that it has to be manually updated and the information can’t be customized to reflect each stakeholder’s concerns. Unlike static tools, ProjectManager is an online tool that delivers real-time data that can be filtered to show only the information relevant to each stakeholder. Not only can you generate a status report in mere keystrokes, but you can also generate reports on variance, portfolio and more. All reports capture real-time data so they’re accurate and can be easily shared in a variety of formats. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Light-mode-reporting-CTA-e1711992940366.pngLearn more 3. Stakeholder Map Template If you’re looking for a visual tool that can help you identify and chart your stakeholders, then you need to download our free stakeholder map template for Excel. You can use the stakeholder map to inform your decision-making when dealing with stakeholders. It’s essential to establishing a viable stakeholder communication plan. /wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Stakeholder-Map-Screenshot.jpg The stakeholder map template helps you to determine who wants to know what, when they need to know it and how they prefer to get their updates. This stakeholder map has four categories for managing your stakeholders: manage closely, keep satisfied, keep informed and monitor. Place each stakeholder you identify in the correct box and use color coding to show if they’re supportive, neutral or critical to the project. 4. Stakeholder Register Template A stakeholder register is an easy and streamlined way to lay out the information to better understand each stakeholder, their influence and the best way to manage them. Download this free stakeholder register template for Excel to help outline stakeholders and how they may impact the project. /wp-content/uploads/2024/06/stakeholder-register-template-screenshot.png Ideally, use this template during the project’s planning stage to identify stakeholders as early as possible. However, it can also help form and develop the project team to ensure the right people are selected. It’s also useful to use to define success criteria, helping project managers align objectives with stakeholder expectations. 5. Business Case Template Since stakeholders have a vested interest in the project, one of the things they’re most concerned about is the costs related to executing the project. They want to know if the investment costs are worth it. You can show them this with our free business case template for Word, which summarizes project objectives, costs and benefits. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Business-case-template-word-projectmanager-600x631.jpg The business case is important due diligence for stakeholders by proving that their investment in the project is beneficial. They can read an executive summary, the mission statement for the project and the final deliverable that’ll be produced. There’s a place to show the project objectives and how they’ll be achieved, the financial appraisal and market assessment plus more. It’ll help get buy-in from stakeholders. 6. Cost-Benefit Analysis Template Another free template that can help prove to stakeholders that the project is worth their investment is our free cost-benefit analysis template for Excel. It helps you look at the numbers and determine if the money you’re putting into the project is worth the deliverables. /wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Cost-Benefit-Analysis-Screenshot.jpg A cost-benefit analysis template does this by adding a dollar amount to the project’s costs and benefits. By subtracting the benefits from the costs you can see what the profit if any, is for the project. This can be financial gains, but it can also determine if the business objectives and goals are worth the costs. This information can help get stakeholders on board with the project. 7. RACI Matrix It’s clearly important to identify and define the roles and responsibilities of your project team, but often project managers will neglect the same exercise when dealing with project stakeholders. After that, your project team is just one of likely many stakeholders in the project. Using our free RACI matrix template for Excel allows you to categorize everyone involved in the project, including stakeholders. /wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RACI-Matrix-Screenshot.jpg RACI stands for responsible, accountable, consulted and informed. On our free template, you list all the stakeholders (or the entire project team) on the left side, while atop the chart is their title. In the corresponding box, you note if they’re responsible, accountable, consulted or informed. Now you have a document to guide everyone on the team, including stakeholders, who have different levels of involvement and impact on the project. 8. Skills Matrix Template Another free stakeholder management template is the skills matrix template for Excel. Stakeholders want to ensure the project team has the needed skills to deliver the intended outcomes on time, on budget and to the required quality standards. This free template can help you do just that. /wp-content/uploads/2025/04/skills-matrix-template.png This template captures relevant details like department and job roles to highlight areas of expertise and areas where critical skills are missing. Use it to ensure the right people are assigned to the right tasks, balance workloads and avoid bottlenecks. 9. Requirements Gathering Template Stakeholders want to know the problems being solved by the project, how it plans to achieve its objective, what condition or capacity must be met and more. That’s all addressed in our free requirements gathering template for Word. This is a key document for stakeholders and captures vital information about the project in one place. /wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Requirements-Gathering-Screenshot-600x482.jpgThere’s a lot covered in the free template. It lists the project requirements, from user, functional and system to software, interface, workflow, change and risks. This is more of a high-level view, which is appropriate for most stakeholders and avoids getting into the weeds. There’s even a section for everyone to sign off on the document to ensure they’re informed and in agreement. 10. Team Charter Template Team members are stakeholders, though not the only ones in a project. The free team charter template for Word is mostly focused on them, but it’s another essential stakeholder management template. It explains how the team fits into the larger context of the project, such as the project stakeholders. /wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Team-Charter-Screenshot-600x437.jpgBesides that, the free charter lists everyone involved in the project and provides contact information. There’s a section to outline the background of the project, its mission and objective, budget and resources and the decision-making process used by the team. There’s information on scope, performance assessments, activities and milestones and much more. It’s a great tool to communicate and get everyone on board with the project. 11. Communication Plan Template Speaking of communication, you need a communication plan to get information to your project team. Using our free communication plan template for Word will help you define objectives and schedule communication updates with stakeholders. It’s one of the more important stakeholder management templates in that a well-informed stakeholder is easier to manage and less likely to interfere in the project. /wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Communication-Plan-Screenshot-600x537.jpg Besides objectives, the communication plan template helps you define how you’ll achieve those objectives, in what timeframe and with what metrics to measure your success. You’ll figure out the staffing and tools associated with disseminating information as well as reviewing its effectiveness. Once you have a plan, it’s apt to change in order to remain relevant and effective. 12. Organizational Chart Template While it might not seem like a key stakeholder management template, knowing the organizational makeup of a company or project is how everyone in the organization or project team knows to who they report. Use our free organizational chart template for Excel. It’s a flowchart that shows the hierarchical internal structure of an organization or project. /wp-content/uploads/2022/11/organizational-chart-template-screenshot.jpg This document is an easy-to-digest visual of the chain of command. While smaller organizations, such as startups, or projects might not need the tool, the larger and more complex the organization or project is, the more essential this stakeholder management template becomes. It’s imperative that everyone knows who they report to and who has authority, which is exactly what this template illustrates. 13. Transition Plan Template Stakeholders will want to know that any transitions will be handled smoothly. A transition plan is a set of steps, goals and timelines to better prepare for change. This document offers a structure and framework to create a unique plan to help teams identify and address potential risks and uncertainties during a transition. This free transition template for Excel saves time and streamlines the process. /wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Transition-plan-template-screenshot-300x457.png Transitions can be stressful, but having a template makes the process easier. It’s especially useful to use when the project is shifting from one phase to another or when there’s a change in someone’s role or project. For example, leverage it when a team member is leaving a role to help inform what duties will change and who to inform. ProjectManager Helps With Stakeholder Management Once you’ve downloaded and used our free stakeholder management templates, you’ll quickly find that they can take you only so far. Templates, after all, much be manually inputted and updated, they’re not collaborative and are isolated from the rest of your project management tools. ProjectManager is project management software that helps you plan, manage and track your stakeholder management in real time. Share Project Plans With Stakeholders Projects need plans, but plans don’t work without your stakeholders. Creating a schedule on our robust Gantt charts allows you to manage the stakeholders on your project team, organize their tasks, link dependencies to avoid costly delays and assign them to work that you can track in real time. The project plan can be easily shared with the project team and stakeholders to keep everyone on the same page. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Construction-Gantt-Costs-Resources.jpg Monitor Progress and Performance in Real Time Once you set a baseline on the Gantt, you can track your planned effort against your actual effort. Not only does this help you keep to your schedule and budget, but stakeholders want to be updated on that valuable data as well. The real-time dashboard requires no setup, as with lightweight tools, and tracks everything from workload to cost and time in easy-to-read graphs and charts. It’s a great way to get a high-level view of the project whenever you want. /wp-content/uploads/2022/11/project-management-dashboard.webp Project managers can use resource management features to keep their teams productive. Availability can be set in advance to make scheduling simpler and our color-coded workload chart helps you see your team’s allocation. You can then balance their workload from the chart to keep them working at capacity. They’re not overallocated and stakeholders are happy to see productivity. Related Content If that’s not enough stakeholder management for you, our site is loaded with free content. There are weekly blogs, guides, videos, and, of course, more free project management templates for Excel and Word. Here are some resources to learn more about stakeholder management. Stakeholder Management Guide Stakeholder Analysis 101 What Is Stakeholder Theory Stakeholder vs. Shareholder: What’s the Difference? Stakeholder Mapping 101: A Quick Guide to Stakeholder Maps ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that empowers teams to work better together. Task management tools add to productive and risk management features to help you identify, track and mitigate risk. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who are delivering success with our software. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post 13 Free Stakeholder Management Templates for Excel & Word appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Project management has developed the means to increase the likelihood of successful completion. That starts by breaking a project down into project management phases. What are those project phases? We’ll define them in detail. This is a great opportunity for those new to project management, but also serves professional project managers and their teams who can never go over this critical information enough. What Are the 5 Project Management Phases? The five project management phases are a structured approach to planning, executing and completing a project. Based on the Project Management Institute (PMI) framework, these phases help project managers and teams stay organized, manage resources effectively, and achieve project goals. By following these five phases, project managers and their teams can structure and organize their project management approach. This is going to improve the chances of having a successful project outcome. We’ll get to defining the five project phases in a moment, but first, these project phases require project management software for a more efficient and effective planning, execution and tracking of the project. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with multiple project views that allow everyone on the project team to do their jobs collaboratively. Each project phase is represented by features, such as Gantt charts to schedule tasks, resources and costs, but also link dependencies to avoid cost overruns, filter for the critical path and set a baseline to track progress in real time. Teams execute their tasks on kanban boards or task lists, while stakeholders track work on the calendar view. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Gantt-CTA-2025-1600x868.jpgLearn more 1. Project Initiation Phase It all begins with the project initiation phase, the first stage of the project management lifecycle. This is where a project is formally authorized and its feasibility is evaluated. During this phase, project managers and stakeholders define the project’s purpose, objectives and high-level scope. This step sets the foundation for all future project activities and ensures there is a clear understanding of what needs to be achieved. The primary purpose of the initiation phase is to determine whether a project is viable and valuable for the organization. It helps stakeholders make informed decisions about whether to proceed with the project, based on factors such as expected benefits, risks, resource availability and alignment with business goals. Additionally, this phase ensures all stakeholders have a shared understanding of the project’s objectives and key requirements. Let’s explore the roles and responsibilities and documentation that come with this phase. Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Initiation Phase In the project initiation phase, clearly defined roles and responsibilities are essential to ensure the project starts on the right track. Each participant has a specific role in shaping the project’s vision, assessing its feasibility and securing approval to proceed. From project sponsors and managers to stakeholders and subject matter experts, effective collaboration during this phase establishes a strong foundation for success. Understanding who is responsible for what ensures alignment and accountability from the outset. Project Sponsor: The project sponsor defines project objectives, secures funding and ensures executive approval to initiate the project. They align the initiative with business goals, liaising between leadership and the project team and provide strategic direction. Their role includes approving the project charter, resolving high-level concerns and ensuring organizational support. Project Manager: The project manager leads the initiation phase by developing the project charter, identifying key stakeholders and assessing feasibility. They facilitate risk identification, coordinate early resource discussions and ensure stakeholder engagement. Their role is to define the project’s purpose, establish governance structures and secure approvals necessary for transitioning into detailed planning. Stakeholders: Stakeholders influence project initiation by providing input on business needs, feasibility and strategic fit. They help define success criteria, validate objectives and assess risks. Their involvement ensures organizational buy-in and that the project addresses key concerns. Early engagement helps refine the project scope before formal planning begins. Business Analyst: The business analyst assesses business needs, gathers high-level requirements, and ensures the project aligns with organizational objectives. They collaborate with stakeholders to evaluate feasibility and identify potential risks or constraints. Their role is to document initial requirements, define potential solutions and support the project team in clarifying business objectives. Project Team Members: During initiation, project team members contribute expertise to feasibility assessments, risk identification and initial scope definition. They provide technical, financial or operational insights that help shape the project’s viability. Their early input ensures a realistic approach and helps prepare for a smooth transition into planning. Project Management Office (PMO): The PMO ensures governance and alignment with organizational standards during project initiation. They provide templates, best practices and guidance on feasibility assessments, risk identification and stakeholder engagement. Their role is to support the project manager in structuring the initiation process and ensuring alignment with corporate objectives. Clients or End Users: Clients or end users provide insights into expectations, needs and potential project benefits. Their role in initiation includes participating in feasibility discussions and defining high-level functional requirements. Their early involvement ensures the project is designed with end-user value in mind before detailed planning begins. Documentation of the Project Initiation Phase Documentation in the project initiation phase serves as a formal record of the project’s purpose, scope and feasibility. It provides clarity and alignment among stakeholders while ensuring that important decisions and approvals are well-documented. Key documents created during this phase act as foundational references throughout the project lifecycle, guiding planning, execution, and monitoring efforts Project Charter: A high-level document that formally authorizes the project, outlining objectives, scope, stakeholders, risks and key constraints. Business Case: Justifies the project by detailing expected benefits, costs, risks and alignment with business goals. Feasibility Study: Assesses technical, financial and operational viability to determine whether the project should proceed. Stakeholder Register: Identifies key stakeholders, their roles, interests and influence on the project. Risk Register: Lists early identified risks, their potential impact and possible mitigation strategies. Project Proposal: A preliminary document used to seek approval and funding, summarizing the project’s purpose, goals and expected outcomes. Assumptions and Constraints Log: Documents any key assumptions and limitations that could affect the project’s success. 2. Project Planning Phase The project planning phase is the second phase of the project management lifecycle, where the project’s roadmap is developed. After receiving approval in the initiation phase, project managers and teams create detailed plans that outline how the project will be executed, monitored and completed. This phase involves setting goals, defining deliverables, allocating resources and creating schedules. The primary purpose of the planning phase is to establish a clear and actionable strategy to guide the project. It ensures all team members understand their roles, tasks are organized and risks are identified and mitigated. Comprehensive planning also helps prevent scope creep, manage budgets and ensure timely delivery. Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Planning Phase Again, roles and responsibilities play a crucial part in this project phase. Let’s take a look at them. Project Sponsor: The project sponsor approves the project plan, resolves escalated issues, and supports the project manager in securing necessary resources. Their role is crucial in maintaining executive buy-in and ensuring the project stays on track strategically. Project Manager: The project manager leads planning efforts by defining the project scope, project schedule, budgets and risk management strategies. He coordinates team efforts, ensures stakeholder alignment and oversees project documentation. Their responsibility includes integrating all project planning components to create a structured project management plan to guide the execution phase. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): SMEs provide specialized knowledge in specific areas relevant to the project. They validate technical feasibility, advise on industry best practices and contribute expertise in areas such as engineering, compliance or IT. Their input helps refine the scope, mitigate risks and ensure project deliverables meet quality standards. Project Team Members: Project team members contribute to planning by estimating task efforts, identifying dependencies and providing input on scheduling and resource needs. They participate in risk assessment, document requirements and prepare for execution. Their collaboration ensures the project plan is realistic, executable and aligned with organizational capabilities. Project Management Office (PMO): The PMO provides governance, best practices and standardized methodologies for project planning. They ensure compliance with organizational policies, support risk assessment and assist in resource allocation. The PMO also helps in refining documentation and ensures project objectives align with overall strategic goals. Documentation of the Project Planning Phase Documentation plays a role in all project phases. It captures detailed plans and strategies that will guide the project’s execution. These documents also act as a reference for all stakeholders to align them on timelines, budgets, resources and objectives. Below is a list of those documents. Project Management Plan: A comprehensive document outlining how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled, covering scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk and communication. Scope Statement: Clearly defines the project boundaries, deliverables, constraints and assumptions to prevent scope creep. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): A hierarchical breakdown of the project’s deliverables into smaller, manageable components for better tracking and assignment. Project Schedule: A detailed timeline, often using Gantt charts, that maps out tasks, dependencies and deadlines to ensure timely execution. Resource Management Plan: Identifies the necessary personnel, materials and equipment required for project success, ensuring efficient allocation. Risk Management Plan: Documents identified risks, their potential impact, mitigation strategies, and contingency plans to proactively address uncertainties. Budget and Cost Management Plan: Outlines cost estimates, funding requirements and financial controls to ensure the project stays within budget. Communication Plan: Establishes guidelines for information flow, reporting frequency and stakeholder engagement to maintain alignment and transparency. Procurement Plan: Defines processes for acquiring external resources, including vendor selection, contract management and procurement timelines. Change Management Plan: Provides a structured approach for handling modifications to project scope, schedule, or budget, ensuring controlled adjustments. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/PM-101-eBook-banner-ad.jpg 3. Project Execution Phase Now, we get to putting the plan into action, which is called the project execution phase. This project management phase is where teams carry out tasks, produce deliverables and ensure the project progresses according to the established timeline, budget and scope. Effective coordination and communication are essential to keep everything on track. The purpose of the project execution phase is to deliver the project’s outputs and meet the defined objectives. It involves managing people, resources and processes to ensure tasks are completed efficiently. This phase is also where project managers monitor progress, address issues and ensure quality standards are maintained. Successful execution results in tangible deliverables that fulfill the project’s goals and stakeholder expectations. Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Execution Phase As with all project phases, roles and responsibilities need to be defined. They are below. Project Manager: The project manager oversees daily operations, ensuring tasks are executed according to the plan. They manage team coordination, track progress, mitigate risks and communicate with stakeholders. They handle issues, ensure resource availability, maintain quality standards and make real-time adjustments to keep the project on schedule and within scope. Change Control Board: The change control board evaluates and approves or rejects proposed changes to the project scope, schedule, budget or resources. They ensure changes align with business objectives, assess risks and impacts and maintain project integrity. They review change requests, enforce decision-making protocols and prevent unnecessary scope creep. Stakeholders: Stakeholders provide feedback, monitor progress and ensure the project aligns with expectations. They review deliverables, address concerns and support necessary changes. Their role includes approving key decisions, ensuring business needs are met and engaging in regular status updates. Vendors and Contractors: Vendors and contractors provide specialized services, equipment or materials essential to project execution. They adhere to contractual agreements, deliver quality work on time and collaborate with the project team. Their responsibilities include meeting deadlines, ensuring compliance with requirements and addressing any logistical or technical issues that may arise. Project Team Members: Project team members execute assigned tasks, collaborate to meet project objectives and ensure deliverables meet quality standards. They report progress, address issues proactively and adhere to the project plan. Their role includes problem-solving, maintaining documentation and working closely with other team members to keep execution on track. Project Management Office (PMO): The PMO ensures adherence to project governance, methodologies and best practices during project execution. They provide oversight, monitor project performance and assist with risk management. Their role includes supporting the project manager with reporting, quality assurance and ensuring the project remains aligned with organizational objectives and compliance standards. Documentation of the Project Execution Phase These are the common documents that will be generated during this project phase. Status Reports: Regular updates on project progress, including completed tasks, issues encountered and upcoming milestones, ensuring stakeholder transparency. Work Performance Reports: Summarize key performance indicators (KPIs), such as budget usage, schedule adherence and quality metrics, to assess project health. Change Requests: Formal documentation of proposed modifications to scope, schedule or resources, requiring approval before implementation. Issue Log: Tracks project issues, assigned responsibilities, resolutions and follow-up actions to prevent delays and disruptions. Risk Register: Continuously updated to reflect new risks, mitigation actions and the status of existing risk responses. Meeting Minutes: Records discussions, decisions and action items from project meetings, ensuring accountability and follow-through. Deliverables and Work Acceptance Forms: Document the submission and approval of completed work packages, confirming compliance with quality standards. Quality Assurance Reports: Capture quality control activities, inspections and corrective actions taken to ensure project deliverables meet expectations. Communication Logs: Maintain records of key project communications, including emails, stakeholder updates and team discussions. Procurement Documentation: Includes purchase orders, vendor contracts and supplier performance reviews to track procurement activities. 4. Project Monitoring and Control Phase The project monitoring and control phase occurs concurrently with the execution phase, ensuring that the project stays on track and aligns with the established plan. During this phase, project managers track progress, measure performance and implement necessary adjustments to keep the project within scope, on schedule, and within budget. This is done to identify and address any deviations from the project plan. By continuously monitoring KPIs and assessing progress, project managers can mitigate risks, manage resources effectively and ensure quality standards are upheld. This proactive oversight helps maintain alignment with project goals and stakeholder expectations. Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Monitoring and Control Phase Here are the various roles and their responsibilities for this project phase. Project Sponsor: During project monitoring and control, the project sponsor ensures the project remains aligned with strategic objectives by reviewing performance reports and addressing escalated risks or budget concerns. They approve corrective actions, ensure continued stakeholder confidence and provide guidance when deviations from scope, schedule, or costs require high-level decision-making. Project Manager: The project manager actively tracks project performance, analyzes key metrics and ensures adherence to scope, schedule and budget. They identify variances, implement corrective actions and manage risk responses. Their role includes leading status meetings, ensuring compliance with quality standards and continuously optimizing workflows to keep the project on course. Stakeholders: Stakeholders review project reports, assess deliverable quality and provide feedback to ensure project objectives are met. They participate in risk assessments, approve necessary changes and ensure alignment with business needs. Their role includes monitoring progress against KPIs and supporting mitigation strategies for emerging issues. Project Team Members: Project team members report on task progress, identify roadblocks and implement corrective actions when needed. They contribute to performance assessments, track deviations in execution and ensure compliance with defined quality standards. Their role includes documenting issues, adhering to change controls and supporting continuous monitoring to maintain project efficiency. Quality Assurance Team: The quality assurance team ensures deliverables meet predefined standards through inspections, audits and testing. They monitor compliance with quality requirements, track defects and recommend corrective actions. Their role includes implementing process improvements, verifying adherence to quality control procedures and ensuring the project meets regulatory and customer expectations. Project Management Office (PMO): The PMO enforces governance, oversees project reporting and ensures adherence to methodologies. They provide monitoring tools, conduct project health checks and track KPIs. Their role includes supporting risk management, facilitating audits, ensuring documentation accuracy and assisting in implementing corrective and preventive actions to maintain project control. Documentation of the Project Monitoring and Control Phase The following documents are produced during this project phase. Performance Reports: Summarize key metrics such as cost, schedule adherence, scope completion and risk status to track project health. Variance Analysis Reports: Compare actual project performance against planned targets, identifying deviations in budget, schedule and scope. Risk Register (Final Updates): Continuously updated to reflect new risks, mitigation actions taken and final risk outcomes. Issue Log (Final Updates): Documents how all open issues were resolved and ensures no unresolved problems remain. Change Log: Maintains a record of all approved changes, including their impact on project scope, schedule and costs. Quality Control Reports: Track testing, inspections and corrective actions to ensure deliverables meet required standards. Stakeholder Feedback Reports: Collect input from stakeholders to assess satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. 5. Project Closure Phase When the project is delivered, it’s not finished until the project closure phase is done. This project management phase marks the formal completion of the project. It’s when all project activities are finalized, deliverables are handed over and necessary documentation is completed. Additionally, the team reviews the project’s outcomes to assess its success and identify lessons learned. This is done to ensure all project objectives have been met and that the project is concluded in an organized manner. It involves confirming that stakeholders are satisfied with the deliverables, releasing project resources and providing final reports. This phase also provides an opportunity to reflect on the project’s performance, documenting insights that can improve future projects. Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Closure Phase Even this last of the project phases has specific roles and responsibilities, which are as follows. Project Sponsor: During project closure, the project sponsor ensures final deliverables meet business objectives and formally approves project completion. They review performance evaluations, validate that all contractual obligations are met and oversee the transition of project outcomes into operations. Their role includes ensuring lessons learned are documented and closing financial commitments. Project Manager: The project manager leads the formal closure process by verifying deliverable acceptance, finalizing documentation and ensuring all objectives are met. They conduct post-project evaluations, oversee contract closure and facilitate lessons learned sessions. Their role includes archiving project records, releasing resources and ensuring all administrative and legal closure activities are completed. Stakeholders: Stakeholders review final project results, assess success criteria and provide feedback on project performance. They ensure deliverables align with expectations and support the transition of project outputs into operations. Their role includes participating in lessons learned discussions and signing off on project closure reports. Project Team Members: Project team members complete final deliverables, document outstanding issues and assist in knowledge transfer. They participate in project review meetings, provide feedback on processes and ensure all assigned work is finalized. Their role includes contributing to lessons learned, helping transition work to operational teams and closing any remaining tasks. Project Management Office (PMO): The PMO ensures the project is closed in compliance with organizational policies. They oversee final documentation, facilitate closure audits and store project records for future reference. Their role includes standardizing lessons learned, ensuring project performance data is captured and verifying that governance procedures were followed throughout the project lifecycle. Documentation of the Project Closure Phase As with all project phases, this final one also has many documents created to fully close out the project. Here is a list of them. Final Project Report: Summarizes overall project performance, achievements, challenges and lessons learned. Lessons Learned Document: Captures insights on successes and failures to improve future project management practices. Final Work Acceptance Forms: Confirm that all deliverables have been completed and accepted by stakeholders or clients. Contract Closure Documents: Ensure all vendor contracts are fulfilled, payments settled and legal agreements closed. Financial Closure Report: Provides a final review of budget performance, cost overruns and remaining funds. Project Archive: Stores all key documents, including plans, reports and approvals, for future reference and audits. Team Release and Acknowledgment: Officially releases project team members from responsibilities and recognizes their contributions. How to Use ProjectManager to Manage All Project Management Phases Managing the project management phases can be done without project management software, but it’s not recommended. Even trying to organize a small project is dangerous when using digital tools, such as spreadsheets. While better than keeping all the information in one’s head, there are better ways to plan, manage and track projects. Project management software is designed to deliver successful projects. Though not all of these products are equal. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software with multiple project views for all project stages, but also automated workflows, task approval settings, version control, global search, risk management and so much more. Manage Resources and Stay Productive Resource management touches all five project management phases. We’ve already shown how our Gantt chart can schedule human and nonhuman resources, but that’s just the start. When assigning human resources to tasks, project managers can set their availability, including PTO, vacation and global holidays, when onboarding. This streamlines the assignment process by having the right resource at the right time assigned to the right job. To view resource allocation across a project or multiple projects, use the color-coded workload chart. It makes it easy to see who’s overallocated or underutilized, and managers can balance their workload from the chart. Use the team page to get a weekly or daily view of their activities, which can be filtered by progress or priority. Tasks can also be updated without leaving the page. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Track Progress and More With Real-Time Dashboards and Reports While all project management phases are important, the monitoring and controlling project phase deserves special attention. Our software understands that and gives users a high-level overview of project KPIs whenever they want it, without time-consuming setup. Our real-time project or portfolio dashboards automatically collect live data and display it on easy-to-read graphs and charts that show time, cost, workload and more. Customizable reports go deeper into status, variance, timesheets, workload and more, and they can be filtered to focus on specific data points or shared with stakeholders who want to see a more general summary of progress. Even our secure timesheets help by monitoring labor costs to help stay on budget. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dashboard-light-mode.jpg Related Project Management Content There’s more to project management than project management phases. For those who want to continue their study of the subject, below are some recent blog posts we’ve published on tools, techniques, principles and more. Project Management Tools & Techniques for Project Managers Key Project Management Principles & How to Use Them Common Project Management Styles: Pros & Cons Best Project Management Certifications (2025) Project Management Process Groups: A Quick Guide Project Management Methodologies: An Overview ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay up to date with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens, just some of the companies that use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post The 5 Project Management Phases: A Quick Guide appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

You probably know zero exercise is not enough and that going for a walk every day is generally a good thing. And if you’re training for a marathon, you’ll be on your feet for a couple hours of hard workouts every week. But what is the benchmark for a human being just trying to squeeze enough healthy exercise into their life? Any amount of exercise is better than none, but 30 minutes of exercise (like brisk walking) five days a week will meet the guidelines. The official guidelines, though, are given in weekly minutes, and you get extra credit for vigorous exercise like running. Some watches and apps will track this for you, as in Fitbit's "active zone minutes" or Garmin's "intensity minutes." Below, I'll break down the different levels of guidelines, starting with 150 weekly minutes, and then we'll get into what counts as exercise. The basics: 150 minutes of cardio and two days of strength training every weekFortunately, all the major public health organizations are in agreement. The World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Heart Association are all on board with the following guidelines for aerobic exercise: At least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity (cardio) exercise like walking or easy jogging, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise like running, or a combination. (If you can easily meet that, more is better.) At least two days per week of muscle strengthening activity, like lifting weights or doing other strength training like pushups, resistance band exercises, or even heavy manual labor like shoveling. A previous edition of the guidelines said that you need to do your cardio for a minimum of 10 minutes at a time for it to count, but the current recommendation is to get it in however you can, even if that includes some shorter bursts here and there. If that's too easy, level up to 300 minutesIf you’re pretty athletic, the above won’t sound like much. Good news! The WHO has set a secondary goal for folks like you. It’s simple: just do double the above. So you can aim for 300 minutes of moderate cardio, or 150 minutes per week of vigorous activity. Here's what that might look like: An intense, hour-long martial arts class three times a week (60 x 3 = 180, but this is vigorous cardio, so the minutes count double) Go on a 45-minute after-dinner walk every day (45 x 7 = 315 minutes of moderate cardio) Commute by bike to work, 20 minutes each way (40 minutes per day x 5 days per week = 200 minutes moderate cardio) and play recreational league soccer for two matches per week (50 minutes each game, for some combination of moderate and vigorous cardio, definitely puts us over 300). What do "moderate" and "vigorous" exercise mean?Walking at a purposeful pace counts as "moderate" cardio, and jogging counts as "vigorous." I have a detailed breakdown here of what exercises count as moderate versus vigorous. The distinction is not based on heart rate or effort level, but rather on a scientific metric called METs that relates to how much energy and oxygen the exercise takes. Moderate exercise is anything that scores between 3 and 6 METs, and vigorous exercise is 6+ METs. That said, you can estimate by effort level. When you're doing moderate exercise, you'll be a little bit sweatier or breathing a little harder than when you're at rest, but you can do it continuously without feeling tired. It may not even feel like a workout. Here are some examples of moderate cardio: A brisk walk Commuting or doing errands by bike, on relatively flat ground Using a spin bike or other cardio machines like the elliptical, at a low intensity, steady pace Housework and light yard work, like washing windows or mowing the lawn with a power mower By contrast, vigorous exercise includes activities where you're working hard and breathing hard. You might still be able to keep up a conversation, but it's not likely to feel easy. Vigorous exercise also includes the really hard stuff where you might not be able to keep it up very long. This could include: Running fast Bicycling uphill Pushing yourself to finish a Crossfit WOD with a good time Swimming laps Playing a game of soccer or basketball Tougher housework and yard work, like chopping wood or using a push mower Can I combine moderate and vigorous cardio? You can mix and match these two intensities. The math is simple if you think about 150 minutes as your target and consider every minute of vigorous cardio counting double. Here are some examples: A 20 minute brisk walk every weekday morning (20 minutes x 5 days = 100 minutes moderate cardio) plus a 30-minute spin class that has you working pretty hard (30 minutes counted double is 60; add that to the 100 and you're at 160 minutes). An hour of hiking, three days a week (60 minutes x 3 sessions = 180 minutes moderate cardio) Three 30-minute jogs (30 minutes x 3 = 90 minutes moderate cardio) plus a workout with 10 minutes easy jogging for a warmup and then 20 minutes of hard running, followed by a cooldown of another 10 minutes easy. (20 minutes vigorous x 2 is equivalent to 40 minutes moderate cardio, plus we can add the warmup and cooldown for another 20 moderate minutes). That gives you 150 total. Go for a 30-minute easy bike ride on Monday. Try a 45-minute water aerobics class on Wednesday. Take a short hike on Saturday. Mow the lawn for an hour on Saturday. (30 + 45 + 30 + 60 = 165 moderate cardio) How much strength training do you need?So far we’ve been talking about aerobic exercise, which is the kind where you’re continuously moving (or, perhaps, doing quick work/rest intervals) and your heart rate is up. But there are other important forms of exercise, too. The WHO and other organizations recommend two days per week of “high intensity muscle strengthening activity,” which includes anything where you’re thinking in terms of sets and reps. (Three sets of eight to 10 reps is a good structure to start.) That activity can be anything that challenges your muscles, and where the last rep is a lot harder than the first. This could include lifting weights, or resistance band exercises, or bodyweight exercises like push-ups. So if you run three days per week and have time for more exercise, don’t just fit in extra runs; try adding two days in the weight room. The strength training recommendations are for two days per week, per muscle group. If you like to work your upper body and lower body separately, that would mean two upper body days and two lower body days. If you prefer workouts that work all your muscles on the same day, you only need to do two of those full-body workouts per week (at minimum). Can you get too much exercise?What about an upper limit on how much exercise you get? There isn’t one, from a public health point of view. More is better. (And even if you are doing less than the recommendations, anything is better than nothing.) That said, it is always possible for you, as an individual, to do more exercise than your body is ready for. Don’t jump from a life of occasional strolling to a marathon training plan. (And if you are on that marathon training plan and you’re feeling worn down, take a break already.) View the full article

