David Lidsky's Blog, page 158

Elon Musk made Tesla a household name. Now his presence is tanking the company

Musk’s radical political turn isn’t the biggest problem. Years of design and technology stagnation have led to this troubled moment for the automaker.

Tesla has reached a potentially lethal moment in its history, and it isn’t solely due to CEO Elon Musk’s political radicalization. Years of design and technology stagnation have led to a languishing model line and outdated technology. Back in 2023, I wrote that the beleaguered carmaker should aspire to survive and become yet another car manufacturer. Now that objective feels more pressing—and distant—than ever.

How nonprofits can strategically tap corporate funding

Most companies seek to share time and talent in addition to treasure.

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more.

Mobility, unlocked: The future of city transit

By integrating transportation modes into one platform and tokenizing payments, people can easily choose the best option.

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more.

A digital take on Earth Day cleanup

All that cloud data is stored somewhere, and that somewhere is physical.

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more.

Why is Trump arm wrestling with the New York State Education Department over the fate of a high school mascot?

The Massapequa school district has been fighting with the state over a ban on mascots depicting Indigenous peoples. Now the president is wading in.

In April 2023, the New York State Board of Regents unanimously voted to prohibit mascots, team names, and logos with any connection to Indigenous peoples in public schools. This move was made to ratify a notice sent months before by the New York State Education Department to public schools to change any mascots depicting Native Americans that do not have explicit permission from local tribal leaders or face “removal of school officers and the withholding of state aid.” 

Laid-off workers are struggling to access unemployment benefits

In a new report, workers described the barriers to accessing unemployment benefits. Those frustrations could increase if Trump’s tariffs cause the job market to tighten.

As the impact of President Trump’s tariffs comes into focus during the coming months, hundreds of thousands of workers could stand to lose their jobs. Economists have warned that the tariffs could drive up the unemployment rate, and many experts fear they could spark a recession.

College presidents from 170 schools including Harvard and Princeton sign letter rebuking Trump administration ‘overreach’

It’s the largest collective show of resistance yet against the president’s crackdown on higher education.

The higher education community is pushing back against the Trump administration’s treatment of colleges and universities. On Tuesday, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), a global membership organization, published a joint statement condemning the administration’s ongoing threats to withhold federal funding from colleges and universities.

“We speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education,” the letter reads. “We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight. However, we must oppose undue government intrusion,” it said, adding: “We must reject the coercive use of public research funding.”

Set your meetings free with these no-cost Zoom alternatives

Explore these capable videoconferencing freebies that offer more than Zoom’s free tier.

While Zoom is unquestionably the biggest name in videoconferencing, its free tier has some limitations—particularly the 40-minute time cap on group meetings. The good news is that several excellent platforms offer generous free plans capable of handling everything from brief check-ins to extended sessions.

There’s a better way for companies to partner with startups

Innovation in water companies isn’t a PR stunt when using a smart model.

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What separates AI leaders from laggards

Escape prototype purgatory with a blended team.

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more.