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  • Richard Dawkins on new threats to science—from religion to relativism

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    Few living thinkers have been as influential—or controversial—as Richard Dawkins. An evolutionary biologist by training, Dawkins rose to prominence with his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, which revolutionized the public understanding of evolution by shifting the focus from organisms to the genes that shape them (as well as surfacing the now-ubiquitous concept of the meme, which Dawkins defined as units of cultural transmission or imitation). In the decades since, he has become almost as well known for his critiques of religion as for his scientific work, with 2006’s The God Delusion establishing him as one of the world’s most outspoken atheists. Dawkins’ work shows why free inquiry and the scientific method are essential for human progress, especially when they are under threat from religious dogma or new forms of ideological orthodoxy.

    In this wide-ranging conversation with Reason‘s Nick Gillespie, recorded live in September 2024 in Milwaukee as part of Dawkins’ Final Bow tour, the two discuss the central metaphor of Dawkins’ latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead, which presents every organism as a kind of living archive of evolutionary history. He explains how cooperation among genes—not just competition—drives natural selection. The two also explore the role of atheism in a changing moral landscape, whether science requires a specific cultural or political environment to thrive, and what humans might gravitate toward next as belief in traditional religion continues to decline.

    Reason: I first encountered your work as an undergrad. I was a double major in psychology and English. When reading your work, I couldn’t believe that I was reading science because I understood what you were saying. But in The Genetic Book of the Dead, you use a term—palimpsest—as a controlling metaphor. What is a palimpsest, and why is it so important to what you’re doing in this book?

    Dawkins: A palimpsest is a manuscript which is erased and then the parchment is used again. In the days when paper was not available, people wrote on parchment. It was quite scarce; they would reuse it. The point of it in the book is that every animal bears in itself—in its genes and in its body—a description of the worlds in which its ancestors survived. This, it seems to me, follows from natural selection. The animal has been put together by a whole lot of selection pressures over many millions of years.

    In the book, you talk about how that palimpsest is sometimes literally on the organism’s skin or shell. What’s a good example of that?

    Any camouflaged animal that sits on the background that it resembles. I use the example of a lizard in the Mojave Desert, which has, more or less, painted on its back a picture of desert. The whole of its back is a painting of the desert. Any camouflaged animal is an obvious example. My thesis is that that principle must apply to every cell, every biochemical process, every detail, every part of the animal.

    In The Selfish Gene, you debunked the idea that we’re in control as humans—you said we’re being used by genes. In this book, you’ve outdone yourself by saying that we are actually a cooperative of viruses. I guess my question is: What do you have against human beings?

    Well, The Selfish Gene had what you would call a sting in the tail—the last chapter switched to a different topic, which was memes. I thought this book should have a sting in the tail as well, and so this is this idea that we are a gigantic colony of cooperating viruses.

    One of my books is called The Extended Phenotype. This is the idea that the genes in an animal work to survive not just by influencing the body of the animal in which they sit—they reach outside the animal, and part of the so-called phenotype of the genes is outside the body. An obvious example is a bird’s nest or a bowerbird’s bower, which is not a part of the animal but which nevertheless is a Darwinian adaptation. It’s shaped by natural selection. And this must mean that there are genes for nest shape, genes for bower shape. This principle of the extended phenotype applies not just to inanimate objects like nests and bowers. It applies to other individuals. A parasite can influence the behavior of the host in which it sits in order to further its designs as a parasite. That means that the genes in the parasite are having phenotypic effects on the body and behavior of the host.

    Now, if you think about a parasite in an animal—like a worm or a virus or a bacterium—its task is to get into the next host. There are two ways in which it can do this.

    It can be expelled from the host in some way, like sneezed out or coughed out of the host, and then breathed in by the next host. When a parasite exits the body by some such route, it has no great interest in the survival of the host in which it sits. For all it cares, the host can die.

    But what about a parasite which passes to the next host via the gametes, via the eggs or sperms of the present host? Well, a parasite whose hope for the future is to go into the progeny, into the offspring of the present host, if you think about it, its extended phenotype, its aims, its desires, its hopes for the future will be identical to the genes of the host. It will want the host to be a successful survivor. It will want the host to be a successful reproducer. It will want the host to be sexually attractive, to be a good parent, because everything about what the host regards as success, namely having offspring, will be the same as what the parasite regards as a success, namely, the host having offspring.

    All our own genes: The only reason they cooperate in building us—in building the body, in building any animal—is that they all have the same interests at heart. They all get into the next generation via the gametes of the host. In other words, they have the same interest at heart in exactly the same way as a virus that gets passed on in the gametes, or a bacterium that gets passed on in gametes. So that’s why I say that all our own genes can be regarded as equivalent to a gigantic colony of cooperating viruses.

    Are you becoming a softy? When you published The Selfish Gene in 1976, evolution seemed to me more about competition and the survival of the fittest. Now you’re speaking more about cooperation. What moved you away from competition and toward cooperation?

    I think that’s a misunderstanding. I’m not becoming a softy, or rather, I always was a softy, because The Selfish Gene is not really about selfishness. It’s about selfishness at the level of the gene, but that translates out into altruism at the levels of the individual, or it can. And that’s largely what the book is about. Genes are selfish in the sense that they are striving to get into the next generation. That’s what they do. They are, in a sense, immortal. But they do it by cooperating. I’ve always said that.

    In The Selfish Gene, there’s a chapter in which I have the analogy of a rowing race where you have eight men sitting in a row in a boat, and they’re cooperating. That’s what the genes are doing. The genes are cooperating in building a body that will carry all of them to the next generation via reproduction. So they have to cooperate.

    We’re always looking for the gene that controls this or controls that. You say that’s a misnomer. Where does that misunderstanding come from?

    When you talk about a gene for anything, it’s tempting to think that there’s a gene for this bit and a gene for this bit. It’s not like that. Genes are more like the words of a recipe or a computer program, where they work together to produce a whole embryo, and then a whole body. Genes cooperate in the process of embryology.

    The reason why you can, to some extent, talk about a gene for that is that you focus on the differences between individuals. Gregor Mendel, for example, studied wrinkled peas and smooth peas. Well, what he’s really talking about there is individual differences. A genetic difference controls an individual difference. Say, the Habsburg chin—the hereditary malformation of the chin which affected the royal families of Europe. There are lots and lots of genes that enter into the making of a chin, but what this particular gene does is to make the difference between somebody who has the Habsburg chin and somebody who doesn’t. So “gene for X” always means “gene for the difference between somebody who has X and somebody who doesn’t have X.”

    You also talk about how a cultural change can have evolutionary consequences, such as the taming of fire and the shrinking of jaws and teeth.

    There’s a book by Richard Wrangham, who’s an anthropologist at Harvard, about the importance of cooking on human evolution. One of the things you see as you look at the human fossil record is that our jaws have shrunk. Our ancestors had much bigger, more powerful jaws than we have. Wrangham thinks that this is because of the discovery of fire, the invention of cooking, which enabled us to make food less tough. We didn’t need such powerful jaws. And so that’s an interaction between culture, namely the taming of fire and the development of cooking, and genetic evolution.

    Over what time period does that emerge?

    Well, it looks as though Homo erectus, which is our immediate ancestor species, which lived about a million years ago, had fire. It’s not absolutely definite, but there do appear to be archeological remains of hearths suggesting that they had fire, and they probably had cooking. At least Wrangham thinks so. So maybe a million years.

    Last year, you wrote an article in The Spectator called “Why I’m sticking up for science” about the adoption of certain Māori origin myths being presented as science in New Zealand schools. What was going on there?

    This is a very strange business. I arrived in New Zealand and was immediately aware that I was in the midst of a great controversy. The New Zealand government—which was then a socialist government; it’s changed now, but the present government is doing the same thing—is importing compulsorily into science classes in New Zealand schools, Māori myths. And they are being given equal status to what they call “Western science.” Which is just science. It’s not “Western”; it’s just science.

    So the children in New Zealand are, I would have thought, being bewildered by, on the one hand, learning about the big bang and the origin of life and DNA and things like that; on the other hand, they’re being told it’s all due to this sky father and the earth mother probably having it off together. It’s pandering to, I think, a kind of guilt that white New Zealanders feel toward the Māori indigenous population, and bending over backward to show respect to the indigenous population. And I think that’s fine—it would be great for New Zealand children to learn about Māori culture and myths in classes on anthropology and history. But to bring them into science classes—that’s just not science.

    I became involved because a number of distinguished scientists in New Zealand—fellows of the New Zealand Royal Society, which is the New Zealand equivalent of the National Academy of Sciences here—had written a letter protesting about this to a New Zealand journal called the Listener. As a consequence, they had their lectures canceled, they were threatened with expulsion, really quite unpleasant victimization of these distinguished scientists. And I had lunch with about half a dozen of them and heard all about it from them.

    Broadly speaking, how important is it that you were born at a time when you were able to take advantage of a liberal political era so that you could do a lot of the work that you did? If you had been born 200 years earlier or 20 years later, maybe not, right?

    Totally. Very, very important.

    What do you think accounts for that kind of social and moral progress that makes us more open as a society?

    I am fascinated by this. In one of my books, The God Delusion, I talk about the shifting moral zeitgeist. Something changes as the centuries go by. You’ve only got to go back to, say, the mid–19th century, where people like Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Henry Huxley—who were in the vanguard of enlightened liberal thought—by today’s standard were the most terrible racists. So the shifting moral zeitgeist is something that changes not just over the centuries but over decades.

    I am genuinely curious about what it is in the air that changes. It seems to me to be a bit like Moore’s law in computing, which is a definite mathematical straight line on a long scale in computer power. It’s not due to any one thing; it’s a composite of things that I think the shifting moral zeitgeist is the same, it is a composite of conversations at dinner parties, journalism, parliamentary/congress decisions, technological innovation, books. Everything moves on.

    What do you think the role of atheism—or a challenge to the supremacy of religion—has been, if not as a kind of scientific theory of order, then a social or cultural theory of order?

    Well, I think atheism is just sensible. If you look at polls in America and in Western Europe, the number of people who profess religion is steadily going down. There are more religious people in America than there are in the rest of Western Europe. But it is coming down. So that’s part of the shifting zeitgeist.

    Part of that has to do with books that you—or the colony of bacteria that are you—wrote. What do you see as the most convincing arguments that you advanced?

    If you want to believe something, you’ve got to have reason to do so. It’s rather better to say, “What are the most convincing arguments for theism?” And I’m not sure there are any. But, obviously, there are a lot that appear convincing to many people. The argument from design is probably the most powerful one.

    In a way, you kind of advance a godless design with evolution, don’t you? Everything is designed?

    Yes, yes. Absolutely. It’s an astonishingly powerful illusion of design. And it breaks down in certain places where there’s bad design, like the vertebrate retina being backward, that kind of thing. But one of the things that I try to do in most of my books, actually, is to show how beautifully perfect the animals are. They really, really do look designed. I think this is probably why it took so long for a [Charles] Darwin to come on the scene. People just couldn’t fathom the idea that it could come about through unconscious laws of physics.

    Do you feel good that atheism, or maybe a better term is godlessness, is ascendant?

    Yes, I do.

    Despite not believing in God, you have called yourself a cultural Christian for at least a decade. What do you mean by that?

    Nothing more than the fact that I was educated in Christian schools and a Christian society. It doesn’t mean I’m sympathetic toward it, doesn’t mean I believe it.

    You have said that if you had to live in a Christian country or an Islamic country, you would pick the Christian country every time.

    Yes, I would not wish to live in a country where the penalty for apostasy is death, and gay people are thrown off high buildings, and women are stoned to death for the crime of being raped.

    There is an argument that liberal political philosophy, which allows for limited government, free speech, and open inquiry, has its roots in Christianity and the English Civil War. Part of the argument there was that the king did not have dominion over other men because we are all equal in front of God. I read a critique of you saying that you have been in the tree of Christianity and you’ve been sawing the branch off your whole time, and now by calling yourself a cultural Christian, you’re in a way free riding on something. How do you respond?

    Well, I’m rather sorry I said that thing about being a cultural Christian, because people have taken it to mean I’m sort of sympathetic toward the belief.

    Now that thing about the society which lets science be free to do what it does being a Christian society, that’s a matter for historians. And they might be right. It is possible that Christendom was the right breeding ground for science to arise in the 17th, 18th, 19th centuries. And your point about the English Civil War could be valid as well.

