DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Berkowitz, 43, is the CEO and co-founder of Insomnia Cookies, a chain of late-night bakeries he started in 2002 as a college side hustle while attending the University of Pennsylvania. "2009 and 2010 [were] some of the hardest years ever at Insomnia Cookies," says Berkowitz. His wife Rebecca — who's also responsible for the name "Insomnia Cookies," Berkowitz says — responded with some perspective and optimism. "When I talk about the brand and our journey, [I often say] that Insomnia Cookies is a perseverance story," says Berkowitz. Sign up for CNBC's new online course How to Earn Passive Income Online to learn about common passive income streams, tips to get started and real-life success stories.

Persons: Seth Berkowitz, Berkowitz, Krispy Kreme, DON'T, Rebecca — who's, —, You've, he'd Organizations: University of Pennsylvania, CNBC, SEC Locations: —, Syracuse , New York, Champaign , Illinois

☆ CEO's college side hustle now brings in $200 million a year: His No. 1 piece of advice for dorm-room businesses
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"One, get a mentor ... Find somebody who's done this before you, or done something similar," says Berkowitz. Here's why he recommends both, and his advice on picking your dorm room business idea. A trusted mentor can help for a simpler reason, too: "You don't know what you don't know," says Berkowitz. But most college students don't fully appreciate "how much time you have" to experiment with a variety of ideas and ventures, says Berkowitz. How to pick your dorm room business

Persons: — Seth Berkowitz, Berkowitz, he'd Organizations: University of Pennsylvania, CNBC Locations: New York, Philadelphia, Syracuse

☆ 43-year-old started a side hustle in college with $150—now it brings in $200 million a year: It took 'everything that I had'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. Lauren Shamo | Tom Huddleston Jr. | Lauren Shamo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

By the time he graduated in 2004, Berkowitz signed a lease to open Insomnia's first brick-and-mortar location, near another college campus in Syracuse, New York. Now, with Krispy Kreme looking to sell Insomnia, Berkowitz says he's "grateful for the journey." Seth Berkowitz estimates he spent roughly $150 on baking ingredients to start Insomnia Cookies. "2009 and 2010 [were] some of the hardest years ever at Insomnia Cookies," says Berkowitz, adding: "There wasn't anyone else to do it. 'Insomnia Cookies is a perseverance story'

Persons: Seth Berkowitz, Krispy, " Berkowitz, Berkowitz, he's, Grubhub, Uber, —, Jared Barnett —, Barnett Organizations: CNBC, University of Pennsylvania, Syracuse , New York ., College Park , Locations: Syracuse , New York, Champaign , Illinois, College Park , Maryland, Syracuse, New York, Philadelphia

NEW YORK (AP) — By airing the fourth Republican presidential primary debate scheduled for Wednesday — again, minus Donald Trump — the young NewsNation television network will almost certainly reach the largest audience in its history. A NETWORK STILL SEEKING AN AUDIENCEPolitical Cartoons View All 1277 ImagesThe debate is to air from 8 to 10 p.m. ET and will also be shown on the CW network, which like NewsNation is owned by the Nexstar Media Group. A HIGH-PROFILE DEBATE HEADLINERIn awarding the rights to televise Wednesday's debate, the Republican National Committee chose the debate moderators. Kelly's experience working debates during the 2016 Republican presidential nominating process shot her to fame through her feud with Trump.

Persons: —, Donald Trump —, Megyn Kelly, ”, Cherie Grzech, NewsNation's, NewsNation, Chris Cuomo, Dan Abrams, Ashleigh Banfield, Leland Vittert, Abrams, Joe Berkowitz, “, cursorily, Chris Stirewalt, Bill Shine, Grzech, haven't, I've, Elizabeth Vargas, Eliana Johnson, Kelly, It's, Kelly hasn't, hasn't, She's, Ron DeSantis, ” Kelly, Nikki Haley's, “ cringy, Chris, Christie, you've, Vivek Ramaswamy's, she's, Tom Jones, ” Jones, Grezch, Trump, ___ David Bauder Organizations: Republican, Nexstar Media Group, CW, WGN America, CNN, ABC News, MSNBC, Fox News, Nielsen, Hollywood Reporter, Media, Daily, Fox, Republican National Committee, Washington Free Beacon, Trump, NBC News, Walt Disney Corp, Poynter Institute, Associated Press Locations: Florida

For gay men and other LGBTQ+ people, “their friends and family may not be aware of how they identify. "And men as a category don’t meet that stereotype, even though all the research has shown us that at least 9% of sexual assault survivors are male.”__This story includes discussion of sexual assault. If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 or go to https://hotline.rainn.org. Schultz saw others in the opera community rally around the attackers, and was criticized for besmirching the reputation of prominent gay men. Gay men often gather in bars – spaces they feel safe to be themselves.

