Podcasts about Big Lots

Our guest this time is Aaron Wolpoff who has spent his professional career as a marketing strategist and consultant to help companies develop strategic brands and enhance their audience growth. He owns the marketing firm, Double Zebra. He tells us about the name and how his company has helped a number of large and small companies grow and better serve their clients.   Aaron grew up in the San Diego area. He describes himself as a curious person and he says he always has been such. He loves to ask questions. He says as a child he was somewhat quiet, but always wanted to know more. He received his Bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of California at San Diego. After working for a firm for some four and a half years he and his wife moved up to the bay area in Northern California where attended San Francisco State University and obtained a Master's degree in Business.   In addition to his day job functioning as a business advisor and strategist Aaron also hosts a podcast entitled, We Fixed it, You're Welcome. I had the honor to appear on his podcast to discuss Uber and some of its accessibility issues especially concerning access by blind persons who use guide dogs to Uber's fleet. His podcast is quite fascinating and one I hope you will follow.   Aaron provides us in this episode many business insights. We talk about a number of challenges and successes marketing has brought to the business arena. I hope you like what Aaron offers.     About the Guest:   Aaron Wolpoff is a seasoned marketing strategist and communications consultant with a track record of positioning companies, products, and thought leadership for maximum impact. Throughout his career, Aaron has been somewhat of a trendspotter, getting involved in early initiatives around online banking, SaaS, EVs, IoT, and now AI, His ability to bridge complex industry dynamics and technology-driven solutions underscores his role as a forward-thinking consultant, podcaster, and business advisor, committed to enhancing organizational effectiveness and fostering strategic growth.   As the driving force behind the Double Zebra marketing company, Aaron excels in identifying untapped marketing assets, refining brand narratives, and orchestrating strategic pivots from paid advertising to organic audience growth. His insights have guided notable campaigns for consumer brands, technology firms, and professional service providers, always with a keen eye for differentiating messages that resonate deeply with target audiences. In addition to his strategic marketing expertise, Aaron hosts the Top 20 business management podcast, We Fixed It, You're Welcome, known for its sharp, humorous analysis of major corporate challenges and missteps. Each episode brings listeners inside complex business scenarios, unfolding like real-time case studies where Aaron and his panel of experts dissect high-profile decisions, offering insightful and actionable solutions. His ability to distill complex business issues into relatable, engaging discussions has garnered widespread acclaim and a dedicated following among executives and decision-makers.   Ways to connect with Aaron:   Marketing company: https://doublezebra.com Podcast: https://wefixeditpod.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/marketingaaron     About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Hi there, and welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. Today, we get to chat with Aaron Wolpoff, who is a marketing strategist and expert in a lot of different ways. I've read his bio, which you can find in the show notes. It seems to me that he is every bit as much of an expert is his bio says he is, but we're going to find out over the next hour or so for sure. We'll we'll not pick on him too much, but, but nevertheless, it's fun to be here. Aaron, so I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. I'm glad you're here, and we're glad that we get a chance to do   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 01:58 this. Thanks, Michael, thanks for having me. You're gonna grill me for an hour, huh?   Michael Hingson ** 02:04 Oh, sure. Why not? You're used to it. You're a marketing expert.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 02:08 That's what we do. Yeah, we're always, uh, scrutiny for one thing or another.   Michael Hingson ** 02:13 I remember, I think it was back in was it 82 or 1982 or 1984 when they had the big Tylenol incident. You remember that? You know about   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 02:25 that? I do? Yeah, there's a Netflix documentary happening right now. Is there? Well, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 02:31 a bottle of Tylenol was, for those who don't know, contaminated and someone died from it. But the manufacturer of Tylenol, the CEO the next day, just got right out in front of it and said what they were going to do about removing all Tylenol from the shelves until it could be they could all be examined and so on. Just did a number of things. It was a wonderful case, it seemed to me, for how to deal with a crisis when it came up. And I find that all too many companies and organizations don't necessarily know how to do that. Do they now?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 03:09 And a lot of times they operate in crisis mode. That's the default. And no one likes to be around that, you know. So that's, I guess, step one is dealing even you know, deal with a crisis when it comes up, and make sure that your your day to day is not crisis fire as much as possible,   Michael Hingson ** 03:26 but know how to deal with a crisis, which is kind of the issue, and that's, that's what business continuity, of course, is, is really all about. I spoke at the Business Continuity Institute hybrid conference in London last October, and as one of the people who asked me to come and speak, explained, business continuity, people are the what if people that are always looking at, how do we deal with any kind of an emergency that comes up in an organization, knowing full well that nobody's really going to listen to them until there's really an emergency, and then, of course, they're indispensable, but The rest of the time they're not for   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 04:02 sure. Yeah, it's definitely that, you know, good. You bring up a good point about knowing how to deal with a crisis, because it will, it, will you run a business for long enough you have a company, no matter how big, eventually something bad is going to happen, and it's Tylenol. Was, is pre internet or, you know, we oh, yeah, good while ago they had time to formulate a response and craft it and and do a well presented, you know, public reassurance nowadays it's you'd have five seconds before you have to get something out there.   Michael Hingson ** 04:35 Well, even so, the CEO did it within, like, a day or so, just immediately came out and said what, what was initially going to be done. Of course, there was a whole lot more to it, but still, he got right out in front of it and dealt with it in a calm way, which I think is really important for businesses to do, and and I do find that so many don't and they they deal with so many different kinds of stress. Horrible things in the world, and they create more than they really should about fear anyway,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 05:07 yeah, for sure, and now I think that Tylenol wasn't ultimately responsible. I haven't watched to the end, but if I remember correctly, but sometimes these crisis, crises that companies find themselves embroiled in, are self perpetuated? Yeah?   Michael Hingson ** 05:23 Well, Tylenol wasn't responsible. Somebody did it. Somebody put what, cyanide or something in into a Tylenol bottle. So they weren't responsible, but they sure dealt with it, which is the important thing. And you know, they're, they're still with us. Yeah?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 05:38 No, they dealt with it. Well, their sales are great, everyday household product. No one can dispute it. But what I say is, with the with the instantaneousness of reach to your to your public, and to you know, consumers and public at large, a lot of crises are, can be self perpetuated, like you tweet the wrong thing, or is it called a tweet anymore? I don't know, but you know, you post something a little bit a little bit out of step with what people are think about you or thinking in general, and and now, all of a sudden, you're in the middle of something that you didn't want to be in the middle of, as a company well,   Michael Hingson ** 06:15 and I also noticed that, like the media will, so often they hear something, they report it, and they haven't necessarily checked to see the facts behind it, only to find out within an hour or two that what they reported was wrong. And they helped to sometimes promote the fear and promote the uncertainty, rather than waiting a little bit until they get all the information reasonably correct. And of course, part of the problem is they say, well, but everybody else is going to report it. So each station says everybody else is going to report it, so we have to keep up. Well, I'm not so sure about that all the time. Oh, that's very true, too, Michael, especially with, you know, off brand media outlets I'll spend with AI like, I'll be halfway through an article now, and I'll see something that's extremely generated and and I'll realize I've just wasted a whole bunch of time on a, you know, on a fake article, yeah, yeah, yeah, way, way too much. But even the mainstream media will report things very quickly to get it out there, but they don't necessarily have all the data, right. And I understand you can't wait for days to deal with things, but you should wait at least a little bit to make sure you've got data enough to report in a cogent way. And it just doesn't always happen.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 07:33 Yeah, well, I don't know who the watch keepers of that are. I'm not a conspiracy theorist in that way by any means?   Michael Hingson ** 07:41 No, no, it isn't a conspiracy. But yeah,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 07:44 yeah, no, no, I know, but it's again. I think it goes back to that tight the shortness of the cycle, like again. Tylenol waited a day to respond back in the day, which is great. But now, would you have you know, if Tylenol didn't say   Michael Hingson ** 07:59 anything for a day. If they were faced with a similar situation, people would vilify them and say, Well, wait, you waited a day to tell us something we wanted it in the first 30 seconds, yeah, oh, yeah. And that makes it more difficult, but I would hope that Tylenol would say, yeah. We waited a day because we were getting our facts together. 30 seconds is great in the media, but that doesn't work for reality, and in most cases, it doesn't. But yeah, I know what you're saying,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 08:30 Yeah, but the appetite in the 24 hour news cycle, if people are hungry for new more information, so it does push news outlets, media outlets into let's respond as quick as possible and figure out the facts along the way. Yeah, yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 08:46 Well, for fun, why don't you tell us about sort of the early era and growing up, and how you got to doing the sorts of things that you're doing now. Well, I grew up in San Diego, California. I best weather in the country. I don't care what anyone says, Yeah,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 09:03 you can't really beat it. No, I don't think anyone's gonna debate you on it. They call it the sunshine tax, because things cost a lot out here, but they do, you know, he grew up here, you put up with it. But yeah, so I grew up, grew up San Diego, college, San Diego. Life in San Diego, I've been elsewhere. I've traveled. I've seen some of the world. I like it. I've always wanted to come back, but I grew up really curious. I read a lot, I asked a lot of questions. And I also wanted, wanting to know, well, I want to know. Well, I wanted to know a lot of things about a lot of things, and I also was really scared. Is the wrong word, but I looked up to adults when I was a kid, and I didn't want to be put in a position where I was expected to know something that I didn't know. So it led to times where I'd pretend like I need you. Know, do you know? You know what this is, right? And I'd pretend like I knew, and early career, career even, and then I get called out on something, and it just was like a gut punch, like, but I'm supposed to know that, you know,   Michael Hingson ** 10:13 what did your parents think of you being so curious as you were growing up?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 10:17 They they liked it, but I was quiet, okay? Quiet, quiet, quietly, confident and curious. It's just an interesting, I guess, an interesting mix. Yeah, but no, they Oh, they indulged it. I, you know, they answered my questions. They like I said, I read a lot, so frequent trips to the library to read a lot about a lot of things, but I think, you know, professionally, you take something that's kind of a grab bag, and what do I do with all these different interests? And when I started college undeclared, I realized, you know, communications, marketing, you kind of can make a discipline out of a bunch of interests, and call it something professional. Where did you go to college? I went to UCSD. UCSD, here in San Diego, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 11:12 well, I was just up the road from you at UC Irvine. So here two good campuses,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 11:18 they are, they are and UCSD. I was back recently. It's like a it's like a city. Now, every time we go back, we see these, these kids. They're babies. They get they get food every you know, they have, like, a food nice food court. There's parking, an abundance of parking, there's theaters, there's all the things we didn't have. Of course, we had some of it, but they just have, like, what if we had one of something or 50 parking spaces, they've got 5000 you know. And if we had, you know, one one food option, they got 35 Yeah, they don't know how good they have it.   Michael Hingson ** 11:53 When I was at UC urban, I think we had 3200 undergraduates. It wasn't huge. It was in that area. Now, I think there's 31,000 or 32,000 undergrads. Oh, wow. And as one of my former physics professors joked, he's retired, but I got to meet him. I was there, and last year I was inducted as an alumni member of Phi, beta, kappa. And so we were talking, and he said, You know what UCI really stands for, don't you? Well, I didn't, I said, What? And he said, under construction indefinitely. And there's, they're always building, sure, and that's that started when I was there, but, but they are always building. And it's just an amazing place today, with so many students and graduate students, undergrads and faculty, and it's, it's an amazing place. I think I'd have a little bit more of a challenge of learning where everything is, although I could do it, if I had to go back, I could do it. Yeah, UCI is nice. But I think you could say, you could say that about any of the UCs are constantly under, under development. And, you know, that's the old one. That's the old area. And I'm like, oh, that's I went to school in the old area. I know the old area. I remember Central Park. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. So you ended up majoring in Marketing and Communications,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 13:15 yeah. So I undergrad in communications. They have a really nice business school now that they did not have at the time. So I predated that, but I probably would have ended up there. I got out with a very, not knocking the school. It's a great, wonderful school. I got out with a very theory, theoretical based degree. So I knew a lot about communications from a theory based perspective. I knew about brain cognition. I took maybe one quarter of practical use it professionally. It was like a video, like a video production course, so I I learned hands on, 111, quarter out of my entire academic career. But a lot of it was learning. The learning not necessarily applied, but just a lot of theory. And I started school at 17, and I got out just shortly after my 21st birthday, so I don't know what my hurry was, but, but there I was with a lot of theory, some some internships, but not a ton of professional experience. And, you know, trying to figure it out in the work world at that point. Did you get a graduate degree or just undergrad? I did. I went back. So I did it for almost five years in in financial marketing, and then, and I wear a suit and tie to work every day, which I don't think anyone does anymore. And I'm suddenly like, like, I'm from the 30s. I'm not that old, but, but no, seriously, we, you know, to work at the at the headquarters of a international credit union. Of course, I wear a suit, no after four and a half. Years there, I went back to graduate school up in the bay the Bay Area, Bay Area, and that's when I got my masters in in marketing. Oh, where'd you go in the Bay Area? San Francisco, state. Okay, okay, yeah, really nice school. It's got one of the biggest International MBA programs in the country, I think. And got to live in that city for a couple years.   Michael Hingson ** 15:24 We lived in Novato, so North Bay, for 12 years, from 2002 to the end of June 2014 Yeah, I like that area. That's, that's the, oh, the weather isn't San Diego's. That area is still a really nice area to live as well. Again, it is pretty expensive, but still it   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 15:44 is, yeah, I it's not San Diego weather, a beautiful day. There is like nothing else. But when we first got there, I said, I want to live by the beach. That's what I know. And we got out to the beach, which is like at the end of the outer sunset, and it's in the 40s streets, and it feels like the end of the universe. It just, it just like, feels apocalyptic. And I said, I don't want to live by the beach anymore, but, but no, it was. It was a great, great learning experience, getting an MBA. I always say it's kind of like a backpack or a toolkit you walk around with, because it is all that's all application. You know, everything that I learned about theory put into practice, you got to put into practice. And so I was, I was really glad that I that I got to do that. And like I said, Live, live in, live in the Bay. For a couple years, I'd always wanted   Michael Hingson ** 16:36 to, yeah, well, that's a nice area to live. If you got to live somewhere that is one of the nicer places. So glad you got that opportunity. And having done it, as I said for 12 years, I appreciate it too. And yeah, so much to offer there.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 16:51 The only problem I had was it was in between the two.com bubbles. So literally, nothing was happening. The good side was that the apartment I was living in went for something like $5,500 before I got there, and then the draw everything dropped, you know, the bottom dropped out, and I was able to squeak by and afford living in the city. But, you know, you go for look, seeking your fortune. And there's, there's, I had just missed it. And then I left, and then it just came back. So I was, I was there during a lull. So you're the one, huh? Okay, I didn't do it, just the way Miami worked out. Did you then go back to San Diego? I did, yeah. So I've met my wife here. We moved up to the bay together, and when we were debating, when I graduated, we were thinking, do we want to drive, you know, an hour and a half Silicon Valley or someone, you know, somewhere further out just to stay in the area? Or do we want to go back to where we where we know and like, and start a life there and we, you know, send, like you said at the beginning, San Diego is not a bad place to be. So as it was never a fallback, but as a place to, you know, come back home to, yeah, I welcomed it.   Michael Hingson ** 18:08 And so what did you do when you came back to San Diego?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 18:12 So I have my best friend from childhood was starting as a photography company still does, and it was starting like a sister company, as an agency to serve the photography company, which was growing really fast, and then also, like picking up clients and building a book out of so he said, you know you're, I see you're applying for jobs, and I know that you're, you know, you're getting some offers and things, but just say no To all of them and come work with me and and at the time it was, it was running out of a was like a loft of an apartment, but it, you know, it grew to us, a small staff, and then a bigger staff, and spun off on its own. And so that's, that's what I did right out of, right out of grad school. I said no to a few things, and said there's a lot, lot worse fates than you know, spending your work day with your best friend and and growing a company out and so what exactly did you do for them? So it was like, we'll call it a boutique creative agency. It was around the time of I'm making myself sound so old. See, so there was flash, flash technology, like web banners were made with Flash. It had moved to be flash, Adobe, Flash, yeah. So companies were making these web banners, and what you call interactive we got a proficiency of making full website experiences with Flash, which not a lot of companies were doing. So because of that, it led to some really interesting opportunities and clients and being able to take on a capability, a proficiency that you know for a time. Uh was, was uh as a differentiator, say, you know, you could have a web banner and an old website, or you could have a flash, interactive website where you take your users on an experience with music and all the things that seem so dated now,   Michael Hingson ** 20:14 well, and of course, unfortunately, a lot of that content wasn't very accessible, so some of us didn't really get access to a lot of it, and I don't remember whether Adobe really worked to make flash all that accessible. They dealt with other things, but I'm not sure that flash ever really was. Yeah, I'm with you on that. I really, I don't think so.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 20:38 What we would wind up doing is making parallel websites, but, but then mobile became a thing, and then you'd make a third version of a website, and it just got tedious. And really it's when the iPhone came out. It just it flash got stopped in its tracks, like it was like a week, and then action script, which is the language that it runs on, and all the all the capabilities and proficiencies, just there was no use for it anymore.   Michael Hingson ** 21:07 Well, and and the iPhone came out, as you said, and one of the things that happened fairly early on was that, because they were going to be sued, Apple agreed to make the I devices accessible, and they did something that hadn't really been done up to that time. They set the trend for it. They built accessibility into the operating systems, and they built the ability to have accessibility into the operating systems. The one thing that I wish that Apple would do even a little bit more of than they do, than they do today, although it's better than it used to be, is I wish they would mandate, or require people who are going to put apps in the App Store, for example, to make sure that the apps are accessible. They have guidelines. They have all sorts of information about how to do it, but they don't really require it, and so you can still get inaccessible apps, which is unfortunate,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 22:09 that is Yeah, and like you said, with Flash, an entire you know, ecosystem had limited to no accessibility, so   Michael Hingson ** 22:16 and making additional on another website, Yeah, a lot of places did that, but they weren't totally equal, because they would make enough of the website, well, they would make the website have enough content to be able to do things, but they didn't have everything that they had on the graphical or flash website, and so It was definitely there, but it wasn't really, truly equal, which is unfortunate, and so now it's a lot better.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 22:46 Yeah, it is no and I hate to say it, but if it came down to limited time, limited budget, limited everything you want to make something that is usable and efficient, but no, I mean, I can't speak for all developers, but no, it would be hard. You'd be hard pressed to create a an equally parallel experience with full accessibility at the time.   Michael Hingson ** 23:16 Yeah, yeah, you would. And it is a lot better. And there's, there's still stuff that needs to be done, but I think over time, AI is going to help some of that. And it is already made. It isn't perfect yet, but even some graphics and so on can be described by AI. And we're seeing things improve over, over, kind of what they were. So we're making progress, which is good,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 23:44 yeah, no, I'm really happy about that. And with with AI and AI can go through and parse your code and build in all you know, everything that that needs to happen, there's a lot less excuse for for not making something as accessible as it can   Michael Hingson ** 23:59 be, yeah, but people still ignore it to a large degree. Still, only about 3% of all websites really have taken the time to put some level of accessibility into them. So there's still a lot to be done, and it's just not that magical or that hard, but it's mostly, I think, education. People don't know, they don't know that it can be done. They don't think about it being done, or they don't do it initially, and so then it becomes a lot more expensive to do later on, because you got to go back and redo   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 24:28 it, all right, yeah, anything, anytime you have to do something, something retroactive or rebuild, you're, yeah, you're starting from not a great place.   Michael Hingson ** 24:37 So how long did you work with your friend?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 24:42 A really long time, because I did the studio, and then I wound up keeping that alive. But going over to the photography side, the company really grew. Had a team of staff photographers, had a team of, like a network of photographers, and. And was doing quite, quite a lot, an abundance of events every year, weddings and corporate and all types of things. So all in, I was with the company till, gosh, I want to say, like, 2014 or so. Wow. Yeah. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 25:21 And then what did you go off and do?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 25:25 So then I worked for an agency, so I got started with creative and, well, rewinding, I got started with financial marketing, with the suit and tie. But then I went into creative, and I've tried pretty much every aspect of marketing I hadn't done marketing automation and email sequences and CRMs and outreach and those types of things. So that was the agency I worked for that was their specialization, which I like, to a degree, but it's, it's not my, not my home base. Yeah, there's, there's people that love and breathe automation. I like having interjecting some, you know, some type of personal aspect into the what you're putting out there. And I have to wrestle with that as ai, ai keeps growing in prominence, like, Where's the place for the human, creative? But I did that for a little while, and then I've been on my own for the past six or seven years.   Michael Hingson ** 26:26 So what is it you do today? Exactly?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 26:30 So I'm, we'll call it a fractional CMO, or a fractional marketing advisor. So I come in and help companies grow their their marketing and figure themselves out. I've gone I work with large companies. I've kind of gone back to early stage startups and and tech companies. I just find that they're doing really more, a lot more interesting things right now with the market the way it is. They're taking more chances and and they're they're moving faster. I like to move pretty quick, so that's where my head's at. And I'm doing more. We'll call em like CO entrepreneurial ventures with my clients, as opposed to just a pure agency service model, which is interesting. And and I got my own podcast. There you go. Yeah. What's your podcast called? Not to keep you busy, it's called, we fixed it. You're welcome. There you   Michael Hingson ** 27:25 go. And it seems to me, if my memory hasn't failed me, even though I don't take one of those memory or brain supplements, we were on it not too long ago, talking about Uber, which was fun.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 27:39 We had you on there. I don't know which episode will drop first, this one or or the one you were on, but we sure enjoyed having you on there.   Michael Hingson ** 27:46 Well, it was fun. Well, we'll have to do more of it, and I think it'd be fun to but so you own your own business. Then today,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 27:53 I do, yeah, it's called Double zebra.   Michael Hingson ** 27:56 Now, how did you come up with that name?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 27:59 It's two basic elements, so basic, black and white, something unremarkable, but if you can take it and multiply it or repeat it, then you're onto something interesting.   Michael Hingson ** 28:13 Lots of stripes. Yeah, lots of stripes.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 28:17 And it's always fun when I talk to someone in the UK or Australia, or then they say zebra or zebra, right? I get to hear the way they say it. It's that's fun. Occasionally I get double double zero. People will miss misname it and double zero. That's his   Michael Hingson ** 28:34 company's that. But has anybody called it double Zed yet?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 28:39 No, that's a new one.   Michael Hingson ** 28:41 Yeah? Well, you never know. Maybe we've given somebody the idea now. Yeah, yeah. Well, so I'm I'm curious. You obviously do a lot to analyze and help people in critique in corporate mishaps. Have you ever seen a particular business mistake that you really admire and just really love, its audacity,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 29:07 where it came out wrong, but I liked it anyway, yeah, oh, man,   Michael Hingson ** 29:13 let's see, or one maybe, where they learned from their mistake and fixed it. But still, yeah, sure.