    Research suggests, with obvious exceptions, that religiosity is declining. Religion has been a part of human history and civilization. Is there an issue that replaces it?

    G.K. Chesterton is possibly wrongly thought to have said, “When men stop believing in religion, they believe in anything.” It’s rather a pessimistic view. I would like to think you believe in evidence. And I think it’s rather demeaning to human nature to suggest that giving up one sort of nonsense, you’ve immediately got to go and seize on some other sort of nonsense.

    What do you hope you will be remembered for? You are a palimpsest—you are writing over the work of previous scientists and thinkers. What is the message that sticks around long enough to influence people after you?

    I suppose the message of The Selfish Gene: that natural selection chooses among immortal replicators, which happen to be genes on this planet. It will be the same principle, the Darwinian principle of the nonrandom survival of randomly varying, potentially immortal replicators.

    This interview has been condensed and edited for style and clarity.

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    Nick Gillespie

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  • The Guys Who Made Needlepoint an SEC Uniform Explain Why It’s So Frat-Coded

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    About two years in, “there was so much interest from the Southern men’s stores, particularly, saying, ‘Look, I’m selling your belts well, but, you know, I could really sell a Clemson or a Georgia or University of Texas belt very, very well,’” Carter recalls.

    They built a book of business, proving that selling belts was a cinch, and went back to the schools for the licenses. Colleges, Greek organizations, professional sports franchises, bands, and more gave permission for the company to commit their emblems to needlepoint.

    Now Smathers & Branson offers not only belts, which can be customized with a multitude of emblems, but also embroidered key tags, hats, leather can coolers, and more. Though Bowdoin didn’t have a Greek system, the pair liken their college living situation to a frat house, touting the belts’ appeal amongst golfers, campus dwellers, and more, with tales of men showing off their belt collections.

    Branson recalls “watching [the belt trend] explode at the University of Georgia and Texas,” to name just two schools. “It’s just mind-blowing, the next level of enthusiasm and passion there is for the college experience everywhere.”

    Though needlepoint belts remain an eye-catching niche accessory, their prevalence in the preppy-leaning sartorial displays of campus bros is unsurprising, Articles of Interest podcast host and creator Avery Trufelman tells VF. Trufelman produced a full season of her show around the idea of prep, attributing the style’s prevalence to its being a “sweet spot in the American dream.” In the US, there’s no formal class system, no monarchy. Dressing preppy, a trend that Trufelman says evolved from the casual style of Princeton students who would play tennis and then—gasp!—stay in their tennis clothes, rather than spiff up, is an accessible way to signal social rank, whether real or aspirational, and belonging.

    Trufelman points to a certain IYKYK aspect of classic preppy brands, like J. Press, which never displays logos and instead may use a school’s colors in an article of clothing, for instance, as a sort of dog whistle for other alums to pick up on. The Smathers & Branson cofounders, too, call out that their pieces show the wearer’s choice of emblems, rather than any brand logo of their own, allowing the company to be both a golf brand and a tailgating brand, for example.

    Young women preparing for sorority recruitment are often advised to incorporate personal pieces into their looks to help them stand out; similarly, Trufelman points to items like the belts as a social bridge.

    “That’s the fundamental thing about preppiness: It’s an institutional look. It’s about belonging,” she says. “Even if you don’t belong, it’s a way to look like you belong. It’s a way to look like you went to these schools. It’s a way to look like you go to these clubs.”

    And though Smathers & Branson belts aren’t necessarily made by a college girlfriend, they are hand-stitched and heirloom-quality. Branson shows off a key tag that he’s carried for some 20 years, featuring a stitched depiction of a golden retriever, the breed of his childhood dog. “This is a sample, I think, from one of the first batches that we did,” he says. “It has been really loved.”

    The idea that a young man may be able to inherit his father’s needlepoint belt the same way he might wear a luxury watch passed down to him is part of the company’s success with the preppy set.

    “The men’s space that we operate in doesn’t change [in the same way as] high-end women’s fashion,” Carter says. “Some of our best-selling patterns, like American flags or dogs, although we do change them from year to year, they don’t change that dramatically. I think that’s the same thing kind of within frat life, and then collegiate stuff, the game-day clothes, they don’t change necessarily.”

    “It’s a classic, traditional men’s look that evolves,” Branson adds. “The shape of a khaki pant changes, the fit the guys are wearing different years changes, but the same basic look is consistent. While I don’t think of ourselves as, like, a Greek business necessarily, we fit into that as an element of what that customer, that demographic, has probably worn since the ’60s.”

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    Kase Wickman

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  • How to Protect Your Company Culture When You’re Growing Fast | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In the beginning, it was just us: Two law school graduates turned serial entrepreneurs, a husband-and-wife team working on our second big venture. Our vision, to create a business entity formation and maintenance company built on a culture of accountability and integrity without compromise. In addition, we wanted our company to be fun to work for, where staff members were celebrated, their ideas and creativity encouraged, the kind of company that parents would want their kids to work for. The culture would be unique, bold, unafraid of judgment, where occasional bouts of “weirdness” and nonconformity weren’t eschewed but embraced.

    Such a specific culture was easy to maintain when it was just my husband, myself and our first round of new associates. As a fifteen-person team, our culture functioned as intended. Work was fun. Our culture also made us stand out in the marketplace and drove client loyalty.

    Then, growth happened. In a period of a few short years, we went from a literal “mom and pop” operation to 100+ employees. With scaling comes new ideas and new opportunities. Teamwork is powerful, greater than the sum of its parts. It was an exciting time. Such dynamic growth, however, invites cultural risk. We soon learned that, when left unchecked, cultural risk becomes cultural harm: i.e. the proliferation of attitudes, norms and business practices that run counter to those on which the company was founded. Not wanting to lose or compromise the vision we had for our business, Phil and I vowed to never let up on our promotion of our original culture and core values.

    Related: Most Entrepreneurs Approach Culture the Wrong Way. Here’s What They’re Missing.

    How to think about your business’s culture: A simple rule

    Today, I use a simple rule of thumb that helps in the cultural governance of our growth. I call this the One-to-One rule, as it’s evocative of the one-on-one dynamic my husband and I shared in the early days of this business venture. The One-to-One rule is about a balance of “breadth” and “depth.” It’s simple to understand. Whenever your business broadens, to include more personnel, more service offerings, more locations, new verticals and so forth, it must also deepen, entailing, first and foremost, a deepening of culture, to include both workplace culture and customer-facing brand identity.

    In the wake of dynamic growth, all old trainings must be rethought and updated. Brand new trainings must come online that emphasize the most up-to-date rendition of the firm’s cultural identity. Did your firm just make a dozen new hires? Great. Congratulations. It’s time to put some new team-building events on the calendar, events and workshops that will enhance the cultural IQ of new and veteran employees alike.

    And please, don’t hold back on the pomp and circumstance when welcoming your new additions. Parties and other ice-breaking events are must-haves. Try weird things. Seriously. Even if they don’t go as planned (and they may go poorly). Lesson learned, move on. Try something else. Never lose your will to be weird and never lose sight of the One-to-One principle, ensuring that the depth of your business scales in synch with its breadth. This is the recipe for great culture and sustainable growth.

    What not to do

    You may feel that your business’s cultural identity couldn’t be stronger. It’s so dialed-in, so attractive, so intuitive that it’s bound to organically propagate itself across layers and layers of expansion. If you think your business’s culture and values are indestructible, I’d recommend you consider carefully the case of Starbucks. That’s right, the Siren-singing coffee chain once struggled to present a unified brand identity. As CEO Howard Schulz describes in his book Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul, there was a time when the proliferation of Starbucks retail stores was so intense that it compromised their ability to provide a uniform customer experience.

    As a result, the brand’s reputation became diluted, and the coffee giant’s bottom line was negatively affected. Schultz prides himself on the dramatic actions he took to restore the business’s cultural and brand identity, including the temporary closure in 2008 of over 7,000 stores for a few hours so baristas could be retrained on how to pull the perfect espresso shot.

    Don’t make the mistake of thinking that only enterprise-class businesses, like Starbucks, are subject to cultural risk. Without vigilance, smaller businesses too might lose track of their culture and core values, even in times of slower or no growth. This is why it’s important to expand, celebrate and amplify your culture on a continuous basis, with extra gusto during phases of dynamic expansion.

    Related: 5 Ways CEOs Can Assess and Reset Their Company Culture

    What to do

    Your first order of business, if you haven’t done so already, is to determine precisely what you want in your business’s culture. For example, in our firm, my husband and I knew from the very beginning that we wanted to build and preserve a family-centric feel in our business, one where our team members would be granted flexibility and understanding when it came to kids’ activities and other family obligations. We also wanted a culture that veered away from hierarchies, preferring instead a radical “open door” approach that encouraged direct and safe communications with and between all levels of management.

    Once you’ve defined the core cultural tenets for your firm, it’s time to rigorously pursue buy-in from your staff. They need to be educated on the what, why, and how of your cultural practices. Workshops, forums and trainings should allow your employees to “give back,” contributing their own thoughts and ideas on how the business’s cultural identity can best be defined, refined and lived up to. A staff member, for example, could inquire about how our business’s family-centric character may lead to staff members without family members feeling as if they’re afforded less flexibility than their coworkers. They may even suggest means by which such discrepancies could be remedied.

    My final piece of advice is three-fold: celebrate, celebrate, celebrate. If you’ve done your work properly, then you will have produced an environment your employees want to inhabit, one they will help develop and protect, in which they will feel safe, seen and valued. This is a cause worth celebrating, and all you need to do is find an excuse to do just that. Celebrations can come in many forms. At our shop, we’re big on birthdays, work anniversaries and other milestones, whatever we can do to bring everyone together and bask in the warmth and camaraderie we’ve all helped to create.

    In the beginning, it was just us: Two law school graduates turned serial entrepreneurs, a husband-and-wife team working on our second big venture. Our vision, to create a business entity formation and maintenance company built on a culture of accountability and integrity without compromise. In addition, we wanted our company to be fun to work for, where staff members were celebrated, their ideas and creativity encouraged, the kind of company that parents would want their kids to work for. The culture would be unique, bold, unafraid of judgment, where occasional bouts of “weirdness” and nonconformity weren’t eschewed but embraced.

    Such a specific culture was easy to maintain when it was just my husband, myself and our first round of new associates. As a fifteen-person team, our culture functioned as intended. Work was fun. Our culture also made us stand out in the marketplace and drove client loyalty.

    Then, growth happened. In a period of a few short years, we went from a literal “mom and pop” operation to 100+ employees. With scaling comes new ideas and new opportunities. Teamwork is powerful, greater than the sum of its parts. It was an exciting time. Such dynamic growth, however, invites cultural risk. We soon learned that, when left unchecked, cultural risk becomes cultural harm: i.e. the proliferation of attitudes, norms and business practices that run counter to those on which the company was founded. Not wanting to lose or compromise the vision we had for our business, Phil and I vowed to never let up on our promotion of our original culture and core values.

    The rest of this article is locked.

    Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

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    Nellie Akalp

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  • One Book One Denver resumes this fall with a Pulitzer-Prize winning adult title

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    If you’ve dropped by a public library in Denver recently and, like more than a thousand other people, were offered an orange and yellow paperback book for free, it wasn’t a fluke.

    It’s part of a reading program led by the Denver Public Library that has been reinstated this year after taking a hiatus. The program is called One Book One Denver, and it’s intended to get people out of post-COVID isolation and reading the same book – one that could spark connection and community-building. 

    Most recently, it was a program for young people, but this year, it’s returned with an adult title: “Stay True,” a page-turner of a memoir set in the 1990s by Hua Hsu, who is the son of Taiwanese immigrants and works as a college professor in New York. Now in his late 40s, he spent 20 years working on the book, which was published in 2022 to great acclaim. It won a Pulitzer Prize and was a best-seller.

    “Stay True” author Hua Hsu.
    Courtesy of Denver Public Library
    The cover of the book Stay True by Hua Hsu
    The cover of “Stay True” by author Hua Hsu.
    Courtesy of Denver Public Library

    It takes a microscope to a friendship between Hsu and another Asian student named Ken while they attend college together in Northern California. Hsu is more of an introvert who writes a ‘zine, listens to hip-hop and shops in thrift stores, while Ken is more outgoing, taking dance classes in public and finding ways to befriend a wide swath of people. 

