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  • Why frozen pizza is the best pizza

    Why frozen pizza is the best pizza

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    Debates about pizza are a lot like debates about religion, or politics, or monetary policy: There are a lot of strongly held beliefs, but very little is ever truly resolved.

    Yet if one were to make a list of candidates for the best pizza in New York City—which, with apologies to Chicago, Detroit, and New Haven, is a reasonable proxy for the best pizza in America—then Di Fara Pizza would almost certainly make the cut.

    Di Fara is something of a legend among pizza enthusiasts. In 2009, The New York Times called it “one of the most acclaimed and sought-after pizza shops in New York City.” The shop has repeatedly won contests for best pizza in New York and has at times been overrun by bustling crowds and long lines. A slice of Di Fara isn’t just a piece of pizza; it’s a tradition, a public ritual, a foodie culture event.

    Di Fara is located on Avenue J in a heavily Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Brooklyn called Midwood. Taking the subway from Manhattan takes the better part of an hour, and when you arrive, you encounter a shop that has been open since 1965 and looks the part: Outside, there’s a large, heavily weathered sign advertising “PIZZA” and “ITALIAN HEROS,” though most of the place’s nonpizza items were discontinued long ago. Inside, Di Fara is what one might politely call unassuming—or, less politely, dilapidated.

    After you order a slice, it takes about five minutes to heat it up in one of the shop’s gas-powered metal ovens. The slice also looks unassuming. There is nothing on the plate or in the shop to visibly signal this is trendy food, sought after by connoisseurs. There is no pretense in the presentation of the product, which is served on a paper plate and a tear of tinfoil. Aside from a slightly elevated price of $5, there is little to indicate this slice is all that different from any of the other hundreds or thousands of slices of pizza one could eat in the greater New York area.

    Instead, it is simply, casually, almost indifferently excellent, an edible lesson in pizza perfection. The cheesy top is bubbly and gently browned; the not-too-sweet sauce tastes like summer-fresh tomatoes; the crust is crackly and buttery, with the hint of warm softness one can obtain only from freshly heated bread.

    Di Fara was founded by Domenico DeMarco, an Italian immigrant who passed away in 2022. When he died, New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells described him as “a living link between the cooking of Southern Italy, where he was born in 1936, and New York City’s corner-slice culture.” DeMarco was famously fussy about ingredients, and the results are apparent in every astounding bite.

    A slice from Di Fara simply tastes better than I ever imagined pizza could. Months later, I can still recall the sublime balance of flavors, the light and crispy texture. I can say with certainty it is the single most delicious, most satisfying piece of pizza I have ever had.

    But Di Fara does not make the best pizza in America. Nor does any other celebrated pizza shop in New York or elsewhere. Not even Chicago.

    The best pizza in America doesn’t come from an oven in Brooklyn or some other cult foodie mecca, where it was fastidiously handmade by some aging artisan. It comes from the freezer case at your local grocery store, where it arrived on a semitruck after being constructed on an assembly line at a nondescript factory in the middle of the country.

    The best pizza in America is made by Red Baron, a catchall mass-market brand owned by the frozen-food megacorporation Schwan’s. Red Baron makes frozen pizza with a variety of toppings and in an array of styles, from Thin & Crispy to Classic Crust to Deep Dish, because big corporations don’t judge if you prefer Chicago-style. Personally, I’m fond of Brick Oven Pepperoni, but the particulars are largely irrelevant. Whereas a Di Fara slice tastes indifferently excellent, Red Baron tastes merely indifferent. The sauce is a little too spicy and a little too sweet, without the lively burst of tomato flavor. The cheese and pepperoni have a salty, fatty, processed edge to them. The crust is a little too crispy and a little too brittle. After you pull a Red Baron pizza out of the oven and take your first, slightly-too-hot bite, you are likely to react with a shrug and the thought: Sure, not bad! Judged strictly on its culinary merits—taste, texture, smell, visual appeal—Red Baron is vaguely competent at best. If you cook it properly, it can be reasonably enjoyable, especially in times of stress or exhaustion, but it is never memorable.

    Red Baron’s merits are not culinary, at least not in the usual sense. Its virtues have more to do with convenience, consistency, and price.

    Red Baron is never great pizza, but it is never bad pizza either. It’s also shockingly inexpensive: A whole pizza costs about the same as a single slice from Di Fara. Unlike a hot slice from Di Fara, which can only be found in a couple of locations in New York, Red Baron can be found in grocery stores practically anywhere in the country—and in household freezers anywhere in the country.

    Red Baron is the best pizza not because it’s the tastiest, but because it’s cheap, abundant, and always there.

    Red Baron—along with its many mass-market, corporate-produced, grocery-store-freezer-case contemporaries, such as DiGiorno—represents a kind of culinary miracle, the product of decades of technological innovation and industrial processes, as well as the complex cultural evolution of pizza itself, which began not as an artisanal delicacy but as a lowly, versatile, inexpensive street food for the poor.

    Red Baron is not only the best pizza in America: It is, in at least one underappreciated way, the most authentic.

    Pizza Freedom

    Pizza as we know it originated as a regional street food in Naples, Italy. From the earliest recorded observations, it was a flexible, forgettable food, an on-the-go bite for lazzaroni, or day laborers.Because it was so adaptable, and because it was associated with a class of workers whose lives were unstructured and unplanned, pizza was also associated with a kind of live-as-thou-wilt lifestyle freedom.

    In the mid-1830s, Alexandre Dumas, the French novelist behind books like The Three Musketeers, traveled to the Italian city, and several years later he published Sketches of Naples, a book about his experiences. Several long passages of the book are devoted to the lazzaroni and to one of their primary foods of choice, pizza.

    “Other men have houses,” wrote Dumas, “other men have villas, other men have palaces, the lazzarone has the world. The lazzarone has no master, the lazzarone is amenable to no laws, the lazzarone is above social exigencies; he sleeps when he is sleepy, he eats when he is hungry, he drinks when he is thirsty.”

    The lazarrone diet, in Dumas’ telling, consisted primarily of two foods: watermelon in the summer, and in the winter a curious and deceptively complex dish called pizza. “At first sight,” he wrote, “the pizza appears to be a simple dish, upon examination it proves to be compound. The pizza is prepared with bacon, with lard, with cheese, with tomatas, with fish.”

    The revolving selection of toppings wasn’t just a nod to differing tastes; it was a marker of the city economy’s health. “The price of the pizza rises and falls according to the abundance or scarcity of the year. When the fish-pizza sells at a half grain, the fishing has been good; when the oil-pizza sells at a grain, the yield of olives has been bad. The rate at which the pizza sells is, also, influenced by the greater or less degree of freshness; it will be easily understood that yesterday’s pizza will not bring the same price as today’s.” Pizza, Dumas declared, was “the gastronomic thermometer of the market.” (Even in its earliest incarnations, pizza had something in common with monetary policy.)

    In the century after Dumas described pizza in Naples, pizza began to spread—first around Italy, and then to the shores of the U.S., following waves of Italian immigration. Lombardi’s, often recognized as the first dedicated U.S. pizzeria, opened on Spring Street in Manhattan in 1905, selling pizzas for five cents; as always, it was a thermometer of the market. Other pizzerias soon followed, mostly in the New York area, and eventually beyond. Pizza was initially treated as an Italian specialty food, but even the earliest iterations were Americanized, adapted to domestic tastes and ingredients.

    As Italian pizza began to take root in America in the early 1900s, another innovation was in the works: frozen food.

    A man named Clarence Birdseye had begun experimenting with methods to rapidly freeze all sorts of food, with a focus on fish and vegetables, using methods designed to lock in fresh flavor. Some forms of frozen food already existed when Birdseye began his experiments, but they were slow frozen, resulting in mushy, flavorless food. They were considered so awful that New York passed a law that banned giving frozen food to prisoners. It also required stores to prominently note the presence of frozen foodstuffs in large lettering above their entryways.

    Birdseye saw a different future for frozen food. As a young man he’d worked a series of jobs that took him to far-flung places—the untamed West of the early 1900s, the remote chill of Labrador, Canada—and on his journeys he always missed the taste of fresh food. Like many men of the era, he believed in the power of science and industry; he ended up with hundreds of patents to his name, many of which had nothing to do with food. Unlike many men of the era, he was obsessed with preparing food. His early letters were filled with recipes he’d developed using novel ingredients.

    This combination of interests and experience combined in 1924, when Birdseye obtained a patent for a novel method of freezing fish, based heavily on a quick freezing method he’d learned from the Inuit while working in Canada. Some early freezing machines had existed as early as the mid-1800s, but Birdseye was the first to both grasp and develop such a product’s commercial potential.

    As Mark Kurlansky writes in his 2012 biography, Birdseye, many of the man’s important innovations came not from one-off technological improvements but from the development and marketing of freezing infrastructure. He not only had to implement methods to store and transport frozen food; he had to convince skeptical grocery store owners and consumers that frozen food was in fact worthwhile. He lent expensive freezers to grocers for free so long as they carried his products. He staged elaborate dinners for investors, revealing only at the end that everything they’d eaten had been frozen. He was as much a marketer as an inventor.

    At the heart of Birdseye’s project was a belief in technological progress and the power of industrialization to improve the world. It was a fundamentally different worldview than the one shared by most elite consumers today, which elevates labor-intensive, relatively rare craft products. Understanding Birdseye’s innovations, Kurlansky writes, means understanding that his worldview was shaped by an inescapable localism. “We need to grasp that people who are accustomed only to artisanal goods long for the industrial. It is only when the usual product is industrial that the artisanal is longed for.”

    The Frozen Pizza Revolution

    So it was with pizza. In the years after World War II, pizza became a staple of American dining both out and at home. By the late 1950s, make-at-home pizza recipes were appearing in Betty Crocker cookbooks, still labeled as Italian specialties.

    But pizza of the era was, by definition, artisanal, local, handmade, and labor-intensive. It tasted best when fresh from the oven, which meant you had to be pretty close to where it was cooked in order to enjoy it properly. The problem for pizza was much the same that Birdseye had identified for fish and vegetables: How could people enjoy fresh food without proximity to where it was produced?

    Thanks in part to Birdseye’s innovations, Americans in the postwar era had started buying freezers and refrigerators for their homes. Local entrepreneurs were the first to spot the opportunity: Like other food, pizza could be chilled and reheated at home. In June 1950, The New York Times described a Boston company selling refrigerated pizzas that could be warmed up in the oven; the cost, by this time, was 49 cents a pie. “The tangy pies have a bread-textured crust and are delightfully seasoned with oregano, thyme and a variety of spices,” the Times reported, while recommending that consumers bake them longer than the packaging instructions recommend. Just two weeks after opening, the New York outpost of the company was already churning out 3,000 pizzas a day. Clearly this was an idea with promise.

    Other producers sprang up around the country, often to great success: As a 2020 CNBC story on the history of frozen pizza notes, ads in Massachusetts touted frozen pizzas for just 33 cents—even then, everything was more expensive in New York—while the frozen and refrigerated pizza business boomed everywhere from Akron, Ohio, to Chicago.

    True industrial production came to pizza in the early 1960s, thanks to a Minnesota couple named Jim and Rose Totino. In 1951, when the couple opened an Italian restaurant in Minneapolis, pizza was still enough of an unknown that Rose reportedly had to bake her bank’s loan officer a pizza in order to get funding approved, according to an obituary in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. But the business expanded, and in 1962 the company started making frozen pizzas en masse in a factory in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, a short drive from Minneapolis.

    By the early 1970s, their brand, Totino’s, was the best-selling frozen pizza in the country. A magazine ad picturing Rose advertised “quality, variety and innovation” while touting such new products as “Pizza Slices” and “Microwave Pizza.” In 1974, the company recorded $50 million in sales, and the couple sold their brand to Pillsbury for $20 million in 1975. The following year, Schwan’s launched Red Baron, which would be marketed by a fleet of World War II–era stunt planes. By 2022 it would be the country’s second-most-popular frozen brand, with more than $250 million in sales in the first four months of the year alone.

    Even Bad Pizza

    There is a saying about pizza: Pizza is like sex—even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good. Serious foodies and sexual progressives (but I repeat myself) might disagree, with some cause.

    But the old saw is at least directionally true. Even the worst pizza is usually not so awful, and the merely mediocre examples are, if considerably short of exquisite, often quite satisfying.

    Red Baron pizza is far better than bad. At its best, it’s a pleasantly tacky treat that’s superior to its competition—that includes DiGiorno, the best-selling frozen pizza brand. When DiGiorno came to market in 1995, it was the first frozen pizza to offer a rising crust that expanded into soft, chewy pizza dough when cooked. This helped the brand compete against fresh-baked takeout and delivery pizzas, hence the brand’s long-running slogan: It’s not delivery. It’s DiGiorno.

    DiGiorno’s rising crust pizza was a triumph of industrial innovation that launched the brand to the top of the frozen pizza sales charts. It was also a heavy, bready, crust-dominated pizza that could be enjoyable for a few bites but was simply too dense to truly enjoy after more than a slice. The sales figures say millions of frozen pizza fans disagree with me, but I find Red Baron superior for its balance of peppery sauce, molten cheese, and thin-but-not-too-crackly crust.

