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☆ Bridgit Mendler went from Disney star to space startup CEO with $6.3M in funding—it started with an accidental college major
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Bridgit Mendler's path from Disney Channel star to space startup CEO started with — quite literally — an accident. The 31-year-old is the CEO and co-founder of Northwood Space, a company based in El Segundo, California that aims to mass-produce ground stations — otherwise known as the antennae that communicate with space satellites. "While everybody else was making their sourdough starters [during the Covid-19 pandemic], we were building antennas out of random crap we could find at Home Depot ... and receiving data from [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] satellites," Mendler told CNBC on Monday while announcing her startup. "I'm studying anthropology," Mendler told ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in 2015. While at Harvard, she served as co-president of the Harvard Space Law Society, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Persons: —, Charlie, Mendler, ABC's, Jimmy Kimmel, Griffin, Andreessen Horowitz, Peter Thiel's Organizations: Disney Channel, Northwood, National Oceanic, Administration, CNBC, University of Southern, USC, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT Media Lab, Harvard Law School, Harvard, Harvard Space Law Society, Founders, Humba Ventures, Elon, SpaceX, Technologies, Northrop Grumman Locations: El Segundo , California, University of Southern California, Northwood

☆ CEO quit his 6-figure job at Microsoft—and landed a $300,000 'Shark Tank' offer for his new startup
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A self-proclaimed "serial plant killer" went on ABC's "Shark Tank" — and came away with a $300,000 offer for his houseplant health company Flora. Flora was founded in 2022 by Aabesh De, a former Microsoft employee who quit his "cushy" six-figure job to build a soil meter and accompanying app that alerts people about the health of their houseplants. "My dear mother gave me her prized rose bush plant that she had for years," De, 29, said on the show. "I would never go for a subscription model after buying [the soil meter]," she said. "I think you're smart as hell, and I like to invest in people who are smart as hell," Greiner said.

Persons: Aabesh De, De, we've, weren't, Robert Herjavec, Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, O'Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Greiner, You've Organizations: Microsoft, CNBC Locations: Flora

☆ Why a CEO says bosses should embrace 'coffee badging': 'I don't hire people to watch them work'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A lot of workplaces these days have in-office mandates, with bosses who get upset if employees don't physically show up. Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Boston-based video conferencing equipment maker Owl Labs, isn't one of those bosses. He actively encourages his employees to create schedules that work for them, in locations that make sense, he says — even if what makes sense is "coffee badging." I don't hire people to watch them work," Weishaupt says. Coffee badging may seem like an inefficient use of time, but flexible schedules like this can boost efficiency and morale.

Persons: Frank Weishaupt, it's, Weishaupt Organizations: Boston, Owl Labs, Yahoo, Gartner, Disney

☆ A shopping trip taught Barbara Corcoran a valuable career lesson: '7 simple words made me a much nicer person'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Barbara Corcoran turned an unpleasant retail experience into a business lesson she still uses today. Corcoran grew "furious," she said, wanting to give the woman a piece of her mind, until her brother stepped in. Consider: She's doing the best that she can,'" said Corcoran. Today, Corcoran thinks about those words often, she said: "She's doing the best that she can." "[Those] seven simple words made me a much nicer person," Corcoran said.

Persons: Barbara Corcoran, Corcoran, Barbara

☆ This is the No. 1 myth holding most people back from happiness and success, says psychologist
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

If you're waiting for everything in your life to fall into place so you can be happy, you've got it all wrong. "Don't wait for that one thing to be happy," Goldman tells CNBC Make It. When I get married, when I get that job, when I lose X amount of weight, I'll be happy." Some days, you'll feel happier and more successful than others. Those peaks and dips make it additionally important to find ways to "create your own happiness," notes Goldman.

