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The nuances of group travel can be quite a hassle, and according to Tara Bunch, head of global operations at Airbnb, it’s also been a massive pain point for Airbnb users and hosts.

“The vast majority of our travel is group travel,” Bunch told Entrepreneur, noting that over 80% of all Airbnb bookings are for group travel. “In every launch that we go through, we spend a lot of time looking at customer feedback and host feedback.”

Related: Airbnb Goes Viral For ‘Insane’ and ‘Excessive’ List of Rules

On Wednesday, Airbnb revealed changes to group travel as a part of its Summer 2024 event in Los Angeles, and how some seemingly small tweaks are set to be game changers for both customers and the people who willingly host them.

Trip invitations

If you’ve ever stayed in an Airbnb, you’re probably familiar with the burden that falls on the point person who books the trip. Historically, they’ve been the only person who has all of the information about the stay, including check-in and check-out instructions, Wi-Fi passwords, and any other general information.

Now, users who book an Airbnb stay can invite other guests to join the trip and gain access to all of the reservation details, including the address of the stay once booked. This way, the host will be able to see all of the guests that are coming, too.

“I’m a host, and I like knowing who’s coming,” Bunch said. “That’s a huge help to the host to know how many people are coming and to be able to kind of see who these folks are and what they’re interested in or what questions they have ahead of time.”

Guests can also only accept a trip invitation if they have an Airbnb account, which will encourage travelers not yet registered on the platform to create an account and help boost user growth for Airbnb.

“I think it’s just a win-win across the board for guests, for hosts, for us,” Bunch said.

Shared wishlists

As a part of creating a shared group for a trip, guests will be able to create a shared wishlist for potential Airbnb spots.

Before the new update, guests would have to send around links to Airbnb listings and create their wishlists of potential properties to book.

^{via Airbnb}

Now, the wishlist feature will be interactive, with anyone invited on the trip having the ability to add a property that they want to suggest to a shared list for all other attendees to see.

Guests will be able to upvote or downvote their favorite or least favorite properties and add comments underneath potential properties, sparking conversations and adding to making the planning a collaborative effort.

“It opens up the ability for people to have a much more interactive trip that’s more fun,” Bunch said. “The idea of voting up a property is fun, it’s gamified a little bit and it gets people engaged.”

Group messaging

One of the biggest game-changers for hosts is the new group messaging feature.

Historically, only the person who made the Airbnb reservation has had access to the host and has usually been the person who has had to field all of the guests’ questions in a one-on-one contact situation with the host.

^{via Airbnb}

Now, all users added to the trip will be able to communicate with the host in a group chat setting, down to the ability to react to different messages as one does on iMessage.

“Now that we have group messaging, the host will be able to see who all’s coming and it gives the host a little bit more information about the group,” Bunch said. “If they have maybe specific questions or needs, you’re gonna get more of that kind of interaction before they get there.”

Members will also have the ability to mute the chat if they do not want to be disturbed, but Bunch says the features will actively give travelers “the advantage of increasing the communication with the host” and vice versa.

Another feature of the group message will include several automated AI responses from the host to travelers for frequently asked questions, such as instructions about the Wi-Fi or the door code.

via Airbnb

Instead of having to respond to every individual inquisition or request, simple questions will be answered on the messaging platform without hosts having to type a response.

“It’s going to help you respond quickly and be more productive, it’s going to be a big win for hosts,” Bunch said.

What’s Next for Airbnb?

Though this week’s rollouts should help hosts when it comes to group travel, Bunch says that the platform still has strides to make when it comes to making it a truly host-friendly place to be.

“There’s a lot of focus around perfecting the core service — the product, the app, messaging,” Bunch explains. “We want to make hosting mainstream and give hosts tools so that they feel more confident and are more willing to host.”

Related: Airbnb Launches Series of Money-Saving, Privacy Upgrades

Bunch also says that international expansion is a long-term goal for Airbnb, with hopes of tapping into markets where hosting may be more of a foreign concept.

“Building brand awareness in some markets that maybe didn’t have as much awareness is a big focus we have on growing internationally,” Bunch says. “Markets where maybe people haven’t thought about hosting, but once they kind of see that it’s easy, helping them find a co-host and giving them tools, giving them the financial dashboards, all the stuff we’re working on in the background to just make hosting easier and less scary. That’s a big focus area.”

After successfully trying out the Barbie Dreamhouse and Shrek Swamp experiences last year, Airbnb is creating a new category of rentals that look straight out of a dreamland.

On Wednesday, Airbnb released its first 11 Icons, or rental-experiences inspired by movies like “Up” and musicians like Prince. The goal is to bring iconic, international stays to a lucky group of Airbnb customers for under $100 per guest, according to the company. Most of the Icons experiences are free.

One experience invites guests to crash at an X-Men-inspired mansion in New Castle, New York. Another features Grammy-winning artist Doja Cat as a host, complete with a one-on-one musical performance of some of her favorite songs.

