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☆ Blue-collar entrepreneurs say it's getting harder to turn a profit as competition for 'sweaty startups' heats up
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-03 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Sweaty startups are blue-collar businesses, often in unglamorous or laborious fields like septic services, car washes, or lawn care. It's what your grandparents would've just called a small business, but it was a tongue-in-cheek answer to the Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurship being glorified in culture at that time. Still, some small businesses look to private equity to scale their businesses in different markets, even if that means overhauling operations in some cases. "Small businesses partner with private-equity firms because they provide access to capital and organizational support to help companies grow," Drew Maloney, the council's president and CEO, told BI. Alejandro FlorezBoth of his parents were janitors, and when he was a senior in high school he started a small cleaning company that he grew by knocking on doors and cold-calling.

Persons: —, Patrick Hocker, Hocker, he'd, Nick Huber, would've, Huber, he's, Drew Maloney, Stan Chen, Chen, Alejandro Florez, Florez, Chris Salisbury, BuzzFeed — Salisbury, Salisbury Organizations: Service, Business, Bluebird Pest Solutions, Pest, Alpine Investors, American Investment Council, BlackRock, America Locations: Virginia, Pest, Boston, San Francisco, America, Bradenton , Florida, Jacksonville, Orlando, nuDoors, Brooklyn , New York

☆ Wealthy people keep ditching California and New York for Florida and Texas — but their moves could actually hurt the South's biggest draw
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

High-earning Americans are ditching New York and California for Florida and Texas, a study found. Southern states attract wealthier people in part because of their relatively lower cost of living. Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Business Locations: New York, California, Florida, Texas, Southern, American

☆ Meet the Silicon Valley billionaires, founders, and investors backing Kamala Harris
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Alice Tecotzky | Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

More than 100 powerful venture capitalists organized to pledge support for Kamala Harris. The effort, named VCsForKamala, comes as other Silicon Valley leaders turn to Trump. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAs the once decidedly liberal Silicon Valley splinters this election, with figures like Elon Musk, Marc Andreessen, and David Sacks publicly backing former President Donald Trump, a group of powerful venture capitalists have combined forces to declare their support for Vice President Kamala Harris. On Wednesday, more than 100 leaders in Silicon Valley pledged to vote and solicit donations for Harris on a new website, VCsForKamala.org.

Persons: Kamala Harris, —, Elon Musk, Marc Andreessen, David Sacks, Donald Trump, Harris Organizations: Trump, Service, Business Locations: Silicon Valley

☆ The biggest basic income pilot in the US found that it didn't stop participants from working and helped get their families into safer situations
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Basic Income Guaranteed: Los Angeles Economic Assistance Pilot, or BIG:LEAP, gave over 3,200 households $1,000 in monthly no-strings-attached cash payments for 12 months starting in January 2022. BIG:LEAP compared the outcomes of households receiving cash payments to nearly 5,000 households with similar incomes and family situations in the control group. In the last six months, participants were more likely to establish proximate safety and work toward protecting themselves in the future. Overall, it stands in contrast to what some critics of basic income argue, including that cash payments majorly reduce employment or don't prepare participants for the future. Housing cost burdens decreased among all study participants.

Persons: —, Amy Castro, Kyung Elizabeth Kim, Castro, Eric Garcetti, Karen Bass, we're, Kim, They're Organizations: Service, Los, Economic, Business, University of Pennsylvania, UCLA Locations: Los Angeles

☆ The 15 fastest-growing cities and towns in America, ranked
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewAmerica's fastest-growing cities might surprise you. Business Insider compiled a list of the 15 fastest-growing cities and towns in America, each with a population of over 20,000, based on the most recent migration data from the US Census Bureau. Texas stands out, with roughly half of the cities on the list located within the state. While cities like Austin and Dallas have traditionally attracted more movers, census estimates from 2020 to mid-2022 show that smaller towns like Celina — ranked No. Here are the 15 fastest-growing cities and towns in America.