    The two bond despite outward differences because they both enjoy some of the same things, including underground film Berry Gordy’s “The Last Dragon” and smoking cigarettes on balconies. About two-thirds of the way through, the plot twists when an unexpected act of violence takes Ken away from their friend group.

    The library gave out 1,500 copies of that book — 100 of them in Spanish, to the surprise and delight of the author, who declined interviews but provided the library with a statement: “It’s so great that this city-wide reading program is back, and I feel honored to be a part of its return. I wrote Stay True for quite personal reasons, not imagining the reception it’s gotten over the past few years. Witnessing how it has resonated with strangers has been such an amazing surprise. I hope it’s a book that brings people together in discussion and friendship.”

    The title was selected with deliberate care, according to Jessie de la Cruz, who coordinated the project as Program Manager for Civic and Literary Initiatives.

    When asked what made DPL select “Stay True,” she said: “We were going off of some surveys from adults and looking at circulation trends, and we saw that a lot of our adult readers gravitate towards non-fiction.”

    Another reason, she said, is that the book touches on things everyone experiences: friendship, loss, grief and coming-of-age.

    Several people crowd around a printing station at an event some hold up posters they made
    One Book One Denver visitors hold up posters they’ve made.
    Courtesy of Denver Public Library

    “I think when I read this book and I came across it, I felt that it had a lot of universal themes that would be applicable to all backgrounds, to all genders, to all identities,” she said. “I think we can all relate to that version of ourselves … that was awkward and clumsy, and trying to figure out who we are, those new friendships that you develop in college on top of trying to understand and grapple with your identity and your independence.” 

    The program originally began in 2004, with the focus being children’s books for part of the time, and interest seemingly fizzling out, leading to the program’s end a dozen years ago.

    Then came a request:

    “Last year, the Mayor’s Office approached Denver Public Library about reviving One Book One Denver,” said library spokesperson Alvaro Sauceda Nuñez in an email. “Denver Public Library programs, such as the Silent Pages Society, showed us that adults in Denver are hungry for meaningful, low-pressure ways to engage with books and with each other. OBOD is a response to that need.”

    He also noted that research has shown that adult reading for pleasure is in steady decline, especially among younger adults and their internal program showed patrons were hungry for meaningful ways to engage with books and each other without pressure. “In relaunching OBOD, we intend to spark curiosity and engagement—not just among our regular customers, but also among adults who may not see themselves as ‘readers’ right now.”

    Community activities

    Besides making 20 copies of the book available for free to rent and unlimited copies available to download, the library also came up with suggested conversation questions for use in group discussion sessions. But de la Cruz saw a bigger opportunity to bring the book and the project into a larger context.

    She designed some other engagement opportunities at different branches, such as:

    • An opportunity to explore storytelling through ‘zine creation – one of Hsu’s passions – on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Bob Raglan Branch;
    • A creative writing workshop during which participants will use objects to tell stories, on Sunday, Sept. 28, at the Ross-University Hills Branch; and
    • A chance to make a mix tape, like the ones Hsu and his friend Ken exchanged, on Friday, Sept. 12, at the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library.

    “It was really important that this program didn’t just exist within the library, but how do we activate and bring it out into the city?” said de la Cruz. “How does it spill out of the library into the city streets?”

    Expressing books visually

    Another way she found to connect people with the book’s themes was to link up with the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, located near the library’s main branch. The center found a way to use photography to express the ideas in the book visually. 

    Samantha Johnston, curator and executive director of the arts center, put together an exhibit called “What Remains.” It includes photos by three photographers, two from Colorado, whose images “explore complexities of identity, fear, memory, and the solace that can be found through art,” according to the center’s promotional documents.

    Work by Emily “Billie” Warnock in the “What Remains” show at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center on Lincoln Street. Sept. 4, 2025.
    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    During a recent visit to the center, Johnston led a tour of the exhibit. “All the work is part of the ‘What Remains’ exhibition, but each artist has their area,” she said, pointing out four walls with the work that will be displayed until the end of the month, by photographers Carl Bower, Dana Stirling and Emily (Billie) Warnock. 

    Among the most arresting is a photo essay on fear by local photographer Bower, featuring stark images of people looking intensely at the camera, alongside a written answer the subject provided about what they fear.

    Work by Emily “Billie” Warnock in the “What Remains” show at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center on Lincoln Street. Sept. 4, 2025.
    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
    “Veronica” by Carl Bower in the “What Remains” show at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center on Lincoln Street. Sept. 4, 2025.
    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    She said fear is a common theme in Bower’s photos as it is in Hsu’s words. “It’s where Hua Hsu speaks to that loss of Ken and also that the fear of … forgetting those memories of his friend and who he is, and again, all tying differently, but underlying connections into how I curated the work.”

    “Stay True” author Hua Hsu will speak on Friday at Denver Public Library’s Central branch, and on Saturday, Lighthouse Writers Workshop is holding an event at the arts center, during which people will look at the exhibit, then use it and Hsu’s book for inspiration for a creative free-writing session.

    “Communities form when we listen to and share with one another,” Hsu said in his statement. “I hope reading about my friends and I inspires others to think about the bonds that run through their lives, the everyday stories worth cherishing, and the visions of community they hope to find in the real world.”

    The “What Remains” show at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center on Lincoln Street. Sept. 4, 2025.
    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

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  • Boho Is Dead, Dillard’s Is King, and More Secrets of Sorority-Rush Experts

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    3. Start While You’re in High School

    Newberry and other recruitment experts paper their companies’ sites and social feeds with mood boards and ideas for not only different stages of recruitment, but also tailgates, study nights, and even dorm move-in day. In an Instagram carousel providing tips for move-in day (pack your car the night before!), Newberry includes a slide of “move-in day outfit inspo,” featuring a pastel rainbow of athleisure tennis skirts and dresses, chunky Hoka sneakers, and stylish, flowy track shorts for schlepping those extra-long sheets up the stairs.

    “You never know when you’re going to meet your future employer or future husband,” Newberry says, “so why don’t you go ahead and put on an outfit you feel cute, classy, and confident in for move-in day? Because one, you might bump into an active in a sorority. Two, you might bump into your future employer. Maybe, like, a dad on the floor that’s moving his daughter in; they might try to hire you one day. So you want to put your best foot forward in all facets of life that’ll help you for rush, but then also for years to come after that.”

    Newberry even coaches some girls as young as high school freshmen on etiquette and personal style, helping them steer clear of bikini pics and sloppy party photos on social media before they can even be posted.

    “One of the main things that we start with with girls is the importance of representing yourself well online and picking out outfits for your senior-year events, for that senior photo shoot, for prom, that are classy and that you feel confident in,” she says. “Older girls are looking at younger girls’ social media before they even get to rush itself.”

    4. Don’t Let Them See You Sweat. Seriously.

    Be prepared for situations to get a little sweaty.

    “I mean, it’s August in the South,” Newberry levels. She keeps up on continuing education and recently took a lesson on sweatproofing makeup to better advise her nervous clients, recommending they stash a bag with translucent setting powder, a towel to wipe off body sweat, oil blotting sheets, and clear roll-on deodorant for reapplication.

    It’s important to be strategic in outfit planning as well, she says, like “picking fabrics that don’t show sweat as much.”

    5. Logos Can Be No-Gos

    Opinions on donning recognizable designer logos are mixed. Newberry says she advises girls to take a less-is-more approach.

    “If you’re wearing something designer, let’s just do one piece and keep it on the down-low,” she says, “because being humble and people not knowing exactly who you’re wearing, but you carrying yourself in a classy way, is way more attractive than being flashy with Louis Vuitton shoes, belt, and earrings.” If you must indulge your logo-mania, she says, “just pick one [piece] and go with that.”

    Darnell, however, meets the topic with a shrug.

    “You should just dress in what makes you feel the best, because it’s such a nerve-racking experience,” she says. “These girls are nervous because they’re meeting these girls for the first time, and there is a lot of pressure built up behind it. If you wear something that’s comfortable, that you’re going to love, and that you’re going to feel good in, then your energy will be brought out. Myself, I will get dressed up if I’m going to go take an exam, because if I look good, I feel good, right? I am not, like, the fashion police or anything. Logos don’t bother me. I think it’s just that you should wear whatever makes you smile walking in there, whatever shows your personality.”

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    Kase Wickman

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  • Here’s the Real Reason Your Employees Are Checked Out — And the Missing Link That Could Fix It | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Only 21% of employees are engaged at work, according to a global Gallup study. That means most people are physically present but emotionally checked out, simply going through the motions.

    It’s easy to blame burnout or post-pandemic fatigue. But a big part of the problem lies in how organizations communicate — how they welcome new hires, train employees, run meetings and celebrate success (or fail to).

    Think about it:

    • We create lengthy culture decks without explaining why those values matter.
    • We overwhelm new hires with info dumps labeled as “training.”
    • We run meetings on autopilot.
    • We throw around buzzwords like “empowerment” and “alignment” without making people feel truly seen or connected.

    And then we wonder why engagement is so low.

    The truth? Engagement starts with connection — and connection starts with better communication.

    That’s where storytelling comes in.

    Storytelling isn’t just for marketing or TED Talks. It’s one of the most powerful ways to build trust, share values and spark genuine human connection. If you’re not weaving a story throughout the employee journey, you’re missing one of your strongest levers for engagement.

    Related: Quiet Quitting Is Dividing the Workforce. Here’s How to Bring Everyone Back Together.

    Where storytelling makes a difference

    1. Recruiting: Share the story, not just the specs
    Recruiting shouldn’t feel like filling out a resume checklist. Instead of leading with pay and perks, lead with why your company exists. What problem are you solving? What inspired you to start? When candidates hear authentic stories — especially from founders or early team members — they don’t just see a job. They see a mission they want to join.

    2. Onboarding: Make it stick through a story
    Most onboarding feels like drinking from a firehose — policies, procedures, manuals — that quickly get forgotten. But stories are up to 22 times more memorable than facts alone, according to research. Wrap your onboarding content in stories: how your product changed a customer’s life, challenges that shaped your culture, lessons learned along the way. Think of onboarding as the opening chapter in an employee’s personal work story — make it compelling so they want to keep reading.

    3. Engagement: Keep the story going
    New hires start excited, but that enthusiasm often fades when storytelling stops after onboarding. Engagement isn’t a one-time event; it’s a rhythm. Make storytelling part of your team culture. In meetings, invite people to share wins, challenges, or moments they felt connected to their work. Sharing stories builds empathy, energy, and belonging — even over Zoom.

    4. Recognition: Celebrate with heart
    “Great job” is nice, but “Great job, and here’s why it mattered” is powerful. Recognition tied to stories shows the whole team what behaviors and values are truly important to the company. It shows what “great” looks like, making appreciation tangible and meaningful. For example: “James stayed late to fix a customer issue, followed up the next day and turned frustration into loyalty. That’s living our value of going the extra mile.”

    Related: Are You Recognizing Your Employees? If Not, They’re Twice as Likely to Quit

    Engagement is built one story at a time

    Humans are wired for story. It’s how we understand the world, remember lessons and connect with each other.

    If only 21% of employees are engaged, maybe it’s time to stop relying solely on policies, programs and PowerPoints — and start speaking to the human side of people.

    Storytelling isn’t fluff or extra. It’s a strategic communication tool that transforms how employees relate to their work, their teammates and your mission.

    So whether you’re hiring, training, managing or recognizing — start with a story.

    Your people will thank you for it.

    Only 21% of employees are engaged at work, according to a global Gallup study. That means most people are physically present but emotionally checked out, simply going through the motions.

    It’s easy to blame burnout or post-pandemic fatigue. But a big part of the problem lies in how organizations communicate — how they welcome new hires, train employees, run meetings and celebrate success (or fail to).

    Think about it:

    The rest of this article is locked.

    Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

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    LaQuita Cleare

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  • Meet the Momagers—and Coaches—Who Really Run Sorority Rush

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    When you were casting the mother-daughter pairs, what qualities attracted you?

