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Drew Barrymore just got her own Pantone colorand as you might expect for a woman who famously once responded to a rainstorm by dancing in the downpour and encouraging others to do the same, its a shade of yellow, the cheeriest primary color.To mark the talk-show hosts 50th birthday, Pantone surprised her last week with the unveiling of Drew Barrymore Yellow, a soft, buttery shade Pantone says was chosen to embody her infectious optimism, creative spirit, and uplifting presencea hue as warm and vibrant as the woman herself.[Image: Pantone]Pantone has released colors in partnership with other celebrities before, like Team Coco Orange for comedian Conan OBrien in 2019, Ultra Black to promote rapper Nass 2020 single of the same name, and Brady Blue for former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Bradys apparel line in 2021. Pantones color for Prince, Love Symbol #2, was chosen as an homage to the color of the purple custom-made Yamaha piano he was supposed to bring on tour before his death in 2016.Getting your own Pantone color is more rare than getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and for celebrities, its done out of a need to communicate something about their brand. Color is a language, and every color conveys its own unique message and meaning, Pantone Color Institute vice president Laurie Pressman told Fast Company in an email. When we work with clients its all about defining a color for their brand visual identity that expresses who they are and/or their brand vision.That takes on different forms depending on the goal of the brand, Pressman said, whether its in music, fashion, or production design, its a color meant to be emblematic of a whole creative umbrella of brands. For Barrymore, the challenge was coming up with a color without her help or knowledge.[Image: The Drew Barrymore Show]With Drew Barrymore Yellow, this was an unconventional task, as it was a total and complete surprise to her for her 50th birthday, Pressman said. Normally, an artist would be an integral part of the process, so in this case we wanted to do this more as a symbol of her work and contribution as a creative in film, art, television, and design. We combed through and considered all these contributions as well as her personality to choose a color that reflects who she is as an artist.Already, yellow is used throughout The Drew Barrymore Shows set and promotional assets. In the profile picture for the shows Instagram account, Barrymore smiles while wearing a yellow top and yellow earrings in front of a yellow backdrop. Clearly, shes a fan of the color. Pantone hopes the creamy shade invites thoughts of pleasant relaxation.How its incorporated into the show remains to be seen. Since it was planned in secret and unveiled as a surprise, were still in the early planning stages, Pressman said, but that they expect to work closely with her team to explore ways to integrate this unique color across her show and future brand initiatives.
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The trope of the starving, broke artist has long maintained a place in the public imagination, even as it has morphed into idealized notions of hustle or grindset. Its cool to romanticize [that lifestyle] for a little bit and use it as part of your motivation, says L.A.-based rising musician Gidi, but at a certain point we gotta be able to see the fruits of our labor. For many artists and songwriters, the fruits are there in the form of royaltiestheyre just exceedingly difficult to harvest. In the labyrinthine world of the music industry, royalty collection is particularly complex. There are hundreds of music streaming platforms operating in hundreds of countries, each with their own copyright laws. The simple act of uploading a song onto Spotify can quickly turn into an administrative nightmare, especially if an artist only owns the rights to a percentage of a given song. As a result, unclaimed dollarswhich estimates suggest be as much at $1 billion annuallyare effectively locked up in the global system of music publishing. Independent music publisher Kobalt wants to change that with its new product Kosign, aimed at empowering emerging songwriters by helping them collect the money theyre owed. Kobalt disrupted the music publishing space 25 years ago when it introduced the worlds first online portal for artists to look at their royalty earnings at any timea far cry from the snail mail system that preceded it. Today, Kobalt is the worlds biggest music publisher not owned by a major label, with clients who include Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Childish Gambino, and Phoebe Bridgers. [Images: Courtesy of Kobalt] With Kosign, Kobalt is targeting a group executives describe as a growing middle class of artists and songwriters who, thanks to a changing music landscape, are increasingly able to operate independently, but may not be ideal for a publishing contract. The platform is designed to leverage Kobalts infrastructural and technological capabilities for a new demographic. We’ve already built, for the last 20 years, a platform to unlock [royalties], says Jacob Paul, Kobalts creative strategy director. The problem were trying to solve is How can we take this thing we already built and make it even more streamlined and flexible so that the next generation of artists coming up can get paid their money that otherwise is hidden from them? Kosign users apply, pay the platforms $100 signup fee, activate their membership, submit