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  • 5 things not to buy in 2023

    5 things not to buy in 2023

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    It’s been a year of contradictions.

    The recession drum beats on, interest rates are rising, and the stock market has taken a tumble, and yet retail sales have risen 6.5% in the last 12 months, trailing a 7.1% increase in the cost of living.

    There are other reasons people should consider cutting back on spending in 2023. The personal saving rate — meaning personal saving as a percentage of disposable income, or the share of income left after paying taxes and spending money — hit 2.4% in the third quarter from 3.4% in the prior quarter, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said.

    “There are signs that people are pulling back on certain expenditures. ”

    That is the lowest level since the Great Recession and the eighth-lowest quarterly rate on record (since 1947). Adjusted for inflation, savings are down 88% from their 2020 peak and 61% lower than before the pandemic, according to government data. The personal saving rate hit 2.4% in November vs. 2.2% in October. 

    Are people buying stocks during a bearish market, and/or have they run out of their pandemic-era savings? Whatever the reasons, more judicious investing and spending decisions seem to be the most prudent approach — especially given the uncertain economic outlook for 2023.

    There are signs that people are already pulling back on certain expenditures. Although retail sales are up on the year, they did decline 0.6% month-on-month in November to mark their biggest decline in almost a year, largely because of weak car sales.

    About those new cars: New-vehicle total sales for 2022 are projected to reach 13,687,000 units, down 8.4% on the year, according to a joint forecast from J.D. Power and LMC Automotive. MarketWatch reporter Philip van Doorn explains all the reasons why you may wish to skip buying a new car in 2023, in addition to their rising prices.

    So what else should you save your money on in 2023? MarketWatch writers give their verdict below.

    SPACs

    During the pandemic, people loved to buy special purpose acquisitions companies, known as SPACs. In 2021, 613 SPACs listed on U.S. stock exchanges through initial public offerings, according to SPAC Insider. The year before, there were 248 SPAC IPOs. There had never been more than 100 of these before in a single year. There were SPACs associated with Donald Trump and Serena Williams. There were so many, that one was called Just Another Acquisition Corp. 

    SPACs exist as a means to take private companies public, and theoretically give these shell companies a faster and less regulatory burdensome means to access public capital. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission warned investors last April that so-called advantages of the SPAC process, such as reduced legal liability, may not prove to be so solid if tested in court.

    The SPACs raised money even though they had no commercial operations or business, and tried to use the cash to buy something that did exist. But investors who bought SPACs that merged with private companies since 2015 have suffered losses of 37%, on average, a year after the merger, according to a recent study.  The SPAC and New Issue ETF 
    SPCX,
    +0.37%
    has slipped 12% this year. The frenzy for SPACs has predictably gone bust. But if you see one, just stay away from it.

    — Nathan Vardi

    Crypto 

    There are two main reasons not to invest in cryptocurrency in 2023, and neither has to do with the precipitous drop in value for most of the major coins in the last year, including but not limited to bitcoin
    BTCUSD,
    -1.11%    ,
    ethereum
    ETHE,
    -2.71%
    and tether
    USDTUSD,
    -0.02%    .
    Investors have long been conditioned to buy the dip and find value where others fear to tread, and then make money on the upswing. 

    Crypto is different because there’s no correlation to long-held market theories, and buying it amounts more to speculation than to investing. That might seem semantic, but if you look at financial planning holistically, then you treat investing as an exercise in risk tolerance — and crypto is all risk. 

    Which leads to the other main reason to avoid crypto in the next year: If you do buy it, there’s really no safe way to store it. There’s no federal insurance covering exchange failures and little cyber-theft protection for individuals. That leaves you on your own, which is not a good place to be with your money.

    — Beth Pinsker

    Meta Quest headsets

    On the consumer front, if you’re really into virtual reality, there is nothing wrong with jumping on the new Meta Quest two and Meta Quest Pro headsets that were introduced in 2022 by Meta Platforms Inc. 
    META,
    -0.78%    .

    The problem is that you might feel like you bought a BlackBerry
    BB,
    -3.42%
    phone in early 2007. Apple Inc.
    AAPL,
    -1.40%
    is expected to finally show off what engineers at the Silicon Valley giant have been cooking up in a years-long project to jump into augmented and virtual reality, and consumers are expected to at least get a glimpse at Apple’s attempt this year, if not a chance to buy whatever the company produces. 

    The headsets don’t come cheap: Meta said earlier this year it was raising the price of Meta Quest 2 headsets by $100 to $399.99 (128GB) and $499.99 (256GB). The iPhone’s introduction 15 years ago changed the way people look at smartphones, and Apple’s expected jump into this field in 2023 could leave anyone who spent their money on a Meta Quest headset wishing for a new reality.

    — Jeremy Owens

    Meme stocks 

    Struggling companies with business models that appear to some to be dying and/or struggling do not generally perform well in the stock market. But during the pandemic these companies often had stocks that soared. What drove them was social media sentiment, driven on platforms like Reddit, by a swarm of retail investors. 

    There was video game retailer GameStop
    GME,
    -7.42%    ,
    movie theater chain AMC
    AMC,
    -8.43%    ,
    and smartphone dinosaur Blackberry. AMC recently announced the sale of another $110 million in stock, adding to a total that has already exceeded $2 billion since the theater chain got swept up into meme-stock madness. CEO Adam Aron wrote on Twitter that the move put the company “in a much stronger cash position.”

    GameStop recently reported its seventh consecutive quarterly loss and reiterated its goal of returning to profitability in the near term, but analysts have signaled that many challenges lie ahead. During the company’s recent third-quarter conference call, Chief Executive Officer Matt Furlong said that GameStop would be open to exploring acquisitions of a strategic asset or complimentary business if they were available “in the right price range.”

    Buying meme companies like this worked for some in a booming stock market fueled by ultra-low interest rates. But we are now in a bear market with interest rates that are elevated. Corporate fundamentals are back in vogue. So are quaint investment ideas like cashflow. More likely than not, the days of buying meme stocks are over.

    — Nathan Vardi

    Tesla cars

    In recent years, Tesla Inc.
    TSLA,
    -8.25%
    has stood alone as the best option for electric vehicles, while other manufacturers struggled to get production running. But in 2023, there should be many more types of electric cars available, at prices that are expected to trend downward as the year goes along. Teslas range in price from $46,990 for the Tesla Model 3 to $138,880 for the Tesla Model X Plaid. 

    With major manufacturers such as General Motors Co.
    GM,
    -0.73%    ,
    Ford Motor Co.
    FORD,
    -2.68%    ,
    Toyota Corp. and Volkswagen
    VOW,
    -0.77%
    VLKAF,
    -1.15%
    jumping into the fray, and young Tesla wannabes like Rivian Automotive Inc.
    RIVN,
    -7.11%    ,
    Lucid Group Inc.
    LCID,
    -7.24%
    and FIsker Inc.
    FSR,
    -6.19%
     expected to start producing cars, consumers will have many more options for EVs. 

    Meanwhile, Tesla has done little to update the Model 3 since it was introduced in 2017, and has increased prices at a level that Chief Executive Elon Musk has admitted is “embarrassing” for a company that claimed to have a goal of mass-market pricing for EVs. 

    The average price of a new EV is $64,249, while a new gas car is $48,281, according to​​ Liz Najman, a climate scientist and communications and research manager at Recurrent Auto, an EV research and analytics firm focused on the used-vehicle market. After years of not having much choice beyond Tesla for EVs, 2023 appears to be the year that changes.

    — Jeremy Owens

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  • Watch Out For These 3 Entrepreneur Death Traps

    Watch Out For These 3 Entrepreneur Death Traps

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Inexperienced founders and first-time entrepreneurs who are excited about entering the realm of entrepreneurship often find themselves focused on “not important right now” items.

    You can generally tell when an entrepreneur is falling for the non-important. Their focus gets drawn out over a longer than necessary period of time for things like branded clothing, business cards and the proper titles. There is a flow of priorities in business that are always at play, and when you’re building a business, it is crucial not to waste resources on non-important right now priorities.

    To clarify the point, let’s look at a general overview of priorities broken down between experienced and inexperienced entrepreneurs:

    Inexperienced order of objectives:

    1. Figure out a name
    2. See if it’s available
    3. File to incorporate
    4. Wait for incorporation to go through, then get a business bank account
    5. Get a logo
    6. Get branded apparel
    7. Get the business cards
    8. Start to build a prospect list
    9. Get a customer

    The experienced flow of objectives

    1. Get a customer
    2. Continue to build a prospect list
    3. Figure out a name
    4. Maybe get a contact card
    5. Etc.

    Here is a list of three common flaws first-time entrepreneurs and founders face when starting a business.

    Related: The True Failure Rate of Small Businesses

    1. Understand the difference between an order of objectives and a flow of objectives

    Inexperienced entrepreneurs tend to think that things must be done in a set order to accomplish a goal. For example, I have seen multiple people start their entrepreneurial journey and turn away customers because they feel it’s necessary to follow the order of objectives above.

    That thinking — especially in the early stages — slows down execution rates because they bottleneck the next thing to be done. This causes friction, leading to burnout in a new entrepreneur.
    Meanwhile, an experienced entrepreneur knows that multiple objectives will be in play, working to accomplish simultaneously — especially at the beginning.

    The challenge is that the brain wants a perfect order, but that’s not how it always works; sometimes we have to focus on multiple things to see them through to accomplishment.

