DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ The managers of two of the best stock funds of 2022 told us about the 3 highest-conviction names in their portfolios
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Marley Jay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Together, they run two of the highest-returning stock funds of 2022. BNY Mellon fund managers John Bailer and Brian Ferguson have done well at avoiding those sorts of traps. Bailer runs a dividend-focused stock fund that's returned 12% a year for investors over the last decade and earned a four-star rating, according to Morningstar. In a joint interview, Bailer and Ferguson told Insider about a couple of current favorites from across their portfolios. (3) Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)Warren Buffett is a legendary value investors himself, of course, and his Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate is a favorite for a lot of investors.

☆ They launched a fantasy sports company at 22. It's now worth $8 billion
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth are the founders of Dream Sports, a sports tech firm from India that owns one of the biggest fantasy gaming platforms in the country — Dream11. The childhood friends started the company in 2008, but lost millions of starting capital in less than three years. More than a decade after its launch, Dream Sports says it's now valued at $8 billion with 160 million users. Watch the video above to find out how the duo bounced back from failure to launch India's first sports tech unicorn.

☆ A sports tech startup lost millions — then made it big. Here's how its millennial founders staged a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Losing millions of dollars when they were 24 years old was a defining moment for entrepreneurs Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth. More than a decade after its launch, their company Dream Sports says it's now valued at $8 billion dollars, with 160 million users to boot. Dream Sports is a sports tech firm from India that owns Dream11, the biggest fantasy gaming platform in the country. Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth launched their startup Dream11 when they were just 22 — but it quickly "crashed and burned." That is something they learned from losing a large sum of money in the early days of their company, Jain added.

☆ 3 ways entrepreneurs are using QR codes to connect with customers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Kim Kardashian released an ad in December for her brand, Skkn by Kim, that included a QR code. Kardashian is one of many entrepreneurs using QR technology in their marketing strategies. Additionally, QR codes saw a resurgence in the pandemic, as businesses used them for contactless payment or instead of physical menus. Three small-business owners share how entrepreneurs can use QR codes to grow their brands. The pop-up included a collection of fashion, wellness, and home-goods items, each with a QR code that directed shoppers to the brand's Instagram account.

CNN —Two senior executives associated with collapsed crypto exchange FTX have pleaded guilty to multiple criminal charges and are cooperating with federal prosecutors, according to unsealed court records. Additionally, the pair face civil fraud charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission that were announced Wednesday night. Wang cofounded FTX with Bankman-Fried in 2019 and also worked with him at his hedge fund Alameda Research. Ellison is pleading guilty to seven counts, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Wang has agreed to plead guilty to four counts: wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.

☆ Judge pauses SEC case in alleged NJ deli stock fraud in favor of criminal probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Federal prosecutors had requested earlier in December that the judge postpone the SEC case due to considerable overlap with their criminal litigation. Judge Christine O'Hearn granted that request on Wednesday, stating that there was no opposition from either the SEC or the defendants. It was the sole asset of Hometown International, a company controlled by financiers James Patten, Peter Coker Sr. and Peter Coker Jr. Your Hometown Deli made under $40,000 in annual revenue despite Hometown International's $100 million market value, according to public filings. Prosecutors say Patten convinced Morina to open the deli under the umbrella of Hometown International.

☆ Luxury homebuyers want plunge pools, infrared saunas, and 'spiritual concierges,' according to two star brokers who've sold $4 billion of real estate so far this year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Zoe Rosenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Real-estate agents Fredrik Eklund and John Gomes said luxury homebuyers want wellness perks at home. More than gyms and swimming pools, they're seeking out extras like infrared saunas and plunge pools. On-demand perks like "spiritual concierges" and IV treatments are becoming more popular. Speaking about the year ahead alongside Eklund Gomes Team CEO Julia Spillman, they said wellness perks remain at the top of the list of must-haves for luxury homebuyers of both condos and single-family residences. The Eklund Gomes Team has big plans for the year aheadThe Eklund Gomes Team plans to grow, even as the real-estate market at large is slowing down.

