DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

If Dave Gilboa kept better track of his glasses, Warby Parker might not exist. They co-founded Warby Parker, a pioneering direct-to-consumer brand that's sold millions of pairs of glasses, both online and in 269 brick-and-mortar stores across the U.S. and Canada. Warby Parker brought in nearly $670 million in revenue last year. "The need for glasses and contacts continues to grow and grow and grow," Blumenthal tells CNBC Make It. "And we're putting Warby Parker in a position to take advantage of that growth, to serve that very large growing need."

Persons: Dave Gilboa, Warby Parker, Gilboa, — Neil Blumenthal, Andy Hunt, Jeff Raider —, Blumenthal Organizations: Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, CNBC Locations: Canada, Gilboa

☆ She was one of the only Black women in her engineering program. Now, this MIT grad is using dance to introduce a new generation to STEM
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Meg Dunn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“I think my parents’ careers in the STEM fields made it so that I always believed that I could also do something in STEM,” Toussaint said. While she had a love for math, the dance studio was her “home away from home,” she said. In 2012, she created STEM From Dance, a nonprofit program that integrates dance with STEM education to make these subjects more engaging and accessible. “When I first started the dance part, I really liked it,” recalled Myrtha Plaisime, 14, a STEM From Dance participant. CNN“That feeling that they get, we want them to remember that and … remember that they are celebrated for doing things in STEM,” Toussaint said.

Persons: New York CNN — Yamilée Toussaint, “, ” Toussaint, ”, CNN Hero Yamilée Toussaint —, CNN Hero Yamilée Toussaint — CNN “ It’s, Toussaint, Plaisime, Myrtha Plaisime, ‘, ’ ” Toussaint Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, CNN Hero Yamilée Toussaint — CNN, MIT Locations: New York, Brooklyn

☆ This MIT grad found a big, bold, and fun way to get girls of color working in STEM
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

How relevant is this ad to you? Video player was slow to load content Video content never loaded Ad froze or did not finish loading Video content did not start after ad Audio on ad was too loud Other issues

☆ Hoda Kotb spent 10 days driving around the country to get her first TV job: 'I got rejected everywhere'
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Walking into the station, Kotb felt right at home. She looked around the station and "planned my whole life" in Richmond, certain she'd get the job. "He said 'Oh, Hoda, you're not ready for Richmond. The trip that Kotb thought would just take an afternoon soon stretched on and on. But the news director at the station watched her entire tape and hired her on the spot, she said.

Persons: Hoda Kotb, Kotb, she'd Organizations: CBS, Dateline NBC, CNBC Locations: Richmond, Roanoke , Virginia, Roanoke, Memphis, Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida , Illinois, New Orleans

Sharon Kim partnered with her oldest brother and his wife to purchase a home in the suburbs of New York City for around $750,000. Mickey Todiwala | CNBC Make ItKim and her brother weren't very close growing up, thanks to a seven-year age gap. Mickey Todiwala | CNBC Make ItThe increased down payment gave them the leverage they needed. Kim, her brother and his wife decided to complete the majority of renovations to the home themselves to cut down on costs. Mickey Todiwala | CNBC Make ItKim estimates they've spent around $40,000 on renovations so far.

Persons: Sharon Kim, Mickey Todiwala, Kim, weren't, homeownership, they've Organizations: CNBC, Parsons School of Design, YouTube, Parsons, Spotify, Amazon Prime, Apple Locations: New York City, Manhattan, Queens, New Jersey, South Korea

☆ There's a new reason people feel bad about the economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewIt's official: The labor market vibes are not great. It's the largest tumble in sentiment since August 2021 — and workers' experiences with and expectations for the labor market are partially to blame. A weaker jobs market — although one that's still historically strong — is warping Americans' beliefs about the economy. Even so, though, it'll take a little while for new monetary policy to trickle into daily life and the labor market. Are you having trouble finding a job, or is the job market making you feel bad?