    A flow of objectives will vary on a case-by-case basis. However, the critical point, in the beginning, is to make sure the focus is on the right objective and, most importantly, the business shows some premise of viability. The objectives listed above can be completed in about a day — that’s not the issue. The issue is that the inexperienced tend to get caught up on the non-important and it pushes a one-day list into a one-week or one-month list or a not completed “I got distracted” list.

    Sometimes even setting up a legal business entity is not important right now. When it comes to small businesses, most can and should be started as a sole proprietorship — at least briefly before filing to incorporate. That said, there are specific industries where incorporating should be heavily considered.

    For example, a low-risk graphic design business might want to forge ahead and start conducting business. However, if it’s an industry with a risk of personal injury, it might make sense to incorporate it. (Always consult with a legal expert on what could be the best fit for you).

    Related: How Successful Entrepreneurs Stay Focused and Block Out the Noise

    2. Understand the risk and rewards of priorities

    Every action or inaction has a risk or opportunity cost, especially at the beginning, where the compounding effect is more significant. That being the case, looking at objectives in a risk vs. reward manner gives us guidance on tackling the objective list.

    An experienced founder will start by bringing on a new customer. It is rarely risky, and the reward is great — there is business growth, especially compounded over time. But following the inexperienced route risks all the resources used in steps 1-8 (time, money, mental capacity, etc.) in hopes of generating the reward of 9, bringing on a new customer. Furthermore, the risk is more significant because a founder might find that the actions in steps 1-8 might change with the compounding of time. Example: The logo might not be the best fit, or a C-Corp or LLC would have made more sense.

    This means we need to write down the steps and label them in priority of what needs to be done. You can always incorporate it later, change the logo, or get branded apparel later. While you can always get customers later, the focus of getting a new customer offers the greatest return on investment, especially at the beginning.

    An inexperienced founder who focuses on the wrong things from the beginning tends to focus on the wrong things until one of two things happens:

    1. They continue to waste resources sweating the “not important right now” until they run out of resources and the business dies.
    2. They continue to waste resources until they learn the appropriate type of execution for them. (Sometimes necessary, but why waste the resources when it’s preventable.)

    Option number two brings us to the third tip for starting entrepreneurship:

    Related: The Biggest Trap Of Entrepreneurship: Happiness ≠ Achievement

    3. Understand the type of entrepreneur you are. It’s not a one size fits all role

    Entrepreneurship mirrors life in that you cannot know who you are and how you operate entirely until you live through it. You might think that you can tackle one step by one step, only to discover that you are the type that needs to make progress on all fronts intermittently.

    Like life, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to Entrepreneurship.

    Certain key requirements are needed in the starting phase, but how those requirements are met is completely up to the individual. Experienced entrepreneurs who know who they are and how they operate best can create their chosen route to build an optimal company. Meanwhile, the inexperienced can use the tips listed above to build from scratch better.

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    Anthony D. Anselmo

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  • Car repos are on the rise, thanks to record-high monthly payments, recession warnings

    Car repos are on the rise, thanks to record-high monthly payments, recession warnings

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    Car repossessions have grown less common in the past two years, but those days may be over. Credit rating agency Fitch Ratings says repossession rates have nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels. Some analysts fear they could grow from there. For the lowest-credit consumers — those who make up the subprime loan market — the repossession rate is now higher than it was in 2019.

    Repossessions fell for a combination of reasons. Lenders grew more lenient with late payments, confident that the pandemic was a temporary disruption. They knew they’d likely make more money by giving people time to adjust than by seizing back cars to sell at lower prices. Government stimulus programs also helped many Americans stay afloat.

    But economic conditions have begun to change.

    High monthly payments meet recession warnings

    Skyrocketing car prices have left consumers with more debt for the same cars. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, loans that started in 2021 and 2022 have proven particularly hard to afford.

    Loans taken out in those years performed worse than earlier loans “because those consumers had to finance cars once the supply chains were jammed and the prices started to go up,” says Ryan Kelly, acting auto finance program manager for the bureau. The average monthly payment for a new car bought last month is now a shocking $762.

    “Those consumers got hit with inflation twice,” Kelly says. “First, when they had to finance a car after the prices went up, and then when they had to put gas in the car after the Russia-Ukraine conflict started.”

    The CFPB this year warned lenders not to repossess cars before the law allows it.

    Repossession firms seeing new business

    Jeremy Cross, the president of repossession firm International Recovery Systems, calls the last two years “a recipe for disaster.”

    He explains, “Over the last two years, vehicle prices were inflated because there was no new car supply.” But Americans had saved money staying at home under lockdown, and some spent it on more expensive cars.

    Now that the economy may face a downturn, those payments are proving harder to make.

    Now “the volume is picking up, and the remaining companies that are still performing repossessions are very busy,” Cross says. He thinks lenders are preparing for a new wave of repossessions in 2023 and 2024 because they’re beginning to offer his company new incentives “jockeying for position,” knowing that repossession firms will have more business than they can handle.

    See: The big question about new car prices: When will they go down?

    Cox Automotive analysts predict that long-term through 2025, repossessions will remain at or below historical norms. But between now and then, we could see a peak. (Cox Automotive is the parent company of Kelley Blue Book.)

    This story originally ran on KBB.com. 

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  • Southwest Airlines cancels two-thirds of its flights, with more cancellations planned

    Southwest Airlines cancels two-thirds of its flights, with more cancellations planned

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    Southwest Airlines Co. canceled more than two-thirds of its flights Monday and plans to slash its schedules Tuesday and Wednesday, in a meltdown that stranded thousands of customers and that worsened while other airlines began to recover from the holiday winter storm.

    “We had a tough day today. In all likelihood we’ll have another tough day tomorrow as we work our way out of this,” Chief Executive Bob Jordan said in an interview Monday evening. “This is the largest scale event that I’ve ever seen.” 

    Southwest
    LUV,
    +1.78%
    plans to operate just over one-third of its typical schedule in the coming days to give itself leeway for crews to get into the right positions, he said, adding that the reduced schedule could be extended.

    Southwest’s more than 2,800 scrapped flights Monday, the highest of any major U.S. airline, came as the Dallas-based airline proved unable to stabilize its operations amid the past week’s storm. Between Thursday and Monday, the airline canceled about 8,000 flights, according to FlightAware.

    On Monday, the Department of Transportation called Southwest’s rate of cancellations “disproportionate and unacceptable” and said it would examine whether the cancellations were controllable and whether the airline is complying with its customer service plan.

    Ryan Green, Southwest’s chief commercial officer, said in an interview the airline is taking steps such as covering customers’ reasonable travel costs—including hotels, rental cars and tickets on other airlines, and will be communicating the process for customers to have expenses reimbursed. He also said customers whose flights are being canceled as the airline recovers are entitled to refunds if they opt not to travel. 

    The troubles at Southwest intensified Monday despite generally improving weather conditions and warming temperatures throughout much of the eastern half of the country, which had been pummeled by snow, wind and subfreezing temperatures in recent days.

    An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.

    Trending at WSJ.com:

    SPAC boom ends in frenzy of liquidation

    Wall Street nailed earnings but missed the bear market

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  • Practicing and Believing These 5 Mantras Will Change Your Life

    Practicing and Believing These 5 Mantras Will Change Your Life

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    We all experience difficult struggles in life. Every day, people have disagreements at home, projects go sideways at work and we encounter setbacks with goals.

    Over the years, I’ve noticed that how quickly we rebound from these trials and tribulations is directly correlated with the beliefs and values we have about ourselves and life, as well as how we speak to ourselves. Believing, saying and practicing the following five mantras is incredibly useful when attempting to recover from any challenge.

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

    1. I can do this. Things will work out.

    Whenever we’re experiencing any kind of setback or failure, it’s tempting to start to doubt ourselves more wholly. Our feelings can start to snowball and we can create a domino effect in our lives.

    We’ll start by focusing on that one client we didn’t sign or that one deal that didn’t go through and begin to conclude that “maybe I’m just not right for this job” or “maybe I shouldn’t even be doing this at all.” We can even get into imposter syndrome. Because of this negative thinking, we’ll often create a self-fulfilling prophecy and bring about more of the very thing we’re trying to avoid. Our negative thinking will cause us to have more failures and we’ll feel vindicated — which will lead to the next domino falling.

    The opposite works, too. Instead of concluding that all is lost after a setback, instead ask: “What can I learn from this? How can I use this to make me better?”Don’t think long about the one thing that didn’t work out. Instead, refocus your energy on the things that are going well.

    The more you believe in yourself and have faith in your abilities, the better you’ll rebound from setbacks. When we believe that things will work out, they usually do, especially when we’re dedicating consistent effort toward our goals. Continue to take steps toward them, no matter what.

    Related: 15 Ways to Drown Out the Destructive Voices in Your Head

    2. The past doesn’t matter. I can let this go.

    When we feel harmed or hurt, we tend to hang onto it for longer than we should. The past is written — it can’t be changed. If we’re reflecting on the past to help us learn from our mistakes, that’s one thing. Find the lessons, then move on with new insight and wisdom.

    However, we often don’t look at the past to guide us. We look back and dwell, which results in us staying stuck. Rehashing what didn’t go our way or venting about what someone else should’ve said or done rarely serves us. Our brains can’t focus on two disparate things at once, so anytime we’re ruminating on the past, we’re rarely focusing on what we can control in the present and how excited we are for the future.