Persons: you've, Rachel Goldman, Goldman Organizations: Oracle, New York University, CNBC

☆ 3 crucial ways to make yourself happier, according to a psychologist from Finland—the happiest country in the world
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Here's why they're so "crucial," and how to incorporate them into your daily life, according to Martela. "It would be more accurate to say that Finland is the country that has the least unhappy people in the world," Martela tells CNBC Make It. For six years and counting, Finland has been the happiest country in the world . "When you help someone, when you [have a] positive impact on others, your own happiness and sense of meaningfulness increases," says Martela. "[A] strong sense of purpose also makes it easier to tolerate bad conditions," Martela says.

Persons: Frank Martela, Martela, Suneel Gupta Organizations: CNBC, Ohio State University, Harvard University Locations: Finnish, Finland

☆ Nintendo CEO once cut his salary in half to prevent layoffs—here's why that's so uncommon today
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

As sweeping rounds of layoffs rock the tech, media and finance industries in 2024, some video game fans are thinking about former Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata. Iwata ran the Kyoto, Japan-based video game company from 2002 until his death in 2015. To avoid layoffs, Iwata took a 50% pay cut to help pay for employee salaries, saying a fully-staffed Nintendo would have a better chance of rebounding. Iwata had faith in his talentFor Iwata, taking a pay cut over layoffs centered around his employees' ability to bounce back, Verma says. "Nintendo [needed] to see through the changes that necessitated launching the Nintendo Switch, which has been massively profitable for the company," says Verma.

Persons: Satoru Iwata, Iwata, Rohan Verma, —, it's, Verma, could've, Sandra Sucher, Sucher Organizations: Nintendo, Riot Games, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Stanford University, Harvard Business, CNBC Locations: Kyoto, Japan, —, U.S

☆ 34-year-old singer was told it was 'too early' in her career to be ambitious—5 months later, she won 3 Grammys
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The 34-year-old R&B singer followed up a series of frustrating career setbacks with one of the most successful nights of her life, taking home three Grammy awards on Feb. 4. She won best new artist, best R&B album and best non-classical engineered album for her debut record "Jaguar II." I was an independent artist with no team and I just thought, maybe my music would stand for itself," she said, tearing up. The song resonated with listeners, some of whom launched a social media campaign for her to perform it at the then-upcoming MTV Video Music Awards in September. "My team was told it is 'too early in my story' for that opportunity so we will keep working!"

Persons: Victoria Monét, who's, Monét, MTV didn't Organizations: MTV, CNBC

☆ Mark Cuban didn't want to invest in this $2.5 million 'Shark Tank' company—here's what changed his mind
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Mark Cuban didn't want to invest in Genius Litter — until a bidding war between his "Shark Tank" co-stars annoyed him into changing his mind. If it's a high pH or a low pH, it will tell you if there's a potential health issue," said van Meer. That allowed him to put $1 million of his own cash, plus another $1 million already raised from other investors, into launching Genius Litter. "I want to build and scale this business and then sell it [strategically]," said van Meer. van Meer asked, countering with 10% split evenly among the three investors.

Persons: Mark Cuban, Ramon van Meer, van Meer, Van Meer, Robert Hervajec, Emma Grede, Herjavec, Lori Greiner, Kevin O'Leary, Lori, O'Leary, Van Meer wasn't, Greiner Organizations: ABC Locations: Austin , Texas

☆ Great bosses encourage these 3 things in the workplace to boost employee success, says CEO: 'It's a big’ deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Imagine this: You go to the office to grab your morning coffee and some conversation with your team. This is called "coffee badging," and more bosses should get behind it instead of forcing strict in-office mandates, says Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Boston-based Owl Labs, which makes video conferencing equipment. Employees agree, with 58% of hybrid workers saying they coffee badge, according to Owl Labs' 2023 State of Hybrid Work report. In 2024, great bosses will ditch their outdated workplace practices, according to Weishaupt, who has more than 20 years of executive experience at companies ranging from startups to Yahoo. Here are two other things that great bosses will encourage at work this year, he says:

Persons: Frank Weishaupt, Weishaupt Organizations: Boston, Owl Labs, CNBC, Employees, Yahoo

