• As the luxury slowdown continues, high-end fashion brands need resilient marketing strategies.
• Experiential campaigns and intergenerational omnichannel marketing can be effective.
• Labels are also launching more elevated collaborations, like Nike and Skims' new brand, NikeSkims.

When Lissy Von Schwarzkopf and I met on a video call in mid-February, she offered an apology within seconds.

As the chief business officer of Karla Otto, a global brand-building agency with luxury clients such as Nike, Valentino, and Loewe, Von Schwarzkopf's schedule is hectic, especially during the slew of first-quarter fashion weeks. Consequently, our meeting had to be pushed back from its initial time slot.

"I have to apologize. We had a bit of a crazy morning with a big client announcement," she said.

The announcement was that Nike and Kim Kardashian's Skims label were joining forces to create a womenswear brand called NikeSkims. The collaboration could be a game changer in the activewear space — and for Nike as it combats declining sales.

Von Schwarzkopf said NikeSkims, set to launch in April, exemplifies a marketing strategy that capitalizes on the combined renown of two major brands. This gives both businesses "a huge advantage because you're tapping into a whole new community and a whole new audience," she said.

Profit slumps hit some of the biggest high-end retailers last year, and the trend will likely persist. The luxury slowdown is forcing brands to rethink every facet of their business models, including their marketing strategies. As consumers clutch their dollars, upscale labels like Nike hope to loosen the grip by refining how they communicate their brand identity.

"Diamonds are made under pressure," Hannah Reed, a research manager at the market-research agency Walnut Unlimited, said. "The pressure is now on for luxury players, and hopefully, it'll be a time where they innovate and come back bigger and stronger."

Kubi Springer, the global marketing director of Avantgarde Brand Experience, a global brand-experience agency, put it frankly: "Brands evolve or they die," she said. "That is the reality."

A rundown on the luxury slowdown

Crafting resilient marketing strategies for luxury fashion requires a deep understanding of the economic forces shaping the industry.

Reed and Springer cited several factors contributing to luxury's waning momentum: In the US and the UK, inflation, higher taxes, and the rising cost of living have reduced consumer spending. Meanwhile, in China, a real estate crisis has affected spending power.

Reed said there's also a "reputation recession" as shoppers notice a drop in the quality of luxury products while their prices skyrocket.

President Donald Trump's big tariff push has luxury stakeholders feeling antsy as well.

"Everyone's on the edge of their seats at the moment, wondering what the trade tariffs will mean long term," Reed said. "It puts pressure on supply chains, so if you are based in Europe or Asia, those additional costs could add up to millions for luxury players."

Consumers, especially aspirational shoppers, are also shifting their spending habits and priorities. They're opting for secondhand shopping and choosing travel, dining, and other experiences over high-end-fashion purchases. In response, Von Schwarzkopf said, major fashion groups are cashing in on hospitality and travel-related ventures.

There's a caveat, though. While luxury markets in China and Western regions have generally decelerated, the Middle East, India, and Africa are seeing an upward trend.

An October report from Henley & Partners and New World Wealth forecast that more than 800 millionaires would relocate from Britain to the United Arab Emirates by the end of 2024 — partially because of changes to the UK's tax system. Springer said: "We're seeing places like Nigeria and Ghana getting an influx of people coming from the West, too, and that's impacting how luxury goods are selling."

Sade Teyibo, the founder of Fola PR, a communications and brand-development agency, has also noticed this shift.

"There are so many brands that want to tap into what's happening in Africa," said Teyibo, whose company is based in Lagos, Nigeria. "There's a cultural renaissance. We're at the center of fashion, music, design, and art."

Fola PR, which also operates in New York, primarily works with African companies, creatives, and entrepreneurs, helping them elevate their brands through partnerships, luxury product launches, and bespoke events. It also works with global brands that want to expand their reach into Africa.

Springer said that luxury retailers needed to consider all these factors to position themselves favorably in front of consumers and survive the slowdown. Here's how they can craft and market a durable brand identity amid economic uncertainty.

1. Invest in research that can guide communication strategies

Karla Otto has an in-house insights and analytics division that researches market and consumer trends, including influencer and sentiment data. It also offers bespoke reports and consulting services and publishes multiple industry white papers per year.

Its latest report, "Luxury's Great Reset," published in December, detailed key components it said would affect the luxury sector in the coming years. It forecast that community-driven campaigns and craftsmanship would be among the critical drivers of luxury goods purchases between now and 2027.

"Research is the starting point for everything that we do," Von Schwarzkopf said. "It influences all of our strategies that we bring back to our clients."

The key to building a creative strategy around data-driven research, she added, is to find a cultural, human-interest angle within the numbers. "Most of our brands have that interest in being a player in culture," though which cultural "playing field" needs to be carefully defined, she said.

2. Host personalized experiences for high-level and high-net-worth people

"The growth and demand around personalization is something that luxury brands need to take heed of," Springer said. On a basic level, that means analyzing shoppers' data to understand their behaviors and needs — but "personalization needs to go beyond that," she added.

Last year, the Inner Circle Experience, a company that organizes exclusive networking events, worked with Dior to host a private dinner for luxury stakeholders at the French label's Paris museum. Springer, who was a keynote speaker at the event, said there were about 70 guests, comprising high-net-worth individuals and "people like me who hold global marketing positions."

Attendees learned about the brand's history and how it wants to connect with consumers. "Somebody like me can tell this to their clients," Springer said, which could prompt collaborations with Dior or "inform PR messaging" about the label. Additionally, high-net-worth people feel more inclined to spend big bucks on a brand that has marketed to them in such a personal and exclusive way.

3. Market a brand as a force in the secondhand luxury space

Reed said "there's huge potential" in the secondhand luxury market, which Statista estimated could be worth over $3.6 billion by 2028. From a marketing perspective, she added, brands can craft resale initiatives around different target audiences. For example, a campaign highlighting circular fashion can resonate with Gen Z shoppers who care about sustainability.

Resale shopping also highlights the quality and desirability of vintage pieces. "Lots of people have been turning to archives to find old stock that isn't in circulation anymore," Reed said. "There's this excitement and treasure-hunting element to it."

Joining the secondhand luxury space — and playing a bigger role in the authentication process — can also help high-end labels regain control of their products' integrity and marketability.

"You see a lot of dupes and counterfeits. That's a huge issue for brands," she said. "A few players have caught on to the fact that they need to preserve their brand."

4. Expand omnichannel marketing strategies

Omnichannel marketing is crucial right now as brands need to reach global consumers through multiple touchpoints, Springer said.

Luxury labels need to have a digital presence on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat to connect with a younger demographic. "But at the same time, brands can't afford to leave out their older demographic that might still be looking at traditional marketing, like print PR or TV ads," Springer added.

She named Sephora's omnichannel marketing as a prime example. The company has in-store beauty consultants and digital smart mirrors, virtual try-on tools on its app and website, and traditional advertising in print and on TV.

"They understand if you do something like a billboard, you now need to have a QR code so that somebody can snap it on their phone, go to your website, try on a product virtually, and then go into the store on the weekend to buy it," Springer said.

5. Remain steadfast in the brand's ethos

Luxury labels need nimble marketing strategies during an economic slowdown, but they must maintain their brands' mission and core values.

Teyibo said concerns about the state of luxury are valid, but she's not particularly worried about it at her agency. "It doesn't matter what's happening or what the global climate is. Cultural currency and cultural capital are always more important," she said. "Brands and partners will find the budget for what they think is cool. Also, whatever the consumer feels is relevant and exciting, they will find the money to purchase or partake in."

6. Innovate and inspire through collaborations

Springer said the brands that are winning right now are cocreating with micro and macro influencers as well as celebrities.

Louis Vuitton has embraced this approach over the years, collaborating with the Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and tapping Pharrell Williams as its menswear creative director. Willy Chavarria and Kendrick Lamar have also developed a rapport, recently dropping a limited-edition Super Bowl collection. Then, of course, there's the forthcoming launch of NikeSkims.

This emphasis on collaboration reflects a broader shift in the luxury industry — one that calls for a deeper commitment to exciting and inventive artistry.

"Brands really need to look at design with more intention," Reed said. "Lean into craftsmanship and individuality. Focus on innovation and pushing your creative direction. That is where the luxury sector needs to regain its personality."

• Kroger's ex-CEO forfeited more than $11 million in bonus and stock payments when he resigned.
• Rodney McMullen still had hundreds of millions in Kroger stock, according to the filings.
• Kroger cited McMullen's "personal conduct" in announcing his resignation on Monday.

The former CEO of Kroger forfeited more than $11 million when he resigned from the grocery chain this week.

McMullen left behind $11.2 million in a potential bonus as well as stock and options when he left the company, Kroger's SEC filings show.

Without that compensation, McMullen still owned 6.6 million shares of Kroger, worth roughly $417 million at Tuesday's closing price.