Related: Airbnb Just Rolled Out Major Changes for Hosts and Guests, Plus New Tools for Groups Travelers: ‘It’s Going to Be a Big Win’

^{Airbnb Icons examples. Credit: Airbnb}

Here’s how it works: Guests can request to book an experience for free through the Airbnb app as soon as each Icon goes live. Airbnb will then select the lucky few that will receive a digital golden ticket, or invite, into the experience.

Airbnb will make more than 4,000 golden tickets available this year globally.

“When I was a kid, most of my life was experienced in the real world,” Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said at the Airbnb Summer 2024 Release Event in Los Angeles. “And as life becomes increasingly digital, what we’re focused on is creating more magic in the real world.”

Related: Airbnb Hosts Have to Pull Out All the Stops to Snag Bookings Now — See How Going ‘Niche’ Can Pay Off

Here’s an inside look into some of the Icons, plus how much they cost and when they start taking bookings.

The Up House

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Abiquiu, New Mexico

Standout feature: The 8,000 balloons attached to this re-creation of the iconic home from Up.

When Bookings Open: Now until May 14

Cost: Free

The Ferrari Museum

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Maranello, Italy

Standout features: Guests sleep on a bed made of the same leather as Ferrari seats and take a lap with Scuderia Ferrari ambassador driver Marc Gené.

When Bookings Open: May 6

Cost: To be announced.

A Re-creation of Marvel Animation’s X-Mansion

Where: New Castle, New York

Standout features: Guests get an official diploma and class photo before they leave.

When Bookings Open: Now until May 13

Cost: $97 per guest

The Musée d’Orsay

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Paris, France

Standout feature: Guests will be the first to sleep in a bedroom designed in the Paris art museum’s clock room. They will also get to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

When Bookings Open: May 21

Cost: To be announced.

Prince’s Purple Rain house

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Standout feature: Airbnb Chief Business Officer Dave Stevenson told Yahoo Finance’s Akiko Fujita on Thursday that guests will “hear previously unreleased tracks that no one has heard before.”

When Bookings Open: August

Cost: To be announced.

Khaby Lame Gaming Session

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Milano, Italy

Standout feature: TikTok-famous Khaby Lame invites guests to his gaming loft to play some games and learn TikTok skills.

When Bookings Open: Now until May 13

Cost: Free

Tour For A Week with Reggaeton Star Feid

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Standout feature: Guests can hit the road for a week with reggaeton star Feid, with backstage access, front-row seats and VIP access to performances.

When Bookings Open: May 3

Cost: To be announced.

Stay At Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor’s Family Home

^{Credit: Airbnb}

Where: Chennai, India

Standout feature: Relaxation is key to this experience; Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor will host guests, take them on a private tour of the home, and teach them natural skincare recipes.

When Bookings Open: May 12

Cost: To be announced.

As issues continue to plague the aviation industry, choosing a domestic airline is becoming more of a challenge than ever.

And WalletHub‘s recent ranking of the top U.S. Airlines for 2024 reflects these struggles. The outlet ranked the nine major U.S. airlines and regional carrier Skywest Airlines, with only one coming out on top.

“Airline ticket prices had a pretty significant drop last year, but have started to rise again this year. Cost isn’t all that matters when picking what company to fly with, though,” the report said. “Comfort and safety also matter, especially with recent incidents in the news about plane malfunctions. Finding the most affordable airfare is now quite easy for anyone with an internet connection, so this report examines other, overlooked aspects of air travel to help consumers make more-informed decisions.”

Related: Delta Most On-Time Airline, Air Canada Least: 2023 Report

Coming in at No. 1 was Alaska Airlines with a score of 68.07 out of 100, taking the crown from Delta Airlines, which won the title in both 2022 and 2023.

Delta did however tie with JetBlue Airlines as the most comfortable airline, thanks to stellar in-flight amenities like free Wi-Fi and extra legroom.

The outlet looked at 13 different qualifying factors in three major categories to make its report — baggage and departures, in-flight comfort and cost, and safety. Airlines were graded on a scale of 100 and received a certain number of points based on the category being measured, such as canceled flights, mishandled baggage reports, legroom, Wi-Fi availability, and more.

Related: Southwest Ranked Worst Ranked Airline of 2023: Report

Regional carrier Skywest Airlines came in at No. 2 overall with a score of 65.96 out of 100 followed by Spirit Airlines in third place with a score of 65.69 out of 100.

Here are how the nine major U.S. airlines and one regional carrier were ranked, according to WalletHub.

10. Southwest Airlines (36.03 out of 100)

9. Frontier Airlines (43.57 out of 100)

8. American Airlines (46.52 out of 100)

^{(Kevin Carter/Getty Images)}

7. Hawaiian Airlines (48.30 out of 100)

6. Jetblue Airlines (51.60 out of 100)

5. United Airlines (51.96 out of 100)

^{(Kevin Carter/Getty Images)}

4. Delta Airlines (61.56 out of 100)

3. Spirit Airlines (65.69 out of 100)

2. Skywest Airlines (65.96 out of 100)

1. Alaska Airlines (68.07 out of 100)

You can view the full report here.

