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2025-02-11 15:00:00| Fast Company

Lately, you may have noticed headlines about anti-DEI executive orders. While these orders are aimed at the federal government and dont directly affect companies, they can make anyone who cares about inclusion feel uneasy.  If your organization is serious about creating a fair and welcoming workplace, now is a good time to review and refresh your strategy. Lets chat about some practical ways to stay focused on your values and navigate these challenging headlines. Reassure your team that inclusion is legal First things first, its important to remind everyone that diversity, equity, and inclusion work is completely legal. In an email interview, Working IDEALs Jenny Yang and Pamela Coukos shared with me that no executive order can stop private employers from advancing equal opportunity under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In simple terms, if your DEI strategy is about creating a fair workplace without giving tangible preferences to one group over another, youre in the clear. Take a moment to review your programs with your legal counsel. This will help you adjust any practices that might seem risky, like hiring quotas or mandatory training that could be misinterpreted. A quick check can reassure your team and help you move forward confidently. Be clear about your DEI intentions Your employees look to you for guidance. In todays fast-paced world, assumptions fill in the gaps when information is missing. Thats why its a good idea to make a clear statement about your organizations commitment to inclusion. For example, you might say, At our organization, we care deeply about creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and can thrive. No need for jargonsimple, honest language goes a long way. Leaders at companies like Costco and Cisco have already set the tone by speaking openly about why inclusion matters, and that kind of clarity builds trust both inside and outside the company. Prepare talking points for your leaders In a time when DEI is often in the spotlight, it helps to be ready with a few friendly, clear talking points. Equip your managers and team leaders with simple responses that highlight your organizations commitment. For instance, they might say: We are committed to inclusion because it helps us attract the best talent and better serve our community. Our focus on fairness and belonging drives innovation and strengthens our team. By having these talking points at the ready, your leaders can confidently address questions from employees, the media, or even casual conversation. This preparedness shows that you are proud of your commitment and ready to discuss it openly. Reset the narrative around DEI A lot of the current debate around DEI comes from misunderstandings. Its not about setting quotas or forcing anyone into a boxits about educating our teams and creating an environment where everyone can succeed. Instead of getting tangled in polarizing language, consider framing your approach around ideas like fairness, belonging, and the value of diverse perspectives. When you do this, its easier for people to see that DEI work benefits everyone, not just a select group. Show the cost of exclusion It might sound a bit business-like, but sometimes numbers speak louder than words. Studies show that companies can boost global profits by billions of dollars when they have more inclusive work cultures. Think of it this way: Excluding great talent because of outdated practices costs more in turnover, lawsuits, and missed opportunities than investing in a fair workplace ever could. The return on investment for DEI can be hard to measure but it is not impossible. By showing the tangible benefits of inclusion, you can make a strong case that your DEI efforts are not only the right thing to do but also smart for business. Take a proactive approach According to a recent study by Resume.org, 87% of companies are committed to including DEI initiatives in their workplaces. Instead of waiting for critics to question your commitment, why not take charge of the conversation? Consider hosting an event, writing a blog post, or issuing a press release that shares your organizations success stories around inclusion. When you speak first, you set the tone and frame the narrative on your own terms. Its a chance to show that youre not just reacting to anti-DEI headlines, but actively building a better future for your team. Use your voice for change Many people trust businesses to lead social change. If inclusion is a priority for you, use your influence to push for policies that support fairness in the broader community. Whether its by lobbying local lawmakers or partnering with other organizations, standing up for what you believe in can make a difference beyond your own company.  For instance, Salsforce recently threatened to leave Indiana over legislation that would harm the LGBTQ+ community. Thanks in part to the companys involvement, the law didnt pass. In the end, anti-DEI executive orders are just one piece of the bigger picture. They do not directly impact your organization if youre committed to doing the right thing. By reassuring your team, communicating clearly, preparing thoughtful responses, and taking proactive steps, you can keep your focus on building a truly inclusive workplace. Remember, saying no to outdated practices isnt a rejectionits a redirection toward a future where fairness, respect, and inclusion guide every decision.