Uber Advertising will integrate Instacart’s Carrot Ads solution to extend the reach of Uber Eats’ Sponsored Items to more Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) advertisers in the U.S. market. By the numbers. Instacart’s advertiser network includes more than 7,000 brands. More than 220 retailer banners use Carrot Ads to power their retail media. How it works. Starting this month, CPG advertisers can create campaigns through Instacart Ads Manager that will automatically extend across both Instacart’s ecosystem and the Uber Eats marketplace, reaching millions of high-intent grocery shoppers. Why we care. CPG brands of all sizes now have a powerful new advertising channel that enhances product discovery for consumers on Uber Eats’ grocery and retail marketplace. This integration simplifies campaign execution while expanding reach and efficiency for advertisers seeking to connect with consumers at the critical moment of purchase decision. What they’re saying. “By enabling access to Uber Eats Sponsored Items in the US via Instacart’s Carrot Ads solution, we believe we can better meet the needs of more CPG brands – especially those making network buys,” said Travis Colvin, GM of Grocery & Retail at Uber Advertising. “Together, we’re offering advertisers expanded reach, seamless campaign management, trusted results, and a more efficient way to instantly connect customers with the products they love,” added Chris Rogers, Chief Business Officer at Instacart. Looking ahead. The partnership will help accelerate Uber Advertising’s growth in the U.S., with plans to introduce Shoppable Display formats through the Carrot Ads solution in the second half of 2025. View the full article

Lawyers for French football captain unveil raft of actions in escalation of dispute with former clubView the full article

Online advertising platform Marin Software announced plans today to dissolve the company, subject to shareholder approval. Marin’s board of directors approved a formal Plan of Dissolution and Liquidation. The San Francisco-based software provider, founded 19 years ago (in April 2006), was once a leading search and social marketing platform. Why we care. Marin was one of the first companies to offer a cross-channel ad management platform to help advertisers optimize campaigns. However, Marin struggled in recent years with declining revenue and customer churn. In Q3 2024, Marin reduced its headcount by 26% to cut costs. What’s next. If shareholders vote in favor of the plan at a special meeting later this quarter, Marin will: Wind down operations in an “orderly” fashion. Delist from Nasdaq. Resolve debts and liabilities. Attempt to sell any remaining assets. Distribute net proceeds to shareholders. Begin the formal shutdown process under Delaware law. What they’re saying. CEO and founder Christopher Lien thanked customers, partners, and staff in a press release: “On behalf of Marin Software, I want to thank our customers, partners, team members, and stockholders for their support over the years.” Zoom out. Founded in 2006, Marin was once a leader in the search marketing software category. The company reported revenue of $36 million in 2011 and $50 million in 2012. The company filed for its IPO and went public in 2013. Marin raised about $105 million and traded under the ticker MRIN. At its peak, Marin Software had a market cap of more than $500 million. Since 2016, the company posted consistent annual losses and declining revenues. By late 2024, Marin’s market cap fell below $10 million and its shares were trading under $1, putting it at risk of Nasdaq delisting. View the full article

Every folder on macOS looks the same—a boring blue representation of a paper file. That makes browsing a folder full of folders harder than it needs to be because everything looks identical. Unless, that is, you use custom icons for your most-used folders. You can do that pretty easily, but the feature is a little bit hidden. And yes, this means you can use something silly for your folder icon. But it can also be practical. Having an important folder a different color than the rest, or all of your folders different colors depending on functionality, makes it easier to find and click on what you're looking for. And the process isn't difficult. First things first: you need to find the image you want to use as an icon. I recommend going to macOSicons.com, which has thousands of icons sized just right. You can search for any color and find folder icons matching it. You can also search for random objects or applications and find icons. Find the images you want to use and click Download to get an .icns file which you can assign to any folder you like. Alternatively, you can just search the web for whatever image you want, right-click the image, and click Copy Image (note that you cannot click "Copy Image URL"—you need to copy the image itself). Next, right-click the folder you want to change the icon for and click Get Info to pull up a window with information about the file. You will see a folder icon in the top-left corner of that window (not the one in the window's toolbar). If you downloaded an .icns file, simply drag it to this icon in this panel—after a few moments the folder icon will be replaced. If you copied an image from your browser, simply click the icon in the panel—you'll see that it is highlighted. Now use the keyboard shortcut CMD-V and the folder icon will be replaced with the image you copied. Want to switch back to the default folder icon? Open the Get Info* panel, click the icon, then press the Delete key. The icon will go back to the default. It's worth noting that this isn't limited to folders. We've talked about changing Mac app icons before, and you can also edit how external hard drives look. This can make it easier to figure out which drive is plugged in at a glance, especially if you find an icon that resembles the drive itself. Easily make your own macOS icons Credit: Justin Pot Finding an icon online is perfectly fine, but it's pretty simple to design your own folder icons, too. You could copy the default icon, paste it into an image editor, and change it to look however you like. If you don't have those skills, though, or would prefer something faster, Fancy Folders is a free application that can do the work for you. This app lets you choose any color you want for your folder. It also lets you add an icon—this can be an image, if you want, or you can just type text. Choose which folder you want to browser, click Save folder icon, and the icon will change. Y View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I’m contemplating a job search and would love your advice on how to raise certain non-negotiable workplace factors — what I’d call “satisficers” — early in the process, without derailing conversations or coming off as naive or high-maintenance. For example, I travel extensively for work (sometimes over 100 hours in transit per week), and I’m simply not interested in a role that requires flying economy. Most companies in my field provide business class, but a handful don’t. Similarly, I find open-plan offices incredibly stressful and wouldn’t take a job that required one. These aren’t negotiable perks for me; they’re baseline filters. If a company doesn’t offer them, that’s totally fine, but I wouldn’t want to waste everyone’s time going through a protracted interview process only to find out at the offer stage. One challenge is that the HR person I’m speaking with early on may not fully grasp the realities of the role — especially the sheer amount of travel involved. I don’t want to come off as a prima donna right out of the gate. The conditions I work in can be as basic as tents or mud huts, so it’s not about luxury — it’s about sustainability when spending a huge chunk of my life in transit. The issue is, these things don’t always come up organically, especially since many interviews are remote now. If I bring them up early, I risk sounding either naive (“Of course we provide that”) or misaligned with company philosophy (“We believe everyone should fly economy”). What’s the best way to screen for these things early without making it seem like I’m leading with demands? It’s okay if you sound misaligned with company philosophy if it’s something you’d reject a job over; in that case, you are misaligned with their philosophy (or they’re misaligned with yours) and your whole goal is to find that out early. So don’t let that deter you. Finding out that you’re misaligned on something that’s a deal-breaker for you is the point. I also wouldn’t worry about sounding naive. You’re not saying “do you offer paychecks?” You’re asking about things that genuinely do vary from company to company. It’s also not about leading with demands. It’s about saying, “I don’t want to waste your time if we’re not the right match on a couple of points that are important to me.” You could word it this way: “Over the years I’ve learned there are a couple of things it’s useful to ask about early on so I don’t waste your time if it’s not the right match. I’ve found that most companies fly people in this role business class, because of the sheer number of hours per week spent traveling, but not all do. That’s key to keeping the work sustainable for me so I want to ask about it up-front.” … “I also wanted to ask about the office space — is it open offices, cubicles, private offices, something else?” You can ask this pretty early on — either in the phone screen or the first interview — since you’re explaining why you’re bringing it up now (i.e., these aren’t small details to you, but things your acceptance would hinge on). If you’re talking with an HR person, I might hold off on the business class question until you’re talking with the manager, given your concern about HR not fully understanding the amount of travel (whereas the manager definitely should, and the answer you get from them should be more reliable — although it’s also something to confirm again as you’re negotiating the offer, to make sure). View the full article

