The Hidden Value of Inspiring Your Customers | PROFITguide.com

July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Erica Dao used to shop at malls once a month, looking in stores and seeing what the mannequins displayed. Now, she mainly looks for inspiration on social media. “I discover brands through Instagram,” said Dao, 33, of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Those kind of shifts illustrate the way people are changing how they buy clothing. Shoppers aren’t just showrooming at stores and then buying the same items online if they can find better prices—it’s a more significant separation from the mall. That is spelling big problems for mall chains like The Limited, which has shut all 250 of its stores, and Wet Seal, which filed for bankruptcy.

Caliburger founder to discuss how $3.1M investment will fuel robotics in the kitchen | Fast Casual

July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If Cali Group has its way, the phrase, “The Robots are Coming,” will not only be the headline for Caliburger founder John Miller’s upcoming discussion on restaurant robotics at this year’s Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in London July 18 -20, but it also describes a growing food service industry trend.

Cali Group’s, Miso Robotics, this week secured $3.1 million in funding to bring Flippy, its burger-flipping robotic kitchen assistant, to the rest of the restaurant industry. The substantial investment is the combined effort of Acacia Research Corporation, Match Robotics VC, and a number of undisclosed strategic investors, who have faith that the mechanical kitchen assistant will soon prove a popular way to improve restaurant operational efficiency with Flippy work alongside humans.

Adidas Got Women Artists to Design One-of-a-Kind Sneakers for All 50 States | Adweek

July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Adidas and Refinery29 get geographical in a fun project for the UltraBOOST X sneaker, getting women artists to design a “BOOST the Nation” collection, featuring one-of-kind sneakers that are being auctioned off for charity.

Refinery29 chose the artists—including Meagan Morrison, Maria “Too Fly” Castillo, Bree Poort, Lizzie Darden, Jenny Kiker, Sophia Chang, Mari Orr, Jen Mussari, Carrie Chan, Jordana Schrager and Refinery29 fashion editor Alyssa Coscarelli. The designs are inspired by state cultures, landscapes and landmarks, and range from subtle (Connecticut) to playfully outlandish (Kentucky).

Tesla Sales Stopped in Hong Kong After Electric Car Tax Break Scrapped | Business Insider

July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Hong Kong government’s decision to scrap a tax break for electric vehicles has had a dramatic effect on sales of Tesla cars in the city, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Data analysis from The Journal has shown that zero new Tesla Model S sedans and Model X SUVs were registered with the transport department in April, after the vehicle-registration tax waiver for electrics was discontinued at the start of that month.

Following that, just five privately owned electric cars were registered in May.

The Journal reported a sales surge just before the April 1 rule change, with 2,939 Tesla vehicles registered in March and nearly 3,700 entering the department’s books for the first quarter of 2017. The end of the tax break was announced in February.

A First: Running Shoes Made From ‘Algae Foam’ | Gear Junkie

July 7, 2017July 7, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A bucket of pond water might not seem like a performance enhancer. But that could change this year with VIVOBAREFOOT’s latest shoe. The VIVOBAREFOOT x Bloom running shoes will be the first made entirely of algae-EVA foam. They offer an alternative to the petroleum-based foam that’s found in almost every other running shoe on the market. U.S.-based bio-material producer Bloom culls algae from freshwater sources like lakes, rivers, and ponds around the world. The brand then mixes it with EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) to make a pliable, cushiony material.

The Petya Plague Exposes the Threat of Evil Software Updates | WIRED

July 7, 2017July 7, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

ON THE LIST of computer security advice standbys, “update your software” ranks just below with “don’t use the password ‘password.'” But as the cybersecurity research community gets to the bottom of the malware outbreak that exploded out of Ukraine to paralyze thousands of networks around the world last week—shutting down banks, companies, transportation and electric utilities—it’s become clear that software updates themselves were the carrier of that pathogen. Cybersecurity analysts warn that it’s not the only recent incident when hackers have hijacked software’s own immune system to deliver their infections. And it won’t be the last.

Startups: Don’t Fall Into The Culture-Fit Hiring Trap | Forbes

July 5, 2017July 5, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

I once worked with a startup that wanted to hire a new VP of engineering. When I asked the CEO what he was looking for in a candidate, he said, “Someone who can play the drums.” (This CEO happened to be learning the drums at the time.) He was dead serious.

This may sound like a crazy, off-the-wall request, but it highlights a surprisingly common problem in recruiting. I work with startups all the time who say they need someone with the skills and experience to help them scale their company and take it to the next level, business-wise. But when it actually comes time to interview candidates, they’re completely – and myopically – focused on cultural issues instead.

This Company Grew to $70 Million When the Kids Took Over for Mom and Dad | Inc.com

July 5, 2017July 5, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In 2013, Teddy Fong was roaming the showroom of a factory in Shenzhen, China, when a stylish, modern sectional caught his eye. He asked the factory owner how much it cost to make. About $200 to $300, the owner replied. Fong was astonished. It was the kind of sofa that might sell for thousands at a Room & Board. “There are crazy margins in the sofa business,” Teddy thought.

At the time, Teddy was in the crib business–but this was enough to make him think maybe he ought to be in the sofa business, too. Teddy runs Million Dollar Baby, a $70 million children’s furniture wholesaler his parents, Daniel and Maryann Fong, started in 1990. (Since then, MDB has made six appearances on the annual Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies.) It produces six brands of cribs, at nearly every price point and style, and sells them through almost every major online retailer, including Amazon, Walmart, and Target, and at many specialty retailers. Heard of the best-selling $379 minimalist Babyletto Hudson crib? That’s MDB. Beyoncé’s $4,500 translucent acrylic Vetro crib? That’s MDB, too.

Renting Your First Office? What You Should Know About Leasing | Business News Daily

July 3, 2017July 3, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There’s a lot to consider when you’re leasing a commercial space for the first time. The process can be complicated, and numerous factors could impact your final decision.

“The tenant has to think through lease location versus cost, lease terms and duration … and whether or not the office space … provides options for growth or expansion of the business,” said Jeb Ory, CEO of Phone2Action.

If you think you’re ready to rent your first office, here are three important tips to follow throughout the leasing process.

How Do the Chemicals in Sunscreen Protect Your Skin? | Live Science

July 3, 2017July 3, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Not so long ago, people like my Aunt Muriel thought of sunburn as a necessary evil on the way to a “good base tan.” She used to slather on the baby oil while using a large reflector to bake away. Aunt Muriel’s mantra when the inevitable burn and peel appeared: Beauty has its price.

Was she ever right about that price – but it was a lot higher than any of us at the time recognized. What sun addicts didn’t know then was that we were setting our skin up for damage to its structural proteins and DNA. Hello, wrinkles, liver spots and cancers. No matter where your complexion falls on the Fitzpatrick Skin Type scale, ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun or tanning beds will damage your skin.