DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Meagan Loyst, the founder of Gen Z VCs, asked her social media followers for the one thing they would change about venture capital. Here's what they told her.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Loyst founded Gen Z VCs, a community of over 25,000 young investors, founders and operators. A plurality of young investors and founders said they wanted venture capital to be more accessible. AdvertisementAdvertisementFor newcomers, the clubby world of venture capital can often seem like a black box. AdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to her poll, 45% of respondents said they wished the venture capital industry was "more accessible" to newcomers. AdvertisementAdvertisementLoyst's survey responses are reflective of how many young investors and founders feel shut out of the venture capital industry today, which could potentially get worse during the venture capital downturn.

Persons: Loyst, Z, —, Meagan Loyst, Hippeau Organizations: Service, Black Venture, Venture, Sequoia, Forbes, Oxford University

☆ Apple's Eddy Cue defends default search contract with Google as best option for consumers
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Cue, Apple's lead negotiator of its multibillion-dollar contract with Google , appeared in federal court in Washington, D.C., to discuss the long-standing agreement between the two companies. "When we're picking search engines, we pick the best one and we let the customer easily change them," Cue said. But in other places around the world, the company still sees Google as offering the best experience, Cue said. In his testimony, Cue also reiterated criticism that Apple has when it comes to Google's privacy practices. Cue said it's easy for consumers to change their default search engines today.

Persons: Eddy Cue, Chip Somodevilla, Apple's, that's, Bernstein, Sundar Pichai, Tim Cook, Joe Biden, Anna Moneymaker, Meagan Bellshaw, Bellshaw, Cook, Cue, Pichai, hadn't, Apple, we've, Eric Schmidt, Steve Jobs Organizations: Apple, Courthouse, Washington , D.C, Getty, Google, White, Justice Department, Cue, DOJ, Federal Trade Commission, Yahoo, CNBC, YouTube Locations: U.S, Washington ,, Europe, China, Russia

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate was set to vote Thursday on firing the battleground state's top elections official — a move that was denounced by Democrats as illegitimate and is expected to draw a legal battle. Nonpartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe has been the subject of conspiracy theories and threats from election skeptics who falsely claim she was part of a plan to rig the 2020 vote in Wisconsin. The bipartisan elections commission deadlocked in June on a vote to nominate Wolfe for a second four-year term. In addition to carrying out the decisions of the elections commission, Wolfe helps guide Wisconsin’s more than 1,800 local clerks who actually run elections. Since the 2020 election, some Republicans have floated the idea of abolishing or overhauling the elections commission.

Persons: Meagan Wolfe, Wolfe, Devin LeMahieu, Josh Kaul, Kaul, Michael Haas, Scott Walker's, ERIC Organizations: Republican, Wisconsin Senate, GOP, Democratic, Biden, Trump, Republicans, Government, Board, Republican Gov, National Association of State, Registration, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Senate's elections committee was set to vote Monday on the future of the battleground state's top elections official, clearing the way for the full Republican-controlled Senate to vote on firing her as soon as Thursday. Democrats have accused GOP leaders of improperly pushing through the confirmation process for nonpartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe after the commission's three Republicans and three Democrats deadlocked along party lines in a reappointment vote in June. Wolfe did not attend a public hearing the Senate elections committee held last month on her reappointment. That hearing attracted dozens of election skeptics who repeated widely debunked claims about the 2020 election and called for Wolfe to be fired or even arrested. Elections observers have raised concerns that firing Wolfe or disputing her position through the 2024 election could encourage election skeptics who have already harassed and threatened election officials over the 2020 election.

Persons: Meagan Wolfe, reappoint Wolfe, Wolfe, Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, ___ Organizations: Republican, Democratic, Republicans, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin

☆ Mexico stocks are surging this year on reshoring bets, but big risks can knock down the rally
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Mexico nearshoring play is real, but investors should be aware of some pitfalls. Nearshoring — also called reshoring, onshoring, inshoring or backshoring — is helping drive Mexican stocks higher this year. For U.S. companies, there are compelling advantages to moving operations to Mexico from Asia, including geographical proximity, as well as low labor costs. "There is no nearshoring industrial revolution without electricity," according to a March note where Lippmann discusses Mexico's need to revamp its electricity infrastructure. According to Nace, the firm is the largest auto insurance company in Mexico, "similar to a Progressive in the United States.