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 29:23 Yeah, that's a good one. I like, I like bold moves, even if they're wrong, as long as they don't, you know, they're not harmful to people I don't know. Let's go. I'm I'm making myself old. Let's go back to Crystal crystal. Pepsi, there you go for that. But that was just such a fun idea at the time. You know, we're the new generation and, and this is the 90s, and everything's new now, and we're going to take the color out of out of soda, I know we're and we're going to take it and just make it what you know, but a little unfamiliar, right? Right? It's Crystal Pepsi, and the ads were cool, and it was just very of the moment. Now, that moment didn't last very long, no, and the public didn't, didn't hold on to it very long. But there's, you know, it was, it let you question, and I in a good way, what you thought about what is even a Pepsi. And it worked. It was they brought it back, like for a very short time, five, I want to say five or six years ago, just because people had a nostalgia for it. But yeah, big, big, bold, we're confident this is the new everyone's going to be talking about this for a long time, and we're going to put a huge budget behind it, Crystal Pepsi. And it it didn't, but yeah, I liked it.   Michael Hingson ** 30:45 So why is that that is clearly somebody had to put a lot of effort into the concept, and must have gotten some sort of message that it would be very successful, but then it wasn't,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 31:00 yeah, yeah. For something like that, you have to get buy in at so many levels. You know, you have an agency saying, this is the right thing to do. You have CD, your leadership saying, No, I don't know. Let's pull back. Whenever an agency gets away with something and and spends a bunch of client money and it's just audacious, and I can't believe they did it. I know how many levels of buy in they had to get, yeah, to say, Trust me. Trust me. And a lot of times it works, you know, if they do something that just no one else had had thought of or wasn't willing to do, and then you see that they got through all those levels of bureaucracy and they were able to pull it off.   Michael Hingson ** 31:39 When it works. I love it. When it doesn't work. I love it, you know, just, just the fact that they did it, yeah, you got to admire that. Gotta admire it. They pulled it off, yeah. My favorite is still ranch flavored Fritos. They disappeared, and I've never understood why I love ranch flavored Fritos. And we had them in New Jersey and so on. And then we got, I think, out to California. But by that time, they had started to fade away, and I still have never understood why. Since people love ranch food so   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 32:06 much, that's a good one. I don't know that. I know those because it does, it does that one actually fill a market need. If there's Doritos, there's, you know, the ranch, I don't know if they were, they different.   Michael Hingson ** 32:17 They were Fritos, but they they did have ranch you know they were, they were ranch flavored, and I thought they were great. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know that one didn't hit because they have, I think they have chili flavor. They have regular. Do they have anything else honey barbecue? I don't know. I don't know, but I do still like regular, but I love ranch flavored the best. Now, I heard last week that Honey Nut Cheerios are going away. General Mills is getting rid of honey nut cheerios. No, is that real? That's what I heard on the news. Okay, I believe you, but I'll look it up anyway. Well, it's interesting. I don't know why, after so many years, they would but there have been other examples of cereals and so on that were around for a while and left and, well, Captain Crunch was Captain Crunch was one, and I'm not sure if lucky charms are still around. And then there was one called twinkles.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 33:13 And I know all those except twinkles, but I would if you asked me, I would say, Honey Nut Cheerios. There's I would say their sales are better than Cheerios, or at least I would think so, yeah, at least a good portfolio company. Well, who knows, who knows, but I do know that Gen Z and millennials eat cereal a lot less than us older folks, because it takes work to put milk and cereal into a bowl, and it's not pre made, yeah. So maybe it's got to do with, you know, changing eating habits and consumer preferences   Michael Hingson ** 33:48 must be Yeah, and they're not enough of us, older, more experienced people to to counteract that. But you know, well, we'll see Yeah, as long as they don't get rid of the formula because it may come back. Yeah, well, now   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 34:03 Yeah, exactly between nostalgia and reboots and remakes and nothing's gone forever, everything comes back eventually.   Michael Hingson ** 34:10 Yeah, it does in all the work that you've done. Have you ever had to completely rethink and remake your approach and do something different?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 34:24 Yeah, well, there's been times where I've been on uncharted territory. I worked with an EV company before EVs were a thing, and it was going, actually going head to head with with Tesla. But the thing there's they keep trying to bring it back and crowd sourcing it and all that stuff. It's, but at the time, it was like, I said it was like, which is gonna make it first this company, or Tesla, but, but this one looks like a, it looks, it feels like a spaceship. It's got, like space. It's a, it's, it's really. Be really unique. So the one that that is more like a family car one out probably rightly so. But there was no consumer understanding of not, let alone our preference, like there is now for an EV and what do I do? I have to plug it in somewhere and and all those things. So I had to rethink, you know what? There's no playbook for that yet. I guess I have to kind of work on it. And they were only in prototyping at the point where we came in and had to launch this, you know, teaser and teaser campaign for it, and build up awareness and demand for this thing that existed on a computer at the time.   Michael Hingson ** 35:43 What? Why is Tesla so successful?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 35:48 Because they spent a bunch of money. Okay, that helps? Yeah, they were playing the long game. They could outspend competitors. They've got the unique distribution model. And they kind of like, I said, retrained consumers into how you buy a car, why you buy a car, and, and I think politics aside, people love their people love their teslas. You don't. My understanding is you don't have to do a whole lot once you buy it. And, and they they, like I said, they had the money to throw at it, that they could wait, wait it out and wait out that when you do anything with retraining consumers or behavior change or telling them you know, your old car is bad, your new this new one's good, that's the most. We'll call it costly and and difficult forms of marketing is retraining behavior. But they, they had the money to write it out and and their products great, you know, again, I'm not a Tesla enthusiast, but it's, it looks good. People love it. I you know, they run great from everything that I know, but so did a lot of other companies. So I think they just had the confidence in what they were doing to throw money at it and wait, be patient and well,   Michael Hingson ** 37:19 they're around there again the the Tesla is another example of not nearly as accessible as it should be and and I recognize that I'm not going to be the primary driver of a Tesla today, although I have driven a Tesla down Interstate 15, about 15 miles the driver was in the car, but, but I did it for about 15 miles going down I 15 and fully appreciate what autonomous vehicles will be able to do. We're way too much still on the cusp, and I think that people who just poo poo them are missing it. But I also know we're not there yet, but the day is going to come when there's going to be a lot more reliability, a lot less potential for accidents. But the thing that I find, like with the Tesla from a passenger standpoint, is I can't do any of the things that a that a sighted passenger can do. I can't unless it's changed in the last couple of years. I can't manipulate the radio. I can't do the other things that that that passengers might do in the Tesla, and I should be able to do that, and of all the vehicles where they ought to have access and could, the Tesla would be one, and they could do it even still using touch screens. I mean, the iPhone, for example, is all touch screen. But Apple was very creative about creating a mechanism to allow a person to not need to look at the screen using VoiceOver, the screen reader on the iPhone, but having a new set of gestures that were created that work with VoiceOver so that I could interact with that screen just as well as you can.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 38:59 That's interesting that you say that, you know, Apple was working on a car for a while, and I don't know to a fact, but I bet they were thinking through accessibility and building that into every turn, or at least planning to,   Michael Hingson ** 39:13 oh, I'm sure they were. And the reality is, it isn't again. It isn't that magical to do. It would be simple for the Teslas and and other vehicles to do it. But, you know, we're we're not there mentally. And that's of course, the whole issue is that we just societally don't tend to really look at accessibility like we should. My view of of, say, the apple the iPhone, still is that they could be marketing the screen reader software that I use, which is built into the system already. They could, they could do some things to mark market that a whole lot more than they already do for sighted people. Your iPhone rings, um. You have to tap it a lot of times to be able to answer it. Why can't they create a mode when you're in a vehicle where a lot more of that is verbally, spoken and handled through voice output from the phone and voice input from you, without ever having to look at or interact with the screen.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 40:19 I bet you're right, yeah, it's just another app at that point   Michael Hingson ** 40:22 well, and it's what I do. I mean, it's the way I operate with it. So I just think that they could, they could be more creative. There's so many examples of things that begin in one way and alter themselves or become altered. The typewriter, for example, was originally developed for a blind Countess to be able to communicate with her lover without her husband finding out her husband wasn't very attentive to her anyway. But the point is that the, I think the lover, created the this device where she could actually sit down and type a letter and seal it and give it to a maid or someone to give to, to her, her friend. And that's how the typewriter other other people had created, some examples, but the typewriter from her was probably the thing that most led to what we have today.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 41:17 Oh, I didn't know that. But let me Michael, let me ask you. So I was in LA not too long ago, and they have, you know, driverless vehicles are not the form yet, but they we, I saw them around the city. What do you think about driverless vehicles in terms of accessibility or otherwise?   Michael Hingson ** 41:32 Well, again, so, so the most basic challenge that, fortunately, they haven't really pushed which is great, is okay, you're driving along in an autonomous vehicle and you lose connection, or whatever. How are you going to be able to pull it off to the side of the road? Now, some people have talked about saying that there, there has to be a law that only sighted people could well the sighted people a sighted person has to be in the vehicle. The reality is, the technology has already been developed to allow a blind person to get behind the wheel of a car and have enough information to be able to drive that vehicle just as well, or nearly as well, as a sighted person. But I think for this, from the standpoint of autonomousness, I'm all for it. I think we're going to continue to see it. It's going to continue to get better. It is getting better daily. So I haven't ridden in a fully autonomous vehicle, but I do believe that that those vehicles need to make sure, or the manufacturers need to make sure that they really do put accessibility into it. I should be able to give the vehicle all the instructions and get all the information that any sighted person would get from the vehicle, and the technology absolutely exists to do that today. So I think we will continue to see that, and I think it will get better all the way around. I don't know whether, well, I think they that actually there have been examples of blind people who've gotten into an autonomous vehicle where there wasn't a sighted person, and they've been able to function with it pretty well. So I don't see why it should be a problem at all, and it's only going to get   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 43:22 better. Yeah, for sure. And I keep thinking, you know, accessibility would be a prior priority in autonomous vehicles, but I keep learning from you, you know you were on our show and and our discussions, that the priorities are not always in line and not always where they necessarily should   Michael Hingson ** 43:39 be. Well. And again, there are reasons for it, and while I might not like it, I understand it, and that is, a lot of it is education, and a lot of it is is awareness. Most schools that teach people how to code to develop websites don't spend a lot of time dealing with accessibility, even though putting all the codes in and creating accessible websites is not a magically difficult thing to do, but it's an awareness issue. And so yeah, we're just going to have to continue to fight the fight and work toward getting people to be more aware of why it's necessary. And in reality, I do believe that there is a lot of truth to this fact that making things more accessible for me will help other people as well, because by having not well, voice input, certainly in a vehicle, but voice output and so on, and a way for me to accessibly, be able to input information into an autonomous vehicle to take to have it take me where I want to go, is only going to help everyone else as well. A lot of things that I need would benefit sighted people so well, so much.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 44:56 Yeah, you're exactly right. Yeah, AI assisted. And voice input and all those things, they are universally loved and accepted now, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 45:07 it's getting better. The unemployment rate is still very high among, for example, employable blind people, because all too many people still think blind people can't work, even though they can. So it's all based on prejudice rather than reality, and we're, we're, we're just going to have to continue to work to try to deal with the issues. I wrote an article a couple of years ago. One of the things where we're constantly identified in the world is we're blind or visually impaired. And the problem with visually impaired is visually we're not different simply because we don't see and impaired, we are not we're getting people slowly to switch to blind and low vision, deaf people and hard of hearing people did that years ago. If you tell a deaf person they're hearing impaired, they're liable to deck you on the spot. Yeah, and blind people haven't progressed to that point, but it's getting there, and the reality is blind and low vision is a much more appropriate terminology to use, and it's not equating us to not having eyesight by saying we're impaired, you know. So it's it's an ongoing process, and all we can do is continue to work at it?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 46:21 Yeah, no. And I appreciate that you do. Like I said, education and retraining is, is call it marketing or call it, you know, just the way people should behave. But it's, that's, it's hard. It's one of the hardest things to do.   Michael Hingson ** 46:36 But, you know, we're making progress, and we'll, we'll continue to do that, and I think over time we'll we'll see things improve. It may not happen as quickly as we'd like, but I also believe that I and other people who are blind do need to be educators. We need to teach people. We need to be patient enough to do that. And you know, I see so often articles written about Me who talk about how my guide dog led me out of the World Trade Center. The guide dog doesn't lead anybody anywhere. That's not the job of the dog. The dog's job is to make sure that we walk safely. It's my job to know where to go and how to get there. So a guide dog guides and will make sure that we walk safely. But I'm the one that has to tell the dog, step by step, where I want the dog to go, and that story is really the crux of what I talk about many times when I travel and speak to talk to the public about what happened in the World Trade Center, because I spent a lot of time learning what I needed to do in order to escape safely and on September 11, not ever Having anticipated that we would need that kind of information, but still preparing for it, the mindset kicked in, and it all worked well.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 47:49 You You and I talked about Uber on on my show, when you came on, and we gave them a little ding and figured out some stuff for them, what in terms of accessibility, and, you know, just general corporate citizenship, what's what's a company that, let's give them a give, give, call them out for a good reason? What's a company that's doing a good job, in your eyes, in your mind, for accessibility, maybe an unexpected one.   Michael Hingson ** 48:20 Well, as I mentioned before, I think Apple is doing a lot of good things. I think Microsoft is doing some good I think they could do better than they are in in some ways, but they're working at it. I wish Google would put a little bit more emphasis on making its you its interface more more usable to you really use the like with Google Docs and so on. You have to hurt learn a whole lot of different commands to make part of that system work, rather than it being as straightforward as it should be, there's some new companies coming up. There's a new company called inno search. Inno search.ai, it was primarily designed at this point for blind and low vision people. The idea behind inner search is to have any a way of dealing with E commerce and getting people to be able to help get help shopping and so on. So they actually have a a phone number. It's, I think it's 855, shop, G, P, T, and you can go in, and you can talk to the bot and tell it what you want, and it can help fill up a shopping cart. It's using artificial intelligence, but it understands really well. I have yet to hear it tell me I don't understand what you want. Sometimes it gives me a lot of things that more than I than I'm searching for. So there, there's work that needs to be done, but in a search is really a very clever company that is spending a lot of time working to make. Sure that everything that it does to make a shopping experience enjoyable is also making sure that it's accessible.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 50:08 Oh, that's really interesting. Now, with with my podcast, and just in general, I spend a lot of time critiquing companies and and not taking them to test, but figuring out how to make them better. But I always like the opportunity to say you did something well, like even quietly, or you're, you know, people are finding you because of a certain something you didn't you took it upon yourselves to do and figure out   Michael Hingson ** 50:34 there's an audio editor, and we use it some unstoppable mindset called Reaper. And Reaper is a really great digital audio workstation product. And there is a whole series of scripts that have been written that make Reaper incredibly accessible as an audio editing tool. It's really great. It's about one of the most accessible products that I think I have seen is because they've done so well with it, which is kind of cool.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 51:06 Oh, very nice. Okay, good. It's not even expensive. You gave me two to look, to pay attention to, and, you know, Track, track, along with,   Michael Hingson ** 51:16 yeah, they're, they're, they're fun. So what do people assume about you that isn't true or that you don't think is true?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 51:25 People say, I'm quiet at times, guess going back to childhood, but there's time, there's situation. It's it's situational. There's times where I don't have to be the loudest person in the room or or be the one to talk the most, I can hang back and observe, but I would not categorize myself as quiet, you know, like I said, it's environmental. But now I've got plenty to say. You just have to engage me, I guess.   Michael Hingson ** 51:56 Yeah, well, you know, it's interesting. I'm trying to remember   Michael Hingson ** 52:04 on Shark Tank, what's Mark's last name, Cuban. Cuban. It's interesting to watch Mark on Shark Tank. I don't know whether he's really a quiet person normally, but I see when I watch Shark Tank. The other guys, like Mr. Wonderful with Kevin are talking all the time, and Mark just sits back and doesn't say anything for the longest period of time, and then he drops a bomb and bids and wins. Right? He's just really clever about the way he does it. I think there's a lot to be said for not just having to speak up every single time, but rather really thinking things through. And he clearly does that,   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 52:46 yeah, yeah, you have to appreciate that. And I think that's part of the reason that you know, when I came time to do a podcast, I did a panel show, because I'm surrounded by bright, interesting, articulate people, you included as coming on with us and and I don't have to fill every second. I can, I can, I, you know, I can intake information and think for a second and then maybe have a   Michael Hingson ** 53:15 response. Well, I think that makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? I mean, it's the way it really ought to be.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 53:20 Yeah, if you got to fill an hour by yourself, you're always on, right?   Michael Hingson ** 53:26 Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I know when I travel to speak. I figure that when I land somewhere, I'm on until I leave again. So I always enjoy reading books, especially going and coming on airplanes. And then I can be on the whole time. I am wherever I have to be, and then when I get on the airplane to come home, I can relax again.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 53:45 Now, I like that. And I know, you keynote, I think I'd rather moderate, you know, I'll say something when I have something to say, and let other people talk for a while. Well, you gotta, you have a great story, and you're, you know, I'm glad you're getting it out there.   Michael Hingson ** 53:58 Well, if anybody needs a keynote speaker. Just saying, for everybody listening, feel free to email me. I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at Michael H i@accessibe.com or speaker at Michael hingson.com always looking for speaking engagements. Then we got that one in. I'm glad, but, but you know, for you, is there a podcast episode that you haven't done, that you really want to do, that just seems to be eluding you?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 54:28 There are a couple that got away. I wanted to do one about Sesame Street because it was without a it was looking like it was going to be without a home. And that's such a hallmark of my childhood. And so many, yeah, I think they worked out a deal, which is probably what I was going to propose with. It's like a CO production deal with Netflix. So it seems like they're safe for the foreseeable future. But what was the other I think there's, there's at least one or two more where maybe the guests didn't line up, or. Or the timeliness didn't work. I was going to have someone connected to Big Lots. You remember Big Lots? I think they're still around to some degree, but I think they are, come on and tell me their story, because they've, you know, they've been on the brink of extinction for a little while. So it's usually, it's either a timing thing, with the with with the guest, or the news cycle has just maybe gone on and moved past us.   Michael Hingson ** 55:28 But, yeah, I know people wrote off Red Lobster for a while, but they're still around.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 55:35 They're still around. That would be a good one. Yeah, their endless shrimp didn't do them any favors. No, that didn't help a whole lot, but it's the companies, even the ones we've done already, you know, they they're still six months later. Toilet hasn't been even a full year of our show yet, but in a year, I bet there's, you know, we could revisit them all over again, and they're still going to find themselves in, I don't know, hot water, but some kind of controversy for one reason or another. And we'll, we'll try to help them out again.   Michael Hingson ** 56:06 Have you seen any successes from the podcast episodes where a company did listen to you and has made some changes?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 56:15 I don't know that. I can correlate one to one. We know that they listen. We can look at the metrics and where the where the list listens, are coming from, especially with LinkedIn, gives you some engagement and tells you which companies are paying attention. So we know that they are and they have now, whether they took that and, you know, implemented it, we have a disclaimer saying, Don't do it. You know, we're not there to give you unfiltered legal advice. You know, don't hold us accountable for anything we say. But if we said something good and you like it, do it. So, you know, I don't know to a T if they have then we probably given away billions of dollars worth of fixes. But, you know, I don't know the correlation between those who have listened and those who have acted on something that we might have, you know, alluded to or set out, right? But it has. We've been the times that we take it really seriously. We've we've predicted some things that have come come to pass.   Michael Hingson ** 57:13 That's cool, yeah. Well, you certainly had a great career, and you've done a lot of interesting things. If you had to suddenly change careers and do something entirely different from what you're doing, what would it be?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 57:26 Oh, man, my family laughs at me, but I think it would be a furniture salesman. There you go. Yeah, I don't know why. There's something about it's just enough repetition and just enough creativity. I guess, where people come in, you tell them, you know you, they tell you their story, you know, you get to know them. And then you say, Oh, well, this sofa would be amazing, you know, and not, not one with endless varieties, not one with with two models somewhere in between. Yeah, I think that would be it keeps you on your feet.   Michael Hingson ** 58:05 Furniture salesman, well, if you, you know, if you get too bored, math is homes and Bob's furniture probably looking for people.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 58:12 Yeah, I could probably do that at night.   Michael Hingson ** 58:18 What advice do you give to people who are just starting out, or what kinds of things do you would you give to people we have ideas and thoughts?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 58:27 So I've done a lot of mentoring. I've done a lot of one on one calls. They told I always work with an organization. They told me I did 100 plus calls. I always tell people to take use the create their own momentum, so you can apply for things, you can stand in line, you can wait, or you can come up with your own idea and test it out and say, I'm doing this. Who wants in? And the minute you have an idea, people are interested. You know, you're on to something. Let me see what that's all about. You know, I want to be one of the three that you're looking for. So I tell them, create their own momentum. Try to flip the power dynamic. So if you're asking for a job, how do you get the person that you're asking to want something from you and and do things that are take on, things that are within your control?   Michael Hingson ** 59:18 Right? Right? Well, if you had to go back and tell the younger Aaron something from years ago, what would you give him in the way of advice?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 59:30 Be more vulnerable. Don't pretend you know everything. There you go. And you don't need to know everything. You need to know what you know. And then get a little better and get a little better.   Michael Hingson ** 59:43 One of the things that I constantly tell people who I hire as salespeople is you can be a student, at least for a year. Don't hesitate to ask your customers questions because they're not out to. Get you. They want you to succeed. And if you interact with your customers and you're willing to learn from them, they're willing to teach, and you'll learn so much that you never would have thought you would learn. I just think that's such a great concept.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 1:00:12 Oh, exactly right. Yeah. As soon as I started saying that to clients, you know, they would throw out an industry term. As soon as I've said I don't know what that is, can you explain it to me? Yeah? And they did, and the world didn't fall apart. And I didn't, you know, didn't look like the idiot that I thought I would when we went on with our day. Yeah, that whole protective barrier that I worked so hard to keep up as a facade, I didn't have to do it, and it was so freeing. Yeah, yeah, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:41 I hear you. Well, this has been fun. We've been doing it for an hour. Can you believe it? Oh, hey, that was a quick hour. I know it was a lot of fun. Well, I want to thank you for being here, and I want to thank you all for listening. Please give us a five star rating wherever you're listening or watching. We really appreciate it. We value your thoughts. I'd love to hear from you and get your thoughts on our episode today. And I'm sure Aaron would like that as well, and I'll give you an email address in a moment. But Aaron, if people want to reach out to you and maybe use your services, how do they do that?   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 1:01:12 Yeah, so two ways you can check me out, at double zebra, z, E, B, R, A, double zebra.com and the podcast, I encourage you to check out too. We fixed it. Pod.com, we fixed it.   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:25 Pod.com, there you go. So reach out to Aaron and get marketing stuff done and again. Thank you all. My email address, if you'd like to talk to us, is Michael, H, I m, I C, H, A, E, L, H, I at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, and if you know anyone else who you think ought to be a guest on our podcast, we'd love it if you give us an introduction. We're always looking for people, so please do and again. Aaron, I just want to thank you for being here. This has been a lot of fun.   Aaron Wolpoff, ** 1:01:58 That was great. Thanks for having me. Michael,   **Michael Hingson ** 1:02:05 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