Persons: —, Mason, Dixon, Celina —, Michelle Clifford, Clifford Organizations: Service, . Business, Census Bureau, Business, Dallas Locations: New York, San Francisco, America, . Texas, Texas, Austin, Celina, Dallas, California

☆ How a millennial couple went from $750,000 in debt to being on track to retire in their 40s
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-28 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Disha Spath, 38, and her husband were about $750,000 in debt a few years ago and were spending above their means. "I just want a balanced life and to not feel like I'm tied to my job," Spath said. Her student loans from medical school were $191,000, according to financial documents shared with BI. They eventually converted the home into a rental property for passive income, which allowed her to pay off her student loans quicker. Even though her job paid well, she had to take unpaid maternity leave for a few weeks when their first child was born.

Persons: Disha Spath, Spath, wasn't, —, maxing, She's, I've, they're, she's, we've Organizations: Service, Business, BI, Army, Nashville, New York —, IRA, FIRE Locations: Nashville, Savannah , Georgia, Savannah, New York

☆ A millennial moved from California to Utah for a lower cost of living. A few months later, she's hoping to move back.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

After just under three months of living in Utah, she's already planning to move back. She settled on Salt Lake City, which in recent years has become a business and tech hub. She's already gearing up to move back to San Diego once her kid is older and she's more financially stable. She said the food was "infinitely better" in San Diego with much more variety, and San Diego had many more cultural and entertainment opportunities. She hopes to raise her salary to about $200,000, which she feels would be enough to live more comfortably in San Diego.

Persons: Kate M, she's, Kate, Utah Kate, San, I've, wouldn't, didn't, It's, She's, California Kate, — Organizations: Service, Business, San Diego, LA Locations: San Diego, Utah, California, San, Salt Lake City, Arizona, Los Angeles, Diego, South Utah, She's

☆ CrowdStrike sent its partners $10 Uber Eats gift cards as an apology for mass IT outage
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewCrowdStrike, the cyber security firm responsible for last week's global tech outage, is thanking its partners for their extra work in the aftermath of the crash with $10 Uber Eats gift cards. The first email, which was addressed to CrowdStrike partners, was signed by Daniel Bernard, chief business officer at the company. Related storiesAbout four hours after the Uber Eats voucher was canceled, the source got another email with a $10 credit and the message, "You've been sent a Oops! Uber eats voucher!" The CrowdStrike spokesperson told BI that Uber flagged the gift cards as fraud because so many people were redeeming them.

Persons: —, CrowdStrike, Daniel Bernard, Bernard, Uber, You've Organizations: Service, Social, Business, BI, Uber, Windows

☆ Philadelphia is experimenting with guaranteed income pilots for pregnant people and housing insecure families
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewPhiladelphia has joined the national guaranteed basic income wave — with a focus on pregnant people and families experiencing housing insecurity. AdvertisementPhilly Joy Bank hopes to improve birth outcomesThe Philly Joy Bank pilot will offer $1,000 a month for 18 months to pregnant people beginning in their second trimester. It is a partnership between the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the Philadelphia City Fund — with funding coming from the city and various foundations. Guaranteed income programs like Philly Joy Bank "should be the standard, not the exception," Coaxum said. Participants will pay about 30% of their personal monthly income toward housing, then they will receive guaranteed income to cover any remaining balance.

Persons: —, ALICE, Nia Coaxum, It's, Coaxum, Dawn Benson, Benson, Noah Sheidlower Organizations: Service, Philly Joy Bank, Business, Nonprofit United, Philly, Bank, Health, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Denver, Philadelphia Community Action, Philadelphia City Fund, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, city's Department of Public Health, Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation, University of Pennsylvania, BI Locations: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, America, Area, Chicago, San Antonio , New York City, Tioga, Cobbs

Read previewThe results are in for Sam Altman's much-anticipated basic income study, one of the largest of its kind. AdvertisementThe debate over basic incomeThe study was inspired by Altman's belief in the importance of a basic income in the age of AI, which some fear could render millions of jobs obsolete. Related storiesThe idea of a universal basic income has been around for awhile, but rose to prominence as the center of Andrew Yang's 2016 presidential campaign. Other significant figures in the tech industry have since voiced support for some kind of basic income, including Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Earlier this year, Altman also floated another kind of basic income plan, which he called a "universal basic compute."