    Instead, make a conscious decision to forgive others (and yourself) for mistakes. Sometimes people will say: “But it’s so hard to get over this!” Sure, it can be hard to let something go, but I guarantee you that you do have a choice in that. Choose to focus your conscious energy on who you are trying to become in the future.

    Related: 7 Ways Companies Can Harness Failure to Drive Success

    3. I’m sorry. I will fix this.

    When we’ve experienced conflict with someone, it’s not always easy to take accountability or responsibility and focus on the part of the situation that we can mend. We like to focus on what’s been done to us instead.

    We’ll often even say, “That wasn’t my fault.” Assigning blame elsewhere can feel good because it takes us out of the hot seat and helps us feel that our reactions are justified. This might feel good at the time, but it rarely serves us. Instead, have the humility to say: “You’re right. I did that, and I’m sorry. Here’s what I’m going to do about it.”

    When we do that, a few things happen. First, others respect us more. Second, we pull ourselves back into our circle of control and identify actions that we plan to take to improve things. Third, we lead by example and show others what it looks like to also do this. The result? We improve situations much faster and create a brand and reputation for taking ownership.

    4. I need help.

    Sometimes, it can be scary to ask for help. Many of us feel that if we’re capable and successful, we should figure out how to do it all ourselves. It’s nice to feel strong, and asking for help can make us feel weak. However, it takes a strong person to ask for help.

    Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it also wasn’t built by one person. Most people enjoy being asked to help. Don’t be afraid to find others around you who are better at something than you are or have strengths in an area you lack and leverage them. You don’t have to do it all yourself. Find people you admire and trust, then be vulnerable and say you could use some assistance. That’s part of building great relationships and it’s actually what great leaders and professionals do.

    Related: Asking for Help Might Be the Key to Your Success

    5. I made a mistake and that’s okay.

    All too often, we fear failure. We think that success and failure are diametrically opposed, but that’s not true at all — failure is part of success.

    There are few examples of highly successful people who didn’t struggle greatly or err numerous times on their journey. When we embrace mistakes, we tend to enjoy the journey of life far more. Mistakes often mean that we’re experimenting and trying something new, which puts us out of our comfort zones and makes us learn.

    Be willing to be uncomfortable and try new things, regardless of how poorly it might go on the first try. Plan to struggle and embrace it when you do. When you do that, you begin a process of growth and change. It’s hard to grow without being uncomfortable, making mistakes and having a few failures. If you truly want to evolve, then get comfortable with these things. The sooner you can adopt that mindset, the faster you’ll advance and the better you’ll feel doing it.

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    Amy M Chambers

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  • Eat, drink and be merry: Here’s where shoppers have been spending the most money this holiday season

    Eat, drink and be merry: Here’s where shoppers have been spending the most money this holiday season

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    Restaurants are set to become the biggest winners of a holiday season that could turn out to be the most normalized since the onset of the pandemic.

    That’s according to a new Mastercard SpendingPulse survey released on Monday, which showed spending at dining establishments surging 15.1% over the 2021 holiday period. Total retail expenditures for the Nov. 1–to–Dec. 24 period in 2022 rose 7.6%, with in-store spending up 6.8% and online spending up 10.6%.

    Restaurant spending beat out several other categories, such as apparel, where spending was up 4.4% from 2021, and electronics and jewelry, where a respective 5.3% and 5.4% less were spent, and department stores, which saw spending rise 1%.

    “This holiday retail season looked different than years past,” said Steve Sadove, senior adviser for Mastercard and former CEO and chairman of Saks Inc. “Retailers discounted heavily but consumers diversified their holiday spending to accommodate rising prices and an appetite for experiences and festive gatherings postpandemic.”

    Government data for November showed consumer spending was up just 0.1%, reflecting cautiousness among households and price cutting by retailers to lure those hesitant shoppers in. But the data also showed more spending on holiday recreation and travel, expected to go in the books as a busy season even if deadly winter storm may have wreaked havoc on the plans of many Americans over the Christmas weekend.

    Of course, even as some merrymakers felt confident enough to make more plans and see more friends and family this year, the virus of course continues to cause illness and death. The U.S. reported 70,000 newly diagnosed cases for the first time since September on Thursday, while 422 people died of COVID-19 on Wednesday.

    Don’t miss: As COVID cases rise, how to steer clear of viruses during the holiday season

    Also see: 4 tips for staying healthy while traveling during this ‘tripledemic’ cold and flu season

    The Mastercard SpendingPulse data measure in-store and online retail sales for all payment forms and are not inflation-adjusted.

    As for the companies that might be benefiting from that increased traffic, the year-end cheer probably won’t be enough to make a dent in what has been a difficult year with would-be consumers juggling worries over inflation, rising interest rates and a war in Europe.

    The Invesco Dynamic Leisure & Entertainment exchange-traded fund
    PEJ,
    +0.79%    ,
    whose holdings include Chipotle Mexican Grill
    CMG,
    +0.32%    ,
    McDonald’s
    MCD,
    +0.68%
    and First Watch Restaurant Group
    FWRG,
    +0.42%    ,
    has gained 6.5% to date in the fourth quarter and is down 20% for the year as of Thursday. The broad benchmark S&P 500
    SPX,
    +0.59%
    is poised for a nearly 20% loss in 2022.

    Read: How a Santa Claus rally, or lack thereof, sets the stage for the stock market in first quarter

    And: Best stock picks for 2023: Here are Wall Street analysts’ most heavily favored choices

     

     

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  • Cheap? Maybe. But These Stocks Have Been Dead Money for Decades

    Cheap? Maybe. But These Stocks Have Been Dead Money for Decades

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    Cheesecake Factory appears to be “running the same play,” wrote J.P. Morgan analyst John Ivankoe in a recent restaurant industry outlook. I don’t think he meant it as a compliment—the stock, he noted, trades where it did in 2004, adjusted for splits.

    Why the long stall-out? My first thought was that maybe hitting the mall for a hypercaloric sit-down meal off a menu the size of a Gutenberg Bible has fallen out of favor over the years. But no: Sales have bounced back and then some from the Covid pandemic, with plenty of takeout business and dessert orders. The average


    Cheesecake Factory


    (ticker: CAKE) restaurant does more than $10 million in yearly sales, or twice as much as an Olive Garden.

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  • How To Fill Out a Money Order: Step-by-Step Guide

    How To Fill Out a Money Order: Step-by-Step Guide

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    When you can’t send a check but don’t want to rely on something as insecure as cash, a money order could be just the ticket.

    It’s essential to know how to send and fill out a money order step-by-step in case you ever need to pay a bill, send money to a relative or transfer money discreetly from one place to another.

    What is a money order?

    A money order is very similar to a check. It allows you to send or receive payments securely, unlike cash.

    However, money orders are prepaid. Instead of money leaving your account when someone catches a check, money leaves your account the minute you fill out a money order and deposit it at an appropriate institution.

    When should you use a money order?

    It can be wise to use a money order whenever you need to pay someone securely but can’t use a smartphone app like MoneyGram, online platform, check or cash (or you don’t want to use any of those methods).

    Related: This is How We Can Transfer Money Online Without Hassle

    This form of payment is accepted practically anywhere because they are automatically prepaid, so there’s no risk of the money “bouncing,” which can happen with a check. Furthermore, there’s no identity theft risk, like when you wire money from a checking account.

    You can use a money order when you need to:

    • Send money to a family member or friend.
    • Pay a bill for your business.
    • Receive money from your workplace or someone else.

    However, remember that you can only send $1,000 in a single money order. You can send multiple money orders in the same shipment, though.

    Banks and other financial institutions can offer this personal finance service, just like they can send cashier’s checks and personal checks. Other financial institutions also provide money orders, including credit unions such as Western Union or anywhere you can have a bank account or get a credit card/debit card.

    Related: Business plan, business – Money Order

    How to fill out a money order

    Fortunately, filling out a money order is very straightforward and not at all difficult. You can get a money order from a location that sells them, such as pharmacies (including Walmart and CVS) or, more commonly, any of the 31,300 United States Postal Service retail offices. Conveniently, you can also send money orders from U.S. Postal Service offices.

    Note that purchasing a money order involves a fee. The fee can vary from place to place; for instance, Walmart usually charges one dollar to send a money order, whereas the USPS can charge anywhere from $1.65 to $2.20 depending on how much you need to send.

    You’ll need a few pieces of information to fill out a money order:

    • The payee’s name.
    • The payee or recipient’s address.
    • The payment amount.
    • Your name and current mailing address.
    • The reason or billing account number for the money order.

    You don’t need to list the issuer of the money order or the location of the post office/convenience store from which you send it on the memo line.

    Step 1: Fill in the recipient’s name

    Once you have a money order, write the name of the person to whom you are paying money in the “pay to the order of” or “pay to” fields, depending on which field your money order has. You should include the full name of the recipient or the full name of the business you are paying.

    Step 2: Add your address

    The next step is to add your address to the purchaser’s address field. This is the address of the person purchasing the money order — in this case, you. You’ll also add the payee’s address.

    Step 3: Fill in the “memo” field

    Then you need to fill in the “memo” field. This is a line or field where you can describe what you’ll use the money order for. If you’re using it to pay a bill, you’ll put the billing account number in this field.

    Step 4: Sign your name

    Last, you must sign your name on the front of the money order where it is indicated. When signing the purchaser’s signature, leave the back of the money order blank. That’s where the payee or recipient will endorse it, similar to endorsing a check.

    There you have it — it should only take you a few minutes to fill out a money order from start to finish, provided you have all the necessary information.