McMullen also had total compensation as CEO of $15.7 million in 2023, according to an SEC filing. In 2022, his compensation totaled $19.2 million.

Kroger said on Monday that McMullen had resigned after an investigation into his "personal conduct."

The company didn't provide more information on what McMullen did but said that some of his actions were "inconsistent with Kroger's Policy on Business Ethics." Kroger said that McMullen's actions weren't connected to other Kroger associates or the company's financial performance.

McMullen was appointed Kroger's CEO in 2014. For two years, he oversaw the chain's proposed $24.6 billion merger with Albertsons, which fell apart in December.

Do you work at Kroger and have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at [email protected] or Signal at 808-854-4501. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Richard Socher, a one-time AI boss at Salesforce, is building a search competitor to Google.
• Socher says Google's search monopoly is under threat as users are now eager to try alternatives.
• You.com is a potential dark horse in the contest to supersede Google Search.

In the fast-paced world of artificial intelligence, the once unassailable dominance of tech giants like Google is being challenged, says Richard Socher, founder and CEO of You.com.

Socher runs a competitor to Google that's built for knowledge workers. Established as a search engine, You.com has expanded its repertoire over the years by incorporating digital agents for writing essays, browsing the web, and other tasks. To date, the company has raised about $100 million in funding.

In an interview with Business Insider, Socher expressed a belief that the era of a single company maintaining an overwhelming, long-lasting monopoly in the tech industry, similar to what Google experienced in the search domain, is coming to an end.

Socher said users are now more inclined to explore new, artificial intelligence-charged options and switch between services more readily than in the past.

"This sort of insane, untouchable monopoly that Google had for 20 years, those days are over," Socher said. "I don't think any company will have such a strong monopoly for such a long time anymore because users are getting faster to switch and more eager to try out things."

This change in user behavior would imply that companies, even those with significant market power, can no longer rely on maintaining a monopoly based solely on inertia or default settings. Instead, these companies must continuously innovate and provide genuine value to retain their user base.

Meanwhile, new entrants and smaller players like You.com are seizing an opportunity to pick up users who are open to exploring alternatives.

Since launching in 2021, You.com says it has reached "millions" of people. The platform is free to use, with premium features available through a $15 monthly plan. You.com also provides enterprise customers with a toolkit designed to bring real-time web search and accuracy to their own applications.

The company tells Business Insider its revenue has skyrocketed since the beginning of 2024, reaching 100 times the amount earned the previous year.

Before he took on Google Search, Socher founded a deep-learning company called MetaMind that he sold to Salesforce. He became chief scientist at Salesforce, where he led the company's research efforts and worked on bringing natural language processing and computer vision to its platform.

In 2018, while at Salesforce, Socher published a paper alongside Bryan McCann, a fellow Salesforce research scientist, on multitask learning — a method in machine learning where a model is trained to perform multiple tasks at the same time. The paper influenced subsequent research in the field, with Dario Amodei and Ilya Sutskever citing it in a paper from their lab, OpenAI, a year later.

The research also seeded an idea for a new kind of search engine. Socher remembered thinking, "If you can have one neural network that answers all of your questions, why am I still going to Google where I get these lists of blue links?" In 2020, he and McCann left Salesforce to start You.com. Marc Benioff wrote one of the first checks.

The future of search is still up for grabs, and Socher will have more to contend with than Google. Companies like OpenAI and Perplexity are locked in a contest to offer the most popular chat-based search engine, and ChatGPT's hundreds of millions of active users make You.com's user base look feeble. Additionally, OpenAI has considered developing a web browser, The Information reported, while Perplexity has teased a web browser called Comet, which could provide more seamless and integrated user experiences.

In this environment, the real winners of search will be those who anticipate the next big shift and are nimble enough to lead it. As Socher put it, "I made peace with the fact that AI will just keep changing. We'll have to move quickly."

• I've worked at Costco for 19 years and am always keeping an eye out for the best new items.
• This month, shoppers seem to be loving the Igloo cooler bags and Casual Living throw blankets.
• The bakery is also carrying a new delicious-looking tiramisu cheesecake.

As a Costco employee of 19 years, I love scanning the shelves for great new finds. This month, the retailer is stocking lots of fun items, from tasty snacks to home essentials.

Here are nine things I recommend checking out at Costco this March.

Prices and product availability may vary by location.

The Costco bakery is now carrying a delicious-looking tiramisu cheesecake.

One of the newest items in Costco's bakery is the tiramisu cheesecake.

A mix of two classic desserts, this decadent cold-brew cheesecake has a crust made from graham crackers and cocoa powder. Like tiramisu, it's also topped with mascarpone.

This seasonal item is available for $24 at my store.

The Brio bottom-loading watercooler looks like it could be a great investment.

With warmer days approaching, March is a great time to think about investing in a new watercooler.

The Brio bottom-load watercooler can dispense hot, cold, and room-temperature water and holds up to 5 gallons. I also love the sleek digital controls on this compact appliance.

At my store, this item retails for $200.

The That's It mini fruit bars are great for kids and adults.

If you're looking for a grab-and-go snack, I recommend checking out the That's It mini fruit bars. They make a great treat for adults and kids and contain no added sugar.

Each bag contains strawberry, mango, and blueberry bars, and costs $14.

The Sabatier build-a-board bamboo serving tray is great for entertaining.

This month, Costco is carrying some great items for entertaining, including the Sabatier build-a-board bamboo serving tray.

The tray, which comes with a locking lid, has six compartments for easy snack transportation. I think it would be great for taking a charcuterie board to go.

This item is available for $20 at my store.

Shoppers are loving the chic Igloo cooler bags.

The chic new Igloo cooler bags caught my eye when I saw them in the store.

These stylish bags, which come in black and brown, can fit two bottles of wine. However, the divider inside is removable, so it's easy to transport any beverage.

This item costs $20 at my store and has been a hot seller.

I think the boxes of Essentia water are a great value.

My store currently carries a 24-pack of Essentia alkaline water, which is on sale for $14 through March 29. After checking out the prices at other local grocers, this was by far the best deal I saw.

After the sale ends, the box of 24 bottles will sell for $18.

Tetris Tumble XL is a fun take on the classic game.

Tetris Tumble XL looks like fun for the whole family. The game, which can be played inside or out, challenges players to stack oversize blocks on a tilting base.

At my store, this item retails for $100.

The Froot Thief variety pack comes with strawberry and mixed-berry flavors.

The Froot Thief variety pack, which comes with strawberry and mixed-berry flavors, makes a fun snack for kids.

These fruit strings are also suitable for a variety of diets, as they're vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and kosher. The variety pack sells for $10 at my Costco.

Get ready for spring with these beautiful Casual Living reversible throw blankets.

These beautiful Casual Living reversible throw blankets are perfect for spring.

The plush blankets come in two different floral designs and have been a popular item at my store. The reversible nature makes it feel like you're getting two blankets for the price of one.

At my Costco, the Casual Living throw blankets are $11 each.

• Google said it would begin testing a new "AI Mode" built into its Search page.
• AI Mode aims to give users "a wider and more diverse" set of results than AI Overviews.
• It brings AI even closer to the core Google Search experience.

Google said it plans to test a new "AI Mode" for Search that would provide an entire page of artificial intelligence-generated results in response to user queries.

The new feature, which is set to first be available to early testers, would place an "AI Mode" tab at the top of the Google Search page. When clicked, the user would be taken to a new page that answers the query with "a wider and more diverse" set of results powered by AI.

Google already offers AI Overviews, which attempt to answer some queries with a direct answer at the top of the page. AI Mode takes this a step further by generating an entire page of results powered by a custom version of the Gemini 2.0 model that uses reasoning and multimodal AI.

In one example Google provided, a user might search for information about sleep trackers and find that AI Mode creates a comparison table that compares the various available options.

Google said it would start inviting Google One AI Premium subscribers in the US to test the new AI Mode via Search Labs, adding that it has already been available to a small number of "trusted testers." It did not provide a timeline for a wider rollout.

A glimpse into the future of Search

AI Mode arrives as Google is infusing artificial intelligence into all of its major products, while also trying not to disrupt its primary cash cow, which is Search. ChatGPT and other AI chatbots have been seen as an existential threat to Google's core search business, although the data suggests they're not yet making a dent.

The new AI Mode, while still in development, offers a glimpse into an entirely new approach to how Google's search engine may eventually work.

"With this new mode, people can ask nuanced questions that might have previously taken multiple searches — like exploring a new concept to comparing options and beyond — and get a comprehensive AI-powered response," Google said Wednesday in an accompanying explainer.

AI Mode also feels like a bridge between classic Search and its Gemini chatbot, which currently can only be accessed via its own website or through an app. AI Mode would attempt to answer queries directly where it can but also prominently show links to the sources of information and, Google said, tap shopping data for millions of products.

But like the Gemini chatbot, AI Mode could also let users ask follow-up questions. It's also multimodal, letting users ask queries using text, voice, or images.