Persons: Sam Schultz, Schultz, there’s, ” Schultz, ”, Scott Berkowitz, “, Anthony Edwards, Fatima Goss Graves, __ Schultz, David Daniels, Scott Walters, Daniels, Xerxes, didn’t, Walters, they’ve, “ You’re, Ted Gideonse, Gideonse, ” Gideonse, ‘, Mike Jeffries, Jeffries, Matthew Smith Organizations: Associated Press, Sciences, RAINN, Women’s Law Center, Legal Defense Fund, National Women’s Law, Houston’s Rice University, Houston, University of California, Washington, BBC, Abercrombie, Fitch, Abercrombie & Fitch Locations: Irvine, New York, Paris, London

☆ The Biden Administration wants to close a retirement savings 'loophole' that could be costing you 20% on your investments
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Biden administration is proposing a new rule to ensure people saving for retirement get the best advice possible. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Biden administration is continuing its crackdown on junk fees — and this time, retirement savings are in the limelight. A new proposed rule by the Department of Labor would close what the administration calls "loopholes" in retirement advice, potentially saving retirees billions. However, some advisers steer their clients towards what's best for them, not the retirement savers, he said. Currently, the Securities and Exchange Commission has regulations mandating that investment advice needs to be in a saver's best interest.

Persons: Biden, Obama, —, DOL, that's, they're, LIMRA, Jason Berkowitz, Berkowitz Organizations: Service, Department of Labor, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, White, Federal Reserve, FTC, The Department, Labor Locations: pushback, Washington

☆ Israel is preparing for a ground invasion of Gaza. Here's why it hasn't happened yet.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Israel said it would launch a ground invasion of Gaza after the October 7 terrorist attacks. AdvertisementAdvertisementShortly after the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, Israel announced that it would launch a ground invasion of Gaza. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe US military and other officials believe their forces will be targeted by militant groups once Israel launches its ground invasion, according to the report. AdvertisementAdvertisementUS officials believe that once the ground invasion begins, American forces will be targeted by various militant groups, the Wall Street Journal reported. This is partly because military meetings have so far focused only on day-to-day operations as Israel continues to bomb Gaza.

Persons: Israel, —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yocheved, Sharone Lifschitz, Alexi Rosenfeld, Joe Biden's, Biden, Netanyahu, Jonathan Lord, Joe Biden, Evan Vucci, Lloyd J, Austin III, Jalaa Marey, Robert Satloff, Howard P Berkowitz, Jacquelyn Martin Organizations: Service, Israel, United Nations, Ichilov Hospital, Getty, New York Times, Sunday, White, Middle East Security, Center for New American Security, NBC, Sky News, Israeli, Ben Gurion International, AP, Defense, Times, Embassy, Street, NBC News, Wall Street Journal, Israel Defense Forces, Washington Institute for Near East Studies Locations: Gaza, Israel, Tel Aviv, Washington, Egypt, Qatar, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Israeli, Galilee, AFP

☆ The race to create the 'Amazon of real estate' could change home buying forever
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

But after years of trying, the basic structure of buying and selling a home remains pretty much the same. Even if you accept a bit of intricacy, real estate remains a stodgy industry — and regulation is at the core of that resistance to change. Despite the best efforts of would-be disruptors to cut out this middleman, 88% of buyers this year enlisted a real-estate agent, a Zillow survey found. Short of a tech-enabled homebuying nirvana, there are some other changes that could make the process easier for consumers. Saul Klein, an early internet evangelist in the real-estate industry, told me he sees an approaching "paradigm shift."