    Where and how to deliver a money order

    After you have filled out the money order, detach the receipt. The receipt is vital for your records and allows you to track whether the recipient ever cashed the money order.

    Hand-deliver the money order to the recipient or mail it to your recipient using the postal service of your choice. Only the recipient will be able to cash it.

    Remember that, unlike a check, whatever money you have designated for the money order will be gone from your account before the recipient cashes the money order.

    Can you cancel a money order?

    Yes. To do this, you should immediately contact the person or party that issued the money order (i.e., USPS or Walmart). Ask for a cancellation request form and fill it out.

    You’ll need to have your receipt from the money order and show it to do this. Then you’ll have to pay a fee to cancel the money order. This process is the same if you want to replace the money order or get a cash refund.

    What else do you need to know about filling out money orders?

    Now you know how to fill out a money order step-by-step. Money orders can be critical financial tools from time to time, and they can come in handy if you need to send funds securely and quickly from one place to another.

    Looking for more informational articles like this? Explore Entrepreneur’s Money & Finance articles here

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  • Why Do You Want to Work Here? Here’s How You Can Ace the Question Every Time

    Why Do You Want to Work Here? Here’s How You Can Ace the Question Every Time

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    Job interviews are not exactly everyone’s idea of a good time. They can bring about stress, anxiety and a bit of nerves. However, stress often comes from a sense of being unprepared. So what if you discovered that being as prepared as possible could reduce your stress on the big day?

    Whether you’re a brand new job seeker or a seasoned professional, this article will walk you through the interview process, help you show potential employers why you want to work for their company and how to ace their questions every time.

    One of the toughest questions you’ll get is also probably the most obvious. Why do you want this job? Why are you interested? However straightforward the question seems, it can be surprisingly challenging to come up with a good answer.

    Should you focus on your career path and aspects of the company’s mission and business practices that resonate with your goals, such as eco-friendly products or community service initiatives? Or should you talk about something else entirely?

    There isn’t a cookie-cutter answer here. However, we will review tips to help you navigate the murky waters of the dreaded “why do you want to work for this company?” question.

    Related: Interviews Are a 2-Way Street: How to Make the Most of Them for Mutual Success

    Applying for the right position

    Before learning how to ace common interview questions, you should know how to apply for a job opening that is right for you.

    Work-life balance has been a hot topic lately, and a big part of that has to do with actually feeling fulfilled in your job. Applying for jobs that genuinely interest you is important because it will come through in the interview, and working in a job you enjoy does wonders for your mental health.

    Here are five points to consider when assessing if you’re applying for the proper position.

    1. Motive

    Money is essential. However, it should not be your sole reason for applying for a job.

    When you are solely driven by money, you may quickly feel unfulfilled with your work. When browsing job boards, look for jobs with a healthy balance of salary and something you genuinely find interesting.

    Related: How to Be Authentic in an Interview

    2. Passion

    Passion and motive go hand-in-hand. To determine whether or not you’re passionate about this potential position, ask yourself:

    • Will you look forward to telling your friends and family about this job?
    • Will you look forward to doing this job each day?
    • Do you care about the work you are doing?
    • Will the work stimulate you?

    3. Work-life balance

    The need for work-life balance varies from person to person. When applying for jobs, it is vital that you know yourself and what level of work-life balance you require.

    Most job descriptions will tell you the required hours and whether nights, weekends or untraditional hours are required. Keep those details in mind when making your decision.

    4. Work environment

    The work environment is another aspect that varies from person to person. As you consider what kind of work environment you’d like to experience, ask yourself:

    • Do you want an in-person, hybrid or remote job?
    • Do you prefer solo work or collaborative work with team members?
    • What kind of workload are you prepared to take on?
    • Does company culture matter to you? If so, does this company culture match your core values?

    You should answer these questions for yourself, but you can also ask more specific questions on this topic during your interview process. In addition, complete your due diligence by researching the job and company via sites like Glassdoor and LinkedIn, where you can find job postings, salary calculations, company reviews and other relevant information.

    Related: How to Master Virtual Job Interviews

    5. Opportunities for growth

    Whether you are applying for a job at a small or large company, if your career goals involve growing with that business, you need to make sure there are opportunities. Sometimes, this can be difficult to tell simply by the job description, so you’ll have to ask follow-up questions in your interview.

    Some of the best questions to ask to find out if there are growth opportunities include the following:

    • What kind of mentorship opportunities, formal or informal, does the company provide?
    • Are there available opportunities for career development and skill development through this position?
    • What qualifications are required for promotion opportunities, and how can you work toward acquiring said qualifications in this position?
    • Could you provide an example of a senior role, its qualities and required skills?
    • What improvements would you like to see in your industry and at your current company?

    But one easy way to tell is by the job title. For example, if you are applying for a position called “assistant manager,” there is likely a position above it called “manager.” Look for hints during the job search to clue you in on growth opportunities.

    How to prepare for a job interview

    Once you’ve applied to a great job and scored an interview, it’s time to prep.

    Take a look at these tips and tricks to bring your A-game.

    Related: Job Interview Preparation Checklist

    1. Know the job

    At this point, you should know the job you want. “Knowing the job” includes in-depth research about the day-to-day responsibilities of the position, the characteristics of successful employees working that role and how you align with those work habits and personality traits.

    However, once you’ve secured an interview, you should take your knowledge of the job description one step further.

    The job description will likely guide the hiring manager’s questions, so you should be prepared to demonstrate how you can perform the job duties or show your performance history of similar previous job functions.

    Be prepared to answer situational questions about how you would react to a situation or examples of how you have handled similar scenarios.

    Situational questions: Examples and sample answers

    1. Describe a situation where you went above and beyond at a previous job.

    Answer: My boss was on vacation, and my team got an order for 500 additional shipments of XYZ. I regrouped and helped motivate the team, and we fulfilled the order ahead of schedule. The client then signed on to purchase more XYZ in the following year.

    2. Talk about a time you had to collaborate with a difficult coworker.

    Answer: One of my co-editors had a very different work style from my own. She was much laxer, whereas I preferred to follow the procedures to a tee. We collaborated to develop a new editorial protocol, which allowed us to turn around 50% more articles per week.

    In these questions, the best practice is to keep in mind a simple answer formula: problem, solution and benefit. If you can articulate how your work addressed the problem and the impact of your actions, you are more likely to impress interviewers.

    2. Know the company

    This is part of preparing for the big question. You’ll need to study and grow your knowledge of the company, including:

    • You should know the company’s story, background and founders.
    • You should understand the company’s mission statement and purpose.
    • You should have some general knowledge about the company, such as work examples or campaign history.

    This is a considerable part of preparedness. The company will want to know that you chose them on purpose, so be ready to show them you did.

    3. Know yourself

    During your interview, you must show confidence in your answers (even if you’re forcing your confidence through a layer of anxiety at that moment). The following are some aspects of yourself that you should be ready to share:

    • The specific personality traits and attributes that distinguish you from other candidates.
    • Your work history, track record and any gaps in your background.
    • Your particular work style.
    • Any strengths and weaknesses relevant to the position.

    Practice going over sample answers with yourself for job interview questions you might be asked.

    A good practice for discussing your strengths and weaknesses is another simple formula: mention a strength/weakness, then provide a story for context.

    Here are a few examples:

    • I’m a strong public speaker. My last position required me to give presentations at conferences such as X, Y and Z, and at each of these conferences, we closed sales contracts with multiple clients in attendance. I received multiple internal shout-outs while at my previous company and was chosen to serve as our media spokesperson for the XYZ product rollout.
    • One of my greatest weaknesses is that I don’t always express myself, even when I have strong feelings about a subject. However, I’ve recognized this limitation, and I’m working to grow. I’ve joined a local public speaking group to overcome my hesitancy to voice my thoughts, and I’m becoming more confident in expressing myself to others.

    4. Create questions

    Even though most of the interview will be about you, it’s essential to ask your interviewer about themselves and the company. You can certainly ask follow-up questions about anything you have learned during the interview, but you should also go in prepared.

    Consider questions like:

    • What are some expectations of this role, and what projects might I take on?
    • What are some challenges I might face in the role?
    • Can you tell me more about how the team functions and the chain of command?
    • What are some opportunities for growth?
    • What is your favorite part about working at this company?
    • What are you excited about for this company’s future?

    Related: 15 Interview Questions You Should Be Prepared to Answer This Month

    5. Send a thank you note

    Even though this won’t happen until after the interview, you should go in knowing that you’ll need to send a thank you note after. In the email, you should include the following:

    • Include an introduction.
    • Include three things you enjoyed or learned during the interview.
    • Include a call to action.
    • Include a sign-off.

    The big interview question: Why do you want to work here?

    You’ve snagged the job interview and prepared as much as possible, and now the time has come — interview day.

    The interview will likely start with questions like:

    • What can you tell me about yourself?
    • Can you tell us about your skill set?
    • Why should we hire you?
    • Can you tell us about a time when…?

    But the most critical question is one that is more about their company than you.

    Why do you want to work here?

    All of your preparation will pay off at this moment. Companies want to know that you have done your research by:

    • Look at the company’s website.
    • View company social media accounts.
    • Understand their mission and company values.

    Demonstrating your knowledge of their company shows that you care and have a genuine interest in the position. To show you have done your research, you should answer the question as precisely as possible.

    For example, don’t just say, “I love your company’s mission and think I’d be a great fit because I align with it.” Instead, get specific. Tell a relevant short story or give an example or give an exact answer about why their mission matters to you.