Google said that AI Mode would only work when it has a high confidence in the results. In cases where it doesn't, it would simply spit out a list of search results. Some features, such as the comparison tables, would also not be available in AI Mode from the very start, but a spokesperson said the company plans to roll them out over time.

Google also said on Wednesday that it had launched its Gemini 2.0 model for AI Overviews, which it said would improve results for more complicated searches, including coding, advanced math, and multimodal queries.

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• Donald Trump continues to call Elon Musk DOGE's leader.
• Trump's latest comments came during his joint address to Congress.
• The White House and the Justice Department have said Musk is not leading DOGE.

During his record-setting joint address to Congress, President Donald Trump continued calling Elon Musk the leader of the White House DOGE office.

"I have created the brand-new Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, perhaps you've heard of it, which is headed by Elon Musk, who is in the gallery tonight," Trump said in his speech Tuesday night.

Trump's habit of saying Musk is in charge of the group is already creating legal headaches for his administration, which has repeatedly said the Tesla CEO is not actually leading DOGE.

A group of plaintiffs challenging DOGE's constitutionality immediately alerted a Washington, DC, federal judge to Trump's comments almost as soon as the president finished his speech.

"At approximately 9:46 PM, President Trump stated the following in his Joint Address to Congress," the plaintiffs wrote in their filing.

The plaintiffs, who include two attorneys, quickly filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on the day Trump was sworn into office, arguing that the creation of DOGE violates the transparency requirements of the 1972 Federal Advisory Committee Act. The lawsuit declares DOGE a federal advisory committee that should be subject to the FACA law.

The law, which was designed to boost public accountability, covers advisory committees that are either formed or utilized by the president.

An amended lawsuit filed by the plaintiffs says "Musk continues to speak for DOGE and take credit for DOGE's activities, while not being" the administrator for the US DOGE Service.

DOGE was birthed out of a rebrand of the United States Digital Service — a technology unit housed in the executive office of the president.

"DOGE continues to take actions which are completely unrelated to the USDS mandate set forth" in Trump's day one executive order that formally established DOGE, the amended complaint says.

US District Judge Jia Cobb has since consolidated the case with two other similar cases.

Meanwhile, a top White House official previously declared in federal court that Musk was neither the DOGE office administrator nor even an employee of the group. The White House has also repeatedly stressed that Musk is just a senior advisor to the president. After weeks of refusing to name DOGE's administrator publicly, the White House said that Amy Gleason, a US Digital Service employee, was the acting administrator of the DOGE office.

Multiple signs suggest that Musk remains DOGE's de facto leader, dating back to Trump's initial creation of "The Department of Government Efficiency," when he named the billionaire as its co-leader.

Just days ago, a DOJ lawyer struggled to answer questions about DOGE's structure.

"Who was the head of DOGE before Amy Gleason," the judge asked, according to Lawfare's Anna Bower.

The DOJ counsel responded, "I can't answer that. I don't know."

Trump is no stranger to making public statements that create headaches for the Justice Department.

During his first term, Trump's tweets were repeatedly used as evidence in various lawsuits brought against his administration.

At one point, the DOJ said that Trump's tweets were not presidential actions.

The White House didn't immediately return a request for comment by Business Insider.

• After making a few baked-potato recipes from chefs, I fell in love with Ina Garten's cooking method.
• The celebrity chef calls for a herby, salty coating that gets rubbed on the potatoes before baking.
• The herby coating and lack of foil resulted in a perfectly crisp exterior and creamy interior. 

I've loved baked potatoes since I was a kid, and I've always made them the same way: Wrapped in foil and popped in a hot oven for about an hour.

However, many skilled chefs, including Ina Garten, skip the foil in order to achieve crispy exteriors.

Since I love eating the skin of baked potatoes, I was ready to give Garten's method a try.

Garten's recipe includes unexpected ingredients, like fresh herbs and lemon zest.

This recipe calls for coating the potatoes in a flavorful herb mix before baking.

Garten combines fresh rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest with sea salt to create a tasty coating for the skins.

The method is a little more involved than I'm used to, but it's totally worth it.

I started by washing my potato and poking holes before setting it aside.

Then I combined the sea salt, rosemary, and lemon zest in a small food processor and transferred it to a plate. I dislike the taste of thyme, so I omitted it. 

I completely coated the baked potato in olive oil and rolled it in the salt mixture.

Garten doesn't wrap her baked potatoes in aluminum foil.

Instead of wrapping the potato in foil, Garten just covers a baking sheet with foil and places the spuds on top. I followed suit, placing my seasoned potato on a foil-covered tray.

Once the oven was preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, I baked the potato for one hour.

While the potatoes cooked, I prepped Garten's whipped feta.

The unique herb mixture on the potato doesn't exactly complement toppings like shredded cheddar or bacon.

Instead, Garten calls for a homemade whipped feta topping and fresh chives.

The finished topping looked and smelled amazing.

To make the topping, I combined crumbled feta cheese, cream cheese, olive oil, salt, pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a food processor.

It smelled incredible, and I couldn't wait to taste it on the potato.

The potato looked restaurant-worthy and smelled amazing.

After an hour in the oven, the potato was ready.

The skin looked crispy and fancy, thanks to the sea salt. I cut it open and stuffed the interior with plenty of whipped feta and a generous sprinkle of chives.

The potato was even more delicious than it looked. The skin was super crispy and flaky and had so much flavor from the salt and herbs. The crunchy exterior also went well with the soft, creamy interior. 

The cold, whipped topping contrasted with the hot potato, and the chives added a fresh, bright flavor, balancing the otherwise heavy dish.

From appearance to texture to taste, this potato won in every category.

Baked potatoes are hard to mess up, but I've never had one that checked every box like Garten's did.

It tasted amazing, with various textures to keep each bite exciting, and it looked good enough to snap a few pictures for Instagram.

It was a nice twist from the standard cheddar, butter, and sour cream varieties I know and love. 

Garten's method for making baked potatoes is now my go-to, especially for nice dinners with family or friends.

This story was originally published in 2022 and most recently updated on March 5, 2025.

• Neurofit created an app that incorporates somatic exercises to help treat chronic stress.
• The company uses AI to help with tasks like coding and language translation.
• This article is part of "How AI Is Changing Everything: Small Business," a series exploring how small businesses are using AI for success.

Whether it's work or family-related pressures, an unexpected health scare, or a sudden life change like a big move, we all experience stress.

But there's a big difference between short-term, acute stress and chronic stress, which accumulates over time and potentially affects physical health.

Many mindfulness apps are effective at addressing acute stress but may not be as helpful for chronic stress. Neurofit, a mental wellness app that focuses on movement, is trying to close this gap.

The app, developed by the husband-and-wife team Andrew and Loren Hogue, leverages neuroscience and what they call "nervous system fitness" to help users reduce stress and improve mental clarity through somatic exercises. Somatics is a field of movement studies and bodywork that focuses on the body's physical perceptions and experiences, emphasizing conscious movements that increase the mind-body connection.

With just a three-person team, Neurofit relies on AI to deliver its program and engage users. The small business uses AI in three key ways: mental health coaching, app coding and development, and language translation.

Andrew Hogue, a serial entrepreneur with a background in software engineering, cofounded Neurofit in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when rates of anxiety and depression soared. Five years later, many people are still recovering from that collective trauma.

Loren Hogue, a former lawyer and a master somatic coach, underwent training and learned that chronic stress affects physical health just as much as mental health.

Neurofit uses neuroscience- and evidence-based methods to address chronic stress and burnout, anchoring its program on somatic movements and mindfulness activities proven to reduce stress.

The Neurofit app has a daily check-in function where users assess how they feel about different parts of their lives, including career and family, and securely collects this data to understand each user's "stress fingerprint," Andrew Hogue said.

The app compiles biometric data, such as heart rate and nervous system recovery, and combines this with information about each user's stress profile and physiology to provide personalized guidance and insights. It analyzes a user's unique stress patterns over time and tailors exercises and coaching to the individual's needs.

Product development, coding, and translation help

Neurofit also uses AI for coding. Andrew Hogue used it to develop an app specifically for Apple Watches, something he'd never done despite his experience as a software engineer. He said AI reduced the learning curve, guiding him through the coding process to develop an Apple Watch app in just a few days to complement Neurofit's existing iOS app.

Neurofit has also adopted AI to reach a global audience.

The company uses ChatGPT 3.0 — a generative AI tool that can create new content from virtually any source material — to translate mental health and wellness articles in the app's content library into more than 40 different languages. The technology allows Neurofit to translate content faster and more affordably than using human translators, saving the company $1,500 to $2,000 for each language, Andrew said.

Lauren Houge said AI also helps Neurofit increase accessibility and equity.

"By driving down the cost of care, AI-driven tools are poised to serve far more diverse populations from anywhere, not just tech-savvy or privileged groups," she said.