Persons: —, It's, Jerome Powell, Wells, Shannon Seery Grein, Jeremiah Kohl, Dana M, Peterson, it'll, Julia Pollak Organizations: Service, Conference, Business, Federal Reserve, Conference Board, Conference Board's, New York Federal Reserve's Survey, Consumer, Survey, Labor

☆ Reese Witherspoon is looking for a young Elle Woods for ‘Legally Blonde’ prequel
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The time has come for Reese Witherspoon and the team behind the new “Legally Blonde” prequel series to find their young Elle Woods. On Wednesday, Witherspoon announced in a video posted to Instagram that the search is on to cast the coveted role of a high school-aged Woods for the upcoming Prime Video series “Elle,” the famed pink-clad character that Witherspoon originated in the 2001 classic. “We are starting the casting process and we are making it open,” Witherspoon said in the video. The movie follows the optimistic and stylish sorority queen Woods (Witherspoon), who attends Harvard Law to win back her college boyfriend Warner (Davis). Woods winds up proving her many critics wrong when she excels in her field, finds love elsewhere and realizes her true value.

Persons: Reese Witherspoon, Elle Woods, Witherspoon, Woods, Elle, ”, ” Witherspoon, ” Withersoon, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Luke Wilson, Jennifer Coolidge, Victor Garber, Ali Larter, Holland Taylor, Mindy Kaling, Warner, Davis Organizations: CNN, Harvard Law

☆ My job offer was rescinded, so I started freelancing to support myself. Gen Z workers like me are turning to portfolio careers for security in this economy.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

I was a content creator on LinkedIn and TikTok already, so understood the creator space. AdvertisementMy grad job offer was rescindedEven though I was already freelancing, I planned to work in a corporate job after university. That same month LinkedIn told me my job offer had been rescinded because the program was sunsetted. I'd planned to move to San Francisco for the LinkedIn job. Since my first job offer was rescinded, I've been in the mindset that I have to bet on myself.

Persons: —, Ben Chipman, TikTok, Serena Kerrigan, I'd, grads I'd, I've Organizations: Service, NBC Universal, Duke University, Business, Duke, LinkedIn, Companies, Fortune, We'd Locations: San Francisco, Boston, Lima , Peru, Madrid, New York

Some fans at rival schools have welcomed the Bears by mocking them as far-left radicals online, bringing the culture wars to the already scorched-earth digital battlefield of college football memes. “By taking it on from a satirical lens, I think it let a lot of Cal fans take ownership of that label and allow us to embrace it on our own terms. And simultaneously, it pokes fun at how other fans across the country have historically perceived the university." Cal fans embraced a “Calgorithm” challenge by taking to social media to support just about every hot-button issue that’d boil the blood of any conservative culture warrior. Le, the Cal fan, said he’s hopeful the football-fueled meme culture war could lead fans to better understand each other.

Persons: Cal’s, Miles Goodman, he’d, ” Goodman, “, ”, Nam, MAGA, Le, ” Le, Cal Organizations: UC Berkeley’s Golden Bears, Atlantic Coast Conference, Bears, Auburn, NBC, Cal, FSU, Florida State Seminoles Locations: Berkeley , California, Florida

☆ What happened to 23andMe?
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Takes the company public. 23andMe went public in 2021, jumping on the SPAC trend of the era, when a bunch of companies went public via “special purpose acquisition companies” — essentially shell-company mergers that let firms go public in a hurry when investor appetite is strong. 23andMe co-founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki, pictured in 2020. Side note: I did my own 23andMe test, in 2019, motivated by a millennial compulsion to spend money on any product that promises to alleviate and/or deepen my corporeal angst. 23andMe has tried to convert one-time buyers into subscribers with the promise of continued feedback and personalized wellness plans.

Persons: CNN Business ’, it’d, Anne Wojcicki, ”, It’s, Susan Wojcicki, 23andMe, Emma McIntyre, Oprah’s, there’s …, Wojcicki, “ Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, Yale, Google, Wall Street, Wall Street Journal Locations: New York, Bay

☆ When I graduated college this summer, I feared I would always long for my college days. But post-grad life is just as fulfilling.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Victoria Heath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But while I initially thought I'd always pine for my college days, I can say that post-grad life has its plusses, too. I quickly learned that in post-grad life, there doesn't have to be a shortage of new things for your curiosity to dig into. A side note: planning to meet up with friends might take more effort in post-grad life, but effort is all it is. The future is something to be excited about, tooThere's no shame in finding the transition into post-grad life hard. I do believe that post-grad life can be as fulfilling as your college days.

Persons: —, University of Warwick hoodie, I'd, I've, I'm Organizations: Service, University of Warwick, Business, Warwick College —

Read previewNikki, a recent college graduate, has been struggling to find a job after completing her degree in biochemistry this year. While a cooling job market has made it harder for Americans of all ages to find work, young college grads are among the groups being hit the hardest. This means young college grads have been more likely to be unemployed than the broader population, even as the job market has returned to a more normal post-pandemic state over the past two years. "If you don't have a job, if you're a new grad, finding a job is actually unusually difficult." AdvertisementAre you a recent college graduate who's struggling to find a job?

