Rousseau Kazi

Rousseau Kazi worked at Facebook for six years as a product manager before starting his inclusive workplace-communication tool, Threads.
He told Business Insider that his time at the tech giant was just as valuable (if not more so in some ways) as getting an MBA might be.
His reasons are that in tech, you're able to "experience the pain" and get a crash course in managing and running a business — things that can't necessarily be taught in the classroom.
He's also found that some of his most valuable hires didn't have MBA degrees.
Click here for more BI Prime stories.

At age 20, Rousseau Kazi started working at Facebook as a product manager, moving steadily up from intern to consultant to manager.

That was in 2011. After six years with the massive tech company, Kazi parlayed the knowledge he gained at Facebook into launching his own company, Threads, an inclusive workplace-communication tool. Threads launched from stealth with a Series A funding round of $10.5 million led by Sequoia earlier this year, which also included a 50-50 gender cap table, something that the company strongly believes every organization should actively pursue in order to innovate and grow.

Kazi believes that in order to continue to foster innovation, companies need to encourage more diversity and inclusion from the get-go. He cofounded Threads with the premise of fostering communication and collaboration between all people in the workplace, opening doors for everyone to share ideas and be heard.

Two and a half years after deciding to go the startup route, the successful CEO and cofounder shared with Business Insider three reasons why he believes working for a major player in the technology industry just might be the best business education you can get — and not just because it's a path that pays you while you learn and doesn't cost upward of $70,000 to $80,000 a year like going to a top business school would (and that's just for tuition!).

Reason No. 1: It helps you 'experience the pain' and learn to overcome it

Kazi said he had many experiences that helped him grow while on Facebook's product-management team. Whether he was learning that "most toxic collaborations come from people being ignorant, not malicious," how anger is "just how people get to be afraid without seeming weak," or how to ship products under "unbelievable" deadlines, each lesson was preceded by "humbling experiences of me making mistakes, causing thrash, having incredible mentors who helped me improve, swallowing my pride, and getting better each and every day."

These eye-opening moments, he added, won't necessarily come from a classroom setting; he emphasized that the insights he gained at the tech giant could be more powerful than what people generally studied in business school. "You can't fabricate that pain and growth; you just have to go out there and do it."

While Kazi didn't choose the route of an MBA, he has interviewed and managed people who do have the degree. "If the choice is between getting an MBA or doing a startup for two years [that fails], I would bet on the person who did the latter to join my company to work on product," Kazi said. "Growth hurts and is painful. The sooner you start the process, the faster you'll start learning."

Reason No. 2: It's a better and faster education for those looking to work in tech anyway

While Kazi said that working at a large company or startup was not necessarily better in all regards, he identified it as the best option if you wanted to end up in the product space — or start your own tech company.

"This is for a few reasons," he said. "You often learn by doing, not reading. There's no right way to build a product or a team, just a bunch of wrong ways you need to work through."

Kazi added that because taking on a product-management role in a tech firm was "more of an art than a science," the experience could help you develop your skills better than book learning could, which is why many tech giants, Facebook included, invest in product-management starter programs. "You have to play to your strengths, learn about yourself and the type of leader you need to become, and then figure out your best style based on that," he said. "You won't do that as quickly in a classroom."

Rousseau Kazi Threads While interviewing product-management candidates at Facebook, Kazi chatted with plenty of MBA candidates who were a great fit for the role. But he noticed a discrepancy between applicants with industry experience and those with the degree alone.

"Throughout that process, there was a clear difference between people who tried building their own products or companies and failed [compared with] people who just took the classes," Kazi said. "If you've already gone through it, you have a better internal barometer to figure things out and ultimately make sure you build something people want, get it out on time, and that your team wants to work with you again once it's all done."

Reason No. 3: It gives you a crash course in managing people and running a business

In terms of leadership, Kazi pointed to his Facebook training as something that helped him understand the importance of culture and chemistry when building a team, and how to use narratives, visions, and storytelling to communicate effectively.

"I learned how a leader isn't a visionary that stands in front of the crowd, but a catalyst that focuses on building systems and environments that help their team be their best selves," he said. "At the end of the day, I learned how to build great teams with strong personalities, how to give those teams an environment where they can do their best work, how to set a vision to help the team have an impact and realize their potential, and how to evaluate markets and solutions to make sure that what we're building actually matters."

In other words, when it comes to building, creating, and performing in a business, he learned what really matters.

DON'T MISS: Required reading: These are the books top professors at the best business schools in the country are having their MBA students read

Join the conversation about this story »

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Disneyland employee day in the life

Disney California Adventure Park West general manager Gary Maggetti has worked at the Disneyland Resort full-time for 23 years.
Before he landed a full-time role, he did a stint as a Jungle Cruise skipper in college.
Maggetti shared his typical daily routine — which features a morning pick-me-up of green tea and lots of walking — with Business Insider.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Gary Maggetti's Disneyland journey began long before he landed his first full-time role there in 1995.

Before the iconic resort became his workplace, he was just another kid at the park, swinging by all his favorite attractions with his twin brother Chris. Their family visited Disneyland every two years, starting when they were four.

Then, Maggetti was a Northern Arizona University hotel and restaurant administration major applying for the Disney College Program. He landed a summer gig as a skipper on the Jungle Cruise, one of his favorite rides.

Finally, in 1995, he landed his first full-time role at the park. By that point, Maggetti knew that Disneyland was where he wanted to stay.

Maggetti has held 13 different roles at the Walt Disney Company over the years, including one that took him all the way to Japan. Today, he's a general manager representing the western part of Disney California Adventure Park. Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Park are the two theme parks that make up the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

Maggetti said his story isn't "unique" at Disneyland.

"You go to a meeting and you look around the room and it's like: 'Oh my goodness, you were in my management training class in 1996,'" he told Business Insider. "This is not an unusual story because there are so many opportunities with Disney to have different experiences."

Maggetti shared his daily schedule with Business Insider. His routine sheds light on both the culture at Disneyland, and the behind-the-scenes inner-workings of the park.

This article was originally published in August 2018.

DON'T MISS: Disney cast members share their 11 favorite things to do in the park

Maggetti wakes up early and typically passes on coffee

Maggetti kicks off his day at 6 a.m. He's not big on breakfast, but he said that he'll sometimes eat a morning meal with his two teenage sons.

According to Maggetti, the boys take after his twin brother Chris — an executive chef at Disneyland.

"They're actually pretty good cooks, so sometimes they'll make me breakfast in the morning," he told Business Insider.

But two figures are typically absent from the breakfast table: Maggetti said he has a "long distance marriage" with his wife, who lives and works in Northern California with his stepson. The family reunites on the weekends, though.

After breakfast, Maggetti drives his sons to school and then embarks on the 35-minute commute to Disneyland. He usually arrives at work around 8 a.m.

To prepare for the workday, Maggetti skips coffee and instead opts for decaf green tea. He said he prefers the "calming effect" of the beverage.

He meets up with his team mates and enjoys watching the park open

First up, Maggetti heads to his team's morning huddle. Patrick Finnegan, the vice president of Disney California Adventure Park and the Downtown Disney District, leads the daily meeting. Everyone discusses the previous day and establishes a "game plan" for the coming day.

Maggetti said the team often makes a point of huddling out in the park, where they can watch early-bird guests trickle in around 9 a.m.

"It's incredibly enjoyable to be there when the first guests go through the turnstiles," Maggetti said. "There's this sense of adventure and hope and excitement. You can kind of see the guests making decisions early in the day. Like, 'Am I going to the new Incredicoaster?' or 'Am I going to head over to Radiator Springs Racer?' It's great to be a part of that."

Up next, Maggetti learns about any opportunities for his cast members

Once the park is opened, all of the general managers will connect with one of the resort's duty managers for a daily "roll call."

Maggetti said this is his chance to learn about different opportunities for Disney California Adventure Park cast members, such as trying out new attractions before they open to guests.

"They'll let the leaders know, 'Hey make sure your cast members know we have this great experience before the guests arrive,'" Maggetti said.

As general manager, Maggetti has to wear a number of different hats — and shoes

As the general manager of the western region of Disney California Adventure Park, Maggetti's days revolve around everything from managing cast members to dealing with developing and building new attractions in the park.

Maggetti told Business Insider that he often wears a few different hats in his role.

"You've got the hat of day to day operations, and leadership for the cast members in your area, but then you also put on your construction hat," Maggetti said.

He doesn't just switch out hats based on the day. Recently, Maggetti played a major part in the launch of Pixar Pier — an area of the park previously known as Paradise Pier.

"I have my construction shoes in the office that are super dirty, and normal dress shoes," he said.

Being a 'generalist leader' is important at Disneyland, according to Maggetti

At Disneyland Resort, every day is different. Maggetti might find himself checking in with cast members at the park's new Lamplight Lounge restaurant, establishing a new micro-market in one of the break areas, or brainstorming park development opportunities with his direct reports.

As a result, he said managers at Disneyland have got to be capable of handling a wide range of projects and situations.

"Being a generalist leader is a great way for you to get satisfaction out of your role," he said.

Generally, Maggetti's daily schedule varies a lot

On a day-to-day basis, Maggetti's schedule is often up in the air. He said that he often double or triple books meetings, calls, or visits to certain areas of the park.

Maggetti said that he'll then make a final decision on what to do based on his top priorities that day.

Maggetti stays mobile — and often walks up to five miles a day around the park

Maggetti likes to stay mobile throughout the day. He typically walks at least five miles around the park on a daily basis

"I do spend as much time as I can in the parks," Maggetti said. "So I'm a 10,000-steps-a-day person."

Recently, Maggetti actually hit 14 miles in one day, as he darted between venues during a media event.

Maggetti said he's grateful for the exercise and added that his park rounds "help me stay connected with cast members and guests."

He has one major rule when it comes to supporting cast members

"As a leader your main responsibility is to care about your cast members," Maggetti said. "You demonstrate care by asking them what they need — and listening."

He said that "guessing" is the worst thing a leader can do when responding to a cast member's request or question.

"Don't guess," he said. "Go find out and get back to the cast member."

Maggetti also takes time to help out guests

Maggetti's office is behind Cars Land, so he frequently does a lot of walking in the Radiator Springs area. He told Business Insider that he often passes by a particularly photogenic spot, where guests flock to take pictures in front of the park's Cadillac Mountain Range.

"I'll just walk out and ask guests if they want me to take their picture," he said. "Oftentimes dad or mom don't get to be in the picture because they are taking it."

He said getting to interact with the guests and help them make memories at the park is a "magical experience."

Maggetti's two favorite rides both have a nautical theme ...

Maggetti said his all-time favorite ride in the Disneyland Resort is Pirates of the Caribbean.

"It's the one attraction that, when we come as a family, that's the one we do," he said.

But when it comes to his own home base, Disney's California Adventure, he prefers The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure.

"Part of it is that nostalgia feel," he said. "When The Little Mermaid actually came out, I was kind of reinvested in Disney animation. I was in marching band in high school and we ended up playing a whole show that had music from The Little Mermaid."

...and one of his favorite spots in the park is 'off the beaten path'

When he wants to "decompress," Maggetti will head over to the spot behind Harbor Galley where the Sailing Ship Columbia docks. He said the the area is "off the beaten path" and has a few tables that most guests don't know about.

"It's the area where all the Splash Mountain logs splashdown," he said. "If you're standing on this little bridge, you can hear the peals of laughter and excitement. You don't see the guests you only kind of see the raft floating by and the top of their heads."

"If you close your eyes and you realize you're in Disneyland and all this happiness is around you — no matter what kind of day I'm having, if I walk out there, it is amazing."

Maggetti usually skips — or at least postpones — eating lunch

Taking lunch at the usual time is a bit tricky at Disneyland, as noon to 2 p.m. are peak visiting hours at the park. Maggetti said he sometimes grab a meal later in the afternoon.

But, on Wednesdays, he'll just have a snack prior before heading to a weekly staff meeting. The marathon session goes from noon to 5 p.m.

He doesn't plan too far ahead

Maggetti typically heads out around 6 or 6:30 p.m. He leaves having a good idea of what the next day's going to look like, but he said that he doesn't plan beyond a few days in advance.

"I know exactly what's happening today and I know exactly what's happening tomorrow," he said. "But I know that in this business things change on a dime. Things change very, very quickly."

On Fridays, Maggetti makes the trip to Northern California

On most nights, Maggetti spends the evening hanging out with his sons. On Fridays, however, he'll fly up to Northern California to visit his wife and stepson.

Once the weekend is over, Maggetti heads back on an early morning Monday flight.

"When my wife and I talk to our families about it, they think, 'How do you guys do all this?'" Maggetti said. "At the end of the day we just do. That's just what we do, that's how we work our weeks. Certainly absence makes the heart grow fonder. I'm always excited to see her, but we do certainly wish we were living in the same house."

Most evenings, he'll play some ping pong with his sons

On week nights, Maggetti will catch up with his sons over cooking and games of ping pong.

In fact, he said his younger son will often greet him by saying, "We'll need a game of ping pong."

Afterwards, he'll head to the kitchen.

"My oldest son and I will cook together, and then we'll FaceTime with my wife," he said. "So well stay connected that way."

After dinner, he'll unwind by watching TV and doing some chores

He also might watch an episode of "Modern Family" with his sons "that we've seen a billion times — we can quote every line."

Later in the evening, Maggetti said he unwinds by doing chores.

"This is going to sound weird, but I love doing laundry," he said. "I find it a great way to decompress and think about the day that is nearly concluding and about what I need to focus on for the next morning."

On most nights, Maggetti is usually asleep by 10:30 or 11 p.m.