    Be specific by answering with something like:

    “I saw the campaign you did about X. That is something very near to my heart, and I would love to be a part of a company that values Y. I want to help continue the mission of X by Z.”

    Relate their mission to your values. Show them the connection between their company and you. If you can tell a story and create a relationship, you will ace the question every time.

    Bottom line? Interviews are tough. The market is full of competitive job candidates, and the process can be stressful. The best way to tackle interviews is to be as prepared as possible.

    When entering into an interview process, remember:

    1. Apply to the proper position for you.
    2. Prepare for the interview by doing your research.
    3. Know why that company matters to you, and show them.

    Now that you’ve got the rundown, it’s time to put yourself out there and snag a job offer.

    Looking for more advice to support your professional growth? Explore all of Entrepreneur’s vast and ever-growing wealth of helpful articles here

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  • Show Your Customers Their Business Is Appreciated With Two Dozen Roses

    Show Your Customers Their Business Is Appreciated With Two Dozen Roses

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    For businesses, the gift-giving season never ends. A recent study found that 83% of people who had received corporate gifts felt closer to the company that sent them.


    StackCommerce

    If you want to grab the attention of a client, valuable customer, or investor, you could take advantage of Rose Farmers’ limited-time deal and send Two Dozen Mixed Color Roses for just $39.99.

    A gift to remember your business by.

    Shipping is free on this gorgeous gift for the people who matter most to your business. Show your clients, customers, investors, or employees how much you care with a set of 24 long-stem roses. When you order, your giftee will receive a bouquet of 24 flowers split into two colors. The colors themselves are up to the farm, but they’re guaranteed 12 of each.

    The color may be a surprise, but you can still upgrade the vase or purchase bouquet add-ins. When you redeem your digital voucher, take a look at all the customization options for your bouquet. Add in accent plants like Baby’s Breath or Ruscus leaves, a display of preserved eternal roses, four bottles of wine, or even a teddy bear.

    There are a few other things to consider before you purchase. Flowers can only be delivered within the continental United States and should be set to be delivered one to two days before the date you want them to arrive in case there is a delay. When you order, you’ll receive a digital voucher to be redeemed on the Rose Farmers website. To take advantage of free shipping, just select UPS for your shipping option. Keep in mind that flowers cannot be delivered on Saturdays or Sundays and that there is a limit of one order per customer.

    Send flowers to your client, customer, or investor.

    Show your business’s supporters that they matter. For a limited time, get a digital voucher for two dozen mixed color roses on sale for $39.99 (reg. $85) until December 30. No coupon code required.

    Prices subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • How Much Does an Oil Change Cost? That Depends.

    How Much Does an Oil Change Cost? That Depends.

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    Keeping your car maintained and working well is crucial to saving money in the long run. After all, if you don’t take your car into the shop from time to time, it’ll eventually break down and require much more costly fixes — or a replacement.

    One of the most important regular maintenance tasks is changing your car’s oil. But if you’ve never done this before, you might wonder how much an oil change costs. Read on for the answer to this question and more.

    Why do you need to change your vehicle’s oil?

    Simply put, the oil for your vehicle’s engine is a lubricant that prevents all metallic and mechanical parts from grinding against one another, causing corrosion, damage and malfunctions. Without engine oil, your vehicle wouldn’t run very smoothly, if at all.

    However, your engine oil gradually accumulates debris, grit, dirt and other bits of matter. Furthermore, your engine oil loses some of its lubricity or its state of slipperiness. This can accelerate wear and tear on the internal components of your engines.

    When you replace your vehicle’s oil, the fresh oil minimizes friction and allows all the mechanical parts inside the engine to spin around without issues. In addition, new oil helps fuel economy by allowing your vehicle to run more efficiently (thus expending less gasoline per mile driven).

    So, in summary, you must change your vehicle’s oil regularly to avoid engine wear and tear and ensure your vehicle runs as smoothly as possible. It’s about car care, engine protection and a healthy automotive maintenance schedule.

    What does an oil change service include?

    An oil change service may include a variety of specific actions or services depending on who you hire and what’s involved.

    At a bare minimum, an oil change involves:

    • Removing the drain plug from the bottom of your vehicle’s oil pan.
    • Allowing gravity to drain oil completely into another pan called a catch pan. This old oil is then discarded in a legal, environmentally safe way.
    • Replacing the drain plug.
    • Changing the oil filter.
    • Replacing the old oil with new oil. The majority of car engines take about 5 quarts of oil.

    As you can see, a conventional oil change service is relatively straightforward. That said, it’s not a good idea to do this crucial maintenance task if you are unprepared for it or if you don’t have any experience.

    Related: Automotive Repair & Maintenance Services Franchises

    How much is an oil change?

    There’s no universal price for an oil change service. Your oil change will typically cost anywhere between $30 to $100 if you take it into a lubricant shop or a car dealership. Alternatively, it will typically cost anywhere between $30 and $50 if you change your oil yourself.

    Generally, the higher cost of an oil change will come from a higher cost of labor (which is dependent on where you live), differences in filter quality and any additional services being performed (tire rotation, etc.). For the most part, oil costs won’t differ between locations for the same vehicle.

    Factors that affect oil change cost

    The price of an oil change can vary depending on several important factors:

    Oil type

    First, the type of oil used will affect how much it costs to change your oil, whether you take it to an expert or do it yourself.

    There are two basic types of oil used for most oil changes:

    • Conventional oil is standard and more affordable but is more common for older vehicles. It’s the traditional type of oil used to lubricate engines and mechanical components.
    • Synthetic oil is required by most modern vehicles and is more expensive. A synthetic blend oil is typically seen as better than conventional motor oil because it is specially formulated to improve lubricity and engine quality over time. You can get a full synthetic oil change at most service centers, and it’s also included in many car warranties.

    If your car does not explicitly require synthetic oil, you can pick between them when you take your vehicle into the shop or change your oil personally.

    Synthetic oil is almost always better for your car, however. It wears down your engine less harshly and lasts longer. Therefore, depending on how often you need your oil changed in the first place, paying a little extra for synthetic oil could save you more money in aggregate.

    The most significant price difference between conventional and synthetic high-mileage oil is about $32, so it doesn’t break the bank. What should you do? Go synthetic whenever possible, and read your vehicle’s owner’s manual to know which type of oil your car needs.

    Car type

    Vehicle type can also impact the cost of an oil change. Some vehicle models require a specific type of oil to be used, such as a particular brand of synthetic oil. This is more frequent with luxury vehicles.

    In addition, your car type can impact how much oil you need for a full oil change. For instance, a large truck that drives hundreds of miles daily will need much more oil per change than a small sedan that only goes a few miles daily.

    Location

    Lastly, the location where you get your oil changed can impact its cost. If you live in a more expensive area, an oil change will also be more significant since the car dealership or lube shop service has to pay more for its rent and related costs.

    Note that if you change your oil yourself, location is unlikely to affect the overall price you’ll pay.

    Quick lube shops vs. dealerships

    When you need professional help to change your oil (recommended if you don’t have any experience doing this), you have two options: Take your car to a lube shop or a dealership.

    A dealership may know more about your vehicle’s make or model, mainly if you take it to a dealership for your vehicle’s brand. Therefore, it could be wise to take your car to the dealership to get its oil changed.

    As a side benefit, the dealership can look at other aspects of your car and tell you whether you need to change your tires or other replacement parts. It may be wise to go to the dealership for a biannual checkup on the health of your vehicle in general.

    In contrast, a quick lube shop might be a more cost-effective, fast solution. You can find quick lube shops in most major metropolitan areas; some are even mobile.

    These don’t specialize in any specific type of vehicle, but they can change your car’s oil in a matter of minutes if you come at the right time.

    A quick lube shop might be the best solution if you need your oil changed more frequently due to long commutes or other factors. Many quick lube shops also sell the right oil you need for your vehicle, but you should call ahead to check just to be sure.

    How often should you change your oil?

    That depends on the make and model of your vehicle, as well as the type of oil you have. Generally, better oil varieties allow you to change your oil less frequently. But it’s still a good idea to change your oil after about 5,000 to 7,000 miles, depending on your vehicle’s manufacturer recommendations.

    You should get your oil changed twice yearly, assuming you drive your car daily. If you drive your vehicle many miles daily, you’ll need the oil changed more frequently.

    When in doubt, speak to the local dealership or oil change expert you hired to do this service. Based on the oil they provide and the make and model of your vehicle, they should know how often you need to change your oil to prevent significant issues.

    How to lower the cost of an oil change

    Although an oil change shouldn’t be too much of a burden on your wallet, you can lower the cost of that oil change with a few smart tips and strategies.

    Firstly, look up coupons or discounts in your local area, particularly if you just need an oil change and don’t need all the bells and whistles from a related car maintenance service. If a quick lube shop has a discount, you can visit that shop and get your oil changed on the cheap.

    Secondly, look into learning how to change your oil yourself. Knowing how to change your oil is an important life skill and will help you get back on the road if your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.

    Furthermore, it’s not very difficult; once you learn how to do it, you can save yourself $50 or more by changing your own oil instead of taking your car to a shop or dealership.

    Related: Startup Helps Fend Off Car Repair Ripoffs

    Thirdly, take care of your vehicle in general. If you run your vehicle all the time or don’t take care of it, the oil will need to be changed more frequently.

    But if you take care of your vehicle, get it inspected by a maintenance technician regularly, and practice good driving habits, your oil will only need to be changed once in a while, saving you money.