☆ Pelosi knew how to deal with Trump because she raised 5 kids and the ex-president 'was a child,' Schumer said
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Pelosi's experience as a mom helped her deal with Trump, Schumer told CNN. Pelosi said Trump and Schumer 'understood each other' because they're both New Yorkers. And that's what helped her deal with Trump, because he ultimately was a child." During the interview, Schumer sat down with Pelosi for a dinner of Chinese food with CNN's Jamie Gangel. In the CNN interview, Schumer said he and Pelosi were able to get Trump to say that he would take ownership of the shutdown.

☆ France's Deschamps on cusp of World Cup history but happy to shun limelight
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Rohith Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Of course, I'm proud and we all know there's a chance now to defend our title in the final," Deschamps said. Having captained France's 'golden generation' that won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship, the 54-year-old has now nurtured another golden generation over the past decade. "He's just an amazing manager and he's so humble... For me he's the greatest French manager by miles!" ADAPTABILITYWhat has made Deschamps successful in tournaments, especially at the World Cup since 2018, is not sticking to a particular identity or philosophy which is often the defining feature of big teams. "Didier Deschamps has shown he's the best head coach in the world in the last 10 years."

In this guide, we'll give you a crash course on how to quickly earn credit card rewards and book free travel. If everyone in the world expertly utilized credit card rewards to travel for free, there wouldn't be such amazing travel opportunities out there. Identify your travel goalsBefore you begin collecting credit card rewards, you should first identify your travel goals. Recommended credit card strategies for beginnersThe best practice for anyone new to credit card rewards is to invest in flexible points. You'll need: An annual fee-incurring Hilton credit card One of the greatest deals in credit card rewards is the free night certificate that comes with select American Express Hilton credit cards.

☆ Inside Sergey Brin's Busy Social Schedule: Parties, Festivals, Burning Man
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Rob Price | Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In late August this year, Sergey Brin headed to Burning Man. The 49-year-old tech titan traveled to the festival in style, island-hopping across the Pacific Ocean in a modified seaplane. Brin has been spotted more than once at house parties at NeoGenesis, a coliving space for entrepreneurs in the Bay Area. As for the bigger psychedelic party, when Burning Man reopened in August after its pandemic hiatus, Brin stayed at First Camp, a VIP community frequented by festival organizers and their friends. Rob Price is a correspondent at Insider, writing features and investigations about the technology industry.

☆ England players adopt stray Qatar cat after World Cup exit
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

England came up short against France on Saturday, which clinched a gutsy 2-1 quarterfinal win. The cat, who Stones named Dave, will have to spend four months in quarantine before he can be reunited with the City duo. “Every night he sat there waiting for his food.”With impromptu visits to stadiums, training sessions and press conferences, cats have stolen the limelight at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Meanwhile, Brazil forward Vinicius Jr. was interrupted by a cat when he spoke at a news conference last week. A member of Brazil’s staff was seen stroking the animal, before picking it up and dropping it off the side of a table.

☆ Stray Qatar cat heads to England after being adopted by Walker and Stones
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

England came up short against France on Saturday, who clinched a gutsy 2-1 quarter-final win. The cat, who Stones named Dave, will have to spend four months in quarantine before he can be re-united with the City duo. "He was just there one day, so we’ve just adopted him, me and Stonesy,” Walker told the FA’s official media channel. Some people really don’t like the cat, but I love him." "First day we got there ... Dave pops out,” Stones added.

☆ 'Saturday Night Live': Steve Martin and Martin Short team up for hilarious 'Father of the Bride' skit
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Chloe Melas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Steve Martin and Martin Short brought the funny as co-hosts of “Saturday Night Live” this weekend. NBC/Getty Images Martin plays an IRS agent in a Coneheads skit in February 1977. NBC/Getty Images Martin and Dan Aykroyd, second from left, play the Festrunk brothers — "two wild and crazy guys" — in September 1977. NBC/Getty Images Martin performs with The Dirt Band, which was the show's musical guest when he hosted in January 1978. Alan Singer/NBC/Getty Images Martin puts a spin on traditional Christmas lists in his "A Holiday Wish" skit in 1986.