Key Takeaways Growth Projections: The restaurant industry is expected to reach $1.5 trillion in sales by 2025, showcasing strong post-pandemic recovery and sustainable growth. Economic Impact: Restaurants contribute significantly to local economies, generating over $899 billion in annual sales and providing approximately 15.6 million jobs in the U.S. Local Marketing Strategy: Emphasizing local marketing, including SEO and community engagement, is essential for attracting nearby customers and enhancing brand visibility. Sustainability and Customer Loyalty: Adopting sustainable practices and implementing customer loyalty programs can improve your restaurant’s brand image and encourage repeat business. Labor Challenges: Rising labor costs and shortages are significant challenges in the industry, necessitating effective recruitment strategies and community involvement to attract qualified staff. Technology and Dining Trends: Embracing technology in dining experiences, such as online ordering and off-premises dining, is crucial for meeting evolving consumer demands and enhancing customer convenience. The restaurant industry is a vibrant and ever-evolving sector that plays a crucial role in the economy. With millions of establishments worldwide, it’s a landscape filled with opportunities and challenges. Understanding the latest industry statistics can help you navigate this dynamic world, whether you’re a seasoned restaurateur or a food enthusiast looking to explore trends. Overview of the Restaurant Industry The restaurant industry plays a crucial role in the economy, comprising a wide array of establishments that cater to different tastes and preferences. Understanding the current landscape is essential for small business owners looking to thrive in this competitive space. Key Trends in the Restaurant Sector Emphasis on Local Marketing: Restaurants increasingly leverage local marketing strategies to attract nearby customers. Utilizing local SEO, you can optimize your online presence to appear in local search results. Online Engagement: Social media marketing through platforms like Facebook and Instagram enhances community engagement. Your restaurant can showcase dishes, share promotions, and interact with customers in real-time. Influencer Marketing: Partnering with local influencers provides exposure to wider audiences. Utilizing local influencer partnerships can boost brand awareness and drive customer visits. Sustainability Practices: Many restaurants are adopting sustainable practices. Highlighting green initiatives not only attracts eco-conscious diners but also improves your brand image. Customer Loyalty Programs: Implementing loyalty programs encourages repeat business. You can utilize local coupons and promotions to reward frequent visitors and enhance customer retention. Economic Impact of Restaurants The restaurant industry contributes significantly to the local economy. In the U.S., it generates over $899 billion in sales annually and employs approximately 15.6 million people. Job Creation: Restaurants provide employment opportunities across various roles, supporting local families. Community Engagement: By sponsoring local events and partnerships, your restaurant fosters community involvement and strengthens ties to the neighborhood. Investment in Local Areas: Restaurants stimulate local economies by purchasing from local suppliers and participating in local advertising. This investment supports the ecosystem of small businesses. Tax Contributions: Restaurants contribute to local and state tax revenue, funding essential community services and infrastructure. By understanding these trends and the economic impact, you can develop effective marketing strategies tailored to your target market while reinforcing your restaurant’s position within the community. Types of Restaurants Understanding the different types of restaurants helps you identify your target market and develop effective marketing strategies. Here’s a look at key categories within the restaurant industry. Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) Quick Service Restaurants, or QSRs, focus on serving fast, consistent meals with minimal service. These establishments often utilize counter service or drive-thru options. Popular examples include McDonald’s, Burger King, and Taco Bell. In the QSR segment, local marketing strategies play a vital role. Implementing techniques like location-based ads, Google My Business optimization, and local promotions can significantly enhance your visibility. Engaging with your community through local events and partnerships fosters a loyal customer base, while offering incentives like loyalty programs ensures customer retention. Full-Service Restaurants Full-Service Restaurants provide a comprehensive dining experience, featuring wait staff and a diverse menu. These establishments range from casual dining to fine dining, aiming to create a memorable experience for patrons. For full-service operators, cultivating an online presence through social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook is crucial. Utilizing tools such as Yelp for customer reviews and local listings improves your local SEO efforts. Additionally, grassroots marketing methods, including community involvement and sponsorship opportunities, help strengthen your connection with the local market. Effective email marketing campaigns and direct mail efforts can drive customer engagement, ensuring your restaurant thrives in a competitive sector. Understanding these categories allows you to tailor your marketing strategies effectively, ensuring you attract and retain patrons in the evolving restaurant landscape. Current Restaurant Industry Statistics Understanding the current statistics in the restaurant industry helps you navigate opportunities effectively. Familiarity with these trends enhances your marketing strategy and strengthens community engagement. Revenue Statistics The restaurant industry is poised to reach $1.5 trillion in sales by 2025. This figure highlights a substantial increase from the $997 billion projected for 2023, showcasing the industry’s robust recovery since the pandemic. Notably, the sector surpassed $1 trillion in sales for the first time in 2024, indicating a trend towards growth. Menu price increases, which hit nearly 9% in March 2023, have played a significant role in this revenue spike but have cooled to around 3.6% recently. Addressing menu pricing effectively may boost your profitability while attracting local customers through promotions and local search strategies. Employment and Job Creation By 2025, the restaurant industry is expected to add approximately 200,000 new jobs, bringing total employment to 15.9 million in the U.S. This positions restaurants as the second-largest private-sector employer, making effective recruitment crucial for your establishment. Implementing community involvement initiatives can enhance your reputation as an employer, leading to stronger word of mouth and attracting talent through local partnerships. Utilizing platforms like Google My Business helps ensure your job listings reach the right target market in your area. Additionally, engaging in grassroots marketing through local events and sponsorships can increase awareness of job opportunities within your restaurant, fostering community ties and customer loyalty. Challenges Facing the Restaurant Industry The restaurant industry faces significant challenges that can impact your operations. Key concerns include rising costs and labor shortages. Rising Costs and Inflation Rising costs significantly affect your bottom line. Food and drink inflation reached 12.2% as of September 2023, increasing menu expenses. In response, many restaurant operators raised menu prices by nearly 9% in March 2023, although this increase has settled around 3% since then. Adjusting local marketing strategies, such as offering local coupons or targeted promotions, can help mitigate the impact of these rising costs. You can enhance profitability even in a tight market through effective cost management and customer retention strategies, like loyalty programs that encourage repeat business. Labor Shortages Labor shortages pose a major hurdle for restaurant operators, with reports indicating a 10% monthly increase in labor costs since 2021. Finding and retaining qualified staff can strain operations and customer service. Adopting grassroots marketing tactics, such as community involvement or hosting local events, can bolster your employer brand, making your restaurant a more attractive option for potential employees. Additionally, leveraging local listings and online reviews can enhance your visibility, drawing in both customers and well-qualified candidates. Future Predictions for the Restaurant Industry The restaurant industry is on track for substantial growth, creating exciting opportunities for small businesses. Keeping an eye on key trends ensures you stay ahead in this dynamic landscape. Expected Growth Rates The restaurant sector is set to reach $1.5 trillion in sales by 2025, up from the $997 billion forecast for 2023. Sales growth exceeds 4% in 2025, reflecting the industry’s recovery post-pandemic. The sector is also expected to create around 200,000 new jobs, increasing total employment to 15.9 million, making it the second-largest private employer in the nation. You can leverage these growth rates through targeted local marketing strategies, such as local coupons, which can help attract more customers to your restaurant. Technology Influence on Dining Trends Technology is reshaping dining experiences. Off-premises dining, including delivery, curbside pickup, and drive-thru, has grown significantly. Small businesses can leverage technologies like online ordering systems and apps to enhance customer convenience. Building a robust online presence on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and social media marketing tools such as Facebook Ads and Instagram for business is vital. Engage with your audience through local events and influencer partnerships, fostering community involvement and brand awareness. Utilizing geotargeting and location-based ads can attract nearby customers effectively. Combining these strategies with loyalty programs can enhance customer retention, ensuring your restaurant remains a favorite in your community. By adapting to these trends, your small business can thrive amid the evolving demands of today’s consumers. Conclusion The restaurant industry stands at a pivotal point with immense growth potential and evolving challenges. By staying updated on key statistics and trends you can navigate this dynamic landscape effectively. Embracing local marketing strategies and leveraging technology will not only enhance your visibility but also foster customer loyalty. As you look ahead consider how the projected growth and job creation can impact your business. Adapting to rising costs and labor shortages through community engagement and innovative marketing will be crucial for success. With the right strategies in place your restaurant can thrive in an ever-changing environment. Frequently Asked Questions What is the impact of the restaurant industry on the economy? The restaurant industry significantly contributes over $899 billion in annual sales and employs approximately 15.6 million people in the U.S. It supports local economies through job creation, community engagement, and tax contributions, reinforcing its vital role within communities. What are some key trends in the restaurant sector? Current trends include the importance of local marketing strategies, active engagement on social media, influencer partnerships, and a focus on sustainability. Customer loyalty programs also play a crucial role in encouraging repeat business. How can restaurants effectively market themselves? Restaurants should implement local marketing techniques, strengthen their online presence, and engage with the community through grassroots efforts. Utilizing social media and developing loyalty programs can enhance visibility and customer retention. What challenges does the restaurant industry face? The industry faces rising costs and labor shortages. Food inflation has led to increased menu prices, while competition for labor has contributed to rising employment costs. Businesses are encouraged to adjust marketing strategies and engage local communities to address these challenges. How is the restaurant sector expected to grow in the future? The restaurant sector is projected to reach $1.5 trillion in sales by 2025 and add around 200,000 new jobs. Technology advancements, such as online ordering and delivery, are also anticipated to shape the future of dining experiences. What types of restaurants are there? Restaurants can be categorized into various types, including Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), which focus on fast food with minimal service, and Full-Service Restaurants, which offer a more comprehensive dining experience. Understanding these categories helps in targeting specific markets effectively. How can restaurants build customer loyalty? Implementing customer loyalty programs and engaging with the local community through meaningful interactions can help foster loyalty. Personalized marketing strategies, promotions, and consistent quality service further encourage repeat visits from patrons. Image Via Envato This article, "Essential Restaurant Industry Statistics for Understanding Trends and