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The bookstore cafe at Literary Arts new headquarters in Portland, Oregon was a hive of activity on a recent weekday morning. A few 20-somethings gathered for coffee in a corner, while at a nearby table, New Yorker cartoonist Tom Toro discussed his new book, And to Think we Started as a Book Club. . ., with a journalist. Meanwhile, Olivia Jones-Hall, Literary Arts director of youth programs, chatted with some colleagues about upcoming events. Just a few days earlier, President Trump had announced on social media that he was ordering his Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to send the national guard into War ravaged Portland to bring the city to heela directive aimed at the citys largely peaceful anti-ICE protests and fueled by the presidents blatantly false assertion, which he expressed in September, that riots have engulfed Portland every night. (This assertion appeared to be based on a 5-year-old old clip on Fox News of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.) In reality, Portland is far from the burning hell hole of the Presidents imagination. Here in the Central Eastside Industrial District, five minutes from downtown and about 15 minutes from the ICE facility, the focus is on books not troops. And the solution to shoring up the public safety and economy in some of the citys underinvested quarters is arts-driven community-building, care of Portlands 41-year-old nonprofit Literary Arts, which is known for organizing the annual Portland Book Festival each November. [Photo: courtesy Literary Arts] Indeed, since the organization announced, in 2022, its plan to move into a 14,000-square-foot former hardware store in the once-industrial Eastside neighborhood, the area around it has become a vibrant hub. Literary Arts new headquarters, which opened last December, include an independent bookstore and café, four classrooms, a podcasting studio, offices for the organizations 32 staffers, and an event venue that can seat 75 people. The blocks around it, meanwhile, house restaurants, bars, stores, and a soon-to-open apartment building. Arts and cultural organizations have often been at the forefront of how we rebuild public space, says Literary Arts executive director, Andrew Proctor. So I think that one of the paths to recovery for the city is going to be through arts and culture. [Photo: courtesy Literary Arts] A literary giant Literary Arts has had a big year. In addition to opening its headquarters, which it was able to purchase outright with a $3 million gift, the organization announced the successful completion of a fundraising campaign that raised more than $22.5 million in support of its community hub and the future Ursula K. Le Guin Writers Residency. (Located in the writers former house, the residency is slated to open in fall of 2027.) It has also scored some major literary coups, securing visits from Timothy Snyder, Kamala Harris, and Stacey Abramsall of whom will be appearing at the citys 2,770-seat Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in the coming weeks. And lest you think Literary Arts attracts only serious nonfiction writers and politicians, romantasy author Rebecca Yarros will be speaking to a sold-out auditorium during the book festival on November 8. (And Stacey Abrams wont be talking politicsshell be discussing her new thriller, Coded Justice.) In this moment, we are stuck in a very short cycle of thinking and reading, and that cycle is being dictated to us by technology, says Proctor. How long can you wander the desert of the internet before you realize you’re starved and parched and not getting nourished by this stuff? Like never! Proctor believes Literary Arts in-person events offer an alternative. These books, these experiences with books, are very nourishing. And when you pair that by being out in community, its even more rich, because now you’re reading the same things or youre at the festival standing in line talking to a stranger about something that you love and realizing that the world isn’t so strange and hostile. From left: Andrew Proctor, Jill Sherman, Ali O’Neill during construction of the new headquarters. [Photo: courtesy Literary Arts] Literary Arts, which also runs the Oregon Book Awards, the youth poetry slam competition Verselandia!, Writers in the Schools residencies (which pairs working writers with local high schools), and Portland Arts & Lectures event series, took ownership of the Portland Book Festival in 2015. This year, tickets have been selling at 10 times the speed they did last year, says Proctor. He thinks that the need for deeper experiencesand maybe a little escapismmay be driving this engagement. The festival is an easy sell to authors and ublishers, says senior artistic director Amanda Bullock, because it tends to move books. That could be because the $18 ticket fee includes a $5 coupon towards any book sold at the festival. (Kids 17 and under get in for free.) There will be more than 100 authors and interviewers at the festival this year, along with drop-in writing workshops and pop-up readings. Authors include big names like Abrams and Yarrows, but also plenty of