Podcasts about IKEA

Maximos Lih, founder and CEO of Emboldened LLC and former Google Ventures operating partner, explains how leaders win in the agentic age by treating AI failure as a business opportunity rather than a layoff equation. He shows how IKEA reskilled 8,500 service agents to build a $1.4 billion interior design business rather than cutting headcount. Connect with Maximos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maximoslih/

Google is shipping its first smart speaker in six years, and we're starting to test it. The Verge's Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins the show to explain why the Home Speaker matters, whether Google actually cares about the smart home, and more. Then, she helps answer a few questions from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about the power of Ikea and the future of your thermostat. Further reading: The Google Home Speaker sounds good and looks great — but it's finicky Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Horror Short Film Director Roundtable is one of the most important things that we did at the Portland Horror Film Festival. It provided an elevated platform for horror short filmmakers. Oftentimes, this is ground zero for original horror ideas. Unless you are a Hollywood nepo-director, short film creation is where you learn your chops. I wanted to give these creatives an opportunity to share their experiences in making movies, both good and bad, so that we can all learn a little more about the craft. Life as a short filmmaker can be an experience in the shadows. Your films are rarely seen outside of film festivals, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This is where most creative minds hone their crafts. Take a simple concept and do it well. Do you have something scary or funny to tell? Is there an idea that has been lurking in the back of your brain that you have to give life to? A short film will give you the opportunity to learn production, editing, budgeting, and team management. It also places you in a community of people who are open to sharing their work with one another. That’s where the round table fits in. After our discussion, I told the group that, even though I wanted this discussion to be a forum for them to share their wins and losses with each other, I selfishly set up this talk so I could learn more about horror moviemaking. Nine years in on being a small horror press journalist, and I still feel like I am only scratching the surface about what a director has to do. Just how do you do it? These discussions give me more talking points and access to better questions to ask. The Portland Horror Film Festival is one of the best curated horror film festivals in the country. Not only do Gwen and Brian Callahan select some of the best horror short films for their festivals, but they also provide opportunities for short film alumni to showcase their feature films. One of the questions I asked in our roundtable discussion was, “How many of you are looking to be feature film directors?” All of them raised their hands (with the exception of Patrick Hogan, who has already directed a feature film). For these directors, here is some encouraging data. This year alone had FIVE directors who previously presented short films at either PHFF or the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and later had their feature films shown at these festivals. Here are the PHFF Alumni filmmakers who presented a short film and then a feature: Anthony Cousins: Short Films – “The Bloody Ballad of Squirt Reynolds” and “Every Time We Meet for Ice Cream Your Whole Fucking Face Explodes” to Feature Films – Frogman (2023) and Frogman Returns (2026) Jeff Ferrell: Short Film – “Morella” to Feature Film – The Demonatrix (2026) Levi Buchannan: Short Film – “We Said Forever” to Feature Film Sitra Achra (2026) Krsy Fox: Short Film – “What the Spell” to Feature Film – Big Baby (2026) Masaki Nishiyama: Short Film “Smahorror” to Feature Film “The Invisible Half” (2026) Zack Ogle: Short Film “We Got a Monkey’s Paw” to Feature Film – It Needs Eyes (2025) Craig Ouellette: “Str$p” to Feature Film – Straight on Til Morning (2025) Andrew Bowser: Short Film – “Little Willy” to Feature Film – Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Evil (2022) Izzy Lee: “My Monster”, “Dark Signals”, “Rehomed” to Feature Film – House of Ashes (2024) Kenichi Ugana: Short Film – “Visitors” to Feature Film – Love Will Tear Us Apart (2023) Alice Maio Mackay: Short Film – “The Serpent’s Skin” to Feature Film T-Blockers (2023) Matthew John Lawrence: Short Film “Larry Gone Demon” to Feature Film – Uncle Peckerhead (2020) Justin Harding: Short Film “Kookie” to Feature Film – Making Monsters (2019) The PHFF Horror Short