Persons: —, Nikki, She's, Zers, grads, Julia Pollak, Pollak, Gen Zers, that's, Nick Bunker, who's Organizations: Service, Business, Federal Reserve Bank of New, LinkedIn, Federal Reserve Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York

☆ Amazon's RTO policy is the right decision, according to a Gen Z founder who said most of his employees come in 5 days a week
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

He founded an AI startup in 2023 and told BI the majority of his 14 employees come in five days a week. "Remote work benefits people who are more stable in their career at the expense of people who are junior," he said. BI has reported on multiple Gen Z employees who feel isolated and restricted by their remote working environment. Advertisement"If you're a new grad and you're starting a job and you just work a remote job, you're just shooting yourself in the foot," he said. He told BI, "Four or five years ago, this was the norm," adding, "Why are we even thinking remote work is normal?"

Persons: —, Jeffrey Wang, Wang, Everyone's Organizations: Service, Plaid, Harvard, Business, Tech, Networking, BI Locations: San Francisco, Hawaii

☆ My kid just went to college, and I'm now an empty nester. I don't want to fill all my time with work.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Sayu Bhojwani | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

My grief is not over the fact that they are in college, but that our family life is forever changed. AdvertisementAs the leader of a national organization focused on building a more inclusive democracy, I have traveled extensively for work. Without my child at home, I don't know what I'll have as a bulwark against work. But the sense of urgency that often informs professional life is largely unnecessary unless you're a healthcare professional or emergency aid worker. However purposeful and satisfying my professional life can be, I want to hold on to that part of my life that's not about producing, reacting, and managing people and problems.

Persons: —, wasn't, we'll, saddens, There's, I've, I'm Organizations: Service

☆ I got my green card after working at Microsoft on an H-1B visa. The process was very painful, but I love the US and don't plan to leave.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Elle Hardy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

I applied for a green card after working on my H-1B visa for a year. By this point, I had lived in the US for about six years and created a whole life here, but the green card process was very painful. The process makes life pretty horribleHaving a work visa and going through the green card process are privileges, but it is very hard to separate the emotional component. Luckily, Microsoft paid for the attorneys in the green card process, and no cost came out of my pocket. In 2022, I finally received my green card after three years.

Persons: —, Andres Pico, I'm, Lauryn Haas Organizations: Service, Business, ACT, University of South, of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Virginia Tech, Microsoft, Verizon, Deutsche Bank, Disney, Starbucks, lhaas Locations: Seattle, Manta, Ecuador, University of South Florida, Tampa

☆ Meet the Enigmatic Man Who Oversees Larry Page's Google Fortune
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +22 min

His success has also helped fuel a boom in family offices, a financial structure pioneered by J.P. Morgan and popularized by the Rockefellers. Today there are thousands of family offices globally, with the total number tripling between 2019 and 2023, according to the data provider Preqin. To protect Page, Osborne has long remained hidden, the man behind the megabillionaire's curtain. AdvertisementThe small staff at Koop, Page's family office in Palo Alto, are fiercely committed to Page's privacy. Through his investment in Way2B1, Page is seeking to make money by monetizing the techniques he uses to make money.

Persons: Thomas, Larry Page, Wayne Osborne, Osborne, Koop, —, Wayne, Jeffrey Epstein, Gmail, Page, he's, Larry, Morgan, Morgan Stanley, hasn't, Justin Sullivan, hawking, Sergey Brin, George Pavlov, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Melinda Lewison, Natasha Pearl, Aston Pearl, James Estrin, Helen Frankenthaler, Minerva, Joseph E, Brooks, Taylor, Mortimer Zuckerman, Zuckerman, he'd, who'd, Koop's, Ken Goldman, Eric Schmidt, Hugh Langley, Michael Floyd, Floyd, Page's, Lucy Southworth, Southworth, It's, Way2B1, it's, Gilles Martin, Hal Bailey Organizations: QS, Osborne, J.P, Google, Harvard Business School, Princeton Theological Seminary, Presbyterian Church, New York Times, Minerva, U.S . News, Boston Properties, Shell, CIA, Energy Technologies, Oceankind, Forbes, Business, Fiji Locations: New York, Caribbean, St, Palo Alto , California, Wayne, Mississippi, Connecticut, Silicon Valley, U.S, Silicon, Palo Alto, Koop, Nola, margarita, Way2B1, Fijian, superyachts, New Zealand, Fiji