City Council voted to eliminate parking minimums this week — could this open the door for cheaper housing or just cause more traffic? Then, The Hornet announced it was closing after nearly 30 years on South Broadway. Was it rising rents, restaurant operation costs, or something else? At the same time, neighborhood businesses and residents will soon consider a special tax to pay for things like graffiti removal and private security in the hopes of helping South Broadway thrive. Producer Paul Karolyi and host Bree Davies are joined by politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval to dig into these stories plus wins and fails of the week.  Paul mentioned Donald Shoup's work and his book, “The High Cost of Free Parking,” the new east security checkpoint at DIA, and the Colorado GOP's gross group chat about a colleague's attire. Bree discussed the time Big Lots left South Broadway, Tommy's Thai's GoFundMe, and Kyle Harris's reporting on Broadway for Denverite, which he discussed on our podcast. Justine talked about the gluten-free farmers market and the state's decision to ban the use of SNAP benefits to buy pop. What do you think about parking in Denver? Do we have too much or too little? We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418 For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm. Watch the Friday show on YouTube: youtube.com/@citycastdenver Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/Denver Learn more about the sponsors of this August 8th episode: Regional Air Quality Council Multipass Elizabeth Martinez with PorchLight Real Estate - Do you have a question about Denver real estate? Submit your questions for Elizabeth Martinez HERE, and she might answer in next week's segment. Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