☆ Larry Page, Sergey Brin Post-Google Lives: Investments, Yachts, Islands
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Hugh Langley | Rob Price | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +33 min

Even before their retirement from Google, Page and Brin relied heavily on their respective family offices to bring order to their worlds. The Bay Area headquarters of Koop, Larry Page's family office, is nondescript and gives little indication of the billionaire's empire. Insider; Marianne Ayala/Insider Show less Bayshore Global Management, Sergey Brin's family office, is based in Palo Alto and has a bit more of a public face. Insider; Marianne Ayala/Insider Show lessThe difference in styles holds true for Brin's family office, Bayshore Global Management. The CEO of Page's family office is Wayne Osborne, a former elder in the Presbyterian Church who attended Princeton Theological Seminary.

David Beckham, England — World Cup (1998, 2002 and 2006)Nate: The uncontainable aura of a man who transcended the sport and captured the world’s eyes. Eusebio, Portugal — (World Cup 1966)Nate: Rising high by the crowd that carries him; adored by Benfica, adored by Portugal, adored by the whole world. Zlatan Ibrahimović , Sweden (World Cup, 2002 and 2006)Nate: An ever present mythos … seemingly reversing time whilst being a journeyman through it. Lionel Messi, Argentina — (World Cup, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018)Nate: Ladies and gentlemen … It’s Lionel Messi. Socrates, Brazil — (World Cup, 1982 and 1986)Nate: Philosopher by name … glory that belongs in the Colosseum.

☆ Founder of Proud Boys' Hawaii chapter, Texas man sentenced to 4 years in Jan. 6 riot
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dennis-Romero-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Dennis Romero | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The founder of Hawaii's Proud Boys chapter and a Texas man were sentenced Friday to four years each in prison for their participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Nicholas DeCarlo and Nicholas Ochs inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. DeCarlo’s defense team argued he didn’t participate in the events of Jan. 6 with “glee” and didn’t coordinate with other members of the far-right group Proud Boys. Several Proud Boys members have been indicted on charges in connection with the Capitol attack. More than 280 people prosecutors have connected to the attack have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

☆ Federal prosecutors ask judge to postpone SEC case in alleged New Jersey deli stock fraud
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Federal prosecutors in New Jersey want the Securities and Exchange Commission to postpone its civil case against the alleged masterminds behind a $100 million fraud scheme involving a small-town deli so it won't get in the way of their ongoing criminal case. Prosecutors for the District of New Jersey filed a motion on Wednesday saying the SEC's case "substantially" overlaps with their ongoing criminal case and the civil matter should be postponed until the litigation, including a potential trial, is completed, court records show. Postponing the civil case would "preserve the integrity" of the ongoing prosecution by preventing the defendants from seeing the extent of the government's evidence against them, federal prosecutors argued in the filing. The SEC and the attorneys for the suspects consented to the request, which is common in such cases. A telephone conference is scheduled in the criminal case for Dec. 14, but it's expected to be mostly procedural and an opportunity for the prosecutors and defense attorneys to update the judge on the status of the litigation.

☆ The cofounder of Wunderkeks cookie company wanted to build a culture where 'hungry' workers apply and thrive — and his mentor helped him get there
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | In Partnership With | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

After having a bad employee experience, Hans Schrei, a cofounder of the cookie brand Wunderkeks, swore he would approach hiring differently this time. "How we build a team is going to impact the culture of the company and how it progresses," said Schrei, whose company is based in Austin, Texas. Learning from the pastEntering the mentorship, Wunderkeks needed to hire a CFO, content manager, sales manager, and head of e-commerce as part of its focus on scaling up. Establishing a hiring strategyAt the beginning of the mentorship, Nam expected to jump straight into helping Schrei write job descriptions and interview questions. Through the mentorship experience, Schrei has learned that hiring should be personal and deliberate, thinking of employees as people, not numbers, he said.