Film Director Roundtable Recording: Here is the roundtable discussion. It’s all about the lessons learned. The good, the bad, and the ridiculous. My past experience doing these round tables sometimes put the filmmakers on the spot, and I didn’t want this to be a “stump the directors” exercise. I prepared them with the following questions: Apart from financing, what was the biggest challenge in making your movie? What was the most interesting thing you learned while making this film? How many of you are filmmakers as a second career? What remains a mystery to you as a filmmaker that you think might be answered by one of your peers in this discussion? What piece of advice do you have for your fellow directors? This group really got into the discussion, and had the festival not started up, we could have gone on for quite a while longer. I had a great time, and I believe they did as well. The Horror Short Film Director Roundtable Films: Blindsided Directed by P. Patrick HoganStarring Crystal LoverroPortland Horror Film Festival: Winner of the Devil’s Discord (Best Sound Design) A blind schoolteacher struggles to survive through a nightmarish night when an alien spaceship crashes and unleashes a monstrous predator. This unique horror short film features an all-low-vision cast and places the audience in the POV of a blind protagonist who is only able to hear what happens around her. Director Statements: “Blindsided is a riveting short horror film that takes a unique narrative approach, providing audiences with an immersive glimpse into the harrowing experience of Maria, a blind woman confronting the most terrifying ordeal of her life. The horror remains unseen, both to her and the audience, heightening the suspense and reminding us that sometimes, the most terrifying things are the ones we don’t see coming… This is an innovative short film that ventures into uncharted territory within the horror genre. The narrative unfolds in a tranquil neighborhood, abruptly disrupted by a crashing alien spacecraft and the horrifying monster it unleashes into the night. However, what sets this film apart is the unique perspective from which the story is told – the POV of Maria, a blind schoolteacher living alone. Maria’s desperate struggle to evade the otherworldly predator, guided solely by what she hears, will provide an experience unlike any other horror short. Additionally, to promote diversity and inclusivity, in conjunction with our Disability Authenticity Consultant Vanni Le and Casting Director Danielle Pretsfelder Demchick, all the characters in the film are played by low-vision actors, placing the spotlight on the often-overlooked talent within the low-vision community. We are very proud of Blindsided and look forward to enjoying it in theaters with an audience who doesn’t know what they are about to experience.” Scullion Written and Directed by Trevor GracianoStarring: Whitney Garner as “Samantha”, Cody Parr as “Greg”, and Jim Close as “The Maid” A playful couple test their household chore habits and unknowingly summon a vengeful presence. Director Statements: “We all carry habits inherited from our parents into adulthood. I grew up in a religious household where some of those habits were helpful, but many were not—and they've lingered in ways I don't welcome. Some habits fade with time, while others remain, quietly shaping us in the background. This film explores the struggle to break free from those ingrained patterns, and the imaginative consequences of what happens when they refuse to let go. *It's really just about how to load the communal dishwasher correctly.” Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done Directed by PJ GermainWritten by Autumn Palen and PJ GermainStarring: Brady Gentry, Benjamin Nowak, Bix Krieger, Charlie N. Townsend, Cailyn Rice, Ethan Ahn, Emma Smith Watts, and Erin Rae Kykendall HIGH SCHOOL REALLY SUCKS… and no one knows that better than best friends Aaron and Keith. So when they set out to crash the last graduation party of the summer, emotions fly high, and the culture clash of teenagers finds them playing a simple game that has dire consequences. Director’s Statement: “Before he passed, screenwriter Gil Dennis told me during my time at AFI, “Write what hurts.” That idea has stayed with me; it's the compass I use when choosing the stories I want to tell. When I first read Autumn Palen's original draft of Worst Thing You've Ever Done, it hurt. It transported me back to moments in my own adolescence; memories filled with shame, ridicule, and isolation. But what floored me was its third-act twist. It was something I'd never felt so viscerally in a short script. I knew I had to direct it. What began as a contained character piece evolved into something more