Persons: —, Sam Altman's, Altman, OpenResearch, Elizabeth Rhodes, Cash, Andrew Yang's, Jack Dorsey, Elon Musk, Geoffrey Hinton, Sarah, Cara Organizations: Service, Business, OpenResearch Locations: Texas, Illinois

☆ Elon Musk asked OpenAI investor Vinod Khosla to support Trump. Khosla said he doesn't 'accept depravity'.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Vinod Khosla on Sunday urged Democrats to select a moderate candidate against Trump. Elon Musk pushed back in defense of Trump, sparking a heated exchange with Khosla on X.Khosla suggested Kamala Harris and Governors Whitmer, Shapiro, and Beshear as potential candidates. Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Khosla first posted that an open convention could yield a candidate who could "easily" beat Trump, such as Michigan Gov.

Persons: Vinod Khosla, Trump . Elon Musk, Trump, Khosla, Kamala Harris, Whitmer, Shapiro, Beshear, —, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Gretchen Whitmer, Josh Shapiro —, Andy Beshear, MAGA Organizations: Sunday, Trump . Elon, Service, Democratic Party, Trump, Michigan Gov, Business Locations: Pennsylvania, Kentucky

"Not seeking re-election is one of the most selfless acts we've seen from a politician in modern American history," he continued. Hoffman added that Harris "is the right person at the right time," noting that Trump and Vance's agenda will "wreak havoc on the American people." "When presented with the choice between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, I believe in the American people to make the right decision for our country," he wrote. I wholeheartedly support Kamala Harris and her candidacy for President of the United States in our fight for democracy in November." In January Hoffman donated $2 million to the Granite for America super PAC, which led a write-in campaign in New Hampshire for Biden's campaign.

Persons: Reid Hoffman Kimberly White, Reid Hoffman, Joe Biden, Hoffman, Harris, Trump, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump Organizations: LinkedIn, Biden, Granite, America, PAC Locations: United States, New Hampshire

☆ A boomer gets just $1,056 a month in Social Security and works as a bus driver: 'I don't see myself being able to retire, but I'm grateful and healthy'
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewEmma Echols, 68, lives off $1,056 a month in Social Security and a part-time bus driver job in Alabama. Echols has worked since she was 12, working as a chef, a convenience store general manager, and a bus driver. "I always wanted to earn my own money," Echols said. "I always wanted to work, and at the age of 14, someone started my Social Security records for me. AdvertisementHer Social Security is $1,056 a month, a 25% reduction from her potential full benefit because she accepted payments early.

Persons: —, Emma Echols, she's, Echols, I've, hasn't Organizations: Service, Social Security, Business, Survey, Security Locations: Alabama

☆ 15 cities where the most millennials can actually afford to buy a house
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

SmartAsset evaluated the 40 largest US cities to determine the best ones for millennial homebuyers. Many millennials struggle to buy homes due to student loan debt and expensive property prices. More millennials are able to buy homes in cities in the South and the Midwest. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementFor millennials, buying a house can seem like an impossible task.

Persons: SmartAsset, — Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Why a millennial stopped saving 70% of her income and started spending over $25,000 a month
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Julie Berninger, 35, and her husband used to save 70% of their income. Now, they spend over $25,000 a month on outsourcing aspects of their lives like cleaning, cooking, and transportation. However, Berninger said she's investing in the growth of her companies — and is spending a lot to do so. While at Amazon, she started selling digital products part-time on Etsy, as she wanted side income and opportunities to try different fields of work. AdvertisementShifting spending habitsIn 2023, she also founded Auros Agency, a boutique digital course creation agency with a similar business model.

Persons: Julie Berninger, Berninger, She's, Cody Berman, they've, doesn't Organizations: Service, Business, FIRE, Apple, Gold City Ventures, Auros Agency, BI

AdvertisementThe Thiel effectFor Vance, Thiel's influence first left its mark when he was still a student. Thiel also got a shoutout on the acknowledgments page of Vance's 2016 book, "Hillbilly Elegy." The former PayPal CEO has given $15 million to Vance's campaign, Politico reported — the largest donation ever given to one Senate candidate. AdvertisementOne of Trump's biggest donors in the 2016 presidential campaign, Thiel has re-emerged as a key player in the MAGA movement after largely sitting out the 2020 election. Thiel also appears to have pulled some of his Silicon Valley strings to advance Vance's campaign.

