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☆ 'Million Dollar Listing' brokers say now is the time for luxury homebuyers to scoop up a deal. Here’s their advice for buyers and sellers.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Katherine Stinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The real-estate agents Tracy Tutor and Josh Flagg said now is the time for luxury homebuyers to act. Sellers must price their homes realistically, even if they are worth less than they were last year. Here's their advice for buyers and sellers in the luxury market. The Redfin study backs this up: New listings of luxury homes fell by 6.6% year over year. Price reductions aren't a bad thing in themselves, but Flagg said it's still typically a major turn off for luxury homebuyers — "even if it's a steal."

☆ Generation Hustle: Gen Z Is Reshaping Work With More Jobs, Side Hustles
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Eve Upton-Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

In the midst of an uncertain economy and precarious job market, Gen Z is turning up the hustle. According to a 2022 survey commissioned by Microsoft, 48% of Gen Z respondents were juggling multiple side hustles at once. Broken promisesWhile young people often work multiple jobs through college and early in their career, Gen Zers are extending the work hustle into their formal careers. But after watching that dream die for millennials, Gen Z isn't buying into what they view as a broken social contract. "So Gen Z has seen there's other ways to make money, even as a kid, through platforms like YouTube."

☆ Despite TikTok ban threat, influencers are flocking to a new app from its parent company
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

However, they denied rumors that ByteDance had paid creators to promote the new app on TikTok. Still, the app lacks some standard social platform features such as messaging and the option to tag other users in posts. Lemon8’s userbase remains a far cry from the 150 million users TikTok says it has in the United States. By launching a new app even with TikTok in the spotlight, “ByteDance clearly doesn’t feel like they’re at risk,” Lewis said. Even if TikTok and Lemon8 were banned, Cruz said, “I already have a following on all the other platforms.”

☆ A travel influencer with 680K TikTok followers shares her 4-page media kit and strategies to get free hotel stays
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The 23-year-old creator joined the platform in 2012, when she was in middle school, and has been determined to become a content creator since then. But while this content was helpful to build an audience, she decided her aim was to build a career based on travel content. She shared some of her top tips to get started as a travel creator and pitch hotels for a free stay. When she decided she'd focus on creating travel content, she archived her old posts and started mindfully curating her feed. Read the 4-page media kit Seaberg uses to pitch hotels and brands for collaboration:

☆ Opinion | John Mulaney and the Insatiable Modern Audience
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Jessica Grose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Judging by the reaction online, not to mention the texts on my phone, people had feelings about this — lots of them. Mulaney made the word “parasocial” go mainstream. But I do think many people’s expectations of celebrities have become unreasonable in the social media age. It used to be much easier for famous figures to maintain a firewall between their public personas and their private lives. Smith turns this idea over and over throughout the book — more than 100 pages later, she writes: “Maybe this isn’t a tell-mine.

☆ An Island Utopia Where Nobody Dies and the Living Is Easy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Chelsea Leu | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

THE FERRYMAN, by Justin CroninFor a science-fictional utopia created by a reclusive “Designer,” the world of “The Ferryman” bears a startling resemblance to the well-heeled strata of, say, San Francisco or New York. The art is bad, and no one seems to realize it. There’s something mildly intoxicating, in fact, about entering this utopia, called Prospera, because Cronin’s shrewd world-building allows us to have it both ways: We sink into aspirational fantasy even as we relish the author’s sly commentary on a certain species of coastal elite. (Prospera is an island, after all.) Rather than undergo the indignities of birth and death, old or infirm Prosperans are sent by ferry to a mysterious island called the Nursery, where their memories are wiped and their bodies rejuvenated, so they can return as hale 16-year-olds with new identities.

☆ Snap shows have become a coveted way for influencers to make money. Here's how to get one, according to a manager who has landed 4 for his clients.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Marta Biino | Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Snapchat creators can pitch shows that appear on the platform's stories feed. Cameron Ajdari, an influencer manager who's landed four shows, shared his tips for a successful pitch. Of all the ways Snapchat creators can monetize their content, shows are becoming increasingly attractive because of the exposure they get on the platform. The content needs to be original, and the creator or licensor needs to have the rights to it. Ajdari shared the best practices that have helped his company pitch shows to Snap successfully.

☆ An influencer manager who's landed 4 Snap shows for his clients shares his top strategies for pitching the platform
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Marta Biino | Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

☆ John Mulaney Punctures His Persona in ‘Baby J’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Jason Zinoman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In his new special, “Baby J,” we hear John Mulaney before we see him. It retreats to reveal Mulaney, 40, in a maroon suit, before circling to give us a picture of the commanding power of stardom. It’s a striking image setting up a series of bristling comic vignettes that dig into Mulaney’s drug addiction, intervention by friends and stint in rehab. That first shot tips us off to a theme: You can be invisible in front of a crowd. Judging by the reaction online, not to mention the texts on my phone, people had feelings about this — lots of them.