Working at Disneyland has been a dream come true for Maggetti

Maggetti said that he still has "powerful memories" of his childhood visits to Disneyland with his brother. So for both of them to grow up to work at the resort for so many years has been pretty poetic.

According to Maggetti, basing his career at Disneyland "took the magic that I had known as a child to a completely different level."

Are you a current or former Disneyland cast member? Email acain@businessinsider.com.

oxycontin

Purdue Pharma, the drugmaker behind controversial prescription painkiller OxyContin, has filed for bankruptcy, The Washington Post reported.
The Chapter 11 filing is part of a tentative settlement agreement in thousands of lawsuits over what accusers say is misleading marketing of OxyContin that's been partly responsible for the US opioid crisis, The New York Times reported.
The family behind Purdue Pharma, the Sacklers, is one of the richest families in the US, with an estimated $13 billion fortune that came primarily from sales of the controversial prescription painkiller, according to Forbes.
While some members of the family own the pharmaceutical company, others have distanced themselves from the company and condemned the OxyContin-based wealth.
The family is known for its philanthropic endeavors, though many institutions, including museums and universities, have cut ties with the Sacklers.
In September, members of the family closed a deal that earned them about $60 million from the sale of 17 ski resorts in the Northeast and Midwest, Washington Post's Christopher Rowland reported.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories

The Sacklers are one of the wealthiest families in the US, with an estimated fortune of $13 billion, but they may not be for much longer.

Purdue Pharma, the pharmaceutical company owned by members of the Sackler family, has filed for bankruptcy as part of a tentative settlement agreement in thousands of lawsuits over what accusers say is misleading marketing of Purdue Pharma's controversial painkiller, OxyContin, that's been partly responsible for the US opioid crisis. The settlement requires the owners of Purdue Pharma, members of the Sackler family, to pay $3 billion of their own fortune in cash over the next seven years.

"Purdue Pharma continues to work with all plaintiffs on reaching a comprehensive resolution to its opioid litigation that will deliver billions of dollars and vital opioid overdose rescue medicines to communities across the country impacted by the opioid crisis," the company said in a statement emailed to Business Insider.

In September, in the midst of the court proceedings, members of the family closed a deal that earned them about $60 million from the sale of 17 ski resorts in the Northeast and Midwest, Washington Post's Christopher Rowland reported.

The source of the family's wealth is OxyContin, the prescription painkiller that many say has fueled the US opioid crisis. Purdue Pharma has faced thousands of lawsuits over what accusers say is misleading marketing of OxyContin that contributed to opioid-related deaths.

Here's a look at the secretive and controversial family.

DON'T MISS: Meet Bernard and Lisa Selz, the wealthy New York City couple who have donated millions to the anti-vax movement

The Sackler family is one of the richest families in the US.

In 2016, Forbes estimated their net worth at a "conservative" $14 billion, beating out famously wealthy families such as the Mellons and the Rockefellers. More recent estimates put the figure at $13 billion. They own Purdue Pharma, a pharmaceutical company in Connecticut.

The vast majority of the Sackler fortune comes from a well-known prescription painkiller that Purdue Pharma launched in 1996, OxyContin.

By 2001, sales of the drug made up about 80% of Purdue Pharma's revenue.

OxyContin is seen as partly to blame for the opioid crisis sweeping the US.

More than 130 people in the US die each day after overdosing on opioids, including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report in July indicated that overdose deaths actually dropped 5% from 2017 to 2018, the first year-to-year decline since 1990.

Purdue Pharma, which generates $3 billion in annual sales, has faced hundreds of lawsuits over what accusers say is misleading marketing about the risks of addiction when taking OxyContin.

The Sackler family still completely owns the company, and the multibillion-dollar fortune is shared among 20 or so family members. The family fortune has been estimated at $13 billion, but, as The New York Times reported, the exact number is unknown as Purdue Pharma is a private company.

On September 11, the New York Times reported that the owners of Purdue Pharma — including members of the Sackler family — reached a tentative settlement agreement.

The settlement requires the Sacklers to pay $3 billion of their own fortune in cash over the next seven years, The Times reported.

On September 15, The Washington Post reported that Purdue Pharma had filed for bankruptcy. The Chapter 11 filing came as part of a tentative settlement of more than 2,000 lawsuits against the pharmaceutical company for between $10 billion and $12 billion.

The proposed settlement includes the Sackler family giving up ownership of the company and turning it into a for-profit "public benefit trust" that would provide $4 billion in drugs — some of which are used to save people from overdoses — to cities, counties, and states, according to NBC News.

The deal would also include $3 billion in cash from the Sackler family, Bloomberg reported.

In a statement released on September 16, the Sackler family said:

"It is our hope the bankruptcy reorganization process that is now underway will end our ownership of Purdue and ensure its assets are dedicated for the public benefit ... We are hopeful that in time, those parties who are not yet supportive will ultimately shift their focus to the critical resources that the settlement provides to people and problems that need them."

Despite the tentative settlement, Purdue Pharma continues to deny any wrongdoing. In a statement to Business Insider, the company said: "While Purdue Pharma is prepared to defend itself vigorously in the opioid litigation, the company has made clear that it sees little good coming from years of wasteful litigation and appeals."

The company declined to comment on any further details of the proposed settlement to Business Insider.

Later in September, members of the family reportedly finalized a deal that earned them about $60 million from the sale of 17 ski resorts in the Northeast and Midwest, The Washington Post reported.

"Many of the ski areas in the transaction sit in places that have been hit hard by prescription narcotic abuse over the past 20 years, including those in New Hampshire, as well as hills in Vermont, the Catskills in New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania,"Christopher Rowland reported for the Post.

The deal included the sale of Attitash Mountain Ski Area and Wildcat Mountain Resort, both in New Hampshire.

Members of the Sackler family bought stock in Peak Resorts Inc., the company that sold the ski resorts, in 2011, according to the Post.

Representatives for the Sackler family and for Purdue Pharma did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment regarding the deal.

The Sacklers are far from a tight-knit family.

The Guardian described them in 2018 as "a sprawling and now feuding transatlantic dynasty." According to a 2017 article from The New Yorker, there are 15 Sackler children in the generation following the founders of Purdue.

While some Sacklers previously served as board members of Purdue Pharma, others, notably those descended from the eldest brother, Arthur M. Sackler, who died before OxyContin was invented, have distanced themselves from the company and condemned the OxyContin-based wealth, according to The Guardian. On September 18, a representative for Purdue Pharma told Business Insider that no Sackler family members have served on Purdue Pharma's board since January 2019.

The pharmaceutical empire began when the brothers Mortimer and Raymond Sackler took over a small pharmaceutical company in New York City's Greenwich Village called Purdue Frederick as cochairmen.

It later became Purdue Pharma.

Arthur, the oldest Sackler brother, worked in pharmaceutical marketing and became one of the world's leading collectors of Asian art.

He died in 1987 at age 73, before OxyContin was invented. His descendants split off from the rest of the family years ago and are "mere multimillionaires," according to Esquire.

Arthur's four children, Elizabeth Sackler, Carol Master, Arthur Felix Sackler, and Denise Marica, have said they have not made any money from OxyContin.

Elizabeth, a board member of the Brooklyn Museum, where she endowed the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, has called the OxyContin-based wealth of her family members "morally abhorrent."

A 2018 investigation by The Atlantic found a court document that showed a nearly $20 million payment to Arthur M. Sackler's estate in 1997 from the Purdue family of companies, suggesting his descendants did benefit in some way from OxyContin.

In an email to Business Insider, Janet Wootten, a spokeswoman for Jillian Sackler, widow of Arthur M. Sackler, denied that Jillian, Arthur, or their heirs have financially profited from the sale of OxyContin.

Mortimer Sackler, the middle son who was one of Purdue Pharma's chief executives, died in 2010 at age 93. He left behind his third wife, Theresa Sackler, and seven children, three of whom were board members of Purdue Pharma, according to The Guardian. A rep for Purdue Pharma told Business Insider that no Sackler family members have served on Purdue's board since January 2019.

Theresa is heavily involved in philanthropic work. In 2011, she received the Prince of Wales Medal for Art Philanthropy.

One of those former board members is his son, also named Mortimer.

The other two are the daughters Kathe Sackler, who is also the founder and president of the Acorn Foundation for the Arts & Sciences, and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, the director of the Sackler Lefcourt Center for Child Development.

The elder Mortimer's other four children — Samantha Sophia, Michael, Marissa, and Sophie — are apparently not involved in the company.

Marissa Sackler, who considers herself a "social entrepreneur," is the founder of Beespace, a nonprofit that supports organizations such as the Malala Fund.

Sophie Sackler is married to a British cricket player, with whom she lives in a $40 million house in London, according to The New Yorker.

Raymond Sackler, Purdue Pharma's other former chief executive, died in 2017 at age 97. He had two children: Jonathan and Richard.

Both were board members at Purdue Pharma, The Guardian reported in February 2018.

Richard's son and Raymond's grandson, David, was also a board member.

Richard Sackler reportedly lives in a six-bedroom home in Austin, Texas.

The home in the Westlake neighborhood of Austin comes with a pool and views of Lake Austin.

His son, David Sackler, paid cash for a $22.5 million home in Los Angeles in 2018, according to Curbed.

The 10,000-square-foot estate sits on four acres in the Bel Air neighborhood, according to Curbed, and includes a tennis court and a pool.

David is married to Joss Sackler, the founder of a private social club and clothing company for women.

Joss is the founder of LBV, a private social club that costs $2,500 a year in dues to be a core member. The club also recently launched its own fashion line.

Raymond's granddaughter, Madeleine Sackler, is an award-winning filmmaker.

In response to criticism related to her family background, she said she had"never worked at the company or had any influence in it."

"The Sacklers have hidden their connection to their product," Keith Humphreys, a psychiatry professor at Stanford University who has written extensively about the opioid crisis, told Esquire.

"They don't call it 'Sackler Pharma,'" Humphreys said. "They don't call their pills 'Sackler pills.' And when they're questioned, they say, 'Well, it's a privately held firm, we're a family, we like to keep our privacy, you understand.'"

But the family is well-known for their philanthropic endeavors, with their names visibly emblazoned on hospital wings and museum galleries.

In a 2017 New Yorker article about the Sacklers titled "The Family That Built an Empire of Pain," Patrick Radden Keefe noted the Sacklers were well-known for their philanthropy.

The Sacklers reportedly donated $3.5 million to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 1974 to create the Sackler Wing, where the Ancient Egyptian Temple of Dendur sits.

On May 15, 2019, however, the Met announced it would stop taking gifts from the Sacklers.

Many other institutions including nonprofits, museums, and universities have recently cut ties with the Sackler family over the opioid crisis.

There's a Sackler Center at the Guggenheim in New York City, as well as a Sackler Educational Lab at the American Museum of Natural History.

Source: Esquire

The family's influence on art extends beyond New York City. There's a Sackler Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.

According to Esquire, at Yale University, there's a Raymond and Beverly Sackler Institute for Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences and a Richard Sackler and Jonathan Sackler Professorship of Internal Medicine.

And in London, there's the Serpentine Sackler Gallery.

There's even a type of rose named after a Sackler.

Some have suggested the Sacklers should instead put their money toward helping those affected by opioid addiction, The New Yorker's Patrick Radden Keefe reported.

Benji Travis

The entrepreneur Benji Travis supports himself by running four YouTube channels with a combined 3.8 million subscribers.
Gaining those first 1,000 subscribers on YouTube allows creators to apply for YouTube's Partner Program and start earning ad revenue. But it isn't easy.
In an interview with Business Insider, Travis, who runs the YouTube channel Video Influencers with Sean Cannell, shared four tips on how to grow an audience online.
Click here for more BI Prime stories.

After a creator surpasses 1,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel, they can apply to YouTube's Partner Program to earn money through in-video ads placed by Google.

But getting there isn't as easy. Some creators use their platforms to share tips and tricks on how to build a career online fast.

One is Benji Travis, who has been on YouTube for over a decade. He helps run four YouTube channels with a combined total of 3.8 million subscribers and says he makes a seven-figure income this way. His wife, Judy Travis, is a beauty vlogger behind the channel Itsjudytime.

Benji Travis uses his platforms to share tips for a successful career online. He and fellow creator Sean Cannell wrote the book "YouTube Secrets: The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Following and Making Money as a Video Influencer," and they run the YouTube channel Video Influencers, where they share similar tips to their 530,000 subscribers.

"One of the best audiences to reach out to is the one where you are already in their shoes," Travis told Business Insider. "You know how to talk to that person so naturally. It helps you get over that fear of being on camera and helps you say the right words to get them to watch your videos and learn from you, but also subscribe."

Travis shared four tips people could follow to get their first 1,000 subscribers on YouTube.

Benji Travis

1. Figure out what value your videos will provide

The first thing creators should do is know what value they're going to offer the audience and start small. Focus on the first 1,000 people you're going to reach. That'll create a niche audience. For example, if you were going to start a gardening channel, you might narrow in on first-time homeowners.

Next, decide on the length of your content. Will they be short tutorials or deeper dives?

2. Decide on a frequency and stick to it

Like a TV show, you want to be consistent so you establish a connection with your audience. Travis said he recommended people publish at least once a week — with the caveat that they shouldn't sacrifice quality for quantity.

"You've got to commit to something, and consistency is key," he said.

Benji Travis

3. Study the data and learn from your results

One of the biggest mistakes people make is not continually improving their videos, Travis said. He recommends looking at metrics like comments, likes, views, retention, and click-through rates, a measure of how many people see your video thumbnail and click on it.