Category: E-Commerce
 

2025-02-11 14:55:00| Fast Company

California-based seafood manufacturer Tri-Union Seafoods has issued a voluntary recall of select canned tuna products due to a potential contamination risk from Clostridium botulinum, a bacteria that can cause serious and potentially fatal food poisoning.   The recall follows a supplier notification that a manufacturing defect in the easy open pull-tab lids may compromise the product’s seal, leading to leaks or contamination over time. While no illnesses have been reported, Tri-Union say it’s taking precautionary measures to ensure consumer safety.  Which products were impacted? The recalled tuna products were distributed across multiple retailers nationwide under the Genova, Van Camps, HEB, and Trader Joes brands. The affected brands and locations include:   H-E-B label Texas Trader Joe’s label Delaware Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Maryland Michigan Minnesota Missouri Nebraska New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio Pennsylvania Virginia Washington, D.C. Wisconsin Genova 7 oz Costco in Florida and Georgia Genova 5 oz  Harris Teeter Publix H-E-B Kroger Safeway Walmart Genova 5 oz (independent retailers) Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Florida Georgia North Carolina New Jersey Tennessee Texas Van Camp’s label Walmart and independent retailers in Pennsylvania, Florida, and New Jersey Tri-Union Seafoods has confirmed that no other products are affected by this recall.   What Is Botulism?   Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the toxin affects the nervous system, potentially leading to paralysis and breathing difficulties, and can be fatal if untreated.   What are the symptoms of Botulism? Difficulty swallowing   Muscle weakness Double or blurry vision   Drooping eyelids   Slurred speech   Difficulty breathing   Difficulty moving the eyes   Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain (foodborne cases)  In infants: Weak crying, poor feeding, drooping eyelids   Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.   What if I have a recalled tuna product? Consumers are urged not to eat the recalled tuna, even if it looks or smells normal, and to return the recalled cans to the store for a full refund. Contact Tri-Union Seafoods for a retrieval kit and a replacement coupon.   You can also read the recall notice on the website of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Category: E-Commerce
 

2025-02-11 14:55:00| Fast Company

California-based seafood manufacturer Tri-Union Seafoods has issued a voluntary recall of select canned tuna products due to a potential contamination risk from Clostridium botulinum, a bacteria that can cause serious and potentially fatal food poisoning.   The recall follows a supplier notification that a manufacturing defect in the easy open pull-tab lids may compromise the product’s seal, leading to leaks or contamination over time. While no illnesses have been reported, Tri-Union say it’s taking precautionary measures to ensure consumer safety.  Which products were impacted? The recalled tuna products were distributed across multiple retailers nationwide under the Genova, Van Camps, HEB, and Trader Joes brands. The affected brands and locations include:   H-E-B label Texas Trader Joe’s label Delaware Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Maryland Michigan Minnesota Missouri Nebraska New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio Pennsylvania Virginia Washington, D.C. Wisconsin Genova 7 oz Costco in Florida and Georgia Genova 5 oz  Harris Teeter Publix H-E-B Kroger Safeway Walmart Genova 5 oz (independent retailers) Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Florida Georgia North Carolina New Jersey Tennessee Texas Van Camp’s label Walmart and independent retailers in Pennsylvania, Florida, and New Jersey Tri-Union Seafoods has confirmed that no other products are affected by this recall.   What Is Botulism?   Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the toxin affects the nervous system, potentially leading to paralysis and breathing difficulties, and can be fatal if untreated.   What are the symptoms of Botulism? Difficulty swallowing   Muscle weakness Double or blurry vision   Drooping eyelids   Slurred speech   Difficulty breathing   Difficulty moving the eyes   Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain (foodborne cases)  In infants: Weak crying, poor feeding, drooping eyelids   Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.   What if I have a recalled tuna product? Consumers are urged not to eat the recalled tuna, even if it looks or smells normal, and to return the recalled cans to the store for a full refund. Contact Tri-Union Seafoods for a retrieval kit and a replacement coupon.   You can also read the recall notice on the website of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Category: E-Commerce
 

