Richard

A Friday report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) titled “The Employment Situation” showed that unemployment rates rose slightly in April while hiring missed the mark.

Employers added 175,000 new jobs in April, which was well below the 242,000 monthly average of the past year and below analyst expectations of 235,000 jobs.

The unemployment rate rose slightly from 3.8% in March to 3.9% in April.

The areas with the highest job increases were health care, which added 56,000 jobs in April, social assistance, which jumped by 31,000 jobs, and transportation and warehousing, which saw a 22,000 job increase.

Other sectors, like construction and government, added jobs as well in smaller quantities while electronics and appliance retailers posted 3,000 fewer jobs.

Related: CPI Report: Inflation Rose More Than Expected in March, Driven By Housing and Energy Costs

Bloomberg reports that the overall job gain is the smallest recorded by the BLS in six months, and could be due to slowing growth in the service sector.

The BLS report, however, downplayed the changes.

“Both the unemployment rate, at 3.9 percent, and the number of unemployed people, at 6.5 million, changed little in April,” the BLS report stated, emphasizing that the unemployment rate has stayed in the 3.7% to 3.9% range over the past nine months.

Employees saw average hourly wages increase by seven cents in April, for a 0.2% increase up to $34.75 per hour. At the same time, the average workweek went down by 0.1 of an hour to 34.3 hours.

The average hourly pay is growing at its slowest rate since June 2021, per Bloomberg.

Stocks jumped on Friday after the report’s release, perhaps because the report showed sustained low unemployment numbers.

“The bottom line is this report is quite reassuring,” American economist and Harvard professor Jason Furman said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

The BLS will release its next monthly employment report on June 7.

Related: JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon Says He Is Worried About ‘Stagflation’ — Here’s Why

Reports indicate the Federal Reserve could, in turn, consider cutting interest rates later this year.

It’s difficult to do your best work when you’re uncomfortable. So, if you’re working from a home office or going into an office with poor climate control this summer, you may find it a struggle to get anything done until the room temperature evens out. But you can take greater control of the temperature with a Klima Smart Thermostat, now $10 off for a limited time.

This smart thermostat and controller is compatible with more than 10,000 models of mini split and window A/Cs, or air-to-air heat pumps. It’s easy to install in just a few minutes on your own and gives you complete control of the A/C or heat from your phone. Klima takes over the control of your unit’s remote so you can control it through your smartphone. It must be installed in the same room as the unit, and you will need one Klima per unit.

With remote access, you can set schedules for cooling or warming to automate the temperature so it’s always comfortable when you arrive. That will also help save on energy bills since you can turn the system off when you’re not there.

Klima is full of convenient features, like voice control for hands-free thermostat adjustments and appliance health monitoring to alert you if your A/C or heat pump needs maintenance soon. It has open window detection that turns off the A/C automatically and offers smart zoning so you can adjust temperatures on a room-by-room basis to avoid wasting energy. With the guardian mode, you can also set minimum and maximum temperature levels.

Stay comfy this summer while saving energy and money.

Right now, you can get a Klima Smart Thermostat for $10 off the regular price of $145—just $134.99 for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Entrepreneurs often face conflicting needs throughout the day. You need to take a call and also answer an urgent question your assistant has in the office. You’re focusing on emails with music but have to speak to a courier who is dropping off a package. The examples go on and on. For a solution that allows you to lock in while staying in touch with your surroundings, consider this limited-time deal.

These Mezzo Bone Conduction Headphones are on sale for $39.96 (reg. $69) with code MEZZO. Operating with bone conduction technology, these headphones sit above your ears, allowing you to still hear and react to the immediate world surrounding you.

While providing long-term comfort by liberating you from intrusive earbuds, these ergonomic headphones also promise to deliver premium sound. By sending tiny vibrations through your cheekbones into your inner ear, they ensure that you can clearly hear the music you’re listening to or the call you’re on while also being able to hear the sounds of the world around you.

Great for morning workouts, these lightweight and flexible earbuds come with an IPX5 water-resistant design. Able to take calls, they can also protect the clarity of your voice and communication with dual noise-canceling mics that are designed to remove interference. And so you can stay productive for longer stretches of time, these headphones run for a full six hours per charge.

A business leader can multitask if they’re equipped with the right tools. Stay accessible and locked in with this special deal.

Don’t forget that these Mezzo Bone Conduction Headphones are on sale for $39.96 (reg. $69) with code MEZZO for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Clinton is a renowned entertainment mogul, author, speaker, entrepreneur, visionary brand builder, creative executive, and leading-edge innovator when it comes to integrating culture, collaboration, and cross-platform marketing with an outstanding track record of success, and background managing multiple products from ideation to market launch.

He is also a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum music producer, songwriter and DJ responsible for over 75 million records sold.

Clinton is a VIP writer for Entrepreneur+. Become a member today and see his latest articles and insights. 

Today, startups face the daunting task of capturing prospective clients’ attention. Traditional marketing approaches sometimes fall short when it comes to captivating consumers and making a lasting impression on brands.

However, virtual reality (VR) technology has just emerged, providing companies with a potent weapon that may transform their advertising strategies. Startups may make a lasting impact on their target audience by using VR’s immersive and interactive nature to create fascinating experiences.

Read on to find out how VR is changing the face of startup marketing and how businesses are interacting with their customers.

1. Making Authentic Brand Interactions

Startups have a one-of-a-kind chance to use VR to build engaging brand experiences that are impossible to achieve with more conventional forms of advertising. VR gives a unique opportunity to tell a brand’s narrative by immersing customers in a virtual world.

Whether it’s displaying a product demo, letting consumers explore a virtual shop, or giving an interactive tour of a startup’s facilities, virtual reality experiences bring people in and make them feel something. These all-encompassing brand experiences do more than just attract viewers; they also make an impression that sticks with them, increasing brand recognition and devotion. And, of course, you need to do VR testing before using it.

Related: The Future of Retail Is in Immersive Real-Time 3D Experiences

2. Making Product Demos More Impressive

Startups face significant hurdles when trying to prove the usefulness and worth of their offerings. To overcome this obstacle, companies are turning to virtual reality to display their products interestingly and interactively. Startups may break past the barriers of conventional marketing by giving buyers an immersive virtual reality experience of a product.

See also Employers Guide: Getting the Maximum from Your Millennials

With virtual reality, businesses may offer customers a realistic and tailored experience, like a virtual test drive of a new automobile, a virtual tour of a real estate project, or even a virtual try-on of fashion items. This creates trust and encourages buy intent.

3. Storytelling that Engages

At its core, every effective advertising campaign is a story. By empowering entrepreneurs to create compelling stories in VR, the medium elevates storytelling to a new level. An immersive story is a powerful tool for startups to communicate their purpose, ambition, and values. Startups may increase the emotional connection with their audience by letting consumers actively participate in the story.

Virtual reality storytelling captivates customers by transporting them to the startup’s past or present or creating an imaginary environment that reflects the brand’s values.

4. Enhancing the Quality of Events

Startups often participate in industry events and conferences to promote their products and services and make connections with possible clients. However, in terms of participation and exposure, live events have limits. With virtual reality, companies can take their event experiences to the next level and break down geographical barriers.

Startups can make virtual event venues a reality, enabling global participation in immersive conferences, product debuts, and networking gatherings. Virtual reality events help entrepreneurs save money while simultaneously giving them vital information about attendees’ habits, interests, and engagement levels.

Related: How to Start an Event Planning Service

5. Engaging in Tailored Advertising

Virtual reality enables entrepreneurs to provide their target audience with highly tailored experiences, which is crucial for successful marketing efforts. Startups may create a unique and intimate virtual reality experience for each consumer by tracking their data and preferences.

Startups may utilize virtual reality to make their consumers feel seen and understood in a variety of ways, for as by tailoring the virtual environment to their tastes or by providing tailored product suggestions inside the VR experience.

6. Connect with your audience

Another overlooked opportunity for companies to use virtual reality is to engage with the expanding user base. With a projected 27.5% CAGR from 2023–2030, virtual reality is poised to outpace all other content segments. Worldwide, there are more than 171 million VR users; in the United States, there are 65.9 million users, or 15% of the population.

We anticipate that, like any network, the platform’s social dynamics will gradually become more apparent with time and that influencers will start to crop up. The next frontier is products that can establish themselves as leaders in their community and continue to evolve alongside it.

In summary

Virtual reality has been a game-changer for new businesses trying to stand out in a competitive industry. Startups can transform their marketing strategies and audience engagement by developing more interactive brand experiences, better product demos, compelling stories, memorable events, and tailored marketing campaigns.

Startups need to jump on the chance to use virtual reality to engage with consumers on a deeper level and remain ahead of the competition as VR technology becomes better and more affordable. Virtual reality’s immersive environment is where startup marketing is headed, and early adopters will be the ones who profit.

In the dance of generations at work, Gen Z holds the floor now. They will be the fastest-growing generation in the workforce over the next decade. To attract this emerging talent, employers should consider the top items Gen Z is looking for at work.

A recent study of 11,495 of the highest-achieving high-school students, college students and recent college graduates in the United States reveals the preferences, attitudes and goals of the next generation of workers.

Top three career motivations for Gen Z

1. Entrepreneurial culture

Gen Z is incredibly entrepreneurial, 60% express a desire to start their own businesses. Leaders must create an entrepreneurial culture that nurtures innovation, creativity and risk-taking.

Encourage Gen Z employees to explore and develop their ideas, providing opportunities for them to spearhead projects and initiatives. Foster an environment that embraces experimentation and learning from failure. By fostering an entrepreneurial culture, leaders can tap into the entrepreneurial spirit of Gen Z, harnessing their innovative ideas and driving organizational growth.

Related: The 5 Things Gen Z Is Looking for in a Job and Career

2. Personalization and individuality

Gen Z craves personalization and desires to bring their authentic selves to work. 92% of Gen Z prefer to have the option of personalizing their workspace. Leaders should embrace individuality and create a flexible environment that allows for personal expression and customization.

Provide Gen Z employees with the freedom to design how, where, when and what they work on. Encourage diverse perspectives and opinions, valuing the unique contributions that each individual brings to the table. By embracing personalization and individuality, leaders can foster a sense of ownership and empowerment among Gen Z employees.

3. Social impact and purpose

Gen Z is deeply passionate about making a positive impact on society. 76% of Gen Z prioritize working for organizations that align with their values. Leaders must incorporate social impact and purpose into their organizational mission and values. Clearly communicate the organization’s commitment to social responsibility and highlight initiatives that contribute to the greater good.

Provide opportunities for Gen Z employees to engage in volunteer work, community service, or sustainability projects. By integrating social impact into the workplace, leaders can attract and retain Gen Z talent who are driven by a desire to create a meaningful difference.

Understanding and adapting to Gen Z’s expectations is crucial for leaders to build successful organizations in the future. By cultivating an entrepreneurial culture that embraces innovation, encourages personalization and individuality, and incorporates social impact and purpose, leaders can expect to attract, engage and retain Gen Z.

Understanding Gen Z’s career drivers is part of the formula for effectively attracting and engaging new talent. The other part is understanding what factors they are considering when working for an employer.

According to another recent study of 14,483 Gen Z respondents across 44 countries, these are the top reasons Gen Z chooses an employer.

Top four reasons Gen Z chooses to work at a company

1. Good work-life Balance

When it comes to choosing an employer, work-life balance is a paramount consideration for Gen Z. This generation grew up in a hyperconnected world, witnessing the potential downsides of an “always-on” culture. They prioritize their well-being and seek employers who understand the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Gen Z craves flexibility, autonomy and the ability to pursue their passions outside of work.

To attract Gen Z talent, companies must prioritize work-life balance initiatives that foster a harmonious integration of personal and professional lives.

2. Learning and development opportunities

Gen Z is a generation that values continuous growth, seeking opportunities to acquire new skills, expand their knowledge, and advance their careers. They prioritize employers who invest in their professional development and provide a clear path for advancement.

To attract and retain Gen Z talent, companies must prioritize learning and development initiatives that align with their aspirations and foster a culture of growth.

3. High salary or financial benefits

Gen Z cites the cost of living as their top societal concern, above unemployment and climate change. So, not surprisingly, pay is top of mind when choosing an employer. As they enter the workforce, Gen Z faces economic pressures and desires financial stability. They seek employers who offer competitive compensation packages and financial incentives.

Companies must address Gen Z’s financial aspirations and provide avenues for financial growth if they want to secure next-generation talent.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Hiring and Retaining Gen Z Talent

4. Positive workplace culture

Gen Z seeks an environment that is inclusive, collaborative, and supportive, where they can thrive both personally and professionally. Gen Z values a workplace culture that fosters strong relationships, encourages open communication, and promotes a sense of belonging.

By prioritizing and fostering a culture of recognition and appreciation, leaders can create an environment that aligns with Gen Z’s aspirations and values.

Gen Z is here, ready to make their mark on the world of work, and companies must adapt to effectively attract and engage this generation. By understanding Gen Z’s career motivations and aligning with the reasons they select an employer, companies can create workplaces that inspire and retain Gen Z talent.

The nuances of group travel can be quite a hassle, and according to Tara Bunch, head of global operations at Airbnb, it’s also been a massive pain point for Airbnb users and hosts.

“The vast majority of our travel is group travel,” Bunch told Entrepreneur, noting that over 80% of all Airbnb bookings are for group travel. “In every launch that we go through, we spend a lot of time looking at customer feedback and host feedback.”

Related: Airbnb Goes Viral For ‘Insane’ and ‘Excessive’ List of Rules

On Wednesday, Airbnb revealed changes to group travel as a part of its Summer 2024 event in Los Angeles, and how some seemingly small tweaks are set to be game changers for both customers and the people who willingly host them.

Trip invitations

If you’ve ever stayed in an Airbnb, you’re probably familiar with the burden that falls on the point person who books the trip. Historically, they’ve been the only person who has all of the information about the stay, including check-in and check-out instructions, Wi-Fi passwords, and any other general information.

Now, users who book an Airbnb stay can invite other guests to join the trip and gain access to all of the reservation details, including the address of the stay once booked. This way, the host will be able to see all of the guests that are coming, too.

“I’m a host, and I like knowing who’s coming,” Bunch said. “That’s a huge help to the host to know how many people are coming and to be able to kind of see who these folks are and what they’re interested in or what questions they have ahead of time.”

Guests can also only accept a trip invitation if they have an Airbnb account, which will encourage travelers not yet registered on the platform to create an account and help boost user growth for Airbnb.

“I think it’s just a win-win across the board for guests, for hosts, for us,” Bunch said.

Shared wishlists

As a part of creating a shared group for a trip, guests will be able to create a shared wishlist for potential Airbnb spots.

Before the new update, guests would have to send around links to Airbnb listings and create their wishlists of potential properties to book.

^{via Airbnb}

Now, the wishlist feature will be interactive, with anyone invited on the trip having the ability to add a property that they want to suggest to a shared list for all other attendees to see.

Guests will be able to upvote or downvote their favorite or least favorite properties and add comments underneath potential properties, sparking conversations and adding to making the planning a collaborative effort.

“It opens up the ability for people to have a much more interactive trip that’s more fun,” Bunch said. “The idea of voting up a property is fun, it’s gamified a little bit and it gets people engaged.”

Group messaging

One of the biggest game-changers for hosts is the new group messaging feature.

Historically, only the person who made the Airbnb reservation has had access to the host and has usually been the person who has had to field all of the guests’ questions in a one-on-one contact situation with the host.

^{via Airbnb}

Now, all users added to the trip will be able to communicate with the host in a group chat setting, down to the ability to react to different messages as one does on iMessage.

“Now that we have group messaging, the host will be able to see who all’s coming and it gives the host a little bit more information about the group,” Bunch said. “If they have maybe specific questions or needs, you’re gonna get more of that kind of interaction before they get there.”

Members will also have the ability to mute the chat if they do not want to be disturbed, but Bunch says the features will actively give travelers “the advantage of increasing the communication with the host” and vice versa.

Another feature of the group message will include several automated AI responses from the host to travelers for frequently asked questions, such as instructions about the Wi-Fi or the door code.

via Airbnb

Instead of having to respond to every individual inquisition or request, simple questions will be answered on the messaging platform without hosts having to type a response.

“It’s going to help you respond quickly and be more productive, it’s going to be a big win for hosts,” Bunch said.

What’s Next for Airbnb?

Though this week’s rollouts should help hosts when it comes to group travel, Bunch says that the platform still has strides to make when it comes to making it a truly host-friendly place to be.

“There’s a lot of focus around perfecting the core service — the product, the app, messaging,” Bunch explains. “We want to make hosting mainstream and give hosts tools so that they feel more confident and are more willing to host.”

Related: Airbnb Launches Series of Money-Saving, Privacy Upgrades

Bunch also says that international expansion is a long-term goal for Airbnb, with hopes of tapping into markets where hosting may be more of a foreign concept.

“Building brand awareness in some markets that maybe didn’t have as much awareness is a big focus we have on growing internationally,” Bunch says. “Markets where maybe people haven’t thought about hosting, but once they kind of see that it’s easy, helping them find a co-host and giving them tools, giving them the financial dashboards, all the stuff we’re working on in the background to just make hosting easier and less scary. That’s a big focus area.”

After successfully trying out the Barbie Dreamhouse and Shrek Swamp experiences last year, Airbnb is creating a new category of rentals that look straight out of a dreamland.

On Wednesday, Airbnb released its first 11 Icons, or rental-experiences inspired by movies like “Up” and musicians like Prince. The goal is to bring iconic, international stays to a lucky group of Airbnb customers for under $100 per guest, according to the company. Most of the Icons experiences are free.

One experience invites guests to crash at an X-Men-inspired mansion in New Castle, New York. Another features Grammy-winning artist Doja Cat as a host, complete with a one-on-one musical performance of some of her favorite songs.

Related: Airbnb Just Rolled Out Major Changes for Hosts and Guests, Plus New Tools for Groups Travelers: ‘It’s Going to Be a Big Win’

^{Airbnb Icons examples. Credit: Airbnb}

Here’s how it works: Guests can request to book an experience for free through the Airbnb app as soon as each Icon goes live. Airbnb will then select the lucky few that will receive a digital golden ticket, or invite, into the experience.

Airbnb will make more than 4,000 golden tickets available this year globally.

“When I was a kid, most of my life was experienced in the real world,” Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said at the Airbnb Summer 2024 Release Event in Los Angeles. “And as life becomes increasingly digital, what we’re focused on is creating more magic in the real world.”

Related: Airbnb Hosts Have to Pull Out All the Stops to Snag Bookings Now — See How Going ‘Niche’ Can Pay Off

Here’s an inside look into some of the Icons, plus how much they cost and when they start taking bookings.

The Up House

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Abiquiu, New Mexico

Standout feature: The 8,000 balloons attached to this re-creation of the iconic home from Up.

When Bookings Open: Now until May 14

Cost: Free

The Ferrari Museum

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Maranello, Italy

Standout features: Guests sleep on a bed made of the same leather as Ferrari seats and take a lap with Scuderia Ferrari ambassador driver Marc Gené.

When Bookings Open: May 6

Cost: To be announced.

A Re-creation of Marvel Animation’s X-Mansion

Where: New Castle, New York

Standout features: Guests get an official diploma and class photo before they leave.

When Bookings Open: Now until May 13

Cost: $97 per guest

The Musée d’Orsay

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Paris, France

Standout feature: Guests will be the first to sleep in a bedroom designed in the Paris art museum’s clock room. They will also get to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

When Bookings Open: May 21

Cost: To be announced.

Prince’s Purple Rain house

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Standout feature: Airbnb Chief Business Officer Dave Stevenson told Yahoo Finance’s Akiko Fujita on Thursday that guests will “hear previously unreleased tracks that no one has heard before.”

When Bookings Open: August

Cost: To be announced.

Khaby Lame Gaming Session

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Milano, Italy

Standout feature: TikTok-famous Khaby Lame invites guests to his gaming loft to play some games and learn TikTok skills.

When Bookings Open: Now until May 13

Cost: Free

Tour For A Week with Reggaeton Star Feid

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Standout feature: Guests can hit the road for a week with reggaeton star Feid, with backstage access, front-row seats and VIP access to performances.

When Bookings Open: May 3

Cost: To be announced.

Stay At Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor’s Family Home

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Chennai, India

Standout feature: Relaxation is key to this experience; Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor will host guests, take them on a private tour of the home, and teach them natural skincare recipes.

When Bookings Open: May 12

Cost: To be announced.

As issues continue to plague the aviation industry, choosing a domestic airline is becoming more of a challenge than ever.

And WalletHub‘s recent ranking of the top U.S. Airlines for 2024 reflects these struggles. The outlet ranked the nine major U.S. airlines and regional carrier Skywest Airlines, with only one coming out on top.

“Airline ticket prices had a pretty significant drop last year, but have started to rise again this year. Cost isn’t all that matters when picking what company to fly with, though,” the report said. “Comfort and safety also matter, especially with recent incidents in the news about plane malfunctions. Finding the most affordable airfare is now quite easy for anyone with an internet connection, so this report examines other, overlooked aspects of air travel to help consumers make more-informed decisions.”

Related: Delta Most On-Time Airline, Air Canada Least: 2023 Report

Coming in at No. 1 was Alaska Airlines with a score of 68.07 out of 100, taking the crown from Delta Airlines, which won the title in both 2022 and 2023.

Delta did however tie with JetBlue Airlines as the most comfortable airline, thanks to stellar in-flight amenities like free Wi-Fi and extra legroom.

The outlet looked at 13 different qualifying factors in three major categories to make its report — baggage and departures, in-flight comfort and cost, and safety. Airlines were graded on a scale of 100 and received a certain number of points based on the category being measured, such as canceled flights, mishandled baggage reports, legroom, Wi-Fi availability, and more.

Related: Southwest Ranked Worst Ranked Airline of 2023: Report

Regional carrier Skywest Airlines came in at No. 2 overall with a score of 65.96 out of 100 followed by Spirit Airlines in third place with a score of 65.69 out of 100.

Here are how the nine major U.S. airlines and one regional carrier were ranked, according to WalletHub.

10. Southwest Airlines (36.03 out of 100)

9. Frontier Airlines (43.57 out of 100)

8. American Airlines (46.52 out of 100)

^{(Kevin Carter/Getty Images)}

7. Hawaiian Airlines (48.30 out of 100)

6. Jetblue Airlines (51.60 out of 100)

5. United Airlines (51.96 out of 100)

^{(Kevin Carter/Getty Images)}

4. Delta Airlines (61.56 out of 100)

3. Spirit Airlines (65.69 out of 100)

2. Skywest Airlines (65.96 out of 100)

1. Alaska Airlines (68.07 out of 100)

You can view the full report here.