☆ More Gen Zers are ditching college, and they want better guidance on how to succeed without it
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-15 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Despite not having a high school diploma or college degree, he started multiple successful businesses that allowed him to financially support his family. During her senior year of high school, Wakeham was struggling to decide on her post-graduation route. US Census Bureau data found the enrollment rate of high school graduates at 61.4% in October 2023 was slightly down from 62% in 2022. Indeed, even as some Gen Zers don't think college is the best path for them, recent data has shown that college continues to provide long-lasting benefits when it comes to careers and earnings. Some high schools have shifted to place a greater emphasis on alternative routes since the pandemic.

Persons: LeLaina Wakeham, Wakeham, didn't, Zers, Zach Hyrnowski, Hyrnowski, we've, Hrynowski, that's, Hannah Maruyama, Maruyama, Jared Polis, — she's Organizations: Service, Business, Gallup, Walton Family Foundation, Colorado Gov, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Reinventing Public Education, roundtables Locations: Mexico, New England

☆ I waited 5 years after undergrad to enroll in graduate school. Waiting made me a better student.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Vanessa Ogle | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementWaiting helped improve my time managementSince my graduate school program met at night, I continued to work full-time. AdvertisementMore time meant more opportunities to hone academic skillsTo prepare for graduate school, I studied for the GRE. Graduate school actually gave me a valid way to put up more boundaries for a work-life balance. Ultimately, attending graduate school was a true honor, and it felt like a respite from the hectic demands of my day job. Graduate school was about making work that I was proud of, which was a nice change in my life.

Persons: —, wasn't, didn't Organizations: Service, Business Locations: undergrad

☆ 16 best backpacks for college students in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Cory Fernandez | Cory Fernandez Is A Commerce Editor For Select On Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +20 min

SKIP AHEAD How I picked the best backpacks for college students | The best backpacks for college students | How to shop for a backpack as a college student | Why trust NBC Select? How I picked the best backpacks for college studentsThere are several factors to consider when looking for a backpack if you’re a college student. Padding and ergonomics: Both of our experts, chiropractor Dr. Matt Cavanaugh and ergonomics expert Kevin Costello, said that padded wide shoulder straps are essential for college students looking to prioritize comfort. It comes with both shoulder straps and two leather loops on top that you can fasten with the metal button. It has a flexible water bottle pocket on the side, a trolley sleeve, a 17-inch laptop sleeve and breathable padding on the back to reduce sweating.

Persons: you’re, chiropractor Dr, Matt Cavanaugh, Kevin Costello, Costello, “, ”, It’s, Alo Stow, Alo, Calpak Kaya, Nikki Brown, she’s, it’s, Jordan Bowman, “ I've, Orvis, I've, Josh Rios, Rios, I’ve, Beckmann, Lauren Swanson, Herschel, ” Alan Hedge, Matthew Cavnugh, Alan Hedge, TikTok Organizations: NBC, Adidas, America, Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures, Cavanaugh Chiropractic, Cornell University’s College of Human, Facebook, Twitter Locations: Herschel, United States, Lafayette , Louisiana

☆ I regret worrying so much about my GPA in college—it didn't impact my career how I expected
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-10 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

As a new school year begins, I reminisce about unwrapping fresh school supplies and reuniting with friends after a summer apart. It's my biggest regret from college: I don't wish I worked harder or studied more — I wish I cared less about my GPA. The sacrifices I made to get near-perfect grades seemed worth it when I graduated from Northwestern with honors in 2019. And if you're planning on getting a postgraduate degree, like going to law or medical school, your GPA will be an integral part of your admission decision. Those, I believe, will do more for your career prospects than a 4.0 ever could.

Persons: I'm, —, Chelsea Jay, Jay Organizations: Northwestern University, Medill, Northwestern, CNBC Locations: Evanston , Illinois, Lake Michigan, Northwestern, New Jersey

☆ I was laid off from Deloitte after I struggled to fit in. My coworkers wore burnout like a badge of honor, and I had to dim my personality.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-09 | by ( Tess Martinelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

When I received a call from a Deloitte representative saying I'd landed a post-grad job as an actuarial analyst, I was ecstatic. But I didn't feel like there was space to express my femininity. I honestly didn't feel like there was a way to thrive in a more masculine environment without entirely abandoning my femininity, so I tucked away my spiritual, bubbly side. AdvertisementI didn't feel safe confiding in anyone about my workload concerns because everyone around me seemed to wear their burnout as a badge of honor. My superiors encourage me to leave work at work and I finally have time to nourish my hobbies and relationships.