☆ Mark Cuban: These 2 industries will be the 'next wave of revenue generation' in sports—but they 'aren't my strengths'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"To spend more time with my family and because I believe the next wave of revenue generation is around real estate and entertainment and those aren't my strengths," the billionaire responded. Cuban has never been shy about pointing out where his strengths lie, saying in the past that he is "really, really, really good at sales." Those pursuits make more sense for the Adelsons, who have a long history in the entertainment, casino and real estate space, Cuban said in a pre-game interview on Dec. 27th. It's because of their real estate empires that they've built," Cuban said. It's been hard enough learning the pharmacy and basketball business, let alone trying to learn real estate as well."

Persons: Mark Cuban's, it's, Miriam Adelson, Cuban, Adelson, It's, Sheldon Adelson Organizations: Dallas Mavericks, NBA, Cuban, Twitter, ESPN, Las Vegas Sands, Forbes, Vegas Sands, Mavericks, CNBC Locations: Las Vegas, Texas, Cuban

☆ Jay Shetty's 5-step exercise for staying mentally grounded: It helps you become 'fully present'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

If you're already feeling overwhelmed by mounting work assignments, performance reviews or goal setting for the rest of 2024, you aren't alone. In those moments when your stress becomes overwhelming, experts say calming practices like meditation and grounding techniques can help. In fact, life coach and former monk Jay Shetty has a simple hack that he says can help you stay mentally sound, he tells CNBC Make It. "I was introduced to it when I was a monk, [and], for me, it's a really great grounding technique," Shetty says. So when we capture the energy and environment in our minds, through all of our senses, it means all of the senses are present, and we're fully there."

Persons: Jay Shetty, it's, Shetty, Matthew Tull, Tull, you've Organizations: American Psychological Association, CNBC, University of Rochester Medical, Behavioral Health Partners

☆ Couple brought in 6 figures in less than 24 hours after appearing on ‘Shark Tank’: It was a 'life-changing success'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A bird-feeding face mask may seem like a gag gift, but HummViewer's success since appearing on ABC's "Shark Tank" is no joke. "In less than a day after appearing on 'Shark Tank,' we sold out of 1500 units, equaling $102,000 in sales," Joan said. In the eight months after their segment, they brought in $350,000 in revenue and quit their full-time jobs, they said. The couple hoped Lubetzky could help them with retail and marketing, which he did, John said. Being on the show was a "life-changing success that came with some problems at the same time," said Joan.

Persons: Joan, John Creed, Daniel Lubetzky, John, Lubetzky, it's Locations: Loveland , Colorado

☆ The top 3 things bosses should get rid of in 2024, says CEO—remote work isn’t one of them
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Over those two decades, and especially since the Covid-19 pandemic, Weishaupt says he's observed and learned from shifts in the workplace. Right now, he is embracing flexible work, believes employees shouldn't be micromanaged and encourages his workforce to dress comfortably, he says. Companies like Amazon and Disney have enacted stringent in-office work policies in recent months, with some citing reasons like office costs and employee productivity. And if I choose to be in the office the remainder of the day to finish my work, I'll do it. Embrace a more casual dress codeFlexible work arrangements may challenge your office's traditional dress code of suits, below-the-knee skirts and dress shoes.

Persons: Frank Weishaupt, he's, shouldn't, Weishaupt Organizations: Boston, Owl Labs, Yahoo, Disney, Gallup Locations: Weishaupt, United States

☆ Want to be happy? Ditch your 10-year plan and do this instead, bestselling author says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

At some point during your teenage years, you probably developed an idea of what "success" as an adult would look like. Sticking to that definition as an adult is a surefire way to end up unhappy, according to serial hospitality entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling business author Chip Conley. "And we either tried to emulate that and live up to it, or we in some cases rebelled against it. Rather, you should "acknowledge the negative aspects ... [and] evaluate whether there's another way to think about the situation," she noted. I wonder if I can change anything about this situation or my expectations about it," wrote Maenpaa.

