Business, Economy & Culture🛍️📈💸:

I.P.Os are so Passé. Here’s How Employees are Getting Rich Now😄 💵 Less companies have been filing for IPOs, but early employees at many privately-held companies are still looking for ways to cash out. 📈💰️ The solution that these companies and employees have been utilizing is the tender offer (I had to google this too). This is an arrangement where shares are sold to a set of investors in a prearranged trade and employees and early investors can cash out some of their holdings. SpaceX is well-known for doing this, and they tend to launch a tender offer twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter. 🛰️💸 (wsj)

Why Are Women Less Likely to Use AI? AI’s early adopters are disproportionately men 👩‍💻🤖. Women are less likely to use AI tools, often citing design flaws and biases, which has potential long term impact to the gender pay gap. The chart below illustrates the difference in self-reported usage. 🚨⚙️ (bloomberg)

A ‘Clean Girl’ Influencer’s Lawsuit Asks: Can You Copyright a Vibe? A ‘Clean Girl’ influencer is taking legal action, claiming her aesthetic—a polished, minimalist vibe that one could describe as “mostly neutrals”—has been copied 💅👗. I did a video on this earlier this week and the comments on the video were hilarious (I referenced a different article from The Verge here). The case raises questions about intellectual property in the age of social media, where trends thrive on replication and reinvention. 📱⚖️ (nyt)🌟🤷‍♀️

A Reverse Aging Guru David Sinclair and His Trail of Failed Businesses 🍷 🚶 David Sinclair is a Harvard geneticist. His companies have raised over a billion dollars due to his seductive notion that “aging is a treatable disease.” Four of his companies have either shut down or gone bankrupt, but he’s still forging ahead in the longevity space. (wsj)

‘Pink Tariffs’ Plague US Fashion 🌸⚖️ I can’t believe I didn’t know about these “pink tariffs”. The US is the only nation that charges gender-based tariffs on apparel. Women pay on average 3% more in tariffs than men. These duties disproportionately affect garments like dresses, blouses, and other women's wear, driving up costs 🛍️💸. As brands scramble to manage rising expenses, strategies like supply chain shifts and pricing changes come into play, highlighting a significant gendered impact in trade policy. 🌍🧵 (vogue business)

Zoom 2.0 relaunches as an AI-first company without video in its name Zoom is shedding its video-first identity 🚀✨, embracing AI tools to reshape how teams collaborate. They’ve officially changed their name from ‘Zoom Video Communications Inc’ to just ‘Zoom Communications’. With features like smarter meeting summaries 🧠📝 and task automation ⚡, the company is trying to rebrand themselves as an AI company first, video second. 🎥💻 (the verge)

Buy Now Before Tariffs Hit, Retailers Are Telling Shoppers Retailers are urging shoppers to stock up early as tariff hikes loom 📈💸. With the new administration coming in next month, we don’t know exactly which tariffs will be levied and how they will impact prices🛍️🚨. But one thing’s for sure: any US-based retailer that imports good from China is not feeling great right now. ⏳💥(wsj)

How Linktree is growing its social commerce business just in time for the holidays Linktree is a link-in-bio tool that is used by over 50 million people🔗✨. Now they’re expanding their footprint🌟🛒. Linktree’s social commerce features are here just in time for the holidays 🎄💳, letting creators sell merch, share content, and boost earnings—all from their very own platform. (modern retail)

GiftShop, a New French Startup, Curates and Sells Merch From Paris I had never heard of this term, Zizmorcore, before reading this article but it’s my new favorite word of the season. Essentially, this term is the word you use when you see someone repping clothing from their favorite local establishments that is local to their city (no chain-restaurants/businesses). Examples for New Yorker include a Russ & Daughters shirt or hat from the MoMa. This chic French startup called GiftShop now delivers curated treasures straight from Paris 🥖🎁✨. From timeless totes to artisanal finds, GiftShop merges luxury and culture, bringing a slice of Paris to global shoppers' doorsteps. (nyt)

The Logic Behind All Those Charli XCX Campaigns 💎🎤 2024 was Charlie XCX’s year. She’s not just known for her music, she’s also headlining high-impact brand campaigns 🎨👠. From couture to cosmetics, Charli keeps fans (and marketers) hooked and other artists should look to her playbook as a how-to guide. 👑💄(bof)