But adopting AI hasn't been foolproof. The technology initially produced subpar language translations, but they improved over time with better data inputs. It experienced a similar problem with its content library, as ChatGPT 3.0 initially delivered lower-quality results as the team added more internal links, visuals, and graphics to its content pages. Andrew Hogue said these issues have been resolved over time.

It's just another reminder that you can't rely solely on AI tools; a human always should be in the loop.

The Hogues said it's critical for small businesses new to AI to start with small test cases, look for repetitive tasks to easily automate, and use the technology to augment — rather than replace — human empathy and connection.

Loren Hogue added that ethical and privacy safeguards are nonnegotiable, especially in healthcare.

"Robust data protection needs to be built into every step, starting at the design phase, so users feel safe sharing biometric information," she said.

Ultimately, they believe the potential for AI to have a positive effect on people's mental health may outweigh the possible risks.

"We believe AI can transform mental health care into a more proactive, holistic, preventive, and personalized domain," Loren Hogue said, "one that supports not only immediate mental and emotional well-being, but also long-term physiological resilience and longevity."

• I have a 3-year-old and 5-year-old, and I take them on trips often.
• My kids might not remember our adventures, but my husband and I will.
• We've raised them to be travelers so we can do things with them wherever we go.

Many people talk about it not being "worth" taking young children on vacations because they won't remember it. Or because "it's not a vacation" as a parent since the parental duties don't disappear.

Our family finds it incredibly worthwhile to take our 3-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son on trips because it's enjoyable for all of us. Even if the kids don't remember all of the memories, my husband and I will.

I have my own memories of trips my family took when I was young

When my grandfather was alive, my parents and I took yearly trips to Disney World, often staying on the campgrounds with my grandma, aunt, uncle, and cousins. Do I remember Pluto licking my face when I was teething? No, but I remember watching the musical performance of "Beauty and the Beast," riding Space Mountain for the first time with my older cousins, and watching Tinker Bell fly during the evening performances (my grandma lovingly nicknamed me "Tinker Bell" as a baby, so she's always been a favorite character of mine).

Travel ignites a child's sense of adventure and imagination, strengthens family bonds, and gives children life experiences. I want to give my children these same types of family memories.

My children may not remember forever, but that's not the point

Recently, I tried to dress my daughter in her orange Mickey Mouse sweatshirt, coaxing her that her grandma bought it and that how big brother wore it, too. She said, "No, that's the shirt I wore to the pumpkin patch." Four months later, she remembers wearing that sweatshirt when we went out of town to pumpkin picking with our family. The other day, my son asked if we could go to the beach again or drink coconut smoothies, as we did in Mexico.

We discredit them for being so young, but these experiences still impact them. I might not be paying the big bucks for the fanciest hotels and meals, but I honestly probably wouldn't do that anyway, with or without kids.

Sometimes, it's the simplest things that engrave deep memories, and as an adult, I accept that they might be more impressed by something inane than the fancy lobster dinner.

We adapt to their schedules

We plan to adapt around their schedules — I encourage my children to take naps in the stroller if we're out at an amusement park, as we don't have to spend the extra time to go back to a hotel. Many places have family areas, but if not, we'll find a quiet area to park. It gives us a rest or a chance to take turns hopping onto a roller coaster.

We've found everywhere accommodating; our cruise ship had an elaborate children's menu at dinner, and one of the buffet chefs in Mexico insisted on carrying my plate and dishing up my food when I was carrying my daughter and a plate.

We've raised them to travel, so they behave accordingly

My son went on his first road trip when he was 19 months old. It was an 11 hour drive to a wedding in Wyoming, and we turned it into a vacation, making stops along the way at Mount Rushmore, Devil's Tower, Reptile Gardens (which I also had visited as a child), and more. He certainly does not remember this trip, but I had fun playing peekaboo with him in the back seat. Soon after, we repeated the long car ride with a journey to the Cincinnati Zoo to see Fiona the hippo and feast on the famous Skyline chili.

When my daughter first hated longer car rides around town, we worried about travel. It turned out that road trips were OK because she'd fall asleep on the longer rides.

If I die tomorrow, I'd rather have these memories with my family than that nap on the beach.

• I work in college admissions, and one of my students used ChaptGPT to write his essay.
• I was angry, but then I saw all the ways AI can help students during the admissions process.
• Students can use AI as an idea generator to help organize all their essentials.

When ChatGPT first entered the scene, I rolled my eyes.

As a college admissions coach and author of "Get Real and Get In," I've always believed in the power of deep reflection and authentic storytelling. The idea of using AI felt like a shortcut that stripped away the most valuable part of the process: helping students discover their unique voices.

Everything changed with one student.

He was bright, but his early drafts were choppy, unfocused, and thin. He struggled to get his ideas on paper, and deadlines loomed. Then, suddenly, polished essays appeared in my inbox. They were formulaic but well-structured. An AI detector confirmed my suspicions: 100% AI-generated.

I was furious — not just at the student, but at the idea that AI might undermine the very foundation of my work. I emailed him a stern warning that we would not be able to support his work unless he stopped using AI.

To his credit, he listened. He scrapped the AI-generated drafts and worked harder to infuse his personality into his writing. He wound up producing essays that showcased his intellectual depth and unique perspective. And guess what? He got into his dream school — an Ivy League.

That experience forced me to rethink my stance. I wondered: Was I resisting AI because it threatened my role — or because I hadn't learned how to guide students on how to use it?

After experimenting with Generative AI in my own workflow—using it for email responses and project timelines — I saw its potential to streamline processes. This inspired me to integrate AI to make the admissions process feel less overwhelming.

AI could be a stress reliever for students applying to college

As someone who works closely with high school students, I know firsthand how stressful the college admissions process can be. I've seen students stress out and sometimes opt out of the process altogether because it's just too much.

College admissions should not precipitate a mental health nightmare, although I know all too well that it can. When I applied to college, I got stress-induced pneumonia due to the pressure.

While AI won't change the stakes of college admissions, I've realized it can help reduce stress and overwhelm by handling repetitive, time-consuming tasks, allowing students to focus on the deeper, more meaningful parts of their applications.

Some schools and professors outright ban AI, fearing it will lead to plagiarism. But let's be real: AI isn't going anywhere.

Instead of treating AI like a forbidden shortcut, we need to teach students how to use it ethically.

AI will not write your essay, but it can help brainstorm, refine ideas, and suggest edits. AI will not replace human mentorship, but it can free up time for deeper conversations.

How AI can help students with the admissions process

Students have to answer a lot of prompts when applying to colleges. Many students can get stuck generating interesting, unique ideas to write about. That's when they can turn to AI.

Here's what students can type into ChaptGPT: "Help me generate outlines for three unique essay topics based on my experience with [insert key event, passion, or challenge]."

Additionally, some of my students struggle with executive function. Executive function is what Harvard researchers liken to an "air traffic control system" for the brain. These struggles — often linked to PTSD, anxiety, ADHD, or depression — make it harder to stay organized.

AI can serve as a life-changing accessibility tool for these — and all — students.

For example, Fyxer provides a structured pre-loaded response to emails so students stay on track with admissions and school correspondence.

Voice-to-text AI through Google Docs allows students to dictate their thoughts before organizing them into an essay.

Additionally, generative AI creates bullet-point responses to common interview questions. Students can use their own voice and style to practice the points aloud.

We need to integrate AI with human connection

AI hasn't replaced human connection in my coaching; it has deepened it.

By reducing logistical overwhelm, students can focus on intellectual depth.

By offering adaptive support, students with learning differences and mental health challenges can engage in ways that work for them.

By streamlining tedious tasks, I can dedicate more time to meaningful mentorship.

The future of education isn't AI vs. human connection; it's both.

For students, this means less stress and more creativity. For educators, it means focusing on what really matters: supporting students to self-discovery and to build real-world, future-ready skills.

The college admissions process doesn't have to be a mental marathon. AI — used wisely — can refocus students on the journey of self-discovery, intellectual curiosity, and confidence — exactly what admissions officers want to see.

• Instagram cofounder Mike Krieger discussed the evolving job of software engineers in a podcast interview.
• He said the day-to-day work will change as AI gets better at coding.
• Krieger, who now works at Anthropic, predicts software engineers will spend more time reviewing code than writing it.

Software engineers should expect their jobs to meaningfully change in the next three years, according to Instagram's cofounder.

Mike Krieger, who now works as Anthropic's chief product officer, said in a recent podcast interview that developers will be spending more time double-checking AI-generated code than writing it themselves.

"How do we evolve from being mostly code writers to mostly delegators to the models and code reviewers?" Krieger asked on a recent episode of "20VC."

As the act of coding itself increasingly involves artificial intelligence, Krieger expects software developers to tackle the more abstract work that AI models can't handle and learn how to effectively oversee the systems themselves.