new or up-and-coming authors. Roughly 40% of the presenters are from the Northwest. In addition to the day-long series of readings and interviews downtown, there are dozens of other events that go on for a full week as venues around the city host literary or musical events. [Photo: courtesy Literary Arts] A Tale of Two Cities Trumps disparagement of Portland comes at a moment when the city is turning a corner. During the pandemic, Portland saw crime rates rise, alongside increased homelessness and open drug use. But today, homicides are down 41% compared to this same time last year, fewer people seem to be openly using illicit drugs (a result, no doubt, of state lawmakers recriminalizing illicit drugs in 2024), and Mayor Keith Wilson has been opening homeless shelters at a fast clip. The city is also preparing to welcome the planned $25 million James Beard Public Market, Portlands answer to Seattles Pike Place Market, in downtown next summer. Indeed, the Presidents recent characterization of Portlanders as living in hell was so at odds with how locals experience their home that it promoted a rush of social media posts showing images of children running joyfully around fountains, crowded dog parks, and drool-worthy plates of foodall tagged #warravagedportland and #warravagedpdx. One Instagram threads user posted: Danny here, reporting live from war-torn Portland. The smell of BBQ permeates. The puppies are viciously kind. People are doing yard work. This is not okay. Pray for us. #pdx. Downtown Portland, October 06, 2025. [Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images] The truth is, the anti-ICE demonstrations have continued to be largely peaceful (at least on the side of the protesters), despite Trump calling up the Oregon National Guard and, after a federal judge barred him from doing so, the California and Texas National Guards. (The judge has since barred any National Guard from any state from being sent to Oregon.) Meanwhile, downtown Portland and the Central Eastside, both of which wrestled with homeless encampments and crime during the pandemic and in the years immediately after, are on the upswing. Artists and arts organizations have long played a role in reviving derelict neighborhoods, including New Yorks SoHo in the 1970s and Wynwood in Miami in the early aughts. Literary Arts, likewise, has played a key role in Portland. The Portland Book Festival, which is based along the Park Blocks downtown, traditionally brings more than 6,000-plus book lovers to the citys core. Readings, interviews, and workshops are held in the Portland Art Museum, a handful of different theaters, and at downtown churches. Literary Arts also runs Portland Arts & Lectures, one of the largest literary lecture series on the west coast. On the evenings that big name authors come to town, downtown restaurants are booked up weeks in advance. Arts & Lectures turns one of those [week] nights into a Saturday night, says chef Greg Higgins of Higgins, which is two blocks from the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The organization raised a few eyebrows when it selected as its new home Central Eastside, which sits along the Willamette River and was the citys industrial and maritime hub in the late 1800s. The neighborhood, while gritty, managed to thrive even as trade dried up in the 20th century, and experienced something of a revival in the early aughts, as businesses moved into its once-industrial buildings. But it was hit particularly hard during the pandemic. But over the past year, the areaparticularly the block on Grand Avenue where Literary Arts is basedhas been reinvigorated by multiple businesses and nonprofits. Across the street from Literary Arts is the Architectural Heritage Center, which has been infused with new energy and exhibits thanks to a dynamic new executive director; used bookshop Mother Foucaults, which hosts readings and events every weekend, moved into the adjacent space. Next to Literary Arts is vegan Japanese restaurant Obon Shokudo where celebrities like Anya Taylor-Joy have been spotted. On the corner is Lollipop Shoppe, a lively bar and music venue. The building is open from 7 in the morning till 8 at night. Every day we’re serving coffee and food, and there are three events a week in the bookstore, Proctor says. Itd be hard to imagine us not having a pretty big impact on the neighborhood in a positive sense, just by sheer activity alone. Journalist and urban advocate Randy Gragg, who runs civic design nonprofit City of Possibilitywhere he organizes talks, exhibits, and gatherings about Portland design, architectureand civic ambition, says hes seen Literary Arts make an impact on Portland. They have really crystalized Portland as a literary center practically since their founding, he says. And [Proctor] has been a phenomenal accelerator from the day he arrived. Gragg says Proctors choice of the Central Eastside for the headquarters was inspired. I tink that was a somewhat counter-intuitive place and probably scary to a lot of his funders, but it would appear hes pulling it off. Portland residents and readers can see the impact of Literary Arts. If only our President could, too.
