February 2025

Starbucks has been making a slew of changes in recent months as new CEO Brian Niccol tries to turn around the coffeehouse’s lagging sales. It has revamped the code of conduct, added ceramic mugs, and capped mobile orders. On Monday, the company announced it was laying off 1,100 corporate jobs.

Now, the coffee giant is also cutting its menu.

In an announcement posted to the company’s website, Starbucks said it would eliminate 30% of its menu by the end of fiscal year 2025 in the U.S. The cuts begin next week on Tuesday, March 4.

“We’re simplifying our menu to focus on fewer, more popular items, executed with excellence,” the statement says. “This will make way for innovation, help reduce wait times, improve quality and consistency, and align with our core identity as a coffee company.”

Despite the cuts (see full list below), Starbucks is still adding new items. The announcement touts its recently launched “premium” Cortado espresso beverage, which “has already performed beyond our expectations.”

Starbucks will also bring back its Lavender beverages lineup this spring and introduce an “Iced Cherry Chai” and “Jalapeño Chicken Pocket” sandwich.   

Related: ‘Necessary Change’: Starbucks Is Laying Off 1,100 Corporate Workers and Eliminating Open Roles

“We’re helping to create a more intentional, thoughtful experience for our customers — one where every drink is handcrafted with precision and care,” the company said.

Starbucks shared the full list of the drinks that will be eliminated with The Associated Press. Here’s what is being cut next week.

1. Iced Matcha Lemonade
2. Espresso Frappuccino
3. Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino
4. Java Chip Frappuccino
5. White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
6. Chai Crème Frappuccino
7. Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino
8. Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino
9. Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino
10. White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino
11. White Hot Chocolate
12. Royal English Breakfast Latte
13. Honey Almondmilk Flat White

Craft and fabrics retailer Joann, which has been in business for the past 80 years, announced it is closing all 800 of its stores in 49 states and going out of business following a period of financial turmoil and low sales.

The company has 19,000 employees, 15,600 of whom are part-time.

Joann filed for bankruptcy in March 2024, going from a publicly traded company to a private one while reporting between $1 billion and $10 billion in debt. The company filed for bankruptcy again earlier this year, then stated that it would close 500 of its locations and keep about 300 open as it tried, and failed, to find a buyer to keep it in business.

Assets were auctioned off on Friday. According to a news release, the financial services firm GA Group was selected as the winning bidder. As part of the agreement, GA Group will shutter the company’s operations, choosing to shut the doors of all 800 Joann stores.

Related: Macy’s Just Released the List of 66 Stores Closing This Year — Here’s Where

“Joann leadership, our Board, advisors and legal partners made every possible effort to pursue a more favorable outcome that would keep the company in business,” the statement read. “We are committed to working constructively with the winning bidder to ensure an orderly wind-down of operations that minimizes the impact on all our stakeholders.”

Joann stated that going-out-of-business sales would start immediately at all locations and online, with the timeline for store closings still unclear. According to the company’s customer FAQ, store closure dates will be disclosed “as soon as possible” and the company expects to take “a number of weeks” to complete its final sales.

^{A Joann store in Miami, Florida. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images}

Crafters and designers took to X to express their sadness that Joann was closing.

“Joann is the reason I was able to have a small part of my life be that of a designer/maker,” one X user wrote. “It was the only accessible fabric store for millions of people. I’m gutted.”

Another X user wrote that it was “a dark day for crafters” while yet another stated that “the world is feeling increasingly devoid of inspiration and community.”

Sewist Julie Muniz presented a different take, writing on LinkedIn that shopping at Joann was “more of a necessary evil than an inspiring experience” and that “relying too heavily on a niche market and not heavily enough on customer loyalty and experience does not bode well for a lasting legacy.”

Joann is the reason I was able to have a small part of my life be that of a designer/maker. It was the only accessible fabric store for millions of people. I’m gutted. https://t.co/fdjzHwd4bk

— Kathryn Henzler (She/Her, Ace, Spoonie) ?? (@KathrynHenzler) February 24, 2025

Okay but Joann Fabrics finally biting the bullet is super sad news. It’s a dark day for crafters being in the middle of a project and being able to run to the store for a quick item.?

— Mal (@copperthimble) February 24, 2025

I’m so sad Joann’s Fabric is closing. I hate this online retail world where you can’t go look at and touch fabrics to get inspired to create, and you can’t meet strangers who share your interests in stores. The world is feeling increasingly devoid of inspiration and community

— ✨️Paige✨️ (@bejeweledpaige) February 25, 2025

Joann was established in 1943 as the Cleveland Fabric Shop. It began calling itself Jo-Ann Fabrics in the 1960s, then eventually Joann in March 2018.

Joann isn’t the only store to recently shut its doors. Kmart closed its last full-sized U.S. store in October while Sears shut down its last New York location in January, bringing its total number of stores in the U.S. down to just a dozen.

Related: A Historic Cheese Shop in New York’s Little Italy Is Closing After 130 Years in Business

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon says that despite employee pushback, and a petition signed by over 1,800 staff at the time of writing, most of JPMorgan’s 300,000 employees are still returning to the office full-time in March.

However, he admitted that he shouldn’t have cursed while speaking about it at a town hall in Ohio earlier this month.

“I should never curse, ever,” Dimon said in an interview with CNBC on Monday. “And I shouldn’t get angry and stuff like that.”

When addressing questions about the RTO mandate in mid-February, Dimon said, “Don’t give me the s— that ‘work from home Friday’ works.” He also said that JPMorgan was sticking with its return-to-office policy and he didn’t care “how many people sign that f—ing petition.”

Related: Jamie Dimon Says the U.S. Government Is ‘Not Very Competent’ and Hopes Elon Musk’s DOGE Is ‘Quite Successful’

Though Dimon’s delivery may have changed since the town hall, his core message has not. He told CNBC that he stands by in-person work and explained the move from three days in the office to five was in the best interests of JPMorgan and its clients.

“I completely respect people that don’t want to go to the office all five days a week,” Dimon stated, adding, “They can get a job elsewhere.”

^{JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon. Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images}

According to Dimon, JPMorgan is not entirely against remote work, with 10% of the bank’s jobs operating on a fully remote basis — and staying that way even after the return-to-office mandate. For example, the bank has built virtual call centers in Baltimore and Detroit that collectively employ more than 100 remote workers.

But while working from home may make sense for virtual call centers, Dimon doesn’t think it should apply to all JPMorgan employees. According to Bloomberg, 60% of JPMorgan staff, including managing directors and salespeople, are already at the office five days per week. The switch to fully in-person work in March affects back-office staff who currently work on a hybrid schedule.

“I’m not against work-from-home,” Dimon told CNBC. “I’m against where it doesn’t work… We’re not going to change. We’re going back to the office.”

Related: ‘Feels Like a Slap in the Face’: Some JPMorgan Employees Reportedly Aren’t Happy With Their Bonuses

JPMorgan first announced a strict return-to-office policy last month, with plans to implement it in March. Staff immediately flooded an internal website with over 300 comments calling out the policy’s negative impact on their commute and work-life balance. Employees circulated a petition addressed to Dimon calling for hybrid work to be the default mode of work at the bank. The petition has received 1,803 signatures as of press time.

JPMorgan is the largest bank in the U.S., with $3.9 trillion in assets. In mandating five days back in the office, the bank follows the examples of companies like Amazon, Walmart, and AT&T.

In modern businesses, creating and building a great personal brand is not just an asset; it has become a survival tool. Impressive metrics might catch attention, but it’s the founder’s personality and reputation that ultimately win over investors, partners and customers.

Why is a personal brand essential for founders?

According to Nielsen’s Global Trust in Advertising Survey, 92% of people trust individual recommendations rather than from companies. This demonstrates a very obvious truth that human beings need human ties and relatable stories more than they do polished corporate rhetoric. Moreover, 82% of respondents said they trust a company more if its CEO is active on social media, and 77% are more likely to buy from a company whose CEO publicly demonstrates expertise. These numbers align with my own experience. Of all the general assets at a company, nothing rivals what a founder’s strong personal brand can do.

At its core, a personal brand fosters trust. In an age overwhelmed with information, people need dependable touchpoints for reference. A well-crafted personal brand helps you stand out, creating emotional connections with your audience. This audience is not just limited to customers; it extends to partners, investors and employees.

Related: Why Rejection is a Startup’s Best Growth Strategy

What do investors look for in a founder?

Research from Zayed University reveals that 90% of investors look for traits like determination, passion and a willingness to learn in startup founders. Interestingly, personal branding becomes the means to showcase these attributes. When you share your success, talk about challenges you faced and highlight how you overcame them, you’re becoming more than just an entrepreneur but also an inspiring leader.

When founders invest in their brand, they attract potential investors’ interest while building confidence in their teams. In fact, 54% of surveyed investors noted that internal team dynamics play a crucial role in their decision-making. Such high-involvement teamwork comprises strong leadership and effective communication that inspires other team players.

Additionally, a personal brand gives you a platform to amplify your voice. Speaking at conferences or sharing your insights on industry challenges positions you as an authority. In that instant, you’re not even speaking about your company; you’re shaping a story that touches people’s lives. This is particularly vital for startups, where the energy and enthusiasm of people are the music that would make winning an everyday affair.

Personal branding as a networking tool

It is well known that networking serves as a keystone in success, and personal branding is an easy way to unlock innumerable opportunities. A famous founder accesses partners, mentors and investors easily. Your reputation precedes you, making you stand out at industry events and enabling you to connect with like-minded individuals.

Moreover, personal branding can directly impact funding opportunities. When a founder’s name is synonymous with success, their startup is more likely to get investments. Take names like Elon Musk, Steve Jobs or Richard Branson: their personal brands did not just speak about their companies, but they became a legacy in themselves for innovation and inspiration.

The impact of visibility

Early in my career, I worked on crafting my public image. By sharing insights on social media, attending events and remaining visible in professional circles, I was able to discover great investment opportunities and build lasting relationships with talented entrepreneurs.

One memorable experience was with the startup that had a working founder, who was quite established in their niche. This person regularly shared articles, celebrated achievements and openly discussed failures, demonstrating their ability to learn and grow. I trusted them based on their authenticity, and I was quite quick to see their project’s potential. That investment became one of the most successful ones in my investment career.

On the other hand, I have seen very talented entrepreneurs miss out on massive opportunities due to a lack of personal branding. One founder I met at a conference had an incredible product but no public presence. They shared no story or demonstrated their expertise, which made it difficult for them to attract investors and partners. This taught me an important lesson: even groundbreaking ideas need a face behind them to gain traction.

Related: How to Boost Your Business’s Visibility in Local Search Results

How to start building your personal brand

The first step in building your personal brand is understanding its value. It exists to give visibility, to furnish credence and to build trust. Start by little: create valuable content, share your thoughts and participate in events in your industry. The minute you get the story to show to the world, the world starts paying attention.

Authenticity is crucial. Trust is the foundation of a personal brand, and honesty is the source of trust. Do not hesitate to show your mistakes alongside your successes. People who don’t need to go into a closet to hide behind their fantasies are the most real; open folk are those people who get a lot more of people’s support.

Remember, building a personal brand is a long-term process. Start by defining your values, goals and target audience. Then, gradually develop a strategy, incorporating various formats and communication channels as you go.

Personal branding is no longer the privilege of the elite; rather, it has become almost compulsory for every startup founder. Personal branding lures investors into entering firms, facilitates team building, widens networks and earns confidence for the project. Think of it as an asset that works for you even when you’re not actively networking. Most importantly, it’s your chance to tell the world who you are and what you believe in.

Now that JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Tesla CEO and DOGE leader Elon Musk have repaired their relationship after years of litigation, Dimon is wishing Musk well on his new government endeavor.

When asked for his thoughts on DOGE and the agency’s effort to cut government waste on Monday by CNBC’s Leslie Picker, Dimon was upbeat.

Related: Want to Work for DOGE? Elon Musk Is Looking for ‘Super High-IQ’ Hires — But There’s a Catch

“I’m hoping it’s quite successful,” Dimon said.

Musk is considered a “special government employee” who’s officially serving under President Donald Trump, according to the White House. “A special government employee is anyone who works, or is expected to work, for the government for 130 days or less in a 365-day period,” per the U.S. Department of Justice.

DOGE’s function is to eliminate government waste, fraud, and abuse, according to the agency.

“The government is inefficient, not very competent, and needs a lot of work,” Dimon said.

“It’s not just about the deficit, it’s about building the right policies and procedures and the government we deserve,” he added.

When asked if he supports the “chain-saw approach” DOGE is taking to the federal government, Dimon said this is something that has been tried before.

“Remember, it was tried by Al Gore and Bill Clinton. It was tried by a bunch of other folks in the past,” he said. “Yes, they should try.”

Watch the full video on CNBC, here.

Related: JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon Fires Back at Employees Who Signed a Petition Calling for Hybrid Work

On the Amazon reality show “Beast Games,” contestants participated in a potato sack race, tower climbing task, and coin collection challenge, among others, as they competed for a $10 million cash prize, the single biggest prize in the history of television and streaming. The show, which aired the final episode of its first season on February 13, was Amazon’s biggest unscripted show ever, earning 50 million viewers in its first 25 days.

Now Jimmy Donaldson, the 26-year-old creator who is also known on YouTube as MrBeast, is revealing that he lost “tens of millions” of dollars on the show, but that he has no regrets about using his own money to help fill in the gaps in the show.

“I lost a ton of money filming the show,” Donaldson told Steven Bartlett on a “Diary of a CEO” podcast episode released earlier this month. “It was not a good financial decision to make ‘Beast Games’.”

^{Jimmy Donaldson. Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images}

Donaldson revealed that the first episode alone required over $15 million to construct the set, which consisted of 1,000 towers that were each 10 feet tall. The set of the second episode, meanwhile, took $14 million to build.

Related: MrBeast Has Grown Up. He Thinks His YouTube Videos Should Too.

Donaldson declined to specify how much the entire 10-episode season cost but said that the show cost more than its $100 million budget overall.

However, when Bartlett asked if he had any regrets, Donaldson said no.

“For me, it was about making season one as good as possible,” Donaldson stated. “I can’t let the YouTube community down.”

According to Donaldson, YouTube creators don’t have a good reputation when it comes to moving over to streaming platforms. He said that even he, as the YouTuber with the most subscribers in the world, struggled to garner interest among streaming executives for his show.

So the stakes weren’t just high for “Beast Games,” they were high for the YouTube community at large, Donaldson said. Now that the show is a success, doors are opening for him and other creators.

“I already know of two creators who have signed deals just based on the success of ‘Beast Games,’ and probably hundreds of millions of dollars [are] going to flow into creators’ pockets just because of ‘Beast Games’ in the next year,” Donaldson claimed.

Related: MrBeast Has Grown Up. He Thinks His YouTube Videos Should Too.

Donaldson also revealed in the interview that while he may be a billionaire on paper, he actually has less than $1 million in his bank account. Though he gives himself a salary, he ensures it is just enough to cover his personal expenses. He reinvests the rest into his brand.

Beast Games is available exclusively on Prime Video. According to Donaldson, the show attracts about 700,000 new unique viewers every day.

MacKenzie Scott has given large, unrestricted gifts to more than 2,450 nonprofits over the past six years. The 54-year-old donated over $2 billion in 2024 alone, bringing her total gifts to $19.2 billion since 2019.

Now, a new three-year analysis from the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) finds that Scott’s no-strings-attached gifts, with a median size of $5 million, have had a “transformative effect” on nonprofits by helping them expand their impact and become more financially stable.

CEP released the research earlier this month after surveying over 800 organizations that received donations from Scott from June to July 2024.

Related: MacKenzie Scott Donates $640 Million to Non-Profits After Elon Musk’s ‘Ex-Wife’ Comment on X

The overwhelming majority of nonprofit leaders, 93%, reported that Scott’s grant moderately or significantly strengthened their ability to carry out their mission. Most, 90%, said the gift bolstered their financial positions, while more than 60% said they used the grant to establish credibility with other funders.

The grants have also expanded nonprofits’ operating budgets and have helped them provide more of an impact on their communities while also improving their own employee’s well-being, the study notes.

The nonprofit Kaboom!, for example, builds playgrounds in areas that lack them. Scott donated $14 million to the organization in 2021, and more than doubled its annual operating budget.

After receiving a $9 million donation from Scott in 2020, the South Texas Food Bank nearly doubled the food it distributed — 14 million pounds in 2019 to 26 million in 2020. South Texas Food Bank CEO Alma Boubel told USA Today that the donation allowed the food bank to sustain distributing around 20 million pounds of food each year from 2021 to 2024 and provide its 42-person staff with free healthcare.

Related: Melinda French Gates Announces Open Call for $250 Million Fund. Here’s Who Can Apply.

Overall, Scott’s gifts have enabled 85% of nonprofit recipients to improve or expand their programming and given 52% a greater capacity to respond to the needs of the communities they serve, the study found.

“Few funders have the resources to give at the level that MacKenzie Scott is giving, but every funder can learn from her fascinating approach,” Phil Buchanan, president of CEP, stated in a press release.

^{MacKenzie Bezos. Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for J/P HRO Gala}

Nonprofit tax filings also reflected the impact of Scott’s contributions. The organizations that received awards from Scott had double the amount of cash reserves than comparable nonprofits.

Scott selected these nonprofits based on “quiet research,” or a discreet vetting process that carefully analyzed the organizations according to their size, mission, and track records. Some key focus areas of the grant recipients were human services (44%), education (41%), and health (35%). Recipients of the gifts can allocate the funds as they desire without input from Scott.

Still, some nonprofit leaders have identified drawbacks to Scott’s approach.

More than half (53%) were concerned that other funders might withdraw their support because they’d feel recipients didn’t need additional funding. More than 60% reported being afraid the grant would create a funding cliff, or decreased long-term funding.

Related: ‘I’m Inspired By All the Ways People Invest’: MacKenzie Scott Has Donated Over $2 Billion This Year. Here’s Where the Money Went—and Why.

The nonprofits Scott contributed to were, on average, larger than the norm with a median budget of $7 million. According to the National Council of Nonprofits, 88% of nonprofits have a budget of less than $500,000 per year. Scott also gave gift recipients more than expected, the CEP found. Compared to the median grant size tracked by the center of $123,000 among nonprofits as a whole, Scott’s contributions ranged from $300,000 to $80 million.

Scott’s wealth originates from the shares in Amazon she received after divorcing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019. Scott signed the Giving Pledge that year, writing that she had “a disproportionate amount of money to share” and would keep donating “until the safe is empty.”

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Scott is worth around $40.2 billion and is the 41st richest person in the world.

Related: ‘Wanted to Cry for Joy’: MacKenzie Scott Donates $65M Gift to Housing Nonprofit.

Sleep is important for your mental acuity and productivity, but the stress of running a business can keep entrepreneurs up at night. One recent study even found that 61% of small-business owners lose, on average, seven hours of sleep every week.

If you’re having trouble falling asleep, try relaxing with help from Calmind. This unique app transforms your phone’s flashlight into a tool to help you relax and drift to sleep peacefully. Normally, it would cost $299 for a lifetime subscription to Calmind, but now it’s only $49.99.

How business owners can relax

Calmind uses Flickering Light Stimulation (FLS) technology to create a soothing, meditative experience that guides your mind into relaxation. By emitting precise light patterns through your phone’s flashlight, it helps synchronize brainwaves, making it easier to achieve a deep state of calm, the company. This technique has been scientifically backed to support stress relief, emotional balance, and improved sleep, all without the need for medication, the company says.

Beyond sleep, Calmind offers a range of wellness programs that it says are designed for focus, relaxation, and even migraine relief. With more than 500 guided sessions, the app provides a personalized approach to mental health, helping you find clarity and peace whenever you need it. Whether you’re looking to unwind after a long workday, deepen your meditation practice, or boost your concentration, Calmind has a session tailored to your needs.

The app even includes a Safeplace Journal feature where you can document positive thoughts and moments of gratitude. Reflect on the successes of the day to be your own good example for tomorrow.

Invest in yourself. Get a Calmind Premium Lifetime Master Plan while it’s on sale for $49.99.

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Forming a startup is a lot of hard work for an entrepreneur. You’ve come up with an idea, developed a business plan, secured funding and put the business plan into action with your first customers or clients. But where do you go from here? The natural next step for any business is growth, and many startups often use PR to enable this growth.

One of the biggest obstacles a startup faces is getting the word out there. Simply put, if the public — or at least the intended customer base — of a business does not know it exists, that business is likely to end up among the more than two-thirds of startups that never deliver a positive return for their investors. Thankfully, public relations is the perfect way for a startup to announce its existence to the public.

Relate: How PR Can Attract Investors and Add Value to Your Startup

Why is PR for startups important?

The key function of public relations is to build brand awareness. To succeed in a crowded marketplace, startups must make themselves known to the public, and PR can help new businesses spread the word about their launches. Using tools like press releases, social media, events, influencer collaborations and media relations, a public relations campaign can transform a business from brand new to a household name.

Public relations also plays a vital role in helping a business shape its brand identity — a quality that is particularly important for businesses in the startup stage. How a business and its leader present themselves in the media provides the basis by which the public sees the company. PR efforts allow businesses to establish a consistent and compelling brand narrative that will resonate with their audience throughout their life cycle.

However, the most critical impact a PR campaign can have on a business and its leaders is helping build trust, credibility, and authority. Because startups are, by definition, new companies, they typically don’t have a reputation to build on. In rare cases, they may have serial entrepreneurs as founders or angel investors who lend the business credibility, but for the most part, business leaders have to work hard to earn trust.

Related: Why Startups Should Invest in Public Relations Right Now

What are some PR strategies to help startups find the right audience?

One approach to startup PR that can be particularly beneficial for business leaders hoping to develop this credibility with their customers and investors is “thought leadership.” In contrast with traditional PR, which focuses on pitching you and your business to people, thought leadership PR tactics are about establishing you as a subject matter expert in your field.

By being interviewed by journalists, appearing on podcasts, getting strategic media placements and contributing guest posts and op-ed articles about topics relevant to your business and industry, you will be seen as a leading voice on those topics.

You may be thinking, “That’s nice, but how does that impact the growth of my business?” Ultimately, it all comes down to reputation. When your target audience sees that you are one of the premier thought leaders on a particular topic, they know that you know what you’re talking about, and the chances of getting them as a customer or investor increase significantly.

How does public relations help startups achieve their business goals?

In some cases, public relations campaigns can lead to customer acquisition. The effects of stories about you and your company are more direct, while the effects of thought leadership-style PR are more reputational and have long-term impacts.

Business leaders can track the success of their public relations strategy in a variety of ways. Some media outlets may allow you to plug your business with backlinks, and if so, you can use a tracking URL to determine the source of your traffic. Otherwise, you can add a question like “How did you hear about us?” to the purchase page for your product or service. Although not exhaustive, both methods at least give you a better idea of how well your PR strategy works.

The other financial benefit of PR is an uptick in investor confidence. Many startups are either looking to attract additional funding for growth or sell to a larger company as part of a merger or acquisition. Public relations can help business leaders achieve these goals.

If your accomplishments have gotten meaningful press coverage in top-tier outlets and industry-specific niche publications, it means that you are doing something right as a business leader. Investors trust media channels like Entrepreneur, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and MarketWatch as the authoritative voices in the business world. If your name comes up in these places (for something good), they are more likely to trust you.

This is why public relations is crucial for startups. Business leaders must understand that public relations is an investment, and like any investment, it takes time to work with the right PR firm to pay off. However, with an effective PR strategy, the right PR professionals can attract customers and investors to your business, making public relations indispensable for any company looking to grow.

Imagine coming home from work, turning on the TV, and watching analysts dissect everything you did wrong that day. That’s life for professional athletes.

“People always have opinions about what we can do better,” says beloved Knicks star (yes, star) Josh Hart. “They even have narratives about you and your play.”

But in the podcast era, where anyone can pick up a mic and athletes have direct access to their fanbase, many are taking control of their own narratives. That’s where guys like Matt Hillman come in.

Like a great basketball team, a great sports podcast thrives when everyone plays their role. You need the superstar talent who draws the crowd, the comedic vibes guy who keeps the energy high, and, of course, the obligatory random white guy.

As co-host of The Roommates Podcast alongside Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, Hillman embraces that role. But in reality, he’s so much more.

“We wanted someone we could see as a long-term partner, be ourselves around, and who wouldn’t make it about them,” Hart says. “We both trust Matt, and to be honest, if we didn’t have a 3rd person, the dialogue might go off the rails pretty quickly,” added Brunson. “You never know with Josh.”

Hillman and Hart’s partnership began in high school, where they played on the same team and lived together. While Hillman pursued Division III basketball, he knew his future wasn’t on the court but stayed connected to the game, often visiting Hart at Villanova — where he also met their future co-host, Jalen Brunson.

After college, Hillman moved to L.A., coincidentally reuniting with Hart after he was drafted by the Lakers. As Hillman built his career — eventually founding and selling his marketing firm, Cut and Sew, to GameSquare Esports — they continued collaborating, including on LightHarted, one of the first podcasts hosted by an active NBA player.

Related: ‘Authenticity is Key’: How Two-Time NBA Champion Jrue Holiday is Prioritizing Mental Fitness and Fashion With Rhone

H(e)art over hype

“Early in his career, it was clear Josh had a standout personality and the potential to be known beyond basketball,” Hillman says. “He had that kind of star quality.”

Recognizing the opportunity, they launched LightHarted, positioning themselves as pioneers in the now-booming athlete media space. “What draws people in is the value of a player’s perspective,” Hillman explains. “Traditional media plays a vital role, but journalists bring their own opinions. Hearing directly from players offers a different level of insight.”

Think about it — who would you rather hear break down a game-winning shot: a TV analyst or someone who was actually on the court?

Back in the LightHarted days, an active player hosting a podcast was a rarity. Now, brands have plenty of options when it comes to athlete-led shows, making it less about landing a big name and more about building a distinct identity.

Hillman believes Roommates stands out because of the organic “brotherhood” he — and especially his co-hosts — share.

“It’s their banter, those unexpected tangents, like when we’re mid-interview and they suddenly start arguing about Josh’s lisp,” Hillman says. “That’s what people love because it’s authentically us. We don’t cut or edit those moments — we embrace them.”

Beyond his on-air role, Hillman serves as a bridge between Hart, Brunson, and potential brand partners. Much of his job involves filtering opportunities, whether selecting the right guests or aligning with brands that make sense for the Knicks duo.

“I’m really big on creating partnerships that feel organic and align with what the guys already do,” he shares.

A prime example came earlier this season when Hart and Brunson showed up in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-themed pregame outfits to promote the franchise’s collaboration with Fortnite.

“It’s about understanding what works for them, especially with their hectic schedules, and making sure partnerships feel natural rather than like a chore,” Hillman says.

Related: “Nothing Is Obvious the First Time”: How This Serial Entrepreneur Is Redefining Sports Media with On3

Pave your own path

He brings that same mentality to Path, the fitness influencer agency he founded last year. While relying on social media for fitness, diet and recovery advice, Hillman noticed that many top creators — despite having millions of followers — lacked management.

Recognizing that fitness influencing had emerged as a post-COVID phenomenon, with trainers shifting to digital content after losing in-person clients, he saw an opportunity. He launched Path to help these creators navigate the business side of their platforms, leveraging his experience with professional athletes to support the rapidly growing health and fitness space.

Though Roommates and Path may seem like separate ventures, Hillman sees them as deeply connected.

“When we bring a brand onto Roommates, I build relationships that can extend to Path and its influencers, and vice versa,” he says. “Ultimately, the more Roommates grows, the better it is for the show, the guys, myself, and everything in our orbit — including Path.”

Image Credit: The Roommates Podcast

What began as a way for Hart and Brunson to showcase their personalities has evolved into a lucrative venture for everyone involved — from the players themselves to the brands they collaborate with.

“The most eye-opening experience for me was our live event in Central Park,” Brunson says. “We had 5,000 people come out to support the show, and they didn’t even leave when it rained.”

Although they’ve joked about podcasting being their “real job,” both Hart and Brunson recognize that the podcast is only possible because of what they do on the court. Despite its success, they make a conscious effort not to take it too seriously.

“First and foremost, we want to keep enjoying it,” Brunson says. “That said, our eyes have really been opened to Roommates’ potential as a business, and we’re excited for what’s ahead.”