    Summary

    Ultimately, an oil change will cost you anywhere from $20-$100 or more, depending on the quality you expect, the type of oil you need, and a handful of other factors.

    Even if it is an inconvenient expense, get your car’s oil changed when needed; otherwise, you’ll set your car up for a more expensive fix later down the road.

    Looking for more informational articles like this? Explore Entrepreneur’s other resources here

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  • This Company Created One Less Thing For Working New Moms to Worry About

    This Company Created One Less Thing For Working New Moms to Worry About

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    Lisa Myers is a former attorney and a mom of two, who says she failed at breastfeeding when she went back to work. Now she’s making sure that other moms feel successful when it comes to their baby-feeding journey. She sat down with Jessica Abo to talk about her company Ceres Chill and more.

    Jessica Abo: Lisa, can you tell us what was it like for you when you went back to work after having kids?

    I was a partner at an international law firm. I was lucky enough to have paid maternity leave, but still, you were trying to be the person you were before you were completely sleep-deprived and keeping a small person alive and being at a law firm in a group that was pretty much all men. Trying to be who I was before was a huge challenge.

    So how did you come up with the idea for your company?

    Having had my son and going back to work early from my maternity leave, I was determined to be the best mom I hoped or thought I could be. When I went back, I had all my pump parts, I was ready to go. I pumped, and I had a bunch of little bottles lined up on my desk, and realized that it was another epic fail, because what was I going to do with that milk? I worked with a bunch of guys. The last thing I wanted to advertise was that I was actively lactating.

    So, I put the bottles in my suit pockets, went down the hallway, had to find a paper bag, stuffed it in the communal fridge, and then rushed home on my long commute, and it just wasn’t good enough. That day I searched and searched for something other than another bag, another cooler, something bulky, something that required prep and something that would not last more than six hours. I needed something more. More capacity, more time, just something that would support me and maybe even if I was lucky, something with a little bit of style and a little under the radar. There was nothing, and I was pretty disgusted with that. And I figured if it wasn’t out there, I knew there was a need, and I was going to make it happen.

    Ceres Chill is about solving those problems for moms. It’s a two-chamber system, so you can either store your milk in here for 12 ounces, or your milk in here for 24, and you just put your ice either in here or in here. You’re reversing it, of course. The upper cup becomes a baby bottle. You can pump it directly. It connects directly to your pump, either here or here. So you can double pump. You can adapt as you need to on the go. If your flight gets canceled or if your day goes extra long, all you have to do is add some ice for another 20 hours. So it just adds a lot of versatility and opportunity for moms who are trying to do it all, or for caregivers who are out with a baby. It can be a bottle warmer, and when you’re all done, we have a straw top and it can chill an entire bottle of wine in less than 20 minutes without diluting it. Don’t ask me how I know.

    What have been some of the highlights for you since starting Ceres Chill back in 2020?

    I started a few weeks before the pandemic really shook everyone to their core. I realized the women who really needed us, the customers, and the incredible people that have formed the base of this company were essential workers. They were doctors, nurses, postal workers, police officers, firefighters and grocery checkers. People who were on the front lines, who were trying to keep their children healthy. We as mothers knew that breastfeeding was the best defense we could give our children against this unknown but viral threat. So I made it a point to support those women, those members of the community. My husband is active duty military. I’m a military spouse. So we’ve been able to partner with breastfeeding and combat boots and different frontline organizations. I’m really, really proud of that work. But I would say one of the big things for me on a personal level as an entrepreneur is I now have some of the most incredible people working with me toward this common goal of empowering women and supporting families all over the world, and there is nothing like it. And I would not have had that had I not found this need and founded this company.

    And what have been some of your biggest challenges?

    I was certainly told my idea was silly. I was told I was a bad mother, neglecting my children, putting my marriage at risk. Certainly jeopardizing the financial security of my family. There was a lot of judgment. People who loved me begged me to stop because I gave myself shingles. You lose sleep and you sacrifice, and if you’re lucky and you have a good idea and you are in touch with your customers, you have a shot at succeeding. But there are a lot of stories out there of people who tried hard and failed, or tried really, really hard and it made it look easy, but it never really was.

    So I love it. It has been amazing. But make no mistake, it came at a cost, and I’m grateful for where we’re at, but it’s not easy. It’s just worth it.

    What do you wish more people knew when it comes to breastfeeding?

    I think the key, particularly for entrepreneurs and business leaders, is to understand how even the smallest effort on their part can have a big impact on their bottom line and the morale of their employees. Breastfeeding may seem like this abstract concept or something very selfish and personal that an employee wants to engage in, so it should be on her own time. However, giving her a safe, private, clean place to pump and providing support for the schedule she needs to be successful will ensure her health and the health of her infant, which contributes to her health, because there’ll be fewer absences and sick days. If you are supporting an employee in that way, other employees see it, other employees aren’t getting as sick, and they understand that you as a company are prioritizing the mental health and physical health and welfare of everyone.

    And finally Lisa, what advice do you have for the person out there who has their own big idea?

    You have to share it. I understand there’s this great hesitation to keep it a secret because someone will steal it, but without sharing it, without putting it out there in the world, you are preventing any forward progress. I’m not saying someone won’t try to steal your idea, so protect it. Get an attorney if you can. But also, if you can afford an attorney, do your best. Do your research, file your own provisional patent, and move forward.

    And if you can’t file a patent because it’s not something that can be protected, well just get out there and get aggressive about it. Because if you’re putting the energy in, that’s something somebody else isn’t going to do. If it was easy to be an entrepreneur and start a business, everybody would. And I’m here to tell you, it’s not easy.

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    Jessica Abo

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  • Why Leaders Must Learn to Forgive and Forget

    Why Leaders Must Learn to Forgive and Forget

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The year was 1980. I sat in the august anteroom of one of the nation’s leading private foundations waiting to meet its CEO, a man who possessed the resources to provide much-needed financial resources to the small, nonprofit art and design college I’d recently founded. With barely 100 students at the time, SCAD was a scrappy, young startup and needed all the financial support we could get. Even to have landed an appointment with this powerful man was, in its own way, a victory. Every year, his foundation contributed millions of dollars to other nonprofit art organizations and institutions of higher learning. I had a strong case to make for SCAD and the evidence to back it up, including our first SCAD catalog, which I’d written and published myself.

    I believed SCAD would change the world and transform higher education in the process, with our mission to prepare students for creative professions and rewarding lifelong careers. The term “creator economy” would not be coined for many decades yet, but I already saw this idea clearly in my mind and hoped to share that vision with this powerful man. Unfortunately, the meeting did not go as planned. I had been in his office for fewer than 10 minutes when he curtly informed me our conversation was over — and promptly ushered me out.

    Related: 8 Steps to Move Away From the Past You Need to Leave Behind

    Grudges do not serve leaders

    I learned many valuable lessons from that brief encounter, including, for example, that established institutions, even those that claim to champion progress and innovation, are quite often threatened by startups. And I learned that grudges do not serve leaders. I privately forgave the powerful CEO for his obvious antipathy and resolved to move on, emboldened to build our young startup into the most innovative and creative university on the planet.

    “Don’t get sad, get even,” Taylor Swift croons on Midnights. She cuts a mean pop hit, but resentment has no place in business. “Truly transformational leaders are acutely aware of the cost of animosity,” notes business writer Manfred Kets de Vries. “[H]olding grudges holds people back.”

    Where would Apple be now, had Steve Jobs felt spite against the company that fired him in 1985 and then begged to hire him back 12 years later? Jobs might have enjoyed hurling a rotten Granny Smith in the faces of his detractors when they made the comeback offer. Instead, he chose to move forward and saved thousands of jobs, created new products as revolutionary as Gutenberg’s press and revived an iconic brand into what is now the world’s most valuable company.

    Related: Why Forgiveness Plays a Huge Role in Stress Reduction

    The power of forgiveness

    On a more practical level, studies have shown that in the workplace, letting go of grudges (i.e., forgiveness) highly correlates to increased productivity. “There is an enormous physical burden to being hurt and disappointed,” says Dr. Karen Swartz, director of the Mood Disorders Adult Consultation Clinic at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Forgiving and moving on from recent (and not-so-recent) hurts has been linked to a lower risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression and stress. Forgiveness often cures what Big Pharma cannot.

    “Forgive and forget,” the old adage says. Forgetting possesses its own special power. Wallowing in one’s mistakes serves little purpose. While a glut of recent commencement speeches focus on the power of failure, I recommend the precise opposite. Forget failure — literally. Jettison bad memories! Focus instead on past successes. Where did you choose rightly? When did you nail a pitch? What big bets have paid off? Duplicate and amplify those victories. Leaders who look backward and see only failure fail to prepare for the challenges ahead.

    Speaking of forgiving and forgetting … this lesson can also help you build a brilliant team. Over the years, I’ve seen a few of our most talented leaders and professors resign and take jobs with competing universities. How easy it would have been to take these departures personally! But when good people leave, I always make it clear that they’re welcome back to SCAD any time. According to LinkedIn, “boomerang” hires, as they’re now called, accounted for nearly 5% of all new hires in 2021. In the last year alone, SCAD has recruited and rehired no fewer than 20 former employees — a veritable host of familiar faces who know our culture, our policies and our mission on day one.