Growth" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Growth Projections: The restaurant industry is expected to reach $1.5 trillion in sales by 2025, showcasing strong post-pandemic recovery and sustainable growth. Economic Impact: Restaurants contribute significantly to local economies, generating over $899 billion in annual sales and providing approximately 15.6 million jobs in the U.S. Local Marketing Strategy: Emphasizing local marketing, including SEO and community engagement, is essential for attracting nearby customers and enhancing brand visibility. Sustainability and Customer Loyalty: Adopting sustainable practices and implementing customer loyalty programs can improve your restaurant’s brand image and encourage repeat business. Labor Challenges: Rising labor costs and shortages are significant challenges in the industry, necessitating effective recruitment strategies and community involvement to attract qualified staff. Technology and Dining Trends: Embracing technology in dining experiences, such as online ordering and off-premises dining, is crucial for meeting evolving consumer demands and enhancing customer convenience. The restaurant industry is a vibrant and ever-evolving sector that plays a crucial role in the economy. With millions of establishments worldwide, it’s a landscape filled with opportunities and challenges. Understanding the latest industry statistics can help you navigate this dynamic world, whether you’re a seasoned restaurateur or a food enthusiast looking to explore trends. Overview of the Restaurant Industry The restaurant industry plays a crucial role in the economy, comprising a wide array of establishments that cater to different tastes and preferences. Understanding the current landscape is essential for small business owners looking to thrive in this competitive space. Key Trends in the Restaurant Sector Emphasis on Local Marketing: Restaurants increasingly leverage local marketing strategies to attract nearby customers. Utilizing local SEO, you can optimize your online presence to appear in local search results. Online Engagement: Social media marketing through platforms like Facebook and Instagram enhances community engagement. Your restaurant can showcase dishes, share promotions, and interact with customers in real-time. Influencer Marketing: Partnering with local influencers provides exposure to wider audiences. Utilizing local influencer partnerships can boost brand awareness and drive customer visits. Sustainability Practices: Many restaurants are adopting sustainable practices. Highlighting green initiatives not only attracts eco-conscious diners but also improves your brand image. Customer Loyalty Programs: Implementing loyalty programs encourages repeat business. You can utilize local coupons and promotions to reward frequent visitors and enhance customer retention. Economic Impact of Restaurants The restaurant industry contributes significantly to the local economy. In the U.S., it generates over $899 billion in sales annually and employs approximately 15.6 million people. Job Creation: Restaurants provide employment opportunities across various roles, supporting local families. Community Engagement: By sponsoring local events and partnerships, your restaurant fosters community involvement and strengthens ties to the neighborhood. Investment in Local Areas: Restaurants stimulate local economies by purchasing from local suppliers and participating in local advertising. This investment supports the ecosystem of small businesses. Tax Contributions: Restaurants contribute to local and state tax revenue, funding essential community services and infrastructure. By understanding these trends and the economic impact, you can develop effective marketing strategies tailored to your target market while reinforcing your restaurant’s position within the community. Types of Restaurants Understanding the different types of restaurants helps you identify your target market and develop effective marketing strategies. Here’s a look at key categories within the restaurant industry. Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) Quick Service Restaurants, or QSRs, focus on serving fast, consistent meals with minimal service. These establishments often utilize counter service or drive-thru options. Popular examples include McDonald’s, Burger King, and Taco Bell. In the QSR segment, local marketing strategies play a vital role. Implementing techniques like location-based ads, Google My Business optimization, and local promotions can significantly enhance your visibility. Engaging with your community through local events and partnerships fosters a loyal customer base, while offering incentives like loyalty programs ensures customer retention. Full-Service Restaurants Full-Service Restaurants provide a comprehensive dining experience, featuring wait staff and a diverse menu. These establishments range from casual dining to fine dining, aiming to create a memorable experience for patrons. For full-service operators, cultivating an online presence through social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook is crucial. Utilizing tools such as Yelp for customer reviews and local listings improves your local SEO efforts. Additionally, grassroots marketing methods, including community involvement and sponsorship opportunities, help strengthen your connection with the local market. Effective email marketing campaigns and direct mail efforts can drive customer engagement, ensuring your restaurant thrives in a competitive sector. Understanding these categories allows you to tailor your marketing strategies effectively, ensuring you attract and retain patrons in the evolving restaurant landscape. Current Restaurant Industry Statistics Understanding the current statistics in the restaurant industry helps you navigate opportunities effectively. Familiarity with these trends enhances your marketing strategy and strengthens community engagement. Revenue Statistics The restaurant industry is poised to reach $1.5 trillion in sales by 2025. This figure highlights a substantial increase from the $997 billion projected for 2023, showcasing the industry’s robust recovery since the pandemic. Notably, the sector surpassed $1 trillion in sales for the first time in 2024, indicating a trend towards growth. Menu price increases, which hit nearly 9% in March 2023, have played a significant role in this revenue spike but have cooled to around 3.6% recently. Addressing menu pricing effectively may boost your profitability while attracting local customers through promotions and local search strategies. Employment and Job Creation By 2025, the restaurant industry is expected to add approximately 200,000 new jobs, bringing total employment to 15.9 million in the U.S. This positions restaurants as the second-largest private-sector employer, making effective recruitment crucial for your establishment. Implementing community involvement initiatives can enhance your reputation as an employer, leading to stronger word of mouth and attracting talent through local partnerships. Utilizing platforms like Google My Business helps ensure your job listings reach the right target market in your area. Additionally, engaging in grassroots marketing through local events and sponsorships can increase awareness of job opportunities within your restaurant, fostering community ties and customer loyalty. Challenges Facing the Restaurant Industry The restaurant industry faces significant challenges that can impact your operations. Key concerns include rising costs and labor shortages. Rising Costs and Inflation Rising costs significantly affect your bottom line. Food and drink inflation reached 12.2% as of September 2023, increasing menu expenses. In response, many restaurant operators raised menu prices by nearly 9% in March 2023, although this increase has settled around 3% since then. Adjusting local marketing strategies, such as offering local coupons or targeted promotions, can help mitigate the impact of these rising costs. You can enhance profitability even in a tight market through effective cost management and customer retention strategies, like loyalty programs that encourage repeat business. Labor Shortages Labor shortages pose a major hurdle for restaurant operators, with reports indicating a 10% monthly increase in labor costs since 2021. Finding and retaining qualified staff can strain operations and customer service. Adopting grassroots marketing tactics, such as community involvement or hosting local events, can bolster your employer brand, making your restaurant a more attractive option for potential employees. Additionally, leveraging local listings and online reviews can enhance your visibility, drawing in both customers and well-qualified candidates. Future Predictions for the Restaurant Industry The restaurant industry is on track for substantial growth, creating exciting opportunities for small businesses. Keeping an eye on key trends ensures you stay ahead in this dynamic landscape. Expected Growth Rates The restaurant sector is set to reach $1.5 trillion in sales by 2025, up from the $997 billion forecast for 2023. Sales growth exceeds 4% in 2025, reflecting the industry’s recovery post-pandemic. The sector is also expected to create around 200,000 new jobs, increasing total employment to 15.9 million, making it the second-largest private employer in the nation. You can leverage these growth rates through targeted local marketing strategies, such as local coupons, which can help attract more customers to your restaurant. Technology Influence on Dining Trends Technology is reshaping dining experiences. Off-premises dining, including delivery, curbside pickup, and drive-thru, has grown significantly. Small businesses can leverage technologies like online ordering systems and apps to enhance customer convenience. Building a robust online presence on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and social media marketing tools such as Facebook Ads and Instagram for business is vital. Engage with your audience through local events and influencer partnerships, fostering community involvement and brand awareness. Utilizing geotargeting and location-based ads can attract nearby customers effectively. Combining these strategies with loyalty programs can enhance customer retention, ensuring your restaurant remains a favorite in your community. By adapting to these trends, your small business can thrive amid the evolving demands of today’s consumers. Conclusion The restaurant industry stands at a pivotal point with immense growth potential and evolving challenges. By staying updated on key statistics and trends you can navigate this dynamic landscape effectively. Embracing local marketing strategies and leveraging technology will not only enhance your visibility but also foster customer loyalty. As you look ahead consider how the projected growth and job creation can impact your business. Adapting to rising costs and labor shortages through community engagement and innovative marketing will be crucial for success. With the right strategies in place your restaurant can thrive in an ever-changing environment. Frequently Asked Questions What is the impact of the restaurant industry on the economy? The restaurant industry significantly contributes over $899 billion in annual sales and employs approximately 15.6 million people in the U.S. It supports local economies through job creation, community engagement, and tax contributions, reinforcing its vital role within communities. What are some key trends in the restaurant sector? Current trends include the importance of local marketing strategies, active engagement on social media, influencer partnerships, and a focus on sustainability. Customer loyalty programs also play a crucial role in encouraging repeat business. How can restaurants effectively market themselves? Restaurants should implement local marketing techniques, strengthen their online presence, and engage with the community through grassroots efforts. Utilizing social media and developing loyalty programs can enhance visibility and customer retention. What challenges does the restaurant industry face? The industry faces rising costs and labor shortages. Food inflation has led to increased menu prices, while competition for labor has contributed to rising employment costs. Businesses are encouraged to adjust marketing strategies and engage local communities to address these challenges. How is the restaurant sector expected to grow in the future? The restaurant sector is projected to reach $1.5 trillion in sales by 2025 and add around 200,000 new jobs. Technology advancements, such as online ordering and delivery, are also anticipated to shape the future of dining experiences. What types of restaurants are there? Restaurants can be categorized into various types, including Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), which focus on fast food with minimal service, and Full-Service Restaurants, which offer a more comprehensive dining experience. Understanding these categories helps in targeting specific markets effectively. How can restaurants build customer loyalty? Implementing customer loyalty programs and engaging with the local community through meaningful interactions can help foster loyalty. Personalized marketing strategies, promotions, and consistent quality service further encourage repeat visits from patrons. Image Via Envato This article, "Essential Restaurant Industry Statistics for Understanding Trends and Growth" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Regular guidance from executives on the near-term path of profit just got more elusiveView the full article

