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In September, the U.S. Labor Department reported that weekly applications for unemployment aid jumped by 27,000 to 263,000, the highest in four years and a warning sign for the future of low-income populations. And at a time when government policy couldnt be less interested in addressing systemic economic disparities, solving these issues will depend on the ability of business leaders to listen, learn, and come together to tackle the socioeconomic issues impacting a majority of Americans every day. Ive seen these challenges up close for years in my New York Capital Region homeand the challenges are just as present in cities around the U.S. So on a national level, one thing is clear. If were going to help close the wealth gap, we need to focus on two foundational pillars: workforce development and housing affordability. A HANDS-ON APPROACH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT From our foundations local work, I can confidently say that revitalizing underserved communities simply isnt possible without first developing and fostering a strong workforce, a task that will likely face a wide range of critical challenges in the coming decade. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy is projected to create 5.2 million new jobs between now and 2034. However, the situation looks less optimistic when you consider that so many workers today remain underemployed and cant find access to quality opportunities. The countrys already massive wealth gap only continues to grow, with nearly 70% of U.S. wealth belonging to the top 10% of earners, compared to a mere 3% owned by the bottom 50%, according to the Congressional Budget Office. This level of income inequality is not only deeply unconscionable but unsustainable, and it almost certainly wont be fixed by simply creating more jobs. Instead, what private and public sector leaders should focus on is ensuring access to quality education and job training that aligns with local economic opportunities, equipping residents with the skills and credentials needed to obtain and thrive in roles that provide more than a barely livable wage. While this kind of work requires more of business leaders than pulling out a checkbook, the hands-on approach is also extremely effective. In just five years, the model I created through the Business for Good Foundation in supporting local organizations and business has resulted in a variety of new and expansive opportunities for the regions underserved populations. This includes the revitalization of Albanys Black Chamber of Commerce, a pivotal source of mentorship and networking opportunities for minority entrepreneurs. It also includes ongoing support for career training and fellowship programs in essential areas like education and healthcare, such as Teach Brother Teach and Pulse Career Solutions. GET REAL ABOUT U.S. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY At the same time, no workforce initiative will succeed if people dont have stable housing. A good start would be simply acknowledging that were currently facing a full-blown housing crisis, in which supply shortages are colliding with rising home and rent prices to disastrous effect. This, of course, impacts every state and region across the U.S., but particularly communities that have already been disadvantaged by the market for decades. For example, close to 1,000 properties in Albany today are abandoned, according to the citys vacant properties registry, most of which are in low-income neighborhoods that have historically borne the impacts of illegal and discriminatory redlining practices. In other major cities, like Atlanta, where I recently spoke at the ForbesBLK Summit, the cost of rent for a typical one-bedroom apartment is now equal to 132% of a federal minimum-wage workers monthly income. These are just two of many examples underscoring the clear and urgent need to both increase access to quality, affordable housing and reduce displacement among vulnerable populations in the U.S. And again, with no generalized fix at our disposal, these are issues that will require active engagement with communities and policymakers to come up with highly creative and localized solutions. In the New York Capital Region, for example, Governor Hochul recently announced the launch of MOVE-IN NY, a program aimed at improving housing affordability through accelerated construction and the use of low-cost, modular building materials. Backed by multiple state agencies and private sector developers, the initiative offers a new way to build on the critical, hands-on work already being done in parallel by our foundation, and other nonprofit entities in the area, including the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless, as well as the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition, whose Foreverly House project provides shelter and essential support for unhoused female veterans living with children. CONNECT WITH OTHER LEADERS Of course, these efforts represent only the start of an uphill battle, and models like our pilot program will be significantly more effective with the support of other like-minded business leaders across the country. But its clear we need more programs like this, and in cities with strong business hubs like that of Atlanta, theres a prime opportunity to create one. Now is the time to connect with other leaders who share a vision of closing the wealth gap by tackling systemic barriers in housing and workforce development. These issues arent abstract; they affect real people, real families, and the long-term health of our communities. My call to my peers is simple: Join us. Partner, collaborate, and scale whats already working. Together, we can create a blueprint for communities across the country to thrive. Ed Mitzen is cofounder of Business for Good Foundation.