Persons: that's, you'll, they're, it's, Mike DelPrete, Rob Hahn, DelPrete, aren't, they'd, pocketing, —, ClosingCorp, we're, John Berkowitz, hasn't, Berkowitz, They're, Bobby Bryant, Bryant, Rich Barton, Wendy Gilch, Gilch, Saul Klein, Klein, James Rodriguez Organizations: Companies, University of Colorado Boulder, National Association of Realtors, Ojo, Group Inc, Universal Locations: Washington, California, Georgia

☆ Thousands flock to Trinity Site for first time since ‘Oppenheimer’ release
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Leah Asmelash | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —“Oppenheimer” may have given the Trinity Site a boost of fame this summer, but for many history buffs, making a pilgrimage to the area is a journey years in the making. Nearly 4,000 people flocked to the Trinity Site this past Saturday, according to the White Sand Missile Range Public Affairs Office, waiting hours to visit the infamous ground zero, where the first atomic bomb was detonated. In total, that’s about six hours — all just to see the Trinity Site, a goal he’s had for years. Visitors tour the Trinity Site on October 21. Jim Cutler/White Sands Test Center Material Test DirectorateTise, who completed his first visit this year, called the experience “sobering.”“The Trinity test helped win World War II and saved countless American lives.

Persons: CNN — “ Oppenheimer, David Tise, ”, ” Tise, “, Drew Hamilton, Oppenheimer, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Hamilton, Jim Cutler, White, ” “, “ I’m, ” Zach Berkowitz, Berkowitz, —, “ Oppenheimer, ” Berkowtiz, Trinitite, Geiger, Jose Salazar, ” Hamilton Organizations: CNN, Trinity, Public Affairs Office, Park Service, Public Affairs, Manhattan Project, Visitors, White Sands, Army, ”, Public Locations: Carlsbad, New Mexico, Alamogordo , New Mexico, Alamos, Colorado

☆ The Art of the ‘Lighthearted’ Office Prank: What’s Clever, What’s Cringe?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Joe Berkowitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

MOUSE PLAY Did you know that you can render a mouse inert by taping over the sensor on the underside? Marcus McDonald for The Wall Street Journal; Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson

Persons: Marcus McDonald, Catherine Campbell Pearson Organizations: The Wall

☆ Krispy Kreme puts Insomnia Cookies brand up for sale as it doubles down on donuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Drew Richardson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In this photo illustration, a Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut is shown on May 12, 2022 in Daly City, California. Krispy Kreme is exploring strategic alternatives, including an all-cash sale, of its majority stake in Insomnia Cookies, the company said Tuesday. Krispy Kreme acquired control of Insomnia Cookies in 2018 in a deal backed by European investment firm JAB Holding, which had taken Krispy Kreme private in 2016. Krispy Kreme went public for the second time in 2021, at an implied valuation of $2.7 billion. Insomnia Cookies, which is known for serving cookies well into the early morning hours, has tripled its revenue since 2017, Krispy Kreme said Tuesday.

Persons: Krispy Kreme, Krispy, Mike Tattersfield, Seth Berkowitz, Berkowitz Organizations: CNBC, University of Pennsylvania Locations: Daly City , California

☆ Ig Nobel prizes go to research into nose hairs, dead spiders and licking rocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Catherine Nicholls | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The scientists who researched these questions are among the winners of this year’s Ig Nobel Prizes – an accolade that has no affiliation to the Nobel Prizes – which aim to “celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative and spur people’s interest in science, medicine, and technology.”Rice University graduate student Faye Yap with a dead wolf spider for use as a necrobotic gripper. Brandon Martin/Rice UniversityThe Ig Nobel Prize’s 33rd ceremony took place virtually on Thursday night, with prizes awarded by “genuine, genuinely bemused” Nobel laureates over Zoom. Geologist Jan Zalasiewicz won the coveted Chemistry and Geology Prize for his research into why many scientists like to lick rocks. The Medicine Prize was awarded for research into how many nose hairs are in each of a person’s nostrils. The researchers will have the opportunity to meet one another at a companion Ig Nobel Face-to-Face event in Cambridge, Massachusetts in November.

Persons: Faye Yap, Brandon Martin, Jan Zalasiewicz, Zalasiewicz, ”, urologist Seung, Homei, Hiromi Nakamura, Stanley Milgram, Leonard Bickman, Lawrence Berkowitz Organizations: London CNN, ” Rice University, Rice University, Ig, Zimbabwe, Rice University in Texas, Mechanical, Communication, Public Locations: United States, United Kingdom, China, Cambridge , Massachusetts

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Missouri clinic will stop prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors for the purpose of gender transition, citing a new state law that the clinic says “creates unsustainable liability” for health care workers. The center will continue to provide education and mental health support for minors, as well as medical care for patients over the age of 18. “However, Missouri’s newly enacted law regarding transgender care has created a new legal claim for patients who received these medications as minors. Most adults will still have access to transgender health care under the law, but Medicaid won’t cover it. Missouri is among nearly two-dozen states to have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors.