2025-02-11 14:43:34| Fast Company

U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday warned global leaders and tech industry executives that “excessive regulation” could cripple the rapidly growing artificial intelligence industry in a rebuke to European efforts to curb AI’s risks.The speech underscored a widening, three-way rift over AI.The United States, under President Donald Trump, champions a hands-off approach to fuel innovation, while Europe is tightening the reins with strict regulations to ensure safety and accountability. Meanwhile, China is rapidly expanding AI through state-backed tech giants, vying for dominance in the global race.The U.S. was noticeably absent from a joint statement signed by more than 60 nations, pledging to “promote AI accessibility to reduce digital divides” and “ensure AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy.”The agreement also called for “making AI sustainable for people and the planet” and protecting “human rights, gender equality, linguistic diversity, protection of consumers and of intellectual property rights.”In a surprise, China long criticized for its human rights record signed the declaration, leaving the U.S. as the outlier. Vance’s debut At the summit, Vance made his first major policy speech since becoming vice president last month, framing AI as an economic turning point but cautioning that “at this moment, we face the extraordinary prospect of a new industrial revolution, one on par with the invention of the steam engine.”“But it will never come to pass if overregulation deters innovators from taking the risks necessary to advance the ball,” Vance added.The 40-year-old vice president, leveraging the AI summit and a security conference in Munich later this week, is seeking to project Trump’s forceful new style of diplomacy.The Trump administration will “ensure that AI systems developed in America are free from ideological bias,” Vance said and pledged the U.S. would “never restrict our citizens’ right to free speech.” A growing divide Vance also took aim at foreign governments for “tightening the screws” on U.S. tech firms, saying such moves were troubling. His remarks underscored the growing divide between Washington and its European allies on AI governance.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that, “AI needs the confidence of the people and has to be safe” and detailed EU guidelines intended to standardize the bloc’s AI Act but acknowledged concerns over regulatory burden.“At the same time, I know that we have to make it easier and we have to cut red tape and we will,” she added.She also announced that the “InvestAI” initiative had reached a total of 200 billion in AI investments across Europe, including 20 billion dedicated to AI gigafactories. A race for AI dominance The summit laid bare competing global AI strategies Europe pushing to regulate and invest, China expanding AI through state-backed giants, and the U.S. doubling down on an unregulated, free-market approach.French President Emmanuel Macron positioned Europe as a “third way” in the AI race, one that avoids dependence on major powers like the U.S. and China.“We want a fair and open access to these innovations for the whole planet,” he said in his closing speech, arguing that the AI sector “needs rules” on a global scale to build public trust and urging greater “international governance.”Macron also hailed newly announced investments in France and across Europe, underscoring the continent’s ambitions in AI. “We’re in the race,” he said.Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, special envoy of Xi Jinping, reinforced Beijing’s intent to shape global AI standards.Vance, a vocal critic of European content moderation policies, has suggested the U.S. should reconsider its NATO commitments if European governments impose restrictions on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X. His Paris visit was also expected to include candid discussions on Ukraine, AI’s role in global power shifts, and U.S.-China tensions. How to regulate AI? Concerns over AI’s potential dangers have loomed over the summit, particularly as nations grapple with how to regulate a technology that is increasingly entwined with defense and warfare.“I think one day we will have to find ways to control AI or else we will lose control of everything,” said Admiral Pierre Vandier, NATO’s commander who oversees the alliance’s modernization efforts.Beyond diplomatic tensions, a global public-private partnership is being launched called “Current AI,” aimed at supporting large-scale AI initiatives for the public good.Analysts see this as an opportunity to counterbalance the dominance of private companies in AI development. However, it remains unclear whether the U.S. will support such efforts.Separately, a high-stakes battle over AI power is escalating in the private sector.A group of investors led by Musk who now heads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency has made a $97.4 billion bid to acquire the nonprofit behind OpenAI. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, attending the Paris summit, swiftly rejected the offer on X. The US-China rivalry In Beijing, officials on Monday condemned Western efforts to restrict access to AI tools, while Chinese company DeepSeek’s new AI chatbot has prompted calls in the U.S. Congress to limit its use over security concerns. China promotes open-source AI, arguing that accessibility will ensure global AI benefits.French organizers hope the summit will boost investment in Europe’s AI sector, positioning the region as a credible contender in an industry shaped by U.S.-China competition.French President Emmanuel Macron, addressing the energy demands of AI, contrasted France’s nuclear-powered approach with the U.S.’s reliance on fossil fuels, quipping: France won’t “drill, baby, drill,” but “plug, baby, plug.”Vance’s diplomatic tour will continue in Germany, where he will attend the Munich Security Conference and press European allies to increase commitments to NATO and Ukraine. He may also meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Talking Ukraine and Middle East with Macron Vance will discuss Ukraine and the Middle East over a working lunch with Macron.Like Trump, he has questioned U.S. aid to Kyiv and the broader Western strategy toward Russia. Trump has pledged to end the war in Ukraine within six months of taking office.Vance is also set to meet separately with Idian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Associated Press writers Sylvie Corbet and Kelvin Chan in Paris contributed to this report. Aamer Madhani and Thomas Adamson, Associated Press

Category: E-Commerce
 

2025-02-11 13:56:24| Fast Company

U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum “will not go unanswered,” European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen vowed on Tuesday, adding that they will trigger tough countermeasures from the 27-nation bloc. It means iconic U.S. industries like bourbon, jeans and motorcycles should beware.“The EU will act to safeguard its economic interests,” von der Leyen said in a statement in reaction to U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum the previous day.“Tariffs are taxes bad for business, worse for consumers,” von der Leyen said. “Unjustified tariffs on the EU will not go unanswered they will trigger firm and proportionate countermeasures.”Just as Trump imposed similar tariffs during his first presidency, the EU countermeasures could easily amount to those that were used to retaliate then if the measures come into force March 12.Bernd Lange, the chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, warned that previous trade measures were only suspended and could legally be easily revived.“When he starts again now, then we will, of course, immediately reinstate our countermeasures,” Lange told rbb24 German radio.“Motorcycles, jeans, peanut butter, bourbon, whiskey and a whole range of products that of course also affect American exporters” would be targeted, he added.The EU Commission, which negotiates trade relations on behalf of the bloc, said it is not clear what countermeasures would apply, but officials and observers have said they would target Republican states and traditionally strong U.S. exports.In Germany, which is the EU’s largest economy, Chancellor Olaf Scholz told parliament that “if the U.S. leaves us no other choice, then the European Union will react united,” adding: “Ultimately, trade wars always cost both sides prosperity.”Trump is hitting foreign steel and aluminum with a 25% tax in the hope that they will give local producers relief from intense global competition, allowing them to charge higher prices.EU Commission vice-president Maro¹ ©efèoviè said Tuesday that the tariffs are “economically counterproductive, especially given the deeply integrated production chains established through our extensive transatlantic trade and investment ties.”“We will protect our workers, businesses and consumers,” ©efèoviè said, but added that “it is not our preferred scenario. We remain committed to constructive dialog. We stand ready for negotiations and to find mutually beneficial solutions where possible.”The EU estimates that the trade volume between both sides stands at about $1.5 trillion, representing some 30% of global trade. “There is a lot at stake for both sides,” he told the EU legislature.While the bloc has a substantial export surplus in goods, it says that is partly offset by the U.S. surplus in the trade of services.The EU says that trade in goods reached 851 billion euros ($878 billion) in 2023, with a trade surplus of 156 billion euros ($161 billion) for the EU. Trade in services was worth 688 billion euros ($710 billion) with a trade deficit of 104 billion euros ($107 billion) for the EU. Geir Moulson contributed from Berlin, Lorne Cook from Brussels Raf Casert, Associated Press

