David Lidsky's Blog, page 2692
June 30, 2016
20 Tech Companies Ranked On How Much Slave Labor They Use
Hats off to HP, Apple, and Intel—though even they have plenty room for improvement.
It's not easy for tech companies to avoid labor abuse in their supply chains. Modern products are made up of hundreds of components and raw materials, each with their own chains of subcontractors and middlemen. Just drawing an organizational chart for a cellphone is hard enough. Ensuring nobody was coerced or abused in the manufacturing process is harder still.
Hyper Brings An Adless Video Digest To Your Smartphone
Can a clean interface and a human-curated list of content sell mobile users on a daily video digest?
In today's war for online content, video is the weapon of choice. The Berlin-based app Hyper launched on iPad last fall to deliver a simple, pure video experience: a curated selection of 12 short videos delivered to users every day. After getting acquired by Mic last month, they're launching a new, sleeker version for iOS on June 30. The big question is, do mobile users like video enough to let strangers pick their content for them?
Cuyana: The Clothing Brand That Plans To Scale By Asking Women To Buy Fewer Things
A pioneer of the "lean closet" movement, Cuyana's business model is built on quality over quantity.
There's a little factory the countryside of Northern Italy that has been making leather products for three generations. The family who owns the facility has a close relationship with a nearby tannery, so their workers understand the idiosyncrasies of these particular cowhides: they know exactly how sunlight will darken soft vachetta leather, which sections are best used for belts, and which bits are so thin that they should be discarded. In the United States, craftsmanship of this quality is usually associated with pricey luxury brands like Hermès and Celine, where a leather bag can cost upward of $2,000.
The Secrets To Hiring Management-Level Freelancers
Hiring high-level freelance talent can deliver big returns, but you need to keep your company safe.
When you need to shore up talent on your team but don't want the expense of a full-time employee, an independent contractor can be an effective solution. A recent survey by staffing firm Addison Group found that 94% of hiring managers are more comfortable bringing on freelance employees than five years ago, and 88% are more comfortable doing so for senior positions, too. Fifty-eight percent of employees said they wouldn't mind if their boss was a temp.
Instagram's Evolution As A Business Platform
Businesses have been working to master Instagram, and the company has been working to keep up with them.
Instagram is a go-to app for sharing lifestyle photos of brunches, sunsets, and pets, and it's helped breed a new kind of Internet star: an influencer/tastemaker. These people have hundreds of thousands of followers, and use that clout to make money from brands.
Why The Queen Bee Theory Is BS
Copious amounts of research proves that women can and do support each other to ascend the leadership ladder.
The path to executive leadership can be paved with stumbling blocks for women.
8 Strategies To Help You Quit The Snooze Button Habit For Good
Snooze sleep is lousy sleep. Try these strategies to take back your mornings, and your life.
If you hear your alarm in the morning and then decide to go back to sleep for a few more minutes, you're not alone. According to one 2014 survey, 57% of Americans regularly hit snooze. There are worse habits, to be sure, but the problem with snoozing is that the alleged upside (more sleep) isn't even that good. Sleeping in little chunks is far less restful than sleeping straight through to the time you intend to get out of bed.
Six Pieces Of Bad Speaking Advice That Just Won't Die
Anxiety, presence, breathing: They're all real concerns for speakers, but addressing them starts with knowing which "solutions" to avoid.
"Nervous about getting up in front of a crowd? Just imagine your audience in their underwear!"
Three Ways To Make Work Phone Calls Less Excruciating
Many of us have come to dread the dial tone in an age of email and Slack. Here's how to be a phone person when you need to be.
For many of us, the thought of getting on the phone with someone when we can be emailing, chatting, or texting produces anxiety. If I can outline everything I need to tell someone in a clear and thorough email message, why would I take time out of my day for a phone call to discuss what can be summed up in a subject line, a couple of paragraphs, and a question or two?
June 29, 2016
A Look Back At Uber's Wackiest Promotions
From on-demand puppies to piñatas, Uber has done a number of interesting promotions over the years.
This week, Uber introduced on-demand hot air balloon and boat rides for its customers in China. The feature, part of a new initiative called "Uber+Travel," is meant to connect people with activities and other services they might need while traveling. Uber previously offered hot air balloon rides in India.
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