Kohl’s CEO, Ashley Buchanan, was fired on Thursday after the retailer discovered he had entered into business deals with someone with whom he had a “personal relationship.”

Buchanan was let go after only four months on the job—he had just started in January. He was previously the CEO of the craft store, Michaels.

After an investigation, the Kohl’s board says that Buchanan led the company to agree to a multimillion-dollar consulting deal with a person with whom the Wall Street Journal reports he was romantically involved. In an SEC filing, the company said it had “found that Mr. Buchanan had directed that the Company conduct business with a vendor founded by an individual with whom Mr. Buchanan has a personal relationship on highly unusual terms favorable to the vendor.”

This “caused the Company to enter into a multi-million dollar consulting agreement” with the individual, it continues.

Related: Hertz’s CEO Suddenly Steps Down After Company’s Pivot from Electric Vehicles

“An investigation conducted by outside counsel and overseen by the Audit Committee of the Board determined Mr. Buchanan violated company policies by directing the Company to engage in vendor transactions that involved undisclosed conflicts of interest,” Kohl’s said.

The WSJ report names former Bed Bath & Beyond CEO Chandra Holt, now the founder of coffee company Incredibrew, as the other person involved in the deal.

Holt denied the claims to the WSJ.

“I’ve known Ashley Buchanan for 10 years, but I have not received any compensation for my Incredibrew business from Kohl’s,” Holt told the outlet.

Kohl’s has closed 27 underperforming stores since January, per Axios. The company still has over 1,120 stores.

Related: BP’s Former CEO Forfeits $40 Million in Severance Due to ‘Serious Misconduct’

The Kohl’s board named Michael Bender, the current Director of the Board, as Interim CEO, effective immediately.

Starbucks has found that removing human labor in favor of machines doesn’t work for the company — so now the coffee chain is hiring old-fashioned human baristas at thousands of stores.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol stated in a call with investors earlier this week that the company’s effort to reduce headcount over the past few years and replace humans with machines had backfired: Advanced machinery proved to be an inadequate substitute for human labor.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve actually been removing labor from the stores, I think with the hope that equipment could offset the removal of the labor,” Niccol said on the call, per The Guardian. “What we’re finding is that wasn’t an accurate assumption with what played out.”

By the time Niccol joined Starbucks in September 2024, the company had been testing out human staff increases at just a handful of locations. Niccol broadened the effort this year to include 3,000 locations of the coffee chain’s 40,000 stores globally.

Related: ‘We’re Not Effective’: Starbucks CEO Tells Corporate Employees to ‘Own Whether or Not This Place Grows’

Niccol stated that new technology alone doesn’t cut it. Starbucks needed to adequately staff stores and allow employees access to new equipment to deliver a better customer experience.

“Equipment doesn’t solve the customer experience that we need to provide, but rather staffing the stores and deploying with this technology behind it does,” Niccol said on the call.

Niccol noted that increasing staff would entail higher costs but asserted that “some growth” for the company would accompany the move.

^{Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol. Photo by Kevin Sullivan/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images}

The move to hire new baristas is part of Niccol’s plan to turn Starbucks around after five consecutive quarters of declining sales. Starbucks reported on Tuesday that same-store sales dropped 1% in the first quarter of 2025, falling short of Wall Street expectations.

Related: It’s Pay-to-Stay at Starbucks As the Coffeehouse Reverses Its Open Door Policy

Niccol reassured investors on the call that though the financial results proved “disappointing,” Starbucks was “really showing a lot of signs of progress” internally. For example, the average time to deliver in-store orders had declined by an average of two minutes during the quarter, he said.

Niccol’s plan to turn around Starbucks includes limiting the number of items customers can order through mobile, adding ceramic mugs for in-store orders, cutting 30% of the menu, writing customers’ names down with Sharpies on their cups, and asking baristas to make orders in under four minutes. Starting May 12, Starbucks will also require baristas to dress uniformly in a solid black top and khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms.

Starbucks operates 16,941 stores in the U.S. and has 211,000 U.S. employees. The company’s stock was down about 11% year-to-date at the time of writing.

To stay ahead, ecommerce businesses can’t ignore the importance of data, especially the sort of public web data that their competition has access to. Whether it’s tracking competitor prices or catching the latest consumer trends, having access to web data empowers companies to make smarter choices, no matter what sector they’re in.

However, the specific types of data required and their applications can vary significantly from one industry to another. In this piece, I would like to give you a glimpse into the differences and similarities of data collection.

Related: How to Use the Right Data to Make Effective Business Decisions

Who needs data? Everyone!

Ecommerce businesses across all industries rely on web data to monitor competitors, gauge their market standing and discover new growth avenues. Recent statistics show that in 2024, around 2.5 billion people — nearly a third of the global population — were making online purchases of consumer goods worldwide. This massive digital marketplace generates a treasure trove of valuable public data, such as:

• Pricing information

• Data on product availability

• Consumer reviews and sentiment

• Search trends and keywords

• Promotional strategies

• Market share indicators

All of this, and more, can be collected and analyzed with the help of web scraping. Now, let’s take a closer look at how different industries tap into web data to improve their decision-making and overcome their respective challenges.

Furniture industry — seasonal strategies and high-value purchases

The furniture industry operates on clear seasonal patterns, with significant sales happening in January and July as retailers make room for new inventory. During these peak times, prices can drop by anywhere from 10% to a whopping 60%, making it a crucial moment for buyers and sellers alike.

Industry-specific data needs:

• Seasonal pricing trends: Keeping an eye on how competitors adjust their discounts during peak clearance times.

• Holiday promotion strategies: Watching for special deals during big shopping weekends such as Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day, when furniture is often discounted.

• Consumer research patterns: Gaining insights into the online-to-offline shopping journey. For instance, the famous Rule of 7 might be changing as people visit a store fewer times before making a purchase.

• Floor sample availability: Spotting chances when competitors are offering floor models at significant discounts.

Related: Once Only for Huge Companies, ‘Web Scraping’ Is Now an Online Arms Race No Internet Marketer Can Avoid

Fashion industry — rapid cycles and trend detection

The fashion industry is experiencing a remarkable surge, with estimates suggesting it could reach a staggering $1,183 billion by 2029, growing at an impressive annual rate of 8.94%. This sector is characterized by its rapid product cycles, constantly shifting trends and an increasing number of sustainability-conscious consumers.

Industry-specific data needs:

• Trend anticipation: Scrutinizing social media and review data to spot emerging styles before they hit the mainstream.

• Inventory monitoring: Keeping tabs on competitor stock levels to pinpoint items in high demand.

• Sustainable product positioning: Collecting data on how competitors promote their sustainability claims. This is important because, as Deloitte points out, 60% of millennials and 59% of Gen Z are willing to pay extra for sustainable products and services.

• Fast fashion pricing: Monitoring price changes in real-time to stay ahead of the competition.

• Counterfeit detection: Scanning online marketplaces for unauthorized replicas that could harm brand reputation.

Electronics industry — technical specifications and product lifecycles

The electronics industry faces some unique challenges, like dealing with complex products, fast-paced technological change and short product lifecycles. Given the industry’s estimated Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.5% from 2024 to 2031, making data-driven decisions is more important than ever.

Industry-specific data needs:

• Serial number management: Keeping track of product specifications across various platforms to maintain consistency.

• Product lifecycle data: Keeping an eye on when competitors start discounting older models to make way for the latest tech.

• Detailed specifications: Making sure all technical information is readily available and competitive.

• Consumer electronics pricing strategy: Utilizing real-time pricing intelligence for high-value items, especially since consumers are always comparing prices.

• Stock prediction modeling: Leveraging historical sales data to fine-tune inventory for products with short lifecycles.

Related: Website Scraping Is an Easy Growth Hack You Should Try

Food and beverage industry — health trends and ingredient transparency

The food and beverage sector is experiencing steady growth, projected to go from $6,200,011 million (2024) to $9,807,540 million by 2032, reflecting a CAGR of 5.9%. This industry requires specialized data collection to address food safety regulations, dietary trends and consumer health concerns.

Industry-specific data needs:

• Ingredient transparency: It’s crucial to keep an eye on how competitors present their nutrition information. After all, research has shown that over half of Americans say that front-of-package (FOP) labels impact their food and beverage purchases, and a quarter consider this impact significant.

• Emerging dietary trends: Companies must identify emerging consumer preferences for products that are organic, sustainable or plant-based.

• Allergen labeling practices: Monitoring how competitors comply with allergen documentation is vital, particularly for the 220 million people living with food allergies worldwide.

• Adoption of subscription models: Analyzing how competitors are implementing recurring purchase options. Food subscriptions are projected to contribute to a $442 billion global subscription economy by 2025.

• Omnichannel integration: Understanding how competitors connect online and offline experiences is key.

Gathering web data is a game-changer for ecommerce across sectors, but the type of information you need and how you should use it can differ greatly from industry to industry. With the help of web scraping approaches tailored to a specific industry, businesses can stand out by tapping into real-time insights and using them to inform their pricing, product development and marketing strategies.

As ecommerce keeps growing on a global scale, those who know how to make the most of public web data will be in the best spot to understand market trends, predict what consumers want and ultimately grab a bigger slice of the market in their areas.

Remote and hybrid work have opened doors to efficiency, flexibility and new ways of collaborating across distances. But as technology keeps teams constantly plugged in, many employees find themselves feeling more isolated. Those spontaneous hallway chats and unplanned lunch meetups that often forged the strongest workplace bonds are few and far between these days.

In a virtual setting, it is easy to slip into a transactional mode, where tasks and metrics matter most and personal connections recede into the background.

Are there still ways for employees and leaders to spark a genuine sense of belonging in this setup, or is this the inevitable change we have to accept as part of remote work life?

Related: How to Build Emotional Resilience in a Remote Environment

The dynamics of disconnection in remote teams

In traditional office settings, camaraderie often happens organically. Casual small talk and spontaneous interactions usually give a significant source of support and connection. Hybrid and remote environments, on the other hand, commonly eliminate these chance encounters and leave many employees feeling like they’re marooned on an island.

One of the dangers of this isolation is how it can hide in plain sight and feel “normal.” Your team members may appear fine on screen, but that brief video call might be the only point of contact they have all day.

Over time, employees who lack in-person engagement often feel “out of sight, out of mind” — essentially invisible until they turn in their output, especially if some team members work on-site while others are scattered across time zones. This subtle form of disconnection erodes morale and can even impact career opportunities, as remote individuals may not receive the same spontaneous coaching or visibility that in-office peers do.

The first step in breaking this cycle is acknowledging that remote setups can feed isolation. When employers acknowledge this challenge, their teams can take deliberate actions to reach out, check in and ensure that work relationships thrive in any environment.

Related: 8 Remote Work Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Simple ways employees can reconnect

Employees often wait for managers or HR initiatives to foster social connection, but small personal actions can significantly counter isolation. Be more intentional. Instead of just pinging someone on Slack, suggest a quick virtual coffee to chat about things beyond work. Even a short 15-minute video catch-up or an audio-only call while stepping out to take a walk break can brighten someone’s day and trade sterile text for an actual conversation.

Joining or starting interest-based groups like a book club, a fitness channel or a virtual volunteer team can build a sense of community that goes beyond daily deliverables and KPIs. Setting personal goals for social connection each week helps too, even something as simple as reconnecting with one former colleague or inviting a teammate for a casual catch-up.

Leadership strategies for fostering team well-being

Leaders wield tremendous influence in shaping workplace culture, particularly in remote or hybrid settings. Because isolation can be so easy to disguise, managers need to stay observant for subtle signs such as declining engagement, missed deadlines or a noticeable shift in tone during communications. If an employee seems more withdrawn, initiate a confidential, more compassionate conversation.

Connect with your team actively and regularly. Don’t wait for them to initiate conversations — that usually puts them in an uncomfortable situation. Start the dialogue by asking questions that actually spark real conversations. Perhaps something as straightforward as “How was your weekend?” or “How are you holding up recently?” can create the space needed for deeper discussion.

Leaders should also normalize conversations about mental well-being. Openly discuss mental health in team settings so people feel safe sharing personal challenges without fear of being negatively judged. Train managers in mental health allyship to equip them with tools to recognize emotional distress and respond effectively when needed.

Additionally, taking care of your own mental health is important not only for your well-being but also because it enables you to care for others. After all, “you cannot pour from an empty cup,” which means if you are running on empty, it is virtually impossible to offer genuine help or to be present in the moment when colleagues, friends or family members are in need of support.

Related: 4 Lies We Are Telling Ourselves About Remote Work

Creating safe spaces in the workplace

Companies flourish when their people feel free to bring their whole selves to work, wherever they happen to be. However, being yourself at work shouldn’t mean oversharing or ignoring professional courtesy. It means expressing who you are within professional boundaries and showing consideration for those around you.

Regular conversations about mental well-being, starting from onboarding and continuing through weekly 1:1s and quarterly reviews, further reinforce the message that being “not okay” is human, and seeking support is perfectly normal. Offering flexibility in how work gets done and providing benefits that meet actual employee needs, like EAPs, meditation apps, wellness funds and access to care navigation resources, are effective ways to support employees and demonstrate that you are about their holistic well-being.

When employees feel genuinely connected, they move beyond mere transactional interactions and toward deeper collaboration. Ideas flow more freely, morale rises and trust becomes a guiding force in every team. This sense of connectedness and belonging can prove especially valuable during periods of transition or challenging times for a business.

It’s often in these times that you get to see resilience in action, as every team member draws strength from mutual reliance. It highlights a key principle — that each team member’s strength and positive engagement compound the team’s overall effectiveness, and ultimately, the success of your organization.

At Speno’s Lawn Care in Raleigh, North Carolina, lawn care involves more than landscaping — it’s also about building trust with customers and showing up for them when it matters most. For owner Sam Speno, growing a reputable local business comes down to one clear mission: making the customer happy as soon as possible.

“My biggest thing is to respond quickly,” Speno says. “Sending quotes quickly means a lot. I’ve noticed in the past couple of years that people really do appreciate that.”

Related: She Runs a James Beard Award-Nominated Restaurant. Here’s Her 2-Step Process for Hiring the Best Employees.

Many of these responses occur through Yelp’s Request a Quote feature, which allows customers to send job requests to a specific business or multiple businesses at once. Speno and his wife actively monitor incoming requests and aim to reply within minutes. It’s a timely touch that makes a notable impact on consumers looking for fast and reliable assistance.

“It makes it a lot easier for the customer,” Speno says. “And it’s good for us. We do pretty well on Yelp from our reviews, and [Request a Quote was] how that started.”

Responding quickly is just the first step in building customer relationships. Speno also prioritizes clear, honest communication in his messages and discussions onsite. He says that project quotes should lead with transparency, rather than attempts to upsell: “In any field, not just lawn care, everybody appreciates honesty. I think that is what helps people trust you as a business. I’m not going out trying to force people to spend all the money they can — I just want to do what’s right and be completely honest if you don’t need to spend more.”

Speno’s reputation for honesty has further shaped the way he does business, allowing him to transition from full-time landscaping to managing a team he trusts. With dedicated crews for maintenance and landscaping, he’s able to spend more energy on operations and scaling the business.

“ I meet up with the crews in the morning at the shop, and we go over the plan. I’ll meet them again at the job and make sure they have everything and know what they’re doing. Then I’ll go out and focus on the business,” Speno says. “It’s easier for me to focus and keep fueling the business instead of staying on the field at a customer’s house trying to get the job done.”

Related: This CEO’s Paint-Your-Own Pottery Business Has 130 Locations — But Anyone Can Use Her Tips for Creating a Customer-First Experience

This transition came with a learning curve, especially around scheduling. Early on, Speno found himself driving all over town, zig-zagging from one project to the next. Once his wife took over route planning, the pieces fell into place. “The hardest part of the business is trying to schedule. I was all over the map every single day, and this doesn’t make sense. My wife took over planning the routes, and now we’ll put every single customer on our map, and then we’ll divide each one. I’m really thankful for her,” he says.

Efficient scheduling and honest service help Speno cultivate lasting customer relationships, which often lead to repeat work or referrals. These smaller, recurring maintenance jobs lay the groundwork for larger landscaping projects.

“You don’t get to the big clientele until you start with the lawn maintenance,” Speno says. “It may only be $60 to cut someone’s lawn, but they might have a $2,000 landscape job that they need done down the line. Even if it’s not that customer, if you do a good job for them, they’re going to refer you to another customer. It’s brand awareness. You’re spreading your name from such an easy service to do.”

This small but mighty approach extends to how Speno thinks about reviews. He keeps an eye on customer feedback and sees every review as a learning opportunity.

“Reviews are what are going to fuel your business,” Speno says. “A review I learned from was when I didn’t respond quick enough, and they gave me one star, but it actually helped me learn because ever since then, I try to keep my response time within 10 minutes. If you do good work, you’re gonna get good reviews, your business is gonna speak for itself, the reviews are gonna fuel the business, and business will keep coming in, especially from places like Yelp that [help] do that for you.”

Even now, Speno says he never gets tired of reading a 5-star review: “ I’m always super happy to see 5-star reviews because it’s nice to see the appreciation the customer has when you do something, and it makes their day. To us, we do it every day, so we’re like, ‘All we did was mulch a yard.’ But it’s so cool to see that you’re willing to take the time out of your day to leave us a review.”

Related: The Training (and Business) Philosophy That Sets This Self-Defense Studio Apart

A thoughtful approach, a timely team and a business model built on honesty have helped Speno’s Lawn Care foster a loyal customer base. For business owners aiming to do the same, consider Speno’s key principles:

• Speed builds trust. Responding to inquiries quickly — especially through tools like Yelp’s Request a Quote — establishes credibility and professionalism from the initial interaction, which helps win jobs.
• Transparency over transactions. Offering honest, thoughtful recommendations (even when they might lead to less immediate revenue) shows customers you’re on their side and builds loyalty long term.
• Structure is fundamental for growth. Organizing routes, delegating tasks and investing in a competent team allows small business owners to scale without compromising quality.
• The job isn’t done until the customer is happy. Flexibility and follow-through, even for minor fixes, leave a lasting impression that can turn one-time customers into repeat business.
• Reviews are a roadmap. Both positive and critical feedback can be an opportunity for growth. Learning from customer reviews helps your business consistently improve.

Listen to the episode below to hear directly from Speno, and subscribe to Behind the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Thursday.

Editorial contributions by Alex Miranda and Kristi Lindahl

This article is part of our ongoing America’s Favorite Mom & Pop Shops™ series highlighting family-owned and operated businesses.

Most people feel personally and emotionally connected to the small businesses in their communities, but they underestimate how widespread small businesses are on a broader scale.

That’s according to a new report released Wednesday by digital marketing and automation platform Constant Contact. The report gathered responses from over 8,000 people in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Only 19% of U.S. respondents correctly identified that there were 33 million small businesses in the U.S. Many respondents underestimated the number “by millions,” the report noted. Meanwhile, more than two in five Americans said they would feel “devastated” if their favorite small business closed.

Related: ‘Applications Are Surging’: Small Business Administration Reports Significant Growth in Loan Approvals

Constant Contact CEO Frank Vella said the numbers showed most consumers have “a blind spot” in their awareness of the number of small businesses that exist.

Vella told Entrepreneur in an email that small businesses create a “personal” relationship with their customers. Customers aren’t just buying a product or service, they’re building a relationship.

According to the report, the most popular types of small businesses globally were restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, retail shops, locally-owned franchises, and personal care or wellness businesses.

“Many of us feel a personal connection to our favorite local businesses, but our research shows a significant awareness gap regarding the prevalence of these businesses,” Vella said. “Failing to recognize small businesses and their critical role in our communities and economies creates a blind spot, which makes it easy to overlook their impact.”

Related: Small Business Owners Are Taking 3 Creative Actions to Achieve Their Goals, According to a New Report

On a global scale, 40% of consumers said they visit a small business at least once a week, and over 80% agreed that small businesses positively affect their lives.

Customers said they supported small businesses because they enjoyed the quality of products and services, the personal customer service, and the local impact. They also said they chose to shop at small businesses because of the sense of community these establishments provided.

Another small business survey released last month from Goldman Sachs found that most small business owners in the U.S. (69%) are optimistic about the financial health of their businesses, and 78% plan to grow their businesses this year. Of the 1,188 businesses surveyed, nearly half (46%) said they expected to create new jobs this year.

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is aware of the chatbot’s “annoying” new personality.

On April 25, CEO Sam Altman posted on X that GPT-4o was updated to improve “intelligence and personality.”

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

That last bit hasn’t been very popular.

After days of complaints on social media about the chatbot’s “toxic positivity,” Altman wrote on April 27 that the “last couple” of updates to GPT-4o have “made the personality too sycophant-y and annoying.”

Now, the company is rolling back the updates and making “additional fixes to model personality,” Altman said.

the last couple of GPT-4o updates have made the personality too sycophant-y and annoying (even though there are some very good parts of it), and we are working on fixes asap, some today and some this week.

at some point will share our learnings from this, it’s been interesting.

— Sam Altman (@sama) April 27, 2025

Complaints varied but had the same vibe: ChatGPT’s responses were too nice to the point of being uncomfortable.

Software engineer Craig Weiss wrote on X that the chatbot “literally will validate everything I say,” while Claire Vo, a chief product officer, wrote that it is “way too cheery [and] positive, you really have to bully it to be critical.”

ChatGPT has this weird problem of toxic positivity. Instead of telling you an idea is crap (pun intended), it almost always assumes any idea you float is incredible and “the next big thing”. Just tell me if an idea is bad and break down why or why not. https://t.co/GBrSdkN6Ac

— Samuel Sparks (@OfficialSSFresh) April 28, 2025

I’m a big fan of GPT-4.1, fast, writes well, sounds human but it has a few major cringe-bugs:
– it’s WAY too cheery + positive, you really have to bully it to be critical
– you can gaslight it into hallucinating way too easily, will pretend to have files, etc. it does not
– it…

— claire vo ? (@clairevo) April 27, 2025

ChatGPT is suddenly the biggest suckup I’ve ever met. It literally will validate everything I say.

— Craig Weiss (@craigzLiszt) April 18, 2025

Altman says the updates went through on Tuesday, so users should see a difference soon.

Related: Here’s How Much a Typical Google Employee Makes in a Year

Every day, in every board room all over the world, leadership teams discuss their customers. They look at purchase data, renewals, new customers, loyalty metrics, reviews and survey results. Entrepreneurs pore over these same metrics at small businesses everywhere. In short, every business, in every industry, of every size, is evaluating their customer behavior and what it means for their financial performance.

Unless an obvious negative customer metric exists, most executives will declare that their businesses are healthy. Their customers are happy. A rare few will dig deeper, questioning every positive indicator, looking for the leading data that gives them cues to what they need to do to stay ahead, innovate and change before the competition. In my experience, this is less than 5% of executive teams or entrepreneurs in businesses of any size. Most leaders aren’t obsessed with unpacking positive results or thinking about staying ahead of any potential market or customer shift.

If you are reading this and you believe you are in that 5%, I’d ask you to think hard about the last time you challenged every aspect of the customer experience you provide. Why is customer experience the bellwether indicator? Because most leaders think that they do a great job delivering a great experience, and most customers think that their experience is horrible at worst and baseline acceptable at best.

Related: Customer Experience Will Determine the Success of Your Company

How NPS scores and surveys are misleading

If you have this “reality gap” in your customer experience, you have even bigger gaps in your other metrics. I have seen this pattern repeat over and over. You might be one of those companies with hundreds or thousands of “five-star” survey results and a high Net Promoter Score (NPS), so you are patting yourself on the back. These are the companies whose customers dry up overnight and no one “knows why.” Every time I audit one of these companies, inevitably I find that the questions on that “five-star” survey are measuring bare basics, like “was everyone friendly and polite?” Every single business in the world should have a 5/5 on that question. That is not customer experience success. That is the bare minimum level of service.

These inflated and misleading positive surveys mean that most companies have very little understanding of what customers really think about their experiences in every interaction, every day — and that is dangerous because in our current economy, customers will leave you in a heartbeat over one mediocre experience. Even if you are a company that thinks you have built a great experience because you have a department that focuses on customer service or customer experience, you are probably behind. Why?

Customer behavior has changed dramatically in the last 12 months, and with the compression of innovation cycles, AI and technology advancements, geopolitical changes and cultural trends, customers continue to raise their standards and shift their ideas about what defines a wonderful experience. Most businesses aren’t keeping pace with all of this. Instead, they are leaning on old-fashioned ideals around customer service.

Most are still using customer service, hospitality and customer experience as interchangeable concepts. They believe these are all the same things. In reality, they are all wildly different concepts. All are needed, but each needs to be considered, designed and regularly updated to delight the modern consumer. Your hospitality program, your customer service and your customer experience must all be layered to create a positive impact on the customer.

What this confusion means is that for most companies, your customer experience is on dangerously thin ice, and you won’t be aware of it until customers are leaving you. Revenue will be down, loyalty metrics will shift overnight, survey results will still be good and new customer acquisition will slow to a crawl. You’ll be in a spiral that is hard to reverse. Your customer experience has failed you.

If this scares you, good. You have an opportunity to move into the 5% that obsess over their “great” customer experience, question all those positive metrics, and you can be one of those companies that stay in front of their competitors and are prepared to weather market shifts.

Related: I Was a Highly-Paid Executive In Customer Experience. Then I Started Working Minimum Wage Jobs, And Realized Everything I’d Gotten Wrong.

How to find out the real state of your customer experience

Now what do you do? Start by acknowledging that old-fashioned ideas about what creates a great experience are exactly that … old. Modern consumers have decided that being polite, efficient, having good manners and personalizing interactions are baseline service principles. Delivering a warm welcome, using the customer’s name and executing a fond farewell are basics. Answering their questions and delivering things they ask for quickly and accurately? That’s another basic.

If you already think about “wow moments” as an important differentiator, you are ahead of most. Wow moment programs must be carefully designed, scaled and measured. Wow moments don’t just “happen.” But for that to make any impact on the modern consumer, it must be something that you do for every customer, every time … and even then, you are still at customer experience circa 2018. The new standard is way beyond that.

Modern consumers don’t care how big or small your business might be. You can be a global 50 company or a single outlet on their local street corner, and they expect that you will know them, deliver excellent hospitality and then wow them with your ability to deliver an immersive storytelling experience that leads to a “wow.” You’ll master an expert and artisanal experience from your own employees, you’ll understand the customer’s unique story and build a multi-layered set of wow moments that reflect that knowledge, you’ll deliver a sense of place that capitalizes on your geography or history, and you’ll provide a set of brand signatures that demonstrate your unique point of view. These are the critical items that every business must have to claim that they are focused on customer experience.

Most companies don’t deliver any of the above and are instead delivering the basics, and those basics do not confer any competitive advantage. Some are delivering an occasional wow moment, but that is also very old-fashioned. As an example, if you are an automotive dealership, and you observe that your customer has a child seat installed in their backseat when they bring their car in for service, and then you leave a teddy bear in that child seat when they pick up their vehicle, you are delivering a baseline wow moment. That isn’t the personalized, multi-layered wow moment journey that consumers expect. That customer could probably go to 10 dealerships in your market for a teddy bear — it’s that common. You are not unique.

Related: You’ll Never Satisfy Your Customers — or Grow Your Business — Without Doing These 3 Things

Every company has limited resources, so it is critical to use those resources to maximum impact. Customers are looking for you to deliver exceptional baseline hospitality, excellent, efficient customer service, and then to craft a set of customer experiences that make you stand out. These experiences wrap around your product to expand your story. These experiences capture narratives that are powerful reminders of why they chose you over all others. They validate their choices and reinforce that they belong in your tribe. You deliver moments that make customers feel seen and known — where their individual story is important, understood and acknowledged.

You may feel intimidated by that mandate, but it is within reach. Utilizing modern CRM technology, creating a powerful culture of customer-centricity, empowering employees to create meaningful moments, investing in an experience model and building a company culture that values creativity, innovation and bold action can make all of this possible. Those of you with an hourly workforce, remember that hiring is essential. Hire for personality and cultural fit. Train vocational skills. Give everyone the power to delight customers. Creating experiences is fun, and it is directly correlated to employee retention metrics.

Above all, remember that your customer experience is essential to the long-term success of your business. If you sit at your customer metric dashboard and never question your success, you’ll soon find yourself at the back of the pack.

In recent weeks, the academic world has been rocked by news that billions of dollars in federal funding have been frozen or withdrawn from some of the most well-known universities in the country. These shifts have disrupted research, derailed planning and shaken the foundation of institutions long dependent on what now feels like a relic of the past: steady, unquestioned government funding.

But this moment is not just about budgets. It’s about readiness.

The education system — particularly higher education — is being tested on all fronts: from declining enrollment to waning employer trust, from outdated course catalogs to rising student skepticism, and most powerfully, from the sudden and exponential rise of artificial intelligence.

As someone who’s helped launch AI and emerging technology programs across the globe, established global innovation centers as hubs for learning and development and worked with companies on enterprise-wide reskilling, I believe this is not the time to panic. This is the time to rebuild.

We are at a historic inflection point. The old frameworks are fading. The future is already arriving — and it won’t wait for us to catch up.

Related: How AI Is Transforming Education Forever — and What It Means for the Next Generation of Thinkers

When memorization doesn’t make sense anymore

A few weeks ago, my 10-year-old son Matthew asked me why he had to memorize historical dates when ChatGPT could give him the answers instantly. He wasn’t complaining; he was confused. Why are we being taught to work around the very tools the real world expects us to use?

Then there’s my five-year-old, Zachary. He doesn’t “use” AI — he absorbs it.

He passively consumes answers from “Cha-Gi-PiPi” (that’s what he calls ChatGPT) like it’s a magical oracle. He taps the mic, asks it questions about trains or dinosaurs and trusts it completely. To him, this isn’t technology — it’s just how knowledge flows.

And that’s the point: He doesn’t question it, contextualize it or challenge it … yet. He’s growing up in a world where AI is normal, automatic and invisible. Which means we — as educators, innovators and lifelong learners — must teach the next generation not just how to use AI, but how to think with it.

Higher education is about to get out of sync — and everyone will feel it

U.S. undergraduate college enrollment has declined by more than two million students since 2010, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). In fall 2023 alone, enrollment dropped by another 0.6%, continuing a long-term downward trend.

At the same time, employers are steadily shifting toward skills-based hiring and micro-credentials. Meanwhile, learners are turning to YouTube, AI tools, bootcamps and virtual programs that meet them where they are.

This is not about convenience. It’s about alignment.

And while higher education has made major strides in response — particularly in online learning, industry credentials and AI exploration — many institutions are still operating within systems that were designed for a different era.

Related: Why We Must Reimagine Education in the Age of Technology

This isn’t just a tech shift — it’s a cognitive one

AI is not just another tool. It’s a new mental model. Students can now access real-time tutoring, instant content generation, personalized feedback and creative prompts with the swipe of a screen. For them, it’s not artificial — it’s ambient.

And yet, most education systems are stuck debating whether to ban it, regulate it or ignore it. The risk is that we’re preparing students for an analog world that no longer exists.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 estimates that 39% of core job skills will change by 2030, identifying analytical thinking, AI literacy and creativity as critical capabilities. These are not just resume boosters — they’re survival skills.

More importantly, the report makes one thing clear: We’re still educating for a workforce that no longer exists. One defined by static roles, predictable ladders and siloed knowledge. That era is over, and education must move forward accordingly.

5 imperatives for a better future of learning

As we face a convergence of AI acceleration, funding disruption and societal change, here are five urgent actions for leaders in education and innovation:

1. Integrate AI thoughtfully and systematically

Yes, schools should be teaching students how to use and challenge AI. And many already are — I’m fortunate to be collaborating with brilliant minds in academia who are actively piloting AI-powered tools, embedding them into classrooms and reframing what it means to learn.

But let’s not minimize it: This is hard work. It requires rethinking pedagogy, redesigning assessments and helping educators become co-learners. The institutions leading this change won’t just teach AI — they’ll be transformed by it.

2. Redesign learning for exploration, not memorization

In a world where information is infinite, facts are just the beginning. The true value lies in asking better questions, connecting ideas and applying insight.

We must shift away from rote memorization toward curricula that nurture curiosity, agility and original thought. And yes, that means assessments have to evolve, too.

3. Scale co-innovation and cross-sector partnerships

Higher education must move beyond internships and advisory boards toward true co-creation with industry. That means working side-by-side with companies to build relevant, modular, real-world-aligned learning tracks.

These partnerships aren’t new, but they’ve never been more necessary. The institutions that succeed will blur the line between campus and career.

4. Use AI to humanize education, not just automate it

AI can streamline grading, flag struggling students, optimize course design and deliver real-time feedback. But its real power lies in what it frees educators to do: mentor, inspire and connect.

Let’s use AI not to remove the teacher, but to elevate the teacher’s role to its most human expression.

5. Champion innovation and entrepreneurship as core, not elective

Innovation and entrepreneurship aren’t side projects. They’re the engines of resilience. The students who can invent, adapt and build in uncertain conditions will lead every field — from biotech to business.

Every school should be a lab. Every campus, a studio. Because the future won’t be handed to us — we’ll have to build it.

Related: Why We Shouldn’t Fear AI in Education (and How to Use It Effectively)

The Great Rethink begins now

That’s why I’m launching a new four-part series here on Entrepreneur.com called “The Great Rethink: How AI Is Forcing the Reinvention of Education.”

In the weeks ahead, I’ll explore:

1. Why the current model is losing relevance — and what replaces it

2. Why change won’t come from inside the system alone

3. What AI makes possible that education never could

4. How to rebuild education like a startup — agile, scalable and learner-centered

We are not here to preserve what was. We are here to reimagine what’s next.

If you’re a founder, educator, policymaker or learning and development professional, this is your moment. If you’re building, exploring, experimenting — reach out. Share your vision. Ask your big questions.

Because who but us will reinvent education?

Not with wishful thinking. Not with course catalogs. And certainly not with the kind of funding we once assumed would always be there.

The future won’t wait. And neither should we.

What if you could slow aging and improve your biological function with a single 30-second shot? That’s the promise behind Minicircle, a gene therapy startup with lofty ambitions. As Founder and CEO Mac Davis put it recently on the One Day with Jon Bier podcast: “We want to extend the length and quality of human life.”

How the treatment works

Minicircle is best known for its therapy focused on the hormone follistatin, a naturally occurring protein that can increase muscle mass, improve recovery, and reduce inflammation. One injection, delivered into body fat, takes about 30 seconds and can last up to a year.

The treatments are not yet approved for use in the United States. So, patients must travel to countries such as Mexico and Honduras, where the company currently administers its gene therapy under medical supervision.

Related: 3 Biotech Innovators Advancing Genetic Therapies

New approaches to aging

Follistatin is not only being studied for performance enhancement but also for its potential to impact aging. Some animal studies have suggested that it could extend lifespan by over 30%. While much of the research is still in its early stages, there are signs that it could increase lean muscle mass, decrease body fat, and improve overall quality of life.

“I noticed a shift in how I felt — more aware, more present,” says Davis. “It wasn’t just physical; it was a sense of clarity, of being more connected to my body and the world around me.”

Davis believes that therapies like these represent a broader change in how we approach health: moving from symptom management to improving function proactively. “Gene therapy, at its core, offers the possibility to address issues before they become problems, focusing on enhancing function rather than simply treating dysfunction,” he explains.

Big-time backers

Minicircle doesn’t operate like most biotech companies. Davis didn’t go to business school or raise money through traditional channels. For a long time, no one would fund it.

“I didn’t come from a family of businesspeople,” he explains. “I didn’t have any financial backing. We tried to do a crowdfund. We raised $400. The guy asked for it back later.”

Then Sam Altman heard about it at a hotel bar and wrote a check. Peter Thiel was next. “I went there and I was like, hey, these are the vials. This is the idea. What do you think we should do with this?” Davis says. Thiel ended up talking for most of the meeting. He invested, too.

Minicircle used that support to build a small, highly specialized team. One of its lead scientists is a former NFL athlete who later earned a PhD in Molecular Medicine and Mechanisms of Disease. “He joined our clinical trial because he thought it would give him access to a next-generation gene therapy,” Davis says. “Then he really liked it and he joined the team.”

Related: This Is the Overlooked Industry You Should Start Investing in Now

The business of building the future

Minicircle’s work sits at the intersection of science, ethics, and entrepreneurship. Davis is learning as he goes.

Since then, the stakes have only grown. So has his appreciation for what matters most.

“The cost of a bad relationship is bigger than I ever knew,” he says. “And the upside of a great one is even bigger.”

With patients already seeing results and more therapies in the pipeline, the mission stays simple: extend human potential—ethically, safely, and accessibly.

“Longevity isn’t about living forever,” Davis says. “It’s about having the freedom to live the way you want, for as long as possible.”

What’s next

Minicircle’s next therapy targets a different hormone: Klotho. It helps prevent calcification in arteries, kidneys, and the brain. “It reduces improper calcium buildup,” Davis says. “And that’s huge for heart health and longevity.”

The therapy is currently being tested abroad, since gene therapy remains tightly regulated in the U.S. But the company plans to apply for FDA clinical use later this year.

“We’re applying for approval from the FDA to clinically administer this in the U.S. by the end of the year,” he says.