Corporate tax rates, the percentage of a company’s profits that it pays to the government, can widely vary from state to state. Most states (except six: Nevada, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming) charge a local corporation tax on profits of $100,000 on top of the federal rate of 21%.

But which state charges the most? To find out, U.K.-based finance site, BusinessFinancing.co.uk, created a hypothetical company and applied every state’s tax rules using data from Big Four firms, Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Related: 4 Tax Strategies Every High-Earning Entrepreneur Needs to Know for 2025

The fake company was public, in the tech sector, and had a revenue of $1 million. It also had five to nine employees, made a profit of $100,000 a year, and had a 10% profit margin. The owner’s salary was $59,000.

Based on this data, the study found that Minnesota businesses would pay the most, about 30.8% on profits of $100,000 (or $30,800) on top of the federal amount. Illinois would pay the second highest, about 30.5%. California (29.8%), Delaware (29.7%), and Massachusetts (29%) rounded out the top five.

Related: How Much Money Do You Need to Retire Comfortably in Your State? Here’s the Breakdown.

The lowest tax payment was about $21,000 on profits of $100,000. Six states tied for the lowest (besides the six that don’t charge anything, of course). Ohio, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington State, and Wyoming all were tied for the lowest.

The report also looked at global trends and found that the country with the highest tax rate for small businesses was Guyana. The business the study created would have had to pay $40,000 on profits of $100,000.

The countries with the lowest taxes on small businesses were the Bahamas (which charges a small license fee), Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, which, per the study’s model, did not charge corporate tax on profits of $100,000.

Related: Hidden Fees Cost U.S. Small Businesses $153 Billion Each Year — Here’s How to Make Sure You Don’t Lose a Dime

Majoring in nutrition, art history, or philosophy could set you up for more employment success than majoring in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) field like chemistry or physics.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York tracked the unemployment rate for recent college graduates ages 22 to 27 and found that it hit 5.5% in February, above the 2.6% rate experienced by college graduates of all ages.

The bank published data that month showing that some college majors were more affected by unemployment than others. According to the bank, the college majors with the lowest unemployment rates for the calendar year 2023 were nutrition sciences, construction services, and animal/plant sciences. Each of these majors had unemployment rates of 1% or lower among college graduates ages 22 to 27.

Art history had an unemployment rate of 3% and philosophy of 3.2%, each below the national average nationwide unemployment rate of 4.2% in April.

Related: Goldman Sachs CIO Says Coders Should Take Philosophy Classes — Here’s Why

Meanwhile, college majors in computer science, chemistry, and physics had much higher unemployment rates of 6% or higher post-graduation. Computer science and computer engineering students had unemployment rates of 6.1% and 7.5%, respectively.

Still, those fields were among the most highly compensated. Both computer engineering and computer science had median early-career annual earnings of $80,000, one of the highest out of any discipline. In comparison, art history majors earned $45,000 per year while philosophy majors made $48,000 and nutrition majors $75,000. All three fields had higher salaries than the median personal income in the U.S. in 2023, which was $42,220.

Over 32% of computer science college graduates went on to obtain master’s degrees or higher, compared to 48% of art history and nutrition students, and 58% of philosophy majors.

Most students who majored in chemistry or physics also obtained graduate degrees. Nearly 68% of physics and 66% of chemistry students in college decided to pursue and receive higher degrees. Physics graduates were among the most highly compensated, with median annual earnings of $70,000. Chemistry lagged behind with a median yearly pay of $55,000.

Related: These 3 Professions Are Most Likely to Vanish in the Next 20 Years Due to AI, According to a New Report

Companies are increasing their recruitment of humanities majors to obtain diverse perspectives. Last year, BlackRock’s chief operating officer, Robert Goldstein, spoke at a conference about the investment company’s need for humanities majors, even though the firm focuses on finance and technology.

“We have more and more conviction that we need people who majored in history or English, in things that have nothing to do with finance or technology,” Goldstein said. “It’s that diversity of thinking and diversity of people and diversity of looking at different ways to solve problems, that really fuels innovation.”

According to Federal Reserve Bank of New York data, history majors and English majors each made around $45,000 in median annual earnings, with an unemployment rate of around 4.6%.

Goldman Sachs’ Chief Information Officer, Marco Argenti, also noted last year that a standard engineering degree might not suffice anymore, particularly as AI learns to write high-quality code. Argenti suggested that it may be necessary to pair a computer science degree with an additional degree in philosophy.

In April, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated that the company’s engineers are using AI to write 20% to 30% of code, while Google CEO Sundar Pichai said on an earnings call that Google was using AI to write “well over 30%” of new code.

Related: ‘Maybe We Do Need Less Software Engineers’: Sam Altman Says Mastering AI Tools Is the New ‘Learn to Code’

Every business leader knows the value of smart resource allocation. Whether you’re equipping a growing team, upgrading your personal tech stack, or planning for remote work flexibility, the tools you choose matter—and so does the price.

That’s what makes this deal on the ASUS Chromebook CM30 (2024) so compelling. For just $179.99, you get a new, open-box 2-in-1 Chromebook that’s as functional as it is flexible. With a regular price of $329.99, this open-box offer delivers serious value for professionals who need performance, portability, and adaptability.

Let’s start with the specs: Powered by the efficient MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor and backed by 8GB RAM and 128GB eMMC storage, this Chromebook easily handles multitasking, from Google Workspace to video calls and cloud-based applications. Chrome OS keeps things simple, secure, and snappy, with built-in virus protection and fast boot-up times.

The 10.5-inch WUXGA touchscreen gives you a bright, detailed display that’s great for meetings, presentations, and note-taking. Need more precision? The garage-stylus (two-way push-pop stylus) is built-in and always ready, perfect for signing documents or sketching ideas on the fly. And thanks to the magnetic detachable keyboard and versatile kickstand, you can seamlessly switch between laptop and tablet modes depending on the task.

But this Chromebook isn’t just about performance—it’s built for real-life conditions. With a military-grade aluminum chassis, Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.3, and 12-hour battery life, it’s designed to work where you do: home, office, coffee shop, or on the go.

As a bonus, it’s made with 30% recycled aluminum, offering eco-conscious design without sacrificing durability. And while it’s listed as “open box,” this simply means it may have been handled on retail shelves or returned unused—each device is fully tested and verified in excellent condition.

Whether you’re buying for yourself, a team, or a project budget, this Chromebook delivers real-world value at a price that’s hard to beat.

Pick up this ASUS Chromebook CM30 while it’s on sale for just $179.99 (reg. $329.99).

ASUS Chromebook CM30 (2024) Detachable Touchscreen 8GB RAM 128GB eMMC (Open Box)

See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Equipping a team with modern, mobile tech can be a balancing act—functionality and performance matter, but so does staying within budget. That’s where this deal on the onn. 11″ Tablet Pro really shines. A Walmart store brand, these onn. tablets are just $74.99 (regularly $159), it’s an easy decision for business leaders looking to scale their tech resources without scaling costs.

Despite its budget-friendly price tag, this tablet is built for everyday productivity. It runs on Android 13, offering a familiar interface that syncs smoothly with cloud-based apps, email platforms, messaging tools, and more. It’s great for teams already using Android phones—onboarding is minimal, and the user experience is intuitive.

The large 11-inch LCD is crisp and vibrant with a 2000 x 1200 resolution, making it ideal for streaming presentations, reviewing reports, or even hosting virtual meetings. Whether you’re using it for point-of-sale systems, training materials, front-desk kiosks, or remote communications, this tablet delivers a sharp, responsive experience.

Under the hood, the 2.2GHz octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM provide reliable speed for multitasking. Combined with 128GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD), there’s plenty of room for documents, media, and business apps. Plus, dual cameras allow for both video conferencing and on-the-go image capture, which is useful for field teams, social media managers, and sales staff.

Battery life is often a pain point with mobile devices, but this one lasts up to 16 hours, giving your team an all-day companion that won’t die mid-task. Whether it’s used in the office or on the road, charging anxiety becomes a thing of the past.

And since this is an open-box unit, you’re getting a like-new device at nearly half the price. Each tablet is thoroughly tested and verified. Although the box may exhibit minor signs of handling, the hardware inside remains in new condition.

Get this onn. 11″ Tablet Pro for just $74.99 (regularly $159) while it’s still available.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Fortnite players in the U.S. and E.U. have been caught in a battle royale that they hope will soon end: Apple vs. Epic Games.

On Friday, Fortnite, which is owned by Epic Games, said that Apple blocked access to the online game on iPhone devices, writing on X: “Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the U.S. App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union.”

An Apple spokesperson told CBS News that it had asked Epic Sweden to “resubmit the app update without including the U.S. storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies. We did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces.”

Related: Coinbase CEO Says Company Won’t Pay Hackers’ Ransom

Fortnite says that the game will remain unavailable globally on iOS until Apple unblocks it. They say that they submitted Fortnite to Apple for review last week, and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said that Apple should feel free to accept or reject whatever they like, but added, “App Review shouldn’t be weaponized by senior management as a tool to delay or obstruct competition, due process, or free speech.”

In 2020, Epic Games sued Apple after Fortnite was booted from the App Store, stating that Apple held an illegal monopoly with the App Store, and its commission of up to 30% on in-app payments violated U.S. antitrust rules, reports Reuters. In 2024, it was allowed back.

Hopefully, the tech giants will settle their differences soon so that players can get back to killing each other on their iPhones.

If you’re only using AI to pump out blog posts or social media content, you’re thinking too small. The real game-changers? They’re building businesses that run on autopilot — using next-gen AI agents to automate sales, operations and marketing around the clock, with zero employees.

In this video, I’ll break down the four AI agents that can turn a simple side hustle into a 7-figure business.

• Revenue-generating agent: Replace entire sales teams with AI that qualifies leads, books calls and handles follow-ups — it’s like having a top-tier sales rep that never takes a day off.
• Executive assistant agent: Say goodbye to calendar chaos and inbox overwhelm. Use AI to handle scheduling, inbox management, travel planning and data entry — freeing up hours each week.
• Workflow and SOP agent: Automate your SOPs and streamline onboarding with screen-recording AI that turns your processes into step-by-step guides — no more micromanaging.
• Pulse agent for marketing: Analyze sales data, audit content and predict campaign performance before you hit launch — this is the tool that tripled my sales in just 14 days.

Whether you’re a solopreneur or scaling a lean team, these four agents can cut overhead, boost productivity, and give you a serious edge – without the headaches of hiring and managing people. Hit play to see how it’s done.
Download the free “AI Success Kit” (limited time only). And you’ll also get a free chapter from my brand new book, “The Wolf is at The Door – How to Survive and Thrive in an AI-Driven World.”

The Little Gym franchise empowers you to own a business that helps children build confidence, physical skills, and social connections through fun, movement-based programs. Backed by decades of experience and the support of Unleashed Brands, franchisees benefit from comprehensive training, ongoing operational support, and powerful marketing resources.

Benefits of owning a The Little Gym franchise:

• Proven Success: Over 45 years of experience and hundreds of locations worldwide.

• Growing Demand: Parents are increasingly seeking enrichment programs that foster healthy development and lifelong skills.

• Turnkey Support: From site selection to grand opening and beyond, you’ll receive expert guidance every step of the way.

• Community Impact: Make a positive difference for families in your area while building a profitable business.

In today’s startup-obsessed, venture-fuelled economy, there’s a popular belief that success belongs to the bold, the fast and the aggressive. In business, you must take: market share, attention, capital, etc., before someone else does.

But this belief is not just short-sighted. It’s wrong.

The most resilient, respected and profitable businesses I’ve seen and built all share one counterintuitive trait: they give first.

Take Costco, for example. By intentionally limiting margins on essential items and paying workers above-average wages, they’ve built a fiercely loyal customer base and an employee culture that outperforms competitors on both revenue per square foot and retention. They didn’t chase maximum profit on day one; they earned long-term trust and scaled it.

Whether it’s providing opportunity to those overlooked, serving customers priced out by others, mentoring the next generation or offering value before making the ask, giving creates the kind of lasting value no ad campaign ever could.

Related: Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Giving is written in history, and it is a smart strategy

This isn’t some new-age philosophy. The Torah, our oldest business manual, lays it out clearly.

In Deuteronomy 15:10, we are told: “Give to him readily and have no regrets when you do so, for in return, God will bless you in all your efforts and in all your undertakings.”

And again, in Leviticus 25:35: “If your fellow Israelite becomes poor and cannot maintain themselves, you shall support them as you would a stranger or a sojourner, so that they may live with you.”

These aren’t suggestions — they are imperatives. The foundation of a just, sustainable economy isn’t profit extraction. It’s human dignity, upliftment and mutual prosperity.

The Bible doesn’t just spiritualize generosity; it links it directly to blessing in business.

What giving looks like in modern business

Giving in business is not about handouts or bleeding margins. It’s about:

• Offering accessible pricing so more people can benefit.
• Supporting early-stage founders and customers that others ignore.
• Creating value (through content, time, advice or resources) before asking for anything back.
• Building fair partnerships where everyone wins, not just your bottom line.

These principles don’t weaken a brand. They build a legacy. Because when you empower others, they become your advocates. Your evangelists. Your long-term partners.

It’s no accident that companies built on generosity: Patagonia, Costco, Basecamp and others, tend to have fanatically loyal customers. They gave. And it came back multiplied.

Related: If These 4 Legacy Brands Can Get Their Message Across, So Can You

History’s greatest thinkers got it too

The greatest minds and leaders have echoed this philosophy.
Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

And Lao Tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher, wrote: “The wise man does not lay-up treasure. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.”

This isn’t just ancient wisdom. It’s neuroscience. It’s physics. It’s modern economics.

Giving is good for the soul, and the system

Here’s something the spreadsheets won’t show — giving makes you healthier.

Studies show that generous people:

• Have lower stress levels.
• Experience higher serotonin and dopamine (feel-good chemicals).
• Build stronger social bonds, which are directly linked to longer life expectancy.
• They are perceived as more trustworthy, likable and attractive social currencies that open real doors.

But it goes beyond biology. There’s a universal alignment at play. The energy, intention and support you put into the world don’t disappear; they ripple back. Some call it karma, others call it physics or simple human nature, but one thing is clear: it always returns. But we’ve all seen it in action.

The entrepreneur who gives to others attracts opportunities. The brand that uplifts communities grows into a movement. The leader who nurtures loyalty creates a ripple of loyalty in return.

From transaction to transformation

We’re entering an era where people want to align with businesses that stand for something. It’s no longer just about profit, but about purpose, not only about the product, but also the principles behind it.

Giving transforms a transaction into a relationship. It turns customers into communities. It turns a company into a force for good.

So, the next time your team debates how to grow, how to beat the competition or how to boost this quarter’s numbers, ask instead:

How can we give?

• Give a better deal.
• Give a platform to someone overlooked.
• Give a second chance.
• Give a bit of our success to make someone else’s path easier.
• Give a product that makes the world better.

Because when we give, we don’t just change someone else’s world. We change our world, the very environment our business operates in, and everything connected to it.

And that’s the kind of ROI no spreadsheet can calculate.

In the world of fast-growing tech companies, hiring tends to follow a predictable pattern. Leaders look for engineers fluent in the latest frameworks, product managers with impressive resumes, and marketers who know their way around every analytics dashboard. Skills are quantifiable. They are testable. And in high-growth environments where speed is currency, it is tempting to optimize your hiring process around hard qualifications.

But here is the trap: A team stacked with talent but lacking ownership will never scale effectively.

Over the years, we’ve seen companies across a wide range of industries thrive by tapping into nearshore talent from Latin America. While technical skills certainly played a role in their success, one quality consistently stood out above the rest: a strong sense of ownership. It wasn’t just what these professionals could do — it was how deeply they cared about the outcomes.

Related: 4 Ways You Can Create a Culture of Ownership

What is ownership mindset, really?

Ownership mindset is more than just accountability. It is a proactive, results-driven approach where team members take initiative, act in the best interest of the business and treat challenges as their own to solve. It is the difference between someone who says, “That is not my job,” and someone who says, “I will figure this out.”

We define it as a blend of initiative, responsibility, problem-solving and alignment with outcomes. People with an ownership mindset do not just check boxes. They drive progress.

And in today’s decentralized, remote-first world, that mindset has become the number one indicator of long-term team success.

Why skills alone are not enough

Technical skills evolve quickly. What is cutting-edge today could be obsolete in a year. While foundational knowledge matters, the reality is that most great developers are constantly learning. But no amount of knowledge will help if someone lacks the drive to apply it effectively, the judgment to prioritize the right problems or the resilience to work through ambiguity.

We have seen companies hire incredibly skilled developers who could not operate autonomously. They waited for instructions. They did not raise red flags. And when problems emerged, they lacked the sense of urgency to act. That is not a skills issue. It is a mindset issue.

Ownership mindset drives better business outcomes

At ParallelStaff, when we place developers, we vet for more than just technical capabilities. We look for people who ask the hard questions during interviews. Those who take pride in the products they have built. Those who view the success of the client’s mission as their own responsibility.

Those developers consistently:

• Proactively solve problems instead of escalating them

• Communicate clearly and consistently, even under pressure

• Identify improvements and inefficiencies without being asked

• Go beyond task completion to drive project success

This is particularly powerful in remote and distributed teams, where autonomy and self-leadership are non-negotiable. If you are building a team across time zones or continents, you need people who will move things forward, not wait for permission.

In fact, many of our clients who build dedicated teams with us say the same thing: “Your developers feel like part of our company, not just vendors.” That is the byproduct of hiring people with ownership built into their mindset.

Related: How to Get Your Employees to Take Ownership

Hiring for ownership starts with values

At ParallelStaff, we center our culture on five core values: Excellence, Efficiency, Integrity, Growth Mindset and Ownership. These are not just words on a website. They shape how we vet candidates, how we coach developers and how we deliver to clients.

Our vetting process goes beyond code tests. We simulate real-world project scenarios. We assess communication under pressure. We look at how candidates handle change and ambiguity. Ownership shows up in the gray areas: when requirements shift, timelines compress, and stakes are high.

When you hire for ownership, you are not just filling roles. You are building a culture — one where people think like founders, lead without titles and care deeply about the outcome.

How to identify ownership during hiring

Hiring for ownership takes intentionality. Here are a few strategies we use and that you can apply, too:

1. Ask behavioral questions focused on outcomes: “Tell me about a time you took initiative on a project without being asked.”

2. Test for decision-making, not just delivery: Present candidates with scenarios where they need to prioritize, push back or propose alternatives.

3. Watch how they speak about past teams and projects: People who take ownership will talk about we, our users and the results. Not just what they were told to do.

4. Look for learning agility: Ownership-driven people do not wait to be taught. They go figure it out.

5. Do not overlook red flags: If someone blames others or needs constant direction, that is a long-term cost.

Cultural fit: The force multiplier

When you build remote teams with cultural alignment, things just work better. Meetings are more productive. Trust builds faster. Collaboration scales. And your team does not just execute. They evolve together.

That is why companies that prioritize ownership in hiring often see:

Related: What to Consider When Hiring Employees

Ownership is not something you can train overnight. It is something you find, reward and reinforce.

Hiring for skills gets you workers. Hiring for ownership gets you builders.

The best teams are not just technically competent. They are mission-driven. They care. They push. And they do not need to be micromanaged because they manage themselves.

At ParallelStaff, we believe ownership is the single most underrated trait in scaling technology teams. It is how we help clients move faster, build smarter and grow sustainably.

If you are scaling your engineering team and want to avoid the common traps of traditional outsourcing, start by prioritizing mindset. Your future self and your customers will thank you.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said in a social media post Thursday that a ransom note arrived via email asking for $20 million in Bitcoin in exchange for not releasing information hackers had obtained on Coinbase’s customers.

“I’m going to respond publicly,” Armstrong said. “We are not going to pay ransom.”

https://t.co/evpIBMFvRW pic.twitter.com/f6UPdkL5R0

— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) May 15, 2025

Armstrong said attackers had found a “weak link” customer service agent outside the U.S. who accepted a “bribe” and gave away personal data on customers.

In a company blog post, Coinbase said it will reimburse customers tricked into sending funds to the attacker. Hackers received access to names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails; masked Social Security numbers (last four digits only); masked bank‑account numbers; and government‑ID images (driver’s licenses, passports). No passwords or private keys were obtained, the company says. The email arrived on Sunday.

Related: Think You Can Hack Into Apple Intelligence Servers? Apple Is Paying Up to $1 Million If You Can.

“(The stolen data) allows them to conduct social engineering attacks where they can call our customers impersonating Coinbase customer support and try to trick them into sending their funds to the attackers,” Armstrong said.

Per the AP, Coinbase estimated in a filing with the SEC that it could end up spending anywhere between $180 million and $400 million “relating to remediation costs and voluntary customer reimbursements relating to this incident.”

Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that the SEC is separately investigating Coinbase over whether or not it reported inaccurate numbers during its IPO in 2021. The company claimed to have more than 100 million “verified users” in marketing materials.

Coinbase’s stock dropped 7% on Thursday after the news, per Yahoo.

Related: Over 10 Billion Passwords Have Been Exposed in the Largest Password Hack in History