If you put out a 10-minute video, how much of that video is the average audience looking at? Travis said 70% was a good figure to strive for.

"What you want to do is try to hold your audience's attention for as long as possible," he said.

Benji Travis

4. Sweat the details

Getting people to watch and return for more means focusing on the details.

"You're always trying to deliver more value in each video you upload," he said.

This could mean buying a good camera and improving things like the lighting, title, and thumbnail, the image people see when they come across your video, he said. Your title should be compelling and represent what's in your video. Free websites like PicMonkey can create an image that will make people want to click through.

For more on how influencers are profiting from their success online, according to industry professionals and creators, check out these Business Insider Prime posts:

A 5-step guide to making the most money possible from YouTube video ads, with advice from top creators: We talked to industry insiders about how a YouTube creator could monetize their channel through ad revenue and the tactics influencers are using.
A Syracuse University student who is a YouTube star teaches an 'unofficial pop-up class' on becoming a successful influencer. Here's the slide deck she uses: We spoke with a Syracuse student who has 425,000 subscribers on YouTube on her advice on how someone could start a successful career on YouTube and Instagram.
How Instagram influencers land their first brand-sponsorship deals: Influencers and brand execs share their tips for landing that first deal.

Join the conversation about this story »

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Lebron James

California governor Gavin Newsom just signed into law a plan that allows college athletes get paid for endorsement deals, an act barred by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
LeBron James as actively advocated for allowing college athletes get paid, part of his larger effort to decrease NCAA restrictions on paying players and agents.
James has advocated for player rights throughout his career — from opening doors for players to switch teams easily, to structuring NBA contracts for greater flexibility and higher salaries.
The three-time NBA champion also created several media endeavours that center player voices and allow them to advocate for themselves, instead of through the mouths of media pundits.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

California just took a revolutionary step in allowing college athletes get paid for their labor by allowing them to make money from endorsements. Governor Gavin Newsom legalized a bill that allows student-athletes be paid from from the use of their names, images, and likenesses starting in 2023.

NBA superstar LeBron James helped lead the fight for paying players — even though he never went to college himself.

In fact, as the country's most famous male athlete, James has helped spark the era of "player empowerment" in the first place.

"The idea of athlete autonomy — of a player having more control and power over his or her own career, of not just being an employee of an owner who is not the one out running and dunking — has caught on in the public consciousness in a way it had failed to before," Will Leitch, noted sports journalist and the founder of Deadspin, wrote for NBC News. "James' move [to Miami] was the instigating act."

Here are all the ways James has advocated for player and labor rights during his career:

James just has long supported one of the most controversial topics in college sports: paying players.

California governor Gavin Newsom just signed the "Fair Pay to Play Act," a law that allows college athletes to get paid for endorsements. The legislation bypasses an NCAA ban on players receiving any money outside of scholarships.

"Every single student in the university can market their name, image and likeness; they can go and get a YouTube channel, and they can monetize that," Newsom said in an interview with The New York Times. "The only group that can't are athletes. Why is that?"

James brought Newsom on his show "The Shop" to formally sign the bill. Even before the bill passed, James urged California residents to call their representative and vocalize their support for the bill, calling it a "game changer." Bernie Sanders piggybacked on James' statement.

"College athletes are workers," Sanders said in a tweet. "Pay them."

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1169631976984174597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
California can change the game. This is only right waaaayy overdue. #morethananathlete

Currently, the NCAA gives Division I players full scholarships to cover tuition, housing, books, and more. Division II players may get lesser scholarships, and Division III players don't get anything.

NCAA president Mark Emmert said paying football and basketball players would eliminate other sports, as the first two get the most attention. He also spoke out against the California bill, threatening to ban the state's schools from competing in NCAA championships.

The NBA star produced a documentary highlighting the financial difficulties college athletes face. The film criticized the NCAA's refusal to pay players for their labor.

The HBO documentary Student Athlete broadcasts stories from college players struggling to get by without financial compensation from the NCAA. One former Rutgers football player works part-time jobs after graduating and tells filmmakers he sleeps in his car.

The documentary advocates for paying college players for their labor.

"The coaches are making millions of dollars and they're coaching players whose parents live below the poverty line," former college football coach John Shoop — a vocal NCAA critic who got fired from Purdue— said in the film. "If you're a reasonable person, it's insane to build a $150 million recruiting facility, pay your head coach $10 million, the rest of your staff $20 million cumulative, but then say there's not enough money to help the players."

In a tweet, James said he helped start the fight to pay college players with the documentary and he's "just getting started."

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1169632194010071040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
We started this fight with our doc "Student Athlete" on HBO. Just getting started! 🙏🏾💪🏾

James again clashed with NCAA earlier this summer after he criticized a rule that would prevent non-college graduates from representing players.

The NCAA released a memo detailing new requirements for agents representing college players, including a mandatory bachelor's degree.

James quickly criticized the rule for discriminating against non-college graduates. He helped dub the controversial requirement the "Rich Paul Rule" after his own agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who does not have a bachelor's degree.

Six hours after James retweeted Paul's statement against the requirement, the NCAA reversed the decision and no longer required agents to have college degrees.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1160927601608675329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
#StayWokeFolks https://t.co/RPdtHJ0jAo

James' advocacy for player empowerment didn't start recently. His decision to form a super team in Miami helped lead to greater player independence during the offseason.

In 2010, James went on TV to announce his "Decision" to take his talents to South Beach via televion special.

A media frenzy soon followed, as pundits criticized how publicly he decided to talk about his decision during the one-hour special. In 2011, Business Insider described him as the most hated man in sports.

"'The Decision' gave the impression that [James] was bigger than the sport, and I think people looked at that and didn't like it," former NBA player and analyst Kenny Smith said.

While players had joined together to form a super-teams in the past, James' move got heat for taking too much control of his narrative.

"'The Decision' was about power," The Ringer's Bryan Curtis wrote. "It was an early sign the players could seize control of the media."

Now, players "routinely take control of announcing their big career decisions and craft essays to explain themselves," writes ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

James opened the door for players to freely choose where they want to play.

In 2016, fellow MVP Kevin Durant shocked the basketball world by leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors. His decision also garnered media outcry, though for slightly different reasons — he left to a team that only narrowly beat his Thunder in the 7-game Western Conference Championship.

Durant later said he looked at James' decision to leave Cleveland before he chose to leave OKC. This offseason, free agent players moved teams freely, often opting to team up with friends, like Russell Westbrook's move to James Harden's Houston Rockets — or Durant again moving on to join Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets.

"He paved the way," Durant told Bleacher Report's Howard Beck of James.

From Kobe Bryant to Michael Jordan, top NBA players that stuck with the teams that drafted them were deemed as "loyal" for their decision— yet NBA executives have never stopped cutting ties with players they no longer have use for.

Now, players can take advantage of the higher salary caps and endorsement deals that come with switching teams. And since NBA success revolves around winning a championship, many players will leave for the teams that guarentee wins.

"The money has made it easier (to leave),"former general manager Billy King told B/R. "Now a guy's going to maybe make $140 million to leave, as opposed to $180 million to stay. It's a lot of money (to sacrifice), but $140 million is big money, too. I think guys don't even look at the money as much anymore when they're making that decision."

And LeBron, of course, has chosen to finish the final act of this career in Hollywood.

James' one-year deals also established that he was in control of where he wants to play, not the organization.

After returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers — an organization whose president called James' move to the Heat a "cowardly betrayal"— the player became the first superstar to ask for one-year deals under the current NBA collective bargaining agreement, according to Cleveland.com.

The decision kept the Cavs on their toes, knowing their franchise player could leave again whenever he wanted. The one-year deals also earned him more money due to increasing salary caps.

While only NBA players with the skill and the visibility to leverage a one-year deal the way James did, he "nevertheless exposed a loophole in the current system, and swayed, however marginally, the balance of power from NBA front offices toward players when it comes to contracts and building rosters," wrote Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon.

James founded his own media company to give players a platform to advocate for themselves.

Many of the James' media endeavours center around giving players a voice and letting them speak for themselves.

The Shop, an HBO series created by James, features the superstar talking candidly with athletes and celebrities at a barber shop — one recent episode featured comedian Kevin Hart, tight end Rob Gronkowski, viral rap star Lil Nas X, and James's former teammate Kevin Love.

Uninterrupted, too, gives athletes a platform to express themselves. The platform, in partnership with Bleacher Report, lets athletes post videos speaking on whatever topics they'd like.

"I wanted athletes to feel like they had power, they had the platform to speak about whatever they wanted to speak about," James said of the platform to The Undefeated's Jerry Bembry, "and not have it cut, diced and split into soundbites where people could use it to how they wanted to use it."

Adam Neumann

Some employees worry that their time at WeWork could be a "black mark" on their résumés, according to a New York Magazine Intelligencer report Monday.
Sebastian Gunningham recently warned employees the next few months would be difficult, according to the report, and "that anyone who wasn't interested in dealing with the transition ahead should probably consider getting out."
Employees reportedly found out about Neumann's replacement co-CEOs through a memo the day he left.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Some WeWork employees are worried that having the company's name on their résumés might act as a " black mark against them," following the recently postponed IPO and the departure of CEO and cofounder Adam Neumann, an article from New York Magazine reports.

Job experience at WeWork, which until just a couple of months ago seemed destined for a blockbuster IPO, was supposed to be a résumé highlight. But now, as reports of the chaotic, alcohol-fueled culture at WeWork proliferate, employees are getting nervous that the experience could actually count against them as they look for new jobs, an executive told Reeves Wiedeman at New York Magazine's Intelligencer.

WeWork's Neumann presided over a company in which mandatory parties, nepotism and over-the-top behavior flourished, as detailed in an in-depth Business Insider report. Now the office sharing company is trying to rehabilitate its image and impose financial discipline to staunch its financial losses.

"Thousands of people who worked tirelessly, because there's no other way to do it there, are going to end up screwed financially because they took lower income to have more equity that has disintegrated,"one executive told Reeves Wiedeman at New York Magazine's Intelligencer. Several employees reported using their savings to buy stock options, which could leave them financially ruined. Before leaving, Neumann had already cashed out more than $700 million of the company's stock, The Wall Street Journal reported this summer.

On September 24, the day Neumann was ousted from WeWork, the new co-CEOs sent a company wide memo announcing their new roles in the company, Intelligencer reports.

According to the Intelligencer report, WeWork employees were divided about new co-CEOs Artie Minson and Sebastian Gunningham. Some were ready for a post-Neumann WeWork, but many wondered why the executives hadn't done more to keep Neumann in check. CFO Minson, formerly a Time Warner Executive, joined WeWork in 2015. Neumann once referred to him as the "adult in the room." Gunningham was vice-chairman of WeWork before taking on the new role.

Intelligencer reported that the most used reactions to the news on Slack were the WeWork logo, and emojis 😐, 😮, and 🙃. The co-CEOs said that they would act transparently, and that this was just the beginning, on a conference call with the entire company.

On a call with senior employees the next day, Gunningham warned anyone not on board with a potentially difficult transition that they "should probably consider getting out,"Intelligencer reported.

The WeWork employee concerns about their work history echo those of Uber employees at the height of its controversies a couple of years ago. In a 2017 Guardian article, a hiring engineer explained that he would be compelled to ask "pointed questions" to former Uber employees because of the reports of inappropriate office culture.

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NOW WATCH: I cleaned my entire apartment with 4 of Amazon's highest-rated cleaning robots, but I could've done a much better job myself

20170908 Adrian Granzella Larssen Sweet Spot EDITED 4

Adrian Granzella Larssen is a content strategist, editorial director, and founder of Sweet Spot Content, a company that helps early-stage companies and entrepreneurs create engaging content.
She left her full-time job to start her own consulting business two years ago.
Becoming your own boss means that you don't have to follow anyone else's rules, she writes. But that also means you have to be responsible for your own work-life boundaries.
Here, she interviewed 15 founders about the rules they've created for themselves. From working four hours a day to turning off email notifications, here's how they balance themselves out.
Click here for more BI Prime stories.

One of the perks of being your own boss is not having to follow anyone else's rules. Don't like going to the office every day? Don't. Want to sleep in until noon before you get to your inbox? Totally fine!

The flip side, of course, is that "no rules" can quickly turn into "no boundaries." And the freedom you initially sought as an entrepreneur is often replaced by work seeping into every area of your life.

Which is why many business owners find themselves creating new rules.

There are the obvious ones — like "stop working by 6" or "put the phone away during dinner"— but these 15 founders have thought even more creatively. Here are the rules that have not only improved their happiness but made them even stronger leaders.

Rule 1: Ditch the to-do list

Tiffany Dufu knows a thing or two about setting rules. As the author of "Drop the Ball: Achieve More by Doing Less," she encourages women to put all kinds of policies in place, such as checking in daily to ensure you're focusing on what matters most, delegating anything that isn't your "highest and best use," and getting comfortable saying no.

But when she founded The Cru, a membership organization that helps women thrive, she's turned that philosophy on overdrive. One of her new rules? Scrapping her to-do list. "There's no time limit on a to-do list, so I just kept adding things to it, thinking I would do them later," she says. "But later never materializes, so I had this list of things that never got done."

Instead, she turns to her calendar. "Whenever something comes over the fence, the first thing I do is go to my calendar and see if I can find time to do it," she explains. "If I can't, I can't commit to it, unless I can bump or deprioritize something else."

Rule 2: Cut your workday in half

Even as a business coach who helps others balance work and good living, Fidel Monk admits that he's been guilty of overworking.

His solution? Cutting his company's workload in half. "We've tried many work schedules over the past decade, but this one works best for us," he explains. Currently, he works four hours a day, four days a week — the 4x4 schedule, he calls it — and he helps clients find similar schedules that work for them.

