We've tried everything from breakfasts and dinners to desserts and specialty bread.
Some winning recipes came from Guy Fieri, Ree Drummond, Carla Hall, Ina Garten, and more.
Business Insider put the best recipes from celebrity chefs head-to-head to find the most delicious salads, desserts, bread, beverages, and more.
Here are some of the winners, from hearty breakfasts to refreshing cocktails.
Editor's note: This story was originally published in September 2021 and most recently updated on December 26, 2024.
Breakfasts
The most important meal of the day deserves a great recipe. Food writers Paige Bennett and Tiffany Leigh tested scrambled eggs, omelets, blueberry pancakes, and breakfast burritos to see if they were worth the hype.
The winning chef's scrambled eggs had parsley as a secret ingredient
Emeril Lagasse's recipe for scrambled eggs was the best.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Emeril Lagasse's flavorful recipe for scrambled eggs was food writer Bennett's favorite.
Though the seasoning alone had 10 ingredients, the rest of the technique only required eggs, cheese, milk, butter, and salt. According to Bennett, the cooking process was easy and took only a couple of minutes.
The eggs were incredibly creamy, runny, and cheesy, paired well with fresh parsley.
Out of the many omelet recipes, the best one was microwaved
Carla Hall's microwaved omelet only takes a couple of minutes.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Bennett had a couple of favorite omelet recipes, but one of her favorites included Carla Hall's microwaved eggs.
Filled with mayonnaise, lemon juice, broccoli, and butter, the end result was fluffy and light. It had a nice balance of creamy cheese and crunchy vegetables.
The key to fluffy blueberry pancakes is whipped eggs
The finished pancake made with Bobby Deen's recipe was soft and golden.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Bobby Deen's winning recipe calls for whipped egg whites.
According to Bennett, the hardest part was whisking the eggs into stiff peaks, but the rest was simple and quick. The final stack was fluffy and delicious, especially with syrup.
Nancy Fuller serves up a hybrid of chia-seed pudding and overnight oats in half of a cantaloupe, then tops the concoction with blueberries and honey.
Bennett put all of the ingredients except the blueberries in a container and placed them in the fridge overnight. The flavor goes so well with the blueberries and honey.
Use simple and fresh ingredients to make delicious blueberry muffins
Trying Ina Garten's blueberry muffin was love at first bite.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Ina Garten's simple take on classic blueberry muffins proved to be the best of the bunch.
After using basic ingredients like flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to make the dough, Bennett folded in buttermilk, butter, eggs, lemon zest, and blueberries to make golden and moist muffins.
Use toasted oats for a hearty loaf of banana bread
The oats gave Alton Brown's bread a nice nutty flavor.
Paige Bennett for Insider
To make Alton Brown's banana bread, swap regular flour for homemade toasted-oat flour.
Bennett found the hardest part was making the flour without a food processor. After toasting and pulverizing oats and mixing them in eggs, stick everything in the oven for 10 minutes.
The final product has a distinct nutty flavor without being overpowering.
Three different kinds of alcohol are used to make a sweet and crispy French toast
Guy Fieri's recipe was complicated, but the results were delicious.
Paige Bennett for Insider
To make Guy Fieri's French toast, you'll need orange-flavored and creme de banana liqueur, dark rum, milk, cinnamon, and brown sugar. This recipe turned out to be the most expensive of the bunch, thanks to the alcohol.
Bennett thickened caramel sauce, dipped and fried bread, and carefully sautéd sliced bananas.
The sweet toast was soft but slightly crispy. The bananas gave it a hint of freshness, and the caramel sauce was delicious. You won't even need maple syrup.
Out of all the breakfast burritos, the best one had steak
Guy Fieri's burrito required a lot out of the cook, but it was satisfying and filling.
Tiffany Leigh
Fieri's breakfast burrito recipe calls for ingredients like skirt steak, scrambled eggs, onions, and pico de gallo. This recipe made the best-looking burrito and had an umami flavor thanks to the juicy steak.
Leigh arranged the filling, made up of steak, eggs, diced potatoes and onions, cheese, salsa roja, and lettuce, on the tortilla and then griddled the burrito for a couple of minutes. This gave the burrito a nice golden-brown color and grill marks.
The result was an incredibly satisfying breakfast dish loaded with flavors and textures.
Jeff Mauro's recipe for homemade hash browns came together quite easily
Jeff Mauro's hash browns got perfectly crispy and were well-seasoned.
Andy Lynes
Writer Andy Lynes thought Mauro's recipe for hash browns was easy to follow and produced a recognizable version of the breakfast classic.
Notably, this recipe didn't call for eggs or onions. Mauro's recipe required a short list of potatoes, butter, olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne powder.
The final hash browns had a great color from the spices, and they crisped up nicely in the pan.
A meal isn't complete without a generous side. We tested everything from different kinds of bread to salads and spreads to find which ones should be staples at your dinner table.
For flavorful corn on the cob, try a spicy chile-lime recipe topped with cheese
Aarón Sánchez's corn looked and tasted delicious.
Paige Bennett
Bennett followed corn recipes from Fieri, Giada De Laurentiis, Trisha Yearwood, and Aarón Sánchez.
After grilling the corn for 20 minutes, Sánchez seasons it with rocoto-chile paste, fresh cilantro, lime juice, butter, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Bennett topped it with cotija cheese, cilantro, and butter for a spicy and cheesy main dish.
Garten's stuffing was Bennett's favorite because of its complex flavor and easy preparation.
It required only one type of bread, baguettes, which made it easier to prepare. It also had fresh herbs, apples, and almonds combined with savory onions and celery.
To make the best guacamole, you'll need fresh ingredients
Aarón Sánchez's recipe had the best presentation.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Sánchez's guacamole is stuffed with a ton of ingredients, which made it the most time-consuming recipe of them all.
After using a mortar and pestle to grind the ingredients, Bennett noted that the chile, cilantro, sliced radish, and queso fresco added a nice kick to the avocado.
Easy and affordable ingredients can make the tastiest deviled eggs
Alex Guarnaschelli's simple deviled eggs were delicious.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Bennett tried deviled-egg recipes from Alex Guarnaschelli, Rachel Ray, and Paula Deen. Guarnaschelli's eggs were not only a breeze to make, but they were also creamy.
Simply toss egg yolks in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients until they become soft. They have a nice kick thanks to the hot sauce, scallions, and paprika.
This celebrity chef's garlic bread was buttery, spicy, and not at all soggy
The texture of Guy Fieri's garlic bread was spot-on.
Paige Bennett for Insider
The ingredients for Fieri's recipe are a little more complex than others, but the process is quite simple.
Bennett added all the ingredients to a bowl and slathered them on a French baguette. The parmesan, hot sauce, scallions, and parsley balanced each other out.
The best cornbread didn't have any butter but turned out soft and fluffy
Carla Hall's cornbread came out golden and cracked.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Hall follows her grandmother's recipe for golden cornbread. Bennett tested it out and found her technique to be simple and straightforward.
After making a thick batter, heat a cast-iron skillet and pour the mixture in. The creamed corn and canola oil made for a slice of soft and savory bread.
Guy Fieri's biscuits had a slightly lighter color than the others.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Fieri's buttermilk biscuits had similar ingredients to other recipes. Bennett mixed the ingredients in a food processor, cut the dough into rectangles, and brushed them with butter and salt.
She was initially skeptical of the scone-like appearance but found the cake flour made for a soft and delicious biscuit.
Brown's recipe seems complex at first but turned out to be quite simple. Bennett tossed the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, egg yolks, and warmed milk in a stand mixer and let the dough rest.
After letting it rest for an hour, slicing it into strips, and baking them, she found the rolls to be savory and crispy.
Ina Garten's mashed potatoes used sour cream for tanginess.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Garten's recipe was a traditional take on mashed potatoes. Bennett put it to the test and used a ricer to break up red potatoes, which was the most time-consuming part.
After mixing it with warm milk, sour cream, and butter, the final result was tangy and savory.
The best recipe for egg salad was simple and had a dash of fresh herbs
Ina Garten's egg salad was near perfect.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Garten's egg salad featured dill and mustard, with a stronger egg flavor. Bennett found the process of boiling eggs to be easy and quick.
All she had to do was add eggs to a pot, boil them, drain them, and cover the batch in cold water. Finally, she added some mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and dill.
Bennett's favorite pasta salad featured Miracle Whip for a salty and sweet flavor
The cheese in Sunny Anderson's dish was a welcome addition.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Sunny Anderson's recipe for pasta salad calls for peas, cheddar, bacon, and Miracle Whip.
Bennett found it to be easy to make. She simply mixed anchovy-free Worcestershire sauce, red onion, apple-cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper with cooked noodles. The sweet replacement for mayonnaise added a tangy kick.
There was more than one winner for the best potato salad
It was a tie between Guy Fieri's and Ina Garten's recipe.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Fieri and Garten were tied for the best potato salad. Fieri's recipe called for red potatoes, vinegar, mayonnaise, sour cream, green onions, bacon, and chopped green onions.
Garten, on the other hand, used whole-grain mustard, buttermilk, salt, pepper, celery, red onion, and white potatoes. Both were crunchy and tangy thanks to the vegetables and condiments.
The best marinara sauce used red wine to create a sweet yet rich flavor profile
Several aspects about Ina Garten's sauce set it apart from the rest.
Paige Bennett
Garten came out on top with the best marinara-sauce recipe perfect for any pasta. Garten's marinara recipe required a 1/2-cup of wine, crushed tomatoes, fresh parsley, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, and olive oil.
Bennett sautéd the onions and garlic and then deglazed the pan with red wine, which boiled down pretty quickly. Once she added the other ingredients to the pot and let them simmer, she topped the sauce with some fresh parsley.
Raisins added a chewy texture to Sunny Anderson's coleslaw.
Paige Bennett
Bennett was a fan of Anderson's flavorful coleslaw. The apple-raisin slaw called for mayo, sour cream, golden raisins, celery seeds, apple-cider vinegar, cabbage, shredded carrots, and shredded apples.
The finished dish had a balance of sweetness, savoriness, acidity, and tanginess from the sour cream, apples, and raisins. The flavors worked together to make a light yet refreshing take on the cookout classic.
If you find yourself scratching your head for a meal plan or main course, look no further. We've tested baked potatoes, hamburgers, corn on the cob, roast chicken, and pasta to find the best options for your next dinner.
The juiciest hamburgers are filled with steak sauce and butter
Ina Garten's burger was the tastiest.
Lucien Formichella for Insider
Food writer Lucien Formichella made different hamburger recipes from Brown, Fieri, and Garten.
His favorite was by the "Barefoot Contessa," which used the most ingredients — an egg yolk, steak sauce, two kinds of meat, and seasoning.
After hand-mixing everything, Formichella added butter to the meat and cooked it in a pan to make a robust and flavorful patty.
Delectable roast chicken doesn't need extra seasoning or toppings
Thomas Keller's chicken took minimal effort.
Tiffany Leigh for Insider
Leigh made roast chicken using recipes from Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, and Garten. Leigh found Keller's technique to be a breeze — and it only uses a handful of ingredients.
After defrosting the chicken, patting off the moisture, and sprinkling pepper and salt on the skin, she cooked it in a cast-iron skillet for 50 minutes. The result was crispy, golden brown, and juicy.
For tasty fettuccine Alfredo, incorporate cauliflower and no cream
Katie Lee Biegel's fettuccine will become a go-to meal.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Katie Lee Biegel's fettuccine uses less cheese and more vegetables than other recipes. Though Bennett felt this recipe was more complex than the rest, she found it made the perfect sauce.
To make it, boil cauliflower florets, blend them with milk, and add fettuccine to the boiling vegetable mix. After adding Parmesan cheese, she loved the creamy texture and hardly tasted the cauliflower.
For crispy chicken wings, try a flavorful breading and deep-frying
Sunny Anderson's wings have a great crunch.