☆ I used AI to create my professional headshots and the results were either great or hilarious
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A TikTok featuring an AI service promising studio-quality headshots for $17 intrigued me. So when I saw this TikTok about an AI service that promises low-cost, studio-quality headshots, I was intrigued. Without further ado, here are some of the greatest hits, along with a smattering of commentary:Rebecca Knight in an AI headshot. Rebecca Knight AI form. Rebecca Knight in AI form.

☆ Companies are selling us more stuff by telling us it's 'sustainable'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The federal government is updating guides around how companies can prove their environmental claims. Companies are advertising what they plan to do, such as addressing the climate crisis or using more recycled materials in their products. She pointed to a case BBB National Programs' National Advertising Division brought against the American Beverage Association, which represents companies such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. The beverage industry appealed the finding, arguing that the ad was intended to increase awareness that plastic bottles could be recycled. The National Advertising Division's appellate body upheld the original decision.

CAIRO, April 21 (Reuters) - There are some aspirational prizes being doled out to winners of Ramadan tournaments in Egypt this week, with a team decked out in Liverpool's kit being awarded England's Premier League trophy for their success -- while another is set to receive UEFA Champions League silverware. The losers were presented with a replica of the African Champions League trophy for their efforts. "I bought the two cups from a friend who owns a sportswear store for two thousand Egyptian pounds ($65)," Ibrahim Abdel Salam, one of the organising committee, told Reuters. "There are two artificial turf courts, but we prefer the dirt court," Abdel Salam said. Meanwhile in El-Beheira governorate the European Champions League trophy appeared up for grabs.

☆ Tim Scott’s ‘Land of Opportunity’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

One regrettable reality of today’s politics is that a left-right condominium is preaching that America is a failed experiment. All the more reason to welcome GOP Sen. Tim Scott as a presidential candidate running on better days ahead and a “new American sunrise.” The question is whether he can refine his aspirational politics into a credible agenda for national renewal. “I know America is a land of opportunity, not a land of oppression,” the 57-year-old from South Carolina said in a three-minute video released this week. “I know it because I’ve lived it.” Mr. Scott was raised by a single mother in poverty. “I was that hopeless kid in America,” he said in a 2020 speech.

☆ GM expands high-end Chevy Silverado HD lineup with new ZR2 off-road model
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The latest model revealed Thursday is the Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500 ZR2, a new off-road model for one of GM's most expensive pickup trucks. 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2 Bison GM"ZR2 has been a huge success for us," said Michael MacPhee, director of Chevy truck marketing. 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2 GMThe company declined to disclose exact pricing for the new ZR2 pickups, saying they will be "aspirational but attainable." The current Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2 starts at about $74,000 for a comparable model. The HD ZR2 trucks will be offered exclusively in the 2500 four-door crew cab configuration.

☆ A 25-year-old entrepreneur shares the marketing budget she uses to build her successful professional and personal brands
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Alexandra York | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Alexa Curtis, the founder of a blog and mentorship company, shares her $5,000 monthly budget. She says social media, marketing, and personal branding are the most important investments. For her personal brand, she spends about $350 each month on a branding coach who helps her decide what message she wants to project through her work. But GrasshoppHer relies more on monthly and annual membership fees to grow, and the new business has more opportunities for sponsorships, Curtis said. courtesy of CurtisSince merging companies, "it's becoming less of a personal brand," Curtis said.

☆ European stocks are off to a strong start this year. How U.S. investors can capitalize on it
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

With Eu r opean stocks off to a strong start this year, investors across the pond may want to get some exposure to that market and capitalize on the trend. .STOXX YTD mountain Strong start to European stocks Despite this outperformance, the European index is also far cheaper than the S & P 500, trading at a forward multiple of 13, while the U.S. benchmark is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of about 18. Tech stocks make up a smaller portion of the European stock index – less than 8% in the Stoxx 600 compared to roughly 30% in the S & P 500. Separately, Goldman Sachs' Peytavin identified autos, real estate, insurance and construction and materials as among the worst sectors for European stock pickers. "They are macro sectors, stocks, all moving together driven by the macro rather than stock idiosyncrasies, and offer a narrow performance spread," Peytavin wrote.

☆ L'Oreal plans to buy luxury skincare brand Aesop — known for its $90 serums and $40 hand wash that wealthy millennials can't get enough of — in a $2.5 billion deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Mary Hanbury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

French cosmetics giant L'Oreal plans to buy Aesop for $2.5 billion. Aesop is an Australian skincare brand, known for its simple marketing and gender-neutral products. Aesop is an Australian brand that dates back to 1987 when founder Dennis Paphitis opened a Melbourne hair salon and began mixing essential oils into hair products. Today, it's known for luxurious home fragrances, hair oils, and skincare products, which are served up in apothecary-style brown bottles. It has become an aspirational brand for wealthy millennials who are happy to spend $40 on its hand wash to make their bathrooms look more upmarket.