Category: E-Commerce
 

2025-02-11 13:26:01| Fast Company

Fox Sports is projecting a Super Bowl record average audience of 126 million U.S. viewers across television and streaming platforms for Philadelphia’s 40-22 victory over Kansas City on Sunday night.The game was televised by Fox, Fox Deportes and Telemundo and streamed on Tubi as well as the NFL’s digital platforms.Fox’s projections on Monday included Nielsen’s early numbers and streaming data from Tubi and the NFL. Updated and more complete numbers were expected on Tuesday.It would be the second straight year the Super Bowl has reached a record audience. The Chiefs’ 25-22 overtime victory over San Francisco last year averaged 123.7 million on CBS, Nickelodeon, Univision and streaming platforms.According to Fox, the audience peaked at 135.7 million in the second quarter.The early data projects 14.5 million watched on streaming platforms, including 13.6 million on Tubi, where the game was available for free.Some of the increase can be attributed to a change in the way viewers are counted. This is the first year Nielsen is measuring out-of-home viewers for all states but Hawaii and Alaska.It was previously the top 44 media markets, which covered 65% of the country.The ratings also include Nielsen data from smart TVs along with cable and satellite set-top boxes.After two straight years of close Super Bowls, Sunday’s game was decided in the first half as Philadelphia built a 24-0 lead.This Super Bowl also had Donald Trump and Taylor Swift in attendance.Trump was the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl, while Swift’s romance with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce continues to keep the pop superstar’s fans interested in the NFL.It was the third straight year the Super Bowl averaged more than 100 million viewers after a period where four of the five games before 2023 had fallen short of that number because of cord-cutting. That included 95.2 million for the 2021 Super Bowl between Tampa Bay and Kansas City, which was the game’s lowest TV-only average since 2007.The NFL playoffs averaged 35.2 million viewers the first three weekends, down 9% from last year’s record of 38.5 million.That followed a regular season that averaged 17.5 million. While that was the sixth-highest average dating to 1995, it was a 2% decline from 2023. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Joe Reedy, AP Sports Writer

Category: E-Commerce
 

2025-02-11 13:06:00| Fast Company

Shares in Super Micro Computer, Inc. (Nasdaq: SMCI) are down around 4% in premarket trading this morning as of the time of this writing after surging over 17% yesterday on optimism about the companys Q2 2025 earnings, which will be announced after the close of market today.  But while investors are no doubt interested in learning how the storage and server solutions company performed in its most recent quarter, they are also eagerly awaiting news from the company on the filing status of its much-delayed Form 10-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Unless that form is filed within the next two weeks, Super Micro Computer (aka Supermicro) is at risk of being delisted from the Nasdaq. Heres what to know in the run-up to Supermicros eagerly anticipated updates. SMCI stock has been on a wild ride recently It’s not uncommon for people to describe the recent experience of SMCI investors as being on a roller-coaster they can’t get off of. This is due to several concerning events surrounding the company, which began in the latter half of 2024. The drama kicked off in August when a report from activist investment short-selling firm Hindenburg Research alleged that it had discovered glaring accounting red flags at Supermicro. The following month, the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) was investigating the company over alleged accounting irregularities. But things really hit the fan in October when Supermicros auditor, Ernst & Young, resigned from its duties. In EYs resignation letter, the accounting firm said it was unwilling to be associated with the financial statements prepared by [Super Micro Computers] management.” Given all the uncertainty and concern this spate of news generated, its little surprise SMCI stock spent much of the past six months experiencing extreme volatility. For example, after EY announced its resignation as the company’s auditor, SMCI stock plummeted 32% in one day. By mid-November, shares were trading below $18 at one point. (This is a significant contrast to early 2024 when shares topped $120.) The stock recovered some by the first part of December after a special committee said it found no evidence of misconduct at the company. But since then, SMCI shares have fluctuated up and downincluding yesterday with their 17% rise and todays premarket fall of about 4%. Will Supermicro be delisting from the Nasdaq? A major concern for investors is the fact that Supermicro has so far failed to file an important form with the SEC. This form, known as Form 10-K, is a legal requirement, and if it is not filed, the company can be delisted from the Nasdaq stock exchange. Indeed, Nasdaq has now given Supermicro until February 25 to file the form, according to the company. Should Supermicro fail to file the form by then, the company could be booted from the Nasdaqsomething that would be a devastating blow to both itself and its investors. This means that besides finding out how the companys Q2 went when the company delivers its earnings today, investors will be paying close attention to any updates on the companys delinquent SEC filing. Where will SMCI stock price go from here? In March 2024, Super Micro Computer shares were trading at an all-time high of above $122, but by November, they had crashed to below $18. In the past year, they have lost over 42% of their value, as of yesterdays close. However, year-to-date SMCI shares are up nearly 40%. Where they go from here, at least in the short term, will likely be very dependent on both the financial results the company announces today and the update it gives about its delinquent SEC filing and any possible delisting from the Nasdaq. Supermicro is expected to announce its Q2 2025 results today (February 11, 2025) at 5 p.m. ET.