    It’s so funny because there are certain formulas that people might have, and I don’t know that we necessarily had a formula. We were very familiar with this world, especially the online world, and I was always curious to know more about the girls who gave us their OOTDs [Outfit of the Day]. We thought about how they might present on TikTok, how in-depth we felt we could go with their stories, and we weighed how comfortable they were with sharing.

    One of the first casting tapes to come through would be our first episode. It was Carol Anne [an Auburn alum who loved her sorority] and Emily [Carol Anne’s daughter and a rising Auburn freshman who was feeling nervous about rushing]. The pure excitement, the stakes, and a little bit of fear—all of that just came through so loud and clear. The dynamic between Emily and her mom, it was really compelling in a way that extended well beyond sorority rush.

    Authenticity was a huge thing for us. I think we all look for authenticity when we’re watching creators online, but for us, we wanted to make sure that we were filming with people who were very comfortable being open and sharing their experience with us and sharing the struggles.

    The show focuses on the way that rush is a rite of passage, a ritualized series of steps to move from childhood to adulthood. But Alverson and Bradley are so helpful in explaining how sorority culture and aesthetics are attainable with some money and the right approach. The real challenge of rush is figuring out if you actually want to be a part of it. In a certain way, the particularities of each sorority are far in the background of the show. Was that intentional?

    The sororities are really in the background. They weren’t our priority, and they only came up to the extent with Carol Anne and Emily because there was a personal connection to them, so that was important for them. For us, it’s not really about the sororities at all. It’s about the young women and the rite of passage that they’re going through. The sororities are obviously part of it, but the sororities really are in the background. It’s not about them. There can be secrecy around Greek life, but that’s not what we were interested in investigating.

    I don’t know how the sororities themselves feel about the show, but I think we’re really good at knowing where that line is and walking right up to it. There’s a little bit of mischief in this show too—whether it’s through Bill or whether it’s these girls telling their own stories and putting their stories out there into the world. And I think that the young women that we follow have so much agency.

    Did you guys have conversations about what would happen if a given girl didn’t get a bid? Were you worried it might be narratively unsatisfying?

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    Erin Vanderhoof

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  • Leftover 69: An Excerpt from Jon Hart’s ‘Unfortunately, I was available’

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    ‘Unfortunately, I was available’ is Hart’s ode to the surreal, thankless and oddly endearing world of gig work. Courtesy Jon Hart

    I submit to play an upstate New York townie for The Leftovers, then in its first season. The shoot is in Nyack, New York, about fifty minutes north of the city. Rockland County, where Nyack is located, is often used to portray rural America. It’s just not feasible to transport the entire production to the sticks.

    I hear back from casting in minutes. They want me, or rather they’re willing to hire me because I’m willing to “self-report” to Nyack, no production courtesy ride required. When casting calls, I inquire about the possibilities of a courtesy ride, and the young woman tells me that she’ll get back to me. Right.

    Ultimately, I accept the assignment and agree to self-report. I have a friend near Nyack. I’ll make it work, somehow. After I endure a restless night on my friend’s couch, he drops me off at holding, a parochial school cafeteria, at 11:30 the next morning. Production wrapped very late the night before, and I spent much of the evening calling casting’s maddening recording, attempting to retrieve my reporting time. I finally got it in the wee hours of the morning.

    Here’s the thing about extras: we’re the very last to know. And in truth, many extras will never know. We’re merely clueless vessels, lost puppies filling up space, and, yes, collecting a check. Personally, I don’t know where I’m going with this extra stuff, but I’m doing it.

    Wardrobe insists that I remove my black sweatshirt, which has a tiny Carhartt logo on it. Labels of any kind are a strict no-no. I forgot it was there. I don’t want to remove the sweatshirt, so I remove the label. In retrospect, I should’ve requested black tape to cover it.

    As I wait on one of the cafeteria benches, one of the PAs asks me for my number.

    SIXTY-NINE.

    Extras are assigned and referred to by number. Your number is your name. Sure, it’s somewhat dehumanizing, but it works.

    Anyway, something’s up.

    Minutes later, a crew member who seems important informs me that I’m going to be used for an additional scene. When I ask an approachable PA about this, she tells me that I have “a look that they’re looking for.” According to legend, that’s how it all started for Brad Pitt. Supposedly, a young Brad was plucked from the bowels of background, and, well, the rest is history.

    “What kind of look do I have?” I want to pester.

    Or maybe, I don’t want to know. I don’t.

    In the additional scene, I’ll be playing a gas station attendant. As I sit on the bench, my mind does cartwheels. Unfortunately, this is before I got my iPhone, so I’m alone with my anxious, impatient self. Will Justin Theroux be in my scene? Liv Tyler? Will I have a line or two? If that happens, I’ll become a “day player” and be paid $900, plus residuals. Will I be asked to play a gas station attendant in future episodes? Or will I be the gas station attendant that gets killed during a holdup?

    A few hours later, the hundred-plus herd of extras is ordered to set: a church meeting room. As we funnel in, a female extra praises Alec Baldwin for how overwhelmingly friendly he was to background on a previous shoot. Alec Baldwin! Even when he’s not here, he’s here.

    In the packed church, most of us have seats. Others stand. Justin plays the police chief, who’s enforcing a curfew because some townies have been mysteriously killed. In the script, the townies are outraged over the curfew. Personally, a curfew seems perfectly reasonable. Folks are getting killed. Stay home.

    After each pro-curfew statement, the director, a mature, affable woman, directs us, the townies, to mumble and grumble dissent. In industry speak, we’re executing “omni,” which is acting in unison. Just to be clear, we’re not uttering actual lines. We’re merely mumbling and grumbling. No, none of us will get paid $900 plus residuals for this. We go through the scene ad nauseam during which Justin makes a dramatic speech. He’s compelling; however, he looks awfully thin. Frankly, the man looks like he needs a good steak or two and sides. Apparently, his gaunt physique makes him very appealing for television audiences. Television loves thin. There are exceptions, of course, but for the most part, television hates flab.

    Throughout the scene, we either mumble and grumble or utter something affirmative such as “yeah” when a town member protests the curfew. I attempt to be in the moment—but can’t. I’m obsessing over my additional scene. No one notices. I’m background, and I’m doing it just fine. However, an extra sitting directly behind me is not. Instead of mumbling and grumbling, he’s echoing. When a mic’d-up day player, a town meeting attendee, complains loudly that “they robbed my house on Christmas!” the bad extra repeats “Christmas!”—take after take. Finally, a crew person orders the bad extra to cease echoing immediately. Gruffly, he explains to him that he’s being paid to not speak.

    Four hours later, after the scene is shot from a multitude of angles, we’re dismissed. As we single file out of the church, Justin strolls past us in his cool Aviator shades, the ones he’s always photographed wearing, and steps into a waiting black vehicle. Unlike Alec Baldwin, he doesn’t acknowledge background, at least in this moment. But that sentiment doesn’t go both ways.

    “Justin’s so handsome. He’s much better looking in person,” gushes a young female extra. “But he’s not my type.”

    “I’m sure you’re not his type either,” I want to snap.

    At the time, Justin was Mr. Aniston.

    As my town meeting extra brethren check out to go home via their courtesy ride, another fresh batch of background checks in and hunkers down in the cafeteria. I’m not allowed to depart, of course, because I have that additional scene—the one that very well could save me. As far as the workday, it’s halftime.

    The fresh extras, who are playing cult members, are easy to identify because they’re dressed in all white. I’d applied for this core background role but didn’t have the required white attire. Meanwhile, a heaping, gorgeous buffet is laid out, which I happen to be seated next to. I’m famished. I exhausted myself calling casting’s recording. I tentatively approach the buffet before deciding to just go for it. Just as I’m about to tong some greens, I’m ordered to halt. “Background?!” the catering man orders in a stern, condescending tone.

    Suddenly, I’m an insect.

    I drop the tongs in the greens. I almost feel as if I should raise my hands in surrender. I could’ve played a captured German in Saving Private Ryan.

    “Ah, yeah,” I stammer. Being identified as mere scenery shook me. Since I was chosen for the role of gas station attendant, I thought that my status had been elevated. I was wrong. Again.

    “You gotta wait for the crew to eat first,” barks the catering dude.

    When I saw the plentiful buffet, I completely forgot that nonunion extras are the very last to indulge. The production crew—everyone from the technical people to the principal actors to the stand-ins—dine first, then union background, and then, finally, nonunion background. I slink back to my seat. As the crew eats, I sit alone and mumble and grumble to myself. The cult members—who have been working on the production for several days—have their niche. The PAs sit with PAs. The teamsters are with the teamsters. And so on and so on. No, there are no other anxious gas station attendants.

    I am Leftover 69.

    When the cult members form a line at the buffet, I’m out of the gate like Secretariat, and I cut in front of them. I’ve been here all day. I will eat first! Indeed, I’m entitled.

    After dinner, the cult members and I are bused to another holding location, “satellite holding,” which is closer to set. It’s an empty room in an Italian restaurant. When the cult extras are called to set—a real gas station—I depart to the bus with them. I’m uninvited but perhaps the director will decide on the fly that she needs me. If you want an opportunity, you must be in the right place. And, yes, the scene does take place at a gas station, and, of course, I’m the attendant. But before I can board, the PA, who told me I had “a look,” orders me off the bus and to wait in the restaurant.

    No, she’s not treating me like the next Brad Pitt in any shape or form.

    Finally, I’m informed that I’ll be in the final shot of the night. Production refers to this as the Martini Shot because the very next shot will be out of a glass. Cute.

    Unless I get an actual line, my paycheck isn’t going to be much more than that of the townie nonunion extras who were bused out hours earlier and got paid for ten hours. I return to the room and plop myself at a table that’s vacant except for a basket of untouched onion rolls—which I somehow manage to not devour. Thus far, that’s my biggest accomplishment of the day.

    There’s another guy with me, a veteran union extra. Pacino is in the final scene with me. Of course, this is not his real name, but he has a faint resemblance to the legendary actor. He’ll be driving his car at my gas station. It’s a decent payday for Pacino. As union background, he makes about twice my hourly rate, and he gets overtime after eight hours as opposed to ten for nonunion. Plus, he’s getting a pay bump for the use of his car, as well as mileage. I would’ve joined the union yesterday, but you can’t just sign up. You need to pay a few thousand bucks to get in, plus dues. Also—and this is perhaps the toughest part—you need to be granted three waivers. How’s that accomplished? A nonunion individual needs to be hired as a union hire on three separate occasions. A television show’s first twenty-five background hires must be union. For film, it’s about seventy-five. If production fills one of those union spots with a nonunion person, for whatever reason, that nonunion hire earns a waiver. At this point, I have zero waivers. Anyway, Pacino tells me that I shouldn’t expect a line because production would be fined for using a nonunion extra for such purposes. As he checks his email, I pester him with questions until I pass out on the floor.

    Just before 11 p.m., I’m awakened by a mobile sea of white—the cult members. It’s time. I’ll finally learn my fate. Pacino drives me to the gas station set, where I’m greeted enthusiastically.

    “Jonny!” the second-second greets me enthusiastically.

    “What happened to 69?” I want to reply.

    He’s a handsome man—think Redford—with a full head of dirty-blond hair. I’m taken aback by his enthusiastic, personal welcome after being referred to as 69 throughout the day. Just maybe I’ll get an opportunity to do something, like fill up someone’s tank or perhaps even ask, “Fill her up?” I can dream, damn it.

    Redford interrupts my fantasies and casually informs me that production may use me.

    Come again?! After all this, you may use me? I’m annoyed.

    Following this revelation, I just want the day to be done. Unfortunately, the gas station has a conspicuous “Self-Serve” sign. No, I won’t be making an appearance in this scene, not even as background. That’s fine. My tank is empty anyway.

    As they shoot my scene, I wait in the station’s convenience store and listen to a makeup lady complain about some of the seemingly endless days on Orange Is the New Black. She has to rise at 3 a.m. to be at set at 5 a.m. I also converse with the gas station owner, the real gas station owner. This station has a futuristic exterior and has been featured on several shows.

    Minutes later, we wrap. I hitch a ride back with Pacino to the cafeteria. As I sign out, I ask the PA, the one who said I had “a look,” about getting a ride back to the city in one of production’s vans. Earlier, a few PAs assured me that this wouldn’t be a problem.

    “I thought you were taking care of your transportation,” she replies, flustered.

    “They told me that I could get a courtesy ride,” I whine.