In a small farming village nestled between two mountains, a man claimed to be a rainmaker. This man would walk around the village, splashing people in the face with water, declaring, “Look! It’s raining! My powers have brought rain!”

At first, the villagers, desperate for the rain to nourish their fields, celebrated the rainmaker. But as the weeks went on, the reservoirs remained empty and crops continued to wither. A wise woman saw this and challenged the man’s rainmaker abilities by telling him to produce a rainstorm that saved the crops.

The man ran through the village in response, splashing people in the face with even more water. But the villagers now saw what was happening, and they turned to the wise woman to speak to the rainmaker on their behalf. The woman stood in the center of town, challenging the rainmaker’s superficial claims and said, “Don’t splash water on my face and tell me it’s raining.”

The villagers were disillusioned and felt foolish for trusting the rainmaker. But the wise woman showed them how to capture water and find drought-resilient crops. The villagers worked very hard, and they learned to trust the wise woman because even though her solutions were harder, their crops thrived yearly because of her methods.

This story is a relevant parable for public relations because it illustrates the differences between quick answers and superficial results to long-term solutions, along with authenticity. I share it because there are many misconceptions about PR. Some misconceptions have to do with the media’s portrayal of PR professionals, and some of it is a misunderstanding about what PR is — and isn’t.

Before you hire a PR firm, whether you have big ambitions or there is a crisis, it’s better to understand where PR can and can’t help you.

Related: 5 Common Misconceptions About Public Relations

Myth #1: Public relations is a shield for bad behavior

Destructive behavior differs from an unanticipated crisis.

We can predict bad behavior outcomes; most PR people can see them coming well in advance. Whether it’s unethical business choices, inauthentic advertising claims or gaslighting your customers like “the rainmaker” did, there’s no escaping responsibility. This is especially true if you’re trying to gaslight a journalist. The internet holds a long grudge, and journalists, like the wise woman above, will eventually catch on.

Public relations isn’t about “spin” or misleading journalists or the public. PR is about transparency and authenticity. It’s freedom of the press — the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution — that gives PR its power. PR professionals can’t just storm a newsroom or pay off an editor to take down negative news. If journalists removed every negative (but accurate) news article from their newspaper or website because readers bombarded the PR agent of the person or company involved, there would be no free press — and media coverage would hold no value.

Public relations can help you navigate through the revelation of inappropriate behavior, but it can’t fix the choices you’ve made. Typically, inappropriate behavior requires an apology. But believe it or not, the apology is only the first step on a long road. And that road may or may not include press coverage in the aftermath. It’s these next steps that are extremely situational.

Related: How to Build Your Personal Brand and Enhance Your Google Presence Through the Power of Public Relations

Myth #2: PR and advertising are the same thing

Digital PR is relevant in today’s fast-paced media world. The number of content opportunities for thought leaders especially has undoubtedly increased. But that doesn’t mean public relations is a sales channel.

The biggest and most important distinction is that in both owned and paid media, you control the content. You don’t own the content or the story’s direction in PR. Public relations professionals use their knowledge and connections to guide the coverage, but the editor chooses the outcome. Again, the power of PR is independence — that’s why it’s valuable. It brings a third-party trusted perspective; public relations is at the top of the awareness funnel.

If you’re looking to PR to drive sales and track them, it’s a setup for failure. There are a few reasons for this. In earned coverage, there is no guarantee that a link will appear in the article. Sometimes, a link is included and sometimes it isn’t, but that’s an editorial decision that’s out of the hands of your PR team.

I notice a considerable uptick in direct traffic with earned media. It’s hard to pinpoint where direct traffic comes from, but we typically notice a similar correlation. Does that traffic convert? It depends on many factors — the website, the conversion, the cohort and the visitor’s familiarity with the website. That’s not to say there isn’t value to tracking this, but there are too many factors at play to attribute all of this website traffic and conversions to PR.

There are opportunities where PR and sales may cross over, like affiliate programs for consumer products, but ethical PR professionals will articulate the differences. Does PR help sales and business development? You bet. Showcasing your media coverage gives your business development and sales channels additional credibility. It’s not uncommon to see clips of media coverage used in advertising.

Related: Publicity Is Not Free Advertising. Don’t Destroy Your Efforts to Get Press By Slipping Into Sales Mode.

Myth #3: PR is only about media coverage

You could be forgiven if you only think about PR when you see media coverage. It’s certainly the most visible and requested outcome for PR. The reality is that PR encompasses a wide range of activities and strategies aimed at building and maintaining a positive reputation.

PR could touch every single part of your company, from product development to human relations to, of course, marketing. Involving PR from the start of any stakeholder-affected initiative gives you an edge. Not only will positive reputation building be authentically accounted for in the program from the start, PR professionals often have deep insights into consumer perceptions and media opportunities, which could affect almost every program.

