Blog

In 2023, Apple revealed a case of serious internal fraud. A longtime employee had exploited his access to procurement systems, diverting company funds, manipulating vendor relationships and approving fake invoices. The fallout: nearly $19 million in losses.

This wasn’t a Hollywood-style embezzlement. It was slow, quiet and unnoticed for years. It started with unchecked trust and processes that weren’t built to flag abuse.

As entrepreneurs, we often think internal fraud is a big-company problem. It’s not. It’s a systems problem. If you’re building a company, here are five warning signs your resources might be slipping through the cracks — and what you can do to stop it early.

Related: Deter the Inside Job. 5 Ways to Avert Employee Theft and Fraud.

1. Expenses that don’t match the function

If you’re seeing tools or services being expensed by departments that don’t need them, that’s a red flag. I once saw a marketing team regularly expensing high-end video editing software — all for one person. Turns out, it was being used for a personal YouTube channel.

This type of misuse often flies under the radar because it doesn’t look like employee theft. But it adds up.

What to do: Implement project-based expense tracking using tools like Divvy or Expensify. Use a hierarchical project code structure that ties expenses to teams, campaigns and dates. Review monthly reports by category to spot anomalies.

2. Unknown or unverified vendors

Fraud often hides in vendor lists. Fraudsters might create fake vendors or manipulate existing vendor accounts to siphon off funds under the guise of legitimate payments. In fact, over 60% of businesses reported facing attempted or actual payment fraud, much of it tied to vendor-related schemes like fake vendors, duplicate invoices and inflated billing.

What to do: Audit your vendor master list every quarter. Cross-check tax IDs, physical addresses (Google them) and contact details. Tools like Tealbook or Apex Portal can help streamline verification. Also, enforce dual authorization for any new vendor setup.

Flag vendors receiving more than three payments in 30 days or those with round-number invoices. These are patterns fraudsters rely on.

Related: ‘Trust But Verify’ Is How to Fight Back Against Employee Theft and Fraud

3. Employees who avoid oversight or vacation

One of the most overlooked signs is behavioral. People committing fraud often insist on “doing it all themselves” and never take leave — because they’re afraid someone else will uncover what they’ve been hiding.

What to do: Use role-based permissions and require peer review for all approvals. Platforms like SAP Concur or NetSuite allow audit trails and delegation during leave. Rotate key responsibilities annually, and encourage mandatory time-off. It’s not just good for mental health — it protects your systems.

Also, foster a culture of transparency. If your team feels safe raising concerns, you’ll hear about problems long before they show up in the books.

4. Recurring transactions that just slip below approval limits

This one’s clever. A team member submits $4,950 payments when the approval threshold is $5,000. Once? Fine. Monthly? That’s a red flag.

What to do: Adjust approval limits every quarter. Use transaction velocity monitoring in your ERP to flag repeat vendors or payees with high-frequency, low-value invoices. Set alerts for anyone trying to split invoices or payments.

In QuickBooks or Oracle NetSuite, for example, you can set workflow rules to escalate anything with unusual frequency, or sudden vendor activity spikes.

5. Missing documents or vague paper trails

When people start “losing” receipts or submitting retroactive justifications, you may have a problem. Fraud isn’t always about what’s visible — it’s about what conveniently isn’t.

What to do: Move to a cloud-based documentation system like DocuWare or Zoho WorkDrive. Require receipts to be uploaded within 48 hours of a transaction. Implement a digital approval chain and audit logs. If documentation is delayed more than once, escalate.

Why good people go rogue

Not all misuse is malicious. Sometimes, it’s pressure. Financial stress, feeling overlooked or just seeing others get away with it can trigger someone to justify poor decisions. That’s why creating a transparent and fair environment matters just as much as having strong controls.

Talk about integrity openly. Make ethics part of performance conversations. And make it clear that your systems aren’t about suspicion — they’re about fairness and sustainability.

The role of tech in staying ahead

Beyond accounting software, smart companies are using:

• AI-powered anomaly detection (e.g. MindBridge, DataSnipper)
• Real-time dashboards tracking spend per department (e.g. Datarails, Cube)
• Policy enforcement bots in Slack or Microsoft Teams that remind users of rules when they submit expense-related queries (e.g. Compliance.ai)

You don’t need all of these. But you do need systems that grow with your business.

Related: The 5 Most Common Fraud Scenarios for Small Businesses

Prevention is cheaper than cleanup

Resource misuse rarely starts with outright theft. It starts with small allowances, unchecked assumptions and leaders being too busy to notice.

If you’re reading this, take one action this week. Run a vendor audit. Update your approval policies. Review your expense categories. Just pick one.

Because the truth is, it’s a lot easier to fix a leak than to mop up a flood.