Category:
E-Commerce
Sending LinkedIn DMsthe digital version of cold-callingcan come across as pushy and is becoming a much-less-effective strategy for job seekers. Luckily, there is so much more that LinkedIn is capable of when it comes to facilitating job hunting. Here experts share their advice for engaging with companies, catching recruiters’ attention, and opening doors to new career opportunities, all without sending unsolicited messages. Optimize Your Profile for Recruiter Visibility We see many talented professionals who believe they need to constantly send direct messages to get noticed on LinkedIn, but we find the most effective approach is often more subtle. A fantastic strategy that yields incredible results without any direct outreach involves making your profile do the work for you. It all starts with the “Open to Work” feature. The real magic happens when you activate it and select the option to be visible only to recruiters. This acts as a discreet signal, letting our team and other recruiters know you are receptive to new opportunities without broadcasting it to your entire network or current employer. The data backs this up. According to LinkedIn research, candidates who use this hidden setting receive 40% more messages from recruiters. Hanna Koval, Global Talent Acquisition Specialist | Employment Specialist, Haldren Build Relationships Through Company Engagement One of the most effective ways to use LinkedIn without ever sending a DM? Flip the job search strategy on its head. Most people wait for a job posting to appear, then throw their hat into the ring alongside hundreds of others. The problem? Nearly 40% of the time, that job is already filled, in the process of being filled, or it was never really “open” in the first place. Instead of chasing job postings, start with a Target Company Strategy. Focus on organizations that truly align with you, their mission, vision, products, leadership, and growth potential. That’s where real opportunity lives. Here’s a proven strategy: Follow the company page and engage with their posts, articles, and videos. React, share, and, most importantly, leave thoughtful comments that add value. Connect with employees in relevant departments, follow their content, and continue to show up in the conversation. Over time, you’ll be noticed, not as “just another applicant,” but as someone already invested in the brand. This is how you tap into the hidden job market. Opportunities often arise before the job is ever posted, and this strategy puts you in the right place at the right time. Don’t just wait for jobs. Show up where the opportunities are being created. Thomas Powner, Executive Career Management Coach, Recruiter, Resume Writer, Career Keynote Speaker, Career Thinker Inc. Apply Within 24 Hours of Job Posting Here’s the uncomfortable truth about today’s job market: if you’re not applying to LinkedIn jobs within 24 hours of posting, you will often be invisible to recruitersno matter how qualified you are. When a desirable position goes live, recruiters often receive 200+ applications within the first 24 hours. Several recruiters have confided to me that they stop reviewing applications once they have a qualified pool of applicants, and this often happens within 24 hours. Why sift through an additional 500 résumés when they already have 200 highly qualified candidates To capitalize on this reality, create hyper-specific LinkedIn job alerts (like “Marketing Manager” AND “SaaS” AND “growth stage” instead of just job titles), enable mobile push notifications, and build a rapid application tool kit with customizable résumé versions and cover letter templates. This system will empower you to submit quality applications within a two-hour window of receiving alerts. Adapting to the fundamental change in today’s hiring speed is crucial. Your experience will differentiate you in interviews, but you first need to get into that initial pool of candidates being considered. Perfect applications mean nothing if they’re never seen. Amanda Fischer, CEO & Executive Career Coach, AMF Coaching & Consulting Participate Actively in Industry Groups A simple but often overlooked way to get more out of LinkedIn is by joining a few active groups in your industry and participating in the conversations. Groups are smaller, curated communities where the right people are already gathering. They are the best places to be to get noticed and hear about opportunities, without blasting cold messages to strangers. The reason this works is because visibility builds over time. When you show up consistently, whether that’s commenting, sharing your perspective, or asking thoughtful questions, you stop being yet another job seeker. Instead of chasing or forcing connections, you become someone others recognize and want to connect with. To make it practical, choose two or three groups that are clearly active (you’ll see fresh posts and real discussions), then spend 1015 minutes a few times a week adding value. Stick