The benefits have been unreal. "Paradoxically, slashing your work hours helps you get more done in less time. It forces you to prioritize only the important tasks and delegate, automate, or eliminate everything else. Productivity shoots through the roof," he explains. Plus, "the increase in overall happiness reminds us why we work in the first place."

Rule 3: Say no — constantly

Two months after launching lingerie startup LIVELY, Michelle Cordeiro Grant found out she was pregnant. "Running a recently launched company, fundraising, and building a team while pregnant was totally bananas!" she recalls now. "Looking back, though, it was the best thing to ever happen to me. It made me mentally stronger, more efficient, and able to really empower my team."

Knowing she wanted to start and end her day with her son, she put rules into place, including the "No" rule, which helps her ruthlessly prioritize. "Be unafraid to say 'no' — and only say yes when the timing is right for you and your brand," she emphasizes. "The power in saying 'no' creates focus, allowing you to take a step back and understand what you're working towards.

Rule 4: Have breakfast and feelings

When Matt Michaelson and his childhood friend Calvin Bohn realized that the pet food industry was dominated dog products, they decided to do something about it — and founded Smalls, which serves human-grade, fresh food for cats.

The cofounders knew that going into business together, even as friends, was going to be an emotional and challenging journey. So they made it a rule to talk about it. "We meet weekly for an emotional brain dump that we call 'Breakfast and Feelings,'" Matt explains. "The point is to pour our hearts out and talk about how we're feeling. It's essentially couples therapy."

The rule has been in place since Day 1, and they know that it contributes to their success as leaders. "It's helped us build trust, stay connected as human beings, and lead with unity."

Rule 5: Turn off notifications

Rhonesha Byng has been running her digital media platform for 11 years. "On top of being an entrepreneur, the fact that I work in media makes my email a constant stream," she says.

But she's learned, rather than try to stay on top of all of it, to do exactly the opposite — she turns off notifications for her emails. "I found that constantly seeing the notifications and preview snippet on my iPhone was a distraction," she remembers. "I would start mentally replying to things before I had a moment to finish what was already in front of me. It just didn't make sense." Now, she only checks emails during certain times of the day, and she's incorporated one "do nothing" day per week, email free. "It's the recharge moment so that when I am actually doing work, I am at full capacity and not on E."

Rule 6: Say no to “pick your brain” requests

When Kelsey Formost started her business, well-meaning friends and connections started asking to "pick her brain" over coffee. "I realized that I was spending 5-10 hours a week over the phone and email answering the same questions over and over," she admits. "When someone asks this of you, whether they intend this or not, they are often getting a full hour-long consultation for the price of an oat milk latte."

So she implemented a new rule: Say no. Instead, she put a detailed FAQ page on her website answering questions she typically receives. She also wrote out copy-and-paste scripts for other entrepreneurs to use when turning down requests. "It's always beneficial to help each other out," she says. But, "it's important for entrepreneurs to be aware of the impact of these repeated coffee dates on their business, and their mental health."

Rule 7: Write a Christmas letter — one year in advance

Stefan Weitz has a deeply personal connection to his work. After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, then creating his own health regimen that reduced the need for prescription drugs, he founded Jetson to help others do the same.

But focusing so much on work meant that his personal life fell by the wayside. "When you find yourself rolling your eyes at your own responses to 'what's new with you,' you know it's time to make a change," he shares.

Now? He writes his Christmas letter a year in advance — including all the things he's accomplished that year. "I write things like 'Stefan learned to play the violin this year' or 'Stefan sat on the polar ice cap and watched it melt for a day' — and then I have placeholders for pictures in the newsletter so I have to actually do those things." That motivation has worked like a charm. "I don't get to put off doing something for my company until tomorrow because if I do, I won't have made time for the other things I need to do, and then I won't be able to send out my Christmas letter," he offers. "It makes making hard choices easy."

Rule 8: Take time to recharge

Abby Falik calls the global leadership organization she founded her "first baby.""My commitment to helping it grow and thrive was as deep and instinctive as the commitment I now feel to protecting and nurturing two small humans," she says. But when she had her children, the way she worked had to change. "[It] forced me to become even more ruthlessly efficient."

But that didn't only mean working smarter, it meant taking time out to recharge. Despite her busy schedule, she makes time for an annual silent meditation retreat. "I take a week unplugged for a vipassana-style, silent meditation retreat which I'd argue is the best professional development in the world ... even though it's a week of (literally) doing nothing," she recalls. She has also started unplugging on Saturdays, and she credits the downtime with making her a better entrepreneur. "Downshifting to really rest (which, I've learned, is different from trying to rest) creates space for fresh thoughts to pop and new (and, often, unlikely) dots to connect."

Rule 9: One and done

Vinay Amin admits that most motivated people have a tendency to strive for perfection. But he also realizes that's not a productive approach. "Perfection is unobtainable, and all trying to reach it will do is drive you crazy — and waste a lot of your time," he explains.

His rule to prevent that? One and done. In other words, once he starts something, he finishes it, then leaves it alone. While he occasionally makes room for exceptions on large-scale projects, he notes that the majority of tasks don't need revisiting. "Since implementing this rule, I've managed to stick to a more concrete schedule and make time for both work and home," he shares. "It keeps my sanity intact."

Rule 10: Check in on your core values

Meha Agrawal woke up a month after starting her company feeling exhausted and unenergized. But as the founder of a women's self-care and mental wellness startup, she knew she had to practice what she preaches. "I knew I had to set simple practices in place to keep me grounded, intentional, and productive."

One of those practices? A Sunday night rule of writing out her ten core personal values. "My personal core values are indicative of how I like to live a life that extends beyond my company," she says. "This is my weekly life 'compass' of sorts." She also adds an activity or goal for the week related to each value, and while some of those are connected to work, the exercise helps her hold herself accountable to living an overall more balanced life.

Rule 11: Schedule all meetings in the same day

Demetri Karagas' company runs three healthcare brands that make it easier to manage chronic conditions. With all those responsibilities, he had a realization: "Context switching is a huge time killer," he says. "The more time I spend doing it, the less time I have to go to the gym, see friends, and talk to my family."

His solution? Stacking all of his recurring meetings in the same day, so that he reduces the back-and-forth required to bounce between meetings and heads-down work. "I quickly found that time blocking this way made it easier for me to carve out larger chunks of time to spend with the people I care about outside the office."

Rule 12: Walk and talk

When Shandee Chernow started CertiStar to help the restaurant industry better serve people with food allergies, she found herself getting busier and busier. "As an entrepreneur, it's obviously a huge challenge to try to get all of the work things done, the family things done, and also take care of yourself in any way," she says.

To make sure she was staying healthy, she came up with a new rule: she'd take every single call while walking. "There are a few benefits — I get upwards of 15-20K steps a day and it helps me to focus more easily on the conversation, rather than getting distracted by something going on in email," she observes. "It definitely makes me more effective in my phone conversations, plus I don't feel as guilty when I'm not able to fit in a workout."

Rule 13: Gleefully turn down work

"Too many entrepreneurs are so desperate to succeed that they'll take any project that's remotely in their area," explains Marc Effron, a longtime consultant to many of the world's largest and most successful corporations. The problem? "They likely under-deliver, damage their reputation with the client, and frustrate themselves."

So Marc's rule is to turn down any work that isn't what he does best — happily. "A great recent example is a client who asked me to do a two-day executive team offsite," he explains. "I presented a proposal and they said, 'We like this, just do something completely different.' I referred them to three other world-class consultants instead and they came back to me and accepted my original proposal." In his experience, this approach is a win-win. "Clients are typically surprised and I'm never frustrated with myself."

Rule 14: Focus on operation over outcome

The first five years Monica Cost was in business were tough. "I felt completely overwhelmed and absent from many parts of my life," she remembers. "My home life was suffering, my relationships were suffering and my happy factor was decreasing."

In order to be in this for the long haul, she knew she needed to make changes, one of which was her "Operations Over Outcome" rule. "This reminder allows me to focus on my journey and not just my goals. I often ask participants of my workshops, 'If you never get the outcomes you're seeking, will you still have been happy with the journey?'" she shares. The question forces both herself and her clients to take a step back, look at the bigger picture, and assess the areas of their lives and work they're over-weighted or lacking in. "Outcomes are not guaranteed, so we must make the journey worth it."

Rule 15: Find challenges outside of work

Brooke Torres doesn't sugarcoat the entrepreneurial journey. "The reality of running your own company is that it is going to take over your life," she shares. "It will exhaust you and beat you down at times that are more or less convenient for the rest of your life — there is no way around it."

To balance it, though, she doesn't spend downtime on the couch — her rule is to constantly find ways to challenge herself outside of the office, like running ultra-marathons and back-country mountain races. "It's raised my bar for what suffering is, which helps me get through crunch times both tactically and mentally. It's helped me keep perspective when things are on fire that, like a long, brutal day of running, we will get through, and be tougher and better at the end of it."

pwc chair bob moritz

PwC, the professional services firm, announced Monday evening that global revenues were up 7%, its workforce increased by 25,000, and that it would be investing $3 billion over the next 3-4 years in job training.
PwC global chairman Bob Moritz told Business Insider that the "upskilling" investment would provide a competitive advantage as a recruitment tool.
Moritz said that he would be able to guarantee employment to employees who engage with the training, even if their roles are lost to automation.
This post is part of Business Insider's ongoing series on Better Capitalism.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

PwC just had a year of what its global chairman Bob Moritz called record growth, and the professional services firm paired that announcement with news that it will be investing $3 billion into job training for all of its 275,000 employees over the next 3-4 years. That amounts to $3,636-$2,727 per employee annually, depending on the final timeline.

"We've got to be a talent magnet," Moritz told Business Insider on Monday, and that's why the investment, called "New World, New Skills," will be at the forefront of recruitment pitches.

The noted the investment is larger than Amazon's $700 million by 2025 for 100,000 employees, and Accenture's $1 billion annually for 482,000 employees. Moritz cited a PwC study that found 30% of all jobs are at risk of being automated by the mid-2030s, and PwC's workforce is subject to those forces, as much as anyone else. "I think it's a necessity because the world's moving so fast. You lose competitive edge and brand if you don't."

A large training announcement is intrinsically linked with the fear of job upheaval and loss, but Mortiz said that PwC was willing to make a bold agreement with PwC employees who engage with the upskilling initiative. "If you opt in, OK, we will not leave you behind. I can't guarantee you the specific job that you have or want to have. But I can guarantee you you're going to have employment here."

The $3 billion will be split among four sections: the investment required for taking employees away from clients and putting them in classrooms, the further development of digital training tools, the deployment of employees to community projects that spread the same techniques, and leveraging existing partnerships with the United Nations and World Economic Forum to help adapt the training to each of their markets around the world.

Moritz, who has been with PwC for 24 years and previously served as the US chair before taking the global role in July 2016, said the discussion for adapting its workforce for a rapidly changing environment began about five years ago. That led to upskilling efforts in different sectors a couple of years ago, and within the past year, it became clear it needed to become a global initiative.

Large firms across industries have been investing in job retraining as automation eliminates jobs, in what the WEF has popularly dubbed "the Fourth Industrial Revolution." Accenture and IBM are two such companies that similarly have developed proprietary software allowing workers to track their skills and adjust as needed by undergoing training, often in their free team, through on-demand lessons.

PwC created the role of chief digital officer in October 2017 for Joe Atkinson to oversee the development of its digital training portals and apps. This past May, Atkinson told us that PwC's US chair, Tim Ryan, gave employees the same guarantee Moritz said.

"It was probably even more powerful than we thought it was going to be because it reflects the stress and strain, and to some extent the fear, that people have that whatever they do today is going to be replaced by some technology in the future," Atkinson said. The idea then, is that there is enough foresight to determine which new primary skills PwC's employees across all of its businesses, and it's worth equipping them appropriately. "So that's where we started."

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NOW WATCH: Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman said his firm's rough early days taught him why every entrepreneur should be prepared to be in 'psychological pain in a way you haven't before'

5 Happiest_Microsoft_Microsoft

Job-listing site Comparably just released its annual ranking of the 25 happiest large companies to work for.
Tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and LinkedIn topped the list, and other Silicon Valley companies like Intuit and Salesforce made the ranking.
Retailers Costco and H-E-B ranked in the top 10 happiest companies.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

While you can find ways to be happy in your job even at terrible companies, some places are just better to work for.

Job-listing site Comparably just released its annual ranking of the 25 large companies with the happiest employees. Comparably analyzed anonymous employee feedback on their website to measure fair pay, perks, benefits, and work environment.

While major tech companies — including Microsoft, Google, and LinkedIn — scored high on the list, the retail giant Costco earned the third spot for its worker satisfaction. H-E-B, the Southwestern supermarket chain, also ranked in the top 10 happiest companies.

Here are the 25 large companies with the happiest employees, plus worker quotes provided by Comparably from user posts on what makes their company fun to work for. You can find a longer list with 25 small to midsize companies (as well as Comparably's methodology) here.

25. Salesforce (enterprise cloud computing)

Located: San Francisco, California

Employee quote:"Inclusiveness and positivity. We come together in times of need to help those who need it, and we stand up for each other and protect each other's rights and freedoms. This fosters a great innovative environment because we want each other to succeed."

24. ADP (human resources)

Located: Roseland, New Jersey

Employee quote:"We are a family at ADP and that encompasses all business units! It is truly a wonderful place to work!"

23. Phenom People (computer software)

Located: Ambler, Pennsylvania

Employee quote:"It's so positive and exciting, there is always a buzz. I'm never afraid to share a new idea or try something different, everyone is challenging and supportive in the best way!"

22. Stanley Black & Decker (consumer goods)

Located: New Britain, Connecticut

Employee quote:"Everyone genuinely cares for one another, and motivates each other to work towards a common goal."

21. LogMeIn (computer software)

Located: Boston, Massachusetts

Employee quote:"Positive upbeat people, people take an interest in knowing, connecting and supporting one another. High level of integrity, kindness, and helpfulness, a true team. We have amazing in office perks like healthy snacks, gym, yoga, kombucha on tap, healthy cafe, nice seating areas, and massage chairs."

20. Sunrun (renewables)

Located: San Francisco, California

Employee quote:"The team environment: we love the industry and know that what we do is making a bigger impact on the world."

19. Intuit (computer software)

Located: Mountain View, California

Employee quote:"We care about each other and our teams. We listen. We're positive. We LOVE our customers."

18. Northside Hospital (healthcare)

Located: Atlanta, Georgia

Employee quote:"The family-like environment. It's a priority to engage with anyone I see throughout the hallway, on the elevators or parking decks whether they are patients, families or colleagues. I love the beauty of being able to display who I am which is one who meets no stranger."

17. Smile Brands (healthcare)

Located: Irvine, California

Employee quote:"Our vision, Smiles for Everyone, means more than giving people pretty smiles. It means everyone the organization interacts with should feel as if they got a good deal. It's about everyone feeling like a winner. And we have a lot of fun!"

16. Southwest Airlines (aviation)

Located: Dallas, Texas

Employee quote:"Our Legendary SWA Culture is still alive and going strong for almost 50 years! I think the most positive aspect of SWA Culture is that it brings us all together as a Family. Our Leaders not only encourage Employees to participate in Culture activities, they participate as well! We are all equal!!"

15. Trimble (electronic manufacturing)

Located: Sunnyvale, California

Employee quote:"Everyone is hands on and go above and beyond to help out. Even though we're in a fast paced environment, they take the time to be friendly, encouraging and motivate you constantly."

14. Google (internet)

Located: Mountain View, California

Employee quote:"It's overall atmosphere, it's hard to describe, you just really love working here and as you're leaving, you're already looking forward to coming back."

13. Qualtrics (computer software)

Located: Provo, Utah

Employee quote:"The culture is one of doing your best, but people and managers are very aware that everyone has personal lives and families. While people are expected to drive hard, they aren't expected to sacrifice personal or family time. The company even makes time in the workday for diversity discussion groups."

12. Dynatrace (computer software)

Located: Waltham, Massachusetts

Employee quote:"The culture at Dynatrace is dynamic! Everyone is approachable, friendly and helpful to one another. We know how to work hard, but have fun together too!"

11. Wells Fargo (financial services)

Located: San Francisco, California

Employee quote:"We are excepting of all cultures and we do what is best for our customers and employees. If there is a mistake made we try to get in front of it; see what went wrong, see how we can fix it, and make sure we put something in place so that that issue doesn't arise again!"

10. T-Mobile (telecommunications)

Located: Bellevue, Washington

Employee quote:"Everyone brings a different piece to the team and is like a big family. If one person wins, we all win. If someone needs help there is always more than 1 teammate there to help!"

9. Insight Global (staffing and recruiting)

Located: Atlanta, Georgia

Employee quote:"It's a culture of support and growth. The people around you want your success and want your happiness, and want to do what they can to help you achieve your goals. Having fun at work is encouraged, and those same people you have fun with will hold you accountable to get the job done."

8. H-E-B (retail)

Located: San Antonio, Texas

Employee quote:"A heart for people. Everyone knows and values each one's role. Each and every person counts. Diversity is in every thread of our culture."

7. Workfront (computer software)

Located: Lehi, Utah

Employee quote:"My team makes me the happiest at work. Having a safe place at work to do my best is very important to my success."

6. UiPath (computer software)

Located: New York City, New York

Employee quote:"I feel like I make a change, I matter. I get to do things that excite me. I love the company and the values it stands for."

5. Microsoft (computer software)

Located: Redmond, Washington

Employee quote:"The facilities are amazing - it's like being at a resort compared to an office in some buildings."

4. HubSpot (internet)

Located: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Employee quote:"You are surrounded by remarkable colleagues who are incredibly smart, with different backgrounds, who are passionate about solving for the customer and love coming to work every day."

3. Costco (retailer)

Located: Issaquah, Washington

Employee quote:"I really believe in what our company does and feel great about being a representative of those values. The values I carry at work are the ones I value most in life."

2. LinkedIn (internet)

Located: Sunnyvale, California

Employee quote:"What makes me happy the most about my work is the sense of purpose and knowing I'm making a difference in the world."

1. Zoom Video Communications (internet technology & services)

Located: San Jose, California

Employee quote:"I love the innovative projects I work on and the ability to improve our customers' experiences."

Vivian Chu Andrea Thomaz

Diligent Robotics, an Austin-based robotics startup, announced it raised $3.15 million in seed funding at an undisclosed valuation on Tuesday.
True Ventures and Ubiquity Ventures co-led the round with participation by Next Coast Ventures, Capital Factory, Pathbreaker Ventures, Boom Capital, Grit Ventures, and additional angel investors.
Texas hospitals are facing a crippling nursing shortage, Diligent Robotics cofounder and CEO Andrea Thomaz told Business Insider, so she and her team built Moxi, a hospital assistant robot created to help alleviate tasks that take nurses' time away from patient care.
Thomaz has found herself repeatedly setting expectations with hospital staff as to what exactly Moxi can do because of the hype around medical robotics. Moxi is scheduled to operate in a Texas hospital starting October 2020.

Click here for more BI Prime stories.

The founders of Diligent Robotics have a lot of moxie.

Andrea Thomaz and Vivian Chu met at the University of Texas at Austin in 2017 while Thomaz was teaching and Chu was pursuing her PhD. The day after Chu defended her thesis, Diligent Robotics closed its first funding round.

On Tuesday, the academics turned entrepreneurs announced their biggest milestone to date with $3.15 million in seed funding. The round was co-led by True Ventures and Ubiquity Ventures with participation by Next Coast Ventures, Capital Factory, Pathbreaker Ventures, Boom Capital, Grit Ventures, and additional angel investors. The startup also announced its hospital assistant robot, dubbed Moxi, will officially be operational in a Texas hospital in October 2020.

"We want to be known for building one of the most exciting robotics companies, and we happen to be women doing it," Thomaz told Business Insider. "And so it's exciting to me that we were able to be that role model for other people so they don't have to feel like they have to build a certain kind of company if you're a female founder."

The arrival of the Moxi robots comes amid growing anxiety over the potential for automation technology, like robots and artificial intelligence, to replace humans in the workforce. AJanuary report by the Brookings Institution found that a quarter of US jobs are at risk from automation. While food preparation and services was the most at-risk job, with an 81% of tasks potentially prone to being automated, healthcare support was number nine on the list, with 40% of the tasks potentially replaced by automation.

Diligent Robotics decided to develop a robot for hospitals because of a critical shortage of human nurses who perform highly repetitive tasks, Thomaz explained. Moxi is able to complete tasks, like bringing supplies from one part of a large hospital to another, after extensive beta testing with hospitals in Texas. She was adamant, however, that Moxi not interact with patients for things like reading vital signs or completing charts.

"We are calibrating people to where robotics is or isn't," Thomaz said. "If you get into a meeting with the hospital leadership, it's like a little kid in the candy store. We are really focused on saying, okay, here's what robots work, here's what they're going to be good at."

With the new funding, Thomaz said her team can move from beta testing to full production, something other robotics startups have struggled with in the past given the high costs of quality manufacturing. The time it takes to finalize a contract is enough to build Moxi for a new customer from scratch, she said.

But aside from manufacturing, which used to be using extra parts from the university's lab, Thomaz said that running her company out of Austin, a burgeoning tech hub, will help the team continue to be successful in an industry prone to hype and buzzwords.

"Austin has been a great place to start a company, and we've been able to attract a lot of really great talent," Thomaz said. "It's a smaller city than San Francisco or Boston or New York, but the entrepreneurial community in Austin is close-knit. So I feel like that definitely as a founder, I feel supported by even the firms that aren't invested in us."

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startup workers

The rapid growth of cloud computing has turned cloud architect into one of the hottest jobs in technology.
Cloud architects can expect six-figure salaries as high as $200,000, and play critical roles in helping businesses set up their networks on platforms run by Amazon, Microsoft and Google.
Here at the top 10 skills you need to succeed in this field, according to veteran cloud architects, including a training guru at Amazon Web Services, the most dominant cloud platform.
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The cloud is growing and so is the need for what is now one of the hottest jobs in tech: that of the cloud architect.

These are the professionals who help businesses move and maintain their networks in the public cloud, as they scale back or even abandon their private data centers.

It's a fairly new field, which emerged roughly a decade ago when the mass-migration to the cloud began to pick up speed, going beyond startups and into large enterprises.

Most cloud architects work with the three major cloud providers — Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Public Cloud. Others work with third party firms that offer cloud migration and management services. Amazon Web Services is the most dominant player in this space, with a 33% share of a nearly $100 billion market. Microsoft is second with 16%, followed by Google with 8%, according to Synergy Research Group.

"With the emergence and adoption of public clouds, cloud architects has been one of the hottest tech careers in IT," Bhanu Singh, a senior vice president at OpsRamp, a San Jose-based cloud services platform, told Business Insider.

"It's a new discipline, but comes from software architecture," he said. "With recent, accelerated emergence of AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Platform in the last 2-3 years, it's now an established and legitimate career path."

It's also a lucrative profession. A certified Amazon cloud architect can expect an average annual salary of about $133,000, according to Kevin Kelly, director of certification and education at Amazon Web Services, citing data from Global Knowledge.

John Peak, managing director at Candid Partners, an Atlanta-based cloud consultancy firm, said some entry level cloud architects could make $200,000, including bonuses.

The cloud architect's role continues to change as the cloud itself is transformed by new trends and technologies, Kelly of Amazon said.

"With cloud becoming the new normal, customers require expert skills to help them plan, design, develop, migrate, and operate applications in the cloud," Kelly told Business Insider. "The role of a cloud architect is always evolving and needs to span across modern application architectures to help prioritize what changes are needed by each customer."

Here are the 10 skills you need to thrive in this field, according to Kelly, Peak, Singh and other experts:

You’ve got to have a passion for coding.

Naturally, basic programming skills are a must, Kevin Kelly, a training director at Amazon Web Services, says.

"Infrastructure is code after all," he told Business Insider — which is to say, managing servers at the massive scales required by cloud computing involves way more coding than the IT departments of the past may have had to think about.

John Peak of Candid Partners says you need more than coding skills -- you have to be passionate about coding. "A real cloud architect codes and likes to code."

Cloud architects combine the skills of two more established IT professions: the application architect and the infrastructure architect. He said that in the "old way of doing it," an application architect would hand code over to an infrastructure architect who would then "take your code and deploy it in the environment."

"It was a very rigid line between those two roles," he said. "Now it's combined."

You’ve got to know and master the platform.

If you're considering a cloud career, chances are you'll be working on three dominant platforms: Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform.

"If you're going to be a cloud architect, the minimum barrier to entry is understanding the platform that you're working with and knowing how to use their tools," Eric Dynowski, chief technology officer of ServerCentral Turing Group, an Illinois-based cloud services company, told Business Insider.

That's because "the tools vary significantly between each platform and knowledge / experience may not be directly transferable. "If you need to brush up on this, all of the major cloud providers offer computer-based training," he said.

You’ve got to be a sharp and flexible troubleshooter.

"Everything fails all the time," says Eric Dynowski, chief technology officer of ServerCentral Turing Group, an Illinois-based cloud services company.

That's why it's important for a cloud architect to be a nimble, sharp troubleshooter. You have to "know how to build solutions that are resilient and accept that any component in the system could fail," Dynowski told Business Insider.

An effective cloud architect will focus on software as key to building a resilient system, he said.

"Historically, IT teams have tried to avoid downtime by installing more hardware. The idea was that if you had enough hardware in place to deal with an outage, then the software wouldn't know the difference and should keep operating normally. This idea is now obsolete, but it remains ingrained in a lot of people's minds. Instead, the software should be designed to handle outages, not the hardware," said Dynowski.

You’ve got to be an excellent communicator.

Of course, having great communications skills is key in most professions. But it can be critical for a cloud architect, who must be responsive to the needs and questions of an IT team, the cloud services provider and the business whose network you are trying to set up or fix.

Kevin Kelly, director of certification and education at Amazon Web Services, says the role of cloud architect "requires a mix of business skills, technical skills, and people skills for success."

You'll be talking to highly-technical people on the fine points of cloud architecture and computing, and to managers and executives who are looking to solve specific business problems. In some cases, it's up to you to figure out how to fix these issues, and convince all parties to embrace your ideas. In many cases, a good cloud architect, Kelly said, is "only as good as their ability to influence others."

Take the time to automate everything.

"Spinning up instances in the cloud can be quick and easy," Eric Dynowski, chief technology officer of ServerCentral Turing Group, an Illinois-based cloud services company, told Business Insider. "But you're not helping level up your team or your entire organization if you're not documenting what you're doing."

Which leads to an important reminder, he said: "Everything should be repeatable. Never do anything manually. Take the time upfront to automate everything."

"Many cloud architects do impressive things in the cloud, but they forgot to keep track of the steps they took to get there," he added. "This knowledge is not transferable and organizations can become reliant upon a single individual to create or troubleshoot a critical environment. Automating these functions for next time will save you and your company a ton of time and provide the documented processes everyone needs."

You have to be able to pick up quickly on what the business needs — and on how technology can meet those needs.

Kevin Kelly, a training director at Amazon Web Services, says that beyond the technical stuff, a cloud architect must have a clear idea of what the business needs. That means being with familiar with how the business works and the jargon used by managers. It would help to understand why TCO (total cost of ownership), or CAC (cost of acquiring customers ) or ROI (return on investment) is important to a client.

Remember that the cloud system you're building is not just some fancy tech project — it must actually serve the business, Eric Dynowski, chief technology officer of ServerCentral Turing Group, said.

"Don't build a castle if the business only needs a shack," he said. "Cloud architects should understand that it's not about building the biggest, baddest, most infinitely scalable system out there. You have to start with the needs of the business first before building anything."

You must stay on top of industry trends (because things change fast in the cloud).

"You've got to stay on top of the tech," Miles Ward, chief technology officer of Sada Systems, a Los Angeles-based cloud consulting services company, told Business Insider.

That's because cloud computing continues to evolve. You need to be aware and even quickly master the trends in the cloud and in the broader tech industry. These include AI and blockchain, and broader industry shifts, such as the rise of the hybrid cloud and multcloud models, which would enable businesses to use more than one platform.

Kevin Kelly, the Amazon Web Services training director, said staying on top of new innovations and trends is critical for a cloud architect's client who is making a huge investment in the cloud. "At the end of the day, a cloud architect's primary responsibility is to look around corners for the customer and make recommendations based on everything we have learned."

You’ve got to be obsessed with security.

One of the serious blunders a cloud architect could make is "not including security best practices from the very start," Kevin Kelly of Amazon Web Services said.

"Security is a foundational element that can't simply be added easily after the fact," he said.

This was underscored in what many viewed as a major fumble by most dominant cloud giant. Amazon Web Services was in the spotlight recently for the massive CapitalOne data breach that affected about 100 million accounts — while it wasn't exactly Amazon's fault, a misconfigured cloud server left sensitive data open to an attacker.

You’ve got to be obsessed that everything is working 24/7.

A cloud network typically has many moving parts, so it's important to monitor every aspect of it once it is up and running, Eric Dynowski, chief technology officer of ServerCentral Turing Group, said.

"Cloud architects have to be able to pull performance metrics from the system," he said. "If you can't do this, it will be almost impossible to troubleshoot when things go wrong, understand where bottlenecks are, what's not scaling, etc."

He added: "Cloud architects need to build this monitoring ability in upfront. If monitoring is attempted after the fact, you'll have to go back and figure out how to add that into multiple components of the application and/or individual services. This becomes messy and is very difficult and time consuming to do after the fact."

You must be prepared to lead the way.

For most businesses, moving to the cloud is probably like a journey into the unknown. They may be excited about the money they'll save and the benefits of moving their network to the cloud. But they will likely expect a lot from you.

Kevin Kelly of Amazon Web Services compared cloud architects to sherpas — the tough, hard-working guides employed by climbers on treks in the Himalayas, especially on difficult journeys like Mount Everest.

"Customers can expect a cloud architect to be their cloud sherpa, someone who is technically proficient in cloud architecture that enables customers to move along their cloud journey," he said.

This also includes doing "some of the undifferentiated heavy lifting so customers can summit their cloud architecture mountain as opposed to carrying their own bags along the journey."

Jeffrey Spector

Jeffrey Spector is the cofounder of Karat, a startup that conducts first-round technical interviews on behalf of tech companies such as Pinterest, Indeed, Intuit, and Compass.
The company's first-round interviews incorporate a problem-solving assessment, which is common within the interview process for engineers.
Spector's advice for young engineers looking to nail the interview is to come prepared with questions to ask the interviewer as well as talk through the process when trying to solve a problem.
He also suggested that engineers apply again if they're rejected from a major tech company.
Click here for more BI Prime stories.

In 2014, Jeffrey Spector wanted to help people get jobs more easily.

At the time, Spector was working as the chief of staff to Melinda Gates at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He was studying hiring across industries and observed that most interview processes were inflexible and inconsistent for candidates. So he thought about what an experience would look like if candidates were treated as well as customers. He partnered with Mohit Bhende, a Microsoft executive who had also observed that engineering teams were taking as long as 100 hours to make a single hire. The pair felt that interviewing needed to be treated as a full-time profession.

Today, Spector and Bhende are the cofounders of Karat, a startup that conducts first-round technical interviews on behalf of leading organizations such as Pinterest, Indeed, Intuit, and Compass. Frequently, these companies find that they are forced to sacrifice product development to interview and hire software engineers, or vice versa — so they approach Karat to save time and money. To date, the company has raised $41.6 million in funding, and its last funding round, led by Tiger Global Management, brought in $28 million.

How Karat works

Karat strives to provide companies with consistent candidate evaluations.

"For teams, the consistency means confidence that engineers will meet their hiring bar and that they don't miss out on great candidates who would have otherwise been overlooked," Spector said. "It's absolutely critical that you have a consistent first-round technical interview because it's a big variable that is then controlled. This helps identify the drivers of candidate performance in the onsite interview, so you can really ensure your team is interviewing for relevant skills and can accurately predict who will do well onsite."

The company's first-round interviews incorporate a technical, problem-solving assessment, common within the interview process for engineers. What's not as common, however, is that Karat's interviewers are software developers who have made interviewing their job — they call them "Interview Engineers"— and many come from major tech companies like Amazon and Facebook.

"We realize interviewing is stressful, and when you're stressed it's hard to put your best foot forward. Interview Engineers are equipped with best practices for how and when to most effectively provide … guidance and clarity in the technical interview," said Spector. Plus, Karat allows candidates to interview around the clock at a time that best suits them, and even the option to redo the interview if they feel they could have done better. "Just knowing this is an option reduces anxiety for the candidate," he added.

After Karat conducts the first-round technical interview, they deliver a recommendation to the company's hiring team, who then makes the final hiring decision. The startup also collects data from the entire candidate lifecycle to evaluate and learn from hiring outcomes.

After reviewing tens of thousands of interview loops and observing the success of both candidates and the interviewing teams of hiring companies, Spector has identified clear insights for software engineering job candidates looking to get a leg up in their next interview at a major tech company.

Do your research and come prepared with questions

Spector emphasized that when applying for a tech job, it's key to keep an open mind. "Don't be too overly focused on the brand-name companies" like Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google, he said. "We see a lot of people starry eyed … but there are a lot of amazing tech companies out there," Spector said.

He added that candidates should understand their level of technical ability and apply to roles at companies where their skills are a match. "Some companies do require demonstrable skills that take time to learn, like mobile. This will usually be identified in a job description as a basic qualification," Spector explained.

It's also important to think about and research the company's core business and go into the interview with plenty of knowledge about their product and mission. Spector has seen feedback notes from candidates' onsite interviews that stated they were knocked out because they hadn't thought about the product or the scale on which the company was operating. He also has seen notes highlighting that some candidates didn't have any questions to ask at the end of an interview.

"Understand who you're interviewing with and what problems they're solving on a daily basis. Ask questions about their job," Spector advised. "For example, if you are interviewing with an engineering leader, you might ask them about hiring goals, prioritization methodologies, and the team's skill gaps. Most candidates won't ask these questions, but they demonstrate an interest in the manager's responsibilities and show that you may have management potential."

Talk through your thought process when solving a coding problem

In a typical engineering interview, you may be asked to solve coding problems on a whiteboard, piece of paper, or computer, without the assistance of tools you'd normally have. "Practice problems with a timer and understand how to solve problems effectively," Spector suggested. He also advised that candidates brush up on core algorithms and the languages they are most comfortable using to code.

"We see a lot of candidates fall down when their chosen language in the interview is not one they're very familiar with," he said. Spector recommends that candidates know how to interpret error messages and warnings in their language of choice. "No matter how much you prepare, you will probably make some mistakes, but knowing how to easily recover from those mistakes is a key factor in your performance," he added.

While solving a problem in any interview, candidates "should communicate openly about what their thought process is and how they go about problem solving," Spector said. He has seen some candidates begin to solve problems during the onsite interview without clarifying what they've been asked, which wastes valuable time.

"Even though you may feel vulnerable, don't be afraid to ask questions. They can actually help you," said Spector. "Interviewers at tech companies often deliberately hold back information to see if you can effectively scope problems." (However, Spector noted that this is not Karat's practice: "Interview Engineers at Karat are very transparent with candidates about what they are expected to demonstrate when solving a problem in the technical interview.")

Communicating your thought process offers you two distinct advantages. The first is that if you're solving a problem incorrectly, you might get some help from the interviewer to course correct. The second is that even if you run out of time and don't finish your implementation, or only partially solve the problem, the interviewer may be able to give you credit for the direction you're heading. This is likely, as Spector pointed out that "100% completeness isn't usually the goal. What's more important is that you articulate the remaining steps in your solution and the difficulties you would anticipate."

On the flip side, if you don't communicate, the interviewer may not be able to tell whether the approach you were going to attempt would have been valid. You "can get the majority of credit for that problem by verbalizing [your] understanding," Spector said.

If at first you don't succeed, try again

The best tech companies, Spector said, are also "building communities of talent [and] innovating on how to build long-term relationships in a [tight labor] market."

So, he added, "even if you get rejected today, you could be hired in six months or one year." He pointed to companies like Citrix that hire what they call "silver medalists"— even filling 15% of their non-referral roles with candidates who reapplied.

If candidates don't land their ideal position on the first try, they should work on building their skill set and keep in touch with the companies they're interested in working for.

Spector's final piece of encouragement for candidates is that "every interview, regardless of the outcome, is a learning opportunity. If you are asking for feedback, listening … and reflecting on your performance, each interview should bring you closer to your ideal job."

Hannah H. Kim is an independent business and tech journalist. She is from Los Angeles and a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

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human resources layoffs boss meeting

When layoffs hit a company, they can be upsetting for employees who were close to the colleagues that got let go.
While you might be angry or upset, career experts warn against talking badly about your company.
Try not to diffuse the tension with humor or give unsolicited advice either.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Layoffs can devastate an entire organization.

Employees who are let go might take months to get another job. The layoff can seriously alter their confidence, or put a dent in their finances.

The colleagues left behind, though they keep their jobs, might face "survivor's guilt" and ask why they weren't let go. Or, they might feel angry at the way upper management handled the layoff.

Whatever your emotions might be, career experts say you should avoid talking badly about the company after a layoff. Plus, you should avoid trying to diffuse the tension with humor or hand out unsolicited advice.

Here are 7 things you should never say to a colleague that just got laid off.

"What was the conversation like?"

Career experts warn against asking nosy, invasive questions about the reason someone was laid off, what happened during the conversation with management, a severance package, and other details.

While you might be curious (and worried your own job is at risk), you should not ask someone to relive a potentially traumatic moment.

"Don't probe for details because you may be adding salt on the the wound and make them feel uncomfortable,"Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage," said.

Instead, ask open-ended questions like, "How are you feeling?" That way, the person who has been laid off can lead the conversation, said Marc Cenedella, founder and CEO of Ladders job search.

"On the upside, you'll be able to sleep in as long as possible!"

Many people may think adding humor to the situation can lighten the mood and cheer up a laid-off coworker.

But Kerr says to be cautious — often, light-hearted comments come across as insensitive.

"Be careful with humor, because that's the natural reaction to try to maybe lighten the mood," he said. "But of course it's not perceived that way."

"You'll bounce back in no time!"

Many people do not land their next job immediately after getting laid off, according to Kerr. In fact, job experts recommend taking a short vacation after the layoff to consider your next options and give yourself time to recharge.

While saying things like "you'll be back on your feet soon" might sound helpful, your colleague won't actually move on right away.

"A lot of the research suggests no, it'll take a while for a lot of people [to move on]," Kerr added.

"We were all going to go to the concert but we figured you wouldn't want to go anymore."

If you remain friends with the laid-off colleague after they leave, try not to make assumptions about what they want or their financial situation in the aftermath of a layoff. While the laid-off coworker may well be tight on money, ostracizing them from social events without asking is unnecessarily cruel, said Cenedella.

"Making assumptions about what the person wants to do or how they're feeling as a result of the situation doesn't help," Cenedella said. "Don't make the decision for them."

"The person who laid you off is a total jerk."

Having a close coworker get laid off can be an emotionally taxing situation for those who remain behind, Kerr said. Oftentimes, they feel just as angry at the company for firing their trusted colleague. Other times, the person who did not get laid off goes through "survivor's guilt," and questions why they got to remain.

All the confusion and mixed emotions might lead you to vent angrily about the company with your laid-off coworker.

But Kerr said to resist the temptation. Making the other person angry won't help them move on, and talking negatively about the company you still have to work at could have repercussions if your conversation gets out.

"Be careful picking sides and remember that even if it's someone who you consider a friend, chances are you don't know both sides of the story," Kerr said. "You need to manage your own feelings."

"Here's what you should do."

Offering advice might seem benign, but nobody wants to think about the arduous job-hunting process right after they get laid off, Kerr said.

If you do want to be helpful, you can tell the laid-off coworker you'll connect them with your professional network or refer that person to a position elsewhere. Before offering them advice, however, ask permission and avoid beginning the statement with "you should do..."

"I think that's a very supportive, positive thing to do, if you can genuinely offer advice in terms of next steps in what they should do," Kerr said.

"Oh my gosh, what are you going to do?"

Since layoffs come as a shock to most, your colleague likely won't have a plan in mind right away, said Lynn Taylor, workplace expert and author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job."

"The person is in a state of shock, they are not in a planning mode," Taylor said. "They are subconsciously worried about their next move, so there's no need to remind them of future uncertainty."

Bill brown

Before retiring, Bill Brown says his friends warned him that he'd "go crazy" in retirement given his "type A" personality.
But, he already had a plan for how to deal with his personality type going into retirement: He spent $10,000 on a workspace for woodworking.
He says that despite people's reactions to his decision to retire, he still looked forward to it. After officially retiring in 2018, he's enjoying his woodworking shed, and also travels and does some consulting work on the side.
Business Insider is looking for your retirement stories. If you're in or nearing retirement, email yourmoney@businessinsider.com.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

When Bill Brown retired at age 65 in early spring 2019 from a career in information technology, people weren't saying "congrats" as much as he would have like to have heard.

Instead, they said something else. "Everybody cautioned me severely that I would go crazy because I'm a type A personality," he told Business Insider. "And they were so wrong."

They didn't know that Brown had put quite a bit of planning and thought into how he would spend his golden years. "I've never worked with my hands in my life, but I thought, 'OK, I'll work on wood,'" he said. "And if I screw it up, big deal, I'll burn it and I have firewood."

So, the central South Carolina resident set out to make a place where he could do that. "In preparation for having to deal with that personality type, I spent about $10,000. I bought a shed — a man-cave, as you might describe it," said Brown.

He spent about $7,000 on the shed itself. "Then, I added an air conditioner, a refrigerator with a six pack, and a coffee maker," he said. A $3,000 collection of woodworking tools completed his new workspace.

"The first few days I really spent doing nothing but going over to that shed, looking around, and thinking, 'Hm, I wonder what I'll even bother making,'" said Brown. "I was perfectly happy for the first couple of days taking naps."

But that just didn't fit his personality. "After a week or so, you do get tired of it," he said.

So, he got to work in the shed making things. "I've made a table and I've made two bird houses to national wildlife federation standards," he said.

Woodworking keeps Brown from living up to his friends' expectations in retirement. It not only keeps him from napping, but also says that it gives him a little alone time while his wife is out with friends or doing volunteer work.

His best advice for other "type A" personalities approaching retirement is to plan to do something you enjoy. "Just make sure you have something outside of retirement, no matter what it is," he says. "It can be just somebody go to lunch with. It can be just something to do."

For over a year in retirement, Brown has proved the naysayers wrong — he's enjoying his woodworking shed between trips with his wife ... though he admits to still squeezing in some consulting work on the side.

Join the conversation about this story »

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Alisha Marie

The YouTube star Alisha Marie, who has 8 million subscribers, said she's landed brand-sponsorship deals by reaching out to the brand using the direct-message feature on Instagram.
She shared messages she has sent to brands on Instagram that helped her get those deals.
Other industry insiders, like Ian Borthwick, SeatGeek's director of influencer marketing, agreed that messaging brands on Instagram was a good way to express your interest in a company.
Click here for more BI Prime stories.

It might seem unorthodox, but some top YouTube and Instagram influencers and industry execs say that if you want to work with a brand, the best way to do it is by reaching out directly.

The YouTube and Instagram star Alisha Marie, who has 8 million subscribers on YouTube, created her channel in 2008. On it, she shares DIY lifestyle content and tips on fashion and beauty.

She told Business Insider that when you're starting your influencer career, you shouldn't get caught up in waiting for companies to reach out. She said she has successfully direct-messaged companies on Instagram asking to work with them.

"I've had a handful of deals where I just randomly hit the brand up," she said. "They ended up loving it, and not only that, they were willing to pay. It was the perfect situation where they needed me to reach out."

It's not about formulating the perfect pitch, she said. What's worked for her has been to show off her interest in the company by writing a simple note in an Instagram direct message.

"Not that it was very professional, but it was very me," she said. "It was in my own voice."

Here are two examples of notes she's sent:

"Hey, I've loved your stuff for forever, let me know if you're ever interested in collabing."
"Do you guys ever work with influencers?"

She said she's had luck with these requests.

Alisha has promoted companies like BMW and Starbucks through branded sponsorships on her YouTube and Instagram pages.

'Learn how to market yourself to a brand'

Ian Borthwick, SeatGeek's director of influencer marketing, previously told Business Insider that one of the best ways to contact a brand was through email or Instagram direct messaging.

He said it was best to find a common connection and show that you care about what the brand is selling.

"Learn how to market yourself to a brand because you'll need to know how to articulate yourself in the future," Borthwick said.

Here is an example of what Borthwick would send:

"Hey, I saw you with X influencer ... here is why my audience is a great fit for you."

The "Mommy blogger"Jehava Brown, who has 78,000 Instagram followers and blogs about motherhood, food, travel, and style, previously told Business Insider that she landed her first brand sponsorship by emailing the company directly. She would search for brands that she felt matched her online presence.

"A lot of bloggers will find a media contact for whatever brand you are wanting to work with and just send an email about their pitch and stats," Brown said.

In the beginning, Brown would send a note like:

"I'll share this if you send me those products."

At the time, she said she was OK with promoting products without getting paid because she was still benefiting by receiving the products for free.

For more on how influencers are profiting from their success online, according to industry professionals and creators, check out these Business Insider Prime posts:

YouTube and Instagram star Alisha Marie explains how to pitch a brand for your first sponsorship deal: Alisha said to use your Instagram page as your portfolio and be ready to present it to the brand you want to work with.
How Instagram influencers land their first brand-sponsorship deals: Influencers and brand execs share their tips for landing that first deal.
An Instagram influencer breaks down how much brands pay for sponsored posts, starting at 10,000 followers: A social-media influencer shares how she determines her rates when negotiating with companies like Disney and Walmart.

Join the conversation about this story »

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19 Happiness_Wonderschool_Facebook

Job listing site Comparably compiled a rank of the 25 small and midsize companies in the US with the happiest employees.
Many small businesses in big cities like San Francisco and New York made the list, yet some companies in Southern states like Florida and Georgia also ranked high.
Workers at top small companies also tend to be happier than those at the best major corporations, Comparably found.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Small-business success isn't just about fundraising.

A strong work environment can separate the winners from the flounders, according to a 2019 survey. In fact, the country's thriving small businesses credit success to intangibles like an entrepreneur's grit and how hard employees work.

And some small businesses are better at creating positive work environments than others.

Job listing site Comparably compiled a ranking of the 25 small and midsize businesses with the happiest employees by analyzing anonymous employee feedback on their website to measure fair pay, perks, benefits, and work environment.

Comparably also found that small businesses tended to have happier workers across the board compared to large corporations: 98% of employees at top small/mid-size companies reported having a positive work environment, compared to 92% from large companies.

Here are the 25 small companies with the happiest employees, plus worker quotes provided by Comparably from user posts on what makes their company fun to work for. You can find a longer list with 25 major companies (as well as Comparably's methodology) here.

25. Globality, Inc. (information technology and services)

Located: Menlo Park, California

Employee quote:"People care. Individuals care. There's an organic formation of community and so many different opportunities to connect with your coworkers. Whether it be their specific passions outside of work, or company led initiatives to get people together!"

24. Skipio (computer software)

Located: American Fork, Utah

Employee quote:"You become a better person by working at Skipio. Everyone is invested in helping you grow as a person and in your job. Everyone is upbeat and willing to help each other. We are all motivated to make Skipio the best place to work and product on the market. I feel lucky to work here!"

23. Overtime (sports)

Located: Brooklyn, New York

Employee quote:"Everybody is very approachable and helpful from the top to the bottom!"

22. InvestCloud (financial services)

Located: West Hollywood, California

Employee quote:"We have a culture of family and work hard, play hard that is driven from the CEO and permeates the company. I've been in the workforce for 25 years and have not experienced anything like it before."

21. Zipwhip (computer software)

Located: Seattle, Washington

Employee quote:"A place where you can be yourself."

20. Egnyte (computer software)

Located: Mountain View, California

Employee quote:"The people here are friendly, genuine, and great to work with."

19. Wonderschool (education management)

Located: San Francisco, California

Employee quote:"The most positive attribute of the culture is that my voice matters. Whether it's my first day or 101st day, my concerns or feedback is taken as serious as anyone else."

18. Greenhouse Software, Inc. (computer software)

Located: New York City, New York

Employee quote:"The company is very supportive of the people who work here. The culture is really fun and upbeat. People are very kind and helpful. Honestly, this is the best company I've ever worked for in terms of culture, and I don't plan to leave anytime soon!"

17. Drift (internet)

Located: Boston, Massachusetts

Employee quote:"There's a certain energy in the office that I have yet to be able to explain. It's motivating, inspiring, and empowering to be surrounded by people hellbent on seeing their customers succeed, AND seeing you succeed."

16. Aptris (information technology and services)

Located: Rockford, Illinois

Employee quote:"We work hard and have fun along the way."

15. Automation Group (industrial automation)

Located: Modesto, California

Employee quote:"I love our work environment. You work hard and play hard. We have fun while doing what we love."

14. Lola.com (computer software)

Located: Boston, Massachusetts

Employee quote:"The culture is great and it's clear that managers care about employee growth and happiness."

13. HomeLight (real estate)

Located: San Francisco, California

Employee quote:"People feel valued because they are given opportunities to make an impact and not just be a cog in the wheel. From entry-level sales all the way up to executives — everyone has a chance to make a difference on the company's success if you have initiative and drive."

12. Life360 (individual and family services)

Located: San Francisco, California

Employee quote:"People are very inviting, encouraging, and all about team work."

11. AdTheorent (marketing and advertising)

Located: New York City, New York

Employee quote:"It's a true team effort! Everyone cares about our company and works towards the company goals."

10. Branch Metrics (computer software)

Located: Redwood City, California

Employee quote:"Branch's values include humility, collaboration, selflessness, and transparency. This combination works wonders to create a positive environment where employees are encouraged to try new things, provide/seek feedback, and grow together every day."

9. Checkr (internet)

Located: San Francisco, California

Employee quote:"We're extremely diverse and just good-hearted. We work hard and celebrate our successes. I feel comfortable in stressful situations, as well as hanging out with my peers after work."

8. Periscope Data by Sisense (computer software)

Located: San Francisco, California

Employee quote:"Genuine positivity. Many organizations embrace 'positivity' and force a smile - but Periscope Data is authentically happy."

7. Mixpanel (computer software)

Located: San Francisco, California

Employee quote:"The company is doing really well, people care about each other, and the future looks bright."

6. BambooHR (computer software)

Located: Lindon, Utah

Employee quote:"From the time you walk in the door, you are noticed and spoken to, and made to feel like an important part of the team. People are genuinely happy here, it's not fake."

5. SalesLoft (computer software)

Located: Atlanta, Georgia

Employee quote:"Friendly and fully engaged coworkers — always ready to help."

4. SmartProcure/GovSpend (information technology and services)

Located: Deerfield Beach, Florida

Employee quote:"Always full of high, positive energy. It is one big team effort and everyone is always happy to hear about eachother succeeding."

3. CultureIQ (human resources)

Located: New York City, New York

Employee quote:"Culture is always top of mind at CultureIQ and that's how it breeds collaboration and positive energy. Culture isn't one big annual grand gesture here. It is consistently in the small day to day tasks and run ins."

2. Highspot (computer software)

Located: Seattle, Washington

Employee quote:"The culture is lively, diverse, and exciting! Highspot is growing at an incredible rate, opening doors to foster new skills and career growth. Its a wonderful mix of seasoned veterans and eager young professionals all learning from each other."

1. People.ai (computer software)

Located: San Francisco, California

Employee quote:"We make each other laugh every day, never fails. We have a good time together but know when to focus on getting things done."

ceo boss work office meeting

Ask one of these eight questions during a meeting with your CEO, experts say.
You'll look smart, knowledgeable, and engaged.
Those questions include: "What does success look like for you?" and "do you feel we could increase revenue by doing X?"
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

During a meeting with your CEO, it's tempting to stay silent for fear of looking stupid.

But if you feel you've got something to contribute, there's a simple set of guidelines that can help you figure out whether your question is worth asking.

According to Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job," your question should do at least one of the following:

show your interest in the big picture
show that you're a problem solver
show that you're an innovator and someone who thinks outside the box.

Business Insider asked Taylor and Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage," for some examples of questions that meet these criteria. Below is a list of their best suggestions.

A word of caution: Before you ask your CEO anything, Kerr recommended asking yourself, "Are you just trying to show off and look smart? Or do you genuinely have a question that will move the conversation forward?"

"We've all been in situations where — maybe we're wrong — but we perceive that an employee is merely trying to show off with their question," Kerr said.

So don't be that employee. Consider the ideas below the smartest ways to frame the questions you already have.

1. 'How can I be of greater help on that?'

This question accomplishes two things, Taylor said.

One, it shows that you think like an entrepreneur, as opposed to just a cog in a wheel. You're trying to go above and beyond your stated job duties.

Two, it shows that you have leadership potential because you're putting yourself in your CEO's shoes: What might they need from you?

If you feel uncomfortable singling yourself out, Kerr also suggested asking: "What can my team do to help contribute to the success when it comes to X project?"

2. 'It seems that ABC company is making inroads in the XYZ area. Do you feel that's one of our biggest competitive threats?'

You're demonstrating that you've done your research and you're aware of industry trends, Taylor said.

3. 'Do you feel we could increase revenue by doing X?'

You're showing you're both an innovator and a problem solver.

Make sure you've fully researched your proposal, Taylor said, and make a good case for it. Your CEO might press you for more details.

4. 'What might this mean for the future? Is this part of a longer strategic decision for us?'