Chelsea Davis
Anderson's recipe calls for deep-frying and covering the chicken wings with a Buffalo sauce. Food writer Chelsea Davis didn't think that the breading and sauce were anything unique, but she loved that these wings had a nice crunch and tasty deep-fried flavor.
After tossing the wings with a spice blend of flour, cayenne, salt, and pepper, Davis heated oil in a pan and deep-fried the wings for about 25 minutes to create a great taste and texture.
There wasn't just one winner in the battle for the best chili
There was a tie for Ree Drummond's and Giada de Laurentiis' chili recipes.
Chelsea Davis
Davis made different types of chili from celebrity chefs from Garten, Drummond, and De Laurentiis. She loved Drummond's take on a traditional dish as well as De Laurentiis' recipe for a comforting, vegetable-filled chili.
Davis browned ground meat with onions and added a spice blend — chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper — tomato sauce, beans, and corn grits to make Drummond's chili.
For De Laurentiis' dish, Davis cooked ground chicken with a blend of salt, cumin, fennel, oregano, and chili powder and added corn, white beans, and Swiss chard to the mix.
Davis loved both Drummond's and De Larentiis' chili recipes for their hearty, savory, and complex flavors.
Ray's ribs packed flavor and called for a boozy ingredient
Ray's rack of ribs were slightly spicy and fruity.
Pascale Mondesir
Writer Pascale Mondesir thought Ray's dry rub helped make flavorful, delicious ribs.
The recipe called for a dry rub made with brown sugar, espresso powder, mustard powder, paprika, and cayenne. For the sauce, Ray specifically recommended Southern Comfort whiskey, as well as standard ingredients like chicken stock, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic, onion, oil, and ground pepper.
Though she wasn't sure if she'd like the mixture of hot sauce and whiskey in the sauce, the finished dish had a good spice level and enjoyable fruity flavor notes from the alcohol.
Celebrity chef Roy Choi's recipe for grilled cheese kept things simple yet tasty
Roy Choi's grilled-cheese sandwich called for only a few ingredients.
Meredith Schneider
Writer Meredith Schneider thought Choi's recipe for a grilled-cheese sandwich had an impressive, delicious blend of cheesy flavors.
The sandwich had the shortest ingredient list out of the recipes she tried, calling for sourdough bread, unsalted butter, yellow cheddar, white cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan.
Schneider even plans to make Choi's sandwich recipe her new go-to grilled cheese.
The perfect pumpkin pie had a bourbon-maple whipped cream
Bobby Flay's pie looked perfect once it cooled.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Though Flay's recipe had a laundry list of steps, Bennett found that making the filling was simple.
After hand-mixing all the ingredients in a bowl and baking a graham-cracker crust, all she had to do was pour the filling in and bake the pie for 90 minutes.
With the whipped cream, the dessert had the perfect balance of vanilla, maple syrup, warm pumpkin, and spices.
Dark chocolate-loaded brownies pair well with berries
Gordon Ramsay's brownies smelled so good.
Paige Bennett for Insider
To make Gordon Ramsay's indulgent brownies, melt dark chocolate and butter in a broiler and add in the rest of the batter ingredients.
After only 20 minutes, toss more chocolate bits into the crust to break it up. Bennett noted they became bubbly and added to the rich flavor and texture of the pastry.
You can make quick and easy chocolate lava cake using kitchen staples
The inside of Ree Drummond's lava cake was like a gooey brownie batter.
Paige Bennett for Insider
For an easy-to-make lava cake, try Drummond's recipe. Bennett simply melted butter and chocolate, then mixed it with powdered sugar, eggs, vanilla, and flour.
She cooked them for 13 minutes to make a delicious hybrid of brownies and batter. She recommended serving it with ice cream.
Caramel-filled apple pie is perfect for Thanksgiving
Ree Drummond's apple pie was tasty and flaky.
Paige Bennett
Drummond's recipe for this pie has a long list of ingredients for each component: the crust, the filling, and the topping.
The crust was incredibly buttery and flaky, and the added spices in the crust kept it flavorful. Bennett found the softened apples contrasted perfectly with the crunchy topping.
The top fruit salads used surprising but refreshing ingredients
Both Guy Fieri's and Bobby Flay's fruit salads used mint.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Bennett tried several recipes for the summery salad and found she'd make Fieri's and Flay's recipes again.
The "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" host grills his fruit and adds in pound cake, toasted almonds, mint, and lemony whipped cream for a sweet and caramelized dessert.
Flay uses papayas, kiwis, mangos, pineapples, mint, and a ginger-lime simple syrup for a tropical take.
Ree Drummond's pecan pie was super crispy and caramelized on top.
Paige Bennett
Out of all the pecan pies, Bennett found Drummond's recipe to be the tastiest.
Drummond used pantry staples like brown sugar, salted butter, eggs, and pecans to whip up this deliciously warm pie. Although the dough was pebbly at first, the crust held up well after it baked.
The gooey center and caramelized pecans made this dessert stand out.
Whether you're looking for a refreshing cocktail or a warm mug of hot chocolate to end your day, we've tested iconic beverage recipes from multiple celebrity chefs.
To make boozy hot chocolate, you'll need vodka or liqueur
Sandra Lee's hot chocolate had the perfect blend of flavors.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Sandra Lee's boozy and hot chocolate uses simple ingredients like milk chocolate, half-and-half, cinnamon, and either vanilla vodka or hazelnut liqueur.
Bennett found this was the fastest recipe to make. She enjoyed the sweet and nutty flavor, which is perfect for winter.
Steep milk with spices to make a chai-filled milkshake
This milkshake was the perfect blend of spices and chocolate.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Anderson's chocolate-chai milkshake was Bennett's favorite of the bunch. She started by steeping milk with cinnamon, pumpkin-pie spice blend, nutmeg, cardamom, fennel seeds, and black peppercorns on the stove for 20 minutes.
The mixture was then strained into a cup and cooled in the fridge. Bennett loved the cinnamon flavor and thick texture of the beverage.
Geoffrey Zakarian's margarita recipe was a classic.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Geoffrey Zakarian uses lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur, and agave syrup to make a refreshing cocktail.
Bennett found the tartness from the lime juice, the sweetness from the agave, and the saltiness of the rim came together well without any single ingredient overwhelming the drink.
Garten's classic recipe had a short ingredient list that included Cabernet Sauvignon and a lot of apple cider.
It also called for honey, cinnamon sticks, orange zest and juice, and a bit of clove and star anise. Bennett had the wine ready in 10 minutes after it simmered in a pot.
It wasn't spicy and had a good balance of sweet honey and cider.
Add a spicy kick to your Bloody Mary with a jalapeño
Bobby Flay's Bloody Mary had a slight kick.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Flay's recipe for a spicy citrus beverage calls for plenty of lemon and lime. There's also a jalapeño involved, which Bennett worried would make the drink too spicy.
It took no time at all to muddle most of the ingredients then add in vodka, tomato juice, and Worcestershire sauce. The flavors worked well and balanced one another, and the cocktail had a nice twist from the pepper.
The ginger beer had a distinct enough taste for this drink to resemble a cocktail in Geoffrey Zakarian's recipe.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Although it took a little bit longer to come together than the rest, Zakarian's sparkling mocktail was still easy to make.
Bennett filled a cocktail shaker with ice, then added the fruit juices. She strained the mix into an ice-filled glass, leaving a bit of room at the top to pour in the ginger beer.
The pineapple and mango juices gave it a tropical flavor and sweetness that perfectly paired with the spicy ginger beer, which gave the mix a kick that resembled a real cocktail.
Ina Garten's recipe didn't have a garnish and Alton Brown's drink was tart and sweet.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Garten's cosmopolitan recipe makes a massive single serving. Bennett mixed vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry-juice cocktail, and some fresh lime juice together.
There was a nice balance of lime and cranberry to take some of the edge off the liquor. Brown's process was simple, aside from finding fresh cranberries. Bennett boiled sugar, cranberries, and water together until most of the cranberries burst open.
After blending everything in a food processor, she added it to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, vodka, and lime juice for a refreshing beverage.
Every single mimosa recipe was good enough to make again
The mimosa recipes from Bobby Flay, Pat and Gina Neely, Alex Guarnaschelli, and Rachael Ray were all great.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Bennett made mimosa recipes from Flay, Pat and Gina Neely, Guarnaschelli, and Ray.
Each recipe highlighted different flavors and garnishes in the simple cocktail. She had no complaints about any of these mimosas because all of them were fruity, sweet, bubbly, and refreshing.
The fruitiest white sangria only takes 15 minutes to make
Racheal Ray's drink is topped with club soda.
Paige Bennett for Insider
Ray's recipe calls for apple liquor and sparkling water, which Bennett respectively swapped for apple brandy and club soda, as well as dry white wine, sugar, and a variety of colorful fruits.
The recipe also calls for fresh, ripe peaches. This cocktail was light, and the varying colors of the fruit this option stand out.
China's J-35A isn't its only new stealth aircraft in the works. Two prototypes of stealth fighters were seen flying in broad daylight in recent days and emerged on social media.
Liang Xu/Xinhua via Getty Images
Two prototypes for China's future stealth strike fighter took the skies in broad daylight.
Both appear to be advanced flying wing designs useful for attack missions.
China watchers buzzed about the possible roles of a fighter that could rival US aircraft.
Two prototypes for China's future stealth strike fighter took the skies in broad daylight in recent days, showcasing China's growing aerospace might as it tries to match the US.
The designs appeared intended to make a splash. One showed a triangular aircraft similar to America's retired F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, with some notable differences. The prototype by Chengdu Aerospace Corporation lacked a tail and fin-like vertical stabilizers and was powered by three engines; a new video shows it in a low-altitude turn accompanied by a J-20 Mighty Dragon stealth fighter.
Photos and videos also recently captured a stealth prototype, attributed to Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, fueling speculation the aircraft may be rivals.
The sightings immediately prompted questions among aviation watchers about whether these designs were stealthy strike aircraft (designed to ground-attack areas guarded by air defenses) or contenders for a leap-ahead sixth-generation air superiority fighter, of the sort the US is struggling to define.
"Fascinating that the [People's Liberation Army Air Force/Chinese Communist Party] have chosen to fly this prototype in daylight now," Justin Bronk, an airpower expert at the UK's RUSI think tank, said on X. "I suspect more likely to be the 5th Gen regional bomber/strike fighter project sometimes called J/H-XX."
A Defense Department report released in mid-December said that China "is developing new medium- and long-range stealth bombers to strike regional and global targets."
Some more better-resolution images of CAC‘s 6th generation fighter prototype/demonstrator pic.twitter.com/FzQFyCg7AA
Both prototype aircraft appear to be flying wing designs, which more efficiently distribute an aircraft's load and reduce drag. These aircraft are more inherently unstable and require automated fly-by-wire systems that constantly change the aircraft's flight controls. The US Air Force has leaned into this design with its Northrop B-2 Spirit and Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider bombers.
By eliminating a tail and vertical stabilizers, the flying wing reduces the number of angled surfaces that can produce radar returns. These types of aircraft may be able to strike defended areas before being detected on radar.
The author (not pictured) lives in Paris, while her parents live in Tucson.
RyanJLane/Getty Images
My husband and I moved from New York to Paris eight years ago.
I have two kids and my parents are older, and I realize how hard it is to be away from them.
I'm also an only child and have no one to share the responsibilities of caring for them.
When my husband and I first moved from New York to Paris eight years ago, we were thinking about kids — specifically, we wanted to be closer to his family to start our own.
I didn't comprehend what it meant to be an only child living so far away from my parents. New York is already a seven-hour flight from Tucson, where my parents live, I rationalized. What's eight hours more in the grand scheme of things? It helped when my parents floated the idea of buying a small vacation home in southern France.
Now that I have two small children and aging parents, the consequences have crystallized. It's too late to turn back now. I wonder what that means for our future.
Traveling to see them is hard
The first time we went to visit them, it was a disaster. My dog, Mochi, peed at the feet of airport security. For the previous eight hours, she'd quietly submitted to being stuffed under the seat in her carrier for our Paris-Atlanta flight. Our first child, Eloise, was at a "golden age" for travel. At 6 months old, she blissfully slept in an airline-provided bassinet hooked to the bulkhead.
Then we arrived at customs. The line wound around itself like a rattlesnake in a defensive coil. I pushed Eloise's stroller from one customs agent to the next, pleading to jump the line so we could make our tight layover to Tucson. They looked unimpressed.
We'd been waiting an hour and a half when Eloise started screaming. I picked her up and bounced. She screeched. People stared. Five minutes passed. A grandmotherly agent finally took pity and escorted us to the front of the line. That was when Mochi peed on the airport floor (and, as we sprinted to the gate, pooped). We missed our connecting flight.
Thanks to COVID, 18 months passed between that first Tucson trip and our next visit. Until then, Skype mercifully allowed my parents to see their granddaughter every week. But you can't hold and kiss, tickle, and chase over broadband.
After Thibault arrived, I couldn't justify a 24-hour journey with two tiny humans. I always pitied the parent following a toddler up and down the airplane aisle, rocking a screaming baby. I had no appreciation of what it was like to be that parent until I became one myself.
We waited until the kids were 18 months and 4 years old to venture back to my parents' house. The flight, combined with a nine-hour time change, was brutal. My husband and I — usually relatively collaborative — fought nonstop. In over a year, we haven't been back.
They are getting older
One upside of being an only child is that my parents have more bandwidth to visit us in Paris, a trip my mom makes every few months.
It only took a couple of visits before she shelved the idea of a vacation home here. We were all deluding ourselves.
As time passes, I reproach my only child's egotism. My parents are getting older, and each flight is harder. I know there will come a point when they aren't able to travel to us when they need someone to care for them. I'm the only person for that role.
How could I have reasonably considered living abroad as an only child? How could I have not foreseen the unfairness of dragging children on daylong flights? How could I have allowed myself to fall in love with a man who told me he planned to return to France on our very first date?
After that fateful missed flight, it took three frantic Uber rides before we found an Atlanta motel with an available room. Without a bassinet, Eloise slept on the floor; we passed out, fully clothed, on top of the bed. The following day, we made it to Tucson, bleary but relieved. Eloise met my childhood friends, swam in my parents' pool, and glimpsed her first saguaro. My parents spoiled their only granddaughter rotten.
We all make choices, but we're often bad at appreciating where those choices will lead until we're well past that fork in the road. My parents chose to have one child because I was "all they wanted" (I'm still not convinced that's a compliment). I fell in love with a Frenchman and moved 5,000 miles away. We'll have to make the best of it.
One upside of aging is that kids get older, too. We have an iPad and "PAW Patrol." Transatlantic flights will never be easy, but they will get easier.
My parents recently bought a new home with an upgraded view down the street from their old place. A huge selling point, for them and us, is it came with a waterslide. I can't wait to share it with my kids when we return this spring.
Ilana Dunn, who used to be a lead content creator for Hinge, broke down three ways people can improve their dating-app profiles.
Courtesy of Ilana Dunn
Podcast host Ilana Dunn gives daters advice on her podcast "Seeing Other People."
She guides her listeners through transforming their dating app profiles, charging $95 apiece.
She shared three tips to make dating profiles better, including how to choose photos.
Ilana Dunn knows dating — and she agrees that it's tough out there.
Dunn, 30, used to be the lead content creator for Hinge, a dating app with about 20 million users. Now, she hosts the podcast "Seeing Other People," which is about dating in the digital age. It recently hit 5 million downloads and has over 400 episodes.
Dunn told Business Insider that she sympathizes with modern daters, who have the daunting task of crafting digital personas.
"Dating apps appeared one day, and they never came with an instruction manual," Dunn said.
There's hope, she added: Some simple tweaks to online dating profiles can help boost the chances of better matches.
In recent years, fans of her podcast have reached out for help with their profiles. Dunn began charging $95 to revamp them, helping clients select the best photos and prompts and curate how they share the story of who they are.
Dunn shared her top three tips to improve any dating profile.
1. Choose photos that show you doing what you love
Dunn says many daters accidentally end up with bland profiles because they only pick photos where they think they look good.
Alicia Windzio/Getty Images
Dunn said some daters fall prey to an obvious impulse — they only select photos in which they think they look the best.
"They're just posting the most attractive pictures of themselves, or what they think somebody would be attracted to," she said.
It can end up looking like a random, bland collection of images, Dunn warned.
Instead, Dunn recommended finding photos that more effectively reflect one's interests and personality. For example, Dunn once suggested that a dater delete a gym selfie from their profile and upload a picture of a marathon they ran instead.
Dunn suggested a simple thought exercise: Think about how your friends might describe you to a stranger, then pick photos that showcase the most important things a potential partner should know about you.
2. Weave an easy date idea into your profile
Naming a favorite cocktail or coffee spot in your profile could make planning dates easier, Dunn said.
Uwe Krejci/Getty Images
A common complaint from dating-app users is that conversations rarely translate into real-life meetups. This year, Hinge added a feature that blocks users from matching with new people if they have eight unanswered matches.
To encourage real-life plans, Dunn suggests planting an idea for a date somewhere in your profile, ideally related to food or drink you like.
Sometimes it's as easy as tweaking a statement you're already making. For example, Dunn would change a response to the prompt "The one thing you should know about me is…" from "I just moved to New York City" to "I'm looking for the best dollar slice in town."
"It sends the signal, 'We don't have to beat around the bush. We can just get to the date,'" Dunn said.
She added that another strategy is to name your favorite cocktail or café order and then ask where to find it in your profile.
3. Put one of your answers to a prompt in list form
Dunn mentioned the Jonas Brothers in her dating-app profile — and matched with her now husband because of it.
Francesco Prandoni/Getty Images
Dunn said more is better when it comes to listing your interests on your dating-app profile.
You never know what word or phrase might pique the interest of a potential match, so put it all out there, she added.
Dunn recalled filling out Hinge's "I won't shut up about…" prompt when she was dating. She initially listed just her dog, Zoe, but then went back and added the Jonas Brothers and Sugarfish, a buzzy chain of sushi restaurants in New York and LA.
Her future husband ended up messaging her about the Jonas Brothers. The first dance at their wedding? "When You Look Me In The Eyes," by the Jonas Brothers.
"We've now been to 10 Jonas Brothers concerts together," Dunn said. "We may not have met if that wasn't on my profile."
President-elect Donald Trump shared the news at a campaign event in Michigan in October.
Michael Boulos began dating Tiffany Trump in 2018 and reportedly proposed to her with a $1.2 million engagement ring at the White House, shortly before Donald Trump left office. The couple wed at Mar-a-Lago in 2022.
Boulos' father, Massad Boulos, is CEO of the Nigerian automotive business SCOA Nigeria and will serve as a senior advisor on Middle Eastern affairs in Trump's second White House administration.
The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Here's a timeline of Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos' relationship.
July 2018: Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos began dating after meeting at Lindsay Lohan's beach club in Mykonos, Greece, according to People magazine.
Lindsay Lohan.
Andy Kropa/Invision/AP
Boulos grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where his family owns the automotive conglomerate SCOA Nigeria. He was studying project management at City, University of London, when he met Tiffany, then a law student at Georgetown, on vacation in Mykonos.
"I wasn't there when they met," Lohan told People magazine at the premiere party for her MTV series, "Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club," in 2019, adding that she knew both Tiffany Trump and Boulos but didn't know exactly how they met.
September 2018: They made their first public appearance together at New York Fashion Week.
Michael Boulos and Tiffany Trump at New York Fashion Week.
Noam Galai/Getty Images
Boulos joined Tiffany Trump in the front row of the Taoray Wang show during New York Fashion Week.
November 2018: Page Six reported that the two were dating, and that Tiffany Trump had introduced Boulos to her family over Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago.
The Trump family celebrated Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago in 2018.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
"Tiffany is happy she has so far been able to keep things with Michael under the radar," an unnamed source told Page Six. "But she introduced him to her family at Thanksgiving, and he comes across as a very intelligent young man from a great family. There was no mention of the president's unfortunate comment about African nations."
In January 2018, Donald Trump reportedly referred to African nations and Haiti using an expletive during a meeting with lawmakers. He denied the reports, writing on X that the language he used was "tough" but that the widely reported remark was "not the language used."
January 2019: Boulos made his first appearance on her Instagram.
Tiffany Trump.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Trump posted an Instagram photo of her and Boulos in the Red Room of the White House at Christmastime. Boulos also shared a photo with her at a White House Christmas party, captioned, "Christmas vibes are the best vibes," in a post that no longer appears on his page.
February 2019: They attended New York Fashion Week with Tiffany Trump's mother, Marla Maples.
Michael Boulos, Tiffany Trump, and Marla Maples at New York Fashion Week.
Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Taoray Wang
As they had the year before, Tiffany Trump and Boulos sat in the front row of the Taoray Wang show.
April 2019: Boulos joined the Trump family for Easter services at the Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Palm Beach, Florida.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump with Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos on Easter.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
Tiffany Trump shared a photo of herself and Boulos, as well as snapshots with her father, Donald Trump Jr., and Kimberly Guilfoyle, on Instagram. The photos are no longer available on her Instagram page.
May 2019: They stepped out together at the Cannes Film Festival.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at Cannes Film Festival.
Pierre Suu/GC Images
Public records showed that the three-night trip to France, during which the couple stayed at the Marriott Jesta Fontainebleau hotel, cost taxpayers at least $20,000, Quartz reported.
"For operational security reasons, the Secret Service cannot discuss specifically nor in general terms the means, methods, resources, costs, or numbers we utilize to carry out our protective responsibilities," a Secret Service spokesperson told Quartz.
June 2019: They flew to Orlando for a rally kicking off Donald Trump's 2020 campaign.
Members of the Trump family at Donald Trump's 2020 campaign kickoff rally.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
"With every ounce of heart and mind, and sweat and soul, we're going to keep making America great again, and then we will indeed keep America great," Donald Trump said in his speech. "I will keep it so great. Better than ever before. We're going to keep it better than ever before. And that is why tonight, I stand before you to officially launch my campaign for a second term as president of the United States."
August 2019: Tiffany Trump wished Boulos a happy birthday on Instagram, writing that he fills her life with "so much joy, kindness and laughter!"
Michael Boulos and Tiffany Trump.
Mandel Ngan/Getty Images
"Happy Birthday, @michaelboulos," she captioned a photo of her and Boulos. "You fill my life with so much joy, kindness and laughter! Thank you for always putting a smile on my face!"
September 2019: Boulos joined his girlfriend to hear Donald Trump speak at the UN.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the UN.
Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
Boulos sat behind Tiffany, who was seated beside Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle.
November 2019: They greeted guests at the national Thanksgiving turkey pardoning event in the Rose Garden of the White House.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the national Thanksgiving turkey pardoning.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
How the turkey pardoning tradition started is still a bit of a mystery, but the White House traces it all the way back to President Abraham Lincoln in 1863.
December 2019: They celebrated New Year's together at Mar-a-Lago.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at a New Year's celebration at Mar-a-Lago.
JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
Trump's other children were in attendance, as well as his then-lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
July 2020: Trump and Boulos waved to crowds gathered at Mount Rushmore for Independence Day fireworks.
Michael Boulos, Tiffany Trump, Eric Trump, and Lara Trump at Mount Rushmore.
August 2020: They attended the funeral of Donald Trump's brother, Robert.
Members of the Trump family on the White House North Portico following the funeral of Robert Trump.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Robert Trump died on August 15, 2020, at the age of 71.
"He was not just my brother, he was my best friend," Donald Trump said in a statement. "He will be greatly missed, but we will meet again. His memory will live on in my heart forever. Robert, I love you. Rest in peace."
August 2020: Tiffany Trump and Boulos attended the Republican National Convention, where she gave a speech.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the 2020 Republican National Convention.
Evan Vucci/AP
Tiffany Trump spoke on the second night of the RNC in support of her father and mentioned her recent graduation from Georgetown Law School.
"Like so many students across the world, I graduated from law school during the pandemic," she said. "Our generation is unified in facing the future in uncertain times. And many of us are considering what kind of country we want to live in. As a recent graduate, I can relate to so many of you who might be looking for a job. My father built a thriving economy once and believe me, he will do it again."
October 2020: They arrived in Nashville to watch the final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the Nashville International Airport.
Tom Brenner/Reuters
The debate featured plexiglass barriers between the candidates to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and a mute button to prevent them from talking over each other.
November 2020: They joined Donald Trump at the White House to watch the election results come in.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the White House on election night.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
The Trumps watched election results in the East Room of the White House.
January 2021: The couple announced their engagement on Instagram the day before Trump left office.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos departed Washington, DC, on Inauguration Day.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
The day before Biden's inauguration, Tiffany Trump shared an Instagram photo of her and Boulos standing in the White House Colonnade.
"It has been an honor to celebrate many milestones, historic occasions and create memories with my family here at the White House, none more special than my engagement to my amazing fiancé Michael!" she wrote. "Feeling blessed and excited for the next chapter!"
Boulos also announced their engagement on Instagram, writing, "Got engaged to the love of my life! Looking forward to our next chapter together."
Boulos proposed in the White House Rose Garden with a diamond ring worth $1.2 million, People magazine reported.
July 2021: Trump and Boulos, who moved to Miami after her father's presidency, were spotted in Mykonos.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos in Florida.
Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
Tiffany Trump and Boulos vacationed in Mykonos, where their relationship began, over the summer.
May 2022: Tiffany Trump and Boulos chose Mar-a-Lago as their wedding venue.
Mar-a-Lago.
Steve Helber/AP
Page Six reported that Donald Trump and his ex-wife, Tiffany's motherMarla Maples, would host the wedding at Mar-a-Lago with over 500 people expected to attend.
November 2022: Tropical Storm Nicole made landfall north of Palm Beach days before the wedding, putting their wedding plans in jeopardy.
Tropical Storm Nicole floods streets in Florida.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Days before the wedding, Mar-a-Lago and its surrounding coastal residential areas were under mandatory evacuation orders because of the storm.
A Mar-a-Lago employee confirmed to Business Insider that the club had reopened on Friday, November 11, just in time for Trump and Boulos' welcome dinner.
November 2022: Tiffany Trump and Boulos' wedding proceeded as planned.
Preparations at Mar-a-Lago ahead of Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos' wedding.
MEGA/GC Images
Tiffany Trump wore a sparkling long-sleeved wedding dress from Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab, a likely nod to Boulos' Lebanese heritage. The couple exchanged vows under a gazebo decorated with cascading bouquets of pastel-colored flowers.
In an Instagram post, Tiffany Trump described the wedding as "The most magical day."
May 2024: Tiffany Trump and Boulos attended the closing arguments of Donald Trump's hush-money trial in New York City.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos with other Trump family members at the Manhattan Criminal Court.
Julia Nikhinson-Pool/Getty Images
Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. The former president denies ever having sex with Daniels and has called the trial a "witch hunt."
July 2024: They attended days two and four of the Republican National Convention.
Corey Lewandowski with Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the Republican National Convention.
October 2024: While speaking at a campaign event, Donald Trump announced that Tiffany Trump and Boulos are expecting their first child.
Donald Trump at the Detroit Economic Club.
Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
Speaking to a crowd at the Detroit Economic Club, Donald Trump shared the news while acknowledging the presence of Michael Boulos' father, businessman Massad Boulos, at the event.
"He happens to be the father of Tiffany's husband Michael, who's a very exceptional young guy, and she's an exceptional young woman," he said. "And she's going to have a baby, so that's nice."
November 2024: In the days leading up to the presidential election, Tiffany Trump and Boulos appeared at campaign events in Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Donald Trump with Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Tiffany Trump delivered a rare speech in Reading, Pennsylvania, telling the crowd, "Hello, we love you, we support you, and my father's here fighting for you and he's never gonna let you down, so please vote. Let's get this country back on track."
November 2024: Tiffany Trump and Boulos celebrated Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election.
Trump family members on election night.
JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
Tiffany Trump and Boulos joined other Trump family members and associates at the campaign's election night watch party in West Palm Beach, Florida.
December 2024: Trump chose Boulos' father, Massad Boulos, to serve as a senior advisor on Middle Eastern affairs.
Michael Boulos.
Jeenah Moon for The Washington Post via Getty Images
In a Truth Social post, Donald Trump described Massad Boulos as "an accomplished lawyer and a highly respected leader in the business world."
"He has been a longtime proponent of Republican and Conservative values, an asset to my Campaign, and was instrumental in building tremendous new coalitions with the Arab American Community," he wrote in part.
Trump's description of Massad Boulos as an "accomplished lawyer" may not be accurate. Although Massad Boulos listed a law degree from Texas Southern University on his LinkedIn profile, a Business Insider investigation found that he does not appear to be licensed to practice law in any of the countries where he's lived.
Massad Boulos was also widely reported to be the billionaire owner of Boulos Enterprises and told The New York Times in December that his company was worth billions. However, Boulos Enterprises is owned by a different Boulos family. The small automotive company Massad Boulos runs, SCOA Nigeria, is worth about $865,000.
Massad Boulos later told The New York Times that he was referring to his father-in-law's companies when asked about his business. Massad Boulos' wife, Sarah Fadoul Boulos, is the daughter of wealthy Lebanese businessman Michel Zouhair Fadoul, who runs The Fadoul Group's conglomerate.
In an email to Business Insider, Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt called media reports examining Boulos' credentials "fake news."
"The truth is Mr. Boulos is a highly respected businessman who has proudly served as the CEO of some of his family's group of companies based in West Africa for more than 27 years, and his family has employed tens of thousands of people around the globe," Leavitt said.
People were pulled alive from the aft wreckage of the Azerbaijan Airlines crash on Wednesday.
Issa Tazhenbayev/Anadolu via Getty Images
A video shows people emerging from the wreckage of Wednesday's Azerbaijan Airlines crash.
A 2015 study from Time Magazine found lower fatality rates in the rear section of aircraft.
Pilot actions and the circumstances of the crash impact survivability across all seat areas.
Video footage of survivors emerging from the wreckage of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed Wednesday raises questions on how it's possible to survive such a catastrophic event. At least 29 people survived the crash in Kazakhstan, and 38 people died.
The survivability of any plane crash largely depends on the circumstances of the accident. It's not yet known what caused the Azerbaijan crash, or how nearly half the people on board survived.
In general, however, seating arrangements and the actions of crew on board can contribute to survivability.
Specifically, seats in the rear of a plane — the section from which the Azerbaijan survivors were emerging — are historically the safest, data shows.
Federal data analyzed by Time Magazine in 2015, which looked at 17 crashes between 1985 and 2000 that had both survivors and fatalities and seat maps available, found the back third of the aircraft had a fatality rate of 32%.
The aft middle seats had the lowest fatality rate at 28%.
That compares to the 39% fatality rate in the middle third section and the 38% fatality rate in the front third section. The study found the highest fatality rate was in the middle section aisle seats at 44%.
The report followed a 2007 analysis by the science and technology magazine Popular Mechanics.
It analyzed 20 crashes dating back to 1971 and found the survival rate in the aft section was 69%, which is a 31% fatality rate. The middle section and front sections had survival rates of 56% and 49%, respectively.
The rear seats can experience less G-force
The back of the plane may be safer because, when a plane crashes, the front and middle sections often absorb much of the impact energy.
This can allow the back of the aircraft to remain more intact during head-on collisions with water or terrain, even if the rear portion separates from the plane.
The sole four people who survived a Japan Airlines crash in 1985 were seated in the aft section when the plane slammed into a mountainside. 520 others died.
A Delta Air Lines crash in 1985 in Texas saw 27 survivors, most of whom were seated in the back of the aircraft. The aft section broke free during impact.
In 2012, the Discovery Channel purposefully crashed a Boeing 727 into the desert with test dummies on board to analyze survivability.
They found that the middle and aft sections were the least fatal, with the front section experiencing 12 times the force of gravity. The middle and aft sections experienced a G-force of eight and six, respectively.
Crew actions can increase survivability
Pilot handling and cabin crew responses can also improve the chances of surviving a plane crash.
Azerbaijan Airlines president Samir Rzayev spoke about the pilots' "heroism" to reporters on Wednesday. Both died in the crash.
"While this tragic accident brought a significant loss to our nation, the crew's valiant dedication to their duties until the last moment and their prioritization of human life have immortalized their names in history," Rzayev said, according to the Report, an Azerbaijani news agency.
Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger is one of the more famous examples of pilots whose quick decision-making is credited with saving lives.
In 2009, Sullenberger's US Airways plane lost engine power over New York City. He responded by ditching the aircraft in the Hudson River because there were no runways in gliding range. All 155 passengers and crew survived.
Survivors in rafts next to the sinking Miracle on the Hudson aircraft.
Bebeto Matthews/AP Images
Decades earlier, a United Airlines plane crashed in Iowa in 1989 due to an engine failure and subsequent hydraulics loss, meaning aircraft control was severely limited.
The pilots kept the landing gear down to absorb some of the crash shock and maintained relative control of the plane as it crashed. 184 of the 296 passengers and crew survived.
Flight attendants have also been credited for saving lives. During a fiery Japan Airlines runway collision in January, flight crews' quick response and communication were cited for the successful evacuation of all 379 people on board.
There is no universal safest seat
Federal authorities say there is no safest seat on a plane because every crash is different and depends on factors like how the plane impacted the ground and whether there was a fire.
Sully's water landing is an example of how the back of the plane could be most at risk after landing because it was taking on water with no exit doors available — so those passengers were among the last to exit.
In the United crash in Iowa, most of the survivors were in the rows behind first class but in front of the wings. They likely lived because of how the plane hit the ground and broke during landing, allowing people to more easily escape. Some people who did not perish on impact died due to smoke inhalation, an NTSB investigation found.
In 1977, a Pan Am and a KLM Boeing 747 collided in Tenerife, Spain, killing 583 people and becoming the world's deadliest plane crash. However, 61 people seated in the front section of the Pan Am plane survived.
Everyone survived the fiery Japan Airlines crash in January.
STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images
The KLM jet hit the middle and aft sections of the Pan Am aircraft, causing the front of the Pan Am jet to be less severely damaged and allowing people to escape via an opening near the left wing.
Despite the different outcomes of the varying air crashes over the decades, flying is the safest mode of transportation — regardless of where you sit — thanks to strict safety laws and improvements in aircraft design.
A 2020 National Transportation Safety Board survivability report found that 1.3% of people involved in commercial airline accidents between 2001 and 2017 died, down from 4.7% between 1983 and 2000.
Apple has a multibillion-dollar deal with Google that makes Google the default search engine in Safari.
Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Apple exec Eddy Cue explained why the company has not built its own search engine.
Google has a deal with Apple to be its default search engine, and Apple wants to keep it that way.
The exec explained Apple's reasoning in a filing related to the DOJ's antitrust case against Google.
Apple says it plans to stick to what it knows best, and that doesn't include building its own search engine.
In court papers filed this week in Washington, DC, Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of services, listed the reasons the iPhone maker does not want to create its own search engine.
The filing was made in connection to the Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google, which argues that Google has an illegal monopoly over the search engine market. One of the DOJ's key pieces of evidence in the trial is a revenue-sharing deal between Google and Apple that makes Google the default search engine on Apple's Safari browser on all its devices. Google has been paying Apple for this default search engine status since 2002. Google's payout has increased dramatically over the years, rising to around $20 billion in 2022.
Apple had asked to participate in the trial to defend its partnership with Google, Reuters reported. And in this week's filing, Cue explained the motivation behind the deal, including why Apple uses Google's search engine instead of creating its own.
He gave three main reasons:
Developing a search engine would "cost billions of dollars and take many years," Cue said in the filing. He added that it would divert employees and capital investment away from the company's other areas of growth.
Search is "rapidly evolving" alongside artificial intelligence, and investing in it now would be "economically risky," Cue said.
Search engines require a platform to sell targeted advertising, and that is not a core part of Apple's business, Cue said. He said Apple also does not have the staff or operational infrastructure to build out a successful search advertising business. And he said it could conflict with Apple's "longstanding privacy commitments."
Cue said the DOJ is wrongly assuming that, without a deal with Google, Apple would create its own search engine. Cue said that's not likely, regardless of the case's outcome. And he warned that if the DOJ blocks Google's revenue-sharing deal with Apple, then "it would hamstring Apple's ability to continue delivering products that best serve its users' needs."
Cue also highlighted Apple's revenue-sharing agreements with other search engines. These include deals that give Yahoo!, Microsoft Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia access to Apple users' Safari search queries, he said.
In 2018, Apple considered buying Microsoft's Bing search engine or investing in a multibillion-dollar deal to allow Bing to supplement some of Google's dominance on Apple devices, CNBC reported in 2023. But the deal, which could have tarnished Apple's relationship with Google, ultimately did not go through, according to the report.
Minimal designs weren't a hit with designers this year.
Sheila Say/Shutterstock
We asked four interior designers to share which living-room trends missed the mark this year.
All-white everything and bouclé-textured furniture are out.
Wood-paneled accent walls and too much light wood can make your room feel inauthentic.
We asked four interior designers which living-room trends totally missed the mark this year.
Here are the styles and designs they told Business Insider they don't think we'll be seeing in 2025.
Bouclé is overdone.
Bouclé chairs and couches were huge this year.
FollowTheFlow/Getty Images
Anna Tatsioni, lead interior designer at Decorilla, has seen enough bouclé (a thick, curled fabric) in living rooms this year.
"Bouclé has exploded in popularity, particularly as upholstery for couches, and it's just so overdone," she told BI. "I also think it can be a really restrictive textile as it only works with a limited number of colors and can look very synthetic."
Instead, consider adding other textures to your space to create more variety.
Minimalism took over to a fault.
Minimalism can sometimes feel boring.
Procreators/Shutterstock
Tatsioni told us that minimalism was taken to extremes to create tidy and clean-looking spaces this year — and isn't working in its current form.
"So many interiors are starting to look like those I'd find in a show home," she said. "Minimalism can be done beautifully, but when brought to the extreme, it can dampen any sign of unique personality or character in an interior, making a place feel sterile and uninviting."
Oversized furniture in small spaces is a miss.
A giant couch won't really make your living room feel bigger.
Dariusz Jarzabek/Shutterstock
"I suspect that social media might be to blame for this, but the trend of having massive cloud couches is problematic for smaller living rooms," Tatsioni said.
She cautions against thinking oversized furniture is necessary to create a cozy living room space, as other options often work better.
"There are so many gorgeous styles of comfortable couches and easy chairs that are perfect for smaller living rooms, which can work much better for maximizing limited space," she told BI.
All-white living rooms are a tired trend.
A small pop of color can go a long way in a living room.
Followtheflow/Shutterstock
Brad Smith, the CEO and lead designer at Omni Home Ideas, said it's time for living rooms to stop feeling "too sterile and uninviting" with their all-white color schemes.
Smith said homeowners can create a balanced look and add warmth and personality to predominantly white spaces by "incorporating colorful accents like throw pillows, artwork, or even a textured rug."
The industrial style didn't work in some living rooms this year.
Brick walls can feel cold if they're not styled right.
July Prokopiv/Shutterstock
Industrial elements include metal accents, exposed bricks, and raw materials. They can make a space look edgy and modern.
However, when a living room leans too far into this design style, Smith said, it instead "comes off as cold and impersonal."
"A balanced approach using softer textures and natural materials can help soften the industrial feel and make the space more welcoming," he told BI.
Maximalist patterns, colors, and styles didn't always work.
Some of the best maximalist spaces stick with a color scheme.
united photo studio/Shutterstock
Keri Petersen, owner and lead designer at KP Spaces, said maximalism missed the mark this year because it can quickly go from "collected and cool" to "cluttered chaos" in a living room.
"Too many patterns, colors, and styles thrown together without a plan? The result is a space that feels overwhelming and anything but relaxing," she told BI.
To add life to a space without creating chaos, she suggested sticking with a cohesive color palette and limiting yourself to only using two or three complementary patterns in a room.
The novelty of wood-paneled accent walls didn't last.
Too much wood can look dated.
Washdog/Shutterstock
"Wood-paneled accent walls were a fun way to bring a natural, rustic touch into a home. But, like all trends, it got overdone, fast," Petersen said.
She added that when too many walls are paneled — especially with cheap, faux materials — a space can start to feel inauthentic and dated.
"If you want a focal wall with timeless appeal, try limewash or textured plaster for that subtle, earthy vibe," she said.
Too much light wood sucked the dimension out of some spaces this year.
If you want a lot of light wood and colors, you may want to add contrast to your space as well.
Pinkystock/Shutterstock
It is possible to have too much of a good thing, especially when it comes to light-colored wood, said Allison Burke, principal at Allison Burke Interior Design.
"Light wood tones, especially white oak, have been absolutely everywhere, and while they have a fresh, airy look, it's starting to feel a little overdone," she told BI.
When spaces have too much light wood, they can "feel too uniform and lack dimension," she said. Plus, darker wood tones add a layer of sophistication to a room that light ones can't.
Open shelving isn't ideal for most people.
Open shelves should be styled well and cleaned often if you want them to look good.
Sheila Say/Shutterstock
"Open shelving had its moment in the spotlight, but let's be honest: It's much harder to pull off than it looks," Burke told BI.
These shelves can make rooms look unpolished and busy.
"It's a tough trend to sustain day-to-day," she added. Most homeowners aren't styling their living room spaces to perfection or constantly dusting.
Instead, she recommended blending closed storage solutions with glass-front or framed cabinet doors that look far more polished.
YouTube said this month that creator earnings from TV were up more than 30% year over year, and the share of videos uploaded in 4K was up over 35%.
Kurt Wilms, senior director of product management at YouTube, said more creators are making highly produced, episodic content. Wilms leads teams responsible for YouTube's "living room" efforts.
"2024 was the year of living room," Wilms told Business Insider. "Creators across the board, no matter what content they're making, are leaning into optimizing their content for the biggest screen."
Historically, many creators thought their audiences would be watching on a mobile phone and didn't expect them to watch for an hour or two in one sitting, Wilms said. But now, creators are no longer limited to thinking about making content in bite-sized pieces.
Michelle Khare, who has 4.8 million subscribers, is an example of a YouTube creator focused on episodic content. Her "Challenge Accepted" series is divided into episodes and seasons. She also categorizes her content on YouTube and organizes similar-themed videos into playlists, which makes it easier to watch them all at once on a TV screen.
"One of the things that has happened throughout 2024 is content that's maybe traditionally viewed on television, like sports and kids' content, is performing well for us on the TV," Wilms said. "It's gained a lot of momentum."
In YouTube Studio, creators can see their analytics related to how different videos performed across devices such as mobile, web, and TV.
"I would assume for most creators over time they're going to see a shift and TV viewership pick up," Wilms said. "I just think that's an overall industry trend and viewing trend that's going to happen."
Looking ahead, Wilms said his team is thinking about how to better enable features that let the audience interact with creators more easily on the big screen.
Kurt Wilms is senior director of product management at YouTube.
YouTube
Here are 3 high performing types of content on the YouTube app for TVs, according to Wilms:
Watch-along sports content
A popular search term for sports-related content on YouTube is "watchalong," which is what creators call commentary-related videos for live events, including sports.
"You can come before a game to see the news, the predictions, the clips, the interviews, all leading up to a game," Wilms said. "When the game's going on, you can see real-time reaction highlights and commentary on the plays. Then, when the game is over, you can see all the official highlights and pundits talking about what they thought of the game."
NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL RedZone subscribers can watch two to four streams together based on program start and end times with a feature called multiview.
Wilms said next year, his team would continue to pilot a feature called "watch with," where the viewer can watch both an event and a creator at once on screen.
"Watch with was born out of this idea that creators are commentators," Wilms said. "We're in the early stages of development on this feature. But we think it's going to be amazing for creators and viewers."
Content geared to kids
Kids' content also performs well on TV, Wilms said.
"I think because one of the big value props of YouTube on the big screen is the ability to co-watch it with others, whether it's friends or family," Wilms said.
In the last year, the Ms. Rachel YouTube channel, which has 12.8 million subscribers, had one of the platform's highest watch times on TVs, the company said this month.
Last year, YouTube combined YouTube and YouTube Kids into one app for the living room. Now, YouTube is rolling out a feature for TVs called Parent Code, which allows parents to set a PIN code to access adult-focused content on the app.
Traditionally, a podcast was thought of as an audio-only experience. But now, many creators make video podcasts that resemble a talk show format.
"With video podcasts in the living room, you can put it on your TV and watch or listen to it while you do something else hands-free," Wilms said.
Wilms said viewers generally choose to watch content on the big screen over a mobile phone or a computer for three main reasons: they are dedicated fans of a creator; they want to watch content with others; or they are at home and watch while they do something else, like clean or make dinner.
BI asked the largest US investment banks if they test for marijuana and other drugs.
NY prohibits employers from testing many job seekers for marijuana.
Drug testing on Wall Street is not dead, however. See the policies and exceptions here.
Laws and attitudes around drugs are swiftly shifting, which can create confusion for job seekers. Is medical marijuana OK to use at work if you have a prescription? What drugs can you be tested when applying for a new job?
In New York, the financial capital of the United States, recreational cannabis use is now legal for people over age 21, and testing job seekers for marijuana in the Empire State has been largely outlawed.
That doesn't mean that drug testing on Wall Street is dead, however. Indeed, many large banks have strict rules against using substances at work, including unsanctioned alcohol. And while NY-based employers are prohibited from testing most job seekers for marijuana, they can still test for other drugs and discipline workers for being impaired on the job by drugs, including cannabis.
BI reached out to six large banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Citi, to ask about their drug testing policies. We found that, for the most part, these employers no longer screen most job applicants for drugs of any kind.
That said, these banks still have the right to test for drugs, including marijuana, under certain circumstances, including when federal or state law requires it as a mandate of the position or when someone shows signs of being impaired on the job.
Bank of America reserves the right to screen for drugs when legally required, according terms and conditions of employment posted on its website. JPMorgan Chase, meanwhile, may require suppliers to test personnel who work with the bank for amphetamines, cocaine, opiates, and phencyclidine, according to documents posted on its website.
Like it or not, drugs have long been a mainstay of Wall Street culture. While cocaine has been largely replaced by softer uppers, like Adderall and Zyn, the intense demands of the finance industry can often lead to drug use, as Business Insider has previously reported.
See what we learned about drug testing for job seekers and current employees at Citi, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and more.
Bank of America
Bank of America
VIEW press/Corbis via Getty Images
A spokesperson for the Charlotte, North Carolina-headquartered bank said the firm does not require new hires or current employees to test for drug use.
Documents posted on the company's website show that it may screen for drugs in select circumstances. One document, for example, says employees may be asked to "agree to undergo a screening for illegal drugs prior to or during my employment with Bank of America if requested or as legally required." A positive test may "render me ineligible for employment at Bank of America."
The drug policy posted on the bank's website says that the use or even possession of illicit drugs during work hours can lead to termination.
Citigroup
Citigroup logo
Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images
Citi also doesn't require drug testing as a condition of employment, a bank spokesperson said. This goes for both new hires and existing employees.
BI reported in 2019 that Citigroup was reevaluating its stance on testing job applicants for marijuana use. The bank also held high-level discussions among senior executives about how closely it should work with the cannabis industry or clients interested in doing cannabis deals.
Goldman Sachs
David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs.
Reuters / Shannon Stapleton
A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs told BI that the bank does not test new hires or current employees for marijuana or other substances.
Goldman's policy is a switch from 2019 when a Goldman spokesperson told BI the bank drug tests new hires, though the screening process did not include marijuana.
JPMorgan
Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan.
Getty/Win McNamee
A spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase declined to comment on the bank's drug-testing policies.
A 2021 document obtained by BI showed that JPMorgan may test its supplier's employees, at the supplier's expense, at a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) certified site. This includes personnel who "work at a site of any JPMC and receive a JPMC identification access badge" or who have access to the bank's confidential information, networks or systems, or customer property, the document says.
Morgan Stanley
The Morgan Stanley headquarters in Times Square.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
A Morgan Stanley spokesperson told BI that the bank does not test employees or new hires for any substances.
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo in San Francisco
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Wells Fargo does not require new hires or current employees to screen for marijuana or other drugs, a spokesperson told BI. "Drug testing is not part of our pre-employment eligibility review," the spokesperson wrote.
That said, Wells Fargo's online policy calls for a "drug-free workplace," including the improper use of legal substances. "All employees are required to perform their job duties unimpaired by illegal drugs, marijuana, alcohol, or the improper use of legal substances," the policy states, adding: "Employees are prohibited from working or reporting to work when impaired by alcohol or drugs."
Bob Dylan has six kids from his previous marriages to Sara Lownds and Carolyn Dennis.
Dylan and Lownds welcomed four kids together and the singer adopted Lownds' daughter, Maria.
Dylan shares a daughter named Desiree with Carolyn Dennis, whom he was married to from 1986 to 1992.
Bob Dylan is a 10-time Grammy Award winner and is considered one of the most prolific singer-songwriters of all time, but his personal life is surprisingly low key.
The Minnesota native's rise to fame in the '60s is the focal point of James Mangold's latest film, "A Complete Unknown," which stars Timothée Chalamet as Dylan. The movie also features Monica Barbaro as the folk singer Joan Baez and Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, a fictional version of Dylan's girlfriend at the time, Suze Rotolo.
In real life, Dylan, now 83, was twice married and shares six kids with his ex-wives. Here's everything to know about them.
Dylan welcomed 4 children with his first wife, Sara Lownds, and adopted her daughter from a previous marriage
Bob Dylan and Sara Lownds in September 1969.
Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Dylan and Lownds were married from November 1965 to June 1977. During their relationship, Dylan adopted Maria Lownds (born on October 21, 1961), Sara's daughter from her marriage to the photographer Hans Lownds. Maria changed her last name to Dylan after the musician legally became her father.
According to Howard Sounes' 2001 Dylan biography, "Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan," Maria became a copyright lawyer and welcomed four kids with her husband Peter Himmelman.
Dylan and Lownds' first child together, Jesse Byron Dylan, was born on January 6, 1966.
Jesse got into filmmaking and directed music videos for artists including Dylan, Lenny Kravitz, Elvis Costello, and Tom Waits. He's also the director of the comedies "American Wedding" and "Kicking and Screaming."
He's the founder and CEO of Wondros, a global creative agency geared toward social change, public health, and the arts. He's also the cohost of the educational podcast called "Wondros Podcast."
Jesse and his wife, Susan Taylor, have a son named Pablo William Dylan, born in 1995, and a daughter named daughter Feury Mae Beatrice Dylan, born in 2000.
Little is known about Dylan and Lownds' daughter, Anna Lea, who was born on July 11, 1967. According to the biography, she completed college in 1999 at 32 years old, became a painter, and got married.
Dylan and Lownds' third child together, Samuel Isaac Abram, was born July 30, 1968. After graduating college, Samuel worked alongside Jesse at the LA-based production company Straw Dogs. He married Stacy Hochheiser, and they have two children, Jonah and Lowell.
Dylan and Lownds' youngest child, Jakob Luke, was born on December 9, 1969. Like his famous father, Jakob became a singer-songwriter.
Jakob Dylan of The Wallflowers performing at SXSW in March 2005.
Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
Jakob is the lead singer and guitarist of the band The Wallflowers, formed in 1990. The band has released seven studio albums, beginning with its eponymous debut album in 1992. "One Headlight," from the album "Bringing Down the Horse," is perhaps their most notable song.
Separate from the Grammy-winning band, Jakob also released two solo albums: "Seeing Things" in 2008 and "Women and Country" in 2010.
In 2011, Jakob earned an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Idaho State University. He and his wife, Nicole Paige, married in 1992 and have three kids.
Dylan shares one child with Carolyn Dennis, his second wife
Bob Dylan performing in June 1986 in San Diego.
Bob Riha Jr./Getty Images
Dennis was Dylan's backing singer. On January 31, 1986, the couple quietly welcomed one child together, a daughter named Desiree Gabrielle Dennis-Dylan. Their secret wedding took place in LA in June of that year, and their marriage ended in 1992.
Dylan and Dennis' child and marriage were kept a secret from the press for years. Upon the release of Sounes' biography, Dennis explained that she and Dylan mutually agreed to keep their marriage a secret so their daughter could have a normal childhood.
More workers could be spending time in the office in 2025.
Cisco
Nearly 75% of executives said in a survey they'd mandate at least three days a week in the office in 2025.
Many companies cite collaboration, productivity, and culture as reasons for office return.
RTO mandates could lead to higher turnover, especially among women and skilled workers.
Many bosses with an RTO policy in place plan to ask employees to spend more time in the office next year.
In a recent survey from Resume.org, nearly three-quarters of execs at companies that have already implemented some form of an RTO policy said they would require workers to be in the office at least three days a week by the end of 2025.
The November survey of 900 business leaders underscores a general trend of bosses demanding to see more heads bobbing atop cubicles in the new year.
Some of the companies demanding more face time instead of FaceTime are big-name employers like Amazon, AT&T, and Starbucks.
In the Resume.org survey, 73% of respondents whose companies already have an RTO rule said they would require workers to report to the office at least three times a week by the end of 2025. Almost one in three expect to require workers to come in every workday, while only 2% expect to allow workers to show up once a week or less.
While many employers calling workers back to the office point to productivity — as respondents did in the Resume.org survey — being in person doesn't necessarily boost how much gets done, said Nicole Kyle, who researches the future of work.
She told Business Insider that many studies suggest productivity and performance don't drastically change when workers aren't side-by-side. Instead, such metrics can remain steady or even increase if an organization allows more remote or hybrid work, Kyle, the cofounder of CMP Research, said.
Various studies have come to conflicting conclusions on how remote, hybrid, or fully in-office work impacts productivity — and one complicating factor could be the matter of how best to define or measure productivity.
Bosses might not care if you quit
Employees, in some cases, have pushed back — often unsuccessfully — against RTO mandates. Yet many business leaders don't regard these mandates as asking too much of the people they're paying to do a job.
In the survey, about one-third of bosses said they were worried workers would quit because of the RTO policies, while 49% said they weren't very concerned or weren't concerned at all. Of those surveyed, 18% were uncertain.
About seven in 10 execs said the reason to have workers back IRL is to promote collaboration and teamwork. Nearly six in 10 said the move was aimed at improving communication. And about half pointed to a desire to strengthen the organization's culture and raise productivity.
Lisa Walker, a managing partner at the executive search firm DHR Global, told BI that some employers can benefit from bringing back workers because it allows more experienced people to mentor newer workers. She said that's often harder to do when workers aren't in person.
"To get the junior people into the office, you need to get the senior people back to the office," she said.
In the Resume.org survey, four in 10 respondents said they wanted to use office space that might otherwise lie fallow.
It's understandable that bosses wouldn't want to let sometimes pricey real estate go unused, though strict in-office rules can also have a cost.
Researchers from the University of Pittsburg and other academic institutions recently reported that S&P 500 companies that require workers to return to the office subsequently experience "abnormally high" rates of workers quitting and have a harder time filling open roles.
The researchers found that those leaving are often female, more senior, or more skilled. The findings are based on the employment histories of more than 3 million tech and finance workers, as reported on LinkedIn.
"The return-to-office mandates are having pretty specific and negative impacts and causing brain drain from companies," said Kyle, who wasn't involved in the research.
Perhaps with those types of concerns in mind, some leaders have said they likely would only tighten the RTO screws if productivity suffered. Among them, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in October that the company wouldn't require workers to come to the office as long as they remained on task when working from home.
Do you have something to share about your employer's RTO plan, something else at work, or in your job search? Business Insider would like to hear from you. Email our workplace team from a nonwork device at [email protected] with your story, or ask for one of our reporter's Signal numbers.
DOGE leader Vivek Ramaswamy doubled down on eliminating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Vivek Ramaswamy doubled down on DOGE's calls to eliminate the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
He wrote on X that the CFPB overstepped its authority with its recent rule to limit overdraft fees.
The CFPB's rule aims to cap bank overdraft fees, not eliminate them, saving consumers billions.
Vivek Ramaswamy has called out a government agency's latest rule to give Americans banking relief as an example of why the office should be eliminated.
"The new administration can & should nullify this overreach, but we must go further: this latest gambit of the CFPB is just a symptom of a deeper (and unconstitutional) cancer of unelected bureaucrats substituting their policy judgments for those of Congress," Ramaswamy said. "That's un-American & needs to end."
While DOGE is an advisory commission and would not have the power to eliminate agencies or cut spending on its own, it is in a position to make recommendations. Elon Musk, the co-head of DOGE, said in November that the Trump administration should "delete CFPB."
The CFPB finalized a rule on December 12 that would require banks to limit overdraft fees — the amount charged to customers when they attempt to spend more than their balance. The agency estimated that the new rule would save Americans up to $5 billion each year, or $225 per household.
"The CFPB has heard from tens of thousands of Americans who are sick and tired of paying billions in junk fees," Allison Preiss, a CFPB spokesperson, told Business Insider in a statement. "This rule is common sense and long overdue, and it's unclear why big banks are scared to be transparent with their customers about the interest rate they're charging on overdraft loans."
The rule updates federal regulations for banks with over $10 billion in assets, including major institutions like Bank of America and Capitol One. Banks can now choose between two options to address overdraft fees: They could implement a $5 cap on fees, or they could set their fee at an amount necessary to cover the bank's costs and losses. Banks earning profits on overdraft fees would also be required to disclose the terms of the fees, as they already do with credit cards and other types of loans.
The CFPB took action against Wells Fargo in 2022 after the bureau said it charged consumers surprise overdraft fees, which resulted in customers receiving $205 million in refunds. Other federal agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Transportation, have also taken steps to ban hidden and excessive fees.
The CFPB is no stranger to criticism. The Supreme Court in May rejected a conservative-led lawsuit that sought to dismantle the CFPB's funding structure. The lawsuit argued that Congress should have to approve annual funding for the agency rather than it receiving fundingin perpetuity. Since its creation in 2011 in the wake of the financial crisis, the CFPB has received funds directly from the Federal Reserve, allowing it to carry out its functions independently of the political appropriations process.
Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy have called for eliminating other federal agencies including the Education Department, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
It's unclear if DOGE will succeed in its efforts to eliminate agencies like the CFPB. However, Rohit Chopra, the head of the CFPB, warned Musk and Ramaswamy in an interview earlier this month with MSNBC that axing the agency is "begging for a financial crisis" and would have dire consequences.
"I don't understand why people would want financial crime," Chopra said, "and if they say it's duplicative, who else will do it?"
Apple's list of most downloaded free apps suggests the Meta Quest, Amazon Echo, Tonies, and smart photo frames were popular gifts this year.
Christina Reichl Photography/Getty Images
The top free apps in the App Store hint at what gifts were popular for the holidays this year.
Meta Horizon, a social platform for Meta's Quest headset, topped the charts.
Digital frames were also popular this year, with Frameo and Aura Frames taking third and fourth place.
'Tis the season of gift-giving, and if you're curious about what presents people bought this year, the App Store's Top Charts is full of clues.
Apple's Top Charts features the most downloaded apps and it fluctuates frequently. While popular apps like TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, and ChatGPT often top the charts, the top five free App rankings on Thursday morning were all tied to products — and they offer a hint at which gifts were popular over the holidays.
Apple's top charts in the App Store on Thursday morning.
screenshot/App Store
Meta Horizon, the company's social platform for the metaverse, topped the charts for the free app category. It's used to set up the Meta Quest mixed-reality headsets, which are similar to Apple's Vision Pro headset but significantly cheaper. The platform also offers access to apps, tools, and services.
Amazon Alexa scored the second spot, indicating that Amazon Echo devices were a popular gift this year. Alexa is the voice-assistant technology that powers Amazon Echo devices, which are Amazon's collection of smart home speakers. Users can use the app to manage Echo devices, control music, track reminders, and set alarm clocks.
Digital photo frames also seemed to be a popular Christmas gift this year.
A Frameo smart photo frame.
Frameo
Frameo and Aura Frames took third and fourth place on Apple's top charts. Both companies are digital photo frame systems and rely on apps to send and share photos digitally to other frames.
Mytonies took fifth place in the top charts, suggesting that Tonies and Tonieboxes were under many Christmas trees this year. The screen-free devices are child-friendly audio systems for listening to stories, music, and educational content.
Tonies CFO Jan Middelhoff and CEO Tobias Wann pictured with one of the screen-free toys.
tonies
A Toniebox is a portable audio player for children, while Tonies are collectible toy figures preloaded with audio content. The app manages all the Tonies in your household and allows owners to add songs or stories to the devices.
Beyond the top five apps, the rankings become more varied and reflective of more usual app trends. However, the PlayStation App secured the No. 10 spot, suggesting plenty of PlayStation 5 game consoles were unwrapped and set up, and the Xbox app also made it into the Top Charts, landing in 22nd place.
Bose clocked in at No. 15, suggesting people were purchasing Bose headphones or speakers this season.
While it's not a comprehensive breakdown of the most popular gifts of the year, Apple's list of the top free downloaded apps is a good indicator of where consumer spending went over the holidays.
It's also a good reminder that for many gifts, the setup doesn't stop once it's unwrapped and plugged in — there's often an accompanying app for that too.
Rep. Annie Kuster says she's "not the best gladiator" for serving in Congress anymore.
Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
There's increasing concern that American politicians are growing too old in office.
One congresswoman, 68, says she's retiring in part to "set a better example."
"I'm just not the best gladiator for it right now," said Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire.
As Americans grow increasingly concerned by the advanced age of top politicians, one retiring lawmaker is taking a different tack.
Rep. Annie Kuster, a 68-year-old Democrat who's represented a New Hampshire district for 12 years, told the Boston Globe that she's trying to make room for younger people in Congress.
"I'm trying to set a better example," Kuster said. "I think there are colleagues — and some of whom are still very successful and very productive — but others who just stay forever."
Kuster added that she's "not the best gladiator" to serve as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to reassume office and Democrats gird for at least two years of full GOP control of Congress and the White House.
She's set to be replaced by Maggie Goodlander, a 38-year-old Democrat who most recently worked in the Department of Justice under President Joe Biden.
It's different in Washington, where lawmakers tend to be personally wealthy and driven by a sense of mission. They also grow more powerful the longer they stick around, due to the seniority system.
In 2022, Business Insider reported that roughly a quarter of lawmakers were over the age of 70. But while age limits are popular with the general public, they're highly unlikely to happen, owing to the difficulty of enacting constitutional amendments.
Democrats in particular have been reckoning with the perils of aging in the wake of their 2024 losses, which many attribute to the 82-year-old Biden's decision to continue running for reelection until a disastrous debate performance forced him out of the race in July.
In recent weeks, the party has elevated younger leaders to assume top positions on a series of House committees, replacing older or ailing members in their mid- to late 70s.
Still, the perils of gerontocracy continue to emerge.
This month, retiring Republican Rep. Kay Granger, 81, was revealed to be living in a senior living facility in her home state of Texas. She had not cast any votes since July.
Until she stepped down in March, she was the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, which oversees the entirety of the federal government's spending.
This year, I made lots of great purchases at Costco.
Veronica Thatcher
As a Costco employee, I purchased lots of great items at the warehouse throughout 2024.
The Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken is a must-buy when I need easy lunches and dinners.
This year, I invested in useful services like a cellphone plan and tires for my car.
As a Costco employee, I shop at the store all year long. However, now that it's December, I'm reflecting on a few of my favorite purchases I made this year at the retailer.
The Snapware Pyrex 18-piece glass food-storage set has been a kitchen essential this year.
I used the Snapware Pyrex 18-piece glass food-storage set all year long.
Veronica Thatcher
As someone with a small family who cooks almost daily, these Snapware Pyrex 18-piece glass food-storage sets came in handy all year.
Each set comes with nine airtight containers in various sizes that are leak-proof and microwave-safe.
The Shark Detect cordless stick vacuum is super easy to use.
The Shark Detect clean and empty cordless stick vacuum comes with plenty of great features.
Veronica Thatcher
The Shark Detect cordless stick vacuum is one of the best cleaning devices I've ever owned. At just over 6 pounds, it feels lightweight and is easy to haul up and down the stairs.
The Shark vacuum has four deep-cleaning modes and runs for up to 60 minutes, giving me plenty of time to tidy up. Each set also comes with a crevice tool and a multi-surface brush roll.
Even better, the device converts to a hand vacuum, making it easier to clean small, hard-to-reach places, car interiors, and staircases.
We keep the Yummy Dino Buddies chicken nuggets in our freezer at all times.
My kids love the Yummy Dino Buddies chicken nuggets.
Veronica Thatcher
The Yummy Dino Buddies chicken nuggets are a great way for my kids to get their protein in. The chicken is juicy, and the nuggets get a slight crunch when air-fried.
To prepare them, I simply place some nuggets in the air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or microwave them for about a minute and a half.
I took advantage of the cell-service kiosks at Costco.
As a Costco member, I got a $200 shop card when I purchased a new phone line at the in-store kiosk.
Veronica Thatcher
If you shop at Costco, you may have seen kiosks from different cell-service providers when entering the warehouse. These kiosks usually offer deals on new cell-service plans and upgrades from carriers like T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T.
Depending on the carrier and warehouse, Costco customers who stop at the cell-service kiosks may also be eligible for members-only perks. For example, I got a $200 Costco shop card when I added a new phone line to my plan.
The Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken is a must-buy.
I've used the Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken in countless lunches and dinners.
Veronica Thatcher
The Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken has made making quick lunches and dinners easy.
Costco team members cook the rotisserie chicken fresh at the warehouse every day. I like to serve it with a side or shred the whole thing to use in meals like enchiladas or chicken salad.
At just $5 for a 3-pound chicken, it's one of the best deals out there.
This year, we invested in the Arlo Essential XL wireless HD camera.
I feel safer in my home with the Arlo Essential XL wireless HD camera.
Veronica Thatcher
The Arlo Essential XL wireless-camera bundle has been a good investment when it comes to feeling safe and at ease in our home.
This system is easy to install and has live HD video and color night vision. I also like that I can access the camera from my smartphone.
Each bundle comes with three cameras and a four-month Arlo secure subscription.
The Kirkland Signature organic Pacific Bold K-Cup pods last us a while.
The 120-count boxes of the Kirkland Signature organic Pacific Bold K-Cup pods are a staple for my family.
Veronica Thatcher
As a coffee fanatic, I know buying Keurig coffee pods can get pretty pricey. However, I feel I get a pretty good bang for my buck when I buy 120-count boxes of the Kirkland Signature K-cups.
The store carries flavors like breakfast blend and summit roast, but my family's staple is the Kirkland Signature organic Pacific Bold pods.
This year, I got new tires for my car.
I love that I was able to replace my car's tires at Costco.
Veronica Thatcher
Getting new tires is a big purchase, but buying them from the Costco tire center was one of the best decisions I made this past year. The center offers various sizes from a few top-name brands, like Michelin and Firestone.
Not only do customers get wholesale prices, but the tire center also offers installation and inflation pressure checks.
I always love buying my produce from Costco.
I grab fruit and veggies for my family at Costco.
Veronica Thatcher
Costco is the only place I buy my produce. Whether I'm getting berries, oranges, bananas, or even mangoes, the produce always seems to be high-quality and is sold at wholesale prices.
If you have a big family or know you'll be able to consume large amounts of fruit or vegetables before they go bad, I think it's worth buying produce in bulk.
I get an eye exam at Costco every year.
Costco's optical center offers glasses and contacts.
Customers can contact their insurance provider to check if the optical center's services are covered. However, you can still get an exam and purchase glasses if you're not covered by insurance — at my warehouse, out-of-pocket eye exams start at about $70.
Patients don't have to be cardholders to get an exam, but only members can purchase glasses or contacts.
Timothée Chalamet playing Bob Dylan in "A Complete Unknown."
Macall Polay
James Mangold spoke to Business Insider about his Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown."
Mangold explained why Timothée Chalamet spoke in Dylan's voice on set even when he wasn't filming.
"A Complete Unknown" is in theaters now.
Writer-director James Mangold remembers exactly where he was and what he was doing five years ago when he decided to make a Bob Dylan biopic.
He was in Canada for the world premiere of his 2019 movie "Ford v Ferrari" at the Toronto International Film Festival. In the midst of final prep for the screening in his hotel room, he paused to have a meeting with Timothée Chalamet, then a young actor on the cusp of superstardom.
It didn't take long for Mangold to realize he'd found his Dylan, and by the time Chalamet left the room, the two agreed to make a movie on the life and times of one of the most beloved singer-songwriters in American music.
Things might not have gotten off the ground as quickly as they'd hoped — COVID, Chalamet went and made the first "Dune" movie, Mangold made "Indian Jones and the Dial of Destiny" — but throughout those five years, the two continued to stay in contact and made separate pilgrimages to see Dylan.
Finally, "A Complete Unknown," which depicts Dylan's rise to fame alongside Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and his controversial switch from acoustic guitar to electric in the mid-1960s, will see the light of day (it hits theaters Christmas Day).
Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in "Walk the Line."
20th Century Fox
Mangold is one of the few directors working today who has the skill and studio maneuvering know-how to pull off a Bob Dylan biopic. Already having found success doing a Johnny Cash biopic in 2005 with "Walk the Line," which earned Joaquin Phoenix as Cash a best actor Oscar nomination and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter an Oscar win, Disney's Searchlight Pictures arm knew the project was in capable hands.
"A Complete Unknown" is not a carbon copy of "Walk the Line." For "Line," Mangold delved deep into the Cash/Carter dynamic, with "Unknown," which he co-wrote with Jay Cocks ("Gangs of New York"), the filmmaker examines the myth-building of Dylan and how his talents elevated folk music in the 1960s beyond what musicians in the genre like Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) and Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) ever dreamed.
"A Complete Unknown" director James Mangold.
Kate Green/Getty
But just as Mangold used "Walk the Line" as a showcase for Phoenix's talents, he's done the same with Chalamet for "A Complete Unknown." From talking in the unique Dylan voice, doing his own singing, and even growing out his fingernails (more on that later), Chalamet immersed himself in the auro of Dylan, resulting in the best performance so far of his career.
Business Insider chatted with Mangold over Zoom about Chalamet's dedication to the role, whether the disappointing box office for "Dial of Destiny" has made him hesitant about developing his upcoming "Star Wars" movie, and whether he thinks Dylan will ever watch "A Complete Unknown."
You've now had sit-downs with Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan while making their biopics. Have you developed a go-to icebreaker for when you first meet legends?
No. I don't have one. But the good thing is the script is the icebreaker. They've invited me into their homes or their spaces because they've read a script I've written. So we have something to talk about. I mean, when I met with Bob the ice breaker was charmingly him waxing poetic about loving my old movie "Copland." So that in itself was trippy and flattering.
Bob Dylan at a press conference, London, 1965.
Stanley Bielecki/ASP/Getty Images
Do you think Dylan will ever watch "A Complete Unknown"?
I have no idea.
What's your gut telling you?
I honestly have no idea. The reality is I spent a lot of good time with him and I felt like I got a good feeling for him. He does things when he's ready, he gets involved with things when he's ready, he makes comments when he's ready. I sympathize with his quandary. Do I ever want to watch a movie where some dude is playing me and acting out significant moments in my life? Is that going to be nothing but pleasant or is it going to be weird as hell? So the fact that he took the time to read my script, give me notes, give me advice, chip in ideas, show me where he would make lifts in some songs, and give me the benefit of his wisdom and his insight about that period so I might even dig deeper into those scenes, that was a huge gift and all the generosity I could ever expect from him.
Timothée Chalamet sporting long fingernails while holding Elle Fanning on the set of "A Complete Unknown."
Gotham/GC Images/Getty
Did Timmy grow those out or were fake nails put on him?
Yeah, he was growing them. If you look earlier in the movie, there are some scenes where they aren't as long. By the end, he had some full-on Nosferatu going on.
A lot has been written about Timmy being Method during filming, specifically speaking in the Dylan voice when you weren't shooting. I would imagine a lot of that has to do with him just not wanting to lose the voice, right?
Timmy's not the only person whose ever done that, that's true for most of the actors in my movies doing dialects, they don't just do it and fall out of it the second the scene ends because —
James Mangold and Timothee Chalamet on the set of "A Complete Unknown."
Macall Polay/Searchlight Pictures
There's a fear of losing the voice.
Well, you're also trying to make it more and more internalized. You're trying to make it something you don't have to think about. So, if you're turning it on and off, you're kind of making yourself hyper-aware of it. If you're just deciding to live in it, that's a whole other deal.
Boyd Holbrook plays Johnny Cash in the movie. Was there ever a thought to call Joaquin Phoenix to see if he would do the Johnny Cash scenes?
The thought occurred to me, but then I realized he'd be 20-30 years too old to be playing the part.
But you know movie magic, James, the hair and makeup department would have helped him look younger.
Okay, but then what am I servicing? This kind of meta-movie universe stuff that has plagued us enough? I'm a big fan of making a movie and giving the public the movie. Don't try to suture the movie to another movie, just own it. Otherwise movies just become this hyper-expensive television series in which we never stop making new episodes every couple of years.
Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny."
Lucasfilm
And speaking of episodic films, you're currently developing a "Star Wars" movie. Are you less confident working on that seeing what happened with the reception for "Dial of Destiny"?
Well, "Dial of Destiny" has an 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. I mean, yes, they would have hoped it made more money, but I actually don't have a lot of shame about a movie that's liked by 87% of its fans. The issue with "Star Wars" isn't my worrying about if there's an angry or resentful group that is somehow disappointed in what I did in "Dial of Destiny," honestly, that's their prerogative, that's part of what makes movies great is you can think they're awesome or you can think they're terrible. I can't please everyone and I'm sorry they don't like it. We do our best, if I could please 100% of everyone all the time, I would, but that's a tough thing. But in relation to "Star Wars," the bottom line is I don't even know if that's the next movie for me. That's something that Beau Willimon and I are working on writing and all the other tripwires and judgements along the way. I don't want to make it unless it's excellent.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Norse Atlantic Airways is a budget airline that started flying in 2022 with nonstop trips from the US to Germany, Norway, the UK, France, Greece, and Italy.
I selected an economy-light ticket, the lowest tier available, for $88. The booking included a seat and storage space under the seat in front of me. I also spent $75 for advanced seat selection, and there was a $20 airport check-in fee. The trip cost a total of $183.
In the past, I've appreciated domestic red-eye flights because they give me an extra day at my destination.
But this was my first international red-eye flight, and the long-haul journey through the night left me exhausted at the beginning of my trip. To me, it wasn't worth the day I saved.
I arrived at JFK at 9:30 p.m. for my 12:30 a.m. flight.
The author checks in at JFK airport.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I could have checked in online for free, but I wanted to print my boarding pass at the airport.
On a late Sunday evening, the terminal at JFK felt quite empty.
Inside the author's terminal at JFK.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Aside from people in line to board an aircraft, I hardly saw anyone.
My flight began boarding at 11:30 p.m.
Travelers board the aircraft to Berlin in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I was among the last to board and got situated in my seat right around midnight.
The flight's seating arrangement was three columns with three seats in each row.
People board the Norse aircraft in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I paid extra to select a window seat before the flight so that I could lean against the window to rest.
A representative from Norse told Business Insider that economy-light seats are 17.2 inches wide with a 3-inch recline.
The author's seat on the Norse flight.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
It felt like a standard plane seat to me.
I thought I had enough legroom, even with my backpack shoved underneath the seat.
The author's legroom on the flight.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The seat pitch was between 27 and 32 inches, according to the representative.
In front of me, there was an entertainment screen with movies, TV shows, and information about my flight.
The screens on the seat back chair.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Although I spent most of the time trying to sleep, I appreciated having the screen.
As the plane prepared for takeoff, I was thrilled that I had a whole row to myself.
The author's row of seats on the flight.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
In fact, I noticed many of the seats were empty.
My seat back pocket contained a menu of amenities, including earbuds, blankets, neck pillows, and sleep masks, although I didn't buy any.
In-flight menu items.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Amenity prices ranged from $3.50 to $6.50.
After takeoff, the plane was quiet and dimly lit. But I hardly ever sleep well on planes, and this was no exception.
The flight at night.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I woke several times through the night.
At one point in the night, I went to the bathroom and found it cleaner than most aircraft bathrooms I've been in.
The bathroom on the Norse aircraft.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Unlike most economy aircraft bathrooms I've used, the floor wasn't sticky and the trash can wasn't overflowing.
In the morning, flight attendants came around with food and beverage service. So I looked at the menu in my seat back pocket.
In-flight service and menu.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I found that food and beverages weren't included in the price of my ticket, so I decided to skip it.
I landed in Berlin nearly an hour earlier than scheduled, so I was only in the air for seven hours.
The author's aircraft arrives in Berlin.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Still, when I got off the plane, I felt completely exhausted due to a lack of sleep.
Despite feeling tired, as I would after any red-eye flight, I was impressed by the budget airline and would definitely book with Norse again.
The author on the runway in Berlin.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The flight was comfortable and clean, and landing early was a nice bonus.
Once in Berlin, I still had a two-hour train journey to my Airbnb outside the city, and I could barely keep my eyes open.
The author takes trains from Berlin to her Airbnb.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Even after a night of sleep, I found that the exhaustion from the overnight flight — combined with jet lag — lasted for days. This wasn't ideal at the start of a two-week adventure.
My exhaustion wore off within a couple of days of my trip, but I had a lingering thought — next time I fly internationally, I won't mind spending a little more money and a little less time at my destination for a day flight.
Launching a successful e-commerce company involves making a product — and then figuring out a way to sell it. One expert advised a hybrid Shopify-Amazon model.
Katie Monds
I'm midway through my 'e-comm experiment' and have 500 pickleball paddles in production.
I spoke to an expert about how to most effectively sell my product.
He suggested a hybrid Shopify-Amazon model and said ads are essential.
Years of writing about individuals who make money selling products online sparked my curiosity: Is this something I can do? What would startup costs look like? Is it time-consuming? Difficult?
To answer those questions, I teamed up with a friend to develop a product (pickleball paddles) to sell online.
Product selection and development — phase one, if you may — has been time-consuming, challenging, and expensive. But we made a paddle we're proud of, the Peak Pro, and 500 of them are headed from a factory in Asia to my studio apartment in Los Angeles.
Phase two — actually selling the product — is officially underway, and my first observation is that it's going to present more challenges than phase one. Luckily, I've interviewed smart people who have done it before, and I have no problem asking for advice.
I reached out to Tyler Walter, cofounder of the product-sourcing company 330 Trading, which I'm also working with to manufacture my paddles. He's based in Taiwan and works closely with US e-commerce businesses, advising them on everything from initial product development to creating diverse supply chains.
I asked him selling-specific questions: How can I get consumers to buy from Peak Pickleball when they have endless options? He told me he'd tailor his answers specifically to my company, as every brand is a bit different.
Two pieces of advice stood out.
1. Build a Shopify and Amazon store
Walter advised me to start with a hybrid Shopify-Amazon model. In general, I'll get better margins with Shopify, as there are fewer costs associated with selling on that platform, but I need Amazon for traffic, especially when I'm first establishing the brand.
"Amazon is guaranteed traffic. There's a guaranteed flow of people who are going to see your product every single day," he said. And, using tools like Helium 10, I can estimate what that traffic is going to look like. "You can see exactly how many people are searching for pickleball paddles on Amazon every day, or pickleball-related items or even racket-related sports, so you can drill down into those details before you ever go live."
With Shopify, on the other hand, I'd have to generate my own traffic through things like social media campaigns, ads, and word of mouth.
Walter told me it's smart to start with the hybrid model since I haven't yet nailed down my typical customer.
Amazon will work well for the customer who is newer to pickleball and not yet intertwined in the community. They may come across my product while searching for a medium- to high-grade paddle online. "Amazon is amazing for that, the best in the world," he explained, especially if I can optimize my listing page, rack up good reviews, and rank well on the marketplace. "If there's enough traffic on Amazon every day for pickleball paddles, which we've already determined there is, then you're going to get people that you would never otherwise get who are just searching for pickleball in general."
Shopify, on the other hand, may serve a different customer: Someone who is more engaged in the pickleball community or cares more about the brand of paddle they're playing with. The customer who buys into our image, feel, and the technical aspects of our product will likely go directly to our website.
A Shopify sale is going to mean more profit, "but you have to be able to do the work to tell that brand story," Walter said.
That raises the question: What customer am I after?
If I can't definitively answer that yet, Walter told me a hybrid approach allowing me to test both types of customers is a smart strategy.
"You can test out the first 500 paddles and see where you get more traction and where you have better profit margins, and then invest more resources into that channel moving forward," he said. "But there's a good chance that you guys run this for the next five years and you might always be a hybrid model. It might always be both."
2. The key to standing out on Amazon: SEO, reviews, and ads
Walter sold me on setting up an Amazon store in addition to the Shopify one, but I had a follow-up question: Sure, millions of people log into Amazon every day, and hundreds of thousands may be searching for pickleball paddles, but how are they going to find mine? How do I avoid getting lost in the Amazon beast?
A variety of factors contribute to a product's rank on Amazon, but Walter pointed to two: search engine optimization, also known as SEO, and reviews.
SEO is essentially what you do to rank higher and generate more traffic — and a lot goes into it. For me, creating a listing page with relevant keywords and quality images is going to be important, especially the keywords.
Walter told me to use Helium 10 to know what keywords I should be using, whether it's paddle sports, pickleball, pickleball paddle, or carbon fiber paddle — and, if I have the resources, pay an SEO expert to optimize my listing page.
Reviews are also key to ranking well on Amazon, and he said I should always encourage customers to leave reviews. One idea is to include a blurb in the thank you email customers receive after placing an order reminding them to share their feedback.
Additionally, he told me that paid ads are essentially necessary.
"Ads are going to give you the best fighting chance of selling through all of your inventory profitably," he said. "If you're doing it right, a dollar into advertising should come back as $2 to $3 of revenue."
He acknowledged that it may feel nervewracking at first to pay for ads without knowing exactly what's going to come from them but assured me I could test ads on a budget of a couple of hundred dollars. Amazon ads are affordable compared to Google or Meta or TikTok ads since Amazon already has so much traffic, he explained, "so you can test it out with a very small budget."
He told me to keep in mind that because reviews are so important, even if we initially just break even from ads, it's worth it if they drive sales that lead to product reviews.
I shouldn't tackle ads on my own, though. He said it's worth it to hire a professional. There are two main fee structures: a flat fee or a percentage of sales. As a new business, the second option probably makes more sense so that I'm not spending too much cash up front. However, if I start selling a lot of paddles, the percentage of sales model might become more expensive, at which point I might want to consider switching to the flat-rate model.
I have no problem with outsourcing and have already done quite a bit of it. It's saving me time, and headaches — and, ultimately, helping me create a better product.
