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My family and I recently returned from an amazing four weeks of traveling across the western U.S. It’s the longest trip we’ve ever taken together, and it was unforgettable. In those four weeks, we visited: Los Angeles The Grand Canyon Red Rock Country in Sedona The Vermilion Cliffs Montezuma Castle National Monument Horseshoe Bend Peekaboo Canyon Zion National Park In addition to visiting these sights, we also spent time doing volunteer work as a family, which led to some equally amazing experiences: We visited old friends, made new ones, and drew closer together. Here’s the thing, though: This trip almost didn’t happen. As a business owner, it can be tough to take time off from work, although, admittedly, it’s much easier than taking time off as an employee. You get the feeling that if you get off the wheel, everything is going to fall apart. That customers will stop coming, or caring. That the business will fall apart. Deeper connections, personal growth Then theres the combination of bills, distractions, and other things that always threaten to get in the way. In the end, though, my wife and I made the decision to go on this life-changing adventure. A three-word phrase helped us to do so, an emotionally intelligent decision-making framework thats become a a slogan for our family over time: Experiences over things. Ive found, by generally prioritizing experiences over things, you can learn more, remember, more, and get more out of life. Lets take a closer look at why thats the case, and how you can use it to your own advantage. (If you enjoy this article, consider signing up for my free emotional intelligence course.) How ‘experiences over things’ helps you get more out of life First, lets get one thing out of the way: Things are not bad. Some things are completely necessary, like having a place to live and food to eat. And other things can bring a certain amount of joy, too. The problem is, we live in a world that’s infected with what I call more disease. Were surrounded by fellow business owners who speak only about growth. Why? Because it takes money to make moneyso, you need to make more money. That enables you to buy more things. But heres the problem with that: Its never enough. If you get infected with more disease, youll just always want moreand thats a recipe for unhappiness, because youre never satisfied. Eventually, you find yourself surrounded by more stuff than you can effectively useand you’re still tempted to buy even more. It’s a never-ending cycle. Now, contrast that with the value of experiences. When you do something, that experience becomes a part of you. The memories you create mold who you are as a person. It changes what you think about. How you act. The decisions you make. While the experience may be over, its effects continue. Enjoying the journey Now, pause for a moment and think of some of your favorite memories. Do they involve spending time with things? Or spending time with people, producing experiences? Yes, when you create experiences, this helps you to learn more, remember more, and get more out of life. How can you prioritize experiences over things? You can start by using that three-word slogan”experiences over things” to help you make decisions. As a business owner, the temptation is always there to work, work, workso you or your family can have more things. But, when you tell yourself to prioritize experiences over things, you reframe how you view the work itself. Its not just to provide things; its to provide time. Time is more valuable than money or things. Because you can spend money or lose things and get them back again. But once time is gone, its gone forever. If youre interested in getting more out of life, I encourage you: Dont buy more stuff. Do more stuff. Because the value of things always fades. But experiences last a lifetime. By Justin Bariso This article originally appeared on Fast Company‘s sister publication, Inc. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy.
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E-Commerce
Each week, the business world throws us a mix of surprises, frustrations, and big experiments. Some companies are doubling down on old strategies, others are trying bold new moves, and a few are just trying to keep up. If youre a consumer, youve probably felt it, toowhether its at the airport, in a restaurant, or when youre just shopping for dinner. This weeks stories show how fast the ground is shifting. Airlines are finally facing pushback after years of tacking on fees, builders are looking to landlords to off-load homes, and even Cracker Barrel is trying to pull off a makeover (with mixed reviews). Meanwhile, Starbucks is chasing health trends, tipping is slipping, and one California politician is getting a lot of attention for his online trolling. Heres what you might have missed. Airlines get sued over windowless window seats Delta and United are facing lawsuits from passengers who say they paid extra for a window seat, only to find themselves staring at a wall. The cases are part of a bigger backlash against airlines endless fees, which have pulled in more than $12 billion in recent years. Lennar turns to landlords to clear a housing glut With a record 119,000 unsold new U.S. homes sitting on the market, homebuilder Lennar rolled out its Investor Marketplace. The site is built for small landlords looking to scoop up properties, especially in softer Sun Belt markets. Cracker Barrel goes for a glow-up Cracker Barrel is trying to modernize with a new logo, brighter dining rooms, and a campaign with country music star Jordan Davis. Some fans, however, arent sold, and feel the chain risks losing the cozy vibe that they love. Starbucks tests coconut water and protein foam PSL season may be back, but Starbucks is also pushing coconut waterbased drinks and even a protein-packed cold foam in its iced lattes and other chilled beverages. The coffee giant is leaning hard into health and wellness, hoping itll stick as much as pumpkin spice. Gavin Newsom trolls Trumpand wins followers Californias governor has been posting in Trumps ALL-CAPS style, mocking the president online. The strategy is landinghis social media following, approval ratings, and even betting odds for 2028 have all jumped. Claires bankruptcy plan finds a buyer The tween jewelry chain filed for Chapter 11 earlier this month, but Ames Watson swooped in to buy the business. The deal means up to 950 Claires stores could stay open instead of shutting down. FDA widens recall on radioactive shrimp More shrimp brands have been pulled from shelves after tests showed possible Cesium-137 contamination. The FDA says no illnesses are linked so far, but it recommends tossing any affected products. TSA bans cordless hair tools in checked bags If youre packing for a trip, leave the cordless curlers and straighteners out of your checked luggage. TSA says the lithium-ion batteries and butane are a fire hazardbut you can bring one in your carry-on if its covered. Tipping hits a seven-year low According to Toast, the average tip at full-service restaurants dropped to 19.1%. Some say tipflation is to blame, with diners in California tipping the least (17.3%) and Delaware the most (21.4%). LinkedIn names its top colleges for the AI era For the first time, LinkedIn ranked schools on how well theyre preparing students for AI-focused jobs. Caltech and MIT lead the AI pack, while Princeton took the overall top spot for career outcomes.