This question would be an appropriate follow-up if your CEO has just mentioned something about expanding overseas or another big company change.

You'll wind up making your CEO look good because they get to talk about their long-term plans for the organization. In turn, they'll think highly of you.

5. 'Have you thought about John for this task?'

This way, Taylor said, you're showcasing your ability to tap into emerging talent for existing company needs. Again, it's about leadership potential.

Note that you don't have to be John's manager to make this suggestion. If John happened to tell you the other day that he'd be interested in a certain opportunity, feel free to recommend him for a related task.

If you haven't yet asked John about this particular opportunity, you can always say, "I don't know how he feels about it yet, but it just seems to be that he has really great skills [in this area]."

6. 'I can see how this idea is really, really going to help my department. But I'm a little concerned about how this might impact our salespeople. Do we have a strategy to [work with them]?'

Kerr said you're demonstrating concern for your entire company, as opposed to your team alone, which means you're thinking like a leader.

"CEOs are driven nuts by people working in those dreaded silos," he said.

7. 'What does success look like for you?'

You can pose this question to your CEO when the company is embarking on a major change or new project, Kerr said.

Alternatively, you can ask, "How do you think we should collectively define success?"

8. 'What question do you think we need to be asking that we haven't asked already?'

You might not want to ask this question in a company-wide meeting, Kerr said. But in a smaller meeting, it could be a very smart question, prompting bigger-picture and more creative thinking.

Join the conversation about this story »

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senior older working

Americans have a fairly loose definition of retirement these days.
While Americans can begin claiming full Social Security benefits between ages 66 and 67, many are continuing to work for both personal and financial reasons, according to a new survey from Provision Living.
Most keep working either because they need the money or they still enjoy their job. On average, the survey respondents don't expect to leave work completely until age 72.
Read more personal finance coverage.

Retirement isn't quite what it used to be.

More seniors today are putting retirement off for both financial and personal reasons, according to a new survey from Provision Living, a network of senior living communities in the Midwest. The survey asked about 1,000 Americans over age 65 who have yet to retire about their motivations to continue working.

On average, the respondents don't expect to retire fully until age 72. Over one-third of the seniors said they're not financially prepared to retire yet, 23% are continuing to work to support their family, and 19% are doing it to pay off debt.

But it's not just about the money for everyone. Nearly 40% of the respondents said they haven't quit work entirely because they still enjoy it (45%), are trying to avoid boredom (18%), or don't want to give up their workplace camaraderie just yet (6%), among other reasons. Those who switched to part-time work — just over half of the total respondents — said they did so around age 61.

In many ways, the long-held retirement benchmark of age 65 has grown obsolete. A previous analysis of US Census data by United Income, an investment and financial-planning firm, found that about 20% of Americans over age 65 — a total of 10.6 million people — are either working or looking for work, representing a 57-year high.

According to the Provision Living survey, the working seniors have an average of $133,108 saved for retirement. When broken down by education, college-degree holding respondents have more than twice as much saved ($169,180) as non-college educated individuals ($80,221). Still, the majority expect to rely on Social Security and pensions before tapping into their personal savings.

The earliest age a person can claim Social Security benefits is 62. But the full retirement age for most of today's working-age Americans is between 66 and 67, when they can begin to claim the full amount of their benefit. For each year a person delays taking Social Security, however, their benefit will increase by up to 8% until age 70.

Interestingly, those staying in the workforce — regardless of when they claim Social Security — are the ones in the best financial shape for retirement, the United Income report said. Rather than being driven by money, some are motivated to keep working simply because they're healthy enough.

But not all Americans have the good fortune of working well into their 60s and 70s. Often, health issues crop up and stifle job opportunities, forcing people into retirement with little savings to fall back on, reports Business Insider's Liz Knueven. Downward social mobility in retirement is a mounting issue for many middle- and working-class Americans, she writes, and working longer isn't the panacea many believe it to be.

More savings and retirement coverage

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Luisa Zhou

Luisa Zhou has built a career around teaching people how to start their own six-figure-plus businesses working for themselves.
Within less than a year of striking out on her own, she was bringing in over a million dollars in sales — and her business has only increased from there.
Getting your first paying client is where it all begins, she writes.
Below, she shares the three email templates she used to get her first paying clients and make her first $10,000. They include the "I can help" and the "Doors are open" template.
Click here for more BI Prime stories.

The first time that "You've got money" Paypal notification hit my inbox, I screamed. I couldn't believe it! I had just gotten my first paying client for my fledgling digital advertising coaching business.

That email was life-changing for me. Not only was it the moment that my business went from dream to reality, but it was also the moment I really started believing that my goal of building a business to eventually replace my salary was possible.

Even though it's been quite a few years since then and my business now helps others go from employee to entrepreneur as I did, I still remember that instance as if it were yesterday. After all, if you're serious about building your own business, getting your first paying client is where it all begins.

Here are three templates I used to get my first paying clients and make my first $10,000 in business.

1. The “I can help” template

This is the template I used when I was scouring the internet looking for potential clients. I searched in Facebook groups and internet forums for terms that my potential clients might be asking about, like "ads" or "campaign."

When I found someone asking for help, I would email or message them a version of this template:

Hi [name],

[Share how you found them. This can be as simple as, "I saw your question about running Facebook ads in a Facebook group."]

[1-3 sentences describing your experience as it relates to your business & why you're qualified. For example: "I manage Facebook ads for big companies like BMW and Coastal Contacts in my job."]

I would love to help you — for free.

Here are a few things that might be helpful right away:

[Describe 2-3 tips]

If you'd like my help implementing these and more, let me know. I'm happy to set up a call to discuss.

[Sign-off]

If they responded and wanted to take me up on my offer of free advice, I would schedule a call with them. At the end of the call, after I had delivered on all the free advice I had promised, I would then ask if they'd be interested in hiring me to get even bigger, better results.

2. The “Doors are open” template

I used this template to re-connect with people in my network — including acquaintances — who I thought might be interested in hiring me based on past conversations.

In general, this is a great way to notify people who have expressed an interest in your help or advice. (For example, if you're a career coach, use this with people who've asked you for career tips in the past. If you're a health coach, use this with people who've asked for your weight loss tips.)

Hi [name],

After speaking with you and others who were interested in potentially getting my help with [describe the result you'd help with], I've started offering consulting/coaching to do just that.

Based on our past conversations, I'd love to offer you 30 minutes of free private coaching—no strings attached. The call is primarily about helping you, although if you find it helpful, I may spend a few minutes at the end sharing how I can support you further.

If you'd like my support to help you [result] with that free 30-minute session, let me know and we'll schedule a time for our call.

[Sign-off]

If they felt they had gotten a lot out of the free session, I'd ask if they'd be interested in hearing about what we could accomplish long-term by working together.

3. The “Ask for a referral” template

And finally, don't overlook the power of your existing network! I didn't have a lot of friends or acquaintances who were interested in hiring me, but I figured they probably knew people would might be.

This is the template I used to ask for referrals:

Hi [name],

As you know, I [describe experience/accomplishment/expertise that led to your business creation].

After having so many people ask me about it, I decided to start a consulting business to help others with [result].

As I look to grow my business, I'm reaching out to friends to help get my name out there. It's my goal to help as many [describe your ideal client] as I can to [result].

Are there one or two people you know that could use my help? If so, can you please send me their contact information?

I'd love to offer them 30 minutes of free private coaching — no strings attached. The call is primarily about helping them, and if they find it helpful, I'll spend a few minutes at the end of it sharing a little about how I might be able to continue supporting them.

Thank you in advance for your time and referrals. I so appreciate it!

And of course, if there's anything you're working on that I can give you a hand with, let me know how I can support you!

[Sign-off]

Notice that I didn't ask them to connect me with their friends and acquaintances so I could pitch them. Instead, I made it easy for them to refer someone to me because I was offering free coaching first.

Every successful business starts from the same place — zero! No revenue, brand recognition, or audience.

That's good news, though, because it means that if you're willing to do the work — of repeatedly finding clients, building trust, and pitching yourself — you'll be putting yourself on the same path to success that every profitable business has gone through.

Luisa Zhou is the creator of the Employee to Entrepreneur system, which teaches people how to leave their day job and start their own six-figure-plus business working for themselves. She's been featured in Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, Success magazine, and more. Get her free blueprint forbuilding a profitable online business that frees you from the 9-5.

Fort Wayne

It can be extremely expensive to live in big cities like New York, San Francisco, or Los Angeles.
However, living in other cities, like Indianapolis, South Bend, Indiana, and Toledo, Ohio, can be much more affordable.
Here are the 25 US cities with the lowest cost of living.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Big coastal cities, such as New York and San Francisco, feature notoriously high rent prices and an expensive cost of living. But in their smaller Midwestern counterparts, like Indianapolis and Toledo, Ohio, things prove much, much cheaper.

And while a lower cost of living doesn't always equate to a higher quality of life, it can make a difference for those looking to stretch their paycheck.

Niche, a company that researches and compiles information on places to live, recently released its list of the US cities with the lowest cost of living. The ranking focused primarily on the ratio of home values to income, median property taxes, median home values, median rent, and ratios of monthly housing cost to income for each place. It also took the price of gas, the price of groceries, and the ratio of the median rent to income into consideration. Read a full breakdown of the methodology here.

The top 25 cities all fell within two regions: the Midwest and the South, with a city in Indiana earning the top spot. Check out the rest of the list below.

Emmie Martin contributed to an earlier version of this article.

DON'T MISS: The 50 best suburbs in America, ranked

25. Palm Bay, Florida

Population:107,802

Median rent: $991

Median home value: $119,200

Percentage of people who rent their home: 29%

Percentage of people who own their home: 71%

24. Green Bay, Wisconsin

Population:104,796

Median rent: $682

Median home value: $127,300

Percentage of people who rent their home: 44%

Percentage of people who own their home: 56%

23. Rochester, Minnesota

Population: 112,683

Median rent: $891

Median home value: $176,100

Percentage of people who rent their home: 31%

Percentage of people who own their home: 69%

22. McAllen, Texas

Population:139,838

Median rent: $758

Median home value: $120,500

Percentage of people who rent their home: 40%

Percentage of people who own their home: 60%

21. Lansing, Michigan

Population:115,222

Median rent: $791

Median home value: $77,100

Percentage of people who rent their home: 50%

Percentage of people who own their home: 50%

20. Springfield, Illinois

Population:116,313

Median rent: $765

Median home value: $125,600

Percentage of people who rent their home: 38%

Percentage of people who own their home: 62%

19. Davenport, Iowa

Population: 102,268

Median rent: $733

Median home value: $124,300

Percentage of people who rent their home: 38%

Percentage of people who own their home: 62%

18. Kansas City, Kansas

Population: 151,042

Median rent: $820

Median home value: $89,500

Percentage of people who rent their home: 44%

Percentage of people who own their home: 56%

17. Odessa, Texas

Population:115,930

Median rent: $996

Median home value: $136,300

Percentage of people who rent their home: 39%

Percentage of people who own their home: 61%

16. Cleveland, Ohio

Population:388,812

Median rent: $678

Median home value: $67,600

Percentage of people who rent their home: 58%

Percentage of people who own their home: 42%

15. Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Population:130,330

Median rent: $729

Median home value: $138,500

Percentage of people who rent their home: 30%

Percentage of people who own their home: 70%

14. Amarillo, Texas

Population:197,823

Median rent: $814

Median home value: $123,200

Percentage of people who rent their home: 39%

Percentage of people who own their home: 61%

13. Abilene, Texas

Population:122,762

Median rent: $846

Median home value: $106,800

Percentage of people who rent their home: 45%

Percentage of people who own their home: 55%

12. Wichita, Kansas

Population: 389,054

Median rent: $767

Median home value: $124,400

Percentage of people who rent their home: 40%

Percentage of people who own their home: 60%

11. Beaumont, Texas

Population: 118,424

Median rent: $817

Median home value: $99,800

Percentage of people who rent their home: 44%

Percentage of people who own their home: 56%

10. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Population: 170,401

Median rent: $771

Median home value: $168,600

Percentage of people who rent their home: 39%

Percentage of people who own their home: 61%

9. Brownsville, Texas

Population: 182,083

Median rent: $681

Median home value: $85,900

Percentage of people who rent their home: 38%

Percentage of people who own their home: 62%

8. Dayton, Ohio

Population: 140,939

Median rent: $653

Median home value: $66,500

Percentage of people who rent their home: 52%

Percentage of people who own their home: 48%

7. Wichita Falls, Texas

Population: 104,621

Median rent: $763

Median home value: $96,700

Percentage of people who rent their home: 43%

Percentage of people who own their home: 57%

6. Akron, Ohio

Population: 198,252

Median rent: $713

Median home value: $80,100

Percentage of people who rent their home: 49%

Percentage of people who own their home: 51%

5. Topeka, Kansas

Population: 127,139

Median rent: $751

Median home value: $100,400

Percentage of people who rent their home: 43%

Percentage of people who own their home: 57%

4. Evansville, Indiana

Population: 119,806

Median rent: $738

Median home value: $89,700

Percentage of people who rent their home: 45%

Percentage of people who own their home: 55%

3. Toledo, Ohio

Population: 279,455

Median rent: $677

Median home value: $78,600

Percentage of people who rent their home: 48%

Percentage of people who own their home: 52%

2. South Bend, Indiana

Population: 101,928

Median rent: $741

Median home value: $81,100

Percentage of people who rent their home: 43%

Percentage of people who own their home: 57%

1. Fort Wayne, Indiana

Population: 262,450

Median rent: $708

Median home value: $106,500

Percentage of people who rent their home: 38%

Percentage of people who own their home: 62%