☆ Long Covid is distorting the labor market — and that's bad for the U.S. economy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

She eventually learned that the balance issues and ear pain resulted from a damaged vestibular nerve, a known effect of long Covid. She found that 2 million to 4 million full-time workers are out of the labor force due to long Covid. For one, many of the hundreds of potential long Covid symptoms are invisible to others, even if disabling for the afflicted. Why the long Covid labor gap mattersJerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, mentioned Sheiner and Salwati's long Covid research in a recent speech about inflation and the labor market. That burden will continue to rise if long Covid patients don't start recovering at greater rates, she said.

☆ Elon Musk keeps bringing in new people to Twitter, like 'enthusiastic' interns, cousins, and even Bari Weiss
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

CEO Elon Musk has made some dramatic changes to Twitter since taking over five weeks ago. Roughly 150 people are still working at Twitter at Musk's behest from his other companies and ventures, according to two people familiar with the company. Musk's hires at TwitterTwo of Musk's cousins, James and Andrew Musk, appear to now be acting as full-time Twitter employees, both of the people familiar said. Weiss was in the San Francisco office that evening, speaking and "laughing with" Musk, two employees said. Now, Weiss has been given access to Twitter's employee systems, added to its Slack, and given a company laptop, two people familiar with her presence said.

☆ Elon Musk keeps bringing in new people to Twitter, like enthusiastic interns, cousins, and even Bari Weiss
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

CEO Elon Musk has made some dramatic changes to Twitter since taking over five weeks ago. Roughly 150 people are still working at Twitter at Musk's behest from his other companies and ventures, according to two people familiar with the company. Musk's hires at TwitterTwo of Musk's cousins, James and Andrew Musk, appear to now be acting as full-time Twitter employees, both of the people familiar said. Both men work daily at Twitter offices, with Andrew Musk working on software-engineering projects and James Musk seen more as "a fixer type," one of the people said, helping Musk out with various needs and tasks. Weiss was in the San Francisco office that evening, speaking and "laughing with" Musk, two employees said.

☆ Lizzo is TikTok’s top music artist for 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

TikTok users also pushed “Jiggle Jiggle” and the “It’s corn!” kid to the top viral trends on the app in the U.S.Lizzo, who has 26 million TikTok followers, was the No. 1 music artist on TikTok this year, based on total video views. 1 trending song in the U.S. was “Sunroof” by Nicky Youre and Dazy, with TikTok users making some 8.9 million videos featuring the track. “Jiggle Jiggle,” the rap created more than two decades ago by documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux, gained a new life after it was remixed by DJ duo Duke & Jones (No. TikTok Top Artists 2022, U.S.@lizzo @bellapoarch @badbunny @charlieputh @dojacat @selenagomez @nessaabarrett @yunggravy @billieeilish @meghantrainorTikTok Top Trending Videos 2022, U.S.@amauryguichon: Constructing a very large chocolate giraffe @chipmunksoftiktok: Squishy’s back after hibernation!

Organizations: @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @

But first: The results from five counties will help tell us if Democrat Raphael Warnock is on track to win tonight’s Senate runoff in Georgia. Warnock got 56.9% of the vote in Cobb when he won the Jan. 2021 runoff, and he got just under that last November (56.8%). And in Gwinnett, Warnock got 60.6% of the vote in the 2021 runoff, compared with 58.9% last month against Walker. In rural Chattooga — one of NBC News’ “County to County” counties — Warnock got just 20.5% when he won the 2021 runoff, and he got less than that in the November general election (19.8%). Data Download: The number of the day is … $7.79 billionThat’s how much money was spent on political television, radio and digital ads this entire cycle (starting the day after the 2021 Georgia Senate runoff through today’s runoff), per AdImpact.

☆ Zelman & Associates called the housing market's downturn long before it started. Its homebuilding expert told us why the current slump could last for years.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Marley Jay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Director of homebuilding research Alan Ratner says a housing market recovery will take years. But Zelman & Associates definitely called this housing market slump. "Every 25 basis point increase in mortgage rates is the equivalent of a 3% increase in home prices," Ratner said. That's partly because a steep drop in prices won't make the housing market heat up again right away. But it will be a gradual process because the housing market has been through a historically unusual period.

Search resuls for: "Duo"

25 mentions found