    Related: What Being Embezzled Out of $5 Million Taught Me About Forgiveness and Moving on

    Move forward

    No leader in world history has ever been served by resentment. Clearly, that foundation president from so long ago held his own grudges and found great pleasure in dismissing me from his office so unceremoniously. He wanted to discourage me, to dishearten me. For the sake of our 53,000 alumni, 16,500 students and 2,000 employees, I’m glad he didn’t.

    Today, SCAD operates three accredited university locations and four world-class museums on two continents and proudly proclaims a 99% employment rate for our graduates (for five years straight!). Antipathies do more than slow you down: they take you backward. Let go of hurts, keep your heart open, and watch your company go where I’ve been looking all my life: up, up and up.

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    Paula Wallace

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  • Toast to Your Employees With 18 Bottles of Wine From Splash

    Toast to Your Employees With 18 Bottles of Wine From Splash

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Engaged workers are more positive and productive, and they have the potential to increase profitability by up to 21%. There are many ways an employer could increase their worker engagement, but you might start with simple seasonal celebrations.


    StackCommerce

    Acknowledge and appreciate everything your team accomplished in 2022 with some good food, good friends, and perhaps most importantly, good wine. Splash Wines has a collection of their top 18 picks for fall, and it’s only $64.98 through December 30, the best price we’ve seen online.

    Get 18 bottles of wine shipped to your door.

    A holiday mixer calls for an enticing mix of drinks. This variety box has a selection of reds, whites, and bubbles you could pop together while reflecting on the past 12 months. But before you order, take a survey of the office and give the team a chance to weigh in on their drinks of choice. If white wine is out of favor, you can pick all reds or vice versa.

    At your community-building event, if you open a bottle that nobody likes, don’t pay for it. The team at Splash Wines wants to make sure you enjoy what you drink; you can reach out and get a store credit for any bottle that wasn’t a hit, so no need stress over wasted budget.

    Speaking of budgets, when you’re planning the purchase, make sure to check your state and local taxes as you calculate the cost. There is also an added $39.95 shipping charge when you check out at Splash Wines, but even if you add the shipping costs to the base price, that still comes out to under $10 per bottle for high-quality wine.

    If all goes well, you may want to take a look at Splash Wines’ other offerings, especially for client dinners or gifts. As one verified buyer said, the wine was “[s]o good that I ordered a case of their premium wines.”

    Celebrate another year of great work.

    Improve employee engagement by toasting the work they’ve already put in. Until December 30 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific, get the Splash Wines Top 18 Wines for Fall 2022 on sale for $64.98 (reg. $350), no coupon required.

    Prices subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • Buy a One-Year Costco Membership and Get a $30 eGift Card

    Buy a One-Year Costco Membership and Get a $30 eGift Card

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As a business owner working during the holidays, you might be considering whether or not to get your employees gifts to celebrate. A recent student found that 75% of workers said holiday gifts increased their job satisfaction. If you have some holiday shopping to do, you may be able to get it done under one roof by shopping at Costco.


    StackCommerce

    If you don’t have a membership, then you have until 11:59 p.m. Pacific on December 30 to get a One-Year Costco Gold Star Membership for $60, and it comes with a $30 Digital Costco Shop Card*.

    Stretch your gift budget further by shopping at Costco.

    Whether you’re shopping for practical or personal gifts, you may be able to find what you need at a Costco warehouse. With more than 800 warehouses across the U.S., you might not have to go far for your next shopping trip.

    Treat your workers to everything from tasty treats to the latest electronics and home appliances. You could even pick up some new furniture in the same building where you buy the ingredients for an office holiday feast. Fill your cart in store or shop online. Your $30 Digital Costco Shop Card works on Costco.com, too.

    While you’re shopping for your employees, you could also run some personal errands without leaving the building. Visit the Costco Tire Center to have brand-name tires installed while you shop. Pick up a prescription at the Costco Pharmacy or take advantage of Costco Optical. Stop by the food court for a tasty snack, and don’t forget to fill your car with gasoline on your way out.

    Save on gifts and home essentials at Costco.

    If you want to grab a gift for your employees and run a few errands without running all over town, Costco is a great place to shop. Get a One-Year Costco Gold Star Membership for $60 that comes with a $30 Digital Costco Shop Card for $60.

    Prices subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • A ‘Bomb Cyclone’ Threatens to Make Holiday Travel a Nightmare

    A ‘Bomb Cyclone’ Threatens to Make Holiday Travel a Nightmare

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    Santa Claus might want to sit this Christmas out.

    Meteorologists are warning that a massive winter blizzard will hit a large portion of the U.S. in the next few days. Described as a “bomb cyclone,” the storm will bring heavy snowfall and bone-chilling temperatures, disrupting travel plans for millions of Americans.

    The terrible weather couldn’t have arrived at a worse time.

    According to the Automobile Association of America, 112.7 million people will journey 50 miles or more away from home from December 23 to January 2 this season, an increase of 3.6 million people from last year.

    But as of Wednesday night, 200 million people were under extreme weather alerts as the storm moved eastward toward the Plains, Midwest, and Great Lakes. The storm will also bring strong winds and a possible flash freeze to parts of the Midwest, East, and South.

    Winter Storm Warnings have been issued all the way from Denver to Buffalo.

    Already, more than 484 U.S. flights scheduled between Wednesday and Friday have been canceled, according to the flight-tracking service FlightAware.

    Related: The Rise in Natural Disasters Is Putting More Businesses at Risk. Are You Protected?

    What is a bomb cyclone?

    A bomb cyclone happens when atmospheric pressure at the center of a storm drops rapidly to about 1 [millibar]every hour for 24 hours, causing freezing temperatures, heavy winds, and heavy snow.

    “It’s called a bomb cyclone because a low pressure (or cyclone) undergoes ‘bombogenesis,’ which refers to the quick rate at which the low pressure develops,” Mike Bettes, a meteorologist for The Weather Channel, told CBS News.

    The combination of life-threatening temperatures and strong winds also leads to dangerous wind chills.

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    Jonathan Small

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  • Deepak Chopra Invites Everyone Into His Metaverse Home

    Deepak Chopra Invites Everyone Into His Metaverse Home

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Hallmark symbols of business building and entrepreneurship are constructed on a series of rules, parameters and functions that rely on established experiences over time.

    What if I told you there is a world without limits built on a set of constructs, not rules? You would undoubtedly think a world with an endless horizon line might be less than calming.

    If you’re a famed thought leader (emphasis on thought) like Deepak Chopra, you cross the chasm without concern for what lies beneath your feet. The real-life Indiana Jones crossing a bridge on utter faith, Chopra and his partner Poonacha Machaiah are welcoming all of us into our own homes through their conscious Web3 platform, Seva.Love (meaning service and love in action).

    Related: 6 Ways to Push Your Limits and Accomplish Things You Never Thought Possible

    Let’s take the horizon line back two decades before Machaiah became the CEO of the Chopra Foundation and before Chopra himself became an author of over 90 books translated into almost 50 languages.

    Chopra and Machaiah met through a common friend and famed filmmaker of Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Shekhar Kapur. It was at this meeting that the technology background of Machaiah and Chopra converged.

    “I met Deepak and quickly asked him about his vision. So many people pined to understand the vision of this icon. He responded by saying that he planned on reaching a billion people for a more peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier and joyful world. My reply was, sign me up!” shares Machaiah.

    Chopra wasn’t pitching Machaiah in the classic sense of business building, but he had ignited a path for the College of William and Mary grad that had been kindling under the surface for some time. “That conversation started our journey into wellbeing together. I wake up every day and ask myself, “Poonacha, what are you going to do to ensure a more peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier and joyful world?”

    Machaiah’s computer science and engineering background has proved complimentary to the globally renowned leader of the meditation revolution. He had been a part of the Motorola team that innovated cellphone technology, so new adventures were a part of his DNA. “Deepak focuses on our joint efforts through the lens of wellbeing and consciousness, and I look at our work through technology and the ability it [technology] has to democratize access for people.”

    Chopra and Machaiah believe that the world is at a nexus point in history and the world of Web3, or as they like to say, the multiverse has the potential to change the course of personal and professional experiences.

    Seva.Love has bundled together an initial consumer offering that aims to reach people outside of the standard Web3 fare. A combination of apps and metaverse meditation experiences are punctuated by the Chopraverse opening the digital door to Chopra’s “House of Enlightenment,” a Roblox offering under the Choprakids umbrella, and a curated library of educational resources created by the Chopra Foundation.

    Related: If You Have No Clue What Web3 Is, You’re Not Alone. Here’s a Breakdown of the Future of the Internet.

    The app gabl (Give. Ask. Borrow. Love.) is emblematic of leadership that understands business is about walking, not running. The app integrates documented experiences of good deeds in the physical world through social technology, seeding user behavior reflective of the Seva.Love world.

    Machaiah sees an opportunity to lean into the metaverse as a therapeutic. Chopra and his endlessly engaging partner, Machaiah, might be the best tandem to think beyond Web3 gaming conventions. They were at the forefront of online meditation offerings beating out Calm and Headspace. Having Oprah as a collaborator on the 21-day meditation challenge with Chopra and the foundation didn’t hurt either.

    “Imagine integrating an experience that helps you to breathe, to meditate. That is an experience that can lead to kindness. I believe the metaverse is going to be the place where digital therapeutics will come to play. And that’s the reason why Deepak and I are so excited about Seva.Love.”

    The story of Seva.Love is just evolving, and Chopra’s roots might explain his excitement for this stage of the endeavor.

