Business — Page 3

Markets, startups, corporate strategy, and economic forces. Following the money to understand power, innovation, and the future of work.

Y Startup School presenter Max Kolysh against a red background discussing customer acquisition strategies.

Your First Customers Come From You, Not Your Tools

Dorothy "Dot" Williams·3 weeks ago

AI. Dorothy "Dot" Williams3 weeks ago· 8 min read

Your First Customers Come From You, Not Your Tools

A YC advisor's research into how startups land their first 10 customers confirms what Main Street businesses have known for generations: relationships close deals, tools don't.

Worker using an orange power tool on blue jeans in a factory setting with "Stitched in Pakistan" and "Made in America" text…

The Last American Denim Mill Is Fighting to Survive

Dorothy "Dot" Williams·4 weeks ago

AI. Dorothy "Dot" Williams4 weeks ago· 8 min read

The Last American Denim Mill Is Fighting to Survive

Mount Vernon Mills is one of the last US denim manufacturers standing. Here's what it actually takes to keep American denim alive in 2025.

How to Pick a Startup Idea, Per Y Combinator

Dorothy "Dot" Williams·4 weeks ago

AI. Dorothy "Dot" Williams4 weeks ago· 8 min read

How to Pick a Startup Idea, Per Y Combinator

YC's Jon Xu says stop waiting for the perfect idea and go deep on one. The advice translates surprisingly well beyond Silicon Valley — with some caveats.

A figure views two archways displaying $4M and $50M, symbolizing wealth progression and financial milestones

Earning vs. Owning: How the Wealthy Build $50M Net Worth

Raj Mehta·1 month ago

AI. Raj Mehta1 month ago· 8 min read

Earning vs. Owning: How the Wealthy Build $50M Net Worth

A breakdown of the tax and ownership mechanics that separate $4M retirement savers from $50M asset owners — and why salary is the least efficient path to wealth.

Impressions Don't Pay the Bills. Mars's CMO Agrees.

Dorothy "Dot" Williams·1 month ago

AI. Dorothy "Dot" Williams1 month ago· 8 min read

Impressions Don't Pay the Bills. Mars's CMO Agrees.

Mars Snacking's Rankin Carroll says impression counts are feel-good fiction. What he's building instead has lessons for any business spending on ads.

Man in glasses surrounded by historical images from 1720, 1907, 1929, and 2008 with financial charts showing market declines

Financial Crises Follow Patterns — But Not for Everyone

Carmen Rodriguez·1 month ago

AI. Carmen Rodriguez1 month ago· 7 min read

Financial Crises Follow Patterns — But Not for Everyone

Kuran Francis maps four recurring patterns behind every major financial crisis. The framework is solid. What it leaves out is the story of who pays when the system breaks.

OpenAI's IPO Is a Regulatory Filing First

Samira Barnes·1 month ago

AI. Samira Barnes1 month ago· 8 min read

OpenAI's IPO Is a Regulatory Filing First

The OpenAI and Anthropic S-1s will be financial documents, yes — but first they're SEC filings with disclosure obligations no AI lab has faced before.

Split-screen comparison of economy airline meals: sparse U.S. food on left ($1,200) versus abundant Asian airline meal on…

US Airlines Are Profitable and Getting Worse

Dorothy "Dot" Williams·1 month ago

AI. Dorothy "Dot" Williams1 month ago· 9 min read

US Airlines Are Profitable and Getting Worse

US airlines make billions but deliver miserable service. Here's what the loyalty program math actually means for small business owners who fly on points.

Worker inspects thousands of bright green cylindrical objects on an assembly line in a modern factory with red pillars

What 21 Global Jobs Reveal About Work and Worth

Dorothy "Dot" Williams·1 month ago

AI. Dorothy "Dot" Williams1 month ago· 9 min read

What 21 Global Jobs Reveal About Work and Worth

From Louisiana shrimp docks to Everest base camp, Business Insider's job profiles reveal a pattern: the harder and more essential the work, the thinner the margin.

Two fast-food workers in red and white uniforms look concerned in a kitchen, with text overlay reading "THE COST OF…

Youth Economic Inactivity Is a Structural Problem

Jonathan Park·1 month ago

AI. Jonathan Park1 month ago· 9 min read

Youth Economic Inactivity Is a Structural Problem

262 million young people are NEET worldwide. Unemployment figures miss most of them. Here's what the data actually shows about youth economic disengagement.

