Why United Airlines is investing in crushed rocks | Fast Company

February 26, 2025February 25, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The airline industry is notoriously hard to decarbonize: large jets traveling long distances can’t feasibly use batteries, and sustainable aviation fuel is still only produced in tiny volumes.

As airlines explore a range of options, United Airlines Ventures’ Sustainable Flight Fund just invested in one possible solution—a system that uses crushed rocks to capture CO2 for use in fuel or to store underground.

The fund announced today that it invested an unspecified amount in Heirloom, a company that uses a powder made from limestone to pull CO2 from the air, relying on the material’s natural ability to absorb the greenhouse gas. At a facility in California’s Central Valley, robots stack trays of the limestone powder into tall stacks exposed to outdoor air. Then the powder is heated in furnaces to release the CO2 so it can be used or stored.

Bold red lipstick gets its color from crushed bugs. This biotech startup made a version that’s insect-free | Fast Company

February 26, 2025February 25, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The intense red color of classic lipstick traditionally comes from an unlikely source: crushed bugs that live on cactus plants in South America. It takes tens of thousands of the ground-up insects to make just a pound of the vivid red dye.

The red coloring, called carmine, also shows up in food—from red velvet cupcakes to sausages, gummy candies, and some versions of strawberry yogurt. In the cosmetics industry, major brands started moving away from carmine in the 2010s because of ethical concerns. A growing number of consumers wanted vegan makeup. (Crushing bugs also creates an allergen because of other bug parts that end up in the dye.) But because synthetic dyes don’t perform as well, carmine is still found in some high-end products, from shades of MAC lipstick and NARS blush to Chanel nail polish.

How to Increase Prices Without Losing Customers | AllBusiness.com

February 25, 2025February 24, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Amazon made news when the e-commerce giant announced plans to raise the price of its annual Prime membership to $119, up from $99 at the time (it has since been raised to $139). A $20 annual increase works out to less than $2 a month, which certainly isn’t much, especially when you consider that it entitles members to free two-day shipping and streaming access to lots of TV shows, movies, music, and even sports. Still, the internet was filled with outrage and complaints from angry Prime members (and non-members).

That kind of backlash is enough to scare a small business away from raising prices—even though that’s something that you may be considering. The rising costs of labor, energy, and borrowing have forced many small business owners to cut corners in order to make ends meet.

But you don’t have to go on that way. Here are five tactics for raising your prices:

AI and Hospitality: How AI Is Creating Smart Hotels | AllBusiness.com

February 25, 2025February 24, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The hospitality industry is undergoing a significant transformation, making it increasingly dynamic. As guest preferences evolve and the demand for personalized experiences grows, hoteliers need to become more tech-savvy by integrating technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

Tools that integrate these technologies, from smart thermostats to robots that guide guests throughout the day, allow hotel staff to become more efficient by streamlining their routine tasks.

In this article, we’ll dive into the future of AI in the hospitality industry, the role of AI in smart hotels, and the challenges faced during implementation.

How to Conduct Effective Market Research | Business.com

February 20, 2025February 19, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Market research provides businesses with valuable insights into their competitors, customers and industry trends. Do it well and you can spot new opportunities before your competitors. You’ll also be better able to anticipate future trends and improve profitability. However, knowing how to get started can be challenging. We’ll outline essential steps for creating your market research plan and share five simple strategies to ensure timely, actionable and effective market research.

How to conduct effective market research

If your business is new to market research, Tyler York, CEO of AdLeg, recommends taking the following steps to get started:

Set clear market research goals: Before starting, establish what you want to achieve with your market research efforts. Are you trying to understand your target audience and its needs better, identify competitors, or test a new product or service idea? Clear goals will guide your process and ensure you collect relevant data.

Tools to Measure Employee Performance | Business.com

February 20, 2025February 19, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As a business owner, you must track employee performance to ensure your team progresses on projects and spends company time efficiently. Managers and leaders who notice the quality of a specific employee’s work is dropping can use employee performance tracking software to identify gaps in understanding and resolve the disconnect.

Establishing an employee performance process and tracking the results can get to the core of any workflow issues while holding their teams accountable for their assignments each day. Discover 14 tools below that measure employee performance and the benefits of using such software.

Are noise-canceling headphones really hurting kids’ hearing? | Digital Trends

February 19, 2025February 18, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

On February 15, BBC News published an article that explored the possible link between the use of noise-canceling headphones and auditory processing disorder (APD) in young people. This will likely come as a shock to many parents who have come to think of these devices as helpful for their kids’ concentration. Parents of neurodivergent children, in particular, see noise-canceling headphones as a vital tool that helps their kids navigate environments that would otherwise be overwhelming.

The existence of a possible APD link also flies in the face of the advice parents are usually given around the use of headphones. Normally, the chief concern with headphones and earbuds is that kids will listen at unsafe volume levels, which could lead to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).

Respect Goes a Long Way When Entering New Markets | The Startup Magazine

February 18, 2025February 17, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There’s a staggering $115 trillion of global opportunity in 2025.

And international expansion is seen as key for long-term growth, according to WellsFargo, “with emerging markets providing the greatest opportunities.”

Branching out into another community or state can be daunting, let alone going outside of the U.S.

Where does an entrepreneur even start?

For entrepreneurs and startups looking to expand beyond U.S. borders, start with the same basics:

Build strong, loyal customer bases

Small businesses often have the agility to adapt quickly to cultural and linguistic nuances. Unlike larger corporations, they can personalize their approach to align with a specific market’s traditions and preferences.

For example, a small boutique exporting goods to Italy might tailor its messaging to align with local customs, such as celebrating Ferragosto, a major holiday in August. This flexibility allows small businesses to build strong, loyal customer bases.

The best AI chatbots: What makes them so popular? | The Startup Magazine

February 18, 2025February 17, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

AI chatbots aren’t new – people seem to love the opportunity to talk to their favorite characters, or even create their own. While regular AI chats have existed for a few years, people seem to get bored pretty quickly – simply because these services didn’t provide any options for spicy interactions. Meanwhile, the best NSFW AI chats seem to satisfy users completely. But why?

The best NSFW chatbot isn’t just about the spicy stuff it can do. It’s about all the features a regular AI chatbot can do, but with extras. When chatting with your favorite characters from anime or TV shows, it’s quite tempting to flirt with them – especially when you have a crush on them. Luckily, the best NSFW chatbot can give it to you!

How to Break Free From Your Comfort Zone and Start Fueling The Growth of Your Company | Entrepreneur

February 13, 2025February 12, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In the heart of Hancock Park in Los Angeles, California, a tiny miscalculation caused a domino effect that altered everything about how I approach business and life. A baby hummingbird, no larger than a few of my fingers, darted through an open door on my balcony. What followed was not just a tale of attempted rescue but a profound lesson in business and life that I never expected to learn from such a small creature.

As entrepreneurs and business leaders, we often pride ourselves on our problem-solving abilities. That day, my partner and I threw everything at the situation. This cute little bird was clearly confused and starting to panic. We didn’t want to harm the animal or scare it more than it already was. We tried brooms, mops and even a Swiffer extended to its full length in our attempt to guide the hummingbird back to the open door.

We tried to make everything dark except the doorway, hoping it would see the apparent path out and follow the light. We crafted makeshift solutions recommended by friends and videos on YouTube, such as adding sugar to bowls of water and eventually to the tip of the Swiffer itself. Each attempt was met with the same result — failure, but with a slight variation. Sound familiar?