July 2025

Who says business trips can’t be a family affair? While the idea of bringing your kids along on a work trip might sound overwhelming, with the right approach, you can transform these trips into unforgettable adventures. Yes, you can manage back-to-back meetings while still splashing around in a hotel pool or exploring a nearby zoo with your little ones. Sound challenging? Maybe. Sound worth it? Absolutely!

Take my upcoming trip to Anaheim as an example. I’ll be heading to the West Coast Card Show, one of the most epic events for card collectors. But guess what? I won’t just be catching flights and shaking hands; I’ll also be making memories with my family. Disneyland is just a few blocks away. Over the years, I’ve fine-tuned the art of blending productivity with parenting, and now I’m here to share my go-to strategies.

1. Look for hotels that are a kid’s dream

First things first, the hotel. Your choice of accommodation can make or break your trip. Look for options that don’t just check the “comfortable bed” box but also offer kid-friendly extras like swimming pools, game rooms or themed family suites. Find the places where relaxation meets entertainment.

For example, I once booked a hotel in Orlando with an incredible outdoor pool and nightly movie screenings. While I attended meetings all day, my son and husband were living their best lives watching movies under the stars.

Related: 8 Smart Ways to Save on Your Summer Business Travel (and Have Fun, Too!)

2. Pack entertainment like a pro

Long airport delays, layovers and endless waiting can test your patience — and your kids’ patience, too. That’s why I always pack a stash of multi-use entertainment essentials. Think tablets loaded with apps, puzzles, e-books and portable art supplies. My golden rule? Have more options than you think you’ll need, because boredom waits for no one.

Take our layover in Chicago last summer. I whipped out a travel-friendly card game and some coloring supplies. By the time we got on the plane, my son was still buzzing from our impromptu gaming session.

3. Turn business trips into family adventures

Carve out dedicated time for fun, no matter how packed your work schedule is. Research family-friendly attractions near your meetings and make those excursions a guaranteed part of your itinerary. Treat these moments like business appointments, they’re just as important!

Once, during a hectic schedule in San Diego, I found myself with four precious hours between meetings. Instead of sitting around, I whisked the family to the world-renowned San Diego Zoo.

4. Make travel educational (and fun!)

Every trip is a treasure trove of teachable moments. Incorporate sprinkle-sized lessons into your kids’ travel experience, and they won’t even know they’re learning. From geography and history to new cultures, every destination offers something cool for kids to soak up.

For example, during a trip to Washington, D.C., every cab ride became a brief sightseeing tour.

5. Scout out kid-friendly eats

Finding a great spot to eat in a new city doesn’t have to be overwhelming. There are tons of family-friendly restaurants that offer excellent food and kid-approved vibes. Bonus points if they have games, outdoor seating or crayons to keep the kids entertained.

During a work trip to Austin, I uncovered a BBQ restaurant with live music and backyard games like cornhole. My son made instant friends and ran around with endless energy. It was hands-down one of the most fun and relaxing meals of our trip.

6. Snacks = parent superpower

Meetings and kids often mix like oil and water, but snacks can change everything. I bring snacks everywhere, think granola bars, chocolates or fun reward treats. A little motivation goes a long way when minutes stretch a bit long for little ones.

For example, during a quick coffee shop meeting in Seattle, I pulled out cookies I’d grabbed earlier as a tiny “thank you” to my son for his patience.

7. Recharge with outdoor escapes

After sitting through long meetings, kids can get pretty antsy (okay, adults, too). This is where outdoor activities save the day! Hit up parks, playgrounds or nearby trails to burn off steam and bring back those vibrant smiles.

8. Encourage kids to co-plan

One guaranteed way to keep kids excited about a trip? Give them a role in deciding what to do! Offer two or three activity options from your pre-research and let them choose. Their excitement will skyrocket when they feel like they’re part of the planning team.

Before heading to Long Beach, I asked my son to pick an activity. He voted for the Aquarium of the Pacific, and I fit it into our schedule.

9. Make the most of early mornings and evenings

Early mornings and evenings are golden for family bonding, especially on busy business trips. Use those quieter hours for shared meals, quick activities or even just cuddling in bed before the day kicks off.

On a whirlwind trip to New York, we started one morning with breakfast and a stroll through Central Park. Those peaceful moments set a sweet tone for the rest of a busy day.

Related: I Take 75 Business Trips a Year — These 10 Tips Save Me Time, Money and Sanity

10. Relax, adapt and enjoy

Business trips with kids don’t have to be intimidating or stressful. Instead, they can evolve into extraordinary opportunities to bond, explore and show your family that work and fun can coexist. Plan thoughtfully, get creative and lean into the chaos just a little. You might discover that the best memories are made when you least expect them.

Join top CEOs, founders and operators at the Level Up conference to unlock strategies for scaling your business, boosting revenue and building sustainable success.

Barbara Corcoran famously sold the real estate company she founded for $66 million in 2001. Since then, she became an original investor on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” which is now filming its 17th season, and now makes about $4.5 million a year from her investments.

On Tuesday, Corcoran posted on Instagram that, despite accumulating millions, there are some “rules to being rich” that she wishes she had known sooner.

Related: Barbara Corcoran Did ‘Crazy Things’ to Retain Employees, From Hot Air Balloon Rides to a Free Bentley: ‘We Had No Turnover’

“If you want to be rich, follow these rules,” the post begins. Then she lists 11 “rules” that she lives by when building her businesses.

Some rules, Corcoran has talked about before, such as not hiring “fancy degrees” and opting for hustle and attitude, instead. Corcoran famously “doesn’t look at resumes.” Others are new, like what Corcoran says is the “most important part of your budget,” what she calls “mad money,” or the money “you spend on yourself to feel like a million bucks.” Corcoran recommends setting money aside to look the part — in 2023, she told viewers that she spent her first-ever commission check on a $320 peacoat at luxury retailer Bergdorf Goodman, despite not being able to afford it. She said it was the best purchase she ever made.

Here are some other rules to being rich, according to Corcoran.

• Spend less than you make.

“You can’t grow wealth if you’re always playing catch-up.”

“The most successful people I know all have one thing in common: They spend little time feeling sorry for themselves, and they get right back up. Keep swinging!”

Related: Barbara Corcoran Needed to Make Job Cuts. Here’s Why She Fired Her Mom First.

• Start before you’re ready.

“The best time to move on an idea is the moment you think of it. You don’t have to get it right, just get it going.”

• Have a vision of where you want to go.

“I saw myself as the queen of New York real estate, clear as day, and that’s what I became. If you can imagine it, you can build it.”

Join top CEOs, founders and operators at the Level Up conference to unlock strategies for scaling your business, boosting revenue and building sustainable success.

JPMorgan Chase is far ahead of its rivals — but the bank is still running the race with an eye on its competition.

In the first half of the year, JPMorgan’s market value reached nearly $800 billion, more than the market values of its competitors Citigroup ($168 billion), Bank of America ($344 billion), and Wells Fargo ($260 billion) combined. In the same period, the bank raked in $30 billion in profit.

According to a Wednesday Bloomberg report, JPMorgan was able to reach market value highs because it benefited from acquiring First Republic Bank in May 2023. The acquisition made the bank even larger and more powerful, allowing it to be the biggest bank in the U.S. with $3.9 trillion in assets at the time of writing.

Related: JPMorgan Will Fire Junior Bankers Over a Common Practice That CEO Jamie Dimon Calls ‘Unethical’

Meanwhile, JPMorgan’s competitors have been facing unique difficulties. For example, Wells Fargo’s growth in recent years has been limited by an asset cap, or a growth restriction imposed on the bank by the Federal Reserve in 2018, which limits the bank’s total assets to $1.95 trillion. The action was in response to a scandal involving the bank’s creation of fake customer accounts to meet sales targets. The Federal Reserve finally lifted the asset cap last month.

Citigroup, meanwhile, has been in the middle of a significant, multi-billion-dollar tech overhaul aimed at improving legacy software systems, and Bank of America has faced losses that could top $100 billion on its bond portfolio.

Still, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon isn’t ready to “just declare victory,” pointing out that the bank’s rivals are gaining ground.

“All of our major bank competitors are back growing and expanding,” Dimon said on an earnings call on Tuesday. “We’re quite cautious to just declare victory, like somehow we’re entitled to these returns forever.”

^{JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon. Photographer: Patrick Bolger/Bloomberg via Getty Images}

JPMorgan reported its second-quarter results on Tuesday, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of stronger-than-expected earnings. Reported revenue for the quarter was $44.9 billion, higher than the revenue of $43.8 billion that analysts expected. The bank’s net interest income, or the income it makes from loans and other products after interest payments, was $23.3 billion, up 2% year-over-year, while net income as a whole was $15 billion.

Related: JPMorgan Chase Says AI Could Cut Headcount By 10% in Some Divisions: ‘We Will Deliver More’

JPMorgan’s competitors are also reporting better-than-expected earnings. On Tuesday, Citi reported a net income of $4.02 billion, up 25% from the same period last year. The same day, Wells Fargo surpassed profit estimates with a net income of $5.49 billion, up from $4.91 billion a year prior.

On Wednesday, Bank of America beat estimates on earnings, with a net income of $7.1 billion compared to $6.9 billion a year prior, but was the only major U.S. bank to miss the mark on revenue.

JPMorgan shares were up over 19% year-to-date.

Join top CEOs, founders and operators at the Level Up conference to unlock strategies for scaling your business, boosting revenue and building sustainable success.

Professional skills and experience are essential in hiring, but they’re only part of the equation. When screening candidates, it’s equally important to consider how well someone aligns with your company’s culture. This alignment influences employee satisfaction, team collaboration and long term retention. In short, it’s the difference between simply filling a role and building a resilient, values-driven organization.

In my own hiring process, I look beyond resumes and technical credentials. I pay close attention to how candidates show adaptability, a growth mindset and genuine interest in our mission. I want to know how they work with others, how they respond to change and whether they value integrity and transparency — two of our organization’s core principles. One of my go-to questions is how they’ve handled an ethical dilemma. Their response often reveals far more than a skills test ever could.

Your priorities may differ depending on your team’s culture, but the approach to identifying fit should follow a similar framework. Here’s how to build a hiring process that balances competency with cultural alignment.

Related: I’ve Worked with Hundreds of Entrepreneurs to Scale Their Teams. Here’s How to Get the Right People Onboard

Understand and define your company culture

Before you can screen for culture fit, you need a clear understanding of what your culture actually is. That includes your mission, values, communication norms, leadership style and even how people collaborate day to day. Culture isn’t a poster on the wall — it’s how work actually gets done.

Gallup research shows that just four in 10 U.S. employees strongly agree their company’s mission makes them feel their job is important. In other words, candidates are looking for meaning, not just a paycheck. They’re researching your company before applying, and if your values aren’t visible or clearly defined, they won’t know whether to self-select in — or out.

During interviews, one question I often ask is: “Can you tell me about a time you had to adapt to a major change at work?” This helps gauge flexibility, resilience and values in action — key indicators of whether a candidate will thrive in our fast-moving environment.

Embed culture into your hiring materials

Introducing your culture early sets the tone for the entire candidate experience. By weaving your values and workplace norms into job descriptions, career pages and interviews, you attract applicants who resonate with your environment — and deter those who don’t.

For example, I always outline our mission, values and expectations upfront. We design interview questions around real scenarios our teams face, which allows candidates to demonstrate not only how they think, but how they’d show up day-to-day.

Some practical ways to showcase culture in your hiring process include:

• Sharing employee testimonials on your website or LinkedIn.
• Describing communication preferences, workplace flexibility and performance expectations clearly in job posts.
• Using real-life examples in interviews to reflect your values in action.

Use open-ended, insightful questions

Open-ended questions spark conversation — and surface the deeper qualities that make or break team dynamics. Instead of asking yes or no questions or relying solely on hypothetical situations, let candidates tell real stories about their experiences.

This approach helps reveal how they solve problems, navigate conflict, take initiative and collaborate — all things that influence team chemistry and performance. It also allows you to assess communication style and thought process, both critical for a healthy, effective work culture.

Related: Your Team Will Succeed Only if They Trust Each Other

Be transparent from the start

Hiring is a two-way decision. The more transparent you are about the role, the team, and the challenges involved, the more likely you’ll find candidates who are genuinely prepared and excited to contribute. If there are tough aspects of the role — unusual hours, evolving responsibilities or shifting team structures — say so upfront.

Transparency filters out misaligned candidates early and sets the tone for an honest, trust-based relationship.

Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? Join us at Level Up, a conference for ambitious business leaders to unlock new growth opportunities.

We entrepreneurs pour our hearts and souls into our businesses. They are the products of our creative energy, our passion-made manifest.

If you’re like me, you assume that any customer who takes the time to leave a review wouldn’t dream of giving anything less than five stars. You may have even come to expect a steady stream of glowing reviews, so when a customer leaves a one- or two-star review, it can feel like the biggest gut punch.

You’re not alone in this. I’ve gone through it personally, and I can tell you, first of all, congratulations! Any business or brand worth its salt will inevitably attract haters. Your business is growing, maturing and scaling to a point where occasional negative feedback is inevitable. That said, the way in which you respond to this feedback is critical. Don’t underestimate the damaging effect that bad reviews can have on your business, especially if the complaints are consistent in nature, highlighting problems that need urgent attention.

The entrepreneur should offer measured, thoughtful responses to negative reviews but not every complaint is created equal. Here are a few important considerations and strategies for handling the dreaded negative review.

Related: Bad Reviews Can Destroy a Small Business. But If You Get One, Here’s How to Bounce Back.

Is it legit?

Some reviews are just bogus. One of your competitors may be trying to undermine your business and thinks that leaving one or more bad reviews is the way to do it. Someone may confuse your business with another. Or, someone may simply be trolling and wants to use your business as the butt-end of an inside joke.

These reviews are a fair bit easier to deal with than the ones that have some basis in reality. If you report an illegitimate review to Google or Yelp, they are likely to remove the bogus review from their site.

When to respond

Most business owners understand that having the option to reply to negative reviews presents an advantage, a chance to mitigate the damage done. But many business owners, unfortunately, do not respond as effectively as they could.

Samara Scott-Hunter, host of the Salon Rising podcast, has noticed an off-putting defensiveness in how other business owners often respond to negative reviews and believes there’s a better way. After being blindsided by a one-star review that Scott-Hunter felt was deeply unfair, she decided to wait before posting her response. Her cool-off period lasted a whole month, and when she did respond, she made sure she was in the right frame of mind to do so.

I remember I was sitting in front of my fireplace. I was just in a really happy place, and it was a Sunday afternoon. I thought to myself, I’m going to respond to that review, because I feel really happy right now.

There’s wisdom here. If you’re like me and many other entrepreneurs, receiving a bad review elicits a highly emotional reaction. In most cases, you don’t want that red-hot emotion showing up in your public written response to the review. Nor do you want your hasty reply to be met with subsequent complaints and rebuttals from your critic. Therefore, do what Scott-Hunter did, and allow yourself a cooling-off period. Not only will this improve the quality of your response, but it will also be less likely that you’ll bait your critic into an unproductive back-and-forth.

Related: 94% of Customers Say a Bad Review Made Them Avoid Buying From a Brand. Try These 4 Techniques to Protect Your Brand Reputation.

How to respond

You may also invite the customer to reach out to your firm’s dedicated support staff. Do this by providing the name, email and phone number for your support personnel in your reply. My company has a dedicated customer experience lead who acts as a first responder in the event of a bad review.

For me, the typical format for replying to bad reviews should consist of an apology. I don’t think you need to explicitly admit to wrongdoing, but you can express regret for the customer’s negative experience. Next, you need to express empathy. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and understand that she may be providing this feedback not to hurt your business but to help it improve.

That said, let’s not be naïve; as your business grows, you will encounter some customers who are simply impossible to please. These customers may have woken up on the wrong side of the bed, recently lost their pet or a loved one, who knows — but for whatever reason, they’re determined to have a go at you online. I advise concluding your response by directing your customer to the relevant support personnel in your organization and assuring them that every reasonable action will be taken to address their complaint. My company has a dedicated customer experience lead who acts as a first responder in the event of a bad review. Her name, email and phone number is provided to the customer along with my response.

If possible, you or a member of your support team should reach out to the customer privately and do what you can to address their complaint. If you are successful here, and the customer is satisfied, then you may ask the customer to modify their negative review, perhaps changing one- or two-stars to four- or five.

Be careful here, you don’t want to come across as pushy, as if you’re dead set on getting the customer to change their review or take it down. Approach the situation with a genuine curiosity about the customer’s experience, with a real desire to know where things went wrong. Don’t ask for any favors without first making it abundantly clear how much you care about their experience with your business or brand and appreciate their feedback.

Soliciting and screening reviews

When it comes to soliciting customer reviews and containing negative feedback before it goes public, there’s no shortage of CRM (customer relationship management) software utilities from which to choose.

If you use one or more of these utilities, keep in mind that platforms such as Google and Yelp prohibit the practice of “review gating,” which is the selective promotion of positive reviews. A review-gating software may email a recent customer, ask them about their experience and direct them to post a review on Google or Yelp if and only if they’ve had a five-star experience.

While review gating is frowned upon, there’s nothing wrong with a business providing great services or products and actively soliciting honest feedback. A winning and ethical attitude for a business is to welcome all feedback and to utilize the negative feedback in pursuit of continuous improvement.

Related: How to Remove Negative Reviews Online and Protect Your Online Reputation

Try not to take it personally

Don’t take it personally. Yes, way easier said than done. But as an entrepreneur, it’s imperative that you identify the growth opportunity in every setback. Even if you find yourself heartbroken by a string of bad reviews about the business you’ve worked so hard to build, the right approach is to respond attentively, proactively and with resolve to make all the needed adjustments and improvements. Craft your responses to be impassive, empathetic and constructive. Remember, you can never please everyone all of the time. So, stay open-minded, stay humble and let every challenge sharpen your resolve to build and run a business worthy of your passion.

Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? Join us at Level Up, a conference for ambitious business leaders to unlock new growth opportunities.

Startups often spend months perfecting their product, but forget to tell the world it exists.

That’s a costly mistake.

A classic study in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science found that public relations is nearly three times more effective than advertising when it comes to launching new products. PR doesn’t just promote — it positions, builds credibility, and creates the kind of buzz money can’t buy.

But here’s the catch: you only get one shot at being “new.” If you miss the PR window during your launch, the opportunity doesn’t come back. That’s why timing and strategy are everything.

Related: 11 Effective Marketing Strategies to Help Streamline Your Startup

Why the media cares about your launch (but only once)

Journalists are wired to cover what’s new. New company. New product. New idea. But only while it’s new. Once your startup is live and quietly running in the background, it’s no longer a story — no matter how brilliant it is.

That makes the months leading up to your launch critical. PR isn’t something you add after you go live — it’s something you bake in beforehand.

Startups that treat PR as an afterthought don’t just lose media opportunities. They lose credibility, visibility and momentum right out of the gate.

A smarter launch: Build buzz before you go public

Think of PR as your soft opening. Reporters love early access. Just like music journalists get advance streams and book reviewers receive early copies, your product should be previewed by media insiders before the public sees it.

Offer select journalists early access. Create an experience that makes them feel included and excited, not just informed.

Ideally, set aside at least three to six months before launch to focus exclusively on PR. If that time’s not built into your plan, consider delaying the launch. Seriously. The lost attention from skipping PR often costs far more than a postponed release.

Step-by-step: Laying the foundation for a successful PR launch

Here’s how to start building your PR momentum now:

1. Identify the right journalists

Look for reporters who already cover your space. Study what they write about. Note which ones your target audience follows. Then gather their contact details — Twitter, LinkedIn, email — and track everything in a media list spreadsheet.

2. Build relationships before you pitch

Start engaging now. Comment on their articles. Share their stories. Send a quick message of appreciation. Do not pitch your company yet — the goal is simply to get on their radar in a genuine way.

3. Develop a clear PR strategy (not just a press release)

PR isn’t marketing. Your goal is to help journalists tell a story that matters to their readers. Ask yourself: What’s the angle here? Why would this audience care?

In addition to press releases, consider:

• Hosting a pre-launch event or virtual demo
• Sending out early access or product samples
• Creating a media advisory (not just a press release)
• Developing unique story pitches for different outlets

Start with broad business outlets. Then move to trade publications. Then niche verticals. This staggered strategy protects your team from being overwhelmed and keeps your brand in the spotlight longer.

Don’t have time? Outsource to experts who do

Yes, this takes real effort. But you don’t have to do it all yourself.

Some PR agencies now specialize in short-term launch campaigns — no expensive retainer required. These firms often have pre-existing media relationships and know exactly how to turn your launch into a headline.

This approach also avoids the cost and complexity of hiring full-time, in-house PR staff.

Even if your business is already live, bringing in trusted PR professionals can help you recover momentum. Journalists are far more likely to respond to a pitch from someone they already know.

Related: Four Tried-and-True Ways to Better Market Your Business

You only launch once — make it count

You can always tweak your product or adjust your marketing. But you only get one shot at a first impression — and that’s what PR is built for.

Whether you run your own campaign or hire an expert team, don’t waste your “new” status. The right PR strategy at launch can earn the visibility, trust, and authority that advertising can’t match.

And it all starts before anyone knows your name.

Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? Join us at Level Up, a conference for ambitious business leaders to unlock new growth opportunities.

AI search engine startup Perplexity internally mandated the use of AI coding tools — and says that its engineers have been noticeably more productive.

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas told Y Combinator that the startup “made it compulsory” for its engineers to use AI coding tools such as Cursor or GitHub Copilot. These tools can generate blocks of code and debug programs.

Related: AI Is Already Writing About 30% of Code at Microsoft and Google. Here’s What It Means for Software Engineers.

Srinivas said that Perplexity engineers have seen measurable outcomes so far: Using the tools cuts down on “experimentation time” for new tasks from “three, four days to literally one hour,” he said.

“That level of change is incredible,” Srinivas stated. “The speed at which we can fix bugs and ship to production is crazy.”

Perplexity’s AI search engine reported a 20% month-over-month growth in May with 780 million queries.

^{Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images}

Related: Google’s CEO Is Spending His Free Time ‘Vibe Coding’ a Webpage with AI: ‘I’ve Just Been Messing Around’

At Bloomberg’s Tech Summit in May, Srinivas predicted that within a year, Perplexity would be handling “a billion queries a week.” He pointed out that when the AI search engine first got started in 2022, it processed 3,000 queries a day, advancing to 30 million queries a day by May.

“It’s been phenomenal growth,” Srinivas stated at the event.

Still, there “are issues,” Srinivas said about using AI coding assistants, noting that the tools can introduce new bugs that software engineers aren’t familiar with and don’t know how to fix.

Last week, Perplexity introduced Comet, an AI-powered web browser that takes on Google Search and Google Chrome. Comet uses Perplexity’s AI search engine as its default tool, putting the company’s core product front and center for users.

In May, Perplexity was reportedly in late-stage talks for a $500 million funding round that would value the company at $14 billion.

Related: ‘Building It Ourselves’: Morgan Stanley Created an AI Tool to Fix the Most Annoying Part of Coding. Here’s How It Works.

Join top CEOs, founders and operators at the Level Up conference to unlock strategies for scaling your business, boosting revenue and building sustainable success.

It’s 2025, and the business landscape is more crowded than ever. In almost every industry, buyers have endless choices — and less patience for cold calls, generic email blasts or outdated lead forms. Traditional lead generation isn’t just ineffective—it’s being ignored.

Instead, organic marketing has taken center stage. In fact, up to 27% of businesses now say the majority of their leads come from organic search. It’s no surprise that more companies are shifting away from interruption-based strategies and leaning into credibility-driven approaches, especially through thought leadership PR.

Related: 5 Effective Thought Leadership PR Tactics for Your Startup

What is thought leadership PR — and why should you care?

Thought leadership PR isn’t about blanketing your brand name across every outlet or going viral on social media. It’s about positioning you — the founder, executive or expert — as a trusted authority in your space.

When someone Googles a question related to your industry, do they find your voice offering insight, or someone else’s? Thought leadership puts you at the center of that conversation. It builds a digital footprint that not only earns trust but also turns you into the go-to source when prospects are looking for solutions.

Three ways to build thought leadership authority

You don’t need a PR team or a massive media budget to get started. Here are three powerful ways to establish yourself as a thought leader:

• Content marketing and media coverage: Publish insightful blog posts, LinkedIn articles and industry op-eds that show your depth of thinking. Contribute to relevant media outlets. When others cite your expertise, your credibility grows.
• Podcasts: Tap into loyal, niche audiences by appearing on podcasts or launching your own. Podcast listeners are high-intent and tend to view guests as trusted guides.
• Social media: Share behind-the-scenes knowledge, timely takes and actionable insights on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok. Informative content — not flashy branding — is what earns trust.

Why thought leadership wins in today’s market

Modern buyers — especially in B2B — are savvier than ever. They’re not waiting to be sold to; they’re researching before you even know they exist. One study found that 70% of the B2B buying process happens before a prospect reaches out.

That means your public presence matters. When potential clients search for answers and consistently find you offering them, you’ve already earned their trust before the first call.

And that trust accelerates everything — your credibility, your sales process, and your word-of-mouth momentum. Thought leadership turns your name into a shortcut for quality.

Even more: it builds long-term loyalty. When customers see you not just as a vendor but as a trusted advisor, your value increases and your relationships become stickier.

What real thought leadership looks like

To be clear, thought leadership isn’t just about posting content. It’s about being relevant, helpful and authentic.

Here’s what works:

• Speak from experience. Share stories and lessons — not just facts. Talk about challenges you’ve faced or trends you’ve navigated.
• Offer guidance, not self-promotion. No one wants a sales pitch masked as content. Give people ideas they can use, even if they never buy from you.
• Pick a niche and go deep. You don’t need to be everywhere. You need to be clear about who you serve and what you stand for. This clarity helps the right people find you — and follow you.

For example, if you run a wellness brand, talk about how your approach to stress management helped a client avoid burnout. If you run a PR firm, break down real-world strategies that helped a small brand punch above its weight.

Related: Own Your Expertise — 13 Ways to Elevate Your Thought Leadership

Choosing the right platform and strategy

Where you show up matters as much as what you say. Align your thought leadership strategy with where your audience actually spends time:

• LinkedIn: Ideal for B2B leaders, consultants and service providers.
• Instagram and TikTok: Better for consumer-facing experts and brands.
• YouTube or Substack: Great for deep dives and long-form storytelling.

Don’t try to be everywhere — pick one or two platforms where you can consistently show up with substance.

The long-term power of evergreen authority

Unlike cold outreach or paid ads that stop working the moment you pause spending, thought leadership is a compounding asset. Blog posts, podcast interviews and articles keep working for you long after they’re published. They show up in search results, circulate among peers and reinforce your credibility over time.

Yes, it takes consistency and intention. But for entrepreneurs who want to build a trusted name and attract ideal clients without chasing them, it’s one of the most effective moves you can make.

In a market full of noise, be the signal

Today’s buyers don’t just want to know what you sell — they want to know what you stand for. Thought leadership PR helps you rise above the noise, become known for your expertise and create inbound momentum that feels effortless — because it’s built on earned trust, not constant pitching.

Your next customer is already searching for answers. Thought leadership makes sure you’re the one they find.

This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Nikki Seaman, the 29-year-old, Atlanta, Georgia-based entrepreneur behind olive brand Freestyle Snacks. Learn more about her business journey, here. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

^{Image Credit: Courtesy of Freestyle Snacks. Nikki Seaman.}

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What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle?
I was on an externship from my management consulting job at Bain & Co, leading special projects at Whisps Cheese Crisps.

When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
The idea of Freestyle Snacks came about in 2021. I found inspiration during the pandemic, as olive bars in grocery stores shut down, and I was forced to get my olive fix from the traditional olive aisle. The “eyeballs” in a jar just weren’t cutting it for me in terms of quality and convenience. So I decided to create an easier, more enjoyable way to eat olives.

Related: They Started a Side Hustle Producing an ‘Obvious’ Food Item. It Hit $300,000 Monthly Revenue Fast — On Track for Over $20 Million in 2025.

What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground? How much money/investment did it take to launch?
I started by focusing on consumer data. I lived in Mintel reports, and I ran a bunch of surveys to pressure-test if there was real demand. I would stand in the olive aisle at the grocery store and interview olive-lovers about their preferences. After calling over 200 co-packers, I was able to find a partner to bring my vision for Freestyle Snacks to life. Including our packaging design, materials and first production run, I spent around $50,000 in savings to get to market.

^{Image Credit: Courtesy of Freestyle Snacks}

Are there any free or paid resources that have been especially helpful for you in starting and running this business?
No matter the industry, finding a community and other founders to chat with is invaluable. When I was first getting started, I would stack my Fridays with meetings with other CPG founders to see what I could learn from their wins and their mistakes. For my industry, the Startup CPG community is a great place to find other like-minded individuals who are eager to help and support. In running the business, one resource that has been incredible for us lately is TikTok — it is free organic reach to millions of potential customers, and we are investing a lot of time on this platform.

If you could go back in your business journey and change one process or approach, what would it be, and how do you wish you’d done it differently?
I would have taken more time to build a stronger bench of part-time help earlier. In the beginning, I was doing everything from shipping samples to managing QuickBooks and answering customer emails at midnight. It was, of course, scrappy, but it was also draining and unsustainable. Looking back, I could have brought in affordable support sooner to free up my time for the highest-impact work. Some of my best hires are my virtual assistants; they truly save me so much time, and the business couldn’t run without them.

Related: Tired of ‘Culturally Obtuse’ Products, This 27-Year-Old Took His Side Hustle From $1,000 a Month to 7-Figure Revenue: ‘Pick the Right Opportunity to Pursue’

When it comes to this specific business, what is something you’ve found particularly challenging and/or surprising that people who get into this type of work should be prepared for, but likely aren’t?
Retail distribution sounds exciting, but it is incredibly operationally intense. From logistics coordination to managing distributor deductions to planning for promotions, it is a constant challenge. It can be expensive to get your product on the shelf, and that’s just the beginning. The real fun comes in making sure the product is actually selling off the shelf.

Can you recall a specific instance when something went very wrong? How did you fix it?
We had a few operational hiccups very early on. One nightmare was when we received our latest packaging order from our supplier, and there were holes in the packaging near the resealable zipper. We didn’t realize this until after we’d packed thousands of products. Luckily, we were able to expedite a new order of packaging and tested it thoroughly, and now we are hypervigilant about all suppliers we work with.

How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much did the side hustle earn?
Since I didn’t go the farmers market path, we tested product-market fit by putting the product online and seeing if it sold. Within our first two days of launch, we sold over $10,000 worth of olive snacks. I started seeing consistent revenue only after the first year, once our products landed in major retailers and demand was a bit more predictable.

^{Image Credit: Courtesy of Freestyle Snacks}

Related: ‘You Can Go Viral Overnight’: This College Student and His Brother Spent $5,000 to Start a Side Hustle — Now Their Brand’s Making Over $175 Million

What does growth and revenue look like now?
Freestyle is now in about 5,000 retail locations, including Whole Foods, Target, CVS, Harris Teeter and Giant Food, and we’re just getting started. We have seen strong retail velocity and six-figure monthly sales, with growth driven by expanded retail distribution and a high repeat purchase rate in our existing retail footprint.

How much time do you spend working on your business on a daily, weekly or monthly basis? How do you structure that time? What does a typical day or week of work look like for you?
This started as a side hustle but quickly turned into a full-time job and more. I now work on Freestyle full-time, often from my home office and sometimes out of our garage, which has become overflow storage. I work pretty much seven days a week, with the weekends being lighter. I love to use the weekends for catching up on admin work or internal projects and conducting store visits. My days vary but usually include a mix of operations, sales outreach and strategy, content creation and team management. I also try to carve out time for creative and strategic thinking so I do not get stuck in execution mode.

What do you enjoy most about running this business?
I love creating something from nothing and seeing people genuinely enjoy it. It never gets old when someone discovers Freestyle Snacks and shares what an essential snack it has become for them, whether they are diabetic, looking for a low-calorie snack or just craving a good olive. The best is all of the folks we’ve converted to the dark green side, who used to hate olives until they tried Freestyle!

Related: The ‘Hustle’ He Started Out of His Station Wagon Became a Nationwide Business That’s About to Hit $300 Million: ‘Everything We Do Is Pretty Simple’

What is your best piece of specific, actionable business advice?
In order to succeed, you need to have grit, passion and perseverance. You will face many rejections, have to navigate operational challenges and sometimes feel like the world is crumbling around you. Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster. I like to stay grounded by focusing on being 1% better each day. These incremental improvements to the business truly add up to something incredible.

This article is part of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of being a young business owner.

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David Handler embodies the classic line: “If you build it, they will come.”

After graduating from the Manhattan School of Music, the violinist and composer wasn’t happy with the spaces available for audiences to experience live classical music. “The costs were prohibitive, and the concert rituals were confusing — when am I allowed to cough?” he told Entrepreneur. “I realized there was a problem of packaging that was disassociating younger listeners from the music I had an almost religious devotion to. Not just classical music, but really ambitious deep listening kind of music.”

In 2008, he and classmate Justin Kantor founded (Le) Poisson Rouge, a music and multimedia art venue, in the spot that was once home to the legendary New York City jazz club The Village Gate. Since opening its doors, LPR has become known for hosting performances by boundary-pushing artists, as well as intimate shows from icons like Thom Yorke, Yo-Yo Ma, Lady Gaga, Iggy Pop, Lorde, Beck and Philip Glass.

Handler spoke with Entrepreneur about how he turned his passion into a thriving business and offered his best advice for those who dream of bringing their artistic vision to life. (Answers have been edited for length and clarity.)

New York City has so many music venues. What did you feel was missing when you launched LPR?
The music that we now hear in concert halls used to be played in chambers that much more closely resembled a jazz club. The music was a living, breathing thing, and people were interacting with it in a different way. There was less pretension. At the time we decided to open LPR, it seemed like there was this reciprocal interest — art institutions needing more spontaneity and nightlife needing a little bit more substance. So I wrote a business plan to try and revive the arts and deepen late-night culture in New York City.

Singer-songwriter Julian Velard performs at LPR. (Photo Credit: LPR)

How did you get started writing your business plan?
I was 27 years old, and it was a tall order. I had never managed a bar, let alone opened a place. So in my pitch, I told would-be investors who were already donors to uptown institutions and said, “Look, I am a conservatory graduate, I have a finger on the pulse of what is also cool as a young person. If you give me a fraction of what you’re donating to Carnegie Hall or the Metropolitan Opera House, I will expand listenership and audience, and you might even see a return, which you will certainly never see from a donation.”

Related: This Band Has Millions of Streams on Spotify. The Only Problem — the Music and the Band Members Were Generated by AI.

How did you end up where the Village Gate once stood?
The Village Gate has a really illustrious cultural history. But in between the Gate and LPR, it was a nightclub called Life. And that caused a lot of problems. I basically had to bust out my violin at community board meetings to prove that I was not just a punk wanting to ruin the neighborhood. And along the way, we picked up a relationship with John Storyk, who designed Electric Lady Studios for Jimi Hendricks. When I told him I was going to do everything from metal to string quartets to drag bingo nights, he was down and decided to help create this space that we now know as LPR.

You were trained as a musician. What do you think gave you the confidence to pursue entrepreneurship?
I saw a gap. You hear people talk about sort of stumbling onto success or leading with your heart. That’s me. It was a mission that I was really passionate about, and it was very dear to me. I almost didn’t think of it as a business as much as a method of delivery or a way of spreading the gospel of the music and art I believed in. Before algorithms and recommendation engines, I made bespoke music mixes for friends. I had friends who listened to metal and they didn’t know Stravinsky. So I’d be like, “You can hear the same dissonance in the music you know in some of this new stuff.” That was exciting to me. A purely business-minded idea wouldn’t work for me because it exists only for that business end. This works because there’s so much passion behind it.

Related: As Gen Z Embraces Physical Media, This Entrepreneur Launched a New CD Music Service: ‘I’m Packaging All These Orders Nonstop’

Any moments that stand out to you as feeling like your plan was working?
I remember going down the line one night and speaking with someone who flew here from South America to see a show. And then right next to them was somebody who had no idea what they were in line to see. But because it was at LPR, and we earned their trust through some other night, they were like, “I don’t know this genre, but I’m going to give it a shot at LPR because I know that the standard is high.”

What would you advise to someone reading this who dreams of opening their own music or art venue?
There are a lot of location-specific logistics. In New York, for instance, some of the toughest stuff was getting a liquor license. And there’s this weird triangle of getting a liquor license and funding and signing a lease. You can’t sign a lease or get funding until you can sell liquor. And let’s face it, that’s where you’re going to make your money. If you don’t think you’re in the bar business by opening a music venue, you’re kidding yourself. And you can’t get a liquor license before you have a place to sell it. So there’s a lot of chicken-and-egg going on. But aside from logistics, I think it’s about having a clear, distilled-down vision of what the market needs and delivering it in an uncompromised way. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t evolve. We just partnered with KYD Labs to become one of the first major US venues to move all ticketing fully to blockchain technology. And always keep in mind what success means to you. I have to look at numbers for the business, but honestly, that’s not what guides me. It’s the deeper stuff in my life, in my family, in my own art and the artists we work with — those are the metrics that I want to live by.

Related: Best-Selling Author and Cartoonist Stephan Pastis on His Creative Process: ‘I Often Look Down to Make Sure I Have Pants On’