Persons: —, Cierra Desmaratti, It's, I'd, That's, hadn't, Deloitte's, I've, Tess Martinelli Organizations: Service, Deloitte, Business, North Central College, Deloitte's Chicago, International Association of Black Actuaries, Transamerica, Big Locations: Miami, Naperville , Illinois, Deloitte's, Chicago, Transamerica, tmartinelli

☆ I'm quitting my job at a big tech company to travel. Hustle culture is overrated — I'm taking a year off.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Maria Noyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation and emails with Nadia Said, a 25-year-old IT project manager at a major tech company where she started working full-time in 2020. When I was in my second year at Temple University, I got the opportunity to work at my company as an intern. Nadia Said, 25, is putting her burgeoning career in tech to focus on her mental health and passion for travel. I was talking to a friend who was working at a tech company. My big fear is that when I come back, I'm going to be ready to get a job and there won't be one available for me.

Persons: —, Nadia Said, Said, Hannah Vy Nguyen, ED JONES, what's, haven't, it's, I'm, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Temple University, Google, Microsoft, Getty Locations: Asia, South Korea, Europe, India

☆ Read the college essay a Harvard grad wrote about McDonald's that landed him offers from Harvard, Yale, and Princeton
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-21 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewWhen Jeffrey Wang was a high-school senior in Connecticut in 2014, he wasn't sure what to write about for his college application essay. AdvertisementHe wanted to show his personalityHe read Harry Bauld's book, 'On Writing the College Application Essay,' which made him realize college admissions officers wouldn't have time to read each essay diligently. Authenticity is keyThe essay summarizes how Wang discovered his local McDonald's was an ideal place to study and meditate. AdvertisementHe got into Yale, Harvard, and PrincetonGrowing up, Wang dreamed of attending Yale in his home state of Connecticut. AdvertisementDo you have a college admissions success story?

Persons: —, Jeffrey Wang, he'd, Wang, Harry Bauld's, wouldn't, they're, they'd, you'll, Ella Hopkins Organizations: Service, Business, Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Duke, MIT Locations: Connecticut, Cheshire , CT, McDonald's, San Francisco, ehopkins

☆ Baupost's Seth Klarman slashed big Alphabet stake last quarter before the sell-off
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Baupost Group's Seth Klarman slashed his big stake in Google and YouTube owner Alphabet before the July sell-off, according to a new regulatory filing with the SEC. Alphabet had been Baupost's second-biggest bet in the first quarter. After rallying more than 20% in the second quarter, Alphabet has lost over 12% in the current quarter as investors rotated out of high-flying megacaps. At the end of the second quarter, Klarman's longtime holdings including John Malone's media conglomerate Liberty Global , Fidelity National Information Services and Just Eat Takeaway remained some of his top bets. Meanwhile, he picked up shares of health insurer Humana last quarter as well as a small stake in Capri Holdings , a merger arbitrage bet in the middle of a planned $8.5 billion acquisition by Tapestry .

Persons: Baupost, Seth Klarman, Benjamin Graham, Warren Buffett, Klarman's, John Malone's Organizations: Google, SEC, Boston, Harvard, Cornell grad, Liberty Global, Fidelity National Information Services, Humana, Capri Holdings, Tapestry Locations: Boston, Capri

☆ Harvard grad and Olympic gold medalist: The top 3 lessons I've learned about resilience and success
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Angela Ruggiero | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

I grew up in Southern California in the 80s and 90s, where my dad introduced my brother, my sister and me to the surprisingly big ice hockey scene there. I went on to be a member of the U.S. Women's Hockey team in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010. Watching them, I've thought a lot about what it was like to come back from my own critical injury. With both injuries, I had to go to physical therapy in order to return to hockey. I learned to be emotionally resilientI don't think my trajectory, in sports and in business, would have been possible without the lessons I learned from my physical therapy.

Persons: Simone Biles, Suni Lee, I've Organizations: International Olympic, Athletes ', IOC, Women's Hockey, Harvard, University of Minnesota Locations: Southern California, Paris, U.S, Tokyo

Search resuls for: "GRAD"

25 mentions found