    Red Baron’s relative lightness makes it ideal when consumed late at night after a drink (or several) when your local delivery spot has closed for the evening. My favorite local pizzeria stops delivering around 10 p.m. on weeknights. Red Baron, in contrast, respects my night-owl tendencies; as long as I’ve got a box in my freezer, I can have a warm and crispy pie ready in about half an hour, regardless of the time.

    Red Baron’s around-the-clock availability is complemented by its almost absurdly low price point. Even in an expensive grocery market like Washington, D.C., a whole pepperoni pizza—which provides a little more than 1,300 calories—typically sells for roughly $7, and supermarket sales occasionally bring the cost down to half that. My favorite local delivery option starts at $22, and that’s before add-on toppings, delivery, and tip. Red Baron might not taste quite as good, but it’s a fraction of the cost.

    Even as food inflation has skyrocketed since 2020, frozen pizzas have stayed affordable, leading to an 11 percent jump in overall frozen pizza sales in 2022, according to Restaurant Business. As in 17th century Naples, pizza remains a thermometer of the economy.

    As for the taste and texture, Red Baron is a standout, at least among its peers—and not only according to me.

    In July, Consumer Reports published superlatives for frozen pizzas that put Red Baron Classic at the very top, with an Editor’s Choice award. “Red Baron is the crowd pleaser,” the magazine declared. “You get the distinct taste of crust, sauce, and cheese in each bite.” That might sound like a low bar: It’s pizza that, uh, tastes more or less like pizza. But in the sprawling universe of frozen pies, it’s more than enough to rise to the top.

    That universe is almost comically vast. In October 2022, a Twitter user named Michael Bradley shared a video of the frozen pizza selection at a Woodman’s grocery store in Wisconsin. The video lasted just a single minute, but as the camera strolled past case after case and aisle after aisle of frozen pizza, it seemed to go on practically forever, offering endless permutations of frozen crust, sauce, and cheese waiting to be reheated at home. The video, simply captioned “a frozen pizza section in Wisconsin,” became enough of a viral sensation that it was featured on the Today show.

    Frozen food has been with us for most of a century, and frozen pizza has been a staple for over 50 years. Yet even now, the sheer, silly abundance of the stuff remains enough to astound. The variety and expansiveness of a frozen pizza section in Wisconsin is literally awesome: It can provoke a kind of awe.

    That abundance is what Red Baron represents. Red Baron is not, objectively, the single best pizza, period. This year, Pizza Today named a New Haven, Connecticut, pizzeria as the nation’s top pizza joint. The best pizza I’ve ever had, based on a large but not completist sample, is a slice from Di Fara—but Di Fara is in New York, and I live in Washington, D.C. (And while Di Fara will ship frozen pizzas packed with dry ice to my door, they have nothing on the price and convenience of Red Baron.)

    Meanwhile, Red Baron is never farther away than a short trip to the grocery store. Most of the time, it’s in my freezer. That’s why, for me and millions of others, it is frequently the best pizza that is reasonably affordable and available right now. It’s not a bucket-list item for adventuresome foodies, but it is a tasty, filling, and cheap snack for today’s lazzaroni: the working-class eater who owns little but has no masters and is amenable to no laws.

    That sort of virtue, the fruit of industrialization and mass production, of consistency and affordability, is often overlooked in today’s culture—in food especially, but in other goods as well. We live in an era of awesome abundance, of inexpensive availability, of good-enough stuff that is the best not because it’s the most exquisite but because it’s cheap and instantly available and sometimes even surprisingly good for the price. As the story of Clarence Birdseye reminds us, it is only because of that taken-for-granted abundance that we can fully appreciate the elevated excellence of the Di Faras of the world.

    Ironically, Di Fara, too, was once considered something of a déclassé product by the pizza elites of the world. Di Fara heats single slices in gas-powered metal ovens that reach lower temperatures than the wood-fired, whole-pizza brick ovens that some pizza purists consider truly authentic. But over time, Di Fara won over the skeptics by demonstrating the delicate, delicious virtues of single-slice setups. The debate about the best pizza will never be resolved, but perhaps someday the industrially produced wonder that is Red Baron will finally make the list.

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    Peter Suderman

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  • Demystifying the role of the school board director

    Demystifying the role of the school board director

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    Key points:

    In the often stormy waters of public education, there’s an analogy I like to use to describe what school boards do: I think of each school district as being a ship–not a smaller size boat, but more like an ocean liner. In a time when there is confusion around what school board directors do and don’t do, this analogy can help clarify the role of the school board.

    Think of the superintendent as the captain, the one who’s responsible for steering the ship and making sure everyone is doing their job to ensure it’s heading in the right direction. School board directors are akin to the navigators. They’re looking out across the horizon and pointing toward where the ship should be heading. That direction should align with the community’s desires as well as the needs of the students. School boards lay out big, long-term priorities such as strategic planning, budgetary goals, and financial stability. They also support and evaluate the superintendent, who is their only employee.

    However, ships can get knocked off course by tempests like a pandemic or even less cataclysmic factors, such as public opinion, changing demographics in the district, financial challenges, collective bargaining agreements, new board members, or a new superintendent. When that happens, the board’s role is to continue to look toward the destination and give the captain and staff the ability to right the ship and continue onward.

    Roles and responsibilities

    School board directors are elected to represent their constituents, but individuals may take different approaches to this role. Some believe they were elected to advance a specific platform or position. This is often called the delegate model of representation, in which they feel obliged to make decisions that closely align with their constituents without exercising their own judgment. Another approach is referred to as the trustee model, where the board member believes that voters elected them to use their best judgment in ways that are in line with the overall needs of the whole community and student body.

    The trustee approach has the advantage of allowing school directors to consider all available information, some of which might not be widely known by the general public because, for example, they aren’t participating in board work sessions that allow school directors to dive deeply into all aspects of an issue. Also, following the trustee model enables the board member to gather additional input from students, families, and the community as needed to make the most informed decisions. 

    Regardless of their approach, school board directors need to act in the best interest of students. Here in Washington state, one of our school board standards states that the job of school board members is to create conditions for students and staff success.

    Because the nature of their elected office is collaborative, school board directors are in constant communication with various audiences: families, taxpayers, district voters, students, legislators, local government leaders, and their peers in other districts or associations. The form this communication takes may vary by district. For example, many boards have student representatives who can speak directly to their fellow members and have the ability to contribute input on policies.

    This extensive communication gives school board directors the opportunity to explain the nuances of their job, which are often misunderstood by the general public. A school board director’s role is governance rather than management. I often share the example that if you’re a family member who’s frustrated by something going on in your student’s classroom, you might call a school board director who lives in your neighborhood to lodge a complaint against a teacher. However, that is not in any way the role of the school board.

    School board directors must never forget that they are responsible for the overall strategic direction of a district. This ensures they don’t become fixated on one specific interest or devote too much energy to something that amounts to a tiny fraction of the district’s work. A best practice is to explicitly delegate authority to superintendents–and to provide sufficient resources and autonomy for them to do their jobs. This helps boards avoid diverting their attention from strategic matters.

    Creating chaos vs. being a force for good

    People often wonder how much power school boards wield. The truth is one individual school board director has no power—they only have the power to take any official action if they are part of a quorum.

    Where it gets more complicated is the question of indirect power. Board members can have a lot of influence on their communities and on each other, and a responsible board member must be very thoughtful about their role. Board members can be a force for good by correcting misinformation, being supportive of the district, and sharing how the community can engage in collaborative conversations with the district. 

    The biggest qualification

    I have 18 years of school board experience, and when I joined my local school board, I thought I knew a lot about my school district. I did not. I was a parent, but I didn’t understand how the district worked and what the different factors were that went into educating students–and I’m not alone in this assessment among fellow board directors. 

    One of the most important qualifications to be a successful school board member is having an open mind. You need the ability to listen, to learn, and to admit when you are mistaken. This is how I’ve witnessed several of my colleagues grow into successful board directors. Too often, I’ve seen board members come into the role laser-focused on a particular issue–like building infrastructure–only to quickly realize there are hundreds of issues affecting the district.

    Another important qualification is being focused on what’s best for students–not just their academic success, but are the students seen and heard? Do they feel like they belong and can grow into who they were meant to be during their years of education? Ultimately, creating an environment where students can succeed is a board member’s top priority.

    Focus on strategic vision

    At a time when even education is more politicized than ever before, knowing what school board members can and cannot do is critical for an effective school system that serves student needs, while respecting the values of the communities they serve. For optimal impact, the school board’s focus should be on the overall strategic vision for the district, and ensuring students and staff have what they need to succeed.

    Understanding that only responsible and informed school board directors can meaningfully contribute to the long-term success of a school district is the first step in fostering an environment where students can thrive. 

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    Tricia Lubach, Director of Leadership Development, Washington State School Directors’ Association

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  • How Netflix Is Extending Its Tentacles Across Asia in Search of the Next ‘Squid Game’

    How Netflix Is Extending Its Tentacles Across Asia in Search of the Next ‘Squid Game’

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    There’s no shortage of metrics to gauge the runaway success of Squid Game. The dystopian South Korean death-or-glory drama is Netflix’s most-watched series of all time, clocking 1.65 billion viewing hours in its first month (equivalent to 190,000 years). It received 14 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning six. Squid Game star O Yeong-su was the first Korean-born actor to win a Golden Globe. It has even spawned a spin-off reality game show, Squid Game: The Challenge, that debuted this week.

    But for Netflix’s APAC vice-president Minyoung Kim, who first greenlighted the script in 2019 in her former role running the firm’s Korean content, the most staggering impact she saw was on shoes. Specifically, the fact that sales of the white Vans slip-ons worn by Squid Game characters soared 7,800% after its release. “It wasn’t product placement; it was just a very basic sneaker!” Kim tells TIME with a laugh. “We really didn’t expect people to react to something like that.”

    It wasn’t just viewers that reacted to Squid Game, of course. Transforming a $21.4 million production budget into a $900 million phenomenon turned eyes across the entertainment industry. Squid Game was the ultimate justification for Netflix’s then-nascent international expansion and prompted a doubling-down of the strategy. Today, 60% of Netflix’s global audience has watched Korean content, while 70% of its viewers are outside the U.S.

    “The ambition was to break the language barrier and really connect the global audience together,” says Kim. “Squid Game just really proved that.”

    Other streaming services followed suit with Disney and Amazon in particular unveiling a growing slate of Korean content. Determined to stay ahead of the game, Netflix announced in April it was investing an eye-popping $2.5 billion in Korean content over the next four years. “I always say to Ted [Sarandos, Netflix co-CEO], ‘You’ve announced it now, no backsies!’” jokes Kim.

    It’s a sum that puts “very exciting pressure” on Kim, she says, while underscoring how Korean content will remain a major plinth of Netflix’s future business strategy. Already, Korean shows like revenge-saga The Glory and feel-good lawyer drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo have proven that Squid Game was no flash in the pan.

    But Kim says she is more excited about bringing great shows from elsewhere across Asia to a wider audience. Already, Netflix has seen renewed interest in its pre-existing Japanese sci-fi thriller Alice in Borderland, which developed a large following among Americans inspired by Squid Game to broaden their viewing horizons.

    Now Netflix is also investing in films in markets like Thailand, Indonesia, and Taiwan in the firm belief that the next Squid Game could come from anywhere. Japan, for one, “is just a paradise of imagination,” says Kim. “There’s so many great manga [intellectual properties] out there.”

    It’s a strategy that is already bearing fruit. In April, Thai film Hunger rose to the top of Netflix’s global viewing charts. Meanwhile, the widely acclaimed Indonesian love story Cigarette Girl ranks among Netflix’s top non-English language content.

    Other productions’ impacts have been more profound; Wave Makers, which follows staffers during a sexually-charged presidential election campaign in Taiwan, sparked a societal #MeToo reckoning that ensnared several top lawmakers. (The show’s fictional presidential candidate, actress Tammy Lai, became the real-life running mate of Apple supplier Foxconn CEO Terry Gou until he withdrew from January’s election on Friday.) “For us, it was an office drama about growth and romance,” says Kim. “But sometimes things happen you don’t expect, because the audience is seeing something that they resonate with.”

    But beyond simply discovering great content, Kim’s pitch is that Netflix’s investment across the region can catalyze a resurgent pan-Asian film ecosystem. If taken alone, each nation’s film industry will struggle to produce content of sufficient quality to captivate an international audience. However, by utilizing specific areas of expertise across the region—Thailand’s skill at post-production, South Korea’s mastery of special effects, Singapore for animation—there’s real potential to pool resources to boost overall quality and appeal.  

    “In Asia, a lot of creators are motivated to always try new things and push boundaries but are sometimes stuck because of the limitations in their own country,” says Kim. “Netflix is very well positioned to connect the region together.”