In 1997, a struggling screenwriter's anxiety about his high school reunion somehow transformed into one of cinema's most beloved cult classics. Grosse Pointe Blank took the seemingly impossible concept of a hitman romantic comedy and turned it into a genre-defying masterpiece that couldn't be made in today's Hollywood.We're unpacking two stories about this remarkable film: The chaotic production tale - from Tom Jankiewicz's original script written while working at Big Lots, to John Cusack and his Chicago collaborators completely rewriting it through improvisation when they realised the original wasn't working. Second, we dig into the creative revolution behind this cult classic - George Armitage's three-version approach to every scene, Joe Strummer's punk-influenced score, and how a group of friends threw out the Hollywood rulebook to create something genuinely special.Through segments like The Director, The Cast, and The Crew, we explore how a film about a contract killer attending his reunion became a profound examination of American masculinity, moral flexibility, and the impossibility of truly going home - all while delivering whip-smart dialogue and career-defining performances, proving that sometimes the best films come from creative chaos rather than corporate planning.Telling the story of Hollywood, one movie at a time.Connect with ATRM: To support what we do, access our archive and listen to exclusive episodes, become an ATRM patron:Listen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ATRightMovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@allthe_rightmovies ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@allthe_rightmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our movie group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alltherightmovies.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alltherightmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alltherightmovies.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

On the 347th episode of You Know I'm Right, Nick Durst and Joe Calabrese are joined by Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Reality star and SVP of GA Wholesale Solutions, Seth Marks to discuss: - First app he checks in the morning - Having insane frequent flyer miles - Being the basketball manager at California State University, Long Beach - Getting his BA in Sociology from the University of Arizona - How did he start his career in wholesale and retail? - Working for Big Lots twice as well as Sears, Overstock and many other companies - Living in Salt Lake City, Utah but working in Canada, Chicago, Dallas, Ohio and Mississippi - Current job with the GA Group as the SVP of Wholesale Solutions - Reaction to his wife Meredith Marks getting cast for Real Housewives of Salt Lake City - First time he was filming a scene for the show - Getting into some heated arguments over the years - What has it been like for Seth to be on the show? - Meredith blossoming DJ career - Reaction to his son Brooks Marks getting cast for Next Gen NYC - On Next Gen NYC Seth questioned Charlie's intentions for potentially dating his daughter Chloe, what in his mind would be the ideal type of charactered person to date any of his children? - Will Seth, Nick and Joe be hanging out next time Seth is in Manhattan? - You Know I'm Right moment More information here: https://linktr.ee/youknowimrightFollow our show on instagram - instagram.com/YKIRPodcastLike our show on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/YouKnowImRightPodcastFollow our show on twitter - twitter.com/YKIRPodcastFollow Nick on twitter - twitter.com/Nick_DurstFollow Joe on twitter - twitter.com/JCalabrese1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's convicted felons selling meat out of a truck near me. I won big at the lottery. And, it's too hot to yield for pedestrians. Enjoy.New episodes are released every Tuesday. If you want to interact with the show, we have a voice mailbox. Call 818-336-1146 and leave feedback, or just complain, and maybe I'll use it in a future broadcast.https://www.icancomplain.comTEXT THE RAINWATER HOTLINE

This week, Art Pope joins host Tim Boyum to voice his strong opposition to President Donald Trump's tariff plan.  Pope is one of the state's largest Republican donors and owns a massive discount retail company, recently purchasing numerous Big Lots that were in bankruptcy.  Pope believes the tariffs will lead to product shortages and increased prices for his customers.