Persons: Chip Conley, Conley, David Blanchflower, you've, Jenny Maenpaa Organizations: New York Times, Harvard Business, Dartmouth, Procter & Gamble, Hospitality, Modern Elder Academy, CNBC

☆ 15-year-old lands $100,000 'Shark Tank' offer for idea he had at age 8: 'You're a great example for kids'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

You don't have to be a high school graduate — or an adult — to win over investors on ABC's "Shark Tank." "You're a great example for kids out there who want to be entrepreneurs," Mark Cuban added. "They're going to help us [with] prototypes, manufacturing, distribution ... They're going to get us in stores like Target, Walmart, Kroger and Costco." There's no way they're not going to buy you out."

Persons: Nathaniel Wellen, Wellen, Lori Greiner, Mark Cuban, Nathaniel —, Greiner, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, O'Leary, " O'Leary, Robert Herjavec, Herjavec, You've, Robert Organizations: Target, Walmart, Kroger, Costco, CNBC Locations: Los Angeles

☆ Highly successful people share this one skill, says billionaire CEO: 'I use it in everything that I do'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Instead, they recognize and learn from patterns, a skill that highly successful people implement, according to billionaire Michael Rubin. Rubin is the CEO and founder of sports merchandise retailer Fanatics, a company that's helped him amass a reported net worth of $11.5 billion. "It's a really important skill in business, because I think it's predictive of the future," Rubin said. "If I like them, as soon as they leave, I go out and start calling people that I knew that we have in common to recognize patterns. Whether he's making business decisions or playing blackjack, Rubin said he relies on the skill to make good choices: "Pattern recognition is everything.

Persons: Michael Rubin, Rubin, that's, Jay Shetty's, " Rubin

☆ This trait is a subtle sign someone is highly intelligent, says psychotherapist—some people are ‘naturally gifted’ with it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

This skill is also known as active listening, and it requires more than just sitting in silence while someone speaks. "Active listening is when someone can listen to you at length, truly taking in what you're saying, and not interrupt," Maenpaa says. "Active listeners respond with questions because they are genuinely curious about what you're saying. Some people are "naturally gifted with [active listening skills] from an early age, and often receive feedback like, 'You're so easy to talk to!' or 'I feel like I'm the only person in the room when we talk,'" says Maenpaa.

Persons: Jenny Maenpaa, Maenpaa, Amanda O'Bryan Organizations: CNBC, University of Southern Locations: New York, University of Southern California

☆ 'Shark Tank' founder fumbled a 6-figure deal due to stubbornness: 'I'm not willing to compromise'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sometimes, striving for perfection can stunt your success — or, at least, keep you from landing a six-figure deal on ABC's "Shark Tank." Kelly, 36, is the founder of Anchorage, Alaska-based Heather's Choice, which sells lightweight, packable meals — just add hot water — and ready-to-eat snacks for outdoor adventurers. An adventurer herself, Kelly started the company in 2014, and raised $1.3 million in fundraising by the time of the episode's taping, she said. Heather's Choice had its first million-dollar revenue year in 2022, indicating an upward trajectory, Kelly noted. Instead of building upon the smaller and cheaper packaroon, the investors advised Kelly to market her meals to a wider audience, like students and working professionals.

Persons: Heather Kelly, Kelly, Heather's, You've, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Candace Nelson, packer, Heather Locations: Anchorage , Alaska, Alaska

☆ Barbara Corcoran: If you feel like a fraud at work, 'good for you'—why it 'guarantees' success
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Having imposter syndrome isn't fun — but it can be the key to unlocking your potential, according to Barbara Corcoran. In a recent TikTok video, the 74-year-old real estate millionaire said professionals should be grateful to have such self-doubt. "If you're struggling with imposter syndrome, good for you," she said. When you make it a habit to try harder than your peers, you'll inadvertently build self-assurance, Corcoran said. Corcoran, a co-star on ABC's "Shark Tank," even looks for imposter syndrome among the show's contestants — so she can prioritize investing in their companies.