Category: E-Commerce
 

2025-02-11 13:00:00| Fast Company

How is it that no matter how much you intend to get to bed earlier, you never do? And morning mercilessly comes at the same time no matter how little sleep youve gotten. If you struggle with the evening slide where you stay up too late to get things done, or to have some me time, youre not alone. Its a common issue that I see with my time management coaching clients. Here are three of the strategies that Ive found most effective to stop the evening slide, get to bed on time, and still get everything done. Keep the Dominos Up Getting to bed late is often the final block in a chain effect that began much earlier in the day. So to beat the evening slide, you need to keep the dominos up starting in the late afternoon. I recommend aiming for a standard time when you wrap up work for the day. Then if permissible, block the 30 minutes before that time on a recurring basis. That keeps meetings from getting scheduled to end when you want to be logging off. That also gives you a few minutes to do a final email check, glance at your daily plan to ensure all the most critical items are completed, and tidy up your desk area. The next domino that youll want to keep upright is when you eat dinner. If youre not intentional, you can suddenly realize its 8 p.m. and that you havent decided what youre eating that night. I recommend deciding whats for dinner by the time you get off work. And if youre not The Food Channel-type, have some easy options on hand. That could look like frozen or premade food from the grocery story, cooking extra on the weekend, ordering a big lunch so that you have some leftovers, or putting in a delivery order as youre finishing work. Eating earlier not only helps you get to bed earlier, but also can also help your digestion. For some of my coaching clients, eating less than three hours before they went to sleep lead to heartburn. The final domino is recognizing how long it takes between when you start getting ready for bed and actually turn the lights out. This really varies from person to person, but in my experience, it usually takes at least 1520 minutes and for some can take up to an hour. Ive had to accept that even though I wish it was faster that I take about 3045 minutes to tidy up the house, double-check the doors are locked, brush my teeth, wash my face, and do the other little items in my evening wind down routine. I actually set an alarm on my phone Sunday through Thursday to remind me that if I want to get to bed on time, I need to start getting ready for bed now. Seize the Moments If you find the reason that youre staying up late after youve gotten home, eaten dinner, walked your dog, and put your kids to bed, is that you feel like you have no other time to get things done, then its time to explore how you could better seize the moments. There might be underutilized pockets in your day where bit-by-bit you could check items off the list. For example, instead of turning to social media, you could turn to your to-do list on your breaks, call your insurance agent on your commute home, listen to a self-development podcast while youre working out, or look at reviews for new running shoes while youre waiting in line. I find the two necessary components to taking advantage of these times is to first of all recognize them as opportunities. And second of all, have ideas on hand of what youll do so that youre prepared. For example if I know Ill have some drive time, Ill write into my daily plan who I intend to call or what Id like to listen to or think about. Sometimes, I just need to chill and zone out. But many times, it feels good to get things done in the car. If you dont prefer to decide exactly what youre going to do in advance, you could at least have a task list on your phone of potential ideas you can pick from when the pockets of time open up. Getting more done that you need to do or want to do earlier in the day can keep you from feeling like you must stay up later. Script Your Night If you really have to get something done in the evening that just couldnt happen during the day, its important to script exactly what that looks like. For example, youll want to decide on the specific task, like reviewing a report or ordering a birthday present. Clarify an ideal stopping point, such as Id like this wrapped up by 9 p.m. And a must-stop point such as I have to end by 10 p.m., or Ill be exhausted tomorrow. The reason why you want to decide these specifics in advance is that a script prevents you from wandering from: I guess Ill catch up on email and then maybe Ill check a few things off of my task list and then how about I take a peek at the news? Then before you know it . . . three hours have gone by, and its midnight. To really have the ability to script your evening, youll also need to not work to the deadline. If the report isnt due that day or the deadline for ordering baseball uniforms isnt that night, you can choose to stick to your drop-dead deadline and finish the task tomorrow. But if you are down to the wire, you might need to stay up no matter what. Mornings dont have to be so excruciatingly painful, and your time doesnt have to feel so limited. With the right time management strategies you can beat the evening slide, get to bed on time, and still get everything done.