Another use of ongoing PR is having a PR crisis plan. Most companies have exposure they don’t even consider. If your team is onsite, what happens if someone is seriously injured, or worse, while there? What if your product hurts someone because of quality or manufacturing error? Once an identifiable crisis happens, the first three hours afterward will set the tone for how your company comes out of the crisis. Having a PR team that knows your brand, understands your team and has the access and plan to act quickly is an important asset.

While these myths may have changed your perceptions of PR, it is a powerful asset for any company, especially ambitious ones. When planning to engage PR, remember these myths. Not only will they help you identify a PR plan that works for you, but they will also help you determine the best PR agencies that are candid with you about PR opportunities and differences.

Who can take credit for being the first to implement the franchising model is debatable. According to this report by the International Franchise Association, it is widely believed the first franchisor in the U.S. was the Singer Sewing Machine Company in 1851. The same report also contends that others credit Martha Matilda Harper — who built a network of beauty salons with a retail component. — to be the first franchisor. Then, of course, there’s the McDonald’s story, with Ray Kroc’s involvement, that many refer to as arguably one of the first forays into food service franchising.

Why am I mentioning all of this?

As I’ve witnessed in the twenty-or-so years that I’ve been involved in franchising (on the franchisor, franchisee, and consultant sides of the industry), it demonstrates that franchising was — and still is — a viable business expansion model with a long track record. Over the decades, franchising has come into its own, from a novel idea for business growth to a sophisticated, regulated way of doing business that benefits both the franchisor and its franchisees. Since that first handshake deal, savvy entrepreneurs have developed best practices and trainable systems to help people, from corporate escapees who buy a single franchised unit to highly capitalized, large multi-territory owners, to build sustainable businesses.

Franchising is often considered an enormous and growing industry in and of itself, and its principles are employed by countless other industries and business models, from restaurants to automobile services to beauty salons and retail stores, to all kinds of B2C and B2B services. Even dentists and dermatologists (and those in numerous other healthcare segments) are enjoying the benefits of franchising their business models.

Related: Franchising Is Not For Everyone. Explore These Lucrative Alternatives to Expand Your Business.

Applying the franchise model

The word “franchise” is derived from the French word franc, which means free. But don’t be fooled into thinking franchising is free or even inexpensive. It’s a significant commitment and one that a business owner should investigate thoroughly, starting with some self-examination. For example, you will want to ask yourself:

• Do I have adequate resources, both people and money, to expand through franchising? (As noted above, franchising is not a “no-cost” effort for the emerging franchisor. You will need to, at minimum, develop franchise legal documents and an operations manual; business planning and marketing tools are also key. So, you’ll want to leverage your current business’ capital and human resources, but do so without over-extending yourself.)
• Can I handle risk when it involves both my finances and other people’s capital?
• Am I collaborative and interested in building long-term relationships with franchisees (vs. employees)?
• Do I have strong leadership skills and a team that inspires trust?

Once you’ve analyzed yourself as a business owner and potential franchisor, it’s time to do the same analysis with your business to determine if it is indeed franchisable:

• Do you have a single unit open or several in operation, and is it/are they profitable?
• Do you have a product, service, or system that, with proper training and guidance, can be duplicated in other markets?
• Are all your systems dialed in so that they can be quickly learned by someone who may or may not have experience in your industry?
• Can you show investors who will become your franchisees that they can build a solid business following your blueprint?
• Will your business, if franchised, provide a solid ROI for both franchisor and franchisee?

You may not even have all the answers to these questions, and that’s okay. This is the time to talk to franchise specialists who have helped businesses like yours enjoy the benefits of franchising and who can help determine if you’re ready to take the next step.

Forging the right path

A fact that sometimes gets lost in the equation is that once you make the move from business owner to franchisor, your day-to-day business responsibilities shift, requiring a different mindset. You’re no longer grooming dogs; you’re setting up others in business to groom dogs — or train their employees to change tires or make sandwiches. Your business is now focused on selling franchises and supporting franchisees.

It’s also important to know that before committing to you, potential franchisees will want assurances that your concept has the legs to travel to other communities where your brand is not known and still attracts enough customers to make it viable.

Let’s say you have a pizza concept. People rave about your pizza, and you’ve had several customers ask if you plan to franchise your concept. While it’s always flattering to have people want to duplicate what you have in their neighborhood, there’s more to it. Everyone who owns a pizza shop will tell you they have the best-tasting pizza in the world.

In order to start a successful franchise brand, you need, yes, a product people crave, but also something that will distinguish you from the competition. You need detailed recipes, proven systems, well-documented procedures, a well-formulated (and trademarkable!) brand, a solid marketing plan, and an established supply chain. Proprietary products and operational tools are helpful, too.