Persons: —, JD Vance, Peter Thiel, Vance, Donald Trump, Thiel, Palantir, Elon Musk, Thiel's, meaninglessness, Tolkien, Steve Case, Trumper, Win McNamee, MAGA, Trump, David Sacks, Musk, Sacks, Tucker Carlson, Nordin Catic, Mark Zuckerberg Organizations: Service, Republican National Convention, Republican, White, Business, PayPal, Trump, Bloomberg, Yale, Yale Law School, Thiel's, Mithril, Narya, Politico, Republican Party, Fox News, Cambridge University Union, Facebook, Palantir Technologies, Spotify Locations: Milwaukee, Ohio, Mithril, Mar, Cambridge, England, Airbnb

☆ Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in each big US city
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-15 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A Business Insider analysis reveals the household income needed to be middle class in major US cities. Some parts of the Bay Area require over $100,000 to even be considered middle class. AdvertisementMost Americans consider themselves middle class, but in reality, the cutoffs are more limiting. This chart shows exactly how much it takes in each major US city to be considered upper, middle, and lower class. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: — Organizations: West, Service, Business Locations: Bay

☆ 4 Gen Zers on track for financial independence explain the mix of passive income, businesses, and sacrifices it took to get there
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-15 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Four Gen Z Americans told Business Insider they've followed the principles of the FIRE — financial independence, retire early — movement to achieve a high net worth before their 30th birthdays. But all four emphasized that their sacrifices and risks earlier in life may be the key to their financial stability down the road. Cody Berman, entrepreneur and "passive income expert"Cody Berman hit financial independence at 25 but continues to help others achieve their financial goals. Courtesy of Cody BermanCody Berman, 28, hit financial freedom at 25 but has no plans to retire early. His net worth is about $2.8 million, but he drives a 2015 Nissan truck approaching 100,000 miles.

Persons: —, Gen Z, they've, Cody Berman, Cody Berman Cody Berman, Berman, I'm, " Berman, Bosch, Louis, Roth, Amber Smith, Amber Smith Amber Smith, Smith, she's, Cory Sarkisian, Sarkisian, They've Organizations: Service, Transamerica Center, Retirement Studies, Business, Boeing, Navy, Nissan, Gold City Ventures, Bosch, eBay, Honda Civic, Roth IRA, Savings Locations: St, California, West Des Moines, San Diego, Hawaii, Connecticut, New Zealand

☆ 4 Gen Zers share how they're already on pace to retire early — though some don't want to
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-14 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Four Gen Z Americans told Business Insider they've followed the principles of the FIRE — financial independence, retire early — movement to achieve a high net worth before their 30th birthdays. Some said they don't intend on following the "retire early" part of the acronym and instead want to pursue their passions while making money doing so. Cody Berman, entrepreneur and "passive income expert"Cody Berman hit financial independence at 25 but continues to help others achieve their financial goals. Courtesy of Cody BermanCody Berman, 28, hit financial freedom at 25 but has no plans to retire early. His net worth is about $2.8 million, but he drives a 2015 Nissan truck approaching 100,000 miles.

☆ A boomer moved from Texas to Panama for her retirement. She loved it so much she 'accidentally' started a tour company helping expats move.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Jackie Lange, 69, moved to Panama from Texas in 2010, thinking she would retire to the mountains. Instead, over a decade later, she's led 250 tours helping hundreds of expats move to Panama. Shortly after making the move, she started Panama Relocation Tours, which takes interested expats across the country, from the beach towns to Panama City. She also crafted an online relocation guide with information on health insurance companies, private hospitals, CPAs, shipping and moving companies, and real estate agents. She pays $2,788 a year for health insurance, which covers 100% of hospital and emergency room visits worldwide.

Persons: Jackie Lange, she's, She's, Lange, Panama Lange, it's, expats, they've, — Organizations: Service, Panama Relocation, Business, Panama City, Hyundai, Homes Locations: Panama from Texas, Panama, Panama City, Dallas, East Texas, Boquete, Costa Rica, Texas, Caribbean, Hyundai Santa Fe, Coronado

☆ A FIRE couple who retired early at 29 and visited every national park and state share their favorites — and the ones to skip
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Read previewSteven and Lauren Keys, now 33 and 34, retired at 29 and have visited every state and national park — managing to grow their wealth while doing so. They've explored much of the country, deciding their favorite national parks are in California and Alaska — while their least favorite are in the Midwest. "We've been to Yosemite a couple of times, and there are areas where you're sitting in traffic literally in a national park for an extra 45 minutes." About 41% of the total cost of attending all national parks came from traveling to Alaska, Hawaii, and other American territories. Their least favorite national park was Hot Springs in Arkansas, which was the first national park they visited.