S4 EP41– Ya Boys discuss Who burned down Prather's Bridge, Big Lots salvation, finger lengths, knock off toys, also shout out to Laura, and more!Get you a Shirt from our Shop! www.yaboyspodcast.comFollow us on Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and TikTok!

Two of our incredible buyer agents, Gibson and Mari, join us on the show this week to brag about how our clients are winning big in the market right now. That could be YOU!This week we are highlighting HASLETT, TEXAS - good spot for HOMES ON LAND in neighborhoods! West of Southlake and North of Fort Worth the Northwest ISD is highly regarded. About 20% of the homes that were sold in the last year were homes on half an acre to ten acres.We value families! We want you to have the BEST HOME but also the BEST possible LIFE in your home! Which is WHY we made our 2025 Edition of the Summer Fun Guide! Grab your FREE copy at dallashomerealty.comCall or TEXT us with your questions for the show -214-310-0008!Check your HOME BUYER READINESS in less than 90 seconds! Take this quiz! https://homebuyerreadiness.scoreapp.com/p/home-buyer-readiness-scorecard-2

AI, Big Lots opening 70 stores, and Root Beer Day. 

AI chat, Las Vegas is struggling. Big Lots is making a comeback, dull groups, Root Beer history, Home Depot kids class, Amazon testing delivery robots, and Portugal is the country Americans want to move to the most.

I'm back after being out for a couple of days as we celebrated the holiday of Shavuot. The giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai some 3,300 years ago.  It was a nice pause to reflect on all that means for, frankly, all of us. Welcome to the Business News Headlines and a conversation later with Jeff Stein from News/Talk 1540 KXEL about a host of things  We kick things off today with a shocking report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office about the Trump Bill currently resting in the U.S. Senate. Then more news from the CBO about the impact the Trump Tariffs will have on you and your family. Speaking of tariffs there is now a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum. But, there is a but. Interested in inflation data? Less is coming from the Department of Labor. Payroll processer ADP offered some surprising news about job creation last month. We've got the Wall Street Report and Big Lots is back!  For the conversation Jeff Stein is in to talk about the death of radio that has been predicted for decades.  But, it is stronger than ever. We'll also discuss the Great Eastern Iowa Tractorcade that kicks off this Sunday.  So much going on...let's go! Thanks for listening! The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

On today's MJ Morning Show: MJ's weekend travel Morons in the news Woman damages car, fight over shared romance 2 bikers hit an alligator on I-4 Annebelle the doll safely locked up MJ on taxiway for 4 hours Chloe's Vegas trip flights Hurricane Season began Heavy guy suing Disney over water park slide injury Spotify has a track that can help relax people 65% Michelle's following the Karen Read trial Diddy trial update Woman causes uproar over keeping her kids home the last days of school Flight to Tampa diverted because of lithium ion battery fire in seat pocket Social media is full of fake information Keep an eye on kids at baggage claim Big Lots is reopening some stores Be careful about brushing wet hair Elon Musk accused of using drugs Sydney Sweeney selling soap made with her bath water Box Office weekend numbers New Karate Kid movie Jason Sudeikis paid tribute to his uncle George Wendt

Lisa Seigies, president and CEO of Variety Wholesalers, which purchased Big Lots after it filed for bankruptcy last year, speaks to "CBS Mornings" about reopening stores and the impact of President Trump's tariffs."CBS Sunday Morning" correspondent David Pogue says he was the only non-space journalist invited to interview Elon Musk on Tuesday ahead of SpaceX's ninth test flight of the Super Heavy-Starship rocket. Pogue says Musk initially said "we're going to stick to talking about spaceships" before he began discussing the Trump administration. Watch more of Pogue's interview with Musk this Sunday, only on "CBS Sunday Morning." Defense lawyers for Karen Read will present their case after the prosecution rested in the retrial on Thursday. Read is accused of hitting John O'Keefe — her boyfriend and a Boston police officer — with her car in 2022, and leaving him to die. Dr. Sue Varma joins "CBS Mornings" to share insights from her new book, "Practical Optimism," where she encourages people to reflect on what they've already accomplished in life. The "reverse bucket list" can help build gratitude and emotional resilience. As part of AAPI Heritage Month, Mike Van, the first Vietnamese-American CEO of Billboard, joins "CBS Mornings" to reflect on his passion for music, culture, and representation. He is one of this year's honorees on Gold House's influential A100 list. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

State officials have approved a permit that allows for the transportation of hazardous waste along the Monocacy despite locals' vocal concerns. That marijuana bill has passed away in the state Senate. Here's who's buying all those Big Lots. Finally: it's Kisses vs. Peeps.

April 28th 2025 - Welcome to Monday! Tony didn't win the tractor....let the sadness begin! Big Lots is coming back? And does anyone else use the "buffer seat" at the movies? Plus The Dish, Dad Joke and more! Listen for free anywhere you go on the iHeartRadio app...and add us to your presets!

Variety Wholesalers will be reopening 132 Big Lots stores in May. FEMSA's CEO says super-regional c-stores are winning. And CSP's Retail Media Network Forum kicks off in Dallas.

"Steve's Turn"...Big Lots reopening some stores...weight loss drug could be fake...a woke "Fantastic 4"?!?!...food talk..."Question of the Day".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big Lots vibes! New food vibes! New nails vibes!

This week we are joined by Deanna Colon! Deanna is a singer, songwriter, actress, vocal coach, and chef. Deanna was a contestant on Season 8 of NBC's #1 rated show, “America's Got Talent”, making it to the live, quarter semifinal round at Radio City Music Hall in NYC. She was also the lead singer/dancer/actress for 2 years of BIG LOTS holiday commercials.Deanna has sung background vocals for many recording artists, including Nick Jonas, Celine Dion, Lea Michele, Justin Bieber, and Paula Abdul. On Season 10 of the FOX show Master Chef, Deanna won a coveted white apron from the judges and became a member of the elite Top 20. She also has garnered almost 300K followers on her Tik Tok cooking show “Fork My Life”. In 2023, Deanna was cast as the lead singer/actress/dancer in a huge national spot for pharmaceutical brand Jardiance. Make sure to check her out!In this episode, Deanna shares her multifaceted journey through the culinary and entertainment worlds. Deanna reflects on her upbringing in a family restaurant, the importance of travel and life experiences, and her discovery of a talent for singing that led her to a scholarship at Berklee College of Music. We share starstruck moments with music legends, reflect on the complexities of fame and personal safety, and discuss the reality of competition shows in the entertainment industry. Deanna discusses the importance of versatility in creative careers, her personal experiences with body image and acceptance, and the comfort food that brings her joy. Deanna also emphasizes the need for self-love and the challenges of being an outsider, while also highlighting her passion for cooking and connecting with others through food. Give this episode a listen!Recommendations From This Episode: WildCard KitchenMystic PizzaFollow Deanna Colon: @deannabombchica on Instagram and TikTokFollow Carly: @carlyjmontagFollow Emily: @thefunnywalshFollow the podcast: @aloneatlunchpodPlease rate and review the podcast! Spread the word! Tell your friends! Email us: aloneatlunch@gmail.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There are many alternative investments you can invest in, but one centuries-old asset class almost no one knows about is claims investing. When companies such as Sears, American Airlines, Big Lots, or even Madoff Investment Securities owe billions of dollars, investors can invest in the claims against these entities and generate outsized returns without excessive risk. Joe Sarachek, a successful attorney and investor, is one of the foremost authorities in the trading of privately held distressed debt. Joe is also an adjunct professor at NYU's Stern School of Business, and has recently written The Distressed Investor Playbook where you can learn how to profitably invest in distressed assets.

Chris Holman welcomes Carson Patten, Vice President, Retail Advisor, Martin Commercial Properties, and Samantha Le, Senior Associate, Retail Advisor, Martin Commercial Properties, This discussion is the third of three with Martin Commercial Properties team, and focuses on their Retail Advisory. These were the questions they cover in this conversation: Retail Advisory: Retail vacancy rates have dropped slightly despite economic pressures—what types of retail businesses are thriving, and what's driving this resilience? We've seen significant growth in build-to-suit developments. How are developers and retailers working together to create spaces that meet evolving consumer demands? With the influx of new eateries and some notable closures, how do you foresee the balance between new openings and vacancies playing out in the next year? These interviews grow out of a series of three recent reports recently released by the company. You can access them at: https://martincommercial.com/marketinsights/ . Retail '24 Market Insights: "RETAIL ‘24 Market Insights Greater Lansing Area, Michigan | H2 2024"​ The Greater Lansing Area retail market experienced significant changes in H2 2024, with the vacancy rate increasing from 13.8% in H1 2024 to 16.4%. ​ This rise was largely due to the closures of Rite Aid and Big Lots stores, which created new opportunities for smaller retailers. ​ Notable developments include Dollar Tree securing a site in Haslett, Burlington and Best Buy consolidating their leases in the West Submarket, and several popular eateries and retailers planning to open new locations across various submarkets. ​ The East Submarket, the largest retail sector in the area, saw vacancies rise to 12.8%, driven by store closures but balanced by strong leasing activity from retailers like Dollar Tree and Lansing Duck Pin. ​ The West Submarket also faced increased vacancies due to store consolidations, but it is attracting significant interest from major retailers such as Bass Pro Shops, which is set to open an 85,000 SF store in Delta Crossings. ​The North Submarket experienced a decrease in vacancies, becoming a sought-after destination with new restaurants and entertainment venues like Dave & Buster's and Cooper's Hawk Winery. Despite the South Submarket having the highest vacancy rate at 29.4%, it is witnessing a revival with new fast food establishments like Dunkin' and Wingstop. ​ Overall, the Greater Lansing retail market saw a net absorption of -216,877 SF, indicating a decrease in occupied space. ​ Martin Commercial Properties continues to provide comprehensive real estate services and market insights, helping businesses navigate the evolving retail landscape in the region. "For over 60 years, Martin Commercial Properties has provided comprehensive commercial real estate services across five core business lines: Brokerage, Property Management, Property Development, Investment and Corporate Services." » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