In the end, you must offer prospective franchisees advantages that are better or at least equal to what your competition is offering and that they couldn’t easily develop themselves.

Getting the help you need

Of course, as a business owner, you don’t have to do this franchise preparation work all on your own. Franchise advisors can help you create manuals, training materials, and marketing plans, while franchise lawyers and accountants can develop the necessary legal documents and financial audits. Note, however, that franchising is a specialized field, so you want people who understand franchising’s unique structures, laws and practices. This is not the time to try to save money by hiring a personal contact who just started working as a solo operator or for a firm that has limited franchising experience.

All the professional consulting and guidance in the world, however, won’t help you if you don’t have the spark that will ignite your business into a hot concept a franchise salesperson can sell. Plus, you need to have patience and not jump on the first person who shows an interest. After you’ve built your franchise model and begun (legally) offering franchises, franchisee selection becomes one of the most important tasks to undertake. There’s a reason why even some of the most established franchise systems have a high ratio of rejection to acceptance when it comes to choosing franchisees to join their brands.

One of the tenets of franchising is consistency, not just in a single store but throughout the system. When they order from a McDonald’s, consumers want the same hamburger and fries in Portland, Oregon, as in Portland, Maine. They also have certain expectations, such as the restrooms will be clean, the service will be friendly. That’s why hotel chains are so popular with seasoned travelers: road warriors don’t want any surprises when it comes to where they spend the night away from home.

Final thoughts

Another consideration when evaluating the possibility of franchising a business is the popular interview question we’ve likely all been asked: Where do you see yourself in five years? Or, to ask it another way, what’s your appetite for both risk and growth? How fast do you want to grow? Do you want to grow to be a regional, national or even international chain?

Determining your goals is key. And timing your franchising efforts is equally important. There is something to be said for taking your time and waiting until everything is perfected before franchising your business. But the problem with this approach is that by the time you’re ready to launch, your competition may already have dozens — or hundreds — of units already opened. Being first to market has its advantages, but it’s still a juggling act because you don’t want to take your one shot and misfire. Although it’s possible to make tweaks to your system as you grow, you don’t want to confuse customers (and franchisees) by constantly changing core items people are coming specifically to you to get.

Deciding when the time is right to franchise your concept can be overwhelming unless you spend time doing your due diligence, along with some soul-searching. Whether you have a passion for your product or services and want others to benefit from it, too, or you’re counting on franchising as a retirement vehicle, franchising will be a career- and life-altering choice for you and your organization. But, best of all, you’ll be following in the footsteps of some giants in entrepreneurship.

A TikTok famous monkey is in the crosshairs of controversy after scientists in Florida claimed that the primate was stolen from a colony — and not rescued from a lab as his owner alleges.

The account, called Thabo and Ray, features 31-year-old influencer Kim Raymond Feaste and his monkey, Thabo, on daily adventures in the car, in stores, and out in nature. The duo has garnered over 3.4 million followers and 133.1 million likes on the platform.

@thaboandray♬ walking on a dream by empire of the sun – sophie

Feaste claims that he rescued Thabo after the monkey’s mother was killed in a Las Vegas lab. But Florida Atlantic University adjunct professor Dr. Deborah “Missy” Williams told local outlet the Sun Sentinel that she does not think that’s the case — and now she’s taking it up with animal rights organizations in the state.

Williams is alleging that Feaste took the monkey from a colony in Dania Beach, Florida, which is located near the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The colony has around 40 monkeys, though they are not tracked. It’s believed that infants have a 50% mortality rate. The monkeys have roamed the area since the 1940s after being brought to the state from West Africa.

Related: HelloFresh Drops Thai Coconut Milk Due to Monkey Labor

“I’m concerned for the welfare of the monkey because I know he’s not being properly taken care of,” Williams told the Sun Sentinel. “[Monkeys] need lots of mental enrichment, healthy appetite, those types of things. And I’m concerned that if he’s going to have developed this pattern of biting, he will be considered a public danger, which could result in the animal being euthanized.”

Williams says a lab would not willingly give a monkey away to a good samaritan, and would euthanize it instead.

Williams is convinced the monkey was taken from the Dania Beach troop, and renowned primatologist Bob Ingersoll agrees, according to the outlet. Other experts are divided.

Michelle Sinnott, PETA’s director of captive animal law enforcement, doesn’t believe Thabo was recused from a lab or taken from the wild. She thinks he was purchased from a breeder, instead.

Feaste, meanwhile, vehemently denies the claims, and has fired back in several TikTok videos calling Williams a “stalker” and accusing her of trying to put his and Thabo’s “safety in jeopardy.”

“My monkey has been well taken care of,” Feaste told the Sentinel. “We live in mansions and have lots of money and live a good life.”

@thaboandray

Debroah Missy Williams (aka Dr. Missy Williams) has been stalking me, threatening my life, swatting me, paying people to stalk me, doxing me, slandering my name and much more. PLEASE SEND THIS TO FBI

♬ original sound – ??♂️? Thabo and Ray

Williams has primarily filed complaints with police all around the country and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“Williams advised that there are videos on the Social Media Site [TikTok] of Kim Raymond Feaste having a Green Vervet Monkey,” an October 2023 report filed with the Pulaski County, Arkansas police department states, after Williams alleged that Feaste and Thabo would be traveling through the area. “Williams stated she believes the primate was stolen from a sanctuary in Ft Lauderdale Florida approximately 4 years ago.”

In March, Williams emailed the Florida Wildlife Conservation clips of Thabo that she claimed came from a private investigator she hired to track down Feaste and Thabo.

Related: TikTok Video Goes Viral After ‘Surprise Me’ Trend Goes Wrong

The only way to find out Thabo’s true origin is to get his DNA tested, but it doesn’t look like Feaste nor Williams will be able to do so any time soon.

Only six major U.S. cities have median home prices that a household making the local median income could afford.

An April report from Clever Real Estate compared the income needed to afford a home in major U.S. cities to the actual income earned by the typical household.

The report considered a home affordable to a particular buyer if it fulfilled the popular 28/36 rule, which advises buyers to spend a maximum of 28% of their monthly income on housing, plus an extra 8% paying other debt like credit card or auto bills.

Even with a 20% down payment, the standard homebuyer making median local pay would not be able to afford a home listed at a middle-of-the-market price in 44 out of 50 major cities.

Home mortgage rates are also high right now, which could prevent sellers from listing homes and buyers from purchasing them.

Related: The ‘Silver Tsunami’ Meets ‘Golden Handcuffs’ as Past Low Mortgage Rates Lock in Homeowners — Whether They Like It or Not

Here are the six cities with homes that median earners can afford.

1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

^{Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Credit: Getty Images}

Actual Income: $70,607

Income Needed To Afford The Median Home: $59,919

Local Median Home Sale Price: $199,573

2. Cleveland, Ohio

Actual Income: $65,198

Income Needed To Afford The Median Home: $56,378

Local Median Home Sale Price: $182,652

3. St. Louis, Missouri

^{St. Louis, Missouri. Credit: Getty Images}

Actual Income: $74,531

Income Needed To Afford The Median Home: $66,743

Local Median Home Sale Price: $225,674

4. Memphis, Tennessee

Actual Income: $64,008

Income Needed To Afford The Median Home: $61,659

Local Median Home Sale Price: $213,929

5. Indianapolis, Indiana

Actual Income: $75,824

Income Needed To Afford The Median Home: $73,398

Local Median Home Sale Price: $257,584

6. Birmingham, Alabama

^{Birmingham, Alabama. Credit: Getty Images}

Actual Income: $67,242

Income Needed To Afford The Median Home: $65,216

Local Median Home Sale Price: $235,212

Efficiency. Productivity. Metrics. These three words are often associated with technology in the workplace, and for good reason. According to the Deloitte 2023 Global Human Capital Trends survey, over 90% of business leaders acknowledge the imperative role of technology in enhancing work outcomes and team dynamics. Yet, for all their advantages, we must look at technological tools in the workplace from another perspective. That is, how will technology help us bring out the humanity in our day-to-day jobs?

This question isn’t rhetorical. We can’t afford to lose our humanness. Yes, we need technology, but only as an aid. Without living, breathing people, no organization can fully utilize any software, program or innovation.

These days, when technological advancements seem to happen every hour, far too many employers are forgetting the importance of putting people first — and consequently forgetting that when you take care of your employees, they will take care of everything else.

Employers need to begin folding humanity into their technology today. After all, in an era of remote and hybrid working, employee isolation and disengagement can happen quickly. Technology can either heighten feelings of loneliness and separation or bring workers together. It’s up to us as leaders to put more emphasis on humans than machines.

Related: AI Can Replace (Some) Jobs — But It Can’t Replace Human Connection. Here’s Why.

Building a people-first, tech-positive culture

At the end of the day, the world is changing. However, tech isn’t the only thing evolving; people are, too. People deserve to be seen as just as much of a sustainable investment as a piece of equipment or software.

Where can you begin to move the needle and find the intersection between your company’s technology and your team’s human connection? Look for places where you can lean into tech to enhance people’s needs and experiences. This can look like the following:

1. Learn what makes each team member tick

Every team member has unique work style preferences. These are frequently more apparent when employees and leaders work side-by-side. However, they’re not always as clear within virtual work groups. That’s why all leaders should work diligently on developing genuine, mutually respectful relationships with their direct reports.

Take communication. Understanding each team member’s unique communication preferences — from the format they prefer, such as emails, texts or voice memos, to how frequently they wish to be updated — is crucial in today’s hybrid work environment. Companies like Humantelligence are leading the way by using technology to tailor communication strategies with AI-powered tools for more personalized communication within teams.

The point of this solution is that leaders have never been able to tailor their messaging to different employee personalities like they can right now. By being intentional, leaders can enjoy stronger bonds with their people and use technological solutions to help everyone become both efficient and effective.