Brands are testing direct mail catalogs for the holidays 📦📬 Forget email; brands are going retro this season 📬🎄. Luxe holiday catalogs filled with glossy images ✨📸 and irresistible deals are landing on doorsteps, creating a touch of festive nostalgia and driving sales 💌🎁. (modern retail)

Walmart Closes Deal For Smart TV Firm Vizio For $2.3B, Altering Streaming Ad Landscape – Update Walmart’s $2.3B acquisition of Vizio is reshaping the ad-streaming game 📺💰. The retail giant plans to integrate Vizio’s smart TVs with exclusive advertising tech 🚀, setting the stage for digital domination. (deadline)

Luxury and Fast Fashions Are Creating Billionaires Galore 💎👗 The two juggernauts of the fashion industry mentioned in this article are Arnault (LVMH) and Ortega (Inditex, the holding company behind Zara). Arnault’s net worth stood at $233 billion last March, while Ortega’s came in at $103 billion. Ortega has gained $20 billion in wealth over the past six months as Inditex and its flagship Zara brand go from strength to strength. 🤑✨ (wwd)

Retail Pharmacies are Having a Tough Year. Here’s Why Pharmacies 📦🛍️ are feeling the squeeze 💊💔. Labor shortages, rising costs, and industry-wide disruptions are making it a rough year for the sector, with urgent calls for reinvention. 🏪🔧(healthcare brew)

How 'CoComelon' became a mass media juggernaut for preschoolers 👶🎥 The animated juggernaut captivates toddlers worldwide 🌍👶 with their catchy tunes and life lessons 🎵📚. CoComelon’s mass media empire spans YouTube, toys, and streaming, making it a go-to for parents everywhere. (la times)

The 63 Most Stylish People of 2024 👕 👖 This list defines the most fashion-forward people of the year. Chappell Roan, Demi Moore and Christina Applegate are featured on the list, this is a fun one to skim. (nyt)

The Must-Read Article I Can’t Stop Thinking About

He Was the World’s Longest Held Death Row Inmate. He Was Also Innocent. 😢 🌑 Every once in a while, I’ll read an article that haunts me. I’ll catch myself thinking about this during a morning walk or after work when I’m making dinner. This article is the one that I can’t stop thinking about. This is a real-life story about the flaws of a justice system, the importance of family ties, and how persistence can sometimes prevail. (the atlantic)

Venture Capital/Innovation & Entrepreneurship💰🌍💼:

Alex Cooper Launches Her First Product: 'Move Over, Boys' Call Her Daddy and Unwell Networks founder Alex Cooper steps into the world of CPG with her first product launch 🌟👛. Her message seems to be along the lines of “move over, boys” 👑💥. She’s clearly in empire-building mode that will span far beyond the podcast space 🚀🙌. (adweek)

Amazon teams up with Orbital to remove CO2 from the air at one of its data centers Amazon 💡🌍 is teaming up with Orbital to scrub CO2 from its data centers 🌱⚡. The partnership highlights Big Tech’s move toward sustainability, especially in managing data center pollution 🌍💼(tech crunch)

How Break Sports Is Innovating Recreational Athletics And Merging Sports With Culture  Break Sports is revolutionizing recreational sports 🏋️‍♂️⚡ by blending fitness and culture 🎭🌟. From community-driven events to collaborations with artists and musicians, it’s creating a unique space where sports inspire creativity and connection 🏀🎵(forbes)

Vuori doesn’t need money. Investors keep knocking anyway Vuori, the premium activewear brand, doesn’t need cash 💸—but investors 🧘‍♂️💰 can’t stop lining up to throw money their way. With explosive growth and a loyal following, Vuori is flexing its financial muscles 💪👖 (retail dive)

Resources/Links 🌶️🧥

This VC platform global compensation report

This 2024 report on entrepreneurship trends

This resource for creating excellent pitch decks

This free (in beta) read-it-later app for articles, pdfs, newsletters and more

This well-loved to do list app for crossing things off your list

This book on fertility written by a data scientist

These comfy pajama sets

This skincare subreddit with a well organized wiki of its own

A simple but interesting inflation calculator

This resume builder

This guide to choosing a car seat

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