Seeing someone’s handwriting increases perceptions of thoughtfulness, intelligence, and competence, according to a study published in the APA’s Journal of Consumer Psychology. If you want to boost these things as an entrepreneur, but also want to stay in the 21st century, a stylus can be a great compromise.

The Tinymoose Pencil Pro Plus works with your iPad and allows you to write precisely right on the tablet, and right now this handy tool is on sale for $29.99 (reg. $39.95).

Take notes, sketch ideas, and more with this stylus

Get back to the art of natural writing with the Tinymoose Pencil Pro Plus. It allows you to draw directly on any iPad Air, iPad Pro, or iPad mini released from 2018 to 2025, making it widely compatible and ready to help you get some work done.

The Pencil Pro Plus was designed with power users in mind, offering tilt sensitivity that allows for natural shading and varied stroke thickness, and palm rejection so you can rest your hand on the screen without accidentally making marks or ruining your creation. It also offers zero lag, so you can enjoy real-time response with pixel-perfect precision.

There’s a shortcut button for busy entrepreneurs — just press once to exit an app, twice to capture screenshots, and hold it down to power the pen on and off. It features Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to see the battery status easily. And speaking of battery — it lasts up to 10 hours on a single charge, so it’s ready to stick with you through the workday.

Its lightweight aluminum alloy body makes it comfortable to write with for long periods of time. It also includes a magnetic attachment that offers wireless charging and snaps securely to the side of your iPad so you can keep track of it at all times.

Get a Tinymoose Pencil Pro Plus for just $29.99 (reg. $39.95) now.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

In a little over three decades, Nadeem Bajwa went from being a college student struggling to pay the bills to the owner of a fast food empire, owning 270 Papa John’s locations in North America.

The 58-year-old told CNBC that he immigrated to the U.S. in 1991 from Pakistan. He attended a college in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and worked side hustles to make ends meet. One of his side jobs was delivering pizza for a local Papa John’s chain, making $4.25 an hour. His first summer in the U.S., he would wash dishes during breakfast time, deliver pizzas for Papa John’s in the afternoon, and then work at Taco Bell at night.

“I just started delivering for Papa John’s when they came in town, and from there, just started loving it, and tips were good, so that helped,” Bajwa told CNBC.

Related: Want to Start a Business? This Franchise Will Give You Up to $100,000 to Do It.

When Bajwa graduated from college in 1996, he had already worked his way up the ranks at Papa John’s, going from delivery driver to area manager. He submitted applications to corporate roles at other companies, but found that he couldn’t get a job that would pay more than what he was making at Papa John’s. He decided to stick with the pizza shop for that reason.

Bajwa’s experience running a Papa John’s store helped when he eventually decided to become a franchisee and open his own location. In 2002, he opened his own Papa John’s restaurant in East Liverpool, Ohio, saving money on startup expenses by doing most of the labor himself.

The store took $150,000 to build out and was an instant success, with more customers showing up than expected. However, the crew was undertrained and overwhelmed, and half of them walked out that first day alone.

“[At first] it was chaos,” Bajwa told CNBC. “I learned how important it is to be ready before [opening].”

Related: This Entrepreneur Turned a Weekend Side Hustle Into a Business That Doubled Margins — And Is on Track for $7 Million

That one restaurant led to another, then another. Bajwa’s goal now is to open 500 Papa John’s locations in the coming years.

Papa John’s, which was founded in 1985, has over 3,000 locations in the U.S. It usually takes an initial investment of at least $272,915 to get a Papa John’s restaurant off the ground.

The right domain is essential in 2025 and beyond. Brands need that perfect web address to establish credibility and attract traffic. In practice, domain brokerage firms act as intermediaries between buyers and sellers, often negotiating opaque fees that can increase the final costs.

Join me as I reveal the reality of domain brokers, highlighting common fees and negotiation strategies that help keep budgets under control. Fellow entrepreneurs will learn what questions to ask when hiring a broker, which hidden costs to watch for and how to challenge price tags. Ultimately, I’ll demonstrate how to prepare for acquiring high-value domains without overspending.

What is a domain brokerage?

Domain brokers serve as intermediaries in negotiating the purchase of premium web addresses. They utilize private marketplaces, proprietary networks and historical sales data to discover domains that might not show up on public auction sites.

• Brokers often provide expertise in valuing domain assets, advising on trademark risks and handling escrow services.
• Firms tend to charge a mix of retainer fees, flat rates or commissions on successful deals.

Brands relying on brokers expect quicker access to top-tier domains with professional negotiation, but they often face confusing bills with multiple line items. Entrepreneurs who understand what they’re signing up for avoid sticker shock at closing.

Related: 5 Unforgettable Lessons I Learned Spending $1 Million on a Domain Name

Typical fees found in domain brokerage deals

Most brokers quote a base commission but also add extra charges, such as appraisal fees, which can range from $200 to $1,000. Escrow services typically cost between $75 and $150 per transaction. Legal reviews of trademark and contract language often add a few hundred dollars at a minimum. Premium placement on listing sites involves either monthly or one-time marketing fees.

Be aware that some brokers inflate domain renewal fees or charge administrative fees for international transfers. Companies that don’t review fee schedules beforehand risk paying three times the domain’s market value after all charges are applied.

How hidden costs balloon your bill

An entrepreneur seeking a three-letter .com domain may plan to spend $10,000, including a 15% broker commission.

• This is where the broker finds the domain and negotiates a seller price of $9,000. A commission of $1,350 seems reasonable.
• Adding a $500 appraisal fee, $100 escrow fee, $300 legal review charge and a $1,000 premium listing fee increases the total to $11,950.
• Domain renewal costs of $200 and transfer fees of $150 push the total closer to $12,300.

In the end, unexpected fees turn a $10,000 budget into a $12,300 expense.

Vetting brokers without overspending

Brands should request potential brokers to provide a detailed fee schedule that outlines both upfront and contingent charges. Essential questions to ask include whether appraisals or escrow services are included in the commission, what happens if the deal falls through and who is responsible for legal costs.

Successful brokers share case studies, transparent pricing and sample invoices. Brands can compare flat-fee firms with percentage-based brokers. Flat-fee brokers typically charge between $2,500 and $5,000 regardless of domain price, making them appealing for high-value domain targets. Percentage-based brokers are generally better suited for budget-conscious acquisitions, where commissions remain reasonable and affordable.

What to look for in a domain name broker for businesses

Track record matters. Brands should seek brokers with proven experience in securing domains within their industry niche and review broker performance portfolios. Positive client testimonials and case studies demonstrate success rates and average savings.

Having strong escrow partnerships ensures secure funds transfer. Expert negotiators know how to approach domain owners without spooking them into holding out for inflated offers. Transparent communication frameworks keep brands informed throughout every step.

Related: A Great Domain Name Can Add Millions to Your Business — Here’s How to Get One (Even If It’s Already Taken)

Negotiation tactics that cut costs

Arming yourself with market comparables and past sale prices levels the playing field. Brokers should provide historical sales data demonstrating that similar domains have sold for lower prices. Silent offers submitted without disclosing maximum budgets prevent anchoring at high figures.

Creative deal structures, such as deferred payment agreements or equity components, incentivize sellers to accept fairer terms. Knowing when to walk away helps prevent price wars from spiraling out of control. A well-timed pause in negotiations can encourage sellers to accept reasonable offers instead of losing the deal.

When to walk away from overpriced domains

Red flags include sellers who demand all-cash upfront, substantial price hikes during the escrow period or refusal to share domain history records. Brokers should set clear acceptable price ranges and focus on domains that match value expectations.

If a broker encourages brands to exceed their budget, it signals potential misalignment. Walking away from a domain now prevents draining funds and allows redirecting resources to other options.

Persistence pays off, especially if brokers scout multiple candidates instead of fixating on a single prized address.

Balancing time versus money

DIY methods require substantial effort in researching WHOIS records, monitoring expiry dates and drafting outreach emails. Hybrid models cut down time commitments to negotiation stages only.

The good news is that full-service brokers completely relieve brands of administrative tasks, but they often charge high fees. Brands comparing options should evaluate the value of internal hours against broker costs to find the optimal balance.

Best practices for smooth domain transfers

Once a price point is agreed upon, escrow holds the funds until the ownership transfer is completed successfully. Brokers should coordinate with registrars to update WHOIS records and verify the domain status.

Brands need to confirm transfer lock statuses and obtain authorization codes. Multi-step verification ensures trademarks transfer smoothly without legal issues. A seamless transfer prevents downtime and maintains SEO authority.

Auditing current domain acquisition strategies

Brands already using brokers should review past invoices by comparing estimated fees with actual charges. Analyzing negotiation results helps identify broker performance trends and possible overcharges.

Regular audits can uncover hidden recurring fees, allowing for renegotiation of fee structures or broker replacement. Consistent reviews help keep costs under control over time.

Owning your domain purchases with smart strategies

Understanding how this process and the associated fees work can help you reduce costs. Negotiate costs upfront, walk away if prices skyrocket and combine DIY tools with broker support to secure domains at fair rates.

Audit your current approach, match acquisition methods to your resources and demand transparent pricing from any broker you hire. Balance time versus money, explore hybrid options and conduct a fee audit before you buy.

This way, you can secure a great domain name for your business that feels predictable, affordable, and perfectly aligned with your brand goals.

If you’re working with artificial inteligence (AI) to streamline workflows, improve outputs, or test prompts at scale, ChatPlayground AI offers a focused solution: compare responses from 40+ AI models in a single view, without hopping between platforms. This lifetime subscription to the Unlimited Plan for $89.99 is great for users who need a reliable, centralized interface to optimize daily output and maximize the quality of generative AI results.

Whether you’re a founder fine-tuning marketing copy, a developer experimenting with code generation, or a researcher looking to test variations in tone or logic, ChatPlayground gives you a unified workspace to view and analyze side-by-side responses from leading AI models — including GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet 4, Gemini 1.5 Flash, DeepSeek V3, Llama, Perplexity, and more.

This isn’t just about comparisons. The platform also includes powerful tools to help you iterate and implement: prompt engineering, AI image generation, file upload and chat for images and PDFs, and saved chat histories for future reference. The Chrome extension enables AI access directly from your browser.

The Unlimited Plan includes unrestricted monthly messages, making it ideal for heavy users running frequent queries or managing team workflows. You’ll also get priority support, early access to new features, and compatibility across any major desktop browser — no OS limits or device caps.

Built for scale and speed, ChatPlayground AI is a practical investment for entrepreneurs, marketers, analysts, and creators who want to make better use of generative AI — without wasting time jumping between tools or guessing which model will perform best.

For a limited time, take advantage of this deal on a lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI on sale for $89.99 (MSRP $619).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

When world champions and proven leaders unite, investors pay attention.

As the former President of Topgolf, Troy Warfield helped transform golf from an exclusive pastime into a global entertainment empire worth billions. That’s why there’s arguably no better CEO to help Surf Lakes bring surfing to the 99% with their patented 360° wave technology.

Since most people don’t live near a beach, surf parks are a $65B market opportunity on the rise. And Surf Lakes is positioning itself as a global leader in the space. World surfing champions Tom Curren and Mark “Occy” Occhilupo are even joining as shareholders and ambassadors.

But the real opportunity is not just in the parks. Here’s how Surf Lakes is redefining the sport, and how you can share in their potential growth.

Millions of people want to surf, but 99% aren’t near a beach

Despite having an estimated 25 million to 35 million participants worldwide, surfing is still mostly limited to the coasts. Less than 1% of the global population lives near surfable waves. For everyone else, the ocean might as well be off-limits.

Surf Lakes solves that problem. Their tech produces 2,000 ocean-quality rides per hour across five skill levels, from beginners catching their first roller to pros training in barreling waves. The tech opens a huge opportunity in the surf park market.

Surfing is growing in popularity as we speak. The sport is now a permanent Olympic event, with 47 million viewers tuning in to the Paris 2024 competition in Brazil alone. Surf parks nearly doubled worldwide in 2024, as developers scramble to meet surging demand.

For perspective:

• 6,000+ ski resorts exist worldwide
• 38,000+ golf courses are operating
• 410M+ in global theme park attendance

Surf Lakes believes that the number of surf parks worldwide will reach the hundreds very quickly.

Multiple ways to profit from surfing

The Surf Lakes model isn’t just about ticket sales. Their wave tech opens the door to licensing fees and royalties from global partners, memberships and day passes for recurring revenue, competitions, training programs, food, beverage, retail, and more.

Each new park creates multiple, scalable income streams, just like Topgolf did with memberships, events, and hospitality.

Surf Lakes has already sold nine tech licenses across the U.S. and Australia. Their first full-scale commercial park is in the works. With industry legends and proven leadership behind them, they’re positioned as the technology provider of choice in a market just hitting critical mass.

Here’s how investors can be a part of it.

Get in at the start of Surf Lakes’ next chapter

For investors, Surf Lakes represents a unique chance to get in ahead of what could be the next global entertainment boom. With patented technology, their first park in the works, and licensing traction accelerating, this company has the potential to dominate.

That’s why surfing legends and proven business leaders are coming aboard. A-list celebrities are even chiming in—Chris Hemsworth, Hollywood actor and avid surfer, called Surf Lakes an “incredibly surreal experience.”

The brand is already global. This is an opportunity for investors to join at a pivotal moment before their expansion. Learn more and invest in Surf Lakes by 9/12 to get up to 15% bonus shares.

This is a paid advertisement for Surf Lakes’ Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.surflakes.com

When I started out, the goal was pretty straightforward: Make lots of money. Like most new entrepreneurs, I figured once I’d “made it,” then I’d give back. That part would come later. Success first, impact second.

Looking back, I now realize that mentality was a massive mistake. In fact, I believe it was one of the fundamental reasons it took me years to find any success. I now realize that pushing purpose to the back burner might be the thing that stalls your growth even more than poor marketing.

Everything turned around for me when I stopped “chasing paper” and started asking how I could help. When that shift happened, my business started to thrive in ways I never expected. And the money? It followed, as a side effect. It’s a fact that we all know deep down, but too often forget.

We’re told that giving back is something you earn the right to do once your company is big, your team is built, and your bank account looks a certain way. But the reality is that purpose isn’t a luxury; it’s a growth strategy. This attitude of abundance needs to be something that you embody both internally and externally as well.

Related: How to Balance Profits With Purpose at Your Business

The first focus needs to be on how you approach your day-to-day operations. At BotBuilders, our work centers around AI and automation. But that’s not really what drives us. The deeper mission is helping small business owners believe in what they’re building and giving them tools to actually pull it off.

The more we’ve invested in our clients’ success, the more we’ve seen our own business expand. Not just in revenue, but in reach, loyalty and community. Real relationships have carried us further than any marketing tactic ever could. It’s not something you can track or budget for, but we’ve all experienced how one relationship can lead to exponential growth, on many levels.

The second way to have an impact is how your company shows outside of your core competency. Namely, in your community. How often do you and your team get out and serve those who need it most? Money is great, but there is no comparison to the difference that a smile can make.

One of the biggest culture-shaping moments we’ve ever had started in the most unexpected place: a bowling alley in Arizona. Working with Special Olympics Arizona, we put together the Bowl-A-Thon Bash. The annual event pairs athletes with local business owners for high-fives, gutter balls, and a whole lot of laughter.

At first, it felt like a one-off community event. But after that night, something shifted. It became tradition. And every year we go back it resets something in us. We leave lighter, clearer, and more in tune with what really matters. That one night has done more to anchor our company values than any vision statement ever could.

Don’t get me wrong, money is important. I’m not dismissing that. But if we’re talking about real impact? Giving your time and actually showing up, things just hit different. Over the years, our team has done all kinds of small things that ended up being huge. We’ve served meals at shelters. We’ve planted trees. We’ve hosted holiday parties in retirement homes just to bring some joy to folks who don’t get many visitors.

Related: This CEO Says Prioritizing Purpose Over Profit Is Key to Consistent Growth and Sustainable Profit — Here’s Why.

None of that was fancy. None of it was scalable or “optimized.” But the growth those moments sparked? You could feel it. In how we communicated, how we worked together and how we showed up on Monday mornings. When we work together to do good for others, we are connected on a level much deeper than winning awards or even with traditional team-building activities.

So if you’re leading a team, never forget the fact that your values are contagious. Culture doesn’t come from the posters on your wall or the perks in your handbook. It’s built in the quiet choices. It shows up in how you respond when no one’s watching. It’s shaped by what you say “yes” to, and what you’re willing to let slide. As my angel-of-a-mother always says, “never miss a chance to help someone out.”

When you lead with meaning, people notice. They step up. And the ripple effects extend way beyond your team. So don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. You don’t need a giant audience, a massive checkbook or a five-year plan to make an impact. You just need to care enough to begin. You’ll be amazed by what comes of it on every level of your organization.

Pick something simple. Volunteer for a day, and invite your team into the process. Whatever you do, it doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be real. Because when your business stands for something more, people stand with you. And that is when things really start to grow.

If your business or work depends on documents, you need a scanner that can do more than just snap a photo. iScanner is a top-rated scanning and document management app that brings professional-level tools right to your phone or tablet — with no ads, no recurring fees, and a focus on secure, high-quality output. Score lifetime access to iScanner for the price of $24.99 until September 7 by entering promo code SCAN at checkout (MSRP $199.90).

With support for iOS and Android, iScanner lets you digitize everything from contracts and receipts to handwritten notes and math equations. Use it to scan documents, export to PDF, Word, Excel, JPG, or even TXT, and automatically straighten, crop, and clean up pages with AI. It also offers full OCR support (Optical Character Recognition) in 20+ languages so you can extract and edit text from scanned documents with ease.

But iScanner doesn’t stop there. You can sign forms, redact sensitive info, add watermarks, number pages, protect folders with a PIN, and even merge or split documents on the fly. Advanced scan modes let you handle IDs, passports, math problems, measurements, object counts, and QR codes. Plus, its intuitive file manager keeps everything organized with drag-and-drop, folders, and 200MB of included secure cloud storage.

For freelancers, remote teams, and small businesses, this is a pro tool built for real-world document workflows on your iPhone, iPad, or Android.

New users can get a lifetime subscription to the iScanner App for just $24.99 with code SCAN until September 7.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

When your career takes you across borders, being able to speak the local language isn’t just helpful — it’s a competitive edge. Rosetta Stone’s immersive language platform has been trusted for 27 years by organizations such as NASA and TripAdvisor, and it’s now available to new users as a lifetime subscription for just $148.97 with code FLUENT until September 7.

With access to 25 languages — including Spanish, Mandarin, French, German, Arabic, and Japanese — you’ll be equipped for nearly any global business opportunity. Rosetta Stone’s intuitive training method mimics how we learned our first language, helping you absorb vocabulary, structure, and pronunciation naturally. The platform’s speech-recognition technology analyzes your accent in real time, offering instant feedback.

Progressive lessons start with practical conversations such as ordering food, giving directions, or talking through a meeting, and advance to more nuanced discussions like negotiating, giving feedback, and navigating cultural topics. Whether you’re prepping for an overseas project, building international client relationships, or managing a global team, this tool is designed to keep you sharp and culturally competent.

This deal is for new users only, and you’ll need to activate it within 30 days of purchase. Once you do, you’ll have lifetime access on desktop and mobile with no monthly fees, and you can switch between languages whenever you want.

Secure your edge in global business with lifetime Rosetta Stone access for $148.97 through September 7 by entering promo code FLUENT at checkout.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

As someone who regularly speaks with CEOs about their industries, paths and philosophies, my conversation with Jon Yaged, CEO of Macmillan, stood out. It wasn’t just about books or publishing — it was about values, culture and the role of business leaders in a time of social friction.

What surprised me wasn’t Jon’s passion for literature — that was expected — but how candidly he spoke about the challenges Macmillan faces in a world where books are being banned.

Book banning may sound like a relic, but as Jon explained, it’s a growing issue. Schools and libraries across the country are under pressure to remove books that address race, gender and identity. For Macmillan, one of the “Big Five” U.S. publishers, this isn’t just a sales issue — it’s cultural and political. Jon made it clear: their role isn’t to publish what’s comfortable, but what’s important. And that comes with risk, especially when distributors, schools or local governments push back.

Related: 7 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Sharpen Their Leadership Skills and Drive Business Growth

We also discussed what it means to be a CEO amid cultural pushback. Jon doesn’t take a performative approach. He doesn’t try to be loud or overly polished about Macmillan’s values. Instead, he focuses on listening, standing firm and partnering with those who share their mission. That kind of clarity stood out. Leadership isn’t always about fighting loud battles — sometimes it’s about quietly protecting space for discourse, with conviction.

Our conversation turned to AI and its impact on publishing. Jon’s view was pragmatic: use AI to streamline operations, improve accessibility and support editors — not replace them. He wasn’t overly optimistic or alarmist — he simply saw AI as a tool that needs thoughtful handling. For an industry often seen as traditional, Macmillan appears forward-looking — without losing its editorial soul.

There’s something here for leaders in any industry. Jon is navigating a company at the intersection of culture, politics and innovation. He’s not leading with fear or distraction — he’s leading with clarity. What’s the mission? Who are we serving? Where can we evolve without compromising our principles? Those are questions worth asking, whether you’re in publishing or running a tech startup.

What I took from this interview was a deeper understanding of how leadership and culture intersect. Jon Yaged isn’t trying to make a spectacle of Macmillan’s stance — he’s working to keep the lights on for writers and stories that matter. And in a time when polarization and noise dominate, that quiet resolve made a lasting impression.