Related: The Perfect Blend: How to Successfully Combine AI and Human Approaches to Business

2. Create space for old-fashioned “water cooler conversations”

Personal talk frequently goes by the wayside among remote teams. Rather than chalking this up to inevitability, create space at the beginning of Teams or Zoom meetings to discuss what’s going on in everyone’s lives. Setting aside five minutes of “family talk” to make way for 55 minutes of “business talk” is a decent trade-off. Or take a page from GitLab. They actively encourage new hires to schedule virtual coffee chats with colleagues during their onboarding to promote informal communication.

During one-on-ones, the talk can be just as personalized. Leaders should remember that each one-on-one is about the employee rather than them. Therefore, the dedicated agenda should concentrate on the employee, not the supervisor. Concentrating on the employee’s needs fosters a two-way dialogue. It also puts some of the responsibility on the employee to guide the talking points.

Remember: Informal interactions can play critical roles in team and employee-leader bonding. These “water cooler conversations” don’t always feel intuitive in a digital workspace, so they need to be intentionally allowed. For example, we use a lot of text chains around our company, especially around our events. Sometimes, things get silly, and jokes are made between a couple of people. It gets us off to a great week, and no one worries about the repercussions of not being single-mindedly production-focused.

Related: You Can Fear It and Still Use It — Why Are So Many American Workers Shy About AI?

3. Hold team sessions to talk about tech opportunities

Another technique to break down workplace barriers to team members living in sync with tech is to talk about digital transformation. Speaking about it allows everyone to chime in and build trust. This is especially important given that 54% of people say they have “no idea” how their company is using AI and that lack of transparency is a real problem. It highlights the necessity for clear communication about how technologies like AI are being utilized and their impact on individual roles.

Technology, especially newer disruptions like AI, can seem intimidating and scary. People can begin to worry that they’ll be replaced if they don’t operate 24/7. Your job is to show them that it’s okay for them to be human. Take a walk. Leave the desk to run a personal errand. Catch up with a friend. Focus on outcomes versus time.

Machines don’t need to take environmental breaks, but machines also aren’t going to keep your company competitive. With the right platforms, portals, devices and channels, your human employees can complete their roles much more effectively without becoming beholden to the technology that serves them.

Picture your workplace as a puzzle. Your people make up the border pieces. Without them, you’d never have a complete picture, even if the inner space was filled with all the technology in the world.

After months of testing and teasing dozens of modifications to its original burger, McDonald’s is now revealing one massive change that customers will notice — the size.

In a Tuesday call with analysts, McDonald’s Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden announced that the chain will be testing a larger burger this year in select markets.

“As we look to further build on our leadership in beef, our team of chefs from around the world have created a larger satiating burger,” Borden said during the call. “We’ll be testing this burger in a few markets later this year ensuring that it has universal appeal before scaling it across the globe.”

Related: McDonald’s Is Completely Changing Its Burgers in 2024

This isn’t surprising news for McDonald’s, as Borden hinted at the UBS Global Consumer and Retail Conference last month that he believed there was a “significant” opportunity to create a larger-sized offering and noted the chain has attempted to do so in the past.

In the mid-90s, McDonald’s attempted to create “premium” burgers with different toppings and offerings (such as the Arch Deluxe, for example), instead of simply making a larger patty.

“We tried to get after this opportunity for a number of years because we thought the opportunity was about premium burger,” Borden said last month. “We weren’t successful.”

It’s been a long time coming for the chain, which laid out a massive growth plan in December that included creating a new version of its burgers with an estimated 50 modifications. The changes were first tested in Australia and select West Coast and Midwest markets in 2023.

Other changes included swapping the Big Mac’s sesame seed bun with “buttery brioche” and each burger coming with more of the cult-favorite “special sauce.”

McDonald’s reported positive Q1 2024 earnings on Tuesday, a 2% quarterly jump in global comparable sales growth, which marks the chain’s 13th consecutive quarter of comparable sales growth.

Related: McDonald’s in Connecticut Goes Viral For Astronomical Prices

“As consumers are more discriminating with every dollar that they spend, we will continue to earn their visits by delivering leading, reliable, everyday value and outstanding execution in our restaurants,” said CEO Chris Kempczinski.

McDonald’s was down just over 8% as of Tuesday afternoon.

A search for “formula for company success” on Amazon yields almost a thousand results, primarily consisting of self-help books. While I don’t claim that I have discovered the elusive formula, I believe certain characteristics can aid in achieving success, which I identified after analyzing the top companies currently active in the market.

I’m the founder of a deep tech company that is trying to push the limits of what is possible in the field of computers. For me, following these principles is crucial to achieving this ambitious goal. Yet, I’m sure these principles are not exclusive to any one field or industry and can be applied to any business willing to prioritize and use them as tools for development.