    “My mother was one of the most interesting storytellers,” says Chopra. “When my little brother and I were young, she would entertain us with stories. But, she would stop halfway through her story. She would leave a cliffhanger for each of us to finish the next morning. We had to share our own conclusions and include all aspects, including the villain, the good and bad guys.”

    The unknown excites the global icon, citing those initial storytelling sessions as trigger points for his imagination. Chopra and Machaiah appear to have written a script that includes a vivid set of imaginative experiences where we all get to play in the scene. A welcomed opportunity for personal and professional experiences to take center stage.

    Coming home from a long day at the office has been forever and creatively depicted by Hollywood authors as an activity of respite in the face of the trials and tribulations of the cold, dark, unforgiving world of the adult experience. The front door closes, sealing off the subject from the unrelenting pressures of life.

    That physical door transforms through Chopra’s guidance and Machaiah’s tech wherewithal into a portal void of locks and peepholes to reveal a world governed by self-control, a sense of belonging and without outside edicts.

    The neighborhood is open. Chopra and Machaiah have laid out the welcome mat. Now, they believe, the time has come to hand over the keys to a new generation of digital users ready to take off, where life and one’s place converge to create wonderfully new and immersive adventures.

    The keys are yours, and Deepak Chopra and Poonacha Machaiah beam at being your hosts.

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    Dr. Rod Berger

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  • How a Family Turned the Tragic Death of Their Son Into an Online Legacy

    How a Family Turned the Tragic Death of Their Son Into an Online Legacy

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    On July 3rd, 2020, Bradi Nathan got the call no parent wants to receive: her son, Jack, had passed away at the age of nineteen. The prior evening, Jack had been at a friend’s birthday party and swallowed, what he thought, was a Percocet. The pill was laced with Fentanyl and he never woke up.


    Bradi Nathan

    Prior to Jack’s passing, he had created a company called Happy Jack, an online lifestyle brand and community designed for those struggling with mental illness. Jack had periodic bouts of depression and painting became his therapy. Happy Jack showcased the founder’s designs on apparel, with a portion of the proceeds going to mental health foundations. From the very first week of sales, Jack donated $1,000 to the Child Mind Institute.

    Bradi chose to continue what Jack started to honor his legacy and to continue his mission.

    “He wanted to change the world,” recalled Jack’s mom. “He wanted to make this world a better place by speaking openly and by letting other kids know that they were not alone.”

    Related: 5 Ways to Protect Your Mental Health as an Entrepreneur

    A son’s brand as a mother’s therapy

    Bradi continues to use Jack’s designs on new product drops and has since donated $60,000 to mental health foundations like Active Minds, Born This Way, Release Recovery and the American Cancer Society. The path to donation is not an easy one: sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, site management, customer service and fulfillment were all roles that Bradi stepped into in her son’s absence.

    “It’s funny when someone tells me that they contacted customer service,” revealed Bradi, “because I am customer service.”

    Happy Jack is a family-run business welcoming advice and consults from experts as they grow the brand organically. Bradi and Jack’s father David would ultimately like to have a COO step in, gain financing and build a proper infrastructure. This would allow them the space to focus on personally sharing Jack’s story.

    Related: Improve Mental Health Next Year by Breaking 17 Financial Rules

    Healing while helping

    With the additional aid of Jack’s sister, Drew, the project has partnered with fraternities across the country to create fundraising events. Brand ambassadors across college campuses are enlisted to help create mental health awareness. Happy Jack has also conducted pop-up shops in spaces like WeWork and the Seaport District. These allow the family to meet and share stories with many who too are struggling.

    “There was never a question as to whether or not I would continue Happy Jack,” added Bradi. “It seemed like the obvious thing to do.”

    Related: 8 Best Health and Wellness Podcasts

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    Robert Tuchman

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  • Why Giving Back Is Good for You and Your Business

    Why Giving Back Is Good for You and Your Business

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    It’s the most demanding time of the year. Entrepreneurs are easily overwhelmed during the holidays. Product-based businesses run sales and move more volume, but even companies that go quiet often spend this season working on big-picture strategies. Add to that: staffing shortages and personal obligations. Many entrepreneurs I work with have complicated family dynamics, magnified by the pressure of holiday travel and ambient festive stress.

    You might be surprised at my advice to improve your mental health this season. Entrepreneurs, consider doing even more — but for others. Add “giving back” to your holiday checklist or New Year’s resolutions. Think of it as a gift to yourself.

    Related: How Giving Back to the Community Helps People and Businesses

    The case for giving back

    Entrepreneurs are good at many things; we are not known for taking care of our mental health. And the odds are not in our favor.

    As a demographic, entrepreneurs are prone to depression at much higher rates. Colder weather, shorter days and holiday hustle can exacerbate these issues. If you run an early-stage startup, you might wire in before sunrise and shut down after sunset.

    Some of my clients became entrepreneurs to lean into work, avoid complicated personal situations or gain independence — even escape dysfunctional family patterns. It’s often easier to hold those boundaries without holiday-induced guilt. Now, your work commitments might be challenged by friends and family with the retort, “But it’s Christmas!” A craving for independence, on the flip side, can come with loneliness.

    Researchers have found that acts of service can help alleviate stress. Giving is good for your physical and mental health, with studies suggesting “pro-social spending,” including donations to charity, is associated with a boost in happiness, whereas buying new stuff is not. More tangibly, giving is linked to lower blood pressure, reduced levels of depression and increased self-esteem. This “helper’s high” might be caused by feel-good brain chemicals released with good deeds, including serotonin and the relationship-fusing oxytocin. Humans are inherently social creatures, and volunteering fosters human connection. For this reason and others, group volunteer activities are also great for team-building.

    How to find your cause (and get your business involved)

    Besides making the world a better place and improving your health, there’s more return on your pro-social investment when your company gets involved. A staggering 82% of shoppers want brands to align with their values. Giving back might secure customers and boost loyalty among young workers seeking jobs with greater purpose.

    For better brand integration, consider a cause that complements your core offering. A tech company might run a free coding workshop, for instance, or even a simple Facebook or smartphone tutorial at a seniors’ center. Be sure to take these outings on workdays (consider it a great alternative to icebreakers and the forced fun of team retreats).

    Sometimes an act of service means aligning your unique specialty with your community, and sometimes it’s more loosely tied to your work. Many of my clients are solopreneurs who prefer to volunteer for more personal causes. One client, Chris, sits on the board of several non-profits to offer budgetary advice and help set strategic goals. His business expertise is helpful to small charities, which are often understaffed and under-resourced. While his company isn’t involved, he’s using his skills.

    When I released my book on grieving and loss, I channeled my passion for circus arts into the launch event. I hosted a circus show in my hometown of Minneapolis to benefit the local chapter of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in honor of my late brother. Our community of artists offered free tickets to a local BIPOC circus organization, Vivid Black Paint, and the Minnesota chapter of Motherless Daughters, a support group for women and girls who have lost mothers.

    Related: 4 Ways Companies Can Foster a Culture of Giving Back

    For entrepreneurs, altruism means thinking critically about who should be in the room and who is often missing. We have the skills and resources to clear obstacles and open doors. For many, that takes the form of mentoring, teaching entrepreneurship workshops at community organizations or taking part in a high school’s pitch day. Or maybe you’d prefer to break from the business while you give back to a cause that fuels a personal passion for the arts or environmental preservation.

    I can’t tell you what’s most meaningful to you, but I can suggest that you make it a habit. Consider making your seasonal giving more than an annual tradition or New Year’s resolution. You don’t have to become a whole new person in January, but you can make regular donations or volunteer your time every quarter. The return on your investment is happier holidays and a better mood all year round.

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    Sherry Walling, PhD

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  • 11 Passengers Injured on Turbulent Hawaiian Airlines Flight

    11 Passengers Injured on Turbulent Hawaiian Airlines Flight

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    On Sunday morning, Hawaiian Airlines flight 35 from Phoenix to Honolulu was rocked by turbulence that sent unbuckled passengers’ heads crashing into the plane’s ceiling.

    Per a Fox News report, 36 injured passengers were treated by Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, with 11 taken to emergency rooms in serious condition.

    Related: Bizarre Groaning Sounds Take Over Public Airplane Intercom

    Hawaiian Airlines released a statement confirming the incident: “HA35 from PHX to HNL encountered severe turbulence & landed safely in HNL at 10:50 a.m. today. Medical care was provided to several guests & crewmembers at the airport for minor injuries while some were swiftly transported to local hospitals for further care.”

    The turbulence is believed to have been caused by a strong low-pressure storm over the Hawaiian Islands on Sunday.

    One passenger who was on the flight wrote in a since-deleted tweet, “Scariest experience flying: very strong turbulence happened mid-flight and some people with head injuries from hitting the ceiling.”

    Another passenger, Jacie Hayata-Ano, spoke to CNN, describing the sensation of being lifted off her seat while buckled in: “It felt like free-falling.”

    Heather Poole, author of Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama and Crazy Passengers, recently told the Telegraph that events like this are exactly why airlines want you to use your seatbelt for the duration of flights. “The reason you must wear a seat belt, flight crew included, is because you don’t want the plane coming down on you.”

    Although it might feel like we’re lifting up during turbulence, the airplane is actually dropping, she explained. “It comes down hard and it comes down fast, and that’s how passengers get injured — by getting hit on the head by an airplane.”

    Related: Flight Attendant Reveals Surprising Reason Why You Should Never Wear Shorts on an Airplane

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    Entrepreneur Staff

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