Category:
E-Commerce
In a crowded market, building strong, lasting relationships is one of the biggest differentiators a business can create. And while product-market fit is table stakes, true customer loyalty comes from putting people at the center of the product experience. Overlooking that opportunity can leave growth on the table. The companies that stand out are the ones that design not just for functionality, but for connection, trust, and stickiness. These three overlooked pillars help transform software from a useful tool into an essential partner. 1. Engagement that drives daily value The most successful products give customers reasons to return again and again, not just when they need to solve a problem, but as part of their everyday workflow. Regular, meaningful touchpoints remind users of the value you deliver and strengthen the habit of coming back. Take Shopify. Your online store may run automatically, but Shopify keeps merchants engaged with real-time sales notifications, performance dashboards, and promotional insights. A cha-ching alert for a new order or a traffic spike becomes a small but powerful reason to log in. Over time, these touchpoints transform a back-office necessity into a daily habit, making Shopify central to how merchants run their businesses. When evaluating software, ask yourself: How often are customers logging in? Are they engaging deeply with features, or just skimming the surface? Are you giving them insights and reminders that matter in real time? Companies that build engagement into their productthrough reports, dashboards, notifications, or personalized nudgesensure customers not only see value but experience it consistently. Over time, those moments turn into loyalty. 2. Integration that feels effortless No matter how powerful your product is, it risks being sidelined if it doesnt fit seamlessly into the tools and workflows customers already rely on. People want solutions that just work, eliminating friction rather than creating it. Consider QuickBooks. Beyond bookkeeping, it integrates seamlessly with banks, payroll systems, and payment platforms. These connections remove the manual work of reconciling accounts or entering transactions multiple times. By fitting naturally into the existing workflow, QuickBooks ensures that customers rely on it not just for accounting, but for running the financial side of their business every day. This kind of integration turns a once-in-a-while task into a central part of daily operations, boosting adoption and creating advocates inside the organization. Seamless integration ensures adoption doesnt stall and that your champions inside the business keep their credibility. By offering native integrations, robust APIs, or automation that connects the dots, you reduce the hidden costs of manual workarounds and help your product feel like a natural part of the stack. When your software is easy to adopt, easy to use, and easy to connect, it becomes harder to replace, and more likely to spread organically across teams. 3. Embedded value that makes your product indispensable Customers stay with products that go beyond solving a single problem and become central to how they work and make decisions. The best software identifies the moments when customers would otherwise have to leave your platformand bring those capabilities inside. Uber Eats Manager is a great example here. Its not just an ordering platform; it provides restaurant owners with daily insights into orders, peak hours, menu performance, promotional recommendations, and even merchant financing. By surfacing actionable data directly where owners manage their business, Uber Eats gives them a reason to keep logging in every day. This embedded value reduces the need to track information elsewhere, making the platform indispensable for day-to-day operations. That doesnt mean adding features for the sake of it. It means embedding value where it matters most. Whether its surfacing insights at the right time, streamlining a workflow end-to-end, or offering complementary tools like embedded finance, these touches eliminate the need for external solutions and create deeper reliance on your product. When customers see your platform as the place where multiple needs are met, it stops being optional and becomes essential. THE BOTTOM LINE Customer relationships are the real engine of software growth. Companies that invest in engagement, seamless integration, and embedded value not only reduce churn and reduce the burden of CAC, they also create advocates who expand adoption, share their success stories, and accelerate growth. By focusing on these three overlooked pillars, your software evolves from being another app in the stack to becoming a trusted partner in your customers success. And thats the kind of relationship that lasts. Luke Voiles is the CEO at Pipe.