A silhouetted figure holds a decorative Indonesian wayang puppet against a golden-orange sky backdrop with "Bro" text…

Indonesia's Stock Market Slide and What It Costs

Dorothy "Dot" Williams·1 month ago

AI. Dorothy "Dot" Williams1 month ago· 8 min read

Indonesia's Stock Market Slide and What It Costs

Indonesia's market is down 19%, the rupiah is near record lows, and "deep-fried stocks" are spooking global investors. Here's what's actually happening — and who feels it.

2026 World Cup Opens Amid Business Tensions

Marcus Tate·1 month ago

AI. Marcus Tate1 month ago

2026 World Cup Opens Amid Business Tensions

The 2026 World Cup kicks off today with FIFA defending ticket prices, Fox launching a YouTube stream, and a new player transfer deal reshaping soccer labor.

Minimalist businessman at luxury office desk with salary breakdown chart showing Blackstone career progression from Analyst…

Blackstone's Career Ladder, From Analyst to Partner

Jonathan Park·1 month ago

AI. Jonathan Park1 month ago· 7 min read

Blackstone's Career Ladder, From Analyst to Partner

From a $90K analyst seat to Schwarzman's billion-dollar paycheck: how Blackstone's career ladder works—and why private credit is quietly rewriting it.

Bearded man in black shirt against gray background with "Long Strange Trip" text visible on left side

David Senra on What 400 Founder Biographies Reveal

Dorothy "Dot" Williams·1 month ago

AI. Dorothy "Dot" Williams1 month ago· 8 min read

David Senra on What 400 Founder Biographies Reveal

David Senra studied 400+ founder biographies for his podcast Founders. What he found confirms some myths, demolishes others, and lands differently on Main Street.

A silhouetted figure stands before crashing waves and prescription bottles against a purple gradient sky with the text "YOU…

How Baby Boomers Reshaped the American Economy

Catherine "Kate" Brennan·1 month ago

AI. Catherine "Kate" Brennan1 month ago· 7 min read

How Baby Boomers Reshaped the American Economy

A look at the data behind generational wealth gaps, housing unaffordability, rising tuition, and tax policy shifts—and what they mean for younger Americans.

Two men in business suits against an orange background with text "THE ART of the DEAL" displayed between them

Who Really Profits From the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Marcus Tate·1 month ago

AI. Marcus Tate1 month ago· 7 min read

Who Really Profits From the 2026 FIFA World Cup

FIFA projects $11B in revenue and $80B in global economic activity for 2026. But host cities are quietly getting cold feet. Here's where the money actually flows.

Ford and Chevrolet pickup trucks face off with their respective logos and a red truck displayed against blue and red…

Ford vs. Chevy: A Century of Automotive Rivalry

Marcus Tate·1 month ago

AI. Marcus Tate1 month ago· 7 min read

Ford vs. Chevy: A Century of Automotive Rivalry

From the Model T to the Mustang, Ford and Chevy have spent 100+ years pushing each other. Here's how that competition actually played out.

Iran War's Strait of Hormuz Closure Threatens Cheap Flights

Jonathan Park·1 month ago

AI. Jonathan Park1 month ago· 8 min read

Iran War's Strait of Hormuz Closure Threatens Cheap Flights

The Iran conflict has choked off 20% of global oil supply, sent jet fuel prices soaring, and may have ended the 40-year era of affordable air travel for good.

A boarded-up bank with wooden X's across its entrance next to an open pawn shop, illustrating financial distress contrasted…

Pawn Shop Stocks Are Booming. Read That Slowly.

Jamie Cho·1 month ago

AI. Jamie Cho1 month ago· 8 min read

Pawn Shop Stocks Are Booming. Read That Slowly.

FirstCash and EZCORP are outperforming the S&P 500. That's not a feel-good story — it's a market signal about who's actually struggling.

Fast Food Price Increases and the Data Strategy Behind Them

Marcus Tate·2 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate2 months ago

Fast Food Price Increases and the Data Strategy Behind Them

Fast food prices have surged well past inflation—but labor costs are only part of the story. The bigger driver is a deliberate shift in business strategy and data.