INTRO (00:23): Kathleen opens the show drinking a Tennesake Lager from Tennessee Brew Works in Nashville. TOUR NEWS: See Kathleen live on her “Day Drinking Tour.”COURT NEWS (8:13): Kathleen shares news on Mattress Mac teaching Girl Scouts how to sell cookies, Dolly's husband Carl Dean passed away, and Chappell Roan performed at Elton John's Oscar party. TASTING MENU (3:43): Kathleen samples Doritos Golden Sriracha chips, a Chocolate Frosted Donut Kit Kat, and Peanut Butter & Jelly M&M's. UPDATES (29:52): Kathleen shares updates on the fraudulent plot to auction Graceland, the search for MH370 resumes, Ollie's purchases 40 Big Lots store leases, JPMorgan Chase's CEO apologizes for his salty language, HOLY SHIT THEY FOUND IT (46:43): Kathleen reveals that a rare black Canadian lynx has been photographed in Canada, and a Stonehenge-like circle has been unearthed in Denmark.FRONT PAGE PUB NEWS (50:13): Kathleen shares articles on the announcement of the first dog-friendly cruise, American Airlines implements a plan to combat “gate lice,” Gayle King is one of the celebrities going to space on Bezos' New Shepard, the Pittsburgh Steelers are launching a fan cruise, we review money spent on alcohol by generation, two Southwest passengers get a private jet experience, and a drug smuggler attempts to hide cocaine under a wig. FEEL GOOD VIBES (1:16:02): A 100-year-old North Dakota woman is still doing taxes for clients.WHAT ARE WE WATCHING (14:13): Kathleen recommends watching “Devil In The Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke” on Hulu. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A thorough analysis of the current state of the furniture industry reveals a landscape fraught with both challenges and opportunities as we navigate through the complexities of economic fluctuations and shifting consumer preferences. The discussion commences with an examination of the performance metrics from the last quarter of 2024, highlighting a dichotomy amongst retailers; while some have experienced a steady demand, others have been ensnared by the tightening grip of inflationary pressures and altered spending habits. The prevailing economic climate, characterized by elevated interest rates, has rendered substantial purchases, particularly in the realm of furniture, a more arduous endeavor for consumers, who are now inclined to prioritize essential items over indulgent acquisitions. As we look towards the second quarter of 2025, the forecast remains cautiously optimistic, with analysts suggesting a potential for growth tempered by consumer demands for value and promotional offerings. Retailers must adapt by employing strategic marketing practices that resonate with the modern consumer's desire for affordability and quality.In addition to the economic analysis, the episode delves into pivotal legislative changes that may significantly impact the industry, notably the imposition of new tariffs by the current administration. The impending 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, alongside a doubling of tariffs on Chinese goods, portends inevitable price increases for manufacturers who rely on international sourcing for materials. This, in turn, necessitates a reevaluation of operational strategies within retail establishments; businesses must navigate these cost escalations by optimizing supply chains and potentially shifting towards domestic production. The discussion also highlights the burgeoning trends of customization and technological integration in furniture design, reflecting a consumer base that increasingly values personalized solutions and smart home innovations.Amidst these challenges, the conversation transitions to the evolving consumer landscape, particularly in the realm of mattresses and bedding, where an increasing emphasis on sleep wellness has emerged. Innovations such as cooling technologies and organic materials cater to a consumer desire for healthier sleep environments. Retailers are urged to educate their clientele on these advancements, thereby enhancing the consumer's shopping experience and fostering loyalty. As the retail landscape continues to shift, marked by a decline in foot traffic for traditional big box stores and an ascendance of e-commerce, the emphasis on creating immersive in-store experiences becomes paramount. Retailers must harness technological advancements to engage consumers effectively, ensuring that convenience and personalization remain at the forefront of their strategies. In summation, as the furniture industry grapples with economic adversities, those brands that embrace customization, sustainability, and technological innovation are poised to thrive in this dynamic marketplace.Takeaways: The furniture industry experienced mixed performance in the last quarter of 2024, influenced by economic factors such as inflation and consumer spending shifts. Analysts project cautious growth for the second quarter of 2025, as consumers seek value-driven purchasing options amidst rising costs. The implementation of new tariffs is anticipated to increase material costs, compelling retailers to strategize on operational efficiency and pricing. Customization in furniture design is becoming increasingly significant, with consumers expressing a strong preference for personalized options and modular designs. Sustainability remains a high priority for consumers, who are actively seeking furniture produced from recycled materials and responsibly sourced wood. The retail landscape is...

Episode 2609 - Vinnie Tortorich takes some caller questions and underscores the power of taking personal accountability, the effects of seed oils, and more. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/02/personal-accountability-episode-2609 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE - Personal Accountability Vinnie acknowledged personal responsibility in his company's struggles, explaining how he initially blamed supply chain issues but later discovered internal mismanagement was the root cause. (03:41) He used this as a learning experience to improve operations, making the company leaner and more effective. Mitchel, a caller, shared his personal experience of how eliminating seed oils significantly reduced shoulder inflammation from an old car accident injury. (05:46) The inflammation returned immediately after accidentally consuming seed oils again, providing real-world evidence of their negative effects. Vinnie described his 17-year cancer survival journey, noting how he exceeded typical survival expectations through lifestyle changes. When his oncologist showed interest in his methods, Vinnie offered to share his approach but was dismissed as 'anecdotal.' (18:48) If one knows they feel better on a healthier lifestyle, there is your "anecdotal" evidence. Second caller Mariano admits he feels pain in his joints when he goes off NSNG. (37:00) Vinnie asks what makes him go off plan if he knows he'll be achey. Planning for a LIL ("Life Into Living") moment is good; however, it's even better to plan how you are getting back on track and recovering from it. (48:30) Mark Tortorich, Vinnie's younger brother, joins the call. (57:30) Mark shared his recent experience with testicular cancer surgery and his commitment to exercise, starting with 10 minutes of daily cycling. He is gradually increasing the duration. He's also maintaining a carnivore diet and has already noticed improvements in his energy levels. Mark described the ubiquitous presence of sugar in unexpected places, from Big Lots to Aldi, noting how every corner features candy and processed foods. Vinnie observed Lowe's hardware store strategically placing sugary snacks to target contractors. (01:04:11) They also discuss the impact of social media criticism on health transformation journeys. More News If you are interested in the NSNG® VIP group, register here! Don't forget to check out Serena Scott Thomas on Days Of Our Lives on the Peacock channel.  “Dirty Keto” is available on Amazon! You can purchase or rent it . Make sure you watch, rate, and review it! Eat Happy Italian, Anna's next cookbook is available!  You can go to You can order it from . Anna's recipes are in her cookbooks, website, and Substack–they will spice up your day! There's a new NSNG® Foods promo code you can use! The promo code ONLY works on the NSNG® Foods website, NOT on Amazon. https://nsngfoods.com/ [the_ad id="20253"] PURCHASE  DIRTY KETO (2024) The documentary launched in August 2024! Order it TODAY! This is Vinnie's fourth documentary in just over five years. Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: Then, please share my fact-based, health-focused documentary series with your friends and family. Additionally, the more views, the better it ranks, so please watch it again with a new friend! REVIEWS: Please submit your REVIEW after you watch my films. Your positive REVIEW does matter! PURCHASE BEYOND IMPOSSIBLE (2022) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: REVIEWS: Please submit your REVIEW after you watch my films. Your positive REVIEW does matter! FAT: A DOCUMENTARY 2 (2021) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: FAT: A DOCUMENTARY (2019) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere:

In this episode, we cover the latest trends and shifts in the furniture industry, including:The strong start to 2025 for furniture sales and what's driving consumer demand.Former President Trump's executive order on reciprocal tariffs and its potential impact on furniture imports.Tempur Sealy and Mattress Firm's fight with the FTC over their merger.Z Gallerie's return to physical retail and their new strategy to stay competitive.Big Lots' plan to sell its corporate headquarters to cut costs.Leggett & Platt's return to profit in Q4, despite a tough year overall.Richloom Weaving's closure following financial struggles tied to retail bankruptcies.

Show Notes: Furniture Industry News – February 2025Episode Overview:The furniture industry is undergoing major shifts as 2025 progresses. In this episode, we cover the latest developments, including growing optimism in the mattress sector, Big Lots' store closures, evolving consumer spending habits, the upcoming 2025 Asia Winter Show Circuit, and Tempur Sealy's game-changing $4 billion acquisition of Mattress Firm.Key Topics:Mattress Industry Sees Renewed OptimismFoot traffic in mattress and furniture stores is increasing, and conversion rates are improving.Consumers are prioritizing quality sleep products, with premium and specialty mattresses gaining traction.Industry Impact: Higher-ticket items are helping to balance out recent sales declines, signaling potential momentum for 2025.Big Lots to Close 150+ Stores – What It Means for the IndustryThe discount retailer's restructuring plan could impact the furniture market in multiple ways:More customers for competitors in the budget furniture segment.Inventory liquidations could temporarily affect pricing in the discount market.Vacant retail spaces may create opportunities for new furniture showrooms or alternative retail concepts.Opportunity: Retailers looking to expand could find prime real estate at lower lease rates.The ‘Hourglass Effect' in Home Sector SpendingGrowth in furniture sales is being driven by two distinct buyer groups:Budget-conscious shoppers prioritizing affordability and function.High-end consumers continuing to invest in premium, design-forward pieces.Challenge for Mid-Tier Brands: Those caught between these two segments may need to rethink differentiation strategies.Winning Strategy: Retailers that can cater to both ends of the market may see the greatest success.2025 Asia Winter Show Circuit – Key Global Sourcing EventMajor trade shows in Malaysia and Vietnam will play a critical role in shaping global sourcing strategies.With ongoing supply chain shifts and tariff concerns, these events are crucial for retailers and manufacturers seeking new suppliers and competitive pricing.Why It Matters: Diversifying sourcing strategies will be essential to staying ahead in a changing trade environment.Tempur Sealy's $4 Billion Acquisition of Mattress FirmThe deal gives Tempur Sealy a dominant position in mattress retail, allowing it to control a major distribution channel.Potential Implications:Smaller mattress brands may struggle to secure shelf space at Mattress Firm.Direct-to-consumer and alternative retail strategies could become more important for independent brands.Changes in pricing, marketing, and product availability are expected in the coming months.Actionable Insights:Retailers should monitor consumer trends and adjust their product mix to align with both budget and premium demand.Companies looking to expand should explore real estate opportunities arising from Big Lots' closures.Brands involved in global sourcing should consider attending the 2025 Asia Winter Show Circuit to stay competitive.Independent mattress brands may need to refine their retail and marketing strategies in response to the Tempur Sealy-Mattress Firm deal.Quote of the Week:"The furniture industry is shifting rapidly, and those who adapt—whether through sourcing, retail strategy, or product positioning—will gain the edge in 2025."Stay Connected:Have thoughts on these industry changes? Share in the comments! Don't forget to subscribe to Furniture Industry News for weekly insights and updates.

TakeawaysStore closures in the US reached 7,400 in 2024, the highest level since 2020.Inflation continues to affect consumer spending, particularly among lower-income groups.Legacy retailers are reshaping their store footprints to adapt to changing consumer habits.The home goods sector faced significant challenges due to a weak housing market.Discount stores experienced unusual closures, with major players like Big Lots and Family Dollar closing numerous locations.Apparel continues to see store closures as the sector adjusts to market demands.Retail drugstores such as Walgreens and CVS are also closing hundreds of stores as they reshape their estates.In 2025, US store closures are set to increase further, with early indicators showing a strong start to the year.The UK retail market is facing significant challenges, with closures expected to rise in 2025.Consumer sentiment in the US remains positive, contrasting with the pessimistic outlook in the UK. Chapters00:00 This Week in Research: New Reports and Data02:52 Store Openings and Closures in 202407:19 Sector-Specific Challenges and Trends10:23 Square Footage and Retail Space Dynamics12:48 Predictions for 2025: Store Closures and Market Outlook17:50 Comparative Analysis: US vs. UK Retail Markets Dive into the full details of store closures and openings in the US and the UK with our comprehensive reports:Store Tracker Extra: US Store Openings and Closures 2024 Review and 2025 OutlookStore Tracker Extra: UK Store Openings and Closures—2024 Review and 2025 Outlook

In today's episode of Furniture Industry News, we break down the latest developments shaping the furniture industry as 2025 kicks off. From new tariffs on Mexico and Canada to a slowing housing market and major retail and manufacturing shifts, we'll explore what's happening and what it means for furniture professionals.Topics Covered:Tariffs on Mexico & Canada – How new tariffs could impact furniture supply chains and pricing.Housing Market Updates – A new executive order aims to reduce home prices, but will it drive furniture demand?Las Vegas Market Recap – Strong attendance and buyer engagement suggest an optimistic outlook.Home Sales Slowdown – Rising mortgage rates are cooling the market, which could affect furniture sales.FMG Conference Insights – Key takeaways on innovation, confidence, and clear communication in the industry.Retail Real Estate Opportunities – Gordon Brothers makes more Big Lots leases available.Ethan Allen's Strategy – The company sees a 6% sales decline but highlights the advantages of North American manufacturing.Bassett's Comeback – Returning to profitability in Q4, the brand outperforms expectations.Dorel's Restructuring – Plant closures and layoffs signal major changes for the company.Why It Matters:Furniture professionals need to stay ahead of economic trends, policy shifts, and market dynamics. This episode delivers essential insights to help retailers, manufacturers, and designers navigate 2025 with confidence.Subscribe & Stay UpdatedDon't miss out on future episodes! Subscribe to Furniture Industry News to stay informed on the latest industry trends, challenges, and opportunities.