Persons: —, Andrés Manuel López Obrador's, Meagan Nace, Nace, Morgan, Nikolaj Lippmann, Lippmann, Lippman, López Obrador, Tesla Organizations: U.S, Grupo, Artisan Partners, Companies, Partners, Semiconductor, New York Stock Exchange Locations: Mexico, Asia, Mexican, nearshoring, Baja California, United States, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, U.S

Since 2015, Prime Day sales have risen to more than $7 billion and could top $8 billion this year. Now in its ninth year, Amazon's annual Prime Day has become a fact of American life — a quasi-holiday that retailers of all types pile into. Protestors in New York raising awareness of Amazon facilitating ICE surveillance efforts coinciding with Amazon Prime Day 2019. How Prime Day is goingLast year, Amazon drove more than $7 billion in sales through its Prime Day sales, according to Insider Intelligence. The number of Amazon Prime account holders has ballooned too, with nearly 175 million people using Amazon Prime in the US today — around two-thirds of the country's population — according to a report by Insider Intelligence.

Persons: Michael M, Jack Ma's Alibaba, Diego Piacentini, Jeff Bezos, Brad Stone, Bezos, Execs, Stone, Meagan Wulff Reibstein, Wulff, Kevin Hagen, Brian Olsavsky, Rafael Henrique, Scott Olson, Andrew Lipsman, Lipsman, — Organizations: Amazon Prime, Companies, Amazon, Intelligence, Insider Intelligence, Workers, Walmart, Getty, Target, Target Circle, Black, Prime Locations: China, Tokyo, London, Paris, Munich, Japan, Europe, New York

☆ Canadian Wildfires Have Mobilized Firefighters From the U.S., Australia, France and South Africa
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Meagan Campbell | Dan Bilefsky | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As a team safety officer in Quebec, Mr. Blackstone said he had so far only needed to respond to minor injuries including cuts, twisted ankles and twisted knees. Mr. Blackstone, 56, began fighting fires during his college years when he worked as a backwoods ranger, often getting called in to help with forest fires. “Because that’s what we did.”The Americans on his team also include firefighters from New York State and New Hampshire. To communicate with the Québécois firefighters who primarily speak French, he said the Americans had to stop using so much slang. “A lot of times, if we have a fire that’s growing fast, we’ll call it a ‘gobbler,’” Mr. Blackstone said.

Persons: Blackstone, ”, ’, Mr Organizations: Baie, Mr, New York Locations: Saint Lawrence, Quebec, New, New York State, New Hampshire

☆ 'I feel like I got catfished': Young VCs who left investment banking and consulting jobs are having career second thoughts in the downturn
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

For young investors who pivoted to VC in the middle of the recent market downturn, the reality hasn't been quite as glamorous. From window shopping to bargain huntingMany young investors eagerly filled junior-associate positions at VC firms, expecting the breakneck rate of deals common in 2020 and 2021 to continue. With fewer deals to go around, there's more pressure than ever for new VC associates to bring in hot investments, young VCs told Insider. One investor told Insider that they didn't regret the pivot from tech-investment banking to venture capital in the second half of 2021. Some young investors like Nicole DeTommaso, who left investment banking to intern at Harlem Capital in 2020, started posting regular detailed Twitter threads on how to break into venture capital in the second half of 2021.

☆ A 28-year-old sold over $5 million worth of wallets on Amazon in the last 12 months. He shares the first steps he took and how he went from breaking even to profiting over $100,000 per month.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Joe Reeves started selling men's wallets on Amazon in 2021 as a way to make some extra side money. In August 2021, Reeves started selling men's wallets on Amazon. Reeves started his e-commerce business shortly after his son was born as a way to supplement his day job income. If you want to sell on Amazon, go into the process knowing that "it's not going to be cheap," he advised. "The more money you're willing to spend on it, the faster it'll blow up."

☆ 7 movie and TV trailers that dropped this week, from 'Succession' to 'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Several new trailers were released this week, including a trailer for HBO's hit series "Succession." Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure." Premiere date: March 31, 2023Where to watch: In theaters"Daisy Jones and the Six"YouTube synopsis: "It's time to hear the real story. Premiere date: March 3, 2023Where to watch: Amazon Prime"Shazam Fury of the Gods"YouTube synopsis: "From New Line Cinema comes 'Shazam! Premiere date: February 9, 2023Where to watch: HBO Max

☆ Gen Z VCs founder Meagan Loyst used ChatGPT to write a new educational children's book in 2 hours — to show why she thinks generative AI can be a major learning tool
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Meagan Loyst, the founder of Gen Z VCs, is bullish on generative AI as a tool in education. Loyst self-published a children's book on AI that she wrote using ChatGPT and DALLE-2 in two hours. Here's why she thinks generative AI will have a big role in education, even amid teacher concerns. To prove to her following of VCs and startup founders what generative AI is capable of, Loyst self-published a children's book on Amazon titled "Show Me What AI Can Do!" "So a children's book just seems really natural—so many VCs are parents, and the youngest Gen Zers are 10 years old!"