There’s a difference in each city’s marketing. Seoul wants to be culturally forward and technologically advanced; Copenhagen wants to be environmentally leading and design-centric. That’s fine, but big cities are hard to encapsulate, mostly because a well-developed city has many strengths.

What both cities share, however, is something entrepreneurs should pay serious attention to: the 5-minute principle that’s revolutionizing how I run my business.

Related: 5 Simple Productivity Hacks That Will Make You More Successful

The accidental business experiment

I live part of the year in the Hapjeong neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea. My older daughter’s school is one stop away on her bus, about a ten-minute ride. That’s as far as anyone in my family needs to go. My younger daughter’s preschool is an eight-minute walk away. And my office is one elevator ride and 50 paces away, in the same complex as my residence.

On the B2 level of the complex is a hypermarket, and the mall that sits between our perch and that store is a veritable feast of retail: convenience stores, home goods stores, pharmacies and wireless shops; sporting goods stores like Nike; some wine shops; a smattering of eateries (including a McDonald’s and a Subway); and coffee bars, including two Starbucks (one a Reserve). Did I forget to mention the movie theatre, the family practitioner, the dentist, the hair salons and the Pilates studios?

As an American who likes driving, living here took adjustment. I’ve lived in metropolises like Boston before, where the CVS and the JP Licks are a short walk away. But before here, I’d never experienced a place where everything is just down the elevator shaft. Moving here felt magical, like I was on holiday at an urban resort.

And after a few months of living this way, I decided to double down: I put my office in the mall too.

Related: 21 Productive Things to Do on Your Commute

The productivity revolution no one’s talking about

It’s hard to describe how convenient my Korean life is. How removing the transit time required for any quotidian task has given me back hours every week.

The business impact was immediate and profound. With my time budget suddenly expanded, I started wondering: what if I could recreate this 5-minute efficiency for my entire operation?

I appreciated it so much that I decided to offer others the opportunity to live the 5-minute life too. My recruiter put up a post seeking English-speaking people who live nearby; now we have a team where eight people commute from a ten-minute walk away. In the words of one, “This is a dream.”

The ROI of proximity: Time is actually money

Let’s do the math. The average American worker spends 52 minutes commuting each day, with some doing way more. That’s 225 hours annually — or six full work weeks — getting to and from work. For entrepreneurs and business owners who bill hourly or measure team productivity meticulously, this represents an extraordinary hidden cost.

When I implemented my proximity-based hiring model, our team recovered approximately:

• 960 hours of collective productive time annually (across team members)
• 15% reduction in our sick days (people who cycle or walk to work get sick less often)
• 32% decrease in tardiness and schedule disruptions
• Zero weather-related absences (a factor during Seoul’s monsoon season)

More importantly, we’ve seen enhanced team collaboration and increased employee retention due to our shared neighborhood experience. Happy hours are easy. We can help each other move. We dog sit for one another. It’s all easy as team members who live and work in the same neighborhood develop stronger connections to the company and each other.

The 5-minute principle: Beyond real estate

When I explain this life to my friends and family, they look at me like I’ve become a devotee of a guru they don’t quite trust. “But isn’t it weird? You don’t ever really leave the neighborhood.” It’s true that I rarely leave. Although the other night, I did take a 45-minute cab ride to the other side of the city to catch Park Jin-young’s (JYP) 30th anniversary concert (he’s amazing live).

But to all American entrepreneurs who commute to offices, fight traffic to meetings and waste precious hours in transit, do we really need to see the scenery during our transit to some daily destination? Wouldn’t business be easier if there were no chance of traffic or weather or accidents, and everything we needed were a block away? So, instead of maximizing your long commute or making it more productive, why not eliminate it?

While not every business can relocate to a self-contained complex, every entrepreneur can apply the 5-minute principle:

1. Strategic co-location: Position your office near where your key team members already live, not where it seems prestigious on a business card
2. Proximity-based recruiting: Target talent pools within specific geographic zones rather than casting wide nets
3. Creating micro-hubs: Establish small satellite offices in neighborhoods where clusters of employees live
4. Virtual proximity: Design digital workflows that minimize “travel time” between apps and functions — the digital equivalent of the elevator ride
5. Proximity partnerships: Form alliances with nearby businesses to create your own service ecosystems

Related: Super Commuting Is on the Rise, Here’s Why and How It Works

What you gain when you stop commuting

I can think of just one thing from my daily commute that I miss: talking on the phone to old friends. My long drives to and from work were good for check-in calls; now that I don’t drive, I don’t have much idle time for calls. But would I give back my 5-minute life for those calls? Nope.