Related: 5 Key Leadership Principles for Driving Growth

Elegance

Elegance goes beyond mere aesthetics; it is the embodiment of beauty in every facet of a company. What does beauty consist of? Honestly, everything. If the founder wants to ensure the elegance of their product, they should pay attention to the structure that should be observed in every process of interaction with their company. Those may range from the way your employees present themselves at networking events or in-store to the speed with which your support team assists customers. Not only will this provide your brand with consistency, but it will also become more appealing because, after all, humans are aesthetic creatures.

When you think of elegant products or packaging, I’m sure one of the brand names that comes to mind is Apple. From the logo to the in-store decor, elegance is evident in every aspect of the brand’s efforts. In your business, the aspects of elegance are definitely different from theirs, but their role is the same.

Focus on goals and values

Focusing on the result is especially important for tech companies, particularly those developing new tech, as it allows them to deliver on their promises to both themselves and their customers. Most importantly, it allows them to focus on only those aspects that are truly important and relevant to their ultimate goal. To achieve this, detailed planning is required, where the most optimal path is selected from thousands of possible options. Moreover, prior to any action taken, it should involve thousands of hours of research, hypothesis testing, and more, but it all must contribute to the company’s goals.

According to Gartner’s 2019 Product Manager Survey, only 55% of new products are launched on time, and the other 45% are delayed by at least a month. This underscores the importance of the founders not only setting realistic goals but also communicating them clearly both to your customers and employees. Additionally, the company should not stray from its original purpose and should always keep its eye on the end goal. In order to stay on track, some things should be prioritized, such as good time management, both in your life and in your business, or for example, preparing contingency plans in advance. You can use these tools to ensure proactive and adaptive responses to unforeseen obstacles to ensure a smooth, or at least stable, ride to success.

Initiating and igniting

While it is important to keep up with the market and its latest developments, it is crucial to use this information to create new trends instead of simply following the existing ones. To follow this approach, business owners should create and keep in mind a clear picture of how their businesses differentiate themselves from their competitors, allowing them to have a shot at becoming industry leaders. The problem with utilizing trends as a foundation for a company is that the trend cycle inevitably leads to obsolescence.

Netflix is a prime example of this. It originated as a DVD-by-mail service in 1998, just one year after DVD players were introduced in the U.S. before they became an essential part of every household. The company not only competed against Blockbuster, the largest rental chain at the time, but also revolutionized the rental process by introducing a new way for consumers to interact with their services, introducing a subscription model in 1999. Netflix entered the year 2000 with only 300,000 subscribers, now this number is up to 247.2 million. Why? Because they were able to come up with an idea for a truly unique service.

Pursuit of excellence

One of the greatest enemies of any entrepreneur’s long-term success is these three words: “That will do.” This phrase not only affects you as an entrepreneur, undermining your abilities and limiting your potential success, but it also affects every single facet of your business. The pursuit of excellence doesn’t entail that you shouldn’t attempt to release anything until everything is perfect, but it does suggest that whatever you can do should be done to the best quality possible.

The strive for perfection, or rather the lack of it, is the reason the above-mentioned DVD rental chain now has only one store left in the U.S. When the market began expanding and Netflix entered the game, Blockbuster had the opportunity to acquire it, but passed on it arguing that Netflix was a too-niche business. Blockbuster’s opposition to online streaming and the fact that it was stagnant and content with the unchanged while an entirely new industry was evolving prevented it from innovating.

Related: 5 Key Leadership Principles for Driving Growth

Embracing challenges

Given that technology has advanced more in the past two centuries than at any other time in human history, the possibilities for further development and creation are endless. It is not uncommon to encounter a myriad of problems when creating something new, especially in the beginning. However, a business owner shouldn’t avoid working on a unique product or service simply because of the issues it may present and to search for innovative solutions.

As obvious as it may seem, the easiest way to approach a challenge is through hypothesis testing. Whenever you are faced with seemingly impossible problems, it is of utmost importance not to be intimidated by them, as this can lead to stagnation or the inability to deliver the promised product or service. By using hypothesis testing, one can generate and test dozens of possible solutions to avoid stagnation and initiate progress. Not only does this expand the range of feasible solutions, but it also allows the company to create a truly great product or service because you will be able to accomplish something no one has ever done.

Positive impact

In the 21st century, it is essential to prioritize more than just profit, especially at a time when we are experiencing such a rapid escalation of climate change and other worrying events. We are at the pinnacle of technological development, and it would be irresponsible not to use it to improve the world around us or at least try to preserve it for future generations.

As a founder of a tech company, I often pay attention to this detail and believe that a positive impact is essential when it comes to running such a company and that those who have a genuine urge to make the world a better and safer place have a real chance of creating a thriving business. Of course, this principle is not exclusive to one industry only; for example, food delivery and ride-hailing services have a better chance of succeeding if they are inclusive and convenient to all. Remember, if you have an opportunity to impact the world with your business, there are hundreds if not thousands of options available, especially today.