☆ Shiki Wrap Is Making Gift Wrap From Recycled Plastic Bottles
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Kevin Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Meagan Downey is the founder of Shiki Wraps, a startup making reusable gift wrap out of plastic bottles. She aims to reduce America's extra 7 million pounds of holiday trash.

Persons: Meagan Downey, Shiki

DOHA, Qatar — The 2022 World Cup kicks off Sunday shrouded in accusations of human rights violations and last-minute controversy surrounding host Qatar. Mostly soccer fans gather at the Corniche Waterfront ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Doha pm Saturday. Players exercise during Qatar's official training ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Doha, Qatar on Saturday. “It’s going to be a force to reckon with.”The U.S. failed to qualify for the last World Cup but now boasts a young, exciting squad who largely play for big teams across Europe. People attend the FIFA Fan Festival opening day ahead of the World Cup in Doha, Qatar on Nov. 19, 2022.

☆ Meagan Loyst, the 25-year-old founder of Gen Z VCs, is leaving her investing role at Lerer Hippeau to focus on the online community full-time
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Meagan Loyst, an associate at VC firm Lerer Hippeau, is leaving to focus on Gen Z VC full-time. After investing in dozens of founders over the past two years as an associate at venture-capital firm Lerer Hippeau, Meagan Loyst is stepping away to focus on Gen Z VCs, the online community she founded. After getting flooded with responses, she set up a Slack channel to connect around 700 Gen Z founders and investors, and the group has continued to grow since. Through Gen Z VCs, Loyst plans to host networking events in major cities, much like the group's summits in Chicago and Los Angeles last month. She also intends to monetize her own online following as a Gen Z expert through her online newsletter, "The Gen Z POV," video content on TikTok and YouTube, and speaking at summits.

☆ How to Apply for Student Loan Forgiveness
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +15 min

The official student loan forgiveness application is available on the Federal Student Aid website. What you can do now to prepare for student loan repayment and reliefFirst and foremost, you can fill out the application for up to $20,000 in student loan forgiveness on the Federal Student Aid website. “January will almost certainly be a chaotic time for the [student loan] servicers,” says Michael Lux, attorney and founder of The Student Loan Sherpa. You might also check out alternative options for student loan forgiveness, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Teacher Loan Forgiveness. If your state charges a tax rate of 5%, for example, expect to pay about $500 in taxes on $10,000 in loan forgiveness or $1,000 on $20,000 in loan forgiveness.

☆ Australians take stock of flood damage amid warnings of more rain
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Thousands of Australians on Monday returned to homes and businesses to assess flood damage even as evacuation warnings remained in inland regions of the southeast and authorities warned of more rain ahead which could trigger renewed flooding. Major flood warnings are in place across many regions despite little rainfall over the weekend with many swollen rivers only expected to reach peak flood levels this week. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"There is further rain expected later this week, so it remains a very dangerous situation." The weather bureau forecast another wild weather system that could bring rains up to 50 mm (2 inches) across some flood-hit regions. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Lewis Jackson and Renju Jose; Editing by Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Can a lesbian in Texas be the next 'queen of country music'? 'Monarch' star Beth Ditto gives it a shot
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Max Gao | Max Gao Is A Freelance Journalist Based Out Of Toronto. He Has Written For The New York Times | Nbc News | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

As a multiplatinum recording artist and the frontwoman of the indie rock band Gossip, Beth Ditto knows a thing or two about the cutthroat nature of the music industry. I know this person,’” Ditto, who hails from a liberal family of nine in Arkansas, told NBC News in a recent video interview. I grew up with country music. But I never changed the way that I was.”But Ditto also recognized the dearth of positive representation she had growing up. “We were in Hawaii with [record producer] Rick Rubin, and we made the record, and it’s been cooking,” Ditto said.

☆ I dropped out of law school after only 2 semesters. People thought I was crazy, but it was the best move for my career and mental health.
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-11 | by ( Elle Hardy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Meagan Turner, 29, dropped out of law school after two semesters because she wasn't enjoying it. So I enrolled in law school at Georgia State University in 2017. Nobody I knew had ever been to law school apart from my bosses, who all had become lawyers because their parents were. But from the start, I loved everything about it — whereas I hadn't liked most things about law school. When I told family and friends that I'd dropped out of law school, a lot of them said that I was crazy.

Search resuls for: "Meagan"

18 mentions found