The business applications of the 5-minute principle extend beyond real estate. It’s about reimagining productivity as friction reduction rather than time extension. While your competitors ask employees to work longer hours, you can offer them the gift of more time without sacrificing output.

For entrepreneurs, especially those building teams in competitive talent markets, the 5-minute model creates a distinctive advantage. When candidates consider similar roles with similar compensation, the quality-of-life improvement of a 5-minute commute becomes the deciding factor.

In a business landscape obsessed with digital transformation, perhaps the most revolutionary change we can make is analog: bringing things closer together, not doing more, but traveling less.

In retail, the concept of customer experience (CX) is typically framed through a consumer-facing lens — think loyalty apps, curbside pickup or influencer-driven TikTok campaigns. But the real transformation of CX in the post-pandemic era isn’t happening in apps or ads. It’s happening in the unglamorous trenches of store operations — through workforce tools, communications systems and intelligent infrastructure that the average customer may never even notice.

What’s emerging is a new truth: The future of CX is operational. And the companies quietly reshaping it aren’t your usual suspects.

Related: The 6 Essential In-Store Experiences That Your Customers Want to See

From flashy to functional

In the early 2010s, retail tech was dominated by bold digital concepts designed to “surprise and delight” the shopper. Magic mirrors. Augmented reality. Endless aisle touchscreens. Most of these either flopped or became museum pieces in a few flagship stores. They failed not because they were uncreative, but because they were disconnected — from operations, from employees and from the shopper’s actual intent.

What today’s most innovative retail technologies have in common is subtlety. They don’t shout for attention; they support it. They equip frontline teams with faster information, they adapt to real-world constraints like store layouts and staffing realities, and they improve performance metrics that most shoppers will never ask about but always feel.

Let’s take a closer look at how this shift is playing out.

1. The rise of retail communications infrastructure

A shopper enters a store with a question — say, whether a jacket is available in another size. A decade ago, the employee might leave the customer waiting while they “go check in the back,” perhaps never to return. Today, with voice-controlled mobile communication tools, that same employee can instantly ping the stockroom team without taking a single step away. Within seconds, the customer has their answer.

What this technology enables is more than a productivity boost. It’s a moment of trust. A micro-interaction where a shopper feels heard, respected and helped — without the friction that defines so many in-store experiences. It’s frontline enablement as CX, and it’s catching on fast.

And while tools like these improve person-to-person communication on the floor, other solutions focus on the digital touchpoints customers encounter throughout the store — promotional screens, endcap displays and in-aisle messaging. These systems help major retailers manage these assets across thousands of locations, keeping content synchronized, compliant and up to date as campaigns change.

When the system is working, the store feels intuitive: Offers make sense, signage matches what’s on the shelf, and the experience runs smoothly. When it’s not, shoppers may not pinpoint the problem, but they notice the friction — and it quietly erodes confidence in the brand.

Related: How Technology is Improving Retail Business

2. The shopper sees the surface. Operations define the substance.

There’s a certain irony in modern retail: The more seamless an experience feels, the more operational complexity is likely happening behind the scenes. You can’t staff a store like it’s 2015 and expect to win on experience in 2025. Yet, that’s still the reality for many brands struggling with turnover, outdated scheduling systems and lack of execution.

This is where workforce optimization solutions play a crucial role — providing the workforce intelligence and operational backbone that modern retailers need to keep stores running efficiently. By forecasting demand more accurately, aligning staffing to actual foot traffic and helping managers execute daily tasks without the usual chaos, they’re helping retailers deliver on the promises their ads make. And perhaps more importantly, they’re restoring sanity to the employee experience — a deeply overlooked component of CX.

After all, burned-out workers don’t deliver exceptional service. They follow the script, if you’re lucky. But a team that’s well-staffed, well-informed and empowered? That’s the secret sauce behind any successful in-store experience.

3. Infrastructure that moves with the customer

Retail environments have always been built for stability — fixed shelves, anchored signage, permanent displays. But shoppers are increasingly fluid. Planograms shift monthly. Promotions change weekly. And in pop-up or seasonal formats, store layouts are reinvented overnight.

Traditional digital signage — especially fixed, hardwired displays — can be limiting in dynamic environments. As store layouts shift or temporary formats emerge, retailers increasingly need solutions that can move and adapt just as quickly. That’s where innovative portable display technologies are shifting the paradigm. These battery-powered, cordless solutions are purpose-built for agility. No cords. No construction. No waiting weeks for installation.

What this enables isn’t just convenience — it’s responsiveness. A retailer can reposition signage based on observed foot traffic patterns, launch a flash sale at a specific display or bring product education directly to the point of decision — all without waiting for IT tickets to clear or maintenance crews to arrive.

It’s a subtle but powerful idea: making digital signage behave more like merchandise. It moves. It adapts. It responds.

Related: How to Write an Operations Plan for Retail and Sales Businesses

4. Why this shift matters now

We’re entering an era where the margin between customer loyalty and abandonment is razor-thin. Shoppers don’t give second chances the way they used to. If an in-store experience feels disjointed, slow or inattentive, they go elsewhere — or back online.

At the same time, retail teams are being asked to do more with less. Labor shortages. Shrinking budgets. Rising expectations. There’s no room for bloated tech that dazzles but doesn’t deliver.

That’s why the “silent revolution” matters.

These operational technologies aren’t designed just to dazzle; they’re built to remove friction. Some may look impressive, even attention-grabbing, but their real value is in how seamlessly they empower employees, streamline execution and support smarter customer interactions.

In the end, the best customer experience isn’t one shoppers post about; it’s one they don’t have to think about. The store just works. And more and more, it’s the technology behind the scenes — well-placed screens, real-time communication, smarter staffing — that makes that kind of experience possible.

More and more Asian economies are racing to the top, as the International Monetary Fund’s April outlook projects that India would soon surpass Japan’s fourth place in the global economic order and join China and the U.S. in the world’s top five spots.

On a micro level, individual Asian mid-cap companies, according to an article by Citigroup, are quickly expanding beyond the global manufacturing bases of Japan and China, with their booming factories having a presence in India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Additionally, Asian companies are adopting new technologies 8-12 years ahead of the West, according to Citi’s 2023 report.

This rapid growth in Asian businesses is driven by fast-paced innovation and high adaptability, but what truly lies at the heart of these dynamic companies is the fact that, across the board, they practice a business culture that encourages durability and longevity, which is characteristic of traditional and often ancient Eastern values. These unique values, found across the continent, contribute to the fact that many of the world’s oldest, continuously operating companies are actually located in Asia.

As the fourth generation heir of a business that is more than 100 years old in Hong Kong, I believe that learning about aspects of the culture that are practiced across Asia is beneficial for Western entrepreneurs. Here I’ve picked five take-home messages.

Related: I’m the CEO of a Company Generating $1.7 Billion Annual Revenue. This Ancient Philosophy Is My Secret for Business and Leadership Success.

1. Balance the Yin and Yang using Daoism

One of the most important business concepts in Asia comes from Daoist philosophy, a Chinese way of life that originated from the sixth century BCE. For entrepreneurs in particular, the concept of wu wei, which translates as “effortless action,” is crucial as it teaches about agility and acting in harmony with the ebbs and flows of the universe. According to this concept, businesses should prioritize efficiency and effectiveness and know which tasks are urgent, instead of taking too much control over every aspect of a company’s operations.

This philosophy also emphasizes the importance of balancing opposite forces, the masculine Yang and the feminine Yin, so they can co-exist in a positive way. In practice, an example can look something like building a business on “masculine” traits such as competitiveness, unwavering focus and risk-taking, and balancing it with “feminine” traits such as introspection, sensitivity and care. Only possessing these traits is not enough, but entrepreneurs will have to learn the art of moving between one faction and another seamlessly, especially when facing challenging market conditions.

2. Practice patience instead of anger

Patience is the virtue of success in many cultures, and this is no different in Asia. An article written for the Australian Institute of Company Directors shows that many successful Indian business leaders believe that using patience to react to a situation that would normally provoke anger is key to achieving progress. This belief is derived from the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Indian text dating back to the second century BCE, which explains that when a negative event occurs, one must not be bewildered by delusion, which is a reaction that comes from anger. Instead, having a clear mind and controlling one’s reaction to the event will ensure that well-reasoned actions are taken, which will ensure preservation instead of destruction.

Patience will also mean that important lessons can be learned from adverse events, which are normally perceived to be “failures” in business. The Indian way of having a patient mindset is that every failure has the potential to be converted into success, with calm and reasoned thinking instead of reactive impulses that cloud our judgment.

Related: In the Age of Instant, Here’s Why Leaders Must Learn the Art of Patience

3. Understanding the Confucian art of giving face

Many of China’s flourishing businesses follow Confucian values, which originate from the country’s way of life propagated from the sixth century BCE — which remains relevant today. This Chinese social code has also influenced businesses across Korea, Japan and Vietnam. Among the most important Confucian values practiced in Asian business ethics is the concept of giving face, otherwise known as mianzi.

This is the belief that making someone look good, i.e., “giving face,” is key to establishing harmonious relationships between parties you’re doing business with. While protecting your own image is considered to be one of the highest ideals under this belief system, “giving face” to another is also equally as important, by carefully considering their thoughts and showing care. Mianzi is crucial to every business relationship out there, especially where clients and customers are involved, and is key to receiving support from others and achieving longevity.

4. Applying the Buddhist Law of Attraction

Among the most visible principles practiced by Asian businesses is the Buddhist Law of Attraction, which says that our thoughts and intentions shape our experiences and reality. Arising from Buddhist philosophies founded by Siddharta Gautama Buddha in the fifth century BCE India, the Law of Attraction simply means that entrepreneurs should define their businesses carefully and thoughtfully.

A company is seen as more than an organization or instrument set up to make money; instead, it is visualized as an agent that could deliver beneficial effects to the community in which it operates. This is something that my company, the Kowloon Motor Bus Company, especially believes in, since it is performing a crucial service to its customers rather than operating purely as a profit-driven business. If your purpose is clear, then success will follow, is what I’ve learned in my own experience as a business leader.

Related: 5 Things I Learned About Business From an Asian Monastery

5. Learning how “to lift together”

An important aspect of Indonesian and Malaysian business cultures is the concept of gotong royong, which translates as “to lift together,” an ancient principle of communal work and collaboration within a community. This concept originated in the island of Java and has been known and practiced within the Malay Archipelago since the 117th century BCE.

This concept is still practiced today and is a cultural value that creates important cohesion between business partnerships. For example, Indonesian startups have utilized the concept of gotong royong to create strategies where separate businesses come together for mutual benefit instead of competing alone within profitable industries.

In an era of dwindling attention spans and relentless digital noise, brands face an uphill battle to capture — and keep — consumer interest. Traditional advertising no longer cuts it; passive engagement is out, and interactive, reward-driven experiences are in.

Enter gamification, the strategic use of game-like elements in non-game contexts to drive participation, loyalty and habit formation. At its core, gamification taps into fundamental human psychology — our innate desire for achievement, competition and instant gratification.

By leveraging challenges, points, leaderboards and rewards, brands are turning mundane interactions into compelling experiences that keep users coming back. But how exactly does gamification work on the brain, and why is it so effective at deepening brand engagement?

The neuroscience of gamification

The secret lies in dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for motivation, pleasure and reinforcement learning. Every time we achieve a goal — whether completing a level in a game or unlocking a discount — our brain releases dopamine, creating a sense of accomplishment and urging us to repeat the behavior.

Gamification exploits this loop by:

• Providing Clear Goals – Whether it’s earning points, unlocking badges, or climbing a leaderboard, structured objectives give users a sense of direction.
• Offering Instant Feedback – Progress bars, notifications and celebratory animations reinforce effort, keeping users engaged.
• Creating Variable Rewards – Like a slot machine, unpredictable rewards (discounts, exclusive content) trigger compulsive engagement.
• Fostering Social Competition – Leaderboards and social sharing tap into our drive for status and recognition.

When executed well, these mechanics don’t just encourage one-time interactions — they cultivate habit loops, where users return without conscious thought, much like checking social media or playing mobile games.

Related: Gamification Is Eating The World

The role of operant conditioning

Gamification is deeply rooted in B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning, which explains how rewards and punishments shape behavior. Brands use:

• Positive Reinforcement (e.g., Starbucks rewarding stars for purchases)
• Negative Reinforcement (e.g., Duolingo’s streak penalties)
• Intermittent Rewards (e.g., McDonald’s Monopoly’s randomized prizes)

This conditioning keeps users engaged longer than predictable rewards, as the brain remains in a state of anticipation.

From retail giants to fitness apps, companies are integrating gamified elements to boost retention, increase conversions and turn casual users into loyal advocates. Here’s how:

1. Starbucks: Loyalty as a game

Starbucks’ rewards program is a masterclass in gamified retention. Users earn “stars” for purchases, unlock tiers (Green, Gold) and receive personalized challenges (“Buy three lattes this week for bonus stars”). The tiered system leverages loss aversion — once users reach Gold status, they’re incentivized to keep spending to maintain perks. The result? Starbucks boasts over 32 million active rewards members in the U.S. alone.

Key Takeaway:

• Tiered rewards create aspirational goals.
• Personalized challenges increase purchase frequency.

2. Duolingo: Making learning addictive

Language-learning app Duolingo thrives on gamification. Streaks punish missed days, XP points quantify progress and animated celebrations reward consistency. The app even uses light punishment mechanics (a broken streak) to guilt users into returning. This approach has helped Duolingo amass over 74 million monthly active users, proving that even education can be habit-forming.

Key Takeaway:

• Loss aversion (streaks) drives daily engagement.
• Micro-rewards (XP, badges) make progress tangible.

3. Nike: Turning fitness into a competition

Nike’s Run Club and Training Club apps use challenges, leaderboards and milestone badges to transform exercise into a social game. By allowing users to compete with friends and share achievements, Nike taps into social validation, a powerful motivator. The result? Increased app engagement translates directly to brand loyalty and product sales.

Key Takeaway:

• Social competition enhances motivation.
• Milestone rewards (badges, trophies) reinforce commitment.

4. McDonald’s Monopoly: Scarcity and instant wins

McDonald’s long-running Monopoly campaign blends instant rewards (free fries) with long-term goals (winning big prizes). The limited-time nature of the game creates urgency, while the tactile act of peeling stickers delivers instant gratification. The campaign has become a cultural phenomenon, driving repeat visits and boosting sales.

Key Takeaway:

• Instant + delayed rewards maximize engagement.
• Scarcity tactics (limited-time offers) drive urgency.

5. LinkedIn: The subtle gamification of professional networking

Even professional platforms use gamification. LinkedIn’s profile completion meter nudges users to add more details, while endorsements and “Top Voice” badges incentivize activity. The platform’s “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” feature plays on curiosity and status-seeking behavior.

Key Takeaway:

• Progress tracking encourages profile optimization.
• Social proof (endorsements) increases engagement.

The dark side of gamification

While gamification can deepen engagement, it’s not without ethical concerns. When overused, these techniques can foster compulsive behaviors, particularly in vulnerable users.

One major issue is the loot box controversy. Video games like FIFA Ultimate Team and Overwatch have faced backlash for loot boxes, which function like gambling by offering randomized rewards. Some countries have banned them, arguing they exploit psychological vulnerabilities.

Another concern is how social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok use infinite scroll and variable rewards (likes, comments) to keep users hooked. Studies link excessive use to anxiety and decreased attention spans.

This raises questions about responsibility in gamified marketing. Brands must balance motivation with ethics. Best practices include transparency (clear reward odds, no deceptive mechanics), user control (opt-out options, time limits) and avoiding exploitative designs such as dark patterns.

Related: 7 Ways to Boost Customer Retention Through Email Gamification

The future of gamified branding

As AI and AR evolve, gamification will become even more immersive. Emerging trends include AI-powered personalization, where platforms like Netflix — already using algorithms to recommend content — could introduce dynamic challenges (e.g., “Watch three sci-fi movies this week for a badge”) and adaptive rewards such as personalized discounts based on user behavior.

Augmented reality scavenger hunts are also on the rise. Brands like Pokémon GO’s sponsors (Starbucks, Sprint) have successfully driven foot traffic using AR. Future applications might feature virtual pop-up shops where users scan QR codes to unlock deals or interactive billboards that offer coupons through mini-games.

Blockchain and tokenized rewards are reshaping loyalty programs. These could include NFT-based rewards like exclusive digital collectibles and tokenized points that are tradeable on crypto exchanges.

Finally, the metaverse is paving the way for persistent brand worlds. As virtual environments expand, brands may create permanent branded spaces — such as Nike’s Nikeland in Roblox — or host virtual events with XP systems where users can earn VIP status by attending multiple events.

Play to win

Gamification isn’t just about points and badges; it’s about hacking human motivation. By understanding dopamine-driven feedback loops, brands can craft experiences that don’t just capture attention — they own it. The lesson is clear: in the battle for consumer mindshare, the most successful brands won’t just sell products — they’ll design play.

Yet, with great power comes responsibility. As gamification grows more sophisticated, brands must prioritize ethical design, ensuring experiences enrich rather than exploit. The future belongs to those who can balance engagement with empathy, turning users into loyal advocates, not addicts.

The question is, are you playing the game — or is the game playing you?

What would happen if your company’s sales dropped significantly for an entire month? Or if prices suddenly increased by 20%? If those possibilities make you nervous, you’re probably missing an important safety net — a 90-day cash flow buffer.

All businesses should have enough money set aside to cover 90 days of business expenses, even if you have zero money coming in. When running a small business, unexpected challenges like price hikes, supply chain problems or new tariffs can occur at any time.

Having a financial buffer isn’t a luxury — it’s necessary for any business that wants sustained long-term growth. When you have a financial cushion to fall back on, you can avoid panicking and make good decisions when things change.

Related: How Much Cash Do You Need for Your Business’s Safety Net?

Why planning matters

The current economic landscape is unpredictable, often changing due to factors outside your control. You’ve probably seen many examples of this over the past five years:

• The pandemic caused massive supply chain disruptions, shipping delays and labor shortages

• Rising interest rates impacted the cost of borrowing and cash flow projections

• Recent tariff changes have affected the price of importing and exporting certain items

Many small businesses look profitable on paper but fail because they don’t have enough cash to get them through financial rough spots. According to the SBA, a lack of cash flow is still one of the top reasons many companies fail.

Having a clear plan and a financial buffer helps businesses navigate these ups and downs more easily. Financial preparation isn’t a sign of fear — it’s a sign of resilience.

How a 90-day buffer helps your business

A 90-day cash flow buffer isn’t just about surviving hard times — it’s about giving yourself the ability to grow with confidence. First, having a cash reserve allows you to keep the business running even if your income suddenly drops off.

If a major customer pays late or sales dip for a month, you can still cover essential expenses like rent and payroll. That means you won’t have to rely on high-interest credit cards or drastic cost-cutting measures just to stay afloat. You can take action from a place of reason instead of panic.

A 90-day buffer also gives you more options when making business decisions. If a great opportunity comes along, you can move quickly without worrying about how it’ll affect your cash flow. This kind of flexibility helps you stay focused on long-term goals rather than reacting to short-term pressure.

Finally, a healthy cash reserve builds trust with your vendors and business partners. You can continue paying your employees and vendors on time, which shows that your company is reliable. It also demonstrates to customers and potential lenders that your business is financially secure, which can open the door to even more opportunities.

Related: 7 Easy Ways To Manage Cash Flow Surprises In Your Business

The risk of a smaller buffer

Operating with just 30 days of cash flow may seem like enough until something goes wrong. When you’re operating on such thin margins, even a single late payment from a customer can create a ripple effect. Suddenly, you find yourself struggling to pay vendors or cover payroll.

With so little cash on hand, many businesses make rash decisions like laying off staff or cutting their marketing budget. These actions can help you get by in the short term, but at the expense of long-term growth.

The pandemic showed how quickly a lack of cash flow can become a crisis. During the early months of the pandemic, many small businesses with limited cash reserves had to close their doors within weeks of the shutdowns.

Over 5,800 small businesses were studied in March 2020, and within weeks of the pandemic, 43% had already closed temporarily. Many of those businesses reported having less than one month of cash on hand. The median business with over $10,000 in monthly expenses had only 15 days’ worth of reserves. This lack of liquidity meant the average company had to reduce its staff by 39%.

The study also found that businesses with more cash were significantly more confident in their ability to stay open through the end of the year. In comparison, those with limited reserves were far more likely to expect closure if the crisis lasted more than a few months.

Hopefully, the Covid-19 pandemic was a unique event we won’t see again anytime soon. However, it demonstrates that without a strong financial cushion, even a temporary disruption can threaten the survival of a business.

How to grow your buffer over time

As your business grows and your operating expenses increase, so should your financial cushion. That means you need to treat your financial buffer as a moving target. For example, if your business now spends $30,000 each month instead of $10,000, your 90-day buffer should reflect that shift.

Allowing your cash buffer to fall behind as your expenses grow can leave you just as exposed as not having one at all. That’s why it’s important to check in at least quarterly and adjust your savings target as your business changes.

An easy way to stay on top of this is by using basic tools to track your income and expenses. A simple spreadsheet or accounting app can help you see how much you’re spending and whether your buffer still covers three full months. Some business owners set a goal to save a small percentage of profits each month to keep their buffer growing over time.

Related: 5 Money Habits That Separate Successful Entrepreneurs From Struggling Ones

Building and maintaining a 90-day cash flow buffer takes time, but it’s one of the best financial moves you can make. It won’t just help you stay afloat during tough times — it allows you to make smart decisions, take advantage of new opportunities and move forward with confidence.

A financial buffer is important whether you’re just starting out or running a growing team. Start by figuring out your monthly expenses, setting a realistic savings goal and building from there. With consistent effort over time, you’ll get to 90 days, and your business will be better for it.

The stock market has been unpredictable lately, to say the least. The Dow Jones plunged 1,500 points in a single day, not too long ago. But what can you do? Panic? Sure, for those already invested. But for newbies, it’s a flashing neon sign that says “Buy low.” The only problem? Most people don’t know what to invest in.

That’s where an OpenAI-powered stock picker is stepping in—not just to track the chaos but to help first-time investors find stocks worth paying attention to while they’re still down. Sterling Stock Picker is currently $55.19 for a lifetime subscription, down from $486.

AI that helps you invest

Sterling Stock Picker was designed to help regular people make informed investment decisions without getting lost in confusing charts or financial jargon. The app starts by learning about your goals and risk tolerance through a quick five-minute questionnaire. Then, it shows you stock picks tailored to your personal investment profile.

What makes this tool different from browsing Reddit threads or Googling “best stocks to buy”? The recommendations are calculated based on your input, with guidance from a built-in AI financial assistant named Finley. Ask it anything, from what P/E ratio means to which stocks align with your goals, and you’ll get a straightforward answer powered by OpenAI.

Once you’re up and running, you can check in on your portfolio, explore detailed stock analyses, or let the AI walk you through the next steps. For those who want more than just hot tips, Sterling also offers educational insights and community features to help you level up over time.

Until June 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT, a Sterling Stock Picker lifetime subscription is $55.19 with code SAVE20.

That’s a fraction of what you’d pay for a single session with a human advisor.

Sterling Stock Picker: Lifetime Subscription

See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change

According to Guidant Financial, we’ll be seeing a lot more digital transformation and innovation as more Millennials and Gen X become business owners. That means communication tools will only become even more important. Mail Backup X is hard to beat if you want the best product for email management, backup, archiving, and conversion. Best of all, a lifetime subscription is now available to new users for just $49.99, plus, you can use coupon code SAVE20 at checkout for an additional 20% off.

Emails are easily the most critical part of daily communications and activities for most organizations and individuals. Don’t wait until crucial emails are lost to implement a robust backup solution; you need to plan to keep your mail data safe. Mail Backup X is trusted by over 42,000 home users and businesses worldwide as a one-stop solution for all your email needs.

Backing up your emails is a breeze from all the major email clients, including Microsoft Outlook, Office 365, Microsoft Exchange, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, and more. You can also backup from mail services like Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook.com, or any service that supports the IMAP protocol. You also get mirror backup with a USB drive or cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and more. Restoring is just as easy, directly to the server account or a different server account.

Your archives will be highly compressed to save up to three times the storage space. You’ll also have an archive file viewer to search and view your archived emails quickly. Import most mail archive files, such as .pst, .ost, .mbox, .olk, and more.

You can even move all emails into a new account in Office 365 for 100% privacy. Your data is secured with military-grade AES 256-bit encryption with your private key, so everything is visible only to you.

It’s no wonder that Mail Backup X is rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on AppSumo, and CNET gives it a perfect 5-star rating.

Get a lifetime subscription to the Individual Edition of Mail Backup X, available to new users for just $39.99 when you use coupon code SAVE20 at checkout.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

As the nation honors and mourns its deceased service men and women on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, banks and mailing services, including the USPS, are closed. However, many retailers and other services will be open.

So whether you’re one of the record 45.1 million people expected to hit the road for the long weekend by AAA (the previous record was set in 2005 with 44 million people) and need supplies, or you’re staying closer to home and hoping to do some shopping, here’s what is expected to be open and closed.

Related: You Can Now Order Food and Book a Massage on Airbnb. Here’s How.

Which grocery stores are open and closed on Memorial Day?

Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s stores will be open during regular hours on Memorial Day.

Publix is open with regular hours, but pharmacies will be closed.

Kroger’s family of stores is open, but reps urge the public to check with your local store in case of limited hours.

Aldi will operate with limited holiday hours, which the company said would be updated on its store locator, per USA Today.

Most Albertsons will be open regular hours, but with limited pharmacy hours.

What retailers are open and closed on Memorial Day?

Costco warehouses will be closed on Memorial Day.

Macy’s will be open, as will Nordstrom, though customers should check local store hours.

Target is open on Memorial Day, though it is recommended to check holiday store hours.

Walmart is open for regular hours, typically 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., depending on the type of store.

Sam’s Club is open, but closes at 6 p.m., instead of its usual 8 p.m.

TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods will be open.

Most Home Depot and Lowe’s stores will be open.

According to Forbes, entrepreneurs spend 36% of their time handling administrative duties. If you’d like some help in that department, consider leaning on some classic apps. A lifetime license for Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows gives you eight apps to work with, and right now it’s on sale for just $49.97 (reg. $219.99) through June 1.

Get the classic Microsoft Office experience with a modern discount

This Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows license outfits your PC with eight helpful apps to tackle your work tasks, all for one low price. Knock out budgets and other spreadsheets with Excel, whip up a presentation for your morning meeting with PowerPoint, and send out email updates via Outlook.

You’ll also get access to the classic Word app and newer additions like Access, Teams, OneNote, and Publisher. This lifetime license gives you permanent access, so you get them all for less than $7 each and there are no monthly subscription fees required.

Don’t be concerned about the older 2021 version; it actually has some perks over the newer editions. This version lets you work with familiar interfaces without AI integrations. You can also work offline more easily, as you download all the apps to your device and don’t have to worry about being connected to the cloud.

Note: Your PC needs to be updated to Windows 10 or 11 to be compatible. It’s also recommended that you have 1GB of RAM free.

Grab your own lifetime license for Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows for just $49.97 (reg. $219.99) now through June 1.

StackSocial prices subject to change.