Persons: Louis Children's, Mike Parson, Parson, Shira Berkowitz, Andrew Bailey, “, ”, ” Berkowitz, Louis, Jamie Reed, Sen, Josh Hawley, Bailey, ___ Ballentine Organizations: LOUIS, —, Washington University Transgender, St, Louis Children's Hospital, Gov, American Medical Association, Republican U.S, GOP Locations: Missouri, St, Jefferson City , Missouri

☆ Netanyahu Rushed to Hospital, but in ‘Good Condition,’ His Office Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Patrick Kingsley | More About Patrick Kingsley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, was rushed on Saturday to a hospital to undergo medical tests after experiencing “mild dizziness,” his office said. Mr. Netanyahu, 73, arrived on Saturday afternoon at the Sheba Medical Center, a leading hospital near Tel Aviv, and remained “in good condition and undergoing medical evaluation,” his office said in a statement. A spokesman for Mr. Netanyahu said on Saturday that the prime minister was fully conscious during the journey to the hospital and subsequent tests, and that he was joking with the hospital’s staff and doctors. Mr. Netanyahu had spent the hottest part of Friday beside the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, where temperatures reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit, his office said in a later announcement. He felt mildly dizzy on Saturday, and went to the medical center on the advice of his personal physician, Dr. Zvi Berkowitz.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Zvi Berkowitz Organizations: Sheba Medical Locations: Tel Aviv, Galilee, Israel

☆ The Gilgo Beach Victims Were Always More Than Escorts
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Robert Kolker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

As the police scoured the beach for more bodies in the spring of 2010 (and found several), Ms. Cann and the family members of the other women were caught in a peculiar bind. Now that they were part of a serial-killer case, the world was beating a path to their doors; perhaps there might even be a break in the case. Then came the horrible hangover of seeing their daughters and sisters in the news, constantly being referred to as prostitutes. The point Ms. Cann made to me on that pier was similar to what all the family members eventually said to me: These women were more than this. “I don’t like how they’re talking about her,” Ms. Cann told me.

Persons: Cann, ” Ms, “, happenstance, Shannan Gilbert, Dominick Varrone, David Berkowitz Organizations: Suffolk County Police Department Locations: Oak Beach, Long, Gilgo Beach, Suffolk

☆ Dollar General shareholders pass proposal to improve worker safety
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Dollar General shareholders passed a resolution Wednesday to create an independent audit into worker safety, as the retailer faces mounting pressure to improve conditions. Dollar General's board recommended shareholders vote against the measure. "I'm one of the hundreds of thousands of Dollar General employees that come into work every day scared for our safety. Williams pointed to the financial implications of Dollar General's safety issues. Beyond fire hazards and dangerous levels of clutter, Dollar General has become a hot spot for gun violence.

Persons: stocker David Williams, Williams, Debbie Berkowitz Organizations: Domini Impact, Research, federal, Safety, Health Administration, Dollar, OSHA, Violence Locations: Mexico, America, Goodlettsville , Tennessee

☆ Activist firms call on Dollar General, Dollar Tree to improve worker safety, wages
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Two activist investment firms are calling on Dollar General and Dollar Tree shareholders to approve a pair of resolutions aiming to improve worker safety and wages, the firms said Tuesday. Dollar General Proposal 7, led by Domini Impact Investments, calls for an independent audit into worker safety and well-being. "It's far too dangerous in the stores that we work in," David Williams, a Dollar General stocker, said during a panel event Tuesday. Federal regulators have repeatedly found similar violations at Dollar General stores across the country, prompting OSHA to label it a "severe violator" of workplace safety rules. Considering the $37.84 billion in sales Dollar General posted in fiscal 2022, the penalties are unlikely to have a major impact on its balance sheet.