Persons: Barbara Corcoran, you'll, Corcoran, I've Organizations: General Internal Medicine

That first year, Build My Burgers brought in $584,000 in revenue, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. 'We are big foodies'When you ask the Pakistan-born entrepreneur why he chose to open a burger restaurant, his answer is pretty simple. Initially, Lalani wanted to become a franchisee, owning and running an outpost of an extant restaurant chain. Aly and Zahra Lalani at the Build My Burgers restaurant in Orlando, Florida. They designed the restaurant's logo and interior — from the wall art to the orange and black color scheme — to give off the appearance that it was already a successful chain, Lalani says.

Persons: Aly Lalani, wasn't, Lalani, —, Zahra, Aly, Zahra Lalani, Andrea Desky, Covid Organizations: CNBC, Zahra's Locations: Orlando , Florida, Pakistan, Orlando

☆ Mark Cuban says 'good businesses' embrace diversity: 'The loss of DEI-phobic companies is my gain'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-05 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Mark Cuban says smart businesses embrace diversity, equity and inclusion. That's a stance at odds with some recent high-profile skepticism of the organizational framework from fellow billionaires Elon Musk and Bill Ackman. "Let me help you out and give my thoughts on DEI," Cuban told Musk on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday. "Good businesses look where others don't to find the employees that will put your business in the best possible position to succeed." Cuban pushed back against the notion that that's what DEI policies call for.

Persons: Mark Cuban, Elon Musk, Bill Ackman, Musk, George Floyd's Organizations: Tech, Google, Meta Locations: Cuban

☆ Barbara Corcoran swears by this 2-step strategy for organizing and achieving goals: It's 'essential'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-03 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

That may seem counterintuitive, given the plethora of online scheduling websites and mobile apps available today. I, myself, prefer to write a calendar," she recently said in a free, live Q&A with her Patreon community. What's going to come first?" The next step, which Corcoran called her "secret," is figuring out which goals you want to assign to which days, and group related tasks together. "Declare a specific day for getting done" what you need to accomplish on a specific project, she said.

Persons: Barbara Corcoran's, Gail Matthews, Corcoran, she's Organizations: Dominican University

☆ Don't be so competitive at work, says bestselling author Simon Sinek: How to get ahead instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

That's according to bestselling author and leadership expert Simon Sinek, who recommends setting goals that focus more on the process of self-improvement than specific outcomes of future scenarios. "There's no such thing as winning," Sinek said recently at the 2023 World Business Forum summit. Don't miss: Remove 1 word from your workplace vocabulary, says bestselling author Simon Sinek: ‘We’re all guilty of this’That doesn't mean you can't work hard to get ahead. There's no such thing as winning education and there's definitely no such thing as being No. DON'T MISS: Want to be smarter and more successful with your money, work & life?

Persons: Simon Sinek, Sinek, Emmanuel Acho, Acho, That's, There's, there's, Warren Buffett Organizations: TED, NFL

☆ Critics jumped on Blue Ivy Carter's first performance with Beyoncé—it only motivated the 11-year-old to 'work harder'
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

When Blue Ivy Carter made her on-stage performance debut during her mother Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour in May, the accomplishment didn't come without controversy. "There [were] lots of negative things that people had to say," Carter, 11, said during "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé," a documentary and concert film released on Friday. Joining her mom's tour was already a one-time deal — a reward for practicing her dancing and showing her commitment to building a work ethic, Beyoncé said. The film cut directly to the tour's final show in Kansas City, Missouri, where Carter joined Beyoncé on stage again, seemingly more confident and comfortable this time around. "I feel so honored to be on stage with you," Beyoncé told her daughter, in the documentary.

Persons: Ivy Carter, Carter, Beyoncé, could've, didn't, Carter's Locations: Paris, Kansas City , Missouri

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