Category: E-Commerce
 

2025-02-11 12:00:00| Fast Company

Earlier this month, Nike dropped the Flagstaff colorway of its Book 1 sneaker, the signature model of Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker. Its dark green shade reflects Flagstaff, Arizonas situation in the worlds largest ponderosa pine forestits not all cactuses and sand in the Grand Canyon Stateand the shoe plays off Bookers status as one of the many second-home owners in the area. When Book needs to escape the desert heat, the Nike copy explains, he heads to Flagstaff, where he can walk the mountain paths worry-free. Nikes use of local color seems to be part of a larger branding trend that emphasizes small-scale authenticity over brute-force bigness. As a longtime Flagstaffer, Im torn by this product. On the one hand, it brings a sense of validation: Nike has acknowledged us! We are seen! On the other, though, the use of the citys good name to sell sneakers feels like something akin to appropriation, which is made more irksome when Nike doesnt quite get the details right, as when it says the Book 1 comes complete with a Humphreys Peak woven label, which pays homage to the highest point in Flagstaff. (Actually, its the highest point in all of Arizona!) [Photo: Nike] And the heel of the shoe is adorned with the words, No Service, which, yes, is supposed to suggest that Flagstaff is a place to get away from it all, but also implies that its a sleepy backwater. Hey, my cell reception is great, thank you very much, and Flagstaff even got an In-N-Out Burger last year. Its not exactly the Old West anymore, although, admittedly, an occasional tumbleweed does roll down the street, and a $300,000 shipment of special edition Air Jordans recently fell victim to a local train robbery. [Photo: Nike] Nike is undoubtedly unconcerned with my thoughts on its use of the Flagstaff name; like the thousands of other companies assigning place names to their products, its just trying to take advantage of a bit of the cachet that those names can deliver free of charge. City names, unlike personal names, are generally fair game for marketers; while you would be legally prohibited from calling your new vape product the Timothée Chalamet Tank or the Peso Pluma Pen, youre welcome to name it after Tulsa or Poughkeepsie. Or perhaps youd rather pick a more appealing city name with which to pair your product; something unique, as with the Hyundai Tucson, or evocative, la Philadelphia Cream Cheese (which was created in New York!), or exotic, like the Jeep Grand  Cherokee Laredo. Digging into data from the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Census Bureau can give us a better idea of what those might be. By counting the number of trademark applications containing the names of the largest 100 U.S. cities by companies that are not located in those places, and adjusting for the population of each city, a measure of local trademark popularity can be calculated. [Photo: Nike] The three cities that come out on top of this listBuffalo, New York; Madison, Wisconsin; and Lincoln, Nebraskashould probably be given asterisks, as most of the trademarks containing their names were probably not inspired by the cities themselves. This leaves Miami as the leader, with 357 outsider trademarks per 100,000 residents, followed by Boston (345). Next come Washington, D.C. (322) and Aurora, Colorado (311), although, like Buffalo, these two should perhaps be disqualified. Detroit (209), Chesapeake, Virginia (200), Atlanta (186), Phoenix (177), and New Orleans (164) are close behind. That such famous places would inspire the names of trademarks is not surprising, but expanding this analysis beyond the top 100 cities reveals the appeal of the names of some smaller, often picturesque and touristy, towns, including Nantucket, Massachusetts (2,693), Telluride, Colorado (2,505), and Taos, New Mexico (1,743). In keeping with this pattern, poor Flagstaff (42) is eclipsed by our red-rocked and highly Instagrammed neighbor to the south, Sedona, Arizona (2,373). To add insult to injury, the Book 1 Sedona beat the Flagstaff model to market by a month. From the smallest burgs to the most massive metropolises, brands like Nike have seen the potential of place names to add meaning to brandsno matter how the locals might feel about it.