    It’s not that far-fetched. After all, J. K. Rowling’s insistence that the Harry Potter movies were shot in the U.K. was single-handedly credited for rejuvenating a moribund British film industry, which attracted $7.3 billion in foreign investment last year alone.

    Already, the boom of streaming services has prompted standards to rise across Asia’s film industry. “People have had to uplift their skills,” says Kamonthip Tachasakulmas, director of Bangkok-based One Cool Production, whose client roster today is half international and did post-production work on Hunger as well as several other Netflix projects. “For international platforms, your job goes worldwide so you need to keep quality control.”

    Still, Kim’s vision may appear slightly utopian when set against the May to November Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes—now-settled industrial action chiefly spurred by dissatisfaction with remuneration under Netflix’s streaming model. Netflix insists that its priority is ensuring adequate compensation for content producers at the outset of a project, so they get paid fairly even if it flops.

    Yet the fact that Netflix last month upped its free cash flow projection for the whole year to $6.5 billion didn’t exactly assuage the aggrieved feelings of content producers. Even Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk didn’t receive royalties on top of his original contract flat fee. For some, his macabre allegory of capitalism exploiting the desperate many for the pleasure of a wealthy elite struck a little too close to home.

    An additional irony, of course, was that it was Netflix’s overseas production footprint that enabled it to lean into foreign content and mitigate the deleterious effects of the Hollywood strike. That the vast bulk of Squid Game profits went to Netflix became a political issue in South Korea, which announced plans in June to provide 500 billion won ($390 million) to help local streaming platforms compete with global rivals. Since 2018, 17 E.U. countries have imposed levies on streaming services to be funneled into national funds for local films, dramas, and documentaries. 

    “There are certain regions of the world where companies got together to say, ‘all right, we need to circumvent Netflix here as they have too much power,’” says streaming industry analyst Dan Rayburn. Kim says that there’s an ongoing conversation to be had about changes that “organically make the industry much healthier … to enable more sustenance, sustainability, and more success for Korean storytellers.”

    It’s quite likely that a Squid Game-scale hit would spark similar conversations anywhere. For now, though, the investment of streaming services like Netflix is seen as hugely positive for a Southeast Asian film industry still reeling from depressed cinema attendances owing to the pandemic. “There are some issues, but the larger picture is that streaming is really good for filmmaking in the region,” says Adam Knee, dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Media & Creative Industries at Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore. “It increases the possibility for Southeast Asian products that have wide success with wide viewership.”

    As for issues, Knee raises the possibility for commercially-backed ventures with eyes firmly on profits to shy away from the region’s more locally controversial topics—whether the monarchy in Thailand, political repression in Vietnam, or drugs in Singapore. Already, Netflix has proven willing to kowtow to censorship demands in many countries. “The question is whether we have the same vibrant, artistic expression in the cinema sector when it’s being run by this corporate entity,” says Knee.

    But a more insidious danger, he says, is when the chimera of gaining global renown prompts filmmakers to pander to international audiences at the expense of domestic viewers. It’s a risk that’s only too apparent to Kim, for whom confused, watered-down content is anathema.

    “Local authenticity is really important,” she says. “If a show really works in that country but does not travel outside, that’s still great for us. What we don’t want is a show that does not work in that country but works outside.”

    Of course, until Kim finds the next Squid Game, we’ve still got season 2 to look forward to, filming for which is already underway. Kim knows that, stripped of the first season’s novelty factor, the new story, social commentary, and characters must all deliver—not that she’s worried. 

    “It’s going to be much bigger, it’s got new games, and a different angle of how human beings interact,” she says. “I have no doubt that people will really enjoy it.” Just as long as those on screen really, really don’t.

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    Charlie Campbell

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  • From Stage to Startup: Ballet Pro’s Lucrative Side Hustle | Entrepreneur

    From Stage to Startup: Ballet Pro’s Lucrative Side Hustle | Entrepreneur

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    This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Danielle Schultz, a ballet dancer at the Metropolitan Opera and founder of The Triangle Sessions, a corporate wellness company offering company retreats, interactive wellness classes and team-building events. She is based in the Greater Philadelphia Area.

    Image Credit: Devin Cruz.

    You’d been a dancer with the Metropolitan Opera since 2014 when Covid hit. How did your life and work change in those early days of the pandemic, and when did you know it was time to supplement your income with a side hustle?

    When Covid hit, I was in the middle of Die Fliegende Hollander and was slated to perform in Turandot a few weeks later. I had nurtured positions teaching fitness and ballet at New York City studios, which I continued via Zoom to stay financially afloat. However, I was also three months pregnant, and my husband was a full-time student. I had to get creative quickly. One of the first social impacts of Covid that everyone struggled with was isolation. It gave me the idea to start offering corporate wellness and team events to help employees stay connected in the newly virtual workplace.

    Related: Being an Entrepreneur Means Finding Profit in Your Passion

    How did your professional background inspire you to launch The Triangle Sessions? How did that skill set translate to your entrepreneurial journey?

    I graduated in 2009 from NYU Tisch with a dance degree and a minor in art history. It was a terrible time to graduate, especially with an arts degree. I turned down an apprenticeship with a small ballet company to perform as a dancer on a cruise ship and travel the world. Believe it or not, this was simply the more practical approach at the time. I was able to give up my New York City apartment, live expense-free and save money. This experience served as a crash course in travel and tourism, something that would come into play 10 years later when organizing a large-scale retreat for a national law firm.

    After my cruise ship contract, I danced with a small contemporary company while waiting tables at high-end restaurants. It was the New York City restaurant scene that provided excellent training in wine, spirits and food pairings. Like the cruise ship, I learned the value of customer service and how to connect with a wide variety of people. Waiting tables still goes down as the hardest job I’ve ever had, but it was too physically demanding while dancing.

    Related: Shift Your Perspective From Getting to Giving to Get Unstuck

    When I got my break at the Metropolitan Opera, a dream job for years, there was a catch…it still wasn’t full-time. So, I had to supplement my income in a way that would be easier on my body. I became a certified yoga teacher, certified nutrition counselor and Ballet Beautiful trainer for celebrity clients. All of these skills allowed me to share a deeper understanding of the human body with a wide range of people. It set me up beautifully for teaching corporate wellness.

    For years, I continued to perform at the Metropolitan Opera while juggling a slew of part-time work. It wasn’t until my aunt, a former ballroom champion and long-time business owner, told me something that I’ll never forget: “Dani, you already have the mentality of an entrepreneur in the way you support yourself. You have multiple income streams. Figure out how to work for yourself, not other people, so that you can share your knowledge on your own terms.” It was a lightbulb moment that got the wheels turning. It took a pandemic and a layoff from the Met Opera to pursue the endeavor full-time.

    What was your vision for The Triangle Sessions, and what were some of the first steps you took to get it off the ground?

    I wanted to implement the knowledge I developed in my professional dance career around healthy habits and performing at one’s best. I wanted to replicate the camaraderie I had experienced in the dance world through high-quality, purpose-driven experiences and apply it to the corporate world.

    When Covid first hit, I offered virtual wellness classes….yoga, meditation, desk stretching, etc., always with some type of social component. No one was interested. People just wanted alcohol and happy hours. I started incorporating educational wine and sake tastings WITH corporate wellness, and suddenly, there was interest! I found a fantastic vendor to help put together high-quality experience kits (and accommodate some of my wacky requests, like combining foam rollers with bottles of Prosecco and gourmet snacks), and I hit the ground running.

    Related: Side Hustles for These Times

    How did you approach continuing to build, and what does your revenue look like?

    Initially, the vast majority of business came from my own network, referrals and word-of-mouth. After some time hosting virtual team-building and wellness events, I became a small fish in a large pond. So, I partnered (and still continue to partner) with larger team-building event companies in which my services are offered. They have a dedicated sales team, and it provides steady revenue, all while nurturing my own clients and relationships. Annual revenue for 2022 was $110,000.

    What were some of the biggest challenges along the way, and how did you navigate those?

    The biggest challenge is trying to anticipate the needs of organizations and their employees without straying too far from our own mission. Employee well-being and community are at the backbone of The Triangle Sessions. I keep an open mind and experiment to see where there’s interest. In 2020, happy hours were in vogue. This last year it’s been all about wellness and creativity. Luckily, I enjoy this process and love having an open dialogue with clients to learn about their needs. Many of our signature events, like our Build-A-Terrarium workshop, which combines plant care with self-care, have been inspired by client requests.

    Personally, I’ve struggled to find the balance between running The Triangle Sessions and wanting to continue to dance. Dance is my first love, my identity since I was three years old. I returned to the Met Opera part-time in 2021 and scaled back on the number of productions I usually perform to focus on building The Triangle Sessions. However, keeping my foot in the door at the Met sometimes leads to losing momentum. It’s a risk I’m willing to take for now since I have the best of both worlds. Martha Graham once said, “A dancer dies twice—once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” These words ring true, but I’m grateful to be building another satisfying career around community, connectivity and high-quality performance.

    Related: These High School Best Friends Achieved Their Dream of Being Their Own Bosses. Their Next Step? Starting a Wellness Revolution.

    Do you have any advice for other professionals who want to start a side hustle or full-time business?

    Lean into your strengths. Learn your core values. Reflect on what makes you different. From there, assess how these skills can benefit others and bring out the best in communities. It may take a bit of experimentation and creativity, but the process can be surprisingly satisfying. Sometimes, you just need to start somewhere and see what happens. Celebrate the small wins and run (or dance!) at your own pace.

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    Amanda Breen

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  • SMART Technologies Unveils the New Performance SMART Board® RX Series, Empowering Teachers and Students with Advanced Features to Enhance Inclusion

    SMART Technologies Unveils the New Performance SMART Board® RX Series, Empowering Teachers and Students with Advanced Features to Enhance Inclusion

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    CALGARY, AB – SMART Technologies is proud to announce the launch of the company’s latest innovation for education: the SMART Board® RX series. This revolutionary display is designed with accessibility in mind and provides teachers with the tools they need to make learning more engaging for students, while saving precious time for teachers, too. This performance display comes with optically bonded glass and a multi-color stylus for an effortless inking experience, as well as leading student device integration, putting it in a category of its own.  

    At the heart of the SMART Board RX series are the features and functionality, purposefully designed to help make classroom time higher quality time and engage all students in inclusive and accessible learning experiences. Most notably, the RX series comes with SMART’s exclusive Tool Explorer® technology that enables all students – including those with diverse learning needs – to actively engage with content and easily communicate with their peers and teachers.  

    Tool Explorer digitally recognizes blocks that come in pre-programmed sets with images such as emojis that can help enable social and emotional learning. The blocks are also programmable, giving teachers or students the ability to program any image onto a block.  Tool Explorer provides a unique way for students to communicate and participate – including those students who are non-verbal, those who struggle to hold a pen or to write, and those who require or simply prefer different methods of communication. Tool Explorer is only available with the SMART Board RX series.  

    The SMART Board RX series is Google EDLA certified, giving users native access to the Google Play™ store, Google Classroom, Chrome™ Browser, and other Google services so that teachers can have all their favorite apps at their fingertips. It comes with a completely refreshed embedded experience – iQ 4.0. The new version of iQ is designed to simplify workflows for teachers and make lessons engaging for students. 

    The RX series also includes SMART’s exclusive ability for continuous differentiation of all interaction types, which enables multiple users to intuitively write, erase, and touch at the same time, without interfering in each other’s work for a truly collaborative experience. 

    “The SMART Board RX series represents a major leap forward in classroom technology,” said Nicholas Svensson, CEO of SMART Technologies. “Our goal was not just to create another interactive display but rather an investment that helps to create inclusive, accessible classrooms that will stand the test of time.” 

    The SMART Board RX series offers an array of features, including:  

    • Android 13 for enhanced security and smooth performance, with expandable storage up to 576GB. 
    • Optically bonded glass which provides a smooth, precise inking experience and unmatched viewing clarity. 
    • Simultaneous Tool Differentiation so multiple students can intuitively collaborate at the display together.  
    • An all-new multi-color LED stylus for easier color switching and simple, intuitive inking with color built right into the pen.  
    • NFC and QR code-based sign-in with one-click sign-out for added security and convenience. 
    • Integrated sound bar with two 20W speakers and a 15W subwoofer. 
    • New environmental and air quality sensors including a particulate matter sensor and volatile organic compounds sensor. 
    • All the software educators need, for free. 

    The SMART Board RX is designed to serve districts for years to come. The RX series has an energy-efficient design that is designed to be a sound investment for many years. Automatic over-the-air updates keep customers up to date with new features, patches, and operating system upgrades—keeping pace with market trends and new options and features without spending budget on a new display. Schools and districts can get more out of their technology investment and continue to deliver high-quality learning experiences for years to come. 

    About SMART Technologies ULC  

    SMART isn’t just a leading tech company, but a connections company working tirelessly to create and advance technology that helps teachers, learners, businesses, and teams make meaningful connections every single day. The original SMART Board® launched in 1991, and has continued to innovate through Lumio™, an award-winning cloud-based learning software. With a full range of products, including an impressive selection of easy-to-use interactive displays used by millions of businesses, educators and students around the world, SMART creates connections that matter. To learn more, visit www.smarttech.com. 

    eSchool News Staff
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    ESchool News Staff

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  • Conflict Resolution: 4 Principles Behind Constructive and Peaceful Negotiation

    Conflict Resolution: 4 Principles Behind Constructive and Peaceful Negotiation

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    In a world filled with conflict and hostility, one of the most important skills we can learn in life is conflict resolution and our ability to negotiate peacefully and effectively.


    This content is for Monthly, Yearly, and Lifetime members only.
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    Steven Handel

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  • The World is Doubling Down on Cybersecurity — Here’s What Business Leaders Should Know | Entrepreneur

    The World is Doubling Down on Cybersecurity — Here’s What Business Leaders Should Know | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In recent years, the cybersecurity environment has significantly transformed due to the adoption of more stringent regulations. As hackers become more sophisticated and audacious by the day, governments and regulators worldwide are catalyzing proactive measures to safeguard citizens and businesses alike.

    Following the EU’s revolutionary General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation back in 2018, we witnessed the US and even NATO forging ahead in the war against cyber criminals. For CEOs, understanding and adapting to this evolving landscape is not just a matter of compliance but a strategic imperative.

    Related: The Role of Leadership in Creating a Cybersecurity Culture — How to Foster Awareness and Accountability Across the Organization

    The dynamics of modern cybersecurity regulations

    Regulations have become more intricate and stringent in response to the escalating threat landscape. A prime example is last year’s SEC cybersecurity rules, which mandate public companies to divulge comprehensive information about their cybersecurity risks and the strategies to mitigate them. Moreover, these rules also advocate for the active involvement of CEOs in overseeing cybersecurity policies. This signifies a paradigm shift toward a more proactive and vigilant approach to safeguarding company assets.

    CEOs must also recognize that cybersecurity regulations vary from one country to another. Depending on the physical position of their clientele, businesses might have to adhere to multiple regulations. Take, for instance, the EU’s GDPR. It stands as one of the most rigorous cybersecurity regulations globally, applicable to any entity that handles the personal data of EU citizens. Imagine a business serving the US, Europe, and India, along with the SEC’s cybersecurity rules and GDPR, the US’s national cybersecurity strategy, India’s Data Privacy Bill, and many more necessitates CEOs to possess an intimate knowledge of the specific regulations applicable to the data they handle.

    Fines are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the financial consequences of non-compliance. Legal fees, forensic investigations and potential lawsuits can take a heavy toll. Take GDPR as an example. Violations of its stringent data protection regulations can result in fines amounting to 4% of a company’s global revenue or €20 million, whichever is higher. This serves as a stark reminder that non-compliance can have severe financial repercussions, with the potential to cripple even the largest corporations. Additionally, there’s the less tangible but equally significant cost of lost opportunities and market share as customers migrate to competitors they perceive as more secure.

    Beyond the financial repercussions, reputation is another currency no CEO can afford to squander. A cybersecurity breach can inflict immeasurable damage to a company’s standing, eroding trust among stakeholders, customers and partners. CEOs must recognize that compliance is not merely a checkbox exercise but a foundational element of corporate responsibility and trust-building.

    Related: Cybersecurity Is No Longer An Option. Your Money Is in Immediate Danger.

    Navigating the regulatory landscape and ensuring compliance

    As a CEO, there are strategic steps you can take to prepare your organization for the labyrinth of cybersecurity regulations. This journey starts by embarking on a comprehensive risk assessment voyage to fathom the intricacies of your organization’s cybersecurity landscape. This entails delineating the scope of data collected and stored, identifying the systems and applications in use, and envisaging potential threats. Armed with this understanding, you can prioritize risks and craft a bespoke plan for mitigation.

    A robust cybersecurity program serves as the linchpin of your organization’s resilience. It should encompass a spectrum of security controls, including Identity and Access Management solutions for access control, Unified Endpoint Management solutions for device management and data encryption, and Endpoint Detection and Response solutions for proactive response. Additionally, establish a regimen for periodic testing and evaluation of cybersecurity compliance to ensure its efficacy.

    Lastly, the IT department and every employee are accountable for the organization’s security. The entire workforce must shoulder the onus of cybersecurity compliance. This requires a top-to-bottom commitment from the C-suite. CEOs are responsible for actively fostering a security culture, providing staff members with the skills and resources they need to recognize and address potential risks and setting the standard for the whole company. This involves regular engagement with the company’s cybersecurity strategy, understanding the risks, and making informed decisions. A well-trained workforce is an invaluable asset in the battle against cyber adversaries. This strengthens the company’s overall security posture and demonstrates a commitment to employee well-being. Concurrently, organizations must also invest in a skilled cybersecurity team to manage their compliance strategy effectively.

    Related: How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Cyber Security Landscape and Preventing Cyber Attacks

    Bottom line

    Compliance should not be viewed as an imposition but rather as a shared objective that aligns with the organization’s broader goals. Incentivizing compliance fosters a sense of collective responsibility and reinforces the importance of cybersecurity across all departments. While they might inadvertently strain business operations, cybersecurity regulations are no longer a choice but a necessity in the digital world.

    As the regulatory landscape tightens its cybersecurity grip, CEOs face challenges and opportunities. Embracing compliance safeguards the organization from regulatory penalties and fortifies its reputation and resilience in the face of evolving threats. By cultivating a culture of security, staying vigilant in the face of shifting regulations, and recognizing the holistic impact of compliance, CEOs can not only meet the demands of the present but also thrive in the age of cyber resilience.

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    Apu Pavithran

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  • These 4 Red-State Cities Are Becoming Economic Powerhouses | Entrepreneur

    These 4 Red-State Cities Are Becoming Economic Powerhouses | Entrepreneur

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    This article originally appeared on Business Insider.

    The future of the US economy could be powered by cities in the Sunbelt.

    Economic and societal power in the US may be shifting away from colossal coastal cities such as New York and San Francisco to metropolitan areas tucked below the Mason-Dixon line, as Barron’s recently reported. That’s because economic power is flowing to the middle of the country — and places such as Houston, Dallas, Nashville, and Miami are becoming hot spots.

    Just as New York City has Wall Street and San Francisco has Silicon Valley, Houston has its energy economy and Miami has its proximity to Latin America and growing financial industry. And while Los Angeles has Hollywood and Washington, DC, has politics, Dallas has a blossoming environment of diversified business behemoths and Nashville is a healthcare and tech hub.

    “You used to have two coastal power zones where you could live your best life, never really touching down in the red states,” Niall Ferguson, a Stanford historian, told Barron’s. “We now have much more of a multipolar America rather than a bipolar America. That reflects taxes, quality of life, cost of living, the ability to build, and incredibly striking differentials in quality of governance.”

    A March Redfin analysis of its user search data indicated San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, were the top four cities Americans were looking to relocate from. Miami, meanwhile, was the city users appeared to be most interested in relocating to — Dallas and Houston ranked eighth and 10th, respectively. Lower taxes and housing costs seem to be among the top factors motivating movers.

    Here’s why these four cities could be central to America’s economic future.

    Houston

    Houston could capitalize on the US’s shift toward renewable energy. Duy Do/Getty Images via BI

    Houston is the fourth-largest city in the US and the home to 26 Fortune 500 companies, trailing only New York City and Chicago.

    Major energy companies such as ExxonMobil, Phillips 66, and ConocoPhillips call the city home, and, as a result, as much as 40% of Houston’s economy is tied directly or indirectly to oil and gas.

    But renewable energy could provide economic opportunities if the city is open to the transition. Time reported on data from McKinsey that suggested by 2040, Houston could receive $250 billion in annual investments tied to the emerging energy industry because of its existing infrastructure and skilled workforce.

    Home to NASA, Houston is also poised to be the center of the space industry.

    Dallas

    A slow-shutter-speed photo of three roads leading to city buildings, with lines of light on the roads.

    Companies are moving to Dallas in part because the city is full of young workers. joe daniel price/Getty Images via BI

    From 2021 to 2022, Dallas experienced the largest numerical population increase of any US metro area, with a net increase of over 170,000 people, according to the Census Bureau.

    Since 2010, more than 175 companies have moved their headquarters to the North Texas area that includes Dallas. And other business behemoths are expanding to the city. Goldman Sachs, for example, has said it plans to add about 5,000 jobs in Dallas once its new regional office is completed.

    Steve Hagerman, the chief technology officer at Wells Fargo, previously told Business Insider during a time when some companies were struggling to find workers that Dallas was offering a growing cohort of “prime working age” individuals who were between the ages of 23 and 38. The city also offers many graduates with tech degrees, which could position it to grow as a tech hub.

    Miami

    An aerial view of Miami, bordering the sea.

    Miami’s proximity to Latin America could help its economy in the years to come. Nisian Hughes/Getty Images via BI

    Miami’s population increased by 1.7% from 2021 to 2022, the fourth-fastest rate among the 50 largest US cities. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, even said he was moving there after 29 years in Seattle.

    While the city’s crypto boom hasn’t gone according to plan, other companies in the finance industry have flocked to the city as well, including the hedge funds Elliot Management and Citadel.

    Given its proximity to Latin America, Miami also is home to the headquarters of more than 1,100 multinational corporations. In the years ahead, strong immigration levels to the city could continue to boost its workforce and economic growth.

    Miami is also a popular destination for tourists and the wealthy. A report from the consulting firm Henley and Partners said that from 2012 to 2022, the number of Miami millionaires grew by 75%, one of the fastest rates in the country.

    Nashville

    A view down a brightly lit street.

    Nashville’s healthcare industry has created thousands of jobs for residents. Dan Reynolds Photography/Getty Images via BI

    Nashville was ranked as the top city in the US for job opportunities and earnings potential in an analysis by the HR firm Checkr released earlier this year. In May, the Milken Institute’s rankings of the nation’s best-performing cities — based on labor-market performance and economic opportunities — put Nashville at number four.

    “While Nashville is a well-known and popular tourist destination, its economy is bolstered by more than just the music and hospitality industries,” the report said.

    The city, which has been named the healthcare capital of the US, is home to more than 500 companies in the industry, including 17 public healthcare companies. The industry accounts for roughly 570,000 jobs in the Nashville area.

    Nashville also has the potential to grow its tech industry. Amazon and Oracle are among the firms that have invested in the city in recent years.

    Entering the limelight could have its challenges.

    A commercial building under construction.

    Growing populations in cities can contribute to rising housing costs. David Sucsy/Getty Images via BI

    Despite the economic gains, the advancements of these cities will probably come with some obstacles.

    To varying degrees, these cities are already getting a glimpse of how high housing costs can plague an area with surging demand.

    What’s more, these southern metros and their high temperatures could also face future challenges tied to the climate crisis. Miami, in particular, could be vulnerable.

    Meanwhile, it could be a battle over bragging rights in the years to come between the coastal cities and Sunbelt metros as to which offers the most economic power.

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    Jacob Zinkula

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  • 5 Traits You Must Have to Create More Leaders | Entrepreneur

    5 Traits You Must Have to Create More Leaders | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    How do you define a truly great leader? While most of us have witnessed great leadership at various points throughout our careers and professional development, it is challenging to accurately pinpoint the secret sauce in leadership success. Great leaders have some obvious qualities in common, like their capacity to share an inspiring vision for the future. Great leaders often possess passion and charisma. They are strong communicators who connect, motivate and enlist their teams to achieve lofty goals. And perhaps most notably, great leaders create a line of devout followers.

    Not so fast.

    Great leadership has very little to do with one’s ability to amass followers. In his bestselling book “In Search of Excellence,” leadership guru Tom Peters explains, “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.”

    While every great business leader attracts their fair share of admirers, they simply don’t consider collecting followers as either an objective or a gauge of their leadership success. Instead, great leaders understand that a key function of good leadership is to develop team members into the best version of themselves and leaders in their own right.

    Related: 5 Ways to Develop Leaders Within Your Own Ranks

    Characteristics of a truly great leader

    Great leadership is a surprisingly nuanced and selfless role.

    Great leaders embrace their employees, not just for who they are and the functions they perform now, but also for who they can become and the position they can develop. Strong, capable employees do not threaten great leaders. Rather, they value their team’s talents, recognize their potential, and leverage their spirit of achievement.

    Great leaders create opportunities for their people’s growth — mentoring, encouraging, and elevating. They give their employees space to improve, the luxury to make mistakes, and the opportunity to learn from those errors. Great leaders grant their teams the freedom to explore and the capacity to excel.

    Great leaders care about their employees first as people and second as workers. They conduct themselves with the greatest integrity and model every day what great leadership looks and sounds like. They strategically position their people for individual growth as well as the long-term success of the business.

    Now, isn’t that far more substantial than merely creating followers?

    Related: Here’s How You Can Create Leaders in Your Team

    How to be a better business leader

    I could list characteristics of a great leader until the cows come home, but recognizing traits of a great leader and being one — well, those are two different things entirely.

    So, what can you do to improve your leadership skills and elevate yourself to a truly great leader? It all starts with connection and engagement. The following are five actions you can implement to help you become a great leader who develops more great leaders.

    1. Delegate tasks and activities

    Empower your employees and create development opportunities by strategically delegating challenging tasks. Your willingness to delegate key activities demonstrates your trust in your team and your commitment to their development. It is also fantastic on-the-job training.

    Related: 3 Ways to Effectively Delegate at Work and at Home

    2. Be a transparent communicator

    Employees should not be left to guess or assume how you feel about certain business dynamics. Being as forthcoming as possible with your team demonstrates that you respect their capacity to grasp and appreciate our positions. In short, candor builds trust.

    3. Recognize excellence

    Do you have a high performer or a passionate contributor? Don’t be shy about showing your appreciation and celebrating excellence. Everyone on your team should understand how grateful you are for their positive impact on the business’s overall success. And when they fall short, guide them to hit their mark next time.

    4. Invest in leadership development

    Create mentorship and leadership development opportunities. Remember, leadership development is not a one-and-done initiative but rather a sustained commitment to the long-term advancement of your people. Consider offering various leadership workshops, webinars and executive coaching programs.

    Related: 7 Leadership Qualities of All Great Leaders

    5. Share your vision

    By sharing your vision for the business, you provide your team with a clear sense of purpose and the opportunity for alignment. Your vision is an inspirational guide and a driving force that affects every aspect of your business and your decisions, so don’t keep it a mystery.

    By developing your own leadership skills, you also enhance your ability to cultivate those same skills in your employees, which sounds a lot like your next big step toward long-term success.

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    Jason Zickerman

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  • The future of energy? Brooklyn’s bitcoin-heated bathhouse

    The future of energy? Brooklyn’s bitcoin-heated bathhouse

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    Behind the scenes of a traditional bathhouse in Brooklyn, something extraordinary is taking place: The pools, heated to 104 degrees, are not warmed by conventional means but by computers mining for bitcoin.

    A profit-seeking drive for energy efficiency has caused bitcoin miners to pop up in unexpected places, such as Jason Goodman’s New York bathhouse, where the cost of heating his pools is about the same as it was before he plugged in the bitcoin miners, but now with the bonus of earning bitcoin.

    Goodman credits traditional bathhouses for helping him through a tough time when he first moved to New York City. He started Bathhouse in 2019 because he wanted to re-create the life-changing experiences he underwent for the “hardcore sauna-heads, for those who are trying to optimize their performance, longevity, and overall health.” 

    And then he had a cutting-edge idea of how to make it better.

    “It kind of clicked in my mind,” Goodman adds. “Bitcoin mining is really important. Bitcoin mining produces heat as a byproduct. I buy energy to create heat. That’s interesting.” 

    Instead of cooling the mining computers with fans, Goodman submerges them in a specially engineered fluid that doesn’t conduct electric current but, instead, absorbs the heat that the computers produce. A heat exchanger then transfers it into hot water that moves directly into the pools. “I was able to make hot water very easily,” Goodman explains. 

    Bitcoin mining wasn’t designed for heating hot tubs. It was designed to facilitate a new type of digital money with a supply that no single entity can alter or control. A central bank cannot create new ones—they can only be mined by computers scattered around the world running the bitcoin protocol, and there will only ever be 21 million bitcoin. These computers compete to solve a cryptographic puzzle that the protocol makes just hard enough to ensure it’s solved roughly every 10 minutes. Solve the puzzle, unlock a block of transactions to be validated and added to the blockchain, and earn bitcoin. 

    The more computing power someone has, the better their chances of earning bitcoin. But more computing power means using more energy. 

    “Bitcoin miners are in a relentless, unquenchable search across the globe for the cheapest possible energy,” explains Alex Gladstein, chief strategy officer at the Human Rights Foundation and author of Check Your Financial Privilege.

    “Be energy neutral and earn bitcoin. That was what we wanted to prove to ourselves,” Goodman tells Reason. “A dream scenario would be that every hotel, every major residential building, every major office building starts converting their boiler system or their heating system or their hot water system over to a system…like we’re using and have a massively distributed hard-to-control mining network.”

    For bitcoiners, keeping the process distributed and hard to control is the whole point. As Caitlin Long, founder of bitcoin-focused Custodia Bank, explains, the main purpose of bitcoin is to have an honest ledger where people can store value that cannot be manipulated.

    Bitcoin mining ties the world’s first decentralized digital currency to the physical world. But bitcoin remains borderless, seeking to exploit inefficiency wherever it can, whether that’s a Brooklyn bathhouse, an unmarked warehouse in Venezuela, or the small rural town of Washington, Georgia. 

    Mayor Bill DeGolian of Washington welcomed CleanSpark, one of America’s largest bitcoin miners, to his town because it allowed the miner to buy energy at a bulk discount. 

    “They’re buying a lot of power from the city. And that’s what helps the city…with what we’re selling to CleanSpark, the amount of power they buy per month from us is more than all of our other commercial and residential customers combined,” DeGolian said. 

    At its Norcross operation, an 87,000-square-foot facility on the outskirts of Atlanta, CleanSpark is using the same immersion cooling technique that Goodman uses in his bathhouse to cool 4,300 bitcoin miners. The technique allows the company to spend less money to power the A.C. needed to cool the giant rooms where they keep the computers.

    “We’re removing that environmental factor where ambient temperature goes up and down and we constantly fight the environmental curve,” Bradley Audiss, senior director of operations at CleanSpark in Norcross, tells Reason. “Immersion is very much a flat line as compared to air cooled that has the fluctuations which are primarily tied to hot temperatures.”

    For some, bitcoin is the real Green New Deal. According to Gladstein, bitcoin subsidizes renewable energy because “the projects are made profitable by the ability to monetize that energy right away….So rather than monetizing [public] debt [by printing money], we can have the market kind of power this process.”

    But critics still consider the energy that is going to mining to be a complete waste. Some countries have banned bitcoin mining, and the Biden administration wants to tax it heavily. Even Goodman felt the backlash when he announced he was heating the bathhouse with bitcoin mining. 

     Bitcoiners say the ability of miners to sponge up and then release energy at a moment’s notice makes the grid more reliable, which is why utilities partner with them. Take Texas bitcoin miner Marshall Long. His mining company’s partnership with Texas’ grid manager helped avert a summer blackout.

    “What makes miners particularly good is because I’m not only a large user, I’m a granular user. So I don’t have to turn off my entire load at once,” Long said. “I can just turn off one miner or 200 miners or 2,000 miners in order to respond to certain things that are going on in the grid throughout the day.”

    “We’re starting to see with…bulletproof scientific evidence that…bitcoin miners are actually helping and not hurting,” Long added. 

    Miners aren’t shutting down during peak hours out of altruism but because of market incentives. CleanSpark, for example, monitors energy prices on a minute-by-minute basis and shuts down the moment its operation starts to become unprofitable, freeing up power for the rest of the grid. 

    Even in places like Venezuela, where bitcoin mining boomed thanks to the government subsidizing energy to near-zero cost, bitcoin is forcing energy innovation. Miners are taking responsibility for fixing power lines that the government fails to maintain. 

    “We take care of the electrical infrastructure so that it is not damaged,” explained a major Venezuelan bitcoin miner who fled to Miami and asked to remain anonymous. “For example, if we see that we have a voltage problem or an electrical factor in the area that affects us and can affect the community or the area where we are, we will try to improve it as much as possible, because if we do not improve it, our miners will not work well.” 

    Bitcoin is too decentralized and too enriching for even the most powerful governments to stop at this point. The choice America faces isn’t whether to allow mining to exist or not, but whether to welcome it here in a vibrant market economy where it can bootstrap new energy sources and its byproducts can create economic value.

     

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    Zach Weissmueller

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  • Ava, Wizco’s New AI Interview Coach, Set to Transform the Job Market Preparation Landscape

    Ava, Wizco’s New AI Interview Coach, Set to Transform the Job Market Preparation Landscape

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    Press Release
    •

    Nov 14, 2023 09:00 EST

    Wizco, the leading provider of interview preparation software, announced the launch of Ava, a new AI-powered interview prep engine. Ava leverages over 100,000 hours of interview data to deliver personalized, accessible, and effective interview preparation.


    NEW YORK, November 14, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Wizco has launched Ava, a pioneering AI-driven interview coach that is designed to transform the way people prepare for job interviews. Ava uses data from hundreds of thousands of hours of interviews to provide personalized coaching that is tailored to each user’s unique needs. 

    Ava’s interactive platform offers a comprehensive interview preparation experience that includes AI-powered insights and performance analytics. The platform simulates real-world interview scenarios, providing a dynamic and engaging way to practice. Users also receive feedback on their performance and targeted communication strategies to help them improve their interview skills. Ava has already helped users double their interview success rates, making it the ideal platform for anyone looking to prepare for a job interview.

    “We believe that every individual holds unique potential,” says Amir Erez, Wizco’s Co-founder. “In our mission to unlock this potential, we’ve combined the knowledge of human expertise with cutting-edge AI to create a coaching experience that’s truly personalized, interactive, and result-driven. Wizco began its journey with more than 5,000 industry experts, providing coaching to job seekers. This rich background in personal guidance and mentorship laid the foundation for developing Ava, allowing Wizco to encapsulate years of professional insight into an advanced AI coaching system. Ava is a testament to Wizco’s commitment to empowering job seekers through innovation, offering individualized coaching that’s accessible to everyone. Our goal is to ensure that every individual is recognized and supported, helping them perform at their utmost potential.”

    Try Ava for free 

    Wizco invites candidates to try Ava for free, giving them a chance to experience Ava’s unique approach to interview preparation and see how a hands-on experience can help them shine during interviews.

    To learn more about Ava or to get started with your own personalized session, visit Wizco’s website at www.wizco.io/ava 

    About Wizco 
    Wizco is a recognized leader in career development. The company melds technology and human expertise to deliver innovative career advancement solutions. With a network of over 5,000 industry experts committed to providing tailored guidance to job seekers, Wizco’s dedication to revolutionizing job preparation has solidified its reputation as a trusted name in career coaching.

    Source: Wizco

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  • Mowing Down Barriers: Side Hustle Hits $3M Summer Surge | Entrepreneur

    Mowing Down Barriers: Side Hustle Hits $3M Summer Surge | Entrepreneur

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    This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features GreenPal co-founder Gene Caballero. Founded in 2012, GreenPal is a Nashville-based online freelancing platform that connects landscapers to clients across the U.S., much like an “Uber for lawn care.”

    What were you doing before you started your side hustle, and why were you interested in entrepreneurship?

    Before diving into the world of entrepreneurship with GreenPal, I was a sales manager at a Fortune 50 tech company. However, the allure of entrepreneurship was always there. Growing up in a family where everyone ran their own business, the desire to be my own boss was a natural inclination. This deep-rooted ambition, combined with my corporate experience, became the foundation upon which I built my side hustle, eventually transforming it into the successful platform it is today.

    When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?

    GreenPal started in 2012, sparked by the entrepreneurial spirit of my childhood friend, who had the largest landscaping business in our hometown. Witnessing his success and the potential for technological innovation in the landscaping industry inspired us to create a platform that would redefine how homeowners connect with lawn care professionals.

    Related: 44 Side Hustle Ideas to Make Extra Money in 2023 | Entrepreneur

    What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground?

    To launch GreenPal, we hit the ground running — literally. We went door-to-door, signing up homeowners for our service, and devoted countless hours to cold-calling vendors to join our platform. We even set up a kiosk in the mall, engaging directly with the community to spread awareness about our service. Each step was a lesson in persistence and grassroots marketing.

    What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustle, and how did you navigate them?

    The biggest hurdle we faced while building GreenPal was getting our website developed. We contracted a local firm, and after a lengthy process, they delivered a product that was nearly unusable. To make matters worse, they suddenly went out of business. This left us with a stark choice: give up or adapt. We chose to adapt. One of our co-founders took the initiative to attend software school, learning the ins and outs of web development. With determination and new-found expertise, he rebuilt our website from scratch, overcoming nearly two years of setbacks. This challenge taught us resilience and the critical importance of having in-house technical skills.

    How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue, and at what point did the side hustle’s income surpass your full-time job?

    It was 2017 before we saw consistent monthly revenue. 2021 was when my GreenPal income surpassed that of my full-time job.

    Related: I Built My Multimillion-Dollar Side-Hustle While Working a Full-Time

    You’ve turned your side hustle into a full-time business. How much average monthly or annual revenue does it bring in now?

    Since GreenPal is very cyclical, our highest growing months are in the summer, and our revenues surpass $3 million per month.

    What’s your advice for other side hustlers who hope to turn their ventures into successful full-time businesses?

    My advice to those who want to go “all-in” on their side hustle is to know this: It’s going to be tougher and more time-consuming than your day job. Be ready to invest countless hours, often more than your regular employment. My full-time job was a breeze compared to starting something from scratch. Also, passion is key; it’ll fuel those long nights and early mornings. Hold onto your primary job as long as possible; it’s the financial backbone for your side hustle during those early, uncertain days. Use every bit of your vacation and paid time off to focus on your side business. Those hours are yours, earned for your dreams. This strategy gives you a safety net while building the foundation of your future business. Your passion, coupled with strategic use of time and resources, will be the engine driving your side hustle forward.

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    Amanda Breen

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  • How Influencers Coupled With Ecommerce Can Impact Your Growth | Entrepreneur

    How Influencers Coupled With Ecommerce Can Impact Your Growth | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The digital revolution in ecommerce has brought forth numerous innovations, with the role of social media influencers standing out distinctly. These online mavens, each with distinct flair and following, are crafting a new narrative in online marketing. Central to this transformation is social commerce, an innovative strategy that weaves shopping into the tapestry of social media.

    Unpacking the phenomenon of social commerce

    Social commerce signals a paradigm shift in how consumers experience online shopping platforms. Rather than the traditional browsing and searching, it offers a richer, more engaged shopping journey. Modern consumers, especially those in the millennial and Gen Z demographics, are tightly intertwined with their social media accounts. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook aren’t just for entertainment; they serve as lifestyle compasses, guiding users in everything from pop culture to shopping choices.

    In this digital landscape, influencers have carved a niche for themselves. Their content, genuine and relatable, shines bright amid the bombardment of traditional advertisements. When these influencers vouch for a product, it’s seen not as a sales pitch but as a sincere recommendation. Augmenting this is the allure of convenience that social commerce brings. The process is incredibly streamlined; one can spot a product on a post or story, swipe or click on it, and be led directly to an online checkout. The entire experience is swift, smooth, and satisfying.

    Related: 6 Essential Influencer-Marketing Truths Every E-Commerce Brand Should Know

    The inimitable role of influencers

    At the core of the social commerce machine are influencers. These individuals, with their varied followings, are more than just digital personalities; they’re pillars of modern marketing. Unlike celebrities who might endorse various products, influencers are selective, ensuring their endorsements often stem from personal experiences and align with their brand. This selective approach, combined with their domain-specific expertise, makes influencers trust magnets.

    For instance, a beauty influencer’s tips on skincare are valued because they’re backed by experience, while a tech influencer’s gadget review is awaited for its depth and authenticity. Additionally, influencers prioritize engagement. Their interactions aren’t limited to broadcasting content. They chat, conduct polls, share snippets of their lives, and create a shared digital space with their followers. This two-way communication fosters a bond, a digital kinship that’s deeply valued. Another feather in their cap is their expertise in visual content. In an age where visuals dominate, influencers, with their compelling images, videos and stories, hold their audience’s rapt attention.

    Related: 5 Ways to Identify Influencers Worth Your Brand’s Time and Money

    Strategic collaborations for mutual growth

    The collaboration between brands and influencers is multifaceted. There is sponsored content, where influencers create posts or videos infused with their personal experiences with products. While promoting, they ensure transparency, often tagging these as #ad or #sponsored. Then there’s affiliate marketing, a performance-centric approach where influencers reap rewards based on the sales generated via their unique links.

    Some collaborations transcend regular promotions. Think of a renowned beauty influencer launching a limited-edition product line with a major brand. Such initiatives blend the influencer’s personal brand with the product, promising authenticity and unparalleled quality. Beyond these, some brands envision a longer journey with influencers, turning them into brand ambassadors. This deep relationship ensures that the influencer becomes an enduring face and voice for the brand.

    Enduring impacts and considerations

    The synergy between brands and influencers leads to tangible benefits. Enhanced brand recall, exponential growth in sales and spikes in website traffic are common positive outcomes. On the trust front, influencers act as a bridge, lending their credibility to the brands they endorse. However, like all strategies, this one isn’t without pitfalls. Over-commercialization can dilute an influencer’s authenticity.

    Moreover, ensuring that the influencer’s personal brand aligns with the corporate brand is crucial. Then, there’s the challenge of measuring the intangibles. While metrics like clicks, views, and sales are straightforward, quantifying trust or brand perception remains nebulous. It’s also crucial to remember that influencer marketing isn’t an unregulated frontier. Clear guidelines, especially about disclosures, exist, and both brands and influencers must adhere to them to maintain credibility and avoid legal pitfalls.

    Related: How Nano Influencers With 1,000 Followers Are Making Big Money and Impact

    Conclusion

    The convergence of e-commerce with social media influencers creates a dynamic symphony of trust, engagement, and sales. For consumers, it offers a shopping experience that’s rich, trustworthy, and interactive. For brands, it’s a golden ticket to visibility and authenticity in a crowded digital marketplace. Looking ahead, with innovations on the horizon, this partnership promises to redefine the retail landscape further. In a rapidly evolving digital world, the bond between e-commerce platforms and influencers is beneficial and essential. They aren’t just changing the game – they’re crafting a new one for the next generation of online shopping.

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    Kartik Jobanputra

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  • 4 Entrepreneurial Lessons We Learned from Oakley Sunglasses Founder | Entrepreneur

    4 Entrepreneurial Lessons We Learned from Oakley Sunglasses Founder | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    This story originally appeared on Under30CEO.com

    Some entrepreneurs do not take a traditional path to success. Almost five decades ago, Jim Jannard reshaped the sports eyewear market with Oakley, a globally renowned sports eyewear brand. Learning from his experiences can empower the next generation of entrepreneurs to chart their own paths to success. Let’s take a closer look below.

    The success of Jim Jannard

    Jim Jannard is a name synonymous with innovation and entrepreneurial acumen. In 1975, he began his entrepreneurial journey by creating Oakley, a company that would revolutionize sports-specific eyewear. Oakley’s success was marked by its dedication to pushing the boundaries of innovation, capturing a niche market of sports enthusiasts and athletes.

    Related: The Best Advice Steve Jobs Ever Gave

    Yet, Jannard’s entrepreneurial spirit didn’t stop at Oakley. He ventured into the technology industry with ventures like RED Digital Cinema and RED Hydrogen One, emphasizing the importance of continuous innovation. Jannard’s story serves as a wellspring of inspiration and invaluable lessons for those looking to leave behind a legacy.

    Entrepreneurial lessons from the founder of Oakley

    Find your niche

    Oakley’s journey to success was not a straight line. It involved exploring various product lines, including a motorcycle grip designed to wick away sweat during long rides. Despite these initial diversions, Oakley’s defining moment came when it found its niche in sports glasses.

    Today, Oakley has become an industry leader in sports eyewear, with a diverse range of models catering to specific sports like cycling, golf, and skiing. The brand’s dedication to developing glasses tailored to the unique demands of each sport showcases the importance of not giving up on finding your niche. Jim Jannard’s unwavering commitment has allowed Oakley sports sunglasses to dominate the market with models like the Oakley Radar EV Path for cycling and the Oakley Flak 2.0 XL for golf. The lesson is clear: persistence in finding and serving your niche can lead to unparalleled success.

    Embrace strategic change

    In 2007, Jannard made a game-changing decision. He sold Oakley to Luxottica for a whopping $2.1 billion in cash. This strategic merger was not a sign of retreat but rather a calculated move to enhance Oakley’s potential. Jannard believed that joining forces with the global eyewear giant would provide Oakley with the resources and reach needed to grow further.

    Related: 6 Entrepreneurs Share Million-Dollar Advice From Their Mentors

    Jannard’s decision would prove correct, with EssilorLuxottica sales growing consistently over the years. In the second quarter of 2023, EssilorLuxottica’s revenue increased 8% at constant exchange rates to $7.1 million, with Oakley remaining one of the leading global proprietary brands alongside Ray-Ban. Such a strategic move teaches entrepreneurs a valuable lesson about recognizing the right moment to relinquish control and the benefits that can come from such decisions.

    Push the industry further

    Jim Jannard’s impact extends beyond sports eyewear and technology. His founding of RED Digital Cinema disrupted the filmmaking industry, propelling it into the digital age. The company’s innovative high-resolution cameras, with the latest V-RAPTOR XL 8K VV released in August 2022, have been used in blockbuster films like Avatar and The Hobbit.

    To stand out and make a lasting impact, one must be willing to challenge the status quo. Just as Jannard revolutionized the way films are made, entrepreneurs should aim to push their respective industries forward by introducing groundbreaking ideas and technologies.

    Always strive for better

    While many entrepreneurs might have rested on their laurels, Jannard’s ambition drove him to explore new frontiers. Even after Jannard’s success with Oakley and RED Digital Cinema, he launched RED Hydrogen One, a holographic smartphone, in November 2018. It was plagued with issues, but Jannard is no stranger to innovation. Instead of becoming discouraged, he promised the second version would be better.

    In a rapidly evolving business landscape, the drive to innovate and improve is a cornerstone of long-term success. Just as Jannard continued to push the boundaries of the industry with Oakley and RED Digital Cinema, aspiring business leaders should always seek ways to make their products and services better, even after achieving significant milestones.

    Jim Jannard’s relentless pursuit of excellence reminds us that the spirit of innovation, determination, and responsibility can truly change the world.

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    Kimberly Zhang

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  • Embracing AI Will Make Your Business Stronger — Here’s How. | Entrepreneur

    Embracing AI Will Make Your Business Stronger — Here’s How. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Artificial intelligence provides businesses with a way to unclog bottlenecks and execute their value propositions as efficiently and effectively as possible.

    Take the hubbub around ChatGPT, for example. With a simple prompt, AI can craft a script, a blog post or an academic paper with at least most of the necessary components. According to Botco.ai, 73% of businesses they surveyed have harnessed the power of generative AI to produce various forms of content.

    For organizations that invest a lot in corporate communication and marketing, this sounds like a dream come true. Type a few lines and AI does the heavy lifting. No need to break the bank by hiring pricy vendors or setting up an in-house content squad. It’s like a content creation fairytale, right?

    Here’s the catch: Creating truly engaging content takes more than a few clicks in an AI tool. It demands a smart business strategy tailored to your specific goals and objectives. Even as more companies begin to defer some of their efforts to AI, that kind of expertise still needs to be human.

    Related: Writing Content With AI Won’t Help You Win Against Google Search Rankings. Here’s Why.

    Adding a human touch to AI content creation

    Although AI undoubtedly excels in terms of speed and bulk content creation, it’s crucial to recognize the potential pitfalls that can emerge when entrusting the entire content creation process to AI.

    First, there’s the issue of planning. Regardless of your industry, content goes far beyond being a mere collection of words on a page; it’s a strategic endeavor that requires careful consideration. Crafting an effective content strategy involves creating an editorial calendar, which entails much more than just selecting dates and establishing a posting schedule. An editorial calendar takes into account myriad variables, such as content types, timeliness, cadence and more. While AI can assist in certain aspects, it has its limitations in comprehensively managing all of these interlocking aspects.

    Second, if you opt to use an AI tool, quality control is the true indispensable role of humans when it comes to AI content creation. While AI can indeed generate content, it isn’t very useful without a human hand to guide and refine it. This human element provides crucial details related to previous articles published, incorporating timely hooks and ensuring alignment with the preferred tone of voice and in-house style. Speaking of style, there’s also the critical task of reviewing and editing AI-generated content for plagiarism and consistency.

    Related: 3 Principles for Scaling Content With AI Without Sacrificing Quality

    Teamwork makes the dream work

    Generative AI solutions aren’t the enemy; they’re a valuable asset that can streamline aspects of your content creation process. However, to harness their true potential, partnering with knowledgeable humans is key. If you’re looking for a partner to help enhance your AI content creation efforts, here are some considerations to keep in mind:

    1. Don’t say ‘yes’ to a hard no

    According to a survey by Salesforce, AI is making some serious headway in the world of content creation. It found that marketers use generative AI for basic content creation (76%), copywriting (76%) and more. Those surveyed also predicted that generative AI would save them five hours of work every week. So, while AI might still seem like a bit of a wild card in some areas, the pros of teaming up with AI for content far outweigh the cons.

    However, a word of caution: If you come across a potential partner who’s allergic to the idea of AI, that’s a red flag. Whether it’s ChatGPT lending a hand with outlining content or Grammarly performing some baseline editing magic, AI has carved out its spot in the content creation world. So, when you’re chatting with agencies or potential partners, ask them how they’re making AI a part of their workflow. If they say, “We’re not using it yet, but we’re on the lookout for ways to weave it in naturally,” that’s a good sign they’re forward-thinking.

    2. Don’t stop at the what — ask the how, too

    According to the Botco.ai study, nearly half of the people they talked to — 49%, to be precise — said AI had a hand in shaping their final content. How AI helps the content creation process can differ from one company to another, but when you’re considering a potential partner, you’ve got to ask them to spill the beans on how they’re specifically using AI.

    If they’re just starting to dip their toes into the AI pool, throw them a curveball and ask where they’re planning to use it in their content creation process. Alternatively, if they’re already using AI extensively, find out which parts of the content creation journey it’s lending a hand in. And here’s a little pro tip: Pay extra attention if they mention using AI for plagiarism checks. In a world overflowing with content, having AI play detective for copied text is as close to perfection as you can hope for.

    Speaking of perfection (or being far from it), we recently put our team and ChatGPT to the test by having them write the same article. We found pretty quickly that AI had a nasty habit of using hypothetical stats instead of real ones. Fortunately, that’s exactly why the human touch is essential. A human can verify facts and add an extra layer of credibility, which is why your preferred partner must ensure a human touch is included in their content creation process.

    Related: AI Wrote Half of This Article. Here’s Why Entrepreneurs Should Take Note

    3. Don’t forget about KPIs

    AI isn’t just good for the company bank account; it’s a game-changer for your employees, too. A study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that access to AI increases worker productivity by 14%, and it can help employees multitask and handle more complicated questions faster.

    Now that’s some pretty clear success right there, but success can look different for everyone. So, when you’re teaming up with a company that’s riding the AI wave, you’ve got to speak the same success language. Is it all about keyword rankings? Or maybe it’s all about the clicks and conversions? Or even worse, what if Google wakes up tomorrow and decides to throw a penalty flag on AI-generated content? Are you ready to pivot like a pro if that happens? Fortunately, by keeping a close eye on KPIs, you can be ready to switch gears if you notice your rankings starting to slip.

    Ultimately, the secret sauce to thriving in the age of AI-powered content is teaming up with a savvy, open-minded and results-driven partner who’s got your back. Blend the magic of automation with the expertise of a proven agency, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for content success.

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    Kelsey Raymond

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  • Language Barriers Divide Global Workforces — But Not For Long With This New Technology | Entrepreneur

    Language Barriers Divide Global Workforces — But Not For Long With This New Technology | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Working across language barriers has always presented challenges for entrepreneurs and businesses in a globalized market. However, there are tools available to meet these challenges in today’s world.

    As an entrepreneur who has built and managed remote teams in countries like the Philippines, Brazil, Africa, and throughout Eastern Europe, I’ve witnessed firsthand the challenges that come with working across language barriers. The time difference, culture differences and other barriers can make it difficult to communicate effectively and work towards a common goal.

    However, the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is rapidly transforming how we communicate, breaking down these barriers and creating new opportunities for businesses in developing countries. This article explores how AI is revolutionizing global communication, empowering non-native English speakers, and paving the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future.

    Related: 5 Things to Remember When Hiring International Employees

    Empowering non-native English speakers

    In the global economy, effective communication in English is a key factor for success. Non-native English speakers often face significant barriers to achieving fluency, which can limit their opportunities for career advancement or business growth. However, the emergence of AI language models such as ChatGPT has started to level the playing field, enabling non-native speakers to write English that is on par with, or even superior to, that of native speakers.

    AI language models provide real-time language translation, grammar correction and vocabulary suggestions. This empowers non-native speakers to write more effectively in English, regardless of their level of proficiency. This is not only beneficial for individuals, but it is also beneficial for businesses and organizations that rely on global teams to drive innovation and growth.

    Amplifying collaboration

    Language barriers often impede collaboration in global teams, hindering the exchange of ideas and the effective execution of projects.

    AI-powered language tools are revolutionizing team communication and collaboration. Through real-time translation, grammar correction and vocabulary assistance, AI enables seamless interaction and understanding among team members from diverse linguistic backgrounds. The ability to communicate and collaborate effectively across languages is essential for unlocking the full potential of global teams, fostering creativity and driving innovation.

    Elevating business communication

    Effective communication lies at the heart of business success. Language proficiency plays a crucial role in establishing credibility, building relationships and conveying messages clearly.

    By using AI language models, non-native speakers can enhance their writing skills, creating compelling and engaging content that resonates with global audiences. AI’s ability to suggest natural and idiomatic phrasing helps non-native speakers express themselves confidently, leading to greater influence and impact in their communication efforts.

    Empowering remote teams

    The rise of remote work has created opportunities for businesses to tap into talent pools around the world. However, effective collaboration in remote teams can be hindered by language barriers. AI is a game-changer for remote teams, equipping them with powerful tools to enhance productivity and efficiency.

    With AI-powered project management platforms, intelligent automation and language assistance, remote teams can tackle complex tasks, streamline workflows and deliver exceptional results. By harnessing AI, remote teams will become unstoppable forces of innovation and value creation, transcending geographical boundaries and language limitations.

    Related: 4 Reasons Why Most Entrepreneurs Still Hesitate to Use ChatGPT

    Driving inclusion and diversity

    AI serves as a catalyst for inclusion and diversity in the business landscape. Language barriers have often been a source of discrimination and bias, limiting opportunities for non-native speakers. By empowering non-native speakers and breaking down language barriers, AI fosters a more inclusive environment where individuals can fully participate and contribute.

    This diversity of perspectives drives innovation, fuels creativity and sparks breakthrough ideas. As we embrace the power of AI, we create a business ecosystem where everyone’s voice is heard and valued — leading to a more vibrant and dynamic global marketplace.

    Related: How AI Will Change the Face of Entrepreneurship in 2024

    The transformative impact of AI

    AI is reshaping the business landscape, turning language barriers into language bridges. Through AI-powered language models like ChatGPT, non-native English speakers are empowered to communicate effectively, making it possible to compete on an equal footing and seize new opportunities in the global economy.

    As we continue to develop and refine AI language tools, the possibilities for global communication and collaboration are endless. AI has the potential to not only improve language proficiency but also to enhance cultural understanding and promote cross-cultural exchange. By leveraging AI, businesses can tap into diverse talent pools, foster innovation and expand their global reach.

    Furthermore, AI is not only benefiting individuals — it is also benefitting organizations as a whole. Businesses that embrace AI-powered language tools can enhance their customer service, craft impactful marketing campaigns and create engaging content that resonates with international audiences. With AI as a language bridge, businesses can connect with customers from different cultures and languages, breaking down barriers and forging meaningful connections.

    It’s worth noting that AI is not intended to replace human interaction or language learning. Instead, it complements and enhances human capabilities, making communication more efficient and inclusive. AI allows individuals to focus on higher-level tasks, creativity and critical thinking. This leaves mundane and repetitive language-related tasks to automation.

    As we look to the future, the impact of AI on global business will only continue to grow. AI language models will become more sophisticated; they will understand context, nuances and cultural references with greater accuracy. The potential for AI to revolutionize translation, interpretation and cross-cultural communication is immense, opening doors to new business opportunities and collaborations on a global scale.

    Taking action to leverage AI-powered language tools

    • Evaluate and implement AI language solutions: To begin harnessing the power of AI for improved communication, research and evaluate various AI language tools available in the market, such as ChatGPT and Google Translate. Consider factors such as translation accuracy, language support, ease of use and integration with existing tools and platforms. Once an appropriate solution is found, implement the chosen AI language tool within your organization and train team members to maximize its utility.
    • Determine the ideal location for your remote team and leverage AI tools to enhance communication: When deciding where to establish your remote team, consider factors such as time zones, cultural similarities and existing language proficiency among potential candidates. The Philippines, for instance, offers a vast talent pool of virtual assistants with strong English language skills, making it an attractive option for building a remote team. Their English proficiency, while generally high, may still benefit from AI tools like ChatGPT to polish written communication and bridge any remaining language gaps. By strategically choosing the location of your remote team and providing them with AI language tools, you will optimize communication, enhance collaboration and make the most out of your remote workforce investment.
    • Encourage a culture of inclusivity and collaboration: In order to truly unlock the potential of AI-powered language tools, create an organizational culture that values inclusivity and collaboration. Encourage team members to actively use AI language tools in their daily communication, especially when interacting with colleagues from different linguistic backgrounds. Foster a supportive environment that embraces diversity, helping non-native speakers to feel confident in expressing their opinions and ideas.
    • Continuously improve language competency and cultural understanding: While AI language tools are instrumental in overcoming language barriers, it’s essential not to neglect the human aspect of effective communication. Encourage and support team members in their pursuit to continually develop their language skills and cultural understanding. Provide opportunities for language courses, cultural exchange programs or workshops focused on cross-cultural communication. This will help build a stronger, more cohesive and empathetic team that works well across language barriers and transcends cultural differences.

    AI is transforming global business

    AI is transforming the way we communicate, bridging language gaps and creating a more inclusive global business environment. By empowering non-native speakers, amplifying collaboration and fostering diversity, AI is revolutionizing the way we do business — unleashing the full potential of individuals and organizations worldwide.

    As we embrace AI as a powerful language bridge, we are building a future where language is no longer a barrier but a gateway to unlimited possibilities. Let us harness the power of AI to create a world where communication knows no boundaries.

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    Jeff J Hunter

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  • 5 Books That Will Change The Way You Think About Being an Effective Leader | Entrepreneur

    5 Books That Will Change The Way You Think About Being an Effective Leader | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Innovation has become synonymous with success for modern business leaders. Industry landscapes shift faster than ever due to technological leaps, and leaders must quickly adapt to better meet the challenges of today and tomorrow alike.

    While real-world experience is invaluable to gaining knowledge specific to your field, I have found that reading the right books can rapidly transform my perception — and ultimately enhance my ability to lead teams through even the most challenging circumstances.

    As an estimated four million new books are released annually, it can quickly become a slog of a job in itself to find the gems among the rubble. The following books challenged my perception of innovation and left me a more effective leader. The information within them can improve anyone’s ability to innovate and steer their brand toward true and lasting success.

    Related: How to Tap Into Innovation, the Most Essential Part of Your Entrepreneurial Journey

    1. ‘Deep Work‘ by Cal Newport

    For a team to fully flourish and innovate, they must first find the ability to focus deeply. This is easier said than done in the age of distractions, though. Since 2000, the average adult attention span has plummeted by 25%, leaving it at a paltry 8.25-second average.

    “Deep Work” steps in to challenge conventional norms about productivity and reevaluate habits, communication and accessibility. Newport leads the reader through how to best approach complex problems that require long periods of focus to overcome.

    All modern teams face significant obstacles between themselves and performing their best work. This book provides a framework to clear the mind and truly focus on what matters in the moment, creating the best setting possible for innovation to occur.

    Related: 3 Proven Ways to Achieve Superhuman Focus In 14 Days

    2. ‘Shoe Dog‘ by Phil Knight

    Sometimes, the best way to learn to lead isn’t from straightforward advice but by following the story of someone who experienced unprecedented success. “Shoe Dog” chronicles the rise of Nike from the early sixties into the digital age. From humble origins to an annual revenue of almost $19 billion, Knight led Nike with a series of daring, innovative moves that bucked the trends of his time.

    His choices and ability to lead led to the creation of an iconic brand recognizable around the world, and the lessons from this rise are readily applicable beyond the footwear world. If you’re looking for a book about how to succeed and lead with grace, then “Shoe Dog” is a near-perfect fit.

    3. ‘Going On Offense: A Leader‘s Playbook for Perpetual Innovation‘ by Behnam Tabrizi

    Far too often, after a business achieves initial success after early innovation, it rests on its laurels. This gives competitors time to catch up while their lead diminishes, squandering an opportunity to cement themselves at the top of their industry.

    In “Going on Offense: A Leader’s Playbook for Perpetual Innovation,” Tabrizi outlines exactly how to not just innovate once but to ingrain creativity throughout your business. For businesses looking to regain their innovative stride and reclaim their spot at the top of their industry, Tabrizi’s work is essential reading.

    Based on a comprehensive seven-year study that covers trends of industry leaders like Apple, Facebook and Amazon, Tabrizi’s work gives the precise knowledge base and actionable insights modern leaders need to continually innovate and improve past initial success. There are few works as fitting or relevant for those looking to set themselves and their team up for long-term, sustainable innovation and success.

    Related: How to Use Entrepreneurial Creativity for Innovation

    4. ‘The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses‘ by Eric Ries

    This book provides a methodology for entrepreneurs to create and manage startups effectively. It emphasizes the importance of experimentation, customer feedback and rapid iteration and advocates for the development of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), which is then tested with customers to gain real-world data and insights. The concept of “validated learning” is central, encouraging entrepreneurs to gather data as quickly as possible and make data-driven decisions.

    The business model canvas helps entrepreneurs refine their business models, while customer development focuses on understanding the target market through continuous interaction. Agile development advocates for a flexible and iterative approach to product development.

    Through real-life examples like Dropbox and IMVU, the book demonstrates how startups have successfully applied their principles to achieve innovation, growth, and market success. Overall, The Lean Startup is a valuable guide for entrepreneurs navigating the uncertain landscape of innovation and seeking to build sustainable and successful businesses.

    5. ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People‘ by Sean Covey

    Both positive and negative habits shape every decision and day throughout our lives. In this classic read, Covey systematically notes how to view your personal habits with objectivity so you can then improve them and become an easier individual to work with.

    While some of the concepts within, like “Win-Win,” might seem old hat at this time, there’s a reason this book has maintained relevance and steady sales since the 80s. It’s a timeless approach to accepting responsibility not for yourself but for how you interact daily with others. Covey provides a proven system that doesn’t just lead to efficient productivity but more effective leadership skills that work under virtually any conditions.

    Related: 11 Proven Habits of Highly Innovative People

    A process of continual improvement

    A quality book can be a transformative experience that imparts the lessons of a lifetime within the few hours it takes to read. The advice from these industry pioneers leaves a reader with a more nuanced understanding of both business relationships and their personal ability to lead.

    Give them a read, and I’m confident you will find relatable insights that can help further fuel your ability to innovate and thrive.

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    Lucas Miller

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  • These 4 Popular Mantras Contain Valuable Lessons in Leadership | Entrepreneur

    These 4 Popular Mantras Contain Valuable Lessons in Leadership | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Some old sayings are popular because they stand the test of time. You’ve heard them from family and friends alike: Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth; treat others the way you want to be treated. There are four wise mantras that speak to the ebb and flow of business, containing vital lessons that will help you navigate the rough spots as you build your dream.

    1. Everything happens for a reason

    We don’t plan to fail or let someone take advantage of us or lose an account, but these things do happen. Going into the situation with our eyes open and willing to learn will prevent a bad decision from growing into a crisis. In business, everything is character-building. The heartbreaks teach you more than the wins.

    As a legally blind CEO and broadcaster, I interview people on my radio show. Since I can’t see note cards, I immerse myself in their story, memorizing the events of their lives and how they felt about these events. Blindness has allowed me to become a much better listener. Some of my guests have said, “You know my life better than I know my life.” Hosts usually sit across from their subject with a list of questions; I memorize my guest’s entire life story and every question comes from the heart. My way is the Nancy way, born from necessity, but it’s more effective.

    When you can’t see the way through a crisis, take time to sit down and make a chart. In the left column, list the tough circumstances — the negative events. In the right column, list the things you have accomplished of which you are most proud. You will be surprised at the victories you have gained. You will see that you pushed through the negative events that are now overshadowed by your successes.

    Related: I’m a Blind CEO — Here Are 3 Lessons I’ve Learned About Finding Alternative Ways to Be Your Most Productive Self.

    2. You can’t judge a book by its cover

    Running a company, one of the first things you learn is that people defy their outward appearances. You will consistently find yourself in a position to judge others: a new co-worker, a new client or a candidate in an interview. You may meet a new colleague with a disability. If you can’t see beyond labels to the skills and gifts a person may possess, you will miss out.

    I remember back when vision loss made it impossible to drive. I was a real estate agent, so I had to take the bus to get to my clients. Dressed in my best suit, I had my briefcase, carrying everything with me in case they wanted to make an offer. I sat in the front where the handicapped section was so I could hear the bus driver call out my stop to me. A woman came over to me yelling, “How dare you! This section is for disabled people! You don’t need this seat. What kind of diva do you think you are?”

    It was a most startling example of “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” She saw me as a young, polished executive. Disabled people don’t look like that woman, she thought.

    Biases and prejudices exist. If your company struggles in this area, you can start with awareness. Does your company promote women or people of color? Learn what disabled people can do and how they do it. In your workplace, inspire volunteerism. Pick a cause that needs support and help those groups by raising money, having someone come and speak at your organization or partnering with advocacy groups to encourage underrepresented people to apply to your company.

    3. Call it a day

    Has adversity ever made you more determined than ever to finish something? That’s a good trait when you’re working as a team to accomplish a goal, but there are times when you can give yourself permission to walk away. You can always return with a fresh pair of eyes. This happens to me when technology stops working, especially when it flips out in the afternoon.

    As a business leader, you might try to work in spite of emotional upheaval, whether its grief over a breakup or anger over a flat tire on the way to work. Times of frustration or sadness are the worst times to respond to emails that push your buttons or call a meeting based on your reaction to a specific situation. It’s important to only hit “send” on the email when you’re in a good place. Otherwise, leave it in the draft folder for at least a day.

    As an executive, you can give others permission to call it a day. Make it a point to check in with at least three people daily. Listen to the words they use and their tone of voice. You might save the company a client relationship or prevent an unwanted confrontation in the workplace.

    4. No pain, no gain

    This wise saying comes to us from the world of sports, but it translates well to the world of enterprise. To achieve any goal worth pursuing, there is going to be pain. You will feel the burn of testing your limits when you build a business.

    When you start out, you may envision the road to your career goals as a smooth journey, but the pain of it is working around busy schedules, bringing people with diverse ideas together and the heartache of replacing good people when they leave. If you can begin with a realistic set of expectations — knowing that the unexpected can surface at any moment — you will face your circumstances with a troubleshooting mindset, finding ways to work with your challenges instead of against them.

    When vision loss progressed to the point I could no longer drive, my clients had to adjust to driving us around. It wasn’t ideal, but I found a solution that worked.

    You can use pen/paper or a private blog to keep track of these watershed moments, the times you faced adversity and overcame the odds. You will look back and see your strength — the pain you felt and the overcoming moment when you pushed through. You will see what you learned, how you grew, and the insight you gained.

    Related: 5 Mantras of Successful Entrepreneurs You Can Use to Improve Your Life and Habits

    Conclusion

    There is a power in some of these wise statements that you can harness, depending on your company’s mission. You can even make your own mantra. After all, someone came up with these familiar truisms, likely after coming out of a bad situation. Whether your slogan is “To infinity and beyond” or “Look before you leap,” mantras can serve as reminders of what really matters, keeping you on the path to fulfilling your vision.

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    Nancy Solari

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  • This Is the Unconventional Marketing Tactic Small Businesses Need to Try | Entrepreneur

    This Is the Unconventional Marketing Tactic Small Businesses Need to Try | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    If you’ve never heard of guerrilla marketing, it can sound intimidating. After all, it comes from the term guerrilla warfare. The goal of guerrilla marketing is to drive brand awareness through unconventional or shocking tactics for maximum exposure. If you think guerrilla marketing isn’t for you and your business keep in mind that guerrilla marketing campaigns have a 21% higher ROI than more traditional marketing.

    The elements that make guerrilla marketing are:

    Cost-effective: If you think guerrilla marketing is expensive, think again. One of the biggest reasons to do it would actually be to save money you’d normally spend on traditional marketing outlets. Most small business owners like that guerrilla marketers spend 90% less on advertising than other traditional methods.

    Element of surprise: Catching people off guard is a great way to make sure you’re getting their undivided attention. In a world of ads in every direction from bus stops to billboards, make your message garner attention.

    Creative and unconventional: Marketers can distance themselves from the more corporate side of the brand and have more freedom of control to do something more fun, which could be different from what the brand is usually known for.

    Interactive: In the mundane when people are going to and from work and going through the regular motions of a workday, you can lighten up their mood by giving them an activity which they wouldn’t normally do.

    Related: 7 Guerrilla Marketing Tactics That Will Grow Your Business When Money Gets Tight

    Benefits of guerrilla marketing

    Let’s talk about why you should be applying guerrilla marketing tactics to your small business if you’re not yet.

    Guerrilla marketing can become your unique selling proposition (USP) because it’s creative, memorable and unconventional — and if I haven’t convinced you yet how effective guerilla marketing is, take a look at this: “79% of consumers believe companies that provide unique experiences value their business more.” So you’re increasing your brand’s value in your audience’s mind by using a strategy that’s inherently more unique.

    This will also generate word-of-mouth as people will talk about their unique experiences with others. Many times, guerrilla marketing will also garner media attention, which is another part of the low cost-effectiveness of guerrilla marketing.

    Strategies to implement this unconventional strategy

    Ambush marketing: This tactic is not the easiest to execute, and you will most likely need to work with other businesses or organizations as it’s a big undertaking and can easily go wrong. A great way to understand ambush marketing is to think about flash mobs. Let’s say you’re a local dance school; you could go to a baseball game for youths. Parents would be there, so your target market would already be at the event. Next, you’d need to wait for a break in the game and then ambush the field with your flash mob. At the end of the performance, all dancers could take off their jackets/sweaters and showcase a shirt with your dance school’s logo. Use caution once again, because if this isn’t done correctly, you could potentially offend the organizers of the event.

    Undercover marketing: This can be done in two ways. The goal of undercover marketing is for potential customers to be unaware they’re being pitched to. A common example is product placements in your favorite TV shows. Another way to use undercover marketing is by hiring actors or using employees who go undercover to interact with the public. The public is unaware that the agents are actually there on a mission to execute an undercover marketing tactic.

    Ambient marketing: This is the most common form of guerrilla marketing and also one of the most entertaining. It has strong visuals and includes putting a message for your brand out in unusual public spaces. Usually, some form of signage or logo will be used and put out in a clever way that goes with the brand’s offerings. Let’s say you own a small business selling Christmas tree ornaments. Your ambient marketing campaign could be making small round cardboard ornaments where one side is an eye-catching design, and the other side is your logo. You could hang these on trees in busy places where people will walk by them constantly. A word of caution: Make sure you contact your city if you’re unsure of whether or not you’d be allowed to do that so you don’t end up in a conflict.

    Related: 9 Marketing Strategies for Startups to Boost Growth and Visibility

    Experiential marketing: This is when you get the public out of their comfort zone to participate in an activity. Let’s say you own a power washing business. You could put graffiti on a wall and ask the public to participate in removing different types of products such as chalk, markers, paint, etc. Maybe make it a competition by blindfolding them and offering a prize if they’re able to complete the tasks. Make it fun and get people moving! Obviously, just make sure you get permission.

    My company has used this strategy in B2B settings. Many people believe guerrilla marketing should only be reserved for B2C, mostly because they’re worried about the backlash they may receive in a B2B setting, but I recommend getting creative regardless of your audience. At the end of the day, B2B clients are still human and will enjoy the entertainment that comes with it. We went to a trade show once and put cards all over the vicinity. The card had a question mark on one side and instructions to come get a prize on the other side. This was such a low-cost way to get prospects to come to our booth and get free ice cream. We would use the opportunity while they were eating ice cream to teach them about our offerings. Never underestimate the power of free food!

    If you haven’t tried guerrilla marketing yet as a small or medium-sized business, give it a try. Shake up the everyday experiences your town experiences and become the talk at the dinner table. Just remember a few things: Messages can be misinterpreted if they’re too mysterious, you might intimidate your audience or shareholders and it could put potential customers off if it’s too out there or controversial.

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    Jason Miller

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  • This Is What True Success Actually Looks Like | Entrepreneur

    This Is What True Success Actually Looks Like | Entrepreneur

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    Because people often equate success with wealth and status, it’s easy to lose sight of what actual achievement looks like. In this episode of the Jeff Fenster Show, we discuss the importance of purpose, motivation, gratitude, and identity in attaining success.

    We begin by diving into the difference between your purpose and your passion.

    “Passion should be seen as the fuel, while purpose is the vehicle,” says guest Brian Boesche.

    He believes purpose goes beyond a mere reason for being; it is the guiding force that propels individuals towards their goals. While passion is a fleeting emotion that can waver over time, purpose holds steady, providing the necessary direction and focus to overcome obstacles.

    Taking vs. Giving

    Jeff Fenster, host of the show, emphasizes the significance of understanding the cycle of taking and giving. Building long-term relationships and success requires a balanced approach, where one contributes to others’ growth while receiving support. This symbiotic relationship fosters community and propels individuals towards their goals.

    As Gab Boesche, another guest on the show, highlights, motivation is derived from fulfillment. By helping others and witnessing the transformative impact of their actions, individuals find the drive to push forward. Through these acts of service, one discovers their true purpose and experiences a profound sense of fulfillment.

    Recognizing and celebrating small wins is crucial in the journey towards success. Whether securing a first client or achieving a personal goal, these milestones are stepping stones to greater accomplishments. Expressing gratitude towards team members and acknowledging their contributions fosters a positive work environment, boosting morale and encouraging continued growth.

    Making better decisions

    Making better decisions is another critical aspect of compressing time and multiplying the impact of one’s efforts. By recognizing and addressing patterns that hold us back, we can break free from self-imposed limitations and propel ourselves towards success.

    Seeking mentors is essential in navigating the path to success. Mentors provide guidance, wisdom, and support, helping individuals avoid common pitfalls and accelerate their progress. However, it is crucial to acknowledge the dangers of excessive privilege and ensure that mentorship is grounded in humility and a genuine desire to learn.

    For those seeking guidance and support in discovering their purpose, the Purpose Company stands ready to assist. By reaching out to their team, individuals can tap into a wealth of knowledge and resources to help them on their journey toward success.

    Ultimately, it is essential to remember that one’s purpose is one’s permission to pursue greatness. By embracing purpose, finding motivation through service, expressing gratitude, and making conscious decisions, individuals can unlock their full potential and achieve remarkable success.

    As Jeff Fenster concludes, “Successful people have coaches.” Embracing the power of purpose and seeking guidance from mentors and supportive communities can propel individuals toward their goals, enabling them to make a lasting impact on the world

    About The Jeff Fenster Show

    Serial entrepreneur Jeff Fenster embarks on an extraordinary journey every week, delving into the stories of exceptional individuals who have defied the norms and blazed their own trails to achieve extraordinary success.

    Subscribe to The Jeff Fenster Show: Entrepreneur | Apple | Spotify | Google | Stitcher

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    Entrepreneur Staff

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