Persons: —, Steven, Lauren Keys, They've, Lauren, It's, We've, Hawaii's Haleakalā, St . Louis, St, Rushmore Organizations: Service, Business, University of Florida, Facebook, Yosemite, Hawai'i Volcanoes, Springs, Voyageurs, Kansas City Locations: California, Alaska, Tampa, Florida, New York, Hawaii, Gainesville —, Australia, Canada, Yosemite, Eureka Valley, Badwater, Hawai'i, Maui, Yellowstone, American Samoa, Carlsbad, Arkansas, St ., Minnesota, Guadalupe, Texas, Utah, Southern California, Oahu, Kansas , Missouri, South Carolina, New Jersey, Kansas, Louis, North Dakota, South Dakota , Idaho, Montana

☆ Meet the retirees driving for Uber and Lyft because Social Security isn't enough
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

AdvertisementSome recently started driving for Uber and Lyft to earn extra income and have something to do. AdvertisementHaving something to do in retirementSome drivers like Glenn Mueller, 75, said Uber driving gives him something to do in his retirement. Others like Bob Milosavljević, 72, rely on driving income to supplement his Social Security income. Now, Petrie, who lives in Anderson, South Carolina, said he gets $1,780 in Social Security, which isn't enough to cover all his expenses. He retired 11 years ago in Southwest Florida and started driving for Uber and Lyft in 2017 to supplement his Social Security.

Persons: George Conner, Uber, they're, they'll, Lyft, Glenn Mueller, Mueller, Bob Milosavljević, Milosavljević, hasn't, That's, David Petrie, Petrie, Steve Wilkie, —, Wilkie, Marilyn Cassidy, she's, Cassidy, Susan Harward, Harward Organizations: Service, Social Security, Business, BI, Security, Fort Myers Locations: Florida, Naples , Florida, Boston, Anderson , South Carolina, Southwest Florida, Miami, Fort, Myrtle Beach , South Carolina, Salt Lake City

☆ How a Seattle couple achieved financial independence in their mid-30s after paying their way through school — and why they don't want to retire early
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-06 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Mai-lan Phan and her husband, Ryan Wagoner, both 36, reached financial independence, but neither wants to fully retire early. Many Americans are working to achieve financial independence — or having enough savings or income to live comfortably for life. Advertisement"I want to be able to walk away from any job if it's not working," Wagoner said. Nerve damage in her right hand prevented her from returning to work full-time. She said their finances were solid enough from not "keeping up with the Joneses" that she could work less while her husband continued to work full-time.

Persons: Phan, Ryan Wagoner, Wagoner, it's, —, I'm, we're, they've, she's, They've, — Phan, We've, we've Organizations: Service, Seahawks, Business, FIRE, Subway, Michigan State University, Microsoft Locations: Phan, Seattle, Michigan, Mexico, Paris, Thailand, Europe, Asia

☆ Baltimore gave young parents $1,000 a month. Participants used the money to pay bills and secure stable housing.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Allie Kelly | Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewFor some Baltimore families, basic income helped pay the bills: rent, groceries, healthcare, childcare, and car payments. After one year of receiving payments, participants were more likely to have housing, higher household income, and a degree than the pilot's control group. Researchers primarily focused on participants' income, housing, employment, and education outcomes in the first year of the pilot. Related storiesThe Baltimore Young Families Success Fund randomly assigned eligible applicants to the participant group or a control group. She said the cash payments helped her family secure housing along with everyday expenses.

Persons: —, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Tazhane Jordan, Jordan, Ken Paxton, Louis, Scott Organizations: Service, Baltimore Young, Abt, Business, Baltimore Mayor, American, Texas, Baltimore Locations: Baltimore, GBI, Iowa, Arizona, Houston

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