Category:
E-Commerce
Fans of the Outback Steakhouse chain will be disappointed to learn that its parent company, Bloomin’ Brands, has recently closed a number of locations. The closures are yet another sign that major restaurant chains are facing significant headwinds as costs increase and consumers grow increasingly cautious of how they spend their discretionary dollars. Heres what you need to know. Whats happened? Recently, Bloomin’ Brands, owner of Outback Steakhouse, closed a handful of chains locations. Many of these closures were first reported on social media and by local news outlets. Outback Steakhouse is an Australian-themed casual dining chain that was first founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The casual dining steakhouse is perhaps best known for its Bloomin Onion menu item, a deep-fried whole onion that is served with dipping sauce. According to an August Form 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as of June 2025, Bloomin Brands, Inc. operated 557 company-owned Outback Steakhouse locations in the United States. There were also an additional 121 franchise locations. Bloomin’ Brands is in the midst of a turnaround effort. Its stock price (Nasdaq: BLMN) has tumbled more than 42% this year and was trading at under $7 a share as of late Friday. In total, Outback Steakhouse has locations in 44 states, according to the companys store locator tool. The state with the most Outback Steakhouses is Florida, with 96 locations. California and North Carolina offer the next-most locations with 41 and 40 Outback Steakhouses, respectively. List of Outback Steakhouse closures Bloomin Brands has not publicly announced a full list of recent closures, but it confirmed with Fast Company that 10 locations have recently closed. The shuttered restaurants were located in eight states. Some of these closures were reported earlier by USA Today. After a review of Outback Steakhouse’s store locator and listings on Yelp, Fast Company discovered additional closures. After a periodic review, we decided to close some locations,” a spokesperson for Outback Steakhouse said in a statement. “These are business decisions that are part of our ongoing turnaround plan. We considered a variety of factors, including sales and traffic, trade areas, and potential investments to improve performance. We are working to relocate as many of our team members as possible to nearby restaurants. The list of recently closed Outback Steakhouse locations is below. Bloomin’ Brands confirmed these closures with Fast Company: Alabama 20th Street North at 20 Midtown, Birmingham, Alabama Inverness location on U.S. 280, Birmingham, Alabama Arkansas 180 Pakis St, Hot Springs, Arkansas 71913 Florida 3760 South 3rd Street, Jacksonville Beach 4910 U.S. 41 North, Naples Louisiana Jones Creek Boulevard, Baton Rouge Maryland 8661 Colesville Road in Ellsworth Place Mall, Silver Spring New York 2124 Merrick Mall, Merrick Texas 1509 N Central Exwy, Plano, Texas Wisconsin 4520 E. Towne Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin
Category:
E-Commerce
Imagine this: Youre scrolling online late at night and with just a few clicks, you can order gummies that promise to boost your sex drive, a cream claiming to rebalance your hormones, or even prescription drugs from a telehealth site that spent millions on a Super Bowl ad without any disclaimers or mention of side effects. The solutions seem endless, and like most things that sound too good to be true, they often are. After 25 years in biotech and 10 years spent squarely at the nexus of science and womens health, Ive seen how hype can often race ahead of science. Evidence-based treatments for women remain chronically underfunded and underdeveloped. Its no wonder the wellness industry has rushed to fill the void with promises that sound like medicine but dont measure up. WHEN WELLNESS FILLS THE GAP At best, many wellness products are ineffective, with claims based on anecdotal evidence or poorly designed studies. At worst, they can be outright dangerous. A 2024 analysis found that corporations promoting healthcare interventions that are not supported by evidence, or conceal or downplay evidence, increase the risk of harm to women through inappropriate medicalization, overdiagnosis, and overtreatment. Take the multibillion-dollar supplement industry. Celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian and her Lemme line of wellness supplements are tapping into genuine unmet needswhere women want solutions to problems that the medical establishment has overlooked. But theres a gap between marketing and accountability. The Lemme Purr web page, for instance, tells us that clinically-studied SNZ-1969 probiotics support vaginal health and freshness. While there is some data that the 50+ year old strain supports gut health, a literature search did not identify any strong peer-reviewed evidence that SNZ-1969 supports vaginal health. The reality is that the FDA doesnt have a mandate to review supplements for safety or effectiveness before they hit the market. That means companies can sell products with minimal oversight, leaving consumers to trust claims that are based on marketing, not science. Now compare that to therapies developed through the FDA: Treatments designed to deliver specific outcomes, studied in rigorous clinical trials, and evaluated for safety, quality, and effectiveness. Unlike supplements or untested formulas, they must demonstrate measurable benefit before they can ever reach patients. The process could not be more different. But to the average consumer, the distinction is almost invisible. SEPARATE EVIDENCE FROM EMPTY PROMISES Women shouldnt be left to navigate risk alone. Thats why they need tools to separate evidence from empty promises. And companies providing health products should make it easy for them to find the information. Before trying a new product, women should ask themselves three questions: Was it clinically tested or was it studied in a randomized placebo-controlled trial? Clinically tested could mean almost anythingmaybe five people tried it and said they felt better. Maybe it was a survey given to a few loyal customers who already love the brand. But thats hardly proof. A randomized placebo-controlled trial means that participants are randomly assigned to receive either the treatment or a look-alike placebo, making it the gold standard in medicine to understand if an intervention truly has an effect. Was the whole product testedor just the ingredients? A common loophole in wellness marketing is citing evidence for individual ingredients but not testing the final product formulation. Just because an ingredient has been clinically studied doesnt mean the finished product is safe or effective. Is the product FDA-approved or made in an FDA-regulated facility? Regulation matters. Without it, theres no guarantee of safety or consistency. 503B outsourcing facilities are FDA-regulated and must follow strict manufacturing and safety standards, ensuring consistency, quality, and clinician trust. Women deserve more than quick fixes or empty promises when it comes to their health. As the lines between wellness and healthcare continue to blur, companies that commit to accountability and rigorous science stand to build lasting trust with consumers to unlock massive, underserved markets. Sabrina Martucci Johnson is founder and CEO of Daré Bioscience.
Category:
E-Commerce
Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trumps administration must continue to fund SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using contingency funds during the government shutdown. The judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave the administration leeway on whether to fund the program partially or in full for November. The rulings came a day before the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nations social safety netand it costs about $8 billion per month nationally. Democratic state attorneys general or governors from 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, challenged the plan to pause the program, contending that the administration has a legal obligation to keep it running in their jurisdictions. The administration said it wasnt allowed to use a contingency fund with about $5 billion in it for the program, which reversed a USDA plan from before the shutdown that said money would be tapped to keep SNAP running. The Democratic officials argued that not only could that money be used, but it must be. They also said a separate fund with around $23 billion is available for the cause. In Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell ruled from the bench in a case filed by cities and nonprofits that the program must be funded using at least the contingency funds, and he asked for an update on progress by Monday. Along with ordering the federal government to use emergency reserves to backfill SNAP benefits, McConnell ruled that all previous work requirement waivers must continue to be honored. The USDA, during the shutdown, has terminated existing waivers that exempted work requirements for older adults, veterans, and others. The courts ruling protects millions of families, seniors, and veterans from being used as leverage in a political fight and upholds the principle that no one in America should go hungry, Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, said of the Rhode Island decision. There were similar elements in the Boston case, where U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled in a written opinion that the USDA has to pay for SNAP, calling the suspension unlawful. She ordered the federal government to advise the court by Monday as to whether they will use the contingency funds to provide reduced SNAP benefits for November or fully fund the program using both contingency funds and additional available funds. Defendants suspension of SNAP payments was based on the erroneous conclusion that the Contingency Funds could not be used to ensure continuation of SNAP payments, she wrote. This court has now clarified that Defendants are required to use those Contingency Funds as necessary for the SNAP program. It wasnt immediately clear how quickly the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy groceries could be reloaded after the ruling. That process often takes one to two weeks. The rulings are likely to face appeals. States, food banks, and SNAP recipients have been bracing for an abrupt shift in how low-income people can get groceries. Advocates and beneficiaries say halting the food aid would force people to choose between buying groceries and paying other bills. The majority of states have announced more or expedited funding for food banks or novel ways to load at least some benefits onto the debit cards used in the program. At a Washington news conference earlier Friday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, whose department runs SNAP, said the contingency funds in question would not cover the cost of SNAP for long. Speaking at a press conference with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Capitol, she blamed Democrats for conducting a disgusting dereliction of duty by refusing to end their Senate filibuster as they hold out for an extension of healthcare funds. A push this week to continue SNAP funding during the shutdown failed in Congress. To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of fours net income after certain expenses cant exceed the federal poverty line, which is about $31,000 per year. Last year, SNAP provided assistance to 41 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom were families with children. By Michael Casey, Geoff Mulvihill, and Kimberlee Kruesi, Associated Press Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro contributed.
Category:
E-Commerce
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