personal. I rewrote the script to reflect my own lived experiences, with every character, every event drawn from real moments that left a mark. I wanted to take a character that I felt so intertwined with, and make him someone that the audience would really relate to before reaching the moment where everything changes; the blood-drenched punchline to the twisted joke these high school kids played on each other. I set it during the 90’s, as it was a period of transition for me as an 80’s kid, being on the cusp of the old and new world. I needed the film to be an exploration of adolescent loneliness which dealt with the complexity of the friendships and social hierarchies that often defined who we were at that fragile age. We weren’t quite kids anymore, but we weren’t adults yet either, so how did we approach the consequences of reckless behavior? My team and I knew that casting would make or break the film. To capture that truth, casting was everything. I reviewed over 6,000 submissions, narrowing it down to a callback of who I thought could embody the characters. I needed authenticity, so at that callback, I ditched the script and asked actors, in character, to describe moments like first dates or getting asked to prom. It revealed who leaped from the page and became real. A week before we were to start shooting, my original cinematographer had to back out due to a conflict with the TV series he was currently shooting, and months of planning began to crumble. In the days leading up to whether or not we were going to cancel the project entirely, my long-time collaborator and cinematographer Jeff Billings took on the task. We shot the film over 3 tireless days, and as any director knows, you plan as much as you can; however, the plan eventually goes out the window. So I played a game of pivoting and being malleable myself in order to get what we needed to tell the story. The film is a testament to all the parts working together for a singular goal, and my hope is that when that first music cue drops, the audience is strapped in and ready to ride the roller coaster to that final frame.” https://vimeo.com/1071562836/377ba7d361?fl=pl&fe=cm Cat and Mouse Written and Directed by Brady CatesStarring: Halima Kamara as “Michelle”, Collan Simmons as “Felix, and Ron LaprechtEdited by Luke Oleen Junk, and Hayley Frederick Michelle is caught in a killer’s sadistic and carefully orchestrated game. With danger closing in at every turn, Michelle must outwit and outlast her relentless pursuer. But as the night goes on, unsettling clues reveal that all may not be what it seems. This time, it's the mouse's turn to catch the cat. My Severed Arm Written and Directed by Casey de FremeryStarring: Olivia Rose Prince as “Sidney”, Ryan Romine as “Mason”, and Julia Linger as “Commercial Model”Portland Horror Film Festival: Funny Bone Award for Exceptional Horror Comedy A woman tries to escape a serial killer using DIY videos, but the internet won't stop trying to sell her things first. Director’s Statement: “My Severed Arm is a horror-comedy about a “final girl” who, after fleeing into a cabin in the woods, discovers that her greatest threat isn't the machete-wielding slasher outside—it's the barrage of unskippable ads and paywalls blocking her access to life-saving information. Trapped, bleeding, and desperate to repair the tools around her, she turns to YouTube—but instead of help, she's ambushed by holographic tutorials and polished commercial spokespeople invading the cabin like digital ghosts. The film began with a thought I couldn't shake: what if you had to listen to ads when calling 911? It was a joke at first, but one that felt eerily plausible five minutes into the future. I've learned so many practical things through platforms like YouTube, but over time, that access has been buried beneath monetization schemes, misinformation, and endless self-promotional detours. This story is my response to that frustration—exaggerated into a literal life-or-death scenario. Stylistically, I wanted to evoke the stark, grim energy of Evil Dead or Cabin in the Woods, but undercut it with the absurdity of consumer culture leaking into every moment. That blend of horror and comedy, physical space and digital intrusion, is what drives the tone. At its core, My Severed Arm is about survival—both in the horror-movie and digital sense. It's about what happens when urgency meets algorithm, when access to knowledge is shaped by incentive structures that don't care if you bleed out. The film asks: what good is information if it's hidden behind paywalls, pop-ups, and promo codes? But more than anything, I want the audience to laugh, cringe, and feel that creeping recognition that this isn't the future – it's the now.” Into The