"That's what I think the work looks like three years from now," Krieger said. "It's coming up with the right ideas, doing the right user interaction design, figuring out how to delegate work correctly, and then figuring out how to review things at scale — and that's probably some combination of maybe a comeback of some static analysis or maybe AI-driven analysis tools of what was actually produced."

At certain Big Tech companies, the work of software development has already undergone significant change.

In October, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said over a quarter of new code at the company was already being produced by AI. Besides using it to write some code himself, Krieger said he began the year at Anthropic by determining what parts of the product development process were "Claude-ified," and which others remained best left up to human beings.

"Driving alignment and actually figuring out what to build is still the hardest part, right," Krieger said. "Like that is actually the only thing that is still best resolved by just getting together in a room and talking through the pros and cons, or going off and exploring it in Figma and coming back."

Though AI may speed along certain parts of the process for product development, Krieger doesn't expect it to entirely eliminate the need for software developers — a worry that is top of mind for some computer science majors and recent graduates who previously spoke with Business Insider.

Krieger said AI will instead alter the skills required to remain relevant in a coding-related job.

"I think it becomes multidisciplinary, where it's knowing what to build as much as it is knowing the exact implementation that you want," Krieger said. "I love that about our engineers. Many, maybe even most, of our good product ideas come from our engineers and come from them prototyping, and I think that's what the role ends up looking like for a lot of them."

A spokesperson for Anthropic told Business Insider that the company views itself as a "testbed" for how other workplaces can navigate AI-driven changes to critical roles.

"At Anthropic, we're focused on developing powerful and responsible AI that works with people, not in place of them," the spokesperson said. "As Claude rapidly advances in its coding capabilities for real-world tasks, we're observing developers gradually shifting toward higher-level responsibilities."

Certain jobs, Krieger said, are still most efficient when performed by human hands — for the time being.

"And I think alignment: Deciding what to build, solving real user problems, and like figuring out a cohesive product strategy — still very hard," he said. "And probably the models are more than a year away from solving that. That is the constraint."

• Meta maintains internal blocklists of employees who are ineligible for being rehired.
• BI spoke with several former employees who said they were surprised to learn they were on these secret lists.
• Some former Meta managers said it could be nearly impossible to get employees off the list.

A senior engineer caught up in Meta's 2022 mass layoff of 10,000 employees thought finding another role at the tech giant would be straightforward.

They had worked at the company for more than four years, consistently receiving "Exceeded Expectations," one of the stronger ratings on Meta's performance scale. The year prior, the engineer had earned a coveted promotion to a senior technical role. Their work had been praised by their skip-level manager, who told them in an email that their contributions were "crucial" to the company's success. They were told that their layoff was simply a business decision and that multiple hiring managers now wanted them back on their teams.

After applying to nearly 20 positions in the year after they were let go, the engineer noticed a pattern: hiring managers would express interest in bringing them back and set up a screening call with a recruiter, the first stage in Meta's multi-step hiring process. Then, the recruiters would ghost them.

Frustrated, the engineer asked a hiring manager what was happening. They were told Meta's recruiting team had forbidden the manager from contacting the engineer because they were deemed "ineligible for rehire."

"That was the first time I had a real indication that I was on some kind of list," the engineer, who is unnamed because they are actively trying to get rehired at Meta, told Business Insider.

Meta maintains internal lists that bar some former employees from rejoining the company, according to five former employees including two managers that BI spoke to. BI learned that even those who had good performance records may be prevented from being rehired. While such lists aren't illegal, they are unusual, employment and human resource experts said.

The former employees and managers confirmed Meta uses multiple systems to track rehire ineligibility, including a "non-regrettable attrition" designation and a "do not rehire" flag, though the exact mechanisms and number of affected employees remain unclear. While BI couldn't view a single, comprehensive list, multiple internal communications we reviewed showed that managers encounter systemic barriers when attempting to rehire certain former employees.

For the last few years, tech companies have been aggressively pursuing efficiency after years of explosive growth. Following widespread layoffs across Silicon Valley since 2022, tech giants are now implementing stricter performance management systems while simultaneously competing for top talent in AI and other high-growth areas. For former employees seeking to return these hidden rehiring restrictions create an invisible barrier in an already competitive job market.

Interviews with five former employees across different divisions, along with internal emails and messages viewed by BI, revealed multiple instances of workers who were laid off and discovered they were barred from rejoining Meta after applying for new positions at the company despite good performance records in their previous stints. These workers often learned about their status from third-party contractors rather than Meta itself.

BI has kept names and other identifiable details private to protect sources' confidentiality but has verified the identities and employment histories of these individuals.

Employees who violate workplace policies, such as stealing confidential data, receive permanent bans from future employment at Meta. The company also maintains lists that sometimes include underperforming employees. However, two former managers who spoke with BI say the bans extend beyond these clear-cut cases: managers often have broad discretion to add names to these lists, without documented performance issues.

"If a manager didn't like you, it wasn't hard to put someone on a list," one former manager said.

In a statement to BI, a Meta spokesperson said: "There are clear criteria for when someone is marked ineligible for rehire that are applied to all departing employees and there are checks and balances in the process so that a single manager cannot unilaterally tag someone ineligible without support."

Meta says its decision to bar an ex-employee from rehiring is based on a multitude of factors.

"We determine, at the time of separation, the reason for the employee's departure — policy violation, performance termination, voluntary resignation etc. — and that, along with the last rating prior to separation and any other recent performance signals, determines whether an employee is eligible for rehire or not," the Meta spokesperson told BI.

One former manager, however, said that they and other managers at the company were able to put people on lists by "just filling out a form" and "putting in any real issue."

It would "take minutes to get someone marked as 'non-regrettable'," they told BI. "The manager would get an email asking if it was non-regrettable attrition or not."

Blockedlisted without an explanation

After being cut during Meta's 2022 layoffs, a former hardware engineer with a record of being rated "Exceeded Expectations" was approached by a staffing agency about a contract position with the same team they built and managed at Meta.

In emails viewed by BI, the staffing agency was initially enthusiastic, noting the ex-employee had the qualifications for the role. But after they applied, the responses grew increasingly vague.

First, the agency said the role wasn't aligned with their experience. When the applicant pressed for more information, the agency revealed that Meta's HR team had marked them as "ineligible to be hired," the emails viewed by BI showed. The agency declined to provide additional details, saying the information was "kept confidential by Meta HR."

The staffing agency did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

Last month, Meta cut nearly 4,000 workers in a move that CEO Mark Zuckerberg characterized as performance-based trimming.

Another former employee, who was also laid off in 2022, was approached months later by a different staffing agency for a contract position at Meta that was similar to their previous role at the company. When they applied, the agency told them that Meta said that they were not eligible for rehire without providing a reason, according to an email between the staffing agency and this former employee viewed by BI.

"I got really frustrated because they didn't tell me the reason," the former employee said. "They gave this information to a third party, the contract company, but not to me." Their former managers did not respond when they reached out for clarification. The second staffing agency did not respond to requests for comment from BI.

Meta's practices appear to be unusual even within the competitive tech industry landscape. Barring former employees with no major policy violations from being rehired without notifying them explicitly isn't standard practice at other major tech companies, according to industry veterans familiar with hiring systems.

"It's incredibly uncommon. This is very, very rare," Laszlo Bock, Google's head of people operations from 2006 to 2016, told BI.

"I've actually never heard of a company having a 'do not rehire' designation for former employees, because if an employee was a decent or good performer, you'd much rather hire somebody who actually knows your company and culture than somebody else." Bock added that he had never seen the practice formalized at any major corporation thus far.

A mechanism outside normal recruiting tools

In the summer of 2024, Meta connected the senior engineer mentioned earlier in this story with one of its lawyers from the company's employee relations team after the engineer contacted HR.

After reviewing their employment history, the lawyer confirmed that there were no HR violations that might warrant a hiring restriction, the engineer told BI. When the engineer pressed for an explanation about the recruiting block, Meta's lawyer told them they couldn't comment.

In a follow-up email to Meta's HR department viewed by BI, the engineer asked Meta to confirm whether they were on a recruiting blocklist and, if so, to provide the reason. The company said it couldn't provide a definitive answer, and that they could try applying to open roles on Meta's careers website.

Over the next several months, the senior engineer contacted multiple Meta directors and managers who appeared interested in rehiring them, according to messages viewed by BI.

A division director told them that they had witnessed similar cases where current Meta employees, who had been given a month to find new internal roles after their programs had been canceled, discovered that they were blocked from transferring because they happened to be on a list.

Another director, who was actively trying to rehire the senior engineer, expressed frustration about the block and said that it was preventing them from rehiring multiple people they hoped to recruit.

One hiring manager who wasn't allowed to hire the senior engineer told them in a private message that Meta asked them not to discuss specific reasons for not moving forward. When the senior engineer asked a different hiring manager about getting off the list, they were told that even a sign-off from a vice president wouldn't be enough.

In an email viewed by BI, a hiring manager expressed frustration that they couldn't figure out why someone they wanted to rehire had ended up on a block list. It seemed, they said, that they were running into a mechanism outside normal recruiting tools. They wrote that they had not seen anyone successfully get off a list and be able to interview at the company again.

Employment attorney Ashley Herd told BI that companies maintaining such lists isn't illegal, but it could pose legal risks if it disproportionately affects protected groups.

"For it to be illegal under nationwide federal law, it would have to be discriminatory based on some sort of protected characteristic," Herd said. She added that it's "really a terrible practice because you're missing out on talent, especially people that know your business."

Mitchell Epner, a partner at Kudman Trachten Aloe and Posner LLP who practices employment law, told BI that it's common for severance agreements to include provisions barring former employees from reapplying. None of the former Meta employees BI spoke to said their agreements contained such language.

"The rights that an individual has vis a vis an employer are extraordinarily limited," Epner said. "Outside of discrimination against protected classes, employers can do virtually anything that they want... for any reason at all or no reason at all."

Meta's block lists aren't foolproof. In an incident that resulted in a lawsuit filed last year, Meta accidentally rehired a former employee as a contractor despite him being on a "Do Not Hire" list after he was accused of stalking and harassing a coworker for over a year.

Despite their experience, the senior engineer told BI that they would still return to Meta if given the chance.

"It's the worst company I've ever worked for," they said. "But they also pay the best. If I could get in there for a couple more years and make bank, I would do it."

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at [email protected] or Signal at +1-408-905-9124. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Baguettes are surprisingly easy to make and go well with so many meals.
• Not counting the optional egg wash, my family's bread recipe only calls for four ingredients.
• The timing is the only part that can be a little tricky, so make sure to keep your eye on the clock.

If you can think of anything that's both as simple and as satisfying as French bread, I'm all ears.

Luckily, my family has been making foolproof baguettes that only call for four ingredients and an optional egg wash for years.

Here's our bread recipe.

Start by gathering the basic ingredients.

My family's recipe mostly uses things I already have in my pantry on a regular basis.

For two baguettes, you'll need:

· 5 (generous) cups of all-purpose flour

· 5 teaspoons of active yeast

· 1 teaspoon of salt

· 2 cups of warm water

· (optional) 1 egg + ¼ cup water for egg wash

For the equipment, I like to use a stand mixer with a bread-hook attachment, a large bowl, and a cookie sheet.

Mix the dry ingredients.

Combine two cups of flour with the yeast and salt in a stand mixer, briefly turning it on to stir the dry ingredients together.

Form a base dough and gradually add all the flour.

Pour two cups of warm water — around 110 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal — into the stand mixer and run it on low for one minute to form a sticky base dough.

Add the remaining three cups of flour to the mixer and run it on a low speed for about five minutes. A thicker, semi-sticky dough ball should form.

Then, remove the dough from the mixer, form it into a ball, and place it into a greased bowl. I recommend using olive oil.

Let the dough rest for about an hour.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and place it somewhere warm for one hour.

I usually set my dough near a floor heating vent, but places like a closet with a water heater or even a warm bathroom also work well.

If you let your dough rise in the bathroom, make sure the bowl has an air-tight seal.

The dough should rise quite a bit.

When the dough has doubled in size, press the excess air from it with clean hands and roll it into two balls. Set these aside as you prep a cookie sheet with parchment paper and a dusting of flour.

You'll also want to prep a dry, smooth workspace on your counter with a heavy dusting of flour.

Flatten the dough balls out and roll them into long batons.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough balls out into flat, roughly ovular shapes — about 16-by-12 inches big and no more than ¼ inch thick.

Starting at one of the longer edges, roll the flattened dough into a long tube and pinch the ends shut.

Transfer to baguettes to a cookie sheet for another rest period.

Place each dough tube on the prepared cookie sheet. If you're using the optional egg wash, combine the egg with ¼ cup of water in a small bowl. Lightly brush the mixture across both tubes of dough.

If you like crustier bread, I recommend using the egg wash. Without it, you'll get a softer baguette.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest again for 20 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Slash the risen dough for looks and texture.

Once the 20 minutes are up and the tubes have risen slightly, remove the plastic and diagonally slash the dough about 10 times with a serrated knife.

This is partially just for looks, but it also encourages the bread to expand while baking.

Bake, egg wash again, and rotate the pan in the oven.

Bake the bread for 20 minutes, do another egg wash, and return the dough to the oven with the pan rotated — if you're not using an egg wash, simply rotate the pan so all sides of the dough bake evenly.

Bake for another 15 minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven, get it off the cookie sheets, and enjoy.

When the bread is ready to come out, quickly transfer the baguettes from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack.

The baguettes stay fresh for two days, and I think the texture is still OK on the third.

You can also freeze baguettes if you want them to last longer. To thaw them out, heat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, turn the heat off, and pop the frozen bread into the warmed oven for about 10 minutes.

This story was originally published on March 1, 2024, and most recently updated on March 5, 2025.

• I was a Starbucks barista for nearly a year, so I've tasted almost every item on the menu.
• For drinks, I recommend the iced caramel macchiato and the strawberry-acai refresher.
• I'm also a fan of the chain's glazed doughnut and the bacon, Gouda, and egg sandwich.

I worked as a Starbucks barista in Chicago for almost a year. Between tasting everything I made during training plus the free drinks and meals I received each shift, I've tried nearly everything on the menu.

I prefer things to be sweet and cold, but you can use these drink recommendations as a baseline and adjust your order to your own preferences. 

Read on for my favorite things to order at Starbucks.

Iced caramel macchiatos are my go-to fancy drink

An iced caramel macchiato with almond milk is my favorite Starbucks order when I'm looking for a fancier drink — as long as the barista doesn't skimp out on the caramel drizzle (the most important part).

I'm usually not a huge fan of caramel, but something about the way it mixes with the espresso and milk gives it an irresistible flavor. 

A classic soy-milk latte is the perfect pick-me-up

If I'm looking for something simple with a touch of sweetness, a soy-milk latte is the way to go.

With the vanilla soy milk, there's no need to add syrup unless you're looking for a jolt of added sugar.

As someone who doesn't like to pay for air, this is a better alternative to a cappuccino since there's less foam and more milk. 

You can't go wrong with a simple black iced tea

When I'm trying to reduce my sugar consumption, unsweetened iced tea is the ideal choice. 

I prefer black tea because I find it a bit stronger, but green tea is also a solid choice. As long as the barista steeps it properly, neither should taste bitter.

I usually like to get as much ice as possible, so I ask for it without added water because the ice dilutes it enough. 

If you're a matcha fan, the matcha-crème Frappuccino is a must

I love a good matcha Frappuccino, especially on a summer day. It reminds me of a milkshake with a bit of caffeine.

The drink has the perfect blend of sweet and earthy notes.

If you're ordering it with nondairy milk, soy will give it that creamy texture Frappuccinos are known for. I've found it won't come out as creamy with almond milk.

The vanilla-sweet-cream nitro cold brew is sweet and strong

When I need a hefty pick-me-up, a nitro cold brew is unbeatable.

Compared to a regular cold brew, a nitro one is smoother, so it doesn't need ice to water it down. 

Even though it's smooth, I still need some sweetness. The vanilla sweet cream is a beautiful blend of heavy creamer and vanilla syrup that sits on top of the coffee until you're ready to mix.

If I don't want coffee, the strawberry-acai refresher is a great option

When I need a break from heavy caffeine and want something fruity and light, I'll go for a strawberry-acai refresher.

It's by far my favorite refresher flavor, but you can't really go wrong with any of them. It may just taste like fruit punch, but it's the perfect way to quench your thirst. 

The glazed doughnuts are the perfect companion to a cup of coffee

Pastries are one of my favorite things to pair with coffee.

Starbucks has a broad selection, but one of my favorites is the glazed doughnut — it's the perfect pastry for when I get the occasional hot drink.

I prefer to get the blueberry scones warmed up

If I'm not in the mood for a cold pastry, I'll order a warmed-up blueberry scone. The heat moistens it, making it taste fresher.

Starbucks' blueberry scones are also a bit fluffier than traditional ones, which I like. The scone goes exceptionally well with a black coffee, like the Pike Place or dark roast. 

The sausage, cheddar, and egg sandwich is a filling breakfast

When I worked early morning shifts and was really hungry, the sausage, cheddar, and egg Starbucks breakfast sandwich saved me.

It's greasy and filling in the best way. I found it was often a customer favorite — I was lucky if there were any left to grab during my break. 

I love the flavors of the bacon, Gouda, and egg sandwich

If I wasn't starving but still wanted something tasty in the morning, the bacon, Gouda, and egg sandwich always satisfied.

It's smaller, so you might not feel like you're getting your bang for your buck, but the quality is worth it. 

The Gouda pairs nicely with the bacon, and the ciabatta roll toasts to perfection. No soggy bread here.

This story was originally published in March 2022 and most recently updated on March 5, 2025.

• Lisa Marcellino and her husband divorced after 34 years of marriage.
• She moved back in with her parents in a different city at 61, and felt lonely.
• Marcellino joined a Facebook group and has rebuilt her social life by making new friends in her 60s.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lisa Marcellino, a 66-year-old nonprofit worker and caregiver based in Louisville, Kentucky. It has been edited for length and clarity.

My husband and I split up in 2019 after 34 years of marriage. It was strange and heartbreaking.

I had a social circle in Cincinnati where we'd lived for 32 years, but many of them didn't stick around after the divorce. I tried living there on my own, but it got really lonely during COVID.

In 2020, I decided to leave my job and make a change, but I didn't want to start over somewhere totally new. I kept telling myself, "I'm too old to make new friends. I'm too old to start over. It's too hard."

At 61 years old, I moved back in with my parents in Louisville, Kentucky, because they needed help and I had a group of high school friends there. I became my parents' caregiver and I now have a part-time job providing tuition assistance for children at Catholic schools.

My social life suffered after I moved

It was a big change socially. I consider myself a peacock — I like to be out in the middle of the room — but I did not feel that way for the first year and a half after moving. I was in a bit of a funk.

At dinner one night, I told a school friend how hard I was finding being at home all the time with such a limited social life. She told me about a Facebook group called the Ethel Circle, which had a few thousand older women like me in it.

I started chatting to people in the group about things specific to our stage in life, like dying our hair and how all these extra hairs got on our faces. I read posts from people who were in the same boat as me, who never expected to be taking care of their parents at 65 or older, and who felt disconnected from friends and family.

Someone asked if anyone would like to meet up in a different state to mine, and wondered if I could do the same in Louisville.

I set up a monthly meetup for older women

In March 2022, I asked if anyone wanted to have lunch at a local restaurant. I told everybody I'd be wearing a kimono and everyone else said they'd wear one too, so it became a fun theme.

I was nervous that no one would turn up, because people only committed in Facebook comments to being there.

But six people came. They were all very cordial so we just started talking. We told each other all about ourselves: marriages and divorces and jobs and kids. The next thing we knew, we had been there for two and a half hours.

We decided to do it again every month. I knew that organizing it would bring me out of my funk, give me something to look forward to, and make me feel like I was accomplishing something for other people.

The American Association of Retired Persons got involved in December 2023, because they knew loneliness is a big issue for older adults. It started an official Ethel Circle group and taught us to plan and advertise events on Facebook.

Organizing meet-ups gave me purpose

In March 2022, I organized a regional gathering for my Ethel Circle group involving 32 people, some traveling from Iowa and Indianapolis. Now we have a lunch and a dice game meetup every month, and do activities like happy hour, visiting the botanical gardens, Christmas shopping, and pottery painting.

I always tell people who want to come to an event that once they walk in, they're no longer a stranger. We put a little star on their name tag so people know they're new so we can welcome them and make sure they're not alone.

Sometimes we're a little crazy and we're always loud, with everyone talking at the same time, but I almost always get notes from new people saying it was so fun.

The Ethel group has definitely added to my life. I needed to feel needed. It's given me purpose and something to look forward to, and it's given me girlfriends to vent and relate to.

I've learned that your real friends will embrace you, warts and all, and you can't control what other people think of you.

You're never too old to make new friends. I never envisioned the closeness of friends that I have now, so don't be afraid to stick your neck out and walk into a room where you don't know anybody.

There is a lot of life after 60 — you don't want to miss it.

• Trump's relations with European leaders are fraying over Ukraine.
• China sees the opportunity to exploit the divisions, according to conflict and security experts.
• China has long sought to split the alliance between Europe and the US.

In the aftermath of President Donald Trump's Oval Office bust-up with Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelenskyy last week, the decades-old alliance between Europe and the US is under fresh strain.

The Trump administration has justified backing away from its commitment to European security by arguing that it needs to focus on the threat posed by China. But China could be one of the big winners in any deterioration in the alliance between the West's main power blocs.

Beijing could be poised to capitalize on Europe's need for investments amid steep new defense spending requirements demanded by Trump, coupled with the likely imposition of new tariffs by the US.

"The ongoing rupture of the transatlantic alliance affords China an opportunity to present itself once more as a partner to many European countries," Ali Wyne, Senior Research and Advocacy Adviser at the International Crisis Group in Washington, DC, told BI.

He said that despite their concerns over deepening Sino-Russian ties and rising Chinese exports, these countries "believe that they must de-risk from a United States that is aligning itself with Russia and expanding its protectionist campaign."

China seeks to divide the West

Beijing has long sought to weaken the US' alliances in Europe, with the 27-nation EU a major trading partner for both the US and China.

China's support for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine hardened European attitudes toward it. But that may be about to change.

In fact, European leaders are now openly discussing how to adapt to a world where US security guarantees can no longer be counted on.

"Europe's approach to derisking may change and create opportunities for China," Stefan Wolff, a professor of International Security at the UK's University of Birmingham, told BI.

This could pave the way for European leaders to broker deals with Beijing unilaterally, both to strengthen their economies and also to act as a balance against US power.

At the Munich Security Conference in February, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi sought to exploit divisions, calling for greater cooperation between China and Europe.

One opening China could seek to exploit is Ukraine itself.

Large parts of the country have been reduced to rubble by the three-year war, which has left Ukraine facing a possible reconstruction bill of $524 billion over the next decade, according to the World Bank.

And China could end up as an unexpected beneficiary of any peace deal, given its status as a global construction powerhouse and its pre-war trade ties with Ukraine.

"The staggering costs of postwar reconstruction in Ukraine — presently estimated at well over $500 billion over the next decade, a figure that is likely to increase significantly given that there is no short-term resolution to the war in the offing — mean that China will likely have an opportunity to secure hefty reconstruction contracts," Wyne told BI.

China senses opportunity

Olivier Schmitt a professor at the Center for War Studies at the University of Southern Denmark, writing in December, warned that a US withdrawal from its commitments in Europe could backfire on Trump.

"Far from reinforcing Washington, the proposed policies would only strengthen China's role in the international system by forcing Europeans to align more closely with Beijing," he said.

There are, however, obstacles for China to overcome if it's to realize its ambitions of splintering the US-Europe alliance and seizing new economic and political opportunities.

Tensions remain between China and Europe, particularly over the dumping of goods, including electric vehicles and solar panels, both of which the EU has imposed steep tariffs on.

At the same time, European leaders at an emergency summit convened on Sunday in London expressed their desire to repair relations between the US and Ukraine, as well as their conviction that Washington remains a key pillar of European security.

But China senses opportunity. And if relations with Europe continue to spiral, Trump may have sabotaged his goal of pinning back China's growing influence.

• Ryanair said it phase out paper boarding passes from the start of November.
• The move is also set to end the European airline's $59 airport check-in fee.
• It's unclear how Ryanair passengers without smartphones would board after the change takes effect.

Europe's biggest airline plans to eradicate paper boarding passes.

Ryanair said Wednesday that passengers would only be able to board using digital passes issued through its app from November 3.

It's a delay from the May target announced in a press conference last October by CEO Michael O'Leary.

While many airlines encourage passengers to use digital boarding passes, Ryanair would be the first airline to fully abandon paper.

The Irish airline said 80% of its 200 million annual passengers already use digital boarding passes.

It added that the move should improve customer experience and encourage adoption of its in-app features, such as disruption updates and alternative flight options.

As a budget carrier, Ryanair's business model relies on add-ons. As well as baggage fees and selling drinks and duty-free items on board, Ryanair typically charges 55 euros (about $59) to check in at the airport and receive a paper boarding pass.

It expects to "eliminate almost all airport check-in fees" with the change.

On its website, Ryanair also says that paper boarding passes are necessary for passengers departing from airports in Morocco or from Tirana, Albania, to the UK.

This is due to local regulations, so it is unclear what this will mean when Ryanair's paperless boarding takes effect in November.

It is also unclear how passengers without smartphones would board.

If a passenger's phone runs out of battery at the airport, O'Leary has said that there are already protocols in place at boarding gates, per The Telegraph.

In Wednesday's announcement, Dara Brady, Ryanair's chief marketing officer, cited the "massive switch to using mobile" in other ticket industries such as concerts and sports.

"It is time to transition the remaining passengers to digital, which will see them reduce their carbon footprint and receive a smoother and enhanced travel experience," he added.

Ryanair said the move would save more than 300 tons of paper waste a year.

• The Supreme Court ruled against the Trump administration over USAID's funding.
• The decision upholds a lower court's ruling to release funds to USAID contractors.
• Justice Samuel Alito dissented, saying he was "stunned" by the high court's ruling.

The US Supreme Court on Wednesday sided against the Trump administration and upheld a lower court's decision to force the release of nearly $2 billion in foreign aid funds.