Vahia is one among India’s young and aspirational 1.4 billion population, whose propensity for online spending has attracted global companies and digital platforms. And as private consumption underpins economic growth in India, financial investors are targetting new ways to tap into it. India's per capita consumption of food was at $314 in 2020 compared to $884 for China, while that of clothing stood at $53.9 versus $212.9 for China, data from CLSA showed. FOREIGN INVESTORS JUMP INWith private consumption accounting for 60% of India's $3.5 trillion GDP, foreign portfolio investors have been quick to latch on. To be sure, it has not been all smooth sailing for investors as they chased India's consumption boom.

Amancio Ortega set up the first Zara store in A Coruna in the north west of Spain in 1975. Marta Ortega started from the bottom at Inditex, stacking shelves at a Bershka store when she was 23. Ortega, whose father owns 59.3% of Inditex, has mainly worked in the background, leaving the spotlight to the CEO. "We feel that Marta Ortega has repositioned Zara slightly upwards," said Patricia Cifuentes, analyst at the investment banking arm of Spanish investment firm Bestinver. "Reinforcing that Zara sells fashion, not just clothes, has allowed Inditex to increase prices and protect the margins amidst the inflationary storm."

☆ I got laid off from Meta. Here's how being a TikTok and Instagram creator gave me more time to evaluate my future after being let go.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A Meta employee built a social-media following by sharing career advice on TikTok and Instagram. Even prior to joining Meta, I had been sharing my career journey on social media. In my last six months at Meta, I moved into a product-marketing role, where I worked very closely with creators. Now, I don't know if I want to work at a corporation, and being a content creator has liberated me from the urgency to figure out my next step right away. After I got laid off, I was worried that my career content would lose credibility.

☆ Energy agency chief warns transition to renewables is way off track, issues warning on stranded assets
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The current German coalition government is seeking to accelerate the country's transition away from fossil fuels and nuclear to renewable and sustainable production energy means. The global energy transition is off track to prevent the worst impact of the climate emergency, according to the head of the International Renewable Energy Agency, and a fundamental course correction is required to successfully pivot away from fossil fuels. It is widely regarded as a crucial global target because so-called tipping points become more likely beyond this level of global heating. Tipping points are thresholds at which small changes can lead to dramatic shifts in Earth's entire life support system. "We are off track," Francesco La Camera, director general of IRENA, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Tuesday.

☆ Jay-Z is now worth $2.5 billion—Warren Buffett once said 'he's the guy to learn from'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Less than four years after becoming the first billionaire rapper, Jay-Z is showing no signs of slowing down. The Brooklyn-born artist's net worth is now $2.5 billion, according to the latest estimate from Forbes. Forbes pegged his net worth at $1.4 billion just last year. At the end of their conversation, Buffett said that soon enough, young people would be looking to Jay-Z for their money-making advice. "For a young person growing up he's the guy to learn from."

☆ ‘Old Money’ Style, in This Economy?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Rory Satran | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Prep is back—kind of. This time around, however, it’s called the “old-money aesthetic,” and it describes a complicated and divisive trend that’s been proliferating on social media. On TikTok and YouTube videos and Pinterest mood boards, slideshows cycle through aspirational images: romantic 1980s and ’90s Ralph Lauren ads full of tweed and jodhpurs; country-club tennis matches; “Great Gatsby”-ish parties filled with white dresses and tuxes; Ivy League students on the quad in V-neck sweaters and chinos; “Talented Mr. Ripley”-style sailboat siestas; and neo-prep stills from “Gossip Girl”—the headband-filled early 2000s version. Beige cashmere is suddenly as buzzy as bra tops.

[1/2] Bottles of Campa Cola and Coca Cola are displayed at a Reliance Smart supermarket in Mumbai, India March 20, 2023. Other well known tycoons have tried to go toe-to-toe with the drinks giants, and failed, most notably Richard Branson with his Virgin Cola. The smallest bottles of Campa Cola and Coke both cost 10 rupees, while Pepsi starts from 12 rupees. Reliance did not respond to a request for comment, while Pepsi said it doesn't comment on competition as a policy. Another city store employee said 30 Campa bottles were being sold for every 100 of Pepsi and Coca-Cola.

☆ The top 4 sports and sports tech VCs are ready to open their checkbooks. Here's what they're looking for.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Courtside Ventures in January closed a $100 million fund, its biggest yet. KB Partners late last year closed a $127 million fund, also its biggest yet. If you're not in one of those lanes, don't bother reaching out, even though the firm has the new $100 million fund to dole out. Parikh expects fewer investments in media companies out of the new fund, but more investments in gaming. It's doling out the money through two accelerator programs and an investment fund.

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