    My friend’s couch is a viable backup, but I need home.

    “We asked you to stay late because you were arranging your own transportation,” she explains.

    “What happened to my look!?” I want to snarl like Billy Bob in Bad Santa.

    Ironic: the unused gas station attendant may not be granted a courtesy ride. Later, I learn that most, if not all, productions do not want crew to ride with background. It’s as if we’re contagious.

    “We’ll get you in a van,” she finally relents.

    After midnight, I step into a packed van. No one utters a word during the ride. When the van lands on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, someone grumbles. Fitting.

    Jon Hart’s Unfortunately, I was available is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

    Leftover 69: An Excerpt from Jon Hart’s ‘Unfortunately, I was available’

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    Jon Hart

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  • This Leadership Practice Keeps Teams Moving Amid Uncertainty | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    When uncertainty rises, many leaders do the reasonable thing. They become more careful. They slow spending. They pause plans. They wait for clearer signals before committing to big moves.

    At first, it makes sense. The conditions are unclear. The pressure is real. No one wants to overcommit when the stakes are high and the path ahead is blurry. A measured pause can feel responsible, even necessary.

    But over time, that caution can shift the culture. Motion slows. Teams hesitate. The energy that once kept people building begins to fade. Not because anyone made a bad decision, but because belief is no longer being modeled.

    When leaders stop showing confidence in where the company is going, the whole system responds. This is not about charisma or volume. It is about posture, the way conviction shows up in tone, in timing, in the pace of decisions.

    In moments like this, optimism is not a luxury. It is what keeps progress alive.

    Related: How The Best Executives Show Leadership in Times of Uncertainty

    The power of optimism

    I have led through crises, pivots and culture resets. In each case, the same pattern showed up. When leaders carry belief, even when the path is unclear, teams keep moving. When belief disappears, momentum fades. People start waiting for clarity, direction or permission.

    In complex environments, the emotional posture of leadership becomes the silent operating system. Optimism either sustains forward motion or its absence introduces friction. Even the best plans slow down when belief disappears from the room.

    Optimism is not a personality trait. It is a leadership practice. It shapes how you speak, how you make decisions and how you guide others through complexity.

    You do not need to be overly positive. You do not need to perform. You need to keep pointing forward with consistency. When your team sees that, they stay engaged.

    The strongest leaders I’ve worked with are not the ones who avoid uncertainty. They are the ones who can hold it without handing it off to their teams. Optimism helps them do that. It keeps the weight from becoming the tone.

    In most organizations, tone travels faster than tactics. If you grow more hesitant, your team will sense it. That is not a flaw. It is a human response to the emotional signals leaders send.

    What you say may be precise, but how you say it often has more impact. A slight shift in energy from the top can change how an entire team interprets risk and momentum.

    I experienced this in a high-pressure environment when our company came under scrutiny. We had a plan, but the atmosphere changed. People paused. Focus slipped. Energy became scattered. The quiet question in the room was clear. Do we still believe in what we are building?

    In moments like that, no one waits for an all-hands meeting. People take their cues from daily tone, hallway conversations and executive language. That is why steady belief matters.

    What helped us recover was not a new strategy. It was steady communication. We named the pressure. We spoke with clarity. We made sure people heard conviction in our voice. And we chose to keep moving.

    That choice mattered. It gave people something to align around. It gave them permission to act.

    Once teams see that leadership still believes, they recalibrate. Confidence comes back. Initiative returns. You do not need a perfect plan. You need clear, active belief.

    This is what optimism does. It restores direction. It keeps systems in motion when certainty is unavailable.

    Related: How to Lead With Positive Energy (Even When Times Get Tough)

    Lead with belief

    Optimism is not about ignoring risks. It is about leading with belief anyway. When that belief is present, teams stay focused. They solve problems faster. They keep building when others start waiting.

    It helps people think creatively instead of defensively. It creates space to try instead of waiting to react.

    If things feel stuck, take a closer look at how you are showing up. Not just in presentations or briefings, but in everyday conversations. Are you modeling progress or stalling? Are you holding direction or broadcasting hesitation?

    Because people do not just need approval. They need to know their leaders still believe in what they are working toward. That belief, when communicated with intention, becomes contagious. It resets energy. It shifts momentum. It brings direction back into the room.

    Optimism, when carried with clarity, cuts through noise. It is not emotional. It is structural. It sets pace. It creates alignment. It holds energy in motion.

    The leaders who move teams through uncertainty are not always the ones with the perfect plan. They are the ones who give people a reason to keep going. They carry belief on purpose. They model direction even when the conditions are imperfect.

    Optimism is not the opposite of realism. It is what makes realism useful.

    When leaders carry it well, the effect spreads. Not because they are louder, but because their clarity steadies the room.

    Related: How to Lead With a Balanced Sense of Optimism When The Future Looks Bleak

    When uncertainty rises, many leaders do the reasonable thing. They become more careful. They slow spending. They pause plans. They wait for clearer signals before committing to big moves.

    At first, it makes sense. The conditions are unclear. The pressure is real. No one wants to overcommit when the stakes are high and the path ahead is blurry. A measured pause can feel responsible, even necessary.

    But over time, that caution can shift the culture. Motion slows. Teams hesitate. The energy that once kept people building begins to fade. Not because anyone made a bad decision, but because belief is no longer being modeled.

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    Matthew Mathison

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  • Sofia Coppola and Marc Jacobs Celebrate Their Very Stylish Friendship at the Venice Film Festival 2025

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    “I had met many great designers before, but he was different: he wore worn Stan Smiths, spoke naturally, loved the same bands and artists I did, and shared my same appreciation and sense of humor about the idea of being ‘feminine,’” Sofia Coppola writes of Marc Jacobs in the introduction to the 2019 book Marc Jacobs Illustrated.

    You can tell: it was love at first sight between Coppola and the New York designer, an immediate connection. One of those bonds so instant and true that it seems almost the residue of another life; so predisposed, spontaneous, easy. Their friendship was so monumental to both of them that it inspired Coppola to direct a documentary about him, giving the world a glimpse at their megawatt friendship.

    Sofia Coppola and Marc Jacobs backstage at the Louis Vuitton spring/summer 2014 fashion show.

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    As previously announced, Marc by Sofia—that’s the film’s title, winking at the Marc By Marc Jacobs fashion line—will be presented out of competition at the Venice Film Festival 2025 Tuesday. Rather than a classic celebratory biography detailing the designer’s (staggering) life and achievements, the film is presented as an intimate portrait of an unpretentious, straightforward friendship, which extended to an artistic and professional partnership. With Coppola behind the camera, audiences will be treated to a cinematic portrait created by someone who has known Jacobs since he was just a 29-year-old with a great passion for grunge.

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    Marc Jacobs burst onto the scene on November 3, 1992, when he was creative director of Perry Ellis—a brand carved out of practical American elegance—and decided to pay homage to Seattle’s vibrant grunge scene. He incorporated flannel shirts, plaid skirts, Dr. Martens, worn-out T-shirts, deliberately offbeat patterns, and wild hair into his designs. It was an aesthetic cataclysm that short-circuited the entire fashion establishment—and riled the likes of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, who reportedly burned samples out of disdain. Jacobs was fired on the spot. While the press railed against him, with fashion journalist Suzy Menkes at the forefront, high-profile fans began to emerge in support of Jacobs and his shocking presentation. For Gianni Versace, the collection “is fresh, very New York, and besides, he’s a very nice guy.” For Sofia Coppola, it is “an epiphany.”

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    Aurora Mandelli

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  • Here’s Where Prince St. Pizza Is Opening Next | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Lawrence Longo is certain about one thing: America needs a great national pizza brand.

    Not just a chain that cranks out slices, but a name that stands for quality, heritage and the kind of flavor people will travel for. “Our goal is to be that premium slice shop in America,” he tells Restaurant Influencers host Shawn Walchef.

    That mission is at the heart of his work growing Prince St. Pizza from a single shop into a brand with locations across the country.

    The story started on a block in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, where the original Prince St. Pizza has been drawing crowds for years. Its pepperoni square slice is an icon: crispy-edged, overflowing with curl and dripping with flavor.

    Longo was a fan before he was a partner. “I used to go in as a customer,” he says. “I loved the pizza; I loved the energy in the shop. I could feel how much it meant to people.”

    Related: He Went from Tech CEO to Dishwasher. Now, He’s Behind 320 Restaurants and $750 Million in Assets.

    That connection turned into conversations. Longo got to know the owners, learning not just about the recipes but about the pride and history behind them. “We started talking about what it could be,” he recalls. “I told them, ‘This isn’t just a slice shop. This is a brand that could mean something in every city.’”

    Eventually, that dialogue became a partnership, grounded in a shared commitment to keep the product and culture intact. Now the expansion is real. This interview took place inside a new Prince St. Pizza in Las Vegas, just steps from the Strip.

    The crowd here is a mix of locals and visitors, but the slice in their hands tastes just like it would in SoHo. “That’s the goal,” Longo says. “No matter where you are, when you bite into it, it should feel like you’re in New York.”

    The Las Vegas shop is just one of several new locations, each chosen carefully. “We don’t just go anywhere,” he explains. “We look for cities where Prince St. can fit in and still stand out. And then we build the right team to protect what makes it special.”

    For Longo, it is not simply about growing bigger. It is about creating a national pizza brand without losing the soul of the original.

    Related: His Sushi Burger Got 50 Million Views — and Launched an Entire Business

    The next great American pizza brand

    Prince St. Pizza’s footprint is getting bigger, and the momentum is real. New locations are opening in markets like Miami and Dallas. Each one matches the quality and culture of the original SoHo shop. Celebrity customers have become part of the story. Usher. Adam Sandler. Dave Portnoy. They aren’t there for photo ops. They come in because they like the pizza.

    “They try, and they come back, and they like the brand,” Longo says. Being in cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago means crossing paths with people who live for good food, whether they are famous or not.

    Growth also brings noise. “The bigger you get, the more haters you get,” Longo says. “You can’t listen to the noise. You want to listen to everybody, but you gotta just keep your head down, worry about yourself, do the best job you can and focus on your customers.”

    Related: Von Miller Learned About Chicken Farming in a College Class – And It Became the Inspiration for a Business That Counts Patrick Mahomes as an Investor

    That mindset is what allows Longo to keep expanding without losing the flavor and culture that made Prince St. Pizza a destination in the first place.

    Every new store is another chance to prove that a premium slice shop can scale nationally without losing what made it special.

    “Every time you open a new restaurant, you learn something new about your brand,” Longo says, “and we’re only getting better.”

    It’s the same goal he set from the start — to take Prince St. Pizza from a single shop in New York to a true national brand. And for Longo, the recipe for getting there is simple: protect the product, protect the culture and keep serving slices worth traveling for.

    Related: This Restaurant CEO Created His Own National Holiday (and Turned It Into a Business Strategy)

    About Restaurant Influencers

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    Shawn P. Walchef

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  • I’ve Built 3 Multimillion-Dollar Businesses — and Here’s My Simple Secret to Success | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    When I started out, the goal was pretty straightforward: Make lots of money. Like most new entrepreneurs, I figured once I’d “made it,” then I’d give back. That part would come later. Success first, impact second.

    Looking back, I now realize that mentality was a massive mistake. In fact, I believe it was one of the fundamental reasons it took me years to find any success. I now realize that pushing purpose to the back burner might be the thing that stalls your growth even more than poor marketing.

    Everything turned around for me when I stopped “chasing paper” and started asking how I could help. When that shift happened, my business started to thrive in ways I never expected. And the money? It followed, as a side effect. It’s a fact that we all know deep down, but too often forget.

    We’re told that giving back is something you earn the right to do once your company is big, your team is built, and your bank account looks a certain way. But the reality is that purpose isn’t a luxury; it’s a growth strategy. This attitude of abundance needs to be something that you embody both internally and externally as well.

    Related: How to Balance Profits With Purpose at Your Business

    The first focus needs to be on how you approach your day-to-day operations. At BotBuilders, our work centers around AI and automation. But that’s not really what drives us. The deeper mission is helping small business owners believe in what they’re building and giving them tools to actually pull it off.