songs, and then get paid. We will register them across the globe, across every territory, every platform, Paul says. There’s no income stream left untouched. Artists can watch royalties hit their account in real time, as well as other useful metrics, such breaking down earnings by streaming platform or territory. That data is available for an artists entire catalog and individual songs alike. [Image: Courtesy of Kobalt] Though Kosign is focused on making its tools accessible to emerging talent, the company assesses projected earnings for prospective members to ensure theyre a fit for the platform. A single songwriting credit, no matter how lucrative, might not be reason enough for them to snap up a lucrative publishing dealespecially for someone who doesnt have an extensive back catalog. At the same time, Kosign doesnt want to become bloated with a huge, unwieldy user base that will dilute the level of service. What we want to do is to make sure that for those who earn a certain threshold of money, [they] have the ability to collect as effectively as possible, says Kobalt CEO Laurent Hubert. So, we want it to be selective from that perspective. For that growing population of songrwiters, Kosign is a way to secure their royalties without committing to the sort of long-term contract better suited to a more established artist (Kosign takes 20% of a members royalties). It’s a flexible deal, says Paul. Artists keep control of their copyrights, and they can leave the platform anytime if they want to evolve somewhere else. KOSIGN also affords emerging artists a level of self-sufficiency; no ironclad deals means no figuring out if you need a lawyer, a manager, or broader team to sort through the red tape. Its an appealing prospect for an up-and-coming artist. They get access to the same technological capabilities as Max Martin or Paul McCartney, minus a lengthy contract. Alongside its cut of royalties, Kobalt also gets a pipeline of potential future signed songwriters out of Kosign. When those artists are ready to make the jump to a major publishing deal, Kobalt will have already built a relationship with them via Kosign. Gidi, an early adopter of the platform, calls using it a no-brainer. A musician and producer specializing in electronic R&B and pop, Gidi was part of the studio crew on last years massive Tommy Richman hit Million Dollar Baby, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Gidis involvement earned him a small percentage of the song. While it might not sound like big money, music publishers know that royalties for even part of a track can be the difference between needing a day job and being able to pursue music full time. For Gidi, working with Kosign means he can collect the money that hes owed while expanding his own artistic output. Ultimately, he says, it comes down to understanding my worth, and understanding that there’s a lot more coming from me. The added financial security is also a weight off of Gidis mind. It great that Im able to collect my publishing royalties without having to pursue a full-scale publishing deal, he says, adding that the royalties offer him additional income he can use to cover the mixing and production costs for upcoming projects on his own. Gidi isnt a proxy for every Kosign artist, but he is representative of the sort of artist Kobalt wants it to reach. If you can unlock the publishing system for a new generation of up and coming artists and producers and songwriters, you are changing each of those people’s lives, Paul says. You are making it possible for each of those people to actually make a living off of their music.
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Twelve years ago, rice breeders with Lundberg Family Farms crossed two rice plant parents in hopes of cultivating a better black pearl rice plant. After growing generations and generations of offspringearly yields produce all sorts of different traits in one harvest, and subsequent growing seasons help refine that into a consistent cropthe result is just now ready for consumers. The new black pearl rice can thrive under regenerative organic practices (a way of farming that focuses on soil health and less environmental impact) and has a higher crop yield than previous Lundberg iterations, with 25% more rice produced per acre. With that higher yield, the farm can use fewer resources like water; this is especially important when it comes to growing rice, as fields are flooded to drown out weeds. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] Its the latest cultivation to come out of the Lundberg Family Farms rice breeding nursery, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Its also a sign that the farms investment in rice breeding, and in finding varieties that are compatible with regenerative organic farming, is paying off. Varieties that it began cultivating over a decade ago are now starting to be ready for consumers; along with the black pearl rice, the brand will soon have new red jasmine and arborio varieties. What we’ve done over 50 years now is really gaining momentum, says Bryce Lundberg, vice president of agriculture at Lundberg Family Farms. And our commitment to accelerating this work reflects the urgency we feel around this [mission] . . . to grow the highest-quality rice using organic and regenerative farming practices, because we believe the health of our bodies and our planet depend on that. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] The importance of regenerative organic farming Lundberg Family Farms was founded in 1937 in Californias Sacramento Valley. Before moving out West, Bryces grandparents were farmers in Nebraska and experienced the Dust Bowl, an ecological disaster in which poor practices caused the soil to erode, so that it just blew away, he says. They saw how negative farming practices cause such problems to soil. They responded by changing up their farming methods, like keeping the straw in the fields after harvest instead of burning it. The common practice of burning is a way to get rid of all the old agricultural material in a field and get it ready for a new harvest, but it has serious environmental impacts, worsening air quality and degrading soil. (Just this year, a California bill went into effect banning nearly all agricultural burning as a way to limit air pollution.) Instead, the Lundbergs let the soil reabsorb that organic matter. A lot of people said it couldn’t be done, that the soil wouldn’t take this straw in, Bryce says. And I would say, if you have healthy soil, its going to take it in. If you have soil thats alive, its going to take it in. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] That became the crux of Lundberg farming: to leave the land better than they found it. Soil health is a crucial aspect of both organic and regenerative farming; regenerative organic farming includes practices like cover crop rotation, low or no tilling, and avoiding chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Though Lundberg Family Farms had that ethos since its founding, it officially began farming organically in the 1960s, and launched its first Regenerative Organic Certified products in 2023though the Lundbergs didnt have to change their practices to become certified. (That certification program was created by the Rodale Institute, which recently received funding from Patagonias nonprofit Holdfast Collective). Lundberg Family Farms focuses on rice (though it also sells quinoa, and products like rice cakes and syrup), setting a goal of having its organic rice certified as regenerative organic by 2027. Already more than 99% meets that goal. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] Rice without herbicides Still, the farm continues to innovate with its nursery to cultivate rice that can withstand the changing climate and contribute less environmental harm. Instead of using herbicides, the farm floods its fields with water to drown weeds, then dries them for 30 days to kill aquatic weeds. It’s this twofold approach that is unique, because most conventional rice farms continuously flood their fields. But this method also poses some challenges: It necessitates using rice varieties that can grow fast in water to outcompete the weeds, but that can also withstand the dry, hot phase, plus have a high enough yield to meet consumer demand. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] This twofold approach has multiple benefits. Flooded fields become a habitat for waterbirds and fish, while the dry period conserves water and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a continuous flood. Suzanne Sengelmann, Lundbergs chief growth officer, says its farms are home to more than 200 species. We flood the fields in the winter for the Pacific Flyway, and billions of birds come [there to] rest. It’s a symbiotic relationship, too, she adds, because the birds help fertilize the ground. If you let nature do what it’s supposed to do, you wind up with healthier soil. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, studied the Lundberg Family Farms practices and found that its method of weed control reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 49%, compared to continuously flooding rice fields. Regenerative organic advocates say implementing these practicesand transitioning away from the harms of conventional farmingis crucial for the health of our planet. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] Cultivating better rice Regenerative organic farming has another benefit too: Food grown with these soil-friendly practices is also healthier for humans, research says. And nutrient density is something the farms nursery pursues as well. Black rice in particular is full of antioxidants, and the companys new variety has some of the darkest bran weve seen, Bryce Lundberg says, meaning it’s especially high in antioxidants. If customers arent enticed by the environmental benefits of this rice, the company hopes the nutritional benefit will be worth paying a slight premium for. (The regenerative organic black pearl rice is $5.99 a pound). Were constantly upgrading . . . because at the end of the day, from a consumer standpoint, we all care about the planet, but its personal what youre putting in your body, Sengelmann says. In terms of the nutrient density and the lack of herbicides, that tends to be the thing that really makes consumers want to pay the extra dollar or two. Even with this new release, and more rice varieties forthcoming, Lundberg still plans to innovate to breed better rice; it invests half a million dollars into its nursery every year. In 2024, it was awarded a $3 million matching grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build out its regenerative organic products. Though those grants are now on holdand the fate of government grants at large is unclear under the Trump administration (especially ones that mention climate terms)Sengelmann says the farm is still moving forward to invest its own $3 million into that goal. Were going to keep doing it, she says, because its what weve always done.”