It's Tuesday, January 28th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson Brazil's Leftist president a liability Brazil's Left-wing president is not doing well in the polls. Luiz Inácio da Silva's ratings have dipped to 47%. Lula's deficits are running 9.5% of the Brazilian Gross Domestic Product which is the measure of the total value of goods and services produced in a country over a year. The Brazil Real, which is worth 16 cents in America, has dropped 16% in reference to the U.S. dollar since he took office. The Real took the dubious award for the worst-performing major currency in 2024, reports The Economist.  Brazil's debt to GDP also increased from 71% to 78% in 2024 Milei's conservative policies boosted Argentina's economy Meanwhile, just south of Brazil, Argentina's government under President Javier Milei has successfully reduced the nation's Debt to GDP ratio in 2024 from 155% to 112%. Milei's fiscally conservative policies also improved the nation's Gross Domestic Product slightly, year over year. South Africa seizing private property without compensation And, last week, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a bill into law that would allow the national government to seize private property without having to pay compensation. The confiscations will be allowed where it is “just and equitable and in the public interest.” The radical measure has fired up disunity among parties in the new South African government. Power shifted a bit in South African government after last year's election. The African National Congress and the South African Communist Party dropped from 68% to 49.7% control over the nation's government. Redistribution of the land has not yielded good results thus far for the South African people.  Business Day reported that “On-farm beneficiaries earn little-to-no income, and the majority of beneficiaries seek employment on surrounding commercial farms instead of actively farming their own land. Where land reform farms are in operation, they operate below their full commercial potential and have a strong bias towards subsistence agriculture. Across sampled sites, crop production had decreased by 79% since conversion to land reform.” God's law states plainly, “Thou shalt not steal.” (Exodus 20:15) Trump's administration arrested 2,500 illegals since Thursday The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has already arrested 2,500 illegal immigrants since last Thursday, 956 on Sunday, reports One America News. This isn't the first time the United States has deported illegal immigrants. The previous administration averaged about 311 deportations per day, according to ICE reports.  About one-third of deportations in 2023 were individuals facing serious charges or convictions of crime as well as 237 known terrorists.  Democrats oppose protecting baby survivors of botched abortions The U.S. Congress still has proven itself incapable of taking the most basic pro-life position against the greatest evil in American society today. Republican Senator James Lankford's  Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act failed again last Thursday, as 47  Democrats voted against allowing the bill to proceed in the Senate. Listen to what Republican Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said about the Democrat opposition. THUNE: “We should all be able to agree that a baby born alive after an attempted abortion must be protected. And yet, I fully expect that later today, my Democrat colleagues will vote no on this legislation. “They will vote against protection for a living, breathing newborn baby simply because that child has been born alive after an attempted abortion. Why are they going to vote like that, Mr. President?  After all, I think most Democrats would still claim to oppose infanticide, even if the moral line at times appears to be slipping. And yet, Democrats are going to vote against legislation to provide appropriate medical care to living, breathing, newborn children.” Be sure of this: “Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.” (Proverbs 11:21) Rubio halts all foreign spending except for Israel, Egypt, & emergency food assistance Politico reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has halted all foreign aid spending for 90 days, including distributions to Ukraine. However, the order exempts foreign military financing for Egypt and Israel, and allows for emergency food assistance and “legitimate expenses incurred prior to the date of this” guidance “under existing awards.” 11% now delinquent on mortgage Commercial Mortgage-Backed Security reports the highest delinquency rate on mortgages in recorded history going back into the 1990s — now at 11%. That's up from 2% in 2023. Coresight, which tracks store closures, recorded a total of 7,325 retail stores shuttered up last year — a 67% increase over 2023. Family Dollar and CVS were the big losers. Amazon, Walmart, and Costco had big years. Coresight estimates 15,000 closures this year to include Party City, Big Lots, and Walgreens, reports CNBC. 75% of Christian men & 40% of Christian women use porn Barna Group and Pure Desire Ministries issued their 2024 “Beyond the Porn Phenomenon” report  concluding that pornography use has increased 11% over the last eight years. Seventy-five percent of Christian men and 40 percent of Christian women report that they are viewing pornography at least occasionally, and 60% are addicted. About half of practicing Christians say they are comfortable with the habit. Also, the younger generation (or Gen Zers) were the least likely to express comfort with how much porn they use. Gen Zers were almost twice as likely to say they wished they didn't use pornography at all, as compared to older generations. John Piper cites 2 Biblical motivations not to use porn Pastor John Piper addressed the porn problem in his recent “Ask Pastor John” podcast.   PIPER: “The biblical principle of motivation for purity, for not pursuing or indulging in sexual pleasure where it ought not to be found, is that the Bible uses fear and hope to draw us away from impurity. You hear both of these, for example, in Romans 8:13. “‘If you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if, by the Spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.'  So, if you spend your life giving into lust, the lust of the flesh, you perish. Now, that's meant to make us afraid. It's meant to strike fear into our hearts so that we turn away, flee from temptations of the flesh. “But then he says, ‘If by the Spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.' And that's meant to awaken hope. In the power of the hope, pursue this purity and not sin. So, the Bible uses both fear and hope, threat and promise.” He points to the Gospel motive from 1 Peter 2:24. It says, “He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”   Pastor Piper emphasized that “Christ purchased the power not to sin.” Pray for Pastor John MacArthur's recovery after heart surgery And finally, Pastor John MacArthur, the host of the radio program Grace to You, remains in the hospital following heart valve surgery, dealing with ongoing issues with his heart, lungs and kidney. Grace Community Church Elder Phil Johnson took to X to correct rumors that the pastor was dying. Johnson is urging fellow believers to “keep him in your prayers.”  Please pray for his recovery and send a get well card to Pastor John MacArthur, Grace Community Church, 13248 Roscoe Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352. I hope you will be one of hundreds of Worldview listeners to take the time to do so. Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, January 28th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe by Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Pennsylvania officials don't have much faith in the state power grid's ability to meet future demand. Penn State employees want a straight answer on the future of the school's commonwealth campuses. The leases of over 21 Big Lots are up for sale. Plus, this animal shelter has a special Valentine's Day offering.

In this episode, the Goods from the Woods Boys are back together at Disgraceland after a wild week in Los Angeles. Joining us to chat about it is our friend, comedian Sal Calanni! Carter talks about his escape from the Sunset Fire in West Hollywood and Rivers talks about his trip to a going-out-of-business Big Lots in South Central L.A. We reach some kind of apotheosis while chugging an energy drink that's literally called "TOXIC WASTE". We chat about Sal's hometown of North Olmsted, Ohio and Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" is our JAM OF THE WEEK! Thanks to everyone who reached out to us during the fires. We love y'all so much. Hope you enjoy this week's episode!  Follow the show on Blue Sky @TheGoodsPod. We're on Twitter too, but, like, fuck that guy.   Rivers is @RiversLangley  Sam is @SlamHarter  Carter is @Carter_Glascock Subscribe on Patreon for the UNCUT video version of this episode as well as TONS of bonus content! http://patreon.com/TheGoodsPod   Pick up a Goods from the Woods t-shirt here: http://prowrestlingtees.com/TheGoodsPod

This week on the Time Blaster Toy Cast... we're cracking open the history books for a retrospective on Big Lots! The once closeout king has a fascinating backstory that includes Deloreans, KB & Toy Liquidators and every 1980s & 90s toy line we've ever loved! So settle in cause we're talking BIG LOTS from beginning to end! The Time Blaster Toy Cast is a nostalgic podcast about growing up in the 1980's & 1990's, with a specific focus on action figures, video games, junk food and retro geek stuff. Hosts Keith, Joe & Dave are your weekly tour guides as we travel back in time... when toys were cooler, movies were funnier, times were simpler & life in general was just MORE RAD! Got a question, comment or idea for our show? Want to share a story of your own with us? The Time Blaster Toy line is open 24/7! Leave us a message or shoot over a text message at 734-494-2292 Follow us on Instagram: @timeblastertoys @theretroko @mathew_priest

Corporate bankruptcies are on the rise. In recent months, Party City, Big Lots, Spirit Airlines, and other discount providers have declared bankruptcy. Today on the show, Rob Armstrong and Aiden Reiter try to figure out why, and what it means for the overall economy. Also they go long ceramics and long the Arctic. For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Years everyone! To bring in 2025, Josh & Niko are joined by Chris and Issac to discuss a bunch of different topics such as NIKE, companies such as Big Lots going out of business, news with FedEx. Niko gives us another Tesla stock update, market predictions for 2025 and more. Music: Fitz and the Tantrums - MoneyGrabber Follow our TikTok - @stocktalk_joshniko Follow our Twitter - https://twitter.com/StockTalk_1 Discord - Stock Talk w/ Niko Kritikos Like and Follow us on Facebook - Stock Talk with Josh & Niko

On this week's Modern Retail Rundown episode, the staff discusses several updates coming off of 2024. First up, a new report from Appriss shows that fraudulent returns totaled $103 billion last year out of a total of $685 billion in retail returns. Nordstrom announced it will go private through a buyout by the Nordstrom family in partnership with Mexican retailer El Puerto de Liverpool. And just days after Big Lots began liquidating its stores, the retailer received a lifeline from investment firm Gordon Brothers Retail Partners to help keep between 200 and 400 of its stores open.

INTRO (00:00): Kathleen opens the show drinking a Donna's Pickle Beer from Pilot Project Brewing, and an Ozark Distillery Bloody Mary. She reviews her Christmas week with family in Missouri, visiting the Budweiser Clydesdales at Warm Springs Ranch, and tailgating at the Kansas City Chiefs game with her cousins. TOUR NEWS: See Kathleen live on her “Day Drinking Tour.”COURT NEWS (52:02): Kathleen shares news on Jelly Roll headlining New Year's Eve Live from Nashville, Chappell Roan sings a holiday duet with Sabrina Carpenter, Snoop Dogg releases holiday song “High Christmas,” and Taylor Swift closes out 2024 supporting boyfriend Travis Kelce at 2 Chiefs' games. TASTING MENU (3:52): Kathleen samples Pringles Mingles Dill Pickle & Ranch Crisps, and Cheetos Pretzels. UPDATES (20:35): Kathleen shares updates on Mattress Mac's heart surgery, the South Carolina monkeys are still on the loose, the Supreme Court could ban TikTok, and NASA astronauts stranded in space get more bad news. “HOLY SHIT THEY FOUND IT” (49:10): Kathleen reads the discovery of the identity of “Jack the Ripper” in a genetic analysis. FRONT PAGE PUB NEWS (53:50): Kathleen shares articles on Party City's bankruptcy filing, , REO Speedwagon quits touring after 57 years, a “living Nostradamus” makes a chilling prediction about WWIII, Big Lots is closing all of its stores, we look at Baba Venga's 2025 predictions, Green Bay WI is 2024's Drunkest City in America, 2024 deems the Waltons are the world's wealthiest family, author James Patterson gives $500K to independent bookstore staff, Honda & Nissan agree to a 2026 merger, and a woman celebrates her 106th birthday by downing Fireball whiskey. WHAT WE'RE WATCHING (1:17:05): Kathleen recommends watching “Bad Sisters” on Apple TV. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

San Pedro Fish Market opens signs 49-year lease / Big Lots is back baby! // Fast Food Update Taco Bell has Chicken nuggets / Road Snacks // What's everyone doing for New Year's Eve? // Fast Food Trends  

It's our last episode of 2024, and we're joined by pastor Chris Durso, who's leading a new kind of faith community in NYC. Plus, the guys lean into the new year conversation, having a vulnerable talk about resolutions (or lack thereof), Mike Foster's primal questions and the importance of embracing new approaches to life in 2025. Plus, we have the week's Slices, including Christopher Nolan's surprising new project, a new podcast that's exploring the tension between reality and faith, and of course a Big Lots update. And at the end of the show we have your feedback about the best advice you've gotten on social media! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