with it for a month, and you’ll likely see more profile views, new connections, and likely new job opportunities rolling in, all without direct messaging. Ana Colak-Fustin, Founder, HR Consultant and Recruiter, ByRecruiters Leverage Company Search for Strategic Applications By far, one of the strongest strategies a person can use is conducting a company search to find jobs, instead of a regular search through job filters. LinkedIn is a very robust platform that offers a great amount of information, and at times it may be difficult to know what to do with it. When you are searching for companies, first, you will get to see the businesses in your industry where you may have first-degree connections and fellow alumni. If you are applying to work at a company that has had success in the past with employees from your school, this could work in your favor. After all, “Alumni 4 Life!” Moreover, if you’re applying to work at a company where you have first-degree connections, these individuals may be able to offer you advice prior to any interview, and furthermore serve as internal advocates during your hiring process. Company searches also give job seekers insights into which job markets are very active in an industry and location. Finally, this type of search also allows the job seeker to pick the company they want to work for, instead of sorting throughthe usual “slot machine” of job search results, hoping that something was posted matching their qualifications. Steven Lowell, Sr. Reverse Recruiter & Career Coach, Find My Profession Create an Engaging Unemployment Diary I’ve noticed many viral posts on LinkedIn shared by people who recently lost their jobs. Such posts often collect thousands of likes, comments, and reposts. The idea is to proactively write a heartfelt post about how you lost your job, what financial responsibilities you have, describe your qualifications, and sincerely ask your network to share your post with their connections. You’d be amazed at how responsive people are. Not only do they actively engage with the post, but they also tag recruiters, HR representatives, or entire companies that might be interested in a similar role. But don’t stop there. Create an “Unemployed Diary” where you share your progress, wins, and setbacks. This way, you naturally create awareness of your situation on the most relevant platform for job seekers and build a new network of valuable connections. Alina Moskalova, Partnerships and Email Outreach, LinkedHelper Strategically Integrate Keywords Throughout Your Profile Your LinkedIn profile must be keyword-optimized if you want to be found on the platform. Imagine you were a recruiter or headhunter looking to fill an open role. What keywords would you type in the search bar to find a candidate? Now review your profile and ensure those terms are integrated throughout. This isn’t just about keyword stuffing. These words need to be strategically woven into your headline, summary, and experience section. You want prospective employers to find your profile, then be intrigued enough to contact you. Dr. Kyle Elliott, Founder & Tech Career Coach, CaffeinatedKyle.com Curate Content to Attract Decision-Makers Though this strategy may take some time, one way job seekers can use LinkedIn effectively, without direct messaging, is by appealing to the hiring decision-maker or an influencer of the decision-maker (not to be confused with a social media influencer) through a curated content strategy. This would begin with the job seeker posting curated content regularly that is relevant to the hiring decision-maker/influencer of their prospective role. So, what is curated content? In basic terms, curated content refers to external content, such as blogs, articles, and social media posts, that are reposted for a relevant audience. However, it’s not simply reposting this content for the sake of reposting. The job seeker has to provide a relevant perspective of their opinion or insights on the content they are posting. This strategy should begin before connecting with the decision-maker/influencer they’re targeting on LinkedIn. This would increase the level of engagement on the job seeker’s post, making it more likely to appear on the feed of the decision-maker/influencer once the LinkedIn connection is made. Now, how does the job seeker find the right decision-maker/influencer to connect with? Well, without being in the company or having direct insight into the company’s structure, it will take some guessing and trial and error. However, by performing thorough research through their prospective company’s LinkedIn page, website, and social media pages, the job seeker stands a good chance of finding who they’re looking for or the influencer who can get them to the decision-maker. From there, the job seeker should send a LinkedIn connection and monitor engagement on their curated content posts. Suppose the decision-maker/influencer engages with the job seeker’s curated content (like, comment, share, or even reaching out first). In that case, the opportunity arises to begin a casual conversation. If contact is made and the connection is properly nurtured, this could lead to a great relationship and eventually a job. Terrence Hight, Jr., CEO, Hight Health Expand Your Network with LinkedIn Open Networkers Job seekers looking to utilize LinkedIn effectively should consider updating their description to include “LION,” which stands for LinkedIn Open Networker. Then, they should search for LION and start connecting with other LIONs. This approach is especially beneficial for LinkedIn users who don’t have many connections because LIONs generally have established lots of connections and will help bring a lower-connected profile closer to other professionals on the overall LinkedIn network. After establishing connections with numerous LIONs, a user can then start to send connection requests to their target audience with closer connections to that audience, which will result in a higher likelihood of connections being accepted. Having an active profile is also very important, which means posting unique articles/content that is valuable within the ideal/targeted niche. After connections are accepted by a user’s ideal audience, rather than using direct messages, it can be equally effective to engage on profiles, such as endorsing, commenting, liking, and sharing other users’ posts. Adam Evans, Creative Director, Thought Media Establish Credibility Through Insightful Comments LinkedIn newsletters have great distribution and can be a low-friction way of further engaging your network. If you’re not using them to position yourself as a thought leader in your domain, that’s a missed opportunity, especially if you’re looking for work. Comment on current events, share your perspective on technologies and opportunities, and generally let your voice be heard. Jonathan Dunnett, CEO, jonathandunnett.com Engineer Your Profile for Target Roles Your LinkedIn profile is one of the most important digital assets for your professional brand. The most powerful strategy is to start actively managing it to become optimally findable. Recruiters and opportunities will find a strong personal brand. You need to engineer your brand’s narrative so that LinkedIn’s algorithm understands exactly who you are, what your skill sets are, and why you are the best option. Here’s the strategy: Define your target role and engineer your entire profile to rank for it. Your headline becomes your brand’s elevator pitch (e.g., “Senior Product Manager | Building User-Centric FinTech Solutions”). Your “About” section tells your personal brand story. And your “Experience” provides the quantifiable achievements that prove your brand’s promise. By doing this, you’ll be found by relevant people looking to hire: it’s the difference etween being a candidate in a pile and being the expert solution they were searching for all along. Jason Barnard, Serial Entrepreneur, Kalicube Document and Share Your Professional Work In a world where strategic thinking is expected from everyone, personal branding and the ability to promote oneself have become more crucial than ever. Yet, most people continue to neglect these aspects. Only about 1% of LinkedIn’s 260 million monthly users post content. Being excellent at your job is no longer sufficient. People need to be seen doing great work. The proliferation of AI has made verifying the originality and ownership of work more challenging than ever. This is where social validation and networking become essential. Individuals need to document and share their work online (via LinkedIn, building portfolios, leveraging thought leadership opportunities). It’s important to treat your professional persona like a productwhat’s your niche, what customers do you serve, and what impact do you make? Based on these reflections, build community and visibility around your professional work, rather than just sending résumés to HR via direct message. Those who don’t adapt risk falling behindnot because they lack talent, but because they’re not well-known. Roei Samuel, CEO and Founder, Connectd
Category:
E-Commerce
Ill never forget the first time I saw the power of a group gasp. Years ago, at a Baltimore Ravens game, a film Id helped create played across the stadiums newly installed LED screens. In the climactic moment (a close-up shot as the kickers foot struck the ball) the entire crowd seemed to freeze, breath held, before erupting in a wave of energy that swept the stands. Thats because the shot was perfectly timed with the real kick-off that started the game. Picture 70,000 people rising to their feet in unison, their collective gasp creating a moment of pure electricity. That wasnt chance. It was the result of designing an experience where story, environment, and audience collided to spark a visceral, shared response. This group gasp, that instant of collective, visceral awe, has become the holy grail of modern brand experience. In a fragmented world where people crave connection, brands arent just competing for attention. Theyre competing to orchestrate shared emotional resonance. From spectacle to lasting impact The roots of immersive brand experiences run deep. In the late 1990s, with the internet booming and new competitors emerging thick and fast, we worked with IBM to use custom technology (think infrared sensor projections, interactive exhibits, and flexible architecture) to shift brand perception from staid to innovative. It wasnt about showing off gadgets; it was about shifting from a one-way monologue to the customer to a democratic conversation with them, entirely reimagining the relationship between people and brand. Today, environments like Sphere in Las Vegas or New Yorks Oculus Transit Hub blend architecture, storytelling, and cutting-edge tech to create collective awe. Outside these venues, brands are playing with physical space to show up in evermore seamless, smart, and impactful ways. HBO and Giant Spoons Westworld activation at SXSW set a new standard in experiential, inviting people “into the show” by recreating its Sweetwater location, deep in the Austin desert. But heres the real shift: Experiences no longer end when the audience walks away. Social media amplifies a single moment of wonder into a global phenomenon, extending impact for weeks or months. The gasp becomes evergreen content. Designing for shared emotion Technology may set the stage, but it doesnt guarantee resonance. The magic lies in emotional choreography; guiding audiences through intimacy, tension, and release. Like a great film score, the best experiences ebb and flow rather than hammering at peak volume. Different brands call for different emotional tones. For one, it might be joy and togetherness; for another, reverence and hope. Theres no universal formula . . . what matters is intention. The most successful moments also feel effortless. They dont overwhelm with every technical trick, but instead use restraint so each detail serves the story. Shareability isnt accidental, its designed into the experience. Yet it works best when it feels authentic, not engineered. The new marketing imperative A broader cultural shift in consumer spending, aka the Experience Economy, is nothing new. Since the 1990s, weve witnessed more people prioritizing experiences over material possessions. Marketing spend has taken a while to play catch up, but with a stated 74% of Fortune 1000 marketers planning to increase their spend on experiential marketing over this year, ad spend is now markedly shifting. Executives increasingly recognize that these moments forge emotional bonds that traditional campaigns cant match. When people share a communal, in-person experience, the emotional response is amplified. The brand becomes embedded not just in an individuals memory, but in a collective one. In an era of fleeting attention, belonging is rare, and therefore valuable. But as pop-ups and activations proliferate, not every immersive event cuts through. The brands that win will resist spectacle for spectacles sake and focus instead on stirring genuine collective emotion. Surprise: The spark behind the gasp At the heart of every group gasp lies surprise, moments that subvert expectation. Sometimes thats high-production spectacle, but just as often its a small, human detail: a perfectly timed music cue, a flash of humor in a serious setting, or unexpected use of lighting. Memorable moments dont require blockbuster budgets. They require empathy, timing, and the courage to be unpredictable. Commuters werent prepared to stumble into the surreal world of Severance in Grand Central Station, and adding the shows cast to its severed floor made Apple TVs experience even more unforgettable. The thought, I didnt expect that is the beginning of brand magic, and when people feel compelled to share it, the impact multiplies. The road ahead for immersive storytelling Were no longer just making content; were designing experiences. Content sits in a frame, while experiences unfold in space and time. This requires thinking like architects or choreographers, not just advertisers, designing for attention in motion across multiple tempos and entry points. Most importantly, it means anchoring every decision in emotion. AI is already transforming how brands design for emotion, from predictive analytics that anticipate audience reactions to generative tools that create hyper personalized experiences. But the real power lies in combining these tools with human empathy to craft moments that feel both innovative and deeply personal. At a time when trust is fragile, immersive experiences offer brands something rare: the chance to build emotional connections that pull people back in again and again. So, the real question for brands is simple: Are you willing to design for the gasp? In an age of distraction, the ability to elicit shared wonder may be the most valuable strategy of all.
Category:
E-Commerce
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