Stand Directed by Mackenzie Hamilton and Taylor FuchsWritten by Mackenzie HamiltonStarring: Sarah Rich as “Quinn”, Ariana Raygoza as “Rosa”, and Nick Dietrich Tree planters Quinn and Rosa return to camp for another summer in the wilderness. Rosa is newly sober, and Quinn is quietly anxious about how she'll handle the camp's hard-partying culture. At the welcome-back party, Rosa is tempted to drink, prompting Quinn to intervene. Shaken, Rosa heads into the forest to clear her head, but doesn't come back. When Quinn goes after her, she's met with eerie signs: strange noises, a mangled deer, and an odd light deep in the woods. As the forest closes in, Quinn questions if there is something else out there. Director’s Statement: The woods have always haunted me. Growing up in rural Vancouver Island, I would often cut through forest trails to reach friends’ houses. When it was night, we would meet in the middle of the trail to keep each other safe. Thankfully, we always found each other, but I frequently wondered what if we didn't? What if something else was out there, waiting in the darkness of the woods? Into the Stand is inspired by the many times I scared myself on those trails, letting my imagination run wild. Now that I'm older, my fears are centered around more tangible things, like navigating how to let go of people you love when you can't control what they're going through. This story is deeply informed by themes of sobriety, codependency, and how the urge to help someone can sometimes lead you somewhere dark. Ultimately, Into the Stand is a fun horror made in the community I grew up in with friends who helped bring it to life. My husband and I co-directed this short film, transforming the woods on my parents' farm into a tree-planting camp, and had a blast turning a familiar place into something eerie and cinematic. It's a scary film that is personal and full of heart, and I'm overjoyed to be telling stories in the places that shaped me. –Mackenzie Hamilton and Taylor Fuchs Nurture Written and Directed by Nick SnyderProduced by Sam SnyderStarring: Travis Bilenski as “Ren, and Kailey Rhodes as “Rose”Portland Horror Film Festival: Winner – Goule D’or Best Short On a remote Oregon farm, a couple grieving from a miscarriage finds hope in a mysterious flower. But as it heals her, the flower takes root in him. Nurture is a dialogue-free folk-horror fable about love, grief, and the consequences of taking too much from nature. Director’s Statement: NURTURE marks my return to narrative filmmaking after years of honing my craft in visual effects, motion design, and commercial work. Inspired by the Pacific Northwest and the quiet mythology of its forests, this dialogue-free folk horror short explores grief through the lens of a nature curse. Where grief deepens love and a curse demands sacrifice, NURTURE examines the dangerous hope that something broken can be restored without cost. Other Notable Horror Shorts from the Festival: There were 48 short films shown at the Festival, selected from over 500 submissions. Here are a few notable and favorite films that were also showing at the festival. Famous Directed by Rosita Lama MuvdiWritten by Jordan MonaghanStarring Jordan Monaghan “A young woman desperate for social media fame exploits her father's death to go viral. But the volatile world of internet stardom pushes her to the edge.” Punchy and poignant. Famous taps into the darkest desires of influencers desperate to get likes. Just how far will you go for a few more “likes and subscribes”? Jordan Monaghan chases likes the wrong way in “Famous” (2026) Favela Amarela (Brazil) Written and Directed by Nicolas Lobato and Tiago TuchuStarring Richard Abelha, Giselle Batista, and Sai “A student from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro joins the local drug militia to pay for college and uncovers an NGO linked to powerful politicians that hides dark rituals devoted to the King in Yellow.” I won’t be surprised if this stunning short film also plays at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival. It is saturated in Brazilian culture, mixed with a heavy application of Cosmic Horror. Favela Amarela (2026) Wall Udder Written and Directed by Alexandra HaydenStarring Kevin Grady, Sawyer Fuller, and Bries Vannon “A dissatisfied woman confronts repressed feelings of malaise after her partner comes home smelling like milk.” Hysterically gag-inducingly funny! There is a double-punchline gag that brought the house down. Part of the Shorts Gone Wild block at PHFF, where the festival screens the zaniest submitted shorts. This did not disappoint. Ewwww! Who wants some milk? “Wall Udder” (2026) Tooth-Hurty! Directed by Jude MadonnaWritten by Katie SmallStarring Katie Small, Jude Madonna, Brