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Evolving with technology can present several issues for people in the workforce. For example, when it comes to upskilling and training, workers may not have the time or money. Sinead Bovell, the founder of WAYE , believes that the rapid growth of technology will force many people to turn to entrepreneurship. WAYE, which stands for “Weekly Advice for Young Entrepreneurs,” is an organization that teaches people about the intersection of tech and business through panel discussions and workshops. “As technology continues to automate, a lot of us are going to have to pivot into an entrepreneurial lane,” Bovell said. According to a recent study by McKinsey , the push toward automation could have some negative impacts on Black workers. More African American workers are in slow-growing, low-paying support roles compared to the rest of the general American population. Support roles will most likely be replaced by automation, making African Americans most vulnerable to the technology’s...
Symphonic Capital has launched its inaugural fund targeting overlooked founders in fintech and health care. Symphonic Capital’s Inception Sydney Thomas, who always displayed an “entrepreneurial spirit,” founded the venture capital (VC) firm in 2022. Having already dedicated years to being a serial investor, her work in venture capital began in 2016. It was during that time that she observed a common pattern: Many firms placed broad bets on numerous founders, accepting that most would fail in hopes that a few would yield outsized returns. However, she believed it was possible to have a more refined approach that would put more early-staged founders in a better position. “While it is still incredibly risky to work in early stage, a way to actually de-risk your investment is to have a much more structured and focused support strategy with those companies that increases the likelihood that they graduate from pre-seed to seed, and increases the likelihood that they graduate from seed to...
If you’ve been tapped in to the world of business news in recent months, you’re likely well aware that DEI measures are firmly on the chopping block, thanks to the Trump administration . The DEI framework, which seeks to support diversity, equity and inclusion within the workplace, has been an invaluable tool in the national marketplace to ensure that those in marginalized communities are given a fair shot at employment and upward mobility. Much like other social programs, such as affirmative action, DEI has been integral to the success of disabled individuals, underprivileged youths and those who identify as part of the LGBTQ community . Unfortunately, a powerful minority of fringe right-wing lawmakers have taken issue with DEI initiatives and have quixotically maligned the entire practice as discriminatory. Since the newly established White House cabinet has become so dead-set on eliminating DEI measures across the board, legal requirements for fair hiring practices have already...
Walmart shareholders are urging the company to reconsider and adjust its approach to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives. In November 2024, the company, which has 1.6 million workers, announced it would be scaling back on its DEI policies, notes AP News. They join a list of companies, including Amazon, McDonald’s, and Meta. “We’ve been on a journey and know we aren’t perfect, but every decision comes from a place of wanting to foster a sense of belonging, to open doors to opportunities for all our associates, customers, and suppliers, and to be a Walmart for everyone,” Walmart said in a statement, according to AdWeek. Walmart’s shareholders, which consist of over 30 individuals, admit to feeling “deep disappointment” in Walmart’s stance. They want to uphold Walmart’s work in DEI as it has led to a sense of belonging for associates, and “when associates feel like they belong, they’re more engaged and empowered to deliver great service to our customers and members.” Its...
Ray Allen turned down a lucrative offer as a rookie to sign with Nike. The California-born athlete was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1996 during the first round as the fifth pick, according to ESPN. He was traded that same day to the Milwaukee Bucks with a three-year rookie contract valued at $6.2 million, per Spotrac. Allen’s earnings helped him remain level-headed when he was receiving offers from FILA and Nike. He already had his mind set on Nike and was not even swayed by a six-figure offer from FILA, despite having a prior sponsorship deal with the company. “ I almost ended up wearing FILA. My agent at the time tried to make me accept a check for a $100,000 but they were telling me they were going to give me a signature shoe,” he told Sports Illustrated in a 2017 interview. “It was either FILA or Nike at the time, and (FILA) told me (I’d get) the signature shoe for five years years but the first two I had to lead the team in scoring, rebounding, steals or assists....
Black-owned Cleo’s Southern Cuisine is still thriving nearly a year since it received a visit from Keith Lee. The Chicago, IL-based restaurant was founded by Kristen Ashley Harper, and she has swayed the hearts of locals through dishes inspired by her grandmother Cleo and her Southern roots, NBC News reports. “Technically Biloxi, (MS) — and I went to school at Grambling State University in Louisiana, so I took the Mississippi and the Louisiana and put it together and boom — there was Cleo’s,” Harper told the outlet. Customers can look forward to staple menu items including fried catfish fillet, fried chicken wings with Belgian waffles and sides that include butter herbed rice, “24-karat gold” muffins, and Creole crab mac and cheese, among others. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cleo's Southern Cuisine (@cleos_southerncuisine) In September 2023, the restaurant’s second location on The Loop was visited by Keith Lee, a popular social media food reviewer who currently has...
Social media is such a huge (and free) marketing tool that startups must bring their A-game. Your company could be great, but a subpar Instagram or Facebook account could do some damage. Here are some pro-tips to revamp social media accounts: 1. Choose a branding strategy You have a logo, now what? It’s time to develop your brand. Simply put, a brand is the image your startup presents to the world. It’s what people will say about your company when you are not in the room. Essentially, your brand is your company’s reputation. It separates you from your competitors, so brainstorming branding strategies are essential. Looking through the lens of social media, we can define branding as how you communicate with your audience via posts. Will you employ a storytelling branding strategy or a branding strategy that provokes an emotional response from viewers? 2. Stick to your vision You started your company with a vision and goal in mind, so stick to it. Don’t believe the hype and be swayed...
This article was originally published on 05/08/2019 The film Minority Report showed us a future where technology can be used to prevent crimes before they occur. The 2002 thriller starring Tom Cruise and Colin Farrell imagined Washington, D.C. in 2054 with a 0 percent murder rate due to the fictional PreCrime program. However, it was not without its failings. It’s been widely known that artificial intelligence is subject to the complicit biases of the programmers who give it life. Much like a child learns from a parent, machine learning is the concept that machines can learn context from simply combing through information. When the machine starts to see a word’s association with a concept over and over, a connection is born. Anyone who has spent enough time on the internet knows that this is a dangerous game. As evidenced by the Microsoft/TayTweets incident in 2016 , a machine can be swayed by deviant minds from the internet’s darkest corners. The bot was created to engage with...