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As organizations grapple with rapid developments in technology and policy while also balancing shifting market conditions and financial realities, having a deep bench of leadership talent is crucial. However, a recent survey from TalentLMS, found that 45% of managers say their companies arent doing enough to develop future leaders. One of the key issues is that companies are using a narrow scope in offering leadership development opportunities, says Nikhil Arora, CEO of learning technology company Epignosis, the parent company of TalentLMS. A lot of companies kind of limit the leadership development to the top 1%, leaving behind the remaining 99%, he says. Arora says the survey found a number of areas where respondents said their companies are lacking key efforts to develop leaders. Just 8% found their companies’ leadership initiatives effective. Fortunately experts say there are ways to strengthen theses areas of weakness and help companies get better at leadership development. Develop leaders at all levels The TalentLMS survey found that the top two areas where leaders found companies lacking were in offering leadership training programs (43%) and developing new talent from within (42%). These stats dont surprise workplace consultant Melissa Swift, author of Work Here Now: Think Like a Human and Build a Powerhouse Workplace. She says that one key issue is that companies often focus leadership training on employees who are already in on a leadership track or who are near the top of the organization, overlooking promising talent at other levels. She says that leadership development efforts, including leadership training programs, should be integrated throughout the company and supported. One issue that I’ve heard repeatedly across organizations is, You did this wonderful leadership development program with us, but then you don’t have interesting on the job development opportunities for us to follow that up, she says. Companies don’t have to necessarily spend more money on [leadership development], but how do we get people the right experiences through their day-to-day work? Focus on the leaders you need Forty-one percent of respondents said their companies often fail at identifying leadership skills gaps and in being transparent about selecting and promoting leaders. Leadership consultant Lori Mazan, author of Leadership Revolution: The Future of Developing Dynamic Leaders, says that companies need to focus on a few things to get their leadership development programs right. Mazan advises looking at your overall goals for leaders within your organization and be sure youre developing a range of leaders with the skills your company needs. Arora agrees. Your No. 1 [key performance indicator] and what you’re going to be measured by as a manager is going to be: How are you developing your talent? he says. Transparency is also important, Mazan says. She also advises developing leaders in alignment with your company culture. She recalls a former client whose culture was very amiable and people focused. When the company hired new employees who had been at a competitor where the culture was very hard-driving, the styles often cause friction. After a month, they’d be hiring me to coach them, because that style of hard driving leadership didn’t fit in the other company that was more let me help you, she recalls. Mentorship matters Four in 10 survey respondents said that their companies are lacking mentorship programs. Thats an area that should not only be developed, but expanded, Arora says. Mentoring isnt just senior managers advising more junior workers anymore, although that still remains important. He encourages others to follow his lead and have younger mentors, as well, who can help them keep a finger on the pulse of where change is happening and what people from their cohort are thinking. You need somebody younger and you need somebody older, he says. Identifying leadership skills gaps and, in response, developing leaders across the organization with programs, transparency, and mentorship can help fill in the missing pieces that hinder leadership development.
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Even if you’re a regular Alexa user, there’s a good chance you haven’t discovered some of its most efficient features. Actually, strike that: Theres a good chance youre only using your Alexa device to set timers and play music. But Alexa does so much more! Here are five commands to add to your vernacular that could save you tons of time with regular use. “Alexa, check traffic” Once you link your home and work addresses in the Alexa app, simply asking to check traffic will give the time between your home and office by defaultalways handy when youre heading out the door. You also can ask for traffic conditions to a certain destination. Alexa just told me that traffic from my house to the nearest Whole Foods is sluggishitd take me a whole six minutes to get there. Good thing I saved so much time asking for traffic conditions, eh? Alexa, add jelly to my shopping list Writing a shopping list by hand? A fools errand. Opening an app and typing a list by hand? A suckers gambit. As you notice ingredients running low, just say “Alexa, add [blank] to my shopping list.” The items will appear in your Alexa app’s shopping list, ready for your next grocery run. You can even check what’s on your list by asking, “Alexa, what’s on my shopping list?” before running to the store. “Alexa, announce that its time for lunch” Its 2025enough shouting up and down the stairs. Instead, say, “Alexa, announce that its time for lunch.” Your message will immediately be broadcast to all Alexa devices in your home at the same time, just like a fancy-schmancy intercom system. “Alexa, find my phone” My wife never reads these articles, so Im safe telling you that while she was frantically searching for her phone the other day, it turned out that it was in her hand. Not all lost phones are so easy to find! For the tougher tests, Alexa can call your wayward device and you can follow the ringtone. There are a couple slight catches: Youll need to do a one-time setup so Alexa knows which number to call, and you only get three free calls each month. If youre asked whether you want to sign up for a free trial of the premium phone-finding service, just say no and Alexa will place the call. Alexa, remind me . . . Just as a glorified note-to-self, Alexa is a lifesaver. There are a few ways you can ask it to remember things for you. First, just ask Alexa to remember something. Itll store it in the notes section of the Alexa app on your phone. Second, ask it to remind you of something at a certain time. Itll . . . well, you get the idea. And the best one is asking Alexa to remind you of something when youre at a certain place. If youve enabled location in the phone app, it can remind you to get Band-Aids the next time youre at Walgreens. Its almost too easy.
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E-Commerce
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