“Spatial” is certainly one of the most popular words this year. In my opinion, Collins Dictionary is likely to include it at least on its shortlist for 2024. Spatial computing is an innovative technology that is changing the way we interact with digital content. And I want to emphasize that it’s not just a new technology, but a new philosophy about how we interact with the digital world.

In this article, I want to discuss how spatial content will impact businesses around the world and how its consumption is changing the global business agenda. We used to think in terms of flattened pictures and videos that were necessarily tied to the devices that broadcast them. Now we need a new type of thinking — spatial. The surface for transmitting information is literally the air around us.

Related: How Can Spatial Computing Make Industrial Development More Intuitive and Seamless?

The future of spatial technologies

My article aims to provide entrepreneurs with basic knowledge and understanding of the potential of immersive technologies and generative AI in business. Specifically, I would like to focus on augmented reality technology, as this is the type of immersive technology that is most available right now. In fact, any smartphone can work with web AR technology now (to interact with AR content, you need internet access and any web browser on your smartphone — you don’t need to install any applications).

Imagine that in three to five years, users will replace cell phones with XR glasses. There are already many factors for this change in consumption patterns. Apple Vision Pro is a flagship in creating a fashion for consuming immersive technology in everyday life.

In addition, more than 50 companies around the world are working on their own versions of XR glasses. All the tech giants are using augmented reality as part of their global strategy. The AR software market is projected to surpass $140 billion in 2025, which will show a 12-fold growth. Projected consumer spending on physical goods with AR will reach $255 billion in three years, and it’s already billions in sales today.

In 2020, 83.7 million people used AR at least once per month in the U.S. (and this is data from before Apple Vision Pro was released). This trend is coupled with the evolutionary development of the impression economy, where customer experience is increasingly becoming a deciding factor in purchase decisions. There is no doubt that AR is becoming mainstream, just like generative AI, but with less PR backing for now.

The transformative impact of spatial computing

There is no doubt that the launch of Apple Vision Pro has had an impact on the market. But beyond the devices themselves, it’s important to understand what software we need and, in my opinion, even more importantly, what content will work to achieve business goals.

The development of generative AI to create visuals, video and spatial content through augmented reality technology, has already helped make a significant leap in the creation of such content. In the rapidly changing world of artificial intelligence, entrepreneurs are actively integrating generative AI technologies into their business processes. With the growing interest in these technologies, the a16z foundation has estimated a threefold increase in budgets for implementing generative AI in businesses in 2024. These costs are moving from innovation budgets to ongoing software budgets.

Now, we will explore the key concepts, benefits and challenges businesses may face in implementing these technologies, as well as examples of how to effectively utilize them to drive growth and innovation across industries.

Related: All About Apple’s Spatial Computing

Steps to integrating AR and generative AI into your business

• Understanding market needs: Knowing your target audience and how spatial computing can meet their needs or solve existing problems is the first step to successful implementation.

• Spatial thinking: Now is the time when the bold application of new technologies can set trends for your business for years to come. The market is completely fresh — there are no established rules and traditions. Boldly use your imagination and out-of-the-box thinking, and change your traditional content to spatial content.

• Team training: It’s important that your team is aware of the possibilities of AR and AI. Investing in training and skills development is key to innovation.

• Pilot projects: Start small by launching pilot projects to evaluate the impact of AR on your business and get feedback from users.

• Utilize off-the-shelf platforms: No-code platforms offer tools to create AR content without the need for deep programming knowledge, making the technology accessible to a wide range of entrepreneurs.

• Adapt and iterate: The AR market is rapidly evolving, so it’s important to constantly adapt and improve your content based on user feedback and changes in technology.

Business benefits

• Improved customer engagement: AR offers unique opportunities to create an engaged and interactive user experience.

• Increase sales: Interactive AR product demonstrations can increase conversion and average check.

• Differentiation: Innovative use of AR and AI can set your brand apart from competitors.

• Process optimization: AR can simplify and speed up various business processes such as staff training or product demonstrations.

Overcoming challenges

• Talent acquisition: Implementing and scaling generative AI and immersive technologies requires the right talent, which many companies currently lack.

• User adaptation: Businesses must help users get used to a new type of interaction with their brand.

• Wide thinking: Without innovative thinking, projects risk becoming one-size-fits-all.

• Lack of long-term experience: Lack of accumulated experience can be a barrier.

• Being a pioneer: Experimentation and pioneering can be difficult for many corporations, but it is essential for innovation.

Related: Are You Hesitant to Use AR Technology? Here’s Why You Need to Jump on It Now.

Spatial thinking and the consumption of spatial content are changing business agendas around the world. Generative AI and AR are powerful tools for business transformation, opening new horizons for innovation and growth. By understanding the basics of their application and the relevance of these technologies, even entrepreneurs who have not previously encountered them can benefit significantly.

Set your sails today to be at the right point in your business at the right time.

Ahead of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, the future of cryptocurrency and its regulation has become a topic of discussion among voters.

On Thursday, a regulatory financial filing by Republican nominee Donald Trump showed that the former President owns over $1 million in crypto, showing Silicon Valley that the presidential candidate may have favorable crypto policies derived from personal interest.

Related: Mark Cuban Says He’s Received ‘Multiple Questions’ From Kamala Harris About Crypto

The financial filing stated that Trump owns a cryptocurrency wallet and a “virtual Ethereum key” which, depending on the current markets, can range in value from $1 million to $5 million.

Trump’s current stance on crypto is a “hands-off” approach allowing the market to self-regulate.

The former President now also accepts cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, as funding for his campaign, signaling a strong pivot from his prior stance that crypto was a “scam” and “disaster waiting to happen.”

In an interview with Bloomberg, Trump championed Bitcoin mining in the U.S. to curb China’s growing influence over the market.

“If we don’t do it, China is going to figure it out, and China’s going to have it—or somebody else,” Trump said.

Last month, Mark Cuban told Decrypt in an interview that he had been fielding calls from Democratic nominee Kamala Harris’ team about cryptocurrency and advice on the market.

Related: Musk, Trump Hit With Federal Labor Charges Over Livestream

Cuban then accused Silicon Valley leaders that support Trump of doing so as a “Bitcoin play.”

“What will drive the price of BTC is lower tax rates and tariffs, which if history is any guide (and it’s not always ), will be inflationary,” Cuban explained on X. “Combine that with global uncertainty as to the geopolitical role of the USA, and the impact on the US Dollar as a reserve currency, and you can’t align the stars any better for a BTC price acceleration.”

For entrepreneurs and business owners, travel is often a necessary part of growing and expanding your enterprise. Whether you’re meeting with clients, attending conferences, or scouting new markets, frequent travel can quickly become one of your largest expenses.

That’s where Matt’s Flights Premium Plan could come in handy. A lifetime subscription is on sale for just $79.97 (reg. $1,800), which gives you access to exclusive flight deals, saving you up to 90% on both domestic and international flights. Just imagine the possibilities when you can travel more often for less, all while keeping your business budget in check.

You can think of Matt as your go-to source for the best flight deals. He constantly scours the skies, finding those rare airline errors and deeply discounted fares that others might miss. The moment he uncovers a deal too good to pass up, it’s sent directly to your inbox. It’s like having an expert in low-cost air travel working just for you, making sure you never overpay for a flight again.

Because travel planning can be tricky, especially when juggling multiple business responsibilities, Matt offers round-the-clock support to help you navigate travel uncertainties. Whether you need advice on booking, tips for finding the best routes, or help with a specific query, Matt’s one-on-one support ensures you’re never alone in your travel planning.

One of the most helpful features of this flight alert service is the custom search requests. Got a specific destination in mind? Need to fly on certain dates? With the Premium Plan, you can submit as many custom search requests as you like, and Matt will find the best airfare that fits your travel needs.

If you want to make the most of your travel budget, this is a good way to do it.

Get a lifetime subscription to Matt’s Flights Premium Plan for just $79.97 (reg. $1,800) through September 3.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

No matter where you are in your business journey, having the right tools can make all the difference in productivity and growth. However, investing in top-tier software doesn’t have to break the bank.

With this terrific all-in-one bundle, you can get Microsoft Office 2019 Pro Plus for Windows and Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for just $45.97 (reg. $428) through September 3. This package offers everything you need to streamline your operations, boost productivity, and stay secure with the latest in AI-driven updates and security features.

Power up productivity.

Microsoft Office 2019 Pro Plus is packed with all the essential productivity tools your business needs. From creating polished documents in Word and analyzing data in Excel to designing impactful presentations in PowerPoint and managing communications with Outlook, this suite has you covered.

It’s a one-time purchase, meaning you can enjoy lifetime access without worrying about recurring subscription fees. While it might not be the latest Office version out there, it still offers the productivity support and functions millions rely on worldwide.

A modern OS with the latest updates.

Windows 11 Pro is designed to keep your business on the cutting edge with its latest security features and AI-driven updates. The OS offers enhanced protection against cyber threats, improved performance, and a sleek, user-friendly interface. It’s built to support modern work environments, whether your team is working remotely, in-office, or a hybrid of both.

The new AI assistant, Copilot, can help you streamline your work by summarizing documents, changing settings, and much more. And the latest AI enhancements can also be seen elsewhere, like in the Paint app, which makes it easy to remove backgrounds from images and other tools.

For small businesses and startups, every dollar counts. Don’t miss this dynamic bundle that has 5/5 stars online.

Order your All-in-One Microsoft Office Pro 2019 for Windows Lifetime License and Windows 11 Pro Bundle for $45.97 (reg. $428) through September 3.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

After running my own advertising and PR company for the past 22 years, I have learned that you always have to think ahead and be resourceful. Whatever worked yesterday doesn’t mean it will work today or tomorrow, especially now in our post-pandemic world.

When the cost of living crisis hit, I could see many companies in trouble. They were struggling with finding leads, filling their calendars with appointments and setting up automation in their business to save time and money. This is something that I have experience with — over two decades of experience, so I created an offer to help companies of all sizes remain afloat. But the challenge I faced was, how do I get this offer out there? So, I turned to Meta advertising — advertising on Facebook and Instagram.

Related: How to Master the Art of Digital Marketing in 2023

With many years of digital marketing and advertising experience under my belt, here are my hacks for scaling the digital marketing side of my business for just $10 a day.

1. Have an irresistible offer

You need to think about what will make people stop and want to speak with you. Put yourself in your potential customers’ shoes. If you don’t think that you would want to take up your amazing offer, then would they? Focusing on the benefits of your product or services that your customers will receive will help you craft your luring proposal.

For example, if you’re a real estate agent selling properties, don’t sell a specific home on social media with a photo of the listing, but rather target investors — offering them the opportunity to purchase a great asset without even featuring an image of the property. It’s the return on investment that you’re ultimately promoting rather than the home for sale.

Guarantees can be captivating, too, as long as you can deliver on your promise and it doesn’t sound too far-fetched. The ads that guarantee “we will ensure we provide you with 15 full paying clients within a month” are too unrealistic and actually deter potential customers. Instead, for example, you could have a 30-day satisfaction guarantee if you have a coaching course or “see results in 30 days” if you’re a personal trainer.

Related: How to Craft Irresistible Offers Your Ideal Clients Can’t Refuse

2. Create a scroll-stopping design

The best designs have the foundation of a brilliant, funny and clever headline that grabs attention. I have found that slick, professionally shot and edited videos don’t work at all. People are on social media to catch up on their friends and family’s updates — not to see a fancy video ad. Attention spans are diminishing by the minute. Don’t think for a second that your target audience will watch your 90-second video encouraging them to go to a landing page. Instead, base your design with a simple, easy-to-read font combined with a plain background that pops. When it comes to your static image design, less is more. Your headline should be the only text that makes up the graphic. This will get viewers to stop scrolling right away.

Don’t have a designer? Don’t worry. Programs like Canva make it very easy to create different designs for social media channels and even come with inbuilt size templates so you know that your artwork will be compliant. The Facebook advertising manager platform also has an AI feature that will automatically redesign your artwork for various placements, so you no longer have to design multiple versions.

3. Set your campaign objectives

Facebook and Instagram have recently overhauled their lead form ads, allowing advertisers to get leads inexpensively by using their built-in forms. After all, Meta wants its audience to stay on its channels for as long as possible, so companies that opt to use its in-built forms and keep their audience sticky are being rewarded.

Think about your objectives and structure your campaign accordingly using the platform’s options. If you’re after more sales and leads, lead forms are ideal. Another great way of increasing engagement with potential customers is with an engagement campaign that encourages people to message you directly. This is often a preferred way of communicating with people under 45 years of age.

Related: How Text Marketing Could Be Your Most Powerful Customer Engagement Too

4. Optimize the ROI on your advertising spend

When it comes to your designs, it’s important to see what works and what doesn’t without changing too many variables at once. I always suggest spending no more than $10 a day initially with your ads. By doing so, your ad creative is actually doing all the heavy lifting rather than your budget. If you have a lackluster ad or offer, testing at $100 a day could skew your results because you’re spending more than your competitors. Choosing to test at just $10 a day, you will see within a day or two the return on investment on the creative you are testing. If it’s meeting your objectives, keep going at $10 a day. If not, turn off that ad set and launch a second creative and start again.

Related: You Won’t Have a Strong Budget Until You Follow These 5 Tips

5. Slowly increase your Meta advertising budget for consistent campaign performance

Once you’re seeing results with your creative, it’s time to scale. This doesn’t always mean boosting your budget immediately. It often takes the pixel a little while to go through a learning period. Many of my clients only spend $10 a day, like myself on ads, and get several leads coming in each day. However, if you want to increase the learning phase period, then start off slowly by increasing your budget by no more than 25% every few days.

When it comes to marketing your business on a budget, it definitely is possible and thanks to platforms like Meta, you can now quickly see what’s working and what’s not. Never has there been a time in business where you can turn on or off an advertising campaign so quickly and measure results down to every dollar spent.

Technology is evolving exponentially, and businesses need help keeping up. That’s why EvonSys has dominated the “low code” market for years. Low code refers to developing apps and other tools that require little or no coding. EvonSys already creating enterprise tools for many of the world’s largest banks and governments, but it’s only the beginning.

Eventually, almost every company will need someone to create software tools suited to its needs, both internal and external. Those solutions are typically very expensive and take a lot of time. Instead of hiring a pricey team of coders, companies can use EvonSys’ software platform to assist in the development process.

For a limited time, EvonSys is taking private shareholders. And with the emergence of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and other world-altering tech, they see a tremendous growth opportunity ahead.

Here are reasons to invest in EvonSys amid the next wave of innovation.

$3.6T low-code market opportunity.

The low-code market, valued at $3.6 trillion, represents one of the most significant growth opportunities in tech today. And it’s growing fast.

A great example of the “low code” transition can be found in website design platforms like Squarespace, Webflow, and Wix. These tools help create good-looking websites using minimal code. About 23 million websites have been built using platforms like these. If you do the math based on Wix’s monthly subscription alone ($16), 23 million websites translate to about $4 billion in revenue over the course of a year.

Of course, website-building and management platforms are often priced much higher than that. And this is just a small segment of the vast market potential in low-code software.

EvonSys targets an even deeper enterprise-level niche. Everything from in-house project management tools to customer communication is fair game. That’s why they’ve thrived on the world stage with their innovative SaaS offerings so far.

Proven traction and clientele.

EvonSys has been delivering results and proving market leadership from the start. Over the past three years, the company has doubled its revenue and established a robust client base, including more than 50 of the highest-revenue companies in the world. Notable partners include Microsoft and Salesforce.

Many of EvonSys’ business software solutions are based on Salesforce and Pega. Their platform’s AI-powered decision-making and user-friendly suite of design tools allow businesses to develop custom apps quickly. With that, they can help address specific industry needs and enhance a company’s overall efficiency.

EvonSys’ diverse clientele points to its stability and showcases its ability to cater to various industry needs with its low-code technology.

EvonSys’ pre-IPO investment opportunity.

As EvonSys continues to lead the charge in the low-code revolution, it’s now opening the doors for investors through a Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) investment opportunity. This move represents a strategic step to fuel the company’s ambitious growth plans, with a target revenue goal of $100 million within five years.

The other exciting part is that EvonSys hopes for an IPO by 2026. This investment round, open to accredited and non-accredited investors, is a rare chance to be part of a market-leading technology firm before it goes public.

Investors who join EvonSys will support the company’s future growth and gain entry into a high-potential market still in its formative stages.

With EvonSys at the helm of the low-code revolution, the future of tech looks brighter than ever. See how you can be part of this transformative journey here.

Disclosure: This is a paid advertisement for EvonSys’ Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.evonsys.com/. *This roadmap is based on assumptions of technological compatibility, market acceptance, and regulatory stability. It is subject to risks including rapid technological changes, competitive pressures, and shifts in regulatory landscapes, which could alter the feasibility and timing of our plans. The plans on this roadmap are subject to change. Listing on NASDAQ is subject to approvals that cannot be guaranteed.

In the past year, our company has evolved significantly, expanding our services and integrating new internal systems. It’s been a period of retraining and adaptation.

Implementing a major change to a business used to happen once every five or ten years, but with advancements in artificial intelligence coupled with economic uncertainty and digital transformation, businesses are having to pivot and adapt much more frequently. Global spending on digital transformation is expected to hit $3.4 trillion by 2026, and 64% of organizations report needing to build new digital businesses to stay competitive in 2024 and beyond.

We often hear entrepreneurs and business leaders talk about working “on” the business rather than “in” the business but understanding your company from the bottom up has significant benefits. Today, I am the president and CEO of my company, but throughout my career, I’ve worked in every area of my field, from the warehouse to driving a truck. Here’s how it’s given me an invaluable perspective when it comes to change management.

Related: 3 Ways Change Leaders Prevent, Minimize and Manage (or Create) Resistance to Change

Seek to understand workflows before you transform

Earlier in my career, I worked for a company that hired outside consultants to revamp its operations to comply with new customs regulations. More than 75% of its employees at the time were frontline workers, and unfortunately, they weren’t consulted in the process.

When it came time to roll out the new structure, to say the implementation was messy, is an understatement. Oversights led to significant storage fees and operations issues that caused projects to fall off track and employee morale to drop. In the end, the lack of internal consultation caused the company a lot of money and pain.

When it comes to implementing any big change, it’s critical to involve the people working on the frontlines of your business. According to Beekeeper, employees on the front lines often face a disconnect with leadership, with only 23% feeling included in change-related decisions. This exclusion fuels resistance and disengagement, as 74% of employees believe leaders need to understand why people resist change to foster collaboration.

By really grasping the day-to-day responsibilities of your frontline workers and understanding how the change will impact them, you’re more likely to get buy-in and internal advocacy and make necessary adjustments to the plan.

I’ve seen too many businesses make the vital mistake of pushing down a change from top to bottom rather than consulting with their teams to get feedback on critical decisions. In these cases, it almost always leads to staff and client turnover, which has a spiraling effect on culture and morale.

Related: Rapid Business Expansion Can Be a Good Thing — But It Comes With Challenges. Here’s How to Make This Growth Sustainable.

Your frontline employees drive your bottom line

More often than not, implementing a change in a business is an attempt to improve profit margins. However, too often, company leaders fail to understand how much of their bottom line is being driven by their entry-level workers. For example, a high turnover of entry-level staff reportedly costs Amazon $8 billion annually.

To successfully implement a change, it’s crucial to have representation from every department in your organization involved in the discussions. This shouldn’t be limited to team leads and managers; it’s equally important to have representation from frontline employees involved.

Among this mix, I personally like to include vocal naysayers—the team members who are known to influence the culture and not always in a positive way. This serves two purposes: the first is that sometimes the naysayers have valuable feedback that other team members are too coy to vocalize. The second is that if you can convince a vocal naysayer that a change is positive, they often become your best internal advocate.

Double down on education and training

I remember a time when we promoted a frontline employee into a leadership role. She wasn’t a frontrunner for the position. In fact, she had started her career being vocally critical of our operations, particularly of other departments.

In the end, what won her the promotion was the leadership skills she developed through change management education and training. She embraced the training and ended up becoming a champion for the departments she once critiqued, committing to helping them improve and do things better.

When we educate and train our teams on how to embrace and adopt change, we create stronger leaders. Research shows employees who receive proper training are more likely to stay with the company, directly impacting the bottom line through reduced turnover and increased productivity.

This is true at any level. Anytime we host training at work, even if I’ve already gone through it, I try to make a point to attend. As leaders, we are often removed from the practical implications of what we ask of our teams. Attending company training can be a great reminder. It also shows your team you’re not above learning and that you’re going through the change, too.

Change is hard. But when we develop the skills to prepare and adapt for it, we can build stronger businesses with more resilient teams. To do this effectively, it’s crucial for leaders to engage with team members at all levels. The insights and perspectives gained from consulting frontline employees are often what make or break a company.

Many of us expected robots to be a part of our future, but perhaps not in the way we imagined. Instead of doing our chores and serving us hors d’oeuvres (like Rosey the Robot from The Jetsons), AI wants to think for us.

ChatGPT and other virtual assistants can give us mountains of information on any topic under the sun in seconds — but how useful are they?

I wanted to see what ChatGPT had to say about marketing. My business, PostcardMania, has helped 118,342 small business owners all over the country with effective marketing strategies for over 26 years. How did ChatGPT’s advice compare to what we’ve learned?

Related: ChatGPT Is Powerful — and Can Wreak Havoc If You Don’t Know Its 5 Fatal Flaws

I put this prompt in ChatGPT and was surprised by what I found.

Prompt: Recommend marketing strategies that will generate new leads and sales for a small business in 100 words or less.

This is what ChatGPT advised:

1. Content marketing: Create valuable content (blogs, videos) that address customer pain points.

2. Social media advertising: Targeted campaigns on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

3. Email marketing: Engage potential customers with personalized newsletters and offers.

4. Referral programs: Incentivize current customers to refer others.

5. SEO optimization: Improve search engine rankings with targeted keywords.

6. Partnerships: Collaborate with complementary businesses for mutual promotion.

7. Local events: Host or participate in community events to build local awareness.

It’s a good start. However, ChatGPT missed these three recommendations that can improve the trajectory of your business (I know because they were key to my journey to $100 million in annual revenue).

They neglected reputation management and social proof, which 93% of consumers check before buying

An overwhelming amount of people check Google reviews. One report found a whopping 93% of buyers look to them before making a purchase. This means that you could be losing 93% of prospects if generating good reviews isn’t a priority.

The good news is it’s not as complicated as you might think. People most often go out of their way to leave a negative review — 95% — while only 47% take the time to post a positive review.

The key is simply asking! And this isn’t even a challenge when you can automate requests through email or text message. According to research, 70% of consumers will leave a review if asked.

The online platform Podium was a game-changer for us because you can send review requests for several different platforms from one central dashboard.

After we started using Podium in 2020, the number of our reviews increased 250% from 2020 to 2022. As of July 2024, PostcardMania has over 2,795 five-star reviews on Google, the BBB and Trust Pilot.

Related: 6 Proactive Ways to Promote Good Reviews and Supercharge Your Online Reputation

They didn’t recommend direct mail marketing, which generates 6x more revenue per lead than digital sources

Since 1998, I’ve mailed postcards every single week to generate leads and connect with customers. Since then, I’ve only increased my mailings, and we’re now up to 232,000 postcards a week. The only time I cut my direct mail marketing was in 2008 during the recession, and that mistake crippled our revenue until we corrected our mailings.

I’ve also tracked the growth that mailing postcards has created. From 2019 to 2023, I increased our own mailing volume by 16%. Simultaneously, our revenue has grown an average of 15% each year. This is a perfect example of how the amount of marketing you put out guides your return.

I’ve also found that direct mail leads generate six times more revenue than digital leads. We analyzed 114,373 leads that converted to sales in 2023 and found that postcard leads generated 600% more revenue per lead ($229.41) than leads from digital sources ($37.09).

There is a science behind direct mail’s effectiveness, though. One study that tracked each participant’s eye movement and heart rate while engaging with mail found that people experienced more excitement and desire while interacting with printed advertisements as opposed to digital.

Due to the tangible nature of mail, people also recall printed ads better than digital ads. One study found that when asked to cite the brand of an advertisement they had just seen, 75% of participants could recall the brand behind the direct mail piece. Only 44% of recipients could recall the brand behind the digital ad — a 70% difference.

With so much data backing direct mail, leaving it out of your annual budget would be a huge mistake.

They failed to mention the biggest factor of success: how much you should be marketing — a massive amount

ChatGPT neglected to inform readers exactly how much time, money and effort they should allocate to marketing.

In my decades of experience running a business with over 380 staff, I understand marketing plans might end up on the back burner. So much goes into running a business that all too often entrepreneurs think a simple marketing plan is sufficient. This is the farthest thing from the truth.

In fact, most of my clients hate when I tell them this…

Marketing is the biggest differentiator between businesses that survive and those that thrive.

Related: The Growth Hack My Clients Hate the Most is the One that Promises the Biggest Financial Rewards — Here’s What You Should Know

You need to market like you are an athlete training for your last chance at the Olympic gold medal. The survival and ultimate longevity of your business are on the line; why would you market like you were playing T-ball?

Even if you have a limited budget, put as much money into your marketing as possible. I even suggest you find areas where you could cut back and reallocate the funds to your marketing (as long as it doesn’t put jobs at risk).

Whatever you decide to do — whether it’s social media ads, SEO, direct mail — just give it all you’ve got. You won’t regret it, and you’ll likely not only beat out your competition but win the gold … that is, the gold of increased revenue.

Younger Americans think relaxing on vacation is overrated, according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 Americans who travel (evenly split by generation) looked at how people of different ages vacation and found both Gen X (51%) and Baby Boomers (57%) prioritize relaxation when traveling, while Gen Z (54%) and millennials (45%) are more interested in making memories.

In fact, 29% of those who don’t prioritize relaxation when they’re away find it to be a waste of time — especially millennials (30%).

Related: This Former Flight Attendant and Her Roommate Started a Side Hustle With Just $2,000 Each. Then It Earned Them Nearly $600,000 — and Counting.

Conducted by Talker Research for Apple Vacations, the survey found that these preferences may change in the future, as 59% shared their vacation priorities have shifted as they got older.

A quarter of millennials reported that sightseeing is a thing of the past, and Gen Z is no longer prioritizing learning new things while traveling (28%).

Respondents from different generations recalled the average age they were when their vacation preferences changed. Gen Z preferences shift at age 18, while millennials see it at 27, Gen X at 38 and Baby Boomers at 54.

Something that won’t change is Americans’ love for traveling, with one in four (28%) sharing that traveling is a high priority for them these days.

Although millennials are most focused on traveling right now (38%), Gen Z (35%) is most likely to surpass the average number of trips taken annually.

Looking at the differences in how they enjoy this time away, results showed that Baby Boomers (74%) prefer domestic travel, while Gen Z (14%) is the most likely to enjoy international travel.

Family-friendly (33%) and tropical (27%) destinations are favored across the generations, but Gen Z (25%) and millennials (24%) also share a strong love for theme parks.

In addition to their top picks, Gen X (21%) and Baby Boomers (24%) are also drawn to small towns.

Related: Airbnb and Vrbo Often Have Wildly Different Prices for the Same Listing. This Entrepreneur Built a Platform to Find You the Best Deal.

“Relaxation looks and feels different for everyone,” says Dana Studebaker, vice president of marketing at Apple Vacations. “I feel most relaxed when reading a great book on the beach, knowing that all I need is at my fingertips at an all-inclusive resort, but others feel renewed after a beautiful backpacking trip through the mountains, soaking up history in a big city. This is the beauty of travel: Your vacations can evolve with your preferences.”

Before their trip, Gen Z is especially keen on creating a vacation plan (60%) and Baby Boomers are the likeliest to go with the flow (40%).

Gen X (53%) and Baby Boomers (65%) who prefer going with the flow agree that this helps them avoid feeling rushed or tied to a plan.

Planners find comfort in mapping their day (56%) and say it helps them make the most of their time (54%).

Gen Z embraces the safety they feel when planning things out (46%), while Baby Boomers who prefer to plan ahead also enjoy the feeling of checking off things they want to do (50%).

When travel planning, millennials are most likely to use a travel agent (18%), while Gen Z leans heavily on social media for planning (55%) and inspiration (66%).

Older generations prefer to keep things more classic, with Gen X trusting word of mouth (44%) and Baby Boomers referencing travel magazines or websites for advice (34%).

Related: Her Private Chef Side Hustle Might Earn Tens of Thousands and ‘Seem Glamorous’ — But It’s Not for the Faint of Heart. Here’s an Inside Look.

Before vacationing, millennials are the likeliest to read restaurant menus (34%); instead, Gen X looks at pictures others have posted (36%).

Gen Z respondents are most likely to look at how much things cost and the currency exchange (49%), as well as the transportation options (43%).

Looking ahead, half of respondents plan to travel more as they get older.

Gen Z will take advantage of this the most (73%), planning to travel with their friends (43%), while Baby Boomers will travel to connect with other family members (20%).

Family is top of mind for those who traveled with their parents when growing up, with 77% planning to continue the tradition of traveling with their kids to bond (66%) and make new memories (65%).

“Getting out of the house and spending quality time with family while traveling is the best way to build memories,” says Michael Lowery, senior vice president and global head of consumer business units at Apple Vacations. “When traveling with a larger group with many ages to keep in mind, I always go for an all-inclusive resort because any worries about entertaining different ages are taken care of. Some guests may enjoy a day at the spa, and others can safely be thrilled with resort excursions and activities.”

See a complete breakdown of the survey results below.

Just days after Starbucks announced that it is tapping Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol as the coffee chain’s new CEO, Starbucks is setting the record straight on his commuting expectations.

Starbucks will not require Niccol to work in the company’s office in Seattle when he starts his new job in September. Instead, he’ll have a remote office setup in Newport Beach, California, where Chipotle’s headquarters and Niccols are currently located.

Related: Starbucks CEO Steps Down Suddenly, Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol to Step Into Role

The two cities are approximately 1,000 miles away from each other.

Bloomberg reported that the flexibility of remote work was a big part of the draw when poaching Niccol.

Niccol will have an office in Starbucks’ Seattle HQ for visits, and the company will pay for housing costs for three months while Niccol finds secondary housing in Seattle. Should he decide to move out of California and to Seattle full-time, Starbucks will reimburse him for relocation expenses.

Starbucks also disclosed Niccol’s lucrative pay package in a filing on Wednesday, which states that he will receive a $10 million signing bonus and $75 million Starbucks stock. His base salary annually will be $1.6 million with the opportunity to earn both $23 million in share-based bonuses each year and an additional $3.6 million cash bonus.

Should everything vest in Niccol’s favor, he could earn over $113 million in his first year alone.

Related: Chipotle CEO Addresses Backlash Over Portion Sizes: ‘There Was Never a Directive to Provide Less’

“I am excited to join Starbucks and grateful for the opportunity to help steward this incredible company, alongside hundreds of thousands of devoted partners,” Niccol said in a Starbucks investor release on Tuesday. “As I embark upon this journey, I am energized by the tremendous potential to drive growth and further enhance the Starbucks experience for our customers and partners, while staying true to our mission and values.”

Niccol made an estimated $22.5 million at Chipotle in 2023.