Category: E-Commerce
 

2025-02-11 12:00:00| Fast Company

Masayoshi Son is back on top. On January 22, President Donald Trump announced a joint venture from Sons investment holding company, SoftBank, along with OpenAI and Oracle, to invest billions of dollars in AI infrastructure projects in the U.S. The project, called Stargate, will be chaired by Son. SoftBank is now reported close to finalizing a $40 billion investment in OpenAI at a $260 billion valuation. The news is all the more remarkable for the fact that just three years ago, SoftBank’s venture firm was crumbling following disastrous investments in the likes of WeWork, Wag, and Zume. SoftBank turned things around in 2023 with the successful IPO of Arm, in which it has a controlling stake, and Sononce the most powerful person in Silicon Valleyis riding high again. For the Most Innovative Companies podcast, we spoke with former Financial Times editor Lionel Barber about his new book Gambling Man: The Wild Ride of Japan’s Masayoshi Son. Here, he talks about Sons relationships with Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Steve Jobs, his AI ambitions, and how he got it so wrong with WeWork. Your book came out the day the Stargate deal was announced. After the announcement, Elon Musk claimed on X that SoftBank and OpenAI didnt have the $500 billion they planned to invest. What did you think of that? Elon is wrong. The fact is, Masa does have the moneywe are talking $500 billion over four years. He’s got $40 billion [in cash] on the balance sheet. He’s got some assets that he could sell. He’s got stakes in T-Mobile. He’s got stakes in 500 companies. And he’s also got partners like Sam Altman of OpenAI and [Oracle cofounder] Larry Ellison, who’s worth [around] $230 billion. I think he’s going to have some debt in there as wellmaybe half, maybe 40%? So he’s well on the way to $500 billion. Its real. There’s been a lot of talk about a rivalry between Elon Musk and Sam Altman. Does Elon Musk have any relationship with Son? No, he doesn’t. They did have a meeting around 2017 where Elon [was] thinking about going private and Masa [saw] an opportunity, as he often does. They did have talks, but I think what happened, as so often is the case when it comes to multi-billionaires, is there was a bit of an ego clash as well as a discussion about terms. You’ve got a great story in your book about the initial meeting between Trump and Son in 2016. They had this meeting where Trump hears that Masa is ready to create 50,000 jobs and invest $50 billion in the U.S. economy. And Trump already wants to tweet this out in real time; the meeting doesn’t last very long. Trump retires to his bathroom, straightens his tie, and then combs his hair in a particular meticulous fashion. Then he looks at Masa and says, Look, it’s the little things that matter, so this is the way to comb your hair. He forgot, of course, that Masa is, shall we say, follicly challenged. He doesn’t have a lot of hair. So, there is a surreal moment of billionaire meets billionaire, one with more hair than the other. What do the two men think of each other? They’re both very transactional. Both of them are natural dealmakers, always looking to gain the edge. Therefore, there’s a sort of meeting of minds. Masa is very good at spotting where there’s a likely convergence of interests. When Masa got close to Trump back in 2016, he thought, I want to merge Sprint with T-Mobile. I’m being blocked by those Obama administration people, so maybe I’m going to get a better deal. Now with Trump 2.0, every billionaire in America wants to get close to Trump. What was it like to report the book? Son is famously difficult to pin down. He is a very secretive, private man. He’s very difficult to get to. His travel schedule is always up in the air. He sort of makes it up as he goes along. I decided to do a lot of reporting first before asking for the interview. And I did go to Tokyo twice and was told he was too busy. I decided to leverage my contacts, particularly in America, and go to Silicon Valley, go to Stanford Business School, learn a bit more about venture capital and work those contacts. [I went to] the Sun Valley conference where there were a lot of people who knew Masa. So I had quite a bit of reporting before going there. The second big obstacle was cultural. I don’t speak Japanese. Getting Japanese people to talk is not easy. So, you needed introductions. I found a researcher who was Korean-Japanese, which was very important for helping me understand both the language, translating Japanese manuscripts and texts. The third obvious problem was that you need quite a lot of money to travel around the world. Can you talk about Son’s early life? He became a billionaire without the support of venture capital, private equity, or the capital markets. He came from nothing. His father left school at 14. It’s after the second World War. Japan is devastated, and he’s selling liquor illegally in a Korean-Japanese slum in Kyushu, the western island in Japan. [His family is of Korean heritage.] Then he goes into pig breeding, which is quite a lucrative business in post-war Japan, then loan sharking, then Pachinko, which is slot machine gambling and really part of the underworld economy in Japan. So, Masa comes from that slightly dark side, and he’s got a hustling instinct. But then he does a crucial thing, which is to leave Japan at age 16 and go to America. He spends seven years being educated in high school and then college at Berkeley before he goes back to Japan. So he’s the outsider who speaks English. He can be the middleman. And he marshals all these things to make it as an entrepreneur in Japan. He’s a self-starter. He began with nothing. He created a software distribution business, then became this multi-billionairekind of a Forrest Gump character who’s around every time there’s a sort of big tech transformation.  