☆ Stocks could be shaky in the week ahead as sigh-of-relief rally runs its course
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The stock market is about to enter one of the seasonally strongest months of the year, but volatility could persist in the week ahead with fading momentum and a big jobs report. The stock market is closed that day to observe Good Friday. Week ahead calendar Monday 10:00 a.m. Construction Spending, Feb. 10:00 a.m. ISM Manufacturing, March Tuesday 10:00 a.m. Factory Orders, Feb. 10:00 a.m. JOLTS, Feb. Wednesday 7:00 a.m. Mortgage Applications 8:15 a.m. ADP, March 8:30 a.m. Trade Balance, Feb. 10:00 a.m. ISM Service, March Thursday Earnings: Constellation Brands 8:30 a.m. Initial claims Friday The stock market is closed for Good Friday 8:30 a.m. Nonfarm Payrolls

☆ Former Freepoint Commodities Trader Charged With Bribing Brazilian Officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Dylan Tokar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +2 min

A former employee of U.S. oil trader Freepoint Commodities LLC and its Brazilian agent were indicted Friday for their alleged role in a scheme to bribe Brazilian officials to win contracts with the country’s state-owned oil company, Petróleo Brasileiro SA. Mr. Innecco, who acted as a broker for the firm, remains at large, the spokesman said. A lawyer for Mr. Oztemel said his client denied the allegations. Mr. Oztemel began working for Stamford, Conn.-based Freepoint around 2012. A spokeswoman for Freepoint, which wasn’t named in the indictment, said Mr. Oztemel had retired from the company more than two years ago.

☆ Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop 'war' on poultry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Argentina found the virus in wild birds, while dead swans in Uruguay tested positive. The United States, Britain, France and Japan are among countries that have suffered record losses of poultry over the past year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless. Poultry in the Northern Hemisphere were previously considered to be most at risk when wild birds are active during spring migration. Some experts suspect climate change may be contributing to the global spread by altering wild birds' habitats and migratory paths. Farmers are trying unusual tactics to protect poultry, with some using machines that make loud noises to scare off wild birds, experts said.

☆ Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop "war" on poultry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The United States, Britain, France and Japan are among countries that have suffered record losses of poultry over the past year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless. Poultry in the Northern Hemisphere were previously considered to be most at risk when wild birds are active during spring migration. Some experts suspect climate change may be contributing to the global spread by altering wild birds' habitats and migratory paths. Farmers are trying unusual tactics to protect poultry, with some using machines that make loud noises to scare off wild birds, experts said. Berkowitz said he is bracing for March and April when migration season will pose an even greater risk to poultry.

☆ Instead of paying adults more, some states might let companies hire kids as young as 14 to fill the labor shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Republicans in some states are proposing exceptions to child labor regulations. Lawmakers in Iowa and Minnesota have introduced legislation in the last month proposing exceptions to child labor regulations in their respective states, due to the persisting labor shortage hitting them particularly hard. "A lot of the child labor jobs are menial jobs and those skills aren't transferrable," she said. The proposed laws skirt around the child labor requirements outlined by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Research shows that these workers aren't averse to meatpacking work entirely — they're just not willing to do it for the current wage standard.

☆ Missouri bill aims to outdo Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' by banning school staff from discussing sexual orientation with students
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Missouri bill would stop school staff talking to children about LGBTQ issues without parental consent. It goes further than Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law, introduced last year. The bill is similar to Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by critics. Moon said at the the hearing that he only meant to ban talking about LGBTQ relationships, according to the Missouri Independent. But he was challenged by other lawmakers, who said the bill does more far than that, the report said.

☆ Ojo, a home-listings site aiming to rival Zillow, sells its Canadian operations to Royal Bank of Canada and raises funds from Vista Equity Partners in combined deal of nearly $200 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Home-listings company Ojo Labs sold its Canadian operations to the Royal Bank of Canada. The transactions, totaling nearly $200 million, will help Ojo navigate a bumpy housing market. "We put the company in an extremely healthy cash position, while others are having to retrench," Berkowitz told Insider. These services can differentiate Ojo from Zillow and Realtor.com, which are most intently focused on the home transaction. CoStar, the real estate data giant that's reached a dominant position in commercial real estate data, has recently trained its eye on residential listing platforms.

☆ Jobs report to give clues about where economy is headed
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Investors will get another clue when the January jobs report is released on Friday. Economists predict that 185,000 jobs were added last month, a slowdown from the gain of 223,000 jobs in December and 263,000 in November. A further deceleration in the labor market would likely please the Fed, as it would show that last year’s rate hikes are successfully taking some air out of the economy. Along those lines, average hourly earnings, a measure of wages that is also part of the monthly jobs report, are expected to increase 4.3% year-over year. So far, tech earnings season is not off to an inspiring start, with Microsoft (MSFT), Intel (INTC) and IBM (IBM) all reporting weak results.

Search resuls for: "Berkowitz"

25 mentions found