The nation's high court ruled 5-4 in rejecting the Trump administration's request to cancel the foreign aid money from the US Agency for International Development.

Justice Samuel Alito, in his dissenting opinion, wrote that he was "stunned" by the court's decision that ultimately forces the Trump administration to pay out the billions to USAID contractors.

"Does a single district-court judge who likely lacks jurisdiction have the unchecked power to compel the Government of the United States to pay out (and probably lose forever) 2 billion taxpayer dollars? The answer to that question should be an emphatic 'No,' but a majority of this Court apparently thinks otherwise. I am stunned," Alito wrote in his dissenting opinion.

The opinion was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh.

Alito wrote that the government has "shown that it is likely to suffer irreparable harm" if a lower court's decision "is not stayed."

"The Government has represented that it would probably be unable to recover much of the money after it is paid because it would be quickly spent by the recipients or disbursed to third parties," Alito wrote.

Alito added in his dissent that the Supreme Court made a "most unfortunate misstep that rewards an act of judicial hubris and imposes a $2 billion penalty on American taxpayers."

The relief ordered by the Supreme Court, Alito said, "is, quite simply, too extreme a response."

"A federal court has many tools to address a party's supposed nonfeasance. Self-aggrandizement of its jurisdiction is not one of them. I would chart a different path than the Court does today, so I must respectfully dissent," Alito wrote.

The Supreme Court did not provide details about when the funds should be released, but said that the district court judge who issued the temporary restraining order that halted the freeze of USAID funding "should clarify what obligations the Government must fulfill to ensure compliance with the temporary restraining order, with due regard for the feasibility of any compliance timelines."

Last month, two nonprofits — the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and Journalism Development Network — filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over President Donald Trump's executive order calling for a 90-day pause of all US foreign assistance programs.

The nonprofits argued in their lawsuit that the order was "unlawful."

District Judge Amir Ali of Washington, DC, issued a temporary restraining order in the case, which the Trump administration appealed. The Trump administration petitioned the Supreme Court on February 26.

Lauren Bateman, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group who represents the plaintiffs, cheered the Supreme Court's decision.

"Today's ruling by the Supreme Court confirms that the Administration cannot ignore the law," Bateman said in a statement. "To stop needless suffering and death, the government must now comply with the order issued three weeks ago to lift its unlawful termination of federal assistance."

This story was updated to add more details from the ruling.

• I'm a professional meal planner, so I have an arsenal of quick and easy weeknight dinners.
• I get dinner on the table in 30 minutes with the help of frozen and fresh store-bought items.
• Sheet pan meals are good for an easy cleanup, and food bars are great for customization.

As a professional meal planner, I insist on preparing home-cooked dinners for my family most nights — but I often have less than an hour to get something on the table.

With decades of experience feeding my mixed-diet family, I've mastered a whole slew of easy 30-minute meals.

Here are five dinner ideas that only require a handful of ingredients and are ready in half an hour.

Asian-inspired lettuce wraps pack plenty of veggies.

My lettuce wraps start with a bag of frozen vegetable fried rice. I add cooked edamame for extra protein and sauté until done. I also prepare our favorite main proteins (tofu for me, and chicken for everyone else) in separate pans.

While everything simmers, I break apart butter-lettuce leaves and prepare an array of toppings, including green onions, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, the proteins, and a variety of store-bought sauces.

Everyone can fill their own lettuce leaves with fried rice, tofu or chicken, and toppings.

Sweet-potato nachos are an unexpected sheet-pan meal.

Once you discover the magic of sheet-pan dinners, you'll probably never want to cook any other way. They're quick to prepare and easy to clean.

I layer a sheet pan with peeled sweet-potato wedges tossed in olive oil, chili powder, salt and pepper and roast them in the oven at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit until fork tender — about 20 minutes.

Then I pour a can of vegan chili over the potatoes, along with a homemade cashew cheese sauce I blend together while the potatoes are cooking. I put it all back in the oven for five minutes until everything is heated through.

We top our nachos with green onions, cilantro, chopped avocado, salsa, and vegan sour cream, but this meal is easy to customize with toppings on the side. I just place the sheet pan in the middle of the table and my family serves themself.

Tacos are always a winner.

Tuesday is always taco night in my house. I keep it simple with a walnut and mushroom chorizo filling that comes together quickly in the food processor.

My family's taco bar includes a variety of options for all of our dietary preferences. Guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, salsa, grated cheese, and sour cream are our favorites.

I serve everything in warm flour tortillas that I've heated over an open flame on a stove burner.

My favorite dinner salad is anything but boring.

My Greek-inspired dinner salad is jam-packed with toppings. I start with the traditional ingredients — chopped romaine, red onion, cucumber, and tomato. Then, I add chopped falafel that I've bought from the store.

I top it all off with creamy avocado slices, sliced kalamata olives, crumbled vegan feta cheese, a few dollops of hummus, and a drizzle of my favorite store-bought Greek dressing.

I dig right in with a fork and serve it alongside sliced pita for my kids, who prefer to eat the salad in a wrap.

My easy weeknight stir-fry only requires four ingredients.

I start by separately sautéing cubed tempeh and chicken. Meanwhile, I boil water and cook some udon noodles.

Once the proteins are done, I cook some precut stir-fry vegetables from the store. When the vegetables have softened, I stir in the cooked noodles and my favorite bottle of store-bought teriyaki sauce.

I let it all simmer and absorb the flavors for a few minutes before plating and topping each bowl with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

• Apple faces challenges from President Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods.
• A US 20% tariff on goods from China threatens Apple's vast supply chain in the country.
• The iPhone maker is likely weighing its options to avoid cost impact, analysts said.

Apple managed to avoid some tariffs on goods from China during President Donald Trump's first term. This time around, it's unclear if Apple CEO Tim Cook can get the same carveouts — despite promising investment in US manufacturing and jobs.

Apple is facing a potential financial hit from Trump's tariffs on goods from foreign countries, including China. Trump doubled the tariff on goods from China from 10% to 20%, on top of existing levies, and slapped a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, beginning Tuesday.

Apple, which has a large supply chain network in China, will have to navigate the effects of Trump's executive order. Morningstar estimates that 70% of iPhones are manufactured in China, while S&P Global said it's about 90% in 2025.

The order could also weigh on sales of products in Greater China itself, which represented 17% of revenue last year.

If the tariffs remain as they are, analysts expect Apple to make adjustments to offset the potential financial impact. However, Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee said the company's plans will "likely be in flux for some time."

He added, "Apple is sorting this all out now."

Consumers can "expect mixed signals," said Jacob Bourne, an analyst at BI's sister company, EMARKETER.

Here are the options that Chatterjee and other analysts who follow Apple say the tech behemoth is considering.

Avoid the tariffs altogether

Cook successfully secured exemptions from the 10% tariff on goods from China during Trump's previous term, and analysts haven't counted him out this time.

Apple has already said it'll add to its US footprint, including pledging a multibillion-dollar investment toward its projects and saying it plans to hire 20,000 people over the next four years. It's partly an attempt to gain exemptions for Apple during this term, Bourne said.

"We're optimistic that Apple's $500 billion investment announcement will help the firm gain an exemption from the tariffs underway," Morningstar analyst William Kerwin said.

If not, it'll have to examine other options.

Bump up the price of iPhones

It's too soon to know Apple's "mitigation strategies" for certain, but increasing the price of consumer goods likely isn't off the table, Chatterjee told BI.

Apple launched a new iPad Air with Apple Intelligence capabilities on the same day the tariffs went into effect. The tablets come with an M3 chip and start at $599 — the same price as its predecessor from 2024.

"I wouldn't expect a knee-jerk reaction from Apple, which is why the iPad Air M3 pricing remains unchanged," Chatterjee said.

The iPhone will be where Apple will make its "toughest decisions," Bourne said. IPhone sales have stumbled in Greater China, and China's government announced plans for retaliatory tariffs on Tuesday, which could hurt them more.

IPhone prices in the US haven't risen since 2020 outside of its Pro Max model going from $1099 to $1199 when the Apple Intelligence-powered iPhone 15 came out, Kerwin said. If gradual price hikes occur, analysts said Apple's best-performing regions and products, like the iPhone, will get a price bump first.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Shift its supply chain out of China

By shifting production to "less tariff disadvantaged locations," Apple would avoid absorbing the cost or placing it on consumers.

It's easier said than done. Apple has fostered deep relationships with Chinese manufacturers over the years. Although it's had some victories in the attempted shift to other countries, it still relies on China for its incomparable scale of operations.

For three years, Apple has shown signs that it's looking to move its supply chain away from China. The tech giant moved some of its iPhone production to India in 2022. In December, Bloomberg reported its plans to begin producing AirPods in India.

However, some experts have said trying to avoid tariffs this time around would be harder, BI previously reported. Trump could target more countries than he did in his first term, and places where businesses shifted their operations to avoid tariffs might not be spared, experts told BI in February.