    The more we’ve invested in our clients’ success, the more we’ve seen our own business expand. Not just in revenue, but in reach, loyalty and community. Real relationships have carried us further than any marketing tactic ever could. It’s not something you can track or budget for, but we’ve all experienced how one relationship can lead to exponential growth, on many levels.

    The second way to have an impact is how your company shows outside of your core competency. Namely, in your community. How often do you and your team get out and serve those who need it most? Money is great, but there is no comparison to the difference that a smile can make.

    One of the biggest culture-shaping moments we’ve ever had started in the most unexpected place: a bowling alley in Arizona. Working with Special Olympics Arizona, we put together the Bowl-A-Thon Bash. The annual event pairs athletes with local business owners for high-fives, gutter balls, and a whole lot of laughter.

    At first, it felt like a one-off community event. But after that night, something shifted. It became tradition. And every year we go back it resets something in us. We leave lighter, clearer, and more in tune with what really matters. That one night has done more to anchor our company values than any vision statement ever could.

    Don’t get me wrong, money is important. I’m not dismissing that. But if we’re talking about real impact? Giving your time and actually showing up, things just hit different. Over the years, our team has done all kinds of small things that ended up being huge. We’ve served meals at shelters. We’ve planted trees. We’ve hosted holiday parties in retirement homes just to bring some joy to folks who don’t get many visitors.

    Related: This CEO Says Prioritizing Purpose Over Profit Is Key to Consistent Growth and Sustainable Profit — Here’s Why.

    None of that was fancy. None of it was scalable or “optimized.” But the growth those moments sparked? You could feel it. In how we communicated, how we worked together and how we showed up on Monday mornings. When we work together to do good for others, we are connected on a level much deeper than winning awards or even with traditional team-building activities.

    So if you’re leading a team, never forget the fact that your values are contagious. Culture doesn’t come from the posters on your wall or the perks in your handbook. It’s built in the quiet choices. It shows up in how you respond when no one’s watching. It’s shaped by what you say “yes” to, and what you’re willing to let slide. As my angel-of-a-mother always says, “never miss a chance to help someone out.”

    When you lead with meaning, people notice. They step up. And the ripple effects extend way beyond your team. So don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. You don’t need a giant audience, a massive checkbook or a five-year plan to make an impact. You just need to care enough to begin. You’ll be amazed by what comes of it on every level of your organization.

    Pick something simple. Volunteer for a day, and invite your team into the process. Whatever you do, it doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be real. Because when your business stands for something more, people stand with you. And that is when things really start to grow.

    When I started out, the goal was pretty straightforward: Make lots of money. Like most new entrepreneurs, I figured once I’d “made it,” then I’d give back. That part would come later. Success first, impact second.

    Looking back, I now realize that mentality was a massive mistake. In fact, I believe it was one of the fundamental reasons it took me years to find any success. I now realize that pushing purpose to the back burner might be the thing that stalls your growth even more than poor marketing.

    Everything turned around for me when I stopped “chasing paper” and started asking how I could help. When that shift happened, my business started to thrive in ways I never expected. And the money? It followed, as a side effect. It’s a fact that we all know deep down, but too often forget.

    The rest of this article is locked.

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    Matt Leitz

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  • Bread and Roses Festival rooted in strength, solidarity

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    LAWRENCE — Labor Day’s Bread and Roses Heritage Festival will rally in the face of adversity, pull from the past and prepare for the future.

    At the 41st festival Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Campagnone North Common, visitors will join circle discussions revolving around strength and solidarity.


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    By Terry Date | tdate@eagletribune.com

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  • The 2025/26 Harkness Mainstage Series Is Amplifying Women’s Artistry Across Genres

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    Dormeshia’s Ladies in the Shoe Tap Conference. Courtesy 92Y

    “This season is personal for us,” Alison Manning, co-executive director of the Harkness Dance Center, tells Observer. “We as an institution are pointing to the fact that we’re in a cultural moment where women’s rights and bodies and voices seem to be under renewed threat. Dance has always been a space for storytelling and truth-telling, and we believe that who tells the story matters. By centering women and female-identifying artists, we’re looking to amplify those voices that have been historically sidelined and create a season that is as much a statement as it is an artistic offering.”

    Indeed, women have long been sidelined in the dance field, and while progress has been made in the past few decades, there is still more work to be done. According to the Dance Data Project’s most recent reports (of the 2023-2024 season), gender inequity is alive and well. Of the 2,221 ballet, contemporary, and modern dance works presented at 116 performing arts centers in the U.S., only 31.4 percent were choreographed by women. Women choreographed 30.2 percent of full-length works and 32.3 percent of mixed-bill works. Theaters with the largest seating capacity programmed the smallest number of women-made works (22.2 percent). Of the 217 artistic directors leading classically based dance companies in the U.S. and internationally, only 65 (30.0 percent) are women. And of the 202 choreographers currently holding resident positions in companies, 90 are women (44.6 percent) and 110 are men (54.5 percent). Remember that the dance field is majority female—CareerExplorer data shows that 87 percent of working dancers are female and 13 percent are male.

    But enough about numbers. When Manning and her team chose the title “Women Move the World” for this history-making season, the word “move” initially referred to physical movement, but over time, the word started resonating for them in new ways. Movement can also imply progress and momentum. “For centuries, women have been moving this art form forward, but often without equal visibility,” Manning said. “And so move in this context also means, for us, to inspire, to create change, to claim space.”

    But enough about words. On to dance! “Women Move the World,” which runs from September through May at 92NY, will feature performances from big-name choreographers and beloved hometown companies, as well as emerging voices and international artists. There will be an immersive opening celebration, six genre-spanning programs and three diverse festivals.

    An image shows a male dancer in a black suit kicking one leg high while three other dancers in shadowy light echo stylized movements behind him.An image shows a male dancer in a black suit kicking one leg high while three other dancers in shadowy light echo stylized movements behind him.
    The French-Canadian company Hélène Simoneau Danse will perform the world premiere of Late Bloomer in November. Photography by Rita Taylor

    What to expect on opening night

    The season will open on September 13 with Swing Out Loud: Women Move the World—part Authentic Jazz/Lindy Hop dance lesson, part swing dance party, part performance—led by Bessie Award winner LaTasha Barnes and accompanied by One BadA** Swing Band.

    Even though the season’s mission is serious and carries significant weight, Manning wanted to open it with a party. She said, “I am also trying to drive us—’us’ meaning 92NY and the artists on this program, and also the wider dance community in New York-towards this idea that in the face of all of this, we must have joy. We must have celebration, and we must uplift one another.”

    As for who should lead the opening celebration, Manning immediately thought of Barnes, who embodies so many qualities this season strives for—joy, resistance, representation, legacy—and had been part of 92NY’s inaugural Uptown Rhythm Dance Festival last season.

    Barnes comes from a long line of “movers and shakers and innovators” and is an internationally recognized tradition-bearer of Black American Social Dance. When asked how she felt about opening the season, she said, “The word that’s coming to mind, honestly, is ‘magnanimous,’ but that may be a little too flowery for what’s actually happening. It’s really quite humbling, and it’s really inspiring for me.”

    The night will begin with Barnes’ “very exciting and fun hybrid dance lesson,” starting with Authentic Jazz for those who want to dance alone, followed by Lindy Hop for those who want to be partnered. Then the floor will open for the swing dance party, interspersed with live performances, “offering some perspective into how badass the women in New York swing are and how badass their collective artistry is and can be.” Performers range from young protégés like Reyna Núñez to seasoned veterans “who just swing their faces off like Gaby Cook, and some of our most esteemed elders and ‘keepers of the flame,’ as we call them, but I’m calling them the ‘keepers of the beat.’”

    92NY’s social dance nights are often packed and intergenerational, drawing families with young children up to people in their 90s, dancing the night away. “I hope everyone will come out to celebrate,” Barnes said. “It is ‘Women Move the World,’ but we want everyone in the space to be able to dance with us.”

    The movers and shakers of the season

    92NY’s dance history is rooted in American modern dance. Harkness Dance Center was founded in 1935 by Doris Humphrey and attracted other modern dance pioneers like Martha Graham, Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, José Limón, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham and Alvin Ailey. So it is no surprise that most of the programs in the season feature modern and contemporary dance.

    An image shows two dancers in white performing among large suspended fabric pieces, one standing in an arabesque while the other reclines on the floor.An image shows two dancers in white performing among large suspended fabric pieces, one standing in an arabesque while the other reclines on the floor.
    Sara Mearns and Jodi Melnick in CARVALHO’s summer performance series. Photo: Heidi Lee

    Some choreographers, like Yue Yin (whose company YY Dance Company will present the world premiere of Elsewhere on October 17 and 18), Heidi Latsky (presenting the talk/performance Who Am I Now? on January 10 and 11), and Aszure Barton have longstanding relationships with 92NY. Although Andrea Miller has taught at Harkness Dance Center, her critically acclaimed company GALLIM will perform BLUSH for the first time on their stage on April 30 and May 1. The French-Canadian Hélène Simoneau Danse will perform the world premiere of Late Bloomer on November 14 and 15, and Jodi Melnick and New York City Ballet principal Sara Mearns will broaden the landscape with the crossover ballet-contemporary world premiere of Superbloom (Dancing into Choreographic Forms) on March 27 and 28.

    Barton, who will be closing out the season with An Evening with Aszure Barton on May 21, explains that, “92NY has been home to generations of incredible humans breaking new ground, and being part of this ongoing evolution of dance is deeply meaningful.” The one-night-only performance will showcase the breadth of her style while bringing together “some of the most exquisite dancers” she’s had the privilege to work with over the years, from Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Gauthier Dance//Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart, and elsewhere.

    Then there are the festivals

    The Uptown Rhythm Dance Festival (“Which I am,” Manning says, “no pun intended, super jazzed for!”) returns for the second year on March 2-8. The programs at 92NY are co-curated by Manning and tap sensation Michelle Dorrance and co-presented with Works & Process at the Guggenheim and Dormeshia’s Ladies in the Shoe Tap Conference.

    The week-long festival will include performances, discussions and classes “that celebrate the power, artistry and cultural impact of women in rhythmic dance.” This year’s roster of all female and female-identifying artists will perform tap, hip hop, flamenco, Kathak, street dance, Irish step, Appalachian flatfooting and more.

    The Future Dance Festival returns for its fifth year on April 17-18 (the Online Dance Film Festival will be streaming on April 16-23), uplifting emerging choreographers and filmmakers as always, but this year the applicants, panelists and curators will all be women and female-identifying.

    And, according to Manning, for the first time, the season will include a “wildly exciting and hard to pull off” day-long festival on February 21 dedicated to Indian classical dance and music: What Flows Beneath Us: A Festival of India’s Classical Arts in Cross-Cultural Dialogue, curated by renowned Kathak artist Rachna Nivas. The daytime program will include performances by musicians and dancers from the North Indian and South Indian lineages, traditional food and “space for gathering across generations.”

    An image shows four women in white and gold costumes performing Indian classical dance on stage against a red backdrop.An image shows four women in white and gold costumes performing Indian classical dance on stage against a red backdrop.
    SPEAK features Rachna Nivas, Rukhmani Mehta, Michelle Dorrance, Dormeshia and others. Courtesy 92Y

    Nivas says that while women have had a complicated history with Indian classical dance over its 2000-year existence, they are currently well represented and respected in the field. The imbalance is more obvious in Indian classical music, so she is thrilled to highlight female lead musicians alongside a few male accompanists. “It’s really pretty extraordinary to have a festival like that for us, because we don’t…,” here she pauses and laughs knowingly, “…that’s totally not the case, usually.”

    Nivas is grateful to have been surrounded by so many incredible women, her ‘dance sisters,’ who were also training with her guru, Pandit Chitresh Das. “He would constantly tell us, and tell the audience when there was one, that women were more powerful and stronger than men, and that men needed to understand that. Which was really radical.”

    The festival will culminate in an evening performance of SPEAK, a collaboration between Nivas, Rukhmani Mehta, Michelle Dorrance and Dormeshia, accompanied by an all-female Indian classical and jazz ensemble. This conversation between Kathak and American tap picks up where another one left off. Nivas’ teacher, Das, collaborated with Dorrance’s, Jason Samuels Smith, in an all-male show called India Jazz Suites (2005). Because of that relationship, Nivas and Dorrance have known each other for years. “At some point,” Nivas says, “I thought it was time for us to write a new chapter of this conversation between Kathak and tap, and have the ladies give it a go.” SPEAK premiered in California in 2017 and even toured to India, but this New York premiere is not to be missed.

    “I’m so grateful for this bold, courageous thing that Alison and the rest of the team at Harkness Dance Center are making,” Nivas said. “It’s just another testament to when women come together, the sky’s the limit for what can be accomplished.”

    All performances for “Women Move the World” will be held in the historic Kaufmann Concert Hall and in Buttenwieser Hall at the Arnhold Center at 92NY. Tickets are available here.

    More in performing arts

    The 2025/26 Harkness Mainstage Series Is Amplifying Women’s Artistry Across Genres

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    Caedra Scott-Flaherty

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  • This Company Gives Away 100% of Its Profits — And Its Thriving | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Even the staunchest capitalists acknowledge the tension between profit and social good. In a consumer-driven society, money often overshadows morals.

    Many founders claim their companies exist to make a difference, but in a system that prioritizes profits, good intentions are easily squeezed out. The Green brothers stand out as rare exceptions.

    Award-winning authors and YouTube trailblazers Hank and John Green have a storied history of supporting global health causes. At first, they did so by raising awareness with their platform. Now, the always innovative brothers are trying a more active form of philanthropy.

    Their latest venture, Good Store, is taking social justice to a new level, selling sustainable, quality products and donating 100% — yes, 100% — of profits to charity.

    Related: This Keepsake Reminds Me of My First Dream — And Why I’m Grateful It Never Came True

    Image Credit: Good Store

    The Fault in Our Systems

    While the Green brothers are best known for their bestselling novels and educational YouTube videos that have guided countless high school students, philanthropy is quite literally in their DNA. They grew up in a family deeply rooted in nonprofit work: their father worked at The Nature Conservancy, while their mother was a community activist.

    “Our parents are never proud of us when we accomplish anything other than giving money away,” John jokes.

    Early in his career, John worked at a tertiary care children’s hospital as a student chaplain — an experience that proved to be immeasurably formative.

    “Every kid who came into that place received excellent care,” he recalls. “It wasn’t perfect, and the outcomes weren’t always what people wanted, but everyone had a chance.”

    In 2011, brothers John and Hank Green launched the educational YouTube channel Crash Course. During that period, they became increasingly interested in global health equity, often brainstorming ways to support what John describes as “long-term interventions.”

    “I think I was probably a little more passive in my early activism,” John recalls. “But around the time of the success of The Fault in Our Stars, I realized I now had time — not just money, but also other resources — that I could use.”

    One of those resources was the small online merch store the brothers had started in 2008. They decided to direct its revenue toward improving healthcare in Sierra Leone, one of the world’s most impoverished nations.

    “It’s easy to feel paralyzed when trying to address the world’s problems — they’re endless, and horrors abound in every direction,” John says. “For us, the goal was to make a long-term investment in one community, so we could see the kind of positive change that unfolds over time.”

    Their first step was to consult trusted peers, asking who was doing the most effective work in these communities. Again and again, one name came up: Partners In Health, an organization they had already supported through their annual charity event, Project for Awesome.

    The brothers called them up, asking if they were interested in a more formal partnership, and the rest is history.

    “When we started providing support to the maternal healthcare system in Sierra Leone, about one in 17 women were dying during pregnancy or childbirth,” John says. “Today, it’s closer to one in 53. Our contribution is only a tiny part of that progress — most of the credit goes to the Sierra Leonean government and the Sierra Leonean people — but being able to play even a small role is a reminder that life doesn’t merely suck.”

    Related: Do You Give Discounts To Your Nonprofit Clients? I Don’t

    From Paper Towns to real impact

    In addition to material health in Sierra Leone, Good Store also supports causes like TB treatment in Lesotho, and coral reef restoration — all powered by the sales of everyday products like socks, underwear and soap.

    “We’re trying to create more ethical ways to consume the things you have to consume,” John says. “People need these essentials, so we want to offer them at a fair price, but with a different business model.”

    Shockingly, this model doesn’t exactly have investors tripping over themselves to join on. After all, the economic ROI of a company that donates all of its profits after breaking even isn’t exactly enticing to traditional capitalists.

    That means the brothers rely on their own money and investments from a few close friends to fund the business.

    “The deal is that we break even, and the rest of the money goes to charity,” John explains. “In the narrow sense, is that a good investment? No. But like, I’ve had investments that didn’t break even.”

    While he admits to hearing out “socially conscious” venture capitalists over the years, John believes the company doesn’t require outside money to be successful.

    “We’ve been growing steadily for the last 15 years, and I’m comfortable with that pace,” he says. “Having capital to accelerate growth would be exciting, but it would also come with strings I’m not comfortable with.”

    Conclusion

    Success for Good Store means more than just a positive profit margin. It means funding treatment for the 1.5 million people who die of tuberculosis each year, and helping lower maternal mortality rates in Sierra Leone.

    The world may not be a wish-granting factory, but for countless people around the globe, Good Store comes remarkably close.

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    Leo Zevin

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  • ‘Tariffs will simply put us all out of business’: Trump’s trade war is crushing American crafters

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    As President Donald Trump’s tariffs make life less affordable and predictable for Americans, they’re also threatening to make it less creative. American craft stores are struggling to keep up with ever-changing trade policies, which are making the foreign-made products they stock more expensive and difficult to access. Many foreign craft supply companies are now unable to ship to American consumers at all.

    Dana Chadwell founded Chattanooga Yarn Company three years ago when she “saw a niche in the local market that wasn’t being filled by the big box stores such as JoAnn, Michael’s, and Hobby Lobby.” She envisioned “a place to find fine yarns for hand knitting and crochet, and a place to build community around yarn crafting.” It’s been a successful venture “in both the business and community aspect” and “I’m truly living my dreams,” Chadwell explains—but tariffs have thrown her shop into a world of uncertainty.

    Over 90 percent of her stock has been affected by tariffs, Chadwell says. “Every supplier I have, minus one, from major to minor, has had a price increase,” she continues. “Because the tariff situation has been so unpredictable…it has made long term planning impossible.”

    “I feel like I’m stuck in a reactive rather than proactive status,” says Chadwell.

    From aluminum knitting needles to printed garment fabric to bottles of oil paint, American crafters work with many materials that are produced abroad. That has left them particularly vulnerable to Trump’s trade war. Imports from Europe currently face tariffs of 15 percent, and while sky-high tariffs on China are paused until mid-November, they still stand at 57.6 percent, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Worse still, Trump is doing away with the de minimis exemption, which allows goods valued at under $800 to enter the U.S. tariff-free. Casual crafters and bustling craft stores alike will see their costs go up.

    Chadwell did all of her fall 2025 shopping this past spring—something she says is typical of yarn shops. “Think about how many changes there have been to tariffs since then,” she points out. “It has been extremely chaotic.” With no hope of planning for the long term, she decided to buy more inventory than she typically would in an attempt to lock in “lower, pre-tariff costs.” As a business owner, she doesn’t intend to spend beyond her means—”I opened with no debt and intend to stay that way,” she explains—so she emptied her rainy-day fund “in order to front-load [her] ordering.”

    Chadwell has told customers that they can expect higher prices starting this fall. “I simply can’t ‘eat’ the tariffs as a small business,” she says. She’s stopped carrying certain products “due to tariff-based cost increases” and tried to stock lower-priced items “to help my customers keep within their family budgets.” She’s brought in more American-made yarns, but “those are luxury yarns without the tariffs, so they’re a higher priced option.”

    Exclusively stocking U.S.-produced materials isn’t an option for most craft stores. “Tariffs impact American-made yarns as well,” pointed out Fibre Space, a yarn store in Alexandria, Virginia. That’s because “American-made goods still rely on materials made in other countries.” Yarn “is an agricultural product,” observes Chadwell, “so certain crops and certain livestock produce the best fiber in very specific climates that aren’t necessarily” found in the United States. Meanwhile, “needles, notions, doodads, [and] bags…can only be produced at much higher prices” here.

    Joann craft store, long the first stop for budget-conscious crafters or people hoping to try out a new hobby, closed its doors in May. Many craft shops “have started to try to bring in products at a more affordable price point to serve” those customers, says Abby Glassenberg, co-founder and president of the Craft Industry Alliance, a trade association for craft businesses. “But with the tariffs, that becomes also more difficult, because a lot of those more budget-friendly supplies are made overseas.”

    Once the de minimis exemption expires on Friday, even small orders of goods will be subject to country-specific tariffs. “According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, 1.36 billion packages that qualified for the exemption arrived during 2024,” reported Reason‘s Eric Boehm. Several European shippers, including DHL, Britain’s Royal Mail, and France’s La Poste, have announced that they will temporarily pause shipments to the U.S., “citing ambiguous policies and the need to establish brand-new logistics systems,” reported NPR. Danish, Swedish, Italian, and Austrian postal companies have also halted U.S.-bound shipments.

    Even before those decisions would have prevented European vendors from selling their products to American crafters, several companies cut off orders to the United States. The popular Danish yarn brand Knitting for Olive announced that it would only ship to American yarn stores—not direct to individual crafters—as a result of U.S. trade policies. The British craft store Wool Warehouse suspended all shipments to the U.S. on August 21. “Clearly this is not something we want to do,” explained the shop, calling U.S. sales “a significant part of our business.” But “the likely average extra charges will be in the region of 50%” per order. The shop anticipated that few customers would be willing to pay that charge upon receipt, leading “to HUGE amounts of undelivered packages being returned to us.”

    The “vast majority” of businesses in America’s crafts industry are small businesses, says Glassenberg. Many rely on the de minimis exemption to place small wholesale orders to afford the component parts that go into craft kits and handmade products. “The reality is the supply chain in the U.S. is just not robust enough at this time to be able to provide those items,” she continues.

    Some crafters will find ways to adapt. Glassenberg sees increased interest in mending workshops and creative reuse centers, which are secondhand craft supply stores. In online forums about tariffs, knitters and crocheters predict that they’ll weather the trade war by working through their yarn stashes or unraveling previous projects and thrifted sweaters to reuse the material.

    Still, those tactics leave out many casual crafters who just want to buy a cheap crochet hook and a skein of acrylic yarn. That might sound like a small thing, but tariffs prevent all sorts of voluntary transactions that shape lives and culture in big—and often inconspicuous—ways. That means shops that won’t be started, gifts that won’t be made by hand, and hobbies that won’t be taken up. And more immediately, tariffs are punishing business owners who want to help Americans fill their lives with more creativity.

    “Those of us who are running our shops as a profitable business are deeply concerned but also very frustrated because we feel like we have no control over our fates,” says Chadwell. “There is a point at which tariffs will simply put us all out of business no matter how well we manage our shops.”

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    Fiona Harrigan

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  • Jude Law Contributes Nothing But Full-Frontal Nudity in ‘Eden’

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    The mostly nude ‘Eden’ character Friedrich Ritter (played by the neurotic hilt by Jude Law) and his companion-bedmate (Vanessa Kirby), who eventually loses her mind. Jasin Boland

    After a dismal debut one year ago at the Toronto International Film Festival and a universal refusal of commercial release by every major film company, Ron Howard finally decided to open his dreadful, independently produced and directed film Eden with his own money. Curiosity centers on one word: “Why?”

    EDEN ★ (1/4 stars)
    Directed by: Ron Howard
    Written by: Noah Pink
    Starring: Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Daniel Brühl, Sydney Sweeney
    Running time: 129 mins.

    It’s a strange, creepy departure for Howard, who grew up in the movie business, from a cute kid on Andy Griffith’s TV sitcom and family-fit movies like The Courtship of Eddie’s Father to a mature, Oscar-winning director of box office hits such as Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind. Like Steven Spielberg, his films are usually polished, coherent, and suitable for all ages. His obsession with Eden delivers none of those things, and it’s so vile, pretentious and confusing in style over substance that a lot of it is downright unwatchable. 

    Set in the years after World War I when fascism was growing in fear and chaos, it centers on a small group of obnoxious German dissidents who denounce Hitler’s allegedly civilized society and withdraw to an ugly, barren volcanic island in the Galapagos called Floriana, led by an eccentric Teutonic doctor-philosopher named Friedrich Ritter (played to the neurotic hilt by Jude Law), who spends his days glued to a broken-down typewriter writing a book about the New Order. Ritter believes the only way to save the world is to destroy the old one and create a new one. He drags along his companion-bedmate Dora (Vanessa Kirby), who writhes and jerks her way through the agony of multiple sclerosis before eventually going stark raving insane.

    Any warped would-be Nietzsche like Ritter is bound to attract supporters, so it’s just a matter of counting sheep before other followers and fans show up. Heinz Wittmer (Daniel Bruhl) and his wife Margret (Sydney Sweeney) bring along a son with tuberculosis, thinking Ritter will welcome them, but he is hostile and hateful, warning them that life on Floreana is unsurvivable. (That doesn’t begin to cover it. There’s no fresh water, and food consists of muddy roots, dead animals and wild pigs.)

    Next comes the loopy Baroness Eloise Wehrborn de Wagner Basquat (Ana de Armas) with her sexual threesome, phony accent and vicious dog Marquis de Sade. She eats only canned food, and plans to build a luxury resort hotel with whatever she can beg, borrow and steal. In what seems like an eternity, they all argue, vomit and resort to violent blows. While we watch them fall apart, Howard lays on the horror. Jude Law contributes nothing more than an abundance of full-frontal nudity because that’s what he does best in almost all of his films. There’s plenty of sex, disease and animal cruelty, while most of the cast dies from food poisoning after eating rotten chickens. But it’s really Sydney Sweeney who wins the top prize for unspeakable suffering in a long, unbearable sequence of natural childbirth without anesthesia while a pack of hungry, snarling dogs watch and wait, hoping to make a meal of the newborn placenta.

    The deadly screenplay by Noah Pink brings to the assignment zero knowledge of form, craft or discipline. No character is developed seriously or deeply enough to reach more than the most superficial surface identity. Eden is supposed to be an adventurous examination of what happens when civilization breaks down and man’s true nature is revealed, but it comes off more like one of those boring, incomprehensible Wes Anderson films that they make up, scene by scene, as they go along.

    Jude Law Contributes Nothing But Full-Frontal Nudity in ‘Eden’

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    Rex Reed

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  • 3 steps to build belonging in the classroom

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    Key points:

    The first few weeks of school are more than a fresh start–they’re a powerful opportunity to lay the foundation for the relationships, habits, and learning that will define the rest of the year. During this time, students begin to decide whether they feel safe, valued, and connected in your classroom.

    The stakes are high. According to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, only 55 percent of students reported feeling connected to their school. That gap matters: Research consistently shows that a lack of belonging can harm grades, attendance, and classroom behavior. Conversely, a strong sense of belonging not only boosts academic self-efficacy but also supports physical and mental well-being.

    In my work helping hundreds of districts and schools implement character development and future-ready skills programs, I’ve seen how intentionally fostering belonging from day one sets students–and educators–up for success. Patterns from schools that do this well have emerged, and these practices are worth replicating.

    Here are three proven steps to build belonging right from the start.

    1. Break the ice with purpose

    Icebreakers might sound like old news, but the reality is that they work. Research shows these activities can significantly increase engagement and participation while fostering a greater sense of community. Students often describe improved classroom atmosphere, more willingness to speak up, and deeper peer connections after just a few sessions.

    Some educators may worry that playful activities detract from a serious academic tone. In practice, they do the opposite. By helping students break down communication barriers, icebreakers pave the way for risk-taking, collaboration, and honest reflection–skills essential for deep learning.

    Consider starting with activities that combine movement, play, and social awareness:

    • Quick-think challenges: Build energy and self-awareness by rewarding quick and accurate responses.
    • Collaborative missions: Engage students working toward a shared goal that demands communication and teamwork.
    • Listen + act games: Help students develop adaptability through lighthearted games that involve following changing instructions in real time.

    These activities are more than “fun warm-ups.” They set a tone that learning here will be active, cooperative, and inclusive.

    2. Strengthen executive functioning for individual and collective success

    When we talk about belonging, executive functioning skills–like planning, prioritizing, and self-monitoring–may not be the first thing we think of. Yet they’re deeply connected. Students who can organize their work, set goals, and regulate their emotions are better prepared to contribute positively to the class community.

    Research backs this up. In a study of sixth graders, explicit instruction in executive functioning improved academics, social competence, and self-regulation. For educators, building these skills benefits both the individual and the group.

    Here are a few ways to embed executive functioning into the early weeks:

    • Task prioritization exercise: Help students identify and rank their tasks, building awareness of time and focus.
    • Strengths + goals mapping: Guide students to recognize their strengths and set values-aligned goals, fostering agency.
    • Mindful check-ins: Support holistic well-being by teaching students to name their emotions and practice stress-relief strategies.

    One especially powerful approach is co-creating class norms. When students help define what a supportive, productive classroom looks like, they feel ownership over the space. They’re more invested in maintaining it, more likely to hold each other accountable, and better able to self-regulate toward the group’s shared vision.

    3. Go beyond the first week to build deeper connections

    Icebreakers are a great start, but true belonging comes from sustained, meaningful connection. It’s tempting to think that once names are learned and routines are set, the work is done–but the deeper benefits come from keeping this focus alive alongside academics.

    The payoff is significant. School connectedness has been shown to reduce violence, protect against risky behaviors, and support long-term health and success. In other words, connection is not a “nice to have”–it’s a protective factor with lasting impact.

    Here are some deeper connection strategies:

    • Shared values agreement: Similar to creating class norms, identify the behaviors that promote safety, kindness, and understanding.
    • Story swap: Have students share an experience or interest with a partner, then introduce each other to the class.
    • Promote empathy in action: Teach students to articulate needs, seek clarification, and advocate for themselves and others.

    These activities help students see one another as whole people, capable of compassion and understanding across differences. That human connection creates an environment where everyone can learn more effectively.

    Take it campus-wide

    These strategies aren’t limited to students. Adults on campus benefit from them, too. Professional development can start with icebreakers adapted for adults. Department or PLC meetings can incorporate goal-setting and reflective check-ins. Activities that build empathy and connection among staff help create a healthy, supportive adult culture that models the belonging we want students to experience.

    When teachers feel connected and supported, they are more able to foster the same in their classrooms. That ripple effect–staff to students, students to peers–creates a stronger, more resilient school community.

    Belonging isn’t a single event; it’s a practice. Start the year with purpose, keep connection alive alongside academic goals, and watch how it transforms your classroom and your campus culture. In doing so, you’ll give students more than a positive school year. You’ll give them tools and relationships they can carry for life.

    Latest posts by eSchool Media Contributors (see all)

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    Brandy Arnold, Wayfinder 

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  • Ringing in Mahrajan: 3-day festival to begin in Lawrence

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    LAWRENCE — A 166-year-old bell will toll again Friday, ringing in three days of Lebanese music, dance and food at St. Anthony Maronite Church’s annual Mahrajan.

    The music will be live, the dance traditional and the food – family recipes – straight from the church kitchen or a grill on the grounds.


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    By Terry Date | tdate@eagletribune.com

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  • Stop Telling Women to ‘Smile More’— It’s Time to End This Workplace Double Standard | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As we race to our social media channels to recognize and honor Women’s Equality Day, let’s not forget the daily struggles women continue to face both at our kitchen tables and at our conference room tables.

    In our workplaces, the everyday bias women face on how we speak, how we look and how we act can slowly chip away at us. And sometimes, these comments and actions that may be categorized as “innocent mistakes” impact performance reviews and advancement and promotion opportunities. All of which hits our paychecks, ultimately contributing to widening the gender pay gap.

    In my book, The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn From Bad Bosses, I share that my former boss, whom I nicknamed The Cheerleader, always wanted me to be happy. He wanted me to be smiling big like a Cheshire Cat or The Joker.

    “Why aren’t you smiling? What happened? Don’t worry, be happy!” The Cheerleader would always say this to me, pointing to his mouth and making a hand gesture for me to smile. And most of the time when I received this feedback, nothing had actually happened. I would be just at my desk diligently working, focused and apparently, not smiling. But he wanted me to always be smiling and always be projecting happiness, no matter what the circumstances were. This left my cheekbones sore and me feeling exhausted from the pretense of always projecting a positive, can-do attitude instead of just doing my work.

    So on this Women’s Equality Day, stop asking women to smile at work. Instead, here are three things leaders should focus on to break the bias in our workplaces.

    Related: 3 Ways Female Entrepreneurs Can Shatter Stereotypes While Also Empowering Others

    1. Focus on performance, not if they are smiling

    According to one study, 98% of women reported being told to smile at work sometime during the course of their careers, and 15% said the request to smile on demand happens weekly for them, if not more frequently. Of course, individuals who smile may be viewed as happier, likable and approachable.

    “Smiling is very much associated as a gender marker,” says Marianne LaFrance, a professor of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at Yale University and author of the book Why Smile? “It marks one’s femininity and a more communal stance toward life. Though smiling is generally a positive characteristic, it falls to women to do more of it because we want to make sure women are doing what we expect them to do, which is to care for others.”

    Telling women to smile may seem harmless in the workplace. And it reinforces the societal expectation that women should be cheerful, approachable and make others feel more comfortable with a simple smile.

    Don’t use “the smile” as an indicator of whether women are performing or not on the job. Rather than focusing on their facial expressions, focus on their performance. Ensure all employees have clear goals and metrics and they understand when and what they are expected to deliver. And take the time to evaluate them fairly based on their work, and not based on how often they smile.

    Related: If You Want to Honor Women’s Equality Day, Start by Re-evaluating the Performance Feedback You Give Women at Work

    2. Recognize and respect how individuals express emotions

    I enjoy smiling. But when my former boss, The Cheerleader, would tell me to smile on demand, that’s when I started to dislike smiling. At times, I would shoot a quick smile back just to appease the situation. And when I am doing work at my desk, I am concentrating on completing the task at hand. I am not focused on how I look, if I am smiling or not. I just want to do the best work I can.

    For women, smiling on demand in the workplace can seem more like a requirement. According to Harvard Business Review, “This pervasive stereotype not only characterizes Black women as more hostile, aggressive, overbearing, illogical, ill-tempered and bitter, but it may also be holding them back from realizing their full potential in the workplace.”

    Let’s recognize and respect how women, and all individuals, express emotions, especially being content or happy at work. Depending on the culture and environment you were raised in, a smile doesn’t always equal happiness.

    For some, a smile without clear context or reasoning may seem suspicious, even a sign of weakness or dishonesty. For some, smiling constantly may be a way to mask how they are truly feeling. For some, they may not smile freely at strangers and only smile with close friends or family members where they feel comfortable. Remember that smiling is not the only way to determine if someone feels they are content and doing well at their job.

    Related: Men Are Seen as Experts More Often Than Their Women Counterparts — and It’s Time to Break Those Gender Biases.

    3. Challenge the idea that smiling is part of the job requirement

    As leaders, do we ask women to smile more than men? And if we do, why is it a job requirement at all to be ready to flash a smile on demand? Here’s how we can respectfully challenge and break through the bias:

    Do we ask Jeff to smile more often, who is also up for a promotion? Why is this feedback we are specifically giving Mita, to smile more and be happier in the office?

    Mita has gotten strong performance ratings the last two years in a row, and this year, she has exceeded all her goals and has received positive feedback from her team and peers. Can someone help me understand why we need her to smile more?

    Why do we need Mita to smile more often? What makes us uncomfortable about her not smiling? Is her lack of smiling impacting her performance?

    Next time you have the urge to ask a woman to smile more at work, stop and pause. Why does she need to smile to be successful and happy at work? Help yourself and others move beyond how she looks and focus on how she drives business results to help break the bias in our workplaces.

    As we race to our social media channels to recognize and honor Women’s Equality Day, let’s not forget the daily struggles women continue to face both at our kitchen tables and at our conference room tables.

    In our workplaces, the everyday bias women face on how we speak, how we look and how we act can slowly chip away at us. And sometimes, these comments and actions that may be categorized as “innocent mistakes” impact performance reviews and advancement and promotion opportunities. All of which hits our paychecks, ultimately contributing to widening the gender pay gap.

    In my book, The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn From Bad Bosses, I share that my former boss, whom I nicknamed The Cheerleader, always wanted me to be happy. He wanted me to be smiling big like a Cheshire Cat or The Joker.

    The rest of this article is locked.

    Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

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    Mita Mallick

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