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E-Commerce
A recent letter from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) encouraged industry leaders to streamline and enhance product recall communications, highlighting the need for industry and government systems to transform and evolve to deliver timely updates to the public. As part of the letter, the FDA recommended a strategic overhaul for communications strategies leveraging cutting-edge technologies to collect, analyze, and disseminate recall information. While its critical that technology, and eventually AI, be used throughout the recall comms processand it already isthere are numerous other aspects of recalls that are already being improved by technology that will continue to see significant advancements in the second half of 2025 and heading into 2026. This also comes at a time when the number of recalled products surged 25% to 125.37 million, and the number of food items recalled by the FDA increased by 232% in Q1 2025. As communications teams, companies, and consumers see the impact of these changes, company reputation and brand trust will be improved as well amid a rapidly changing regulatory environment. The New Landscape for Recall Comms The name of the game with recalls is speed. Consider a food recall. An allergen or bacterial contamination occurs, and consumers need to know as soon as possible. Companies should be using a multi-modal approach with the knowledge that it will never be one-size-fits-all. This strategy is vital in ensuring a smooth and efficient recall process which will soon be substantially expanded in its effectiveness as AI is integrated in a larger capacity. As companies communication strategies improve, including finding new avenues to reaching consumers, understanding generational differences, and identifying tech that is best used to reach them (apps and digital notifications for younger generations, calls and even fax machines for older generations), the ability for consumers to communicate with companies will progress as well. Improvements in contact centers, through AI, will soon enhance inbound and outbound channels, helping to provide timely, precise, and personalized assistance at every step. The future of comms, and call centers, for recalls may see AI agents offering responses to consumers in different languages at all hours of the day, with human agents taking over when tasks become more complex. This represents the first stage in an exciting transformation for the comms strategies of companies across sectors, and one that will set them up to be better prepared for all aspects of a recall as AIs presence continues to growand not just in comms. Companies Will Improve the Entire Lifecycle of a Recall Beyond comms strategies, technology will be critical in the entire lifecycle of a product and a recall. Already, tech is supporting companies in monitoring the effectiveness of recalls, including early identification, product defects or issues, and more, through social media scraping, monitoring regulatory updates, and identifying trends and insights. Early identification is just one part of the process, but a substantial one. This can reduce the impact of a recall and the amount of time a defective product is in the market. Once AI has assisted in early identification, its next role is supporting in monitoring the effectiveness of a recall. Social media scraping and AI tools can track the progress of a recall to see if consumers are still concerned about their products, or are having difficulties in understanding their best course of action, and if a company will need to shift the public narrative if there is still skepticism. Another key point of emphasis for companies and their use of AI is, and will continue to be, the identification of bad players in the recall space. As fraud persists, in which duplicated or manipulated photos of defective products are sent in with the goal of receiving payment, gift cards, or replacement products, AI will be key in weeding out the real from the fake. What will determine the success of AI in recalls, as it will in all other sectors, is establishing trust. Consumers must trust that AI is finding new solutions, identifying recalls at a more rapid pace, supporting their needs through call centers, and more. Companies, in turn, must ensure that employees are properly trained to use this technology, understand where it is delivering value, and know where human oversight is still required, so they are not fearful of it automating their roles, and understand the road ahead. A Transformed Landscape for the Benefit of All While the FDA is pushing for improved recall practices, companies should already be planning these and understanding how AI is set to transform every aspect of their strategies. The benefits are significant for companies, consumers, and overall brand trust, if tech integrations are accomplished with planning, precision, and patience. In tandem with a smart and balanced AI strategy should be the acknowledgment that regulators across industries are rapidly changing guidelines for this technology as they look to keep pace with international competition, as well as drive innovation while balancing user safety. New enforcement protocols, and litigation, which emerged as a significant trend in 2024 with organizations filing lawsuits against agencies and regulators pushing criminal actions against companies and individuals related to recall and product safety issues, are crucial to keep in mind as well. Finally, the regulatory landscape, both for recalls and AI, has evolved significantly in the U.S. and the EU, as well as globally, requiring diverse strategies for each region. Yet, a comprehensive comms and company strategy for recalls that understands where we are now with AI, and where were going, will set up leaders and their customers for success, safety, and much more moving forward.
Category:
E-Commerce
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