Deputy governor Sarah Breeden says it is too soon to untangle inflationary implications stemming from trade barriersView the full article

One of the biggest culprits is the CFPB's qualified mortgage rule and the ever-expanding debt-to-income ratios allowed under it, writes a co-director of the AEI Housing Center. View the full article

The next time you open WhatsApp, you might notice some changes. As announced in a blog post on Thursday, the app is rolling out a dozen new features, affecting the chats, calls, and even the Updates tab. Here's what's new: Chat updatesGroup chats are getting a number of updates this go-around. WhatsApp is adding an online indicator to group messages, so you can see who in the thread has WhatsApp open at any given moment. That change should help you gauge how many people are currently reading the chat. You'll see the new indicator directly below the group chat name. Similarly, WhatsApp is adding a new "Notify for" section in group chat settings to manage the notifications you receive from these threads. You can use the "Highlights" option to limit when the app pings you, including for "@mentions," replies, or messages from saved contacts. Of course, you can always choose to accept notifications for all messages in any group chat, as per usual. The app is now adding the option to create events in one-on-one chats. This feature was previously exclusive to group chats, which makes sense—you're more likely to want to plan an event with a group than a single contact—but in case you want to formerly plan a hangout, or send a custom invitation to someone who doesn't have the invite app you're using, this change could be helpful. There are two features specific to iPhones here as well: WhatsApp now has a built-in document scanner on iOS, in case you don't want to use the one in your Notes app. You'll find the option in the attachment tray, under "Scan document." WhatsApp says the feature will walk you through how to scan the doc, as well as how to crop and save it. Second, you can now set WhatsApp as your iPhone's default calling and messaging app, if you spend most of your time chatting on WhatsApp over iOS' Messages. The last change to chats affects reactions. Now, you can copy someone else's reaction to a message without having to dig through the selections yourself. Updates to callsYou'll notice three new features when placing calls. On iOS, you can pinch to zoom when on a video call. This works on both your video feed, as well as the feed of the person you're talking to. For example, your friend might be showing you something on their end, but you can't tell what it is from the video feed alone. You can then pinch to zoom on the display to get a closer look. Conversely, if you want to see something in your video feed you can't make out, you can give that a quick zoom as well. You can now add a friend to a one-on-one call by swiping over to their chat, tapping the call button, and choose "Add to call." It's a small change, but one I can imagine being convenient whenever you need to phone a friend into an ongoing call. Finally, WhatsApp says they've upgraded their video call tech, optimizing the routing system and boosting bandwidth detection. Calls should be higher quality, as well as freeze and drop less often—but we'll have to see if that's the case with real-world use. Changes to 'Updates'There are also three changes to the Updates tab: Channel admins can record and post videos to their followers directly from the app (though these videos need to be 60 seconds or less). You can also see a transcription of voice messages updates in channels, and channel admins can share QR codes to link to the channel. View the full article

Don’t let Canva’s rainbow gradients fool you. The Aussies are relentless, and their global conquest through easy-to-use design software continues as they set their sights on markets owned by Adobe and Microsoft. Even after a controversial price increase last year, growth is still explosive. Canva has added 50 million active users over the past 12 months, bringing its total to 230 million, with $3 billion in annual revenue. But despite this success, Canva decided it was time for a redesign. And it’s launching what the company considers its biggest overhaul since the app launched in 2012. It includes a Teams-crushing approach to file collaboration, a powerful AI-fueled spreadsheet reminiscent of Notion, and the ability to spin up about any project with an AI prompt—including code. The file-juggling redesignAt the core of the updates, Canva has reimagined the project interface of its entire Visual Suite. Whereas you used to pick what you wanted to do on a single track—like make a website or design a T-shirt—Canva has been using AI automation to blur the bounds between projects, turning a document into a slide deck, for some time. Now, the interface supports this behavior by default. Your canvas sits center screen, and just below it, Canva has added a bar that contains any and all permutations of what else your project can be. So you can be working on a document above, but have thumbnails with decks, social media posts, and other variations below. You just hit a little “plus” sign and determine what sort of template you’d like to add on next, and AI can take the first steps to translate what you already have to this new type of media. All of these media projects can be edited with your colleagues in real time. But conceptually speaking, this UI is also a real time file management system. Instead of digging through a Microsoft Teams directory to find your social media plan for the Q4 strategy doc, those items just sit side by side, editable and interdependent, on the front end. Print, digital, physical brand assets can all live in the same spot, and a brief, pitch, and budget can live side-by-side. As cofounder Melanie Perkins explains, the interface unifies, not just “creation and consumption” but also “context and communication.” “Something our enterprise clients were really excited about was the idea that you’d often have different specialties working in different places and in different tools,” she says. But now, “your team can literally get on the same page.” Canva SheetsNo doubt, Canva is developing a lot of these tools for marketers and social media managers. But while the company has made a lot of progress on unifying brand assets, it has only supported simple tables for data management. Canva Sheets is their full blown response to Excel, loaded with AI capabilities reminiscent of Notion. Everything can be programmed in plain language. You can type “list restaurants in Milwaukee and their addresses and use an emoji to signify the type of food they sell,” and propagate an organized spreadsheet with all of this information. You can also import data sets of your own (HubSpot, Statista, Snowflake, and Google Analytics at launch—with custom API integration coming down the line), then visualize them. Canva teases how its data visualization can parse insights on ad spend and ROI, even though it doesn’t formally integrate with ad platforms at this time. The other thing Sheets is used for is batch content creation, which is a big part of the appeal to AI for marketers. You can take all of your pieces of media on a spreadsheet, each housed in their own cell, and translate them to another language with a button press. But more than any of these examples, spreadsheets will let Canva dig into more complex computational and organizational tasks. “This is going to be a really foundational piece moving forward for our future ambitions,” says Perkins. Canva CodeThen on the most experimental arm of Canva’s updates, it’s introducing Canva Code. While most LLMs will attempt to produce code for you these days, Canva has already tightly integrated such capabilities into the rest of the Canva Suite. Starting from a prompt box on top of Canva’s site, you can already type in whatever you’d like to create, like, “poster for Malibu B&B” to automatically generate a first draft. But with Canva Code, you can now type in interactive features—like “build me a math quiz to practice multiplication with lots of dinosaurs” or “make me a map of flights from Chicago to Tokyo.” Canva will start coding these visions in a process that can take a minute or two. When attempting to make my map, I asked for a generic “flight tracker to Tokyo,” and the system generated a somewhat abstract ribbon for the map, with arcs flying into the city. (I could have been more specific.) Then below that, the Canva generated interactive tables listing flight times complete with sortable buttons. It listed if the airports were operational, and listed percentages of flights that were running on time. Assuming you like this, a big button labeled “use in a design” will take this code and put into your Canva projects. With a few more taps, you can publish it to the web. The integration is impressive. Without trying it myself, it’s hard to know the limits of the system’s actual coding ability. But Canva is trying to set expectations at a reasonable level with its own prompting in the UI—mortgage calculators, quizzes, and other simple concepts work well, I’m told. “It’s not going to build the entirety of the Canva application, for example, but we think it’ll get better and better over time as well,” says Perkins, in what she frames as a longer term strategy to the company. “It’s really bringing that interactivity, connectivity, and that dynamic content . . . Until today, [Canva] was ending at quite static content, and now all of a sudden, people can bring [in] very rich interactive experiences.” The updates demonstrate that Canva is still not slowing down on its trajectory, and it’s expanding its capabilities to ensure users can make just about anything within its interface. Or as Perkins puts it, “the company is picking off” the features it believes will offer “the biggest unlock for our community” year after year. The challenges now are just how well Canva can actually execute these features, and whether or not they can truly protect operational simplicity with so many disparate tools. View the full article