In the book, you talk about how many of Son’s own countrymen had an almost dismisive view of him, despite his wealth and success. Is that still the case today? Son is an object of suspicion still in corporate Japanand envy, because he is the richest man in Japan alongside Uniqlo’s Tadashi Yanai, who was on the board of SoftBank for nearly 20 years. He’s also an object of suspicion because he doesn’t actually make anything. He’s sort of a financial engineer and middleman. Also, he’s Korean-Japanese. And the fact is, there is still endemic prejudice by Japanese against Koreans. Son is known for making gigantic investments. He offered Yahoo! cofounder Jerry Yang $100 million in 1995, when Yang wasnt seeking it. More recently, he gave WeWork cofounder Adam Neumann more than $16 billion. What drives him to make these outsize bets? He’s a master of destabilization as a negotiating technique. So, [he] kind of comes up with a huge number, and then if you don’t accept it, he says, “Take it or I’ll kill you.” He says, “If you don’t take it, what’s your greatest competitor? We’ll put the money there.” One of my favorite moments is when he’s trying to hire Nikesh Arora from Google. They’re negotiating the contract and the money, the remuneration package on a napkin, and he puts these huge numbers with [a lot of] zeros. That’s what he does. It’s a theatrical flourish. Lastly, Son sort of says, “I’m going to be bigger than you ever imagined and I’m going to say things that are so outrageous that you kind of almost feel the fear of missing out.” He plays on that, and he did it very effectively when he was raising tens of billions in the Gulf, and he got the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to hand over $45 billion. You finally did get to interview Son. What is he like on a personal level? Much quieter and less theatrical. Much more reflective. I think he really wanted me to understand or try and appreciate him as a historical figure. He has a great deep sense of history and he thinks of himself as an empire builder like Napoleon and Genghis Khan and Emperor Chin who built the Great Wall of China. This is the kind of scale and context that he thinks about. He is also a slightly sad character. I thought that this is a man who never is quite fulfilled. I describe him not as Icarus overreaching, but more like Sisyphus pushing this boulder up the hill, and then it’s somehow always incomplete. This is why this next AI act is so important for him. He also operates on centuries-long time horizons. He’s claimed that he’s going to live to 120. Is that just bluster or does he actually believe in this kind of long-range planning? It has more than an element of seriousness to it. What he’s trying to convey to investors and his workforce is that we have to think about the future [and have a] longer-term perspective. Now, when you hear 300 years, you and I kind of go, what? But as I explain in the book, some Japanese companies literally do go back several hundred years. On the plus side, you could say that insight helped him understand the sweep of technological innovation that we’ve seen since the launch of the microchip. He’s ridden that wave. On the other hand, when you look at some of his trading, [it’s] not exactly 300-year stuff. He clearly traded out of Nvidia in 2018, and missed out big time. But he kept Alibaba stock all that time and turned a $100 million bet into $120 billion. Speaking of Alibaba, at one point you quote Son saying that Jack Ma had this animal smell. Who are the kinds of entrepreneurs that Son finds himself attracted to? He’s susceptible to founder’s syndrome. So, people who talk big like he does, he’s a bit of a sucker for that. He’s an empire builder. He thinks on a grand scale, and that’s what puts him in a special category. And it’s why he elevates people who think and talk the same language. Obviously sometimes you’re going to miss badly. Who are the employees he wants to hire within SoftBank? With people around him, [it’s like], he’s married one day and divorced the next. Succession is still an issue. But you have to distinguish between hired guns Rajeev Misra, the ex-Deutsche Banker who ran the SoftBank Vision Fund comes into that category, and Marcelo Claure, [former CEO of SoftBank Group International]from this loyal cadre of people in Japan. These Japanese executives are paid a lot less than these grand mercenaries. I put them in a different category. What can you say about Sons current succession plan? An executive asked him about that and he said, I don’t have any sons. And the executive looked at him and thought to himself, well, you do have two daughters. So, that tells you something. It’s not going to be in the family. I think he’ll be carried out in a box. And what happens to SoftBank? I mean, the question is, does it get broken up? Sons been talking about AI for decades. When did he first get interested in it? Around the turn of the century. I can’t establish whether he actually read Ray Kurzweils book about the singularity, but I certainly know he heard about it. The fascinating thing is, although [Son] talked about the singularity, he didn’t actually invest in a serious and systematic way in deep AI for quite some time. And he kind of missed Sam Altman’s OpenAI. That was partly because of the distraction of the Vision Fund, when he had a $100 billion to spend. He lost a bit of focus.  What kind of AI companies is he interested in investing in? All he talks about is artificial general intelligence or artificial super intelligence. You have to take this more seriously now. He’s invested a lot in the robotics area and he’s talking about really investing in the infrastructure around artificial intelligence, which means energy and large language model training. He’s got energy assets and he’s got the kind of design expertise with Arm. I think he’s serious about developing a superchip to rival Nvidia. Im not going to ask you what well see from SoftBank 300 years from now, but what can we expect in the next five years? Stargate is real. I think you’ve only seen chapter one in maybe act one, four acts. We’re going to see more detail about the energy side. We’re going to see more about the super chip. We’re going to hear a lot more about Arm and its central role in this venture. And then I think you’ll hear a bit more about the portfolio. He may sell, by the way: He’s got stakes in 500 companies. I think he’s going to sell down to raise cash partly for this. And then you may see some IPO business. And overall I predict we’ll have the rehabilitation of Masa Son, the man that everybody was willing to write off in 2022. It will be his fifth comeback from the dead. 

Category: E-Commerce
 

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