That's a wrap on 2024! Episode 171 of the What Are We Doing podcast is here, and it's everything you'd expect to close out a year like this—chaotic, hilarious, and slightly unhinged. From bizarre Christmas gifts to Sabrina Carpenter's Dunkin' takeover, we've covered it all. Let's dive in! First things first, I've officially peaked—the Nvidia CEO gave me sunglasses for Christmas. (Yes, the story is as ridiculous as it sounds.) On the flip side, we had the annual mom gift disaster. This year? A pair of used socks. Nobody knows whose they were, but don't worry—they've been burned. Let's face it: millennials don't want gifts unless it's cash or a $100 Amazon gift card. We've got enough going on without pretending to love another stainless steel tumbler. From Coachella to her Dunkin' collab—the Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso is already iconic—Sabrina Carpenter dominated this year. We're calling it: she's on her way to Taylor Swift-level stardom. Dunkin', take all my money. Imported from Canada, these chips are a whole experience. The Chicken Chips stole the show, while the Dirty Burger flavor was a bit heavy on the mustard. Are we the only U.S. podcast to review them? Probably. Somebody give us a trophy. Brace yourselves for 2025: Happy Gilmore 2, Now You See Me 3, and Freaky Friday 2 are all happening. Hollywood, what are we doing? And if James Cameron claims he invented fire for Avatar 3, I'm done. Turns out Honey's browser extension has been hijacking affiliate links for years, stealing commissions from creators. Shoutout to mega lag for exposing this billion-dollar scam. Honey, what are we doing? Goodbye, Party City, Big Lots, and maybe Denny's. The retail world is crumbling, but hey—2025 is the year of live e-commerce. Start streaming now or get left behind. Gypsy Rose and Ken are officially done, and her baby bump drama is peak trailer park reality TV. Will Ryan swoop in? Will Ken cry on TikTok Live? The saga continues in 2025. That's it for 2024! From bizarre stories to chaotic takes, it's been a wild ride. Catch you in 2025 with more satire, more laughs, and hopefully fewer used socks. Happy New Year! 00:00:00 - Intro and Nvidia CEO's Christmas gift sunglasses story. 00:00:48 - The annual mom gift disaster: used socks saga. 00:02:03 - Millennials and Christmas: why we're done with holiday lists. 00:03:26 - Sabrina Carpenter dominates 2024; Dunkin's Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso. 00:04:14 - Levi's Christmas gift policies and the stainless steel tumbler rant. 00:06:12 - The mother-in-law gift tradition: snow scrapers and coloring books. 00:08:45 - Taste testing Trailer Park Boys chips: dill pickle and chicken flavors. 00:11:13 - Sabrina Carpenter's rise to stardom and her Dunkin' collab breakdown. 00:16:42 - Hollywood in 2025: sequel overload (Happy Gilmore 2, Now You See Me 3, Freaky Friday 2). 00:26:54 - The Avatar 3 fire technology rant; James Cameron criticism. 00:36:03 - Mission: Impossible and the need to retire Ethan Hunt. 00:40:07 - Now You See Me 3 wild plot prediction with Criss Angel twist. 00:43:30 - The Honey browser extension scam exposed. 00:51:12 - The retail apocalypse: Party City, Big Lots, and more crumble. 00:55:17 - The rise of live social e-commerce for 2025. 01:02:22 - Trailer Park Boys chip flavors reviewed in-depth. 01:10:52 - Gypsy Rose drama to close the year. 01:13:10 - Outro and farewell to 2024. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/what-are-we-doing-pod/support

New laws going into effect in California starting January first. A man accused of sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl is expected back in court today. People close to the Trump administration are taking aim at the county supervisors' new policy to end transfers into ICE custody. Big Lots is keeping some of its stores open. One person won the $1.2 Billion Mega Millions jackpot in Cottonwood, CA. The San Diego Zoo will have a float featuring the giant pandas in the Rose Parade. 

Dozens feared injured after vehicle plows into crowd at Christmas market in Germany/ New synthetic drug three times stronger than fentanyl linked to LA County death. Party City and Big Lots stores are closing/ Yelp names 3 California ice skating rinks among North America's best. Guest: Mariel Hemingway to discuss her 3 limited series, her podcast + stratosphere ATC on wellness technology and a foundation she started with Melissa Yamaguchi for mental health called Mariel Hemingway Foundation (MarielHemingwayFoundation.org) 

Description: On today's Top News in 10, we cover:    After the second must-pass bill to fund the government failed in the House of Representatives Thursday night, Republicans spent much of Friday seeking agreement on a path forward. The federal government would officially shut down at midnight otherwise.    Religious liberty law firm Alliance Defending Freedom will meet with The Walt Disney Company in early January to question its collusion with a now-defunct advertising giant known to censor news outlets and personalities.    There's a new caucus on Capitol Hill dedicated to making America healthy again. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., says the new caucus will focus on nutrition, access to affordable, high-quality-nutritious foods, improving primary care, and addressing the root causes of chronic diseases.    Additional headlines:    A man drove into a crowded Christmas market in Germany today, resulting in several deaths and injuries. The individual was arrested at the scene.  Party City is going out of business after 40 years, closing down all of its stores. Meanwhile, retailer Big Lots is planning to close its 963 stores.  College Football fans finally get their wish with a newly expanded playoff format that kicks off Friday night with a first-round matchup.    Keep Up With The Daily Signal    Sign up for our email newsletters: https://www.dailysignal.com/email       Subscribe to our other shows:     The Tony Kinnett Cast: https://www.dailysignal.com/the-tony-kinnett-cast   Problematic Women: https://www.dailysignal.com/problematic-women   The Signal Sitdown: https://www.dailysignal.com/the-signal-sitdown      Follow The Daily Signal:     X: https://x.com/DailySignal   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/   Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DailySignal   Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/TheDailySignal      Thanks for making The Daily Signal Podcast your trusted source for the day's top news. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Lots to close all remaining Indiana stores. People don't like getting pets as gifts. The most dangerous day of the month to be on the roads and murder hornet update! Are you okay with this? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Group Chat News is back and we have the hottest stories of the week including remembering 9/11, the presidential debate recap, Taylor Swift publicly says who she is voting for, inflation continuing its cooling streak to 2.5% in August, Credit card spending data, Big Lots files for bankruptcy, and of course everyone favorite WINNERS LOSERS CONTENT 

INTRO (00:00): Kathleen opens the show drinking an It's Complicated Chocolate Golden Stout from Big Oyster Brewery in Lewes, DE, and an Off the Hoof Scrapple Vodka Bloody Mary from Painted Stave Distillery. She shares the origin of Pennsylvania Scrapple and reviews her weekend doing shows in Tarrytown, NY, and Wilmington, DE. COURT NEWS (16:40): Kathleen shares news on Dolly's new rose and prosecco wine release in the UK, Jelly Roll teases a new single from his forthcoming album “Beautifully Broken”, Taylor Swift attends the men's US Open tennis final with Travis Kelce, Snoop Dogg is prepping to host The Voice, and Tom Brady makes his Fox NFL broadcasting debut.TASTING MENU (7:20): Kathleen samples Snoop Dogg Nocho Nachos Rap Snacks and Herr's Gameday Philly Cheesesteak Chips. UPDATES (20:50): Kathleen shares updates on Mattress Mack's release from the hospital, Anna Delvey is joining Dancing With the Stars, Burning Man becomes a dump, ChiefsAHolic is sentenced 17 yrs for armed robbery, the first Millennial saint is canonized, Team “Spears & Arrows” are winning the battle in the Amazon, Kevin Costner addresses the status of his Yellowstone spin-off Horizon series, “HOLY SHIT THEY FOUND IT” (53:40): Kathleen is amazed to read about the discovery of the bronze statue of “Diana of Versailles “in the Titanic wreckage.FRONT PAGE PUB NEWS (51:51): Kathleen shares articles on the status of the three-year “Life At Sea” cruise, the world's oldest living man just turned 112 years old, Big Lots files for bankruptcy, Chimp Crazy's Tonia Haddix believes the HBO filmmakers betrayed her, a tiger escapes a Mexican zoo and is feared to be in Texas, there are tarantula warnings for 8 US states, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defends the NFL streaming push, and it takes 3 days to hike to Britain's most remote pub. WHAT WE'RE WATCHING (54:05): Kathleen recommends watching “Chimp Crazy” on HBO Max. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe people of Canada are suffering. The illegals are getting everything and the people are left out, this is happening WW. Stores closing down, economic imploding. The people are tapped out. Trump says he will place 100% tariffs on those countries not using the currency of the US. The [DS] is now backtracking on the poll numbers for [KH]. The polls are fake and the people know it. Pelosi projects that Trump will back out of the debate. Is she projecting, will [KH] report she has covid, another virus or be in accident? The [DS] is prepared to shutdown the government instead of passing the Save Act. Trump know their is cheating, he just called on the RNC to activate. Did he just send a message to the patriots?   (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Economy https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1832619617518297590 Big Lots files for bankruptcy Big Lots, the beleaguered discount retailer that previously warned it had “substantial doubt” about its survival, has filed for bankruptcy. As part of its Chapter 11 filing, the retailer announced that private equity firm Nexus Capital Management is acquiring “substantially all” of Big Lots stores and business operations. During the process, its locations and website will remain open for shopping. Source: cnn.com Macy's Set To Close 55 Stores By The End Of 2024 Macy's has announced that it is closing a total of 55 stores by the end of 2024, in the faltering brand's ongoing effort to revamp its business. According to The Daily Mail, the company originally intended to close 50 underperforming stores by the end of the year, part of the 150 total locations it will close within three years. However, it now plans to close 55 before 2025. “The biggest things that have gone wrong at Macy's are the quality of the stores and the product assortment,” GlobalData Retail analyst Neil Saunders said to the outlet. “And so over the years customers have deserted it, sales have tumbled and store productivity has gone down. All the metrics have gone in the wrong direction.” Source: zerohedge.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1832835267117666718   rate has declined for 14 consecutive months. To put this into perspective, savings rates average ~6.0% in the 2009-2019 period and ~11.0% in the 1980s. On top of high inflation, wage growth has stalled which has led to record usage of credit cards and low savings rates. Consumers feel like we are in a recession. https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1832789233792102594   employment rose by 1 million year-over-year in August. Additionally, the number of permanent job losers jumped by 324,000 year-over-year, to 2.5 million, the highest since November 2021. This was the 16th straight month of part-time job gains, the longest streak since the 2008 Financial Crisis. How is this "strong" labor market? https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/1832937028817748187   the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) It's time to pass the CCCA and introduce real competition into the credit card market https://twitter.com/RichAStern/status/1833141974561415567     Preparing For A Crash: Warren Buffett Has Been Selling Off Hundreds Of Millions Of Shares In 2024 The number of Apple shares that Berkshire Hathaway has dumped is absolutely astounding. It is being reported that close to 500 million shares were sold during the first and second quarters combined… In the first quarter of 2024, Berkshire Hathaway sold over 100 million Apple shares,

Big tech takes center stage with Apple's annual iPhone event and Google's latest anti-trust case. What do they say about where tech's been and where it's going?  (00:21) Jason Moser and Dylan Lewis discuss: - Apple's “Glowtime” product event, what to expect for the iPhone line and the company's AI ambitions. - The latest anti-trust case against Google and why Meta and Apple should probably be paying attention. - Big Lots' bankruptcy and why the discount retailer has struggled at a time when customers are looking for value. (14:46) OneStream is an operating system for CFOs. Its CEO, Tom Shea, joined Ricky Mulvey for a conversation about the problems that its software solves for, its AI use case, and what's behind the company's 36% year-over-year revenue growth. Companies discussed: AAPL, GOOG, GOOGL, META, BIG, WMT, TGT, DG, OS Host: Dylan Lewis Guests: Jason Moser, Ricky Muley, Tom Shea Producer: Mary Long Engineers: Tim Sparks, Dan Boyd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DOJ considers declaring google a monopoly, where's Kamala, Big Lots stores are struggling, and the most expensive car ever. Plus, the Message of the Day, Americans are terrified by the upcoming presidential election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the Matt Walsh Show, Hunter Biden has been found guilty in federal court. This is supposed to be evidence that Joe Biden is playing it fair, but it actually shows the opposite. I'll explain. Also, new polls show that a majority of Americans favor mass deportations of illegal immigrants. A manager at Big Lots is fired after committing the sin of trying to stop someone from stealing. A Hollywood actor takes out a poorly written full-page ad calling on awards voters to give awards to non-whites. And, the desperate campaign to find some sort of scandal for Justice Samuel Alito continues, and is more desperate than ever. All of that and more today on the Matt Walsh Show. Ep.1384 - - -  DailyWire+: Watch the full season of Judged by Matt Walsh only on DailyWire+: https://bit.ly/3TNB3sD Father's Day Deal: Get 15% off your Jeremy's Razor: https://bit.ly/49kXXgI Get 25% off your DailyWire+ Membership here: https://bit.ly/4akO7wC Shop my merch collection here: https://bit.ly/3EbNwyj - - -  Today's Sponsors: Tax Network USA - Seize control of your financial future! Call 1(800)245-6000 or visit http://www.TNUSA.com/WALSH Ramp - Now get $250 when you join Ramp. Go to http://www.ramp.com/WALSH Grand Canyon University - Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University: https://www.gcu.edu/ - - - Socials:  Follow on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Rv1VeF Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3KZC3oA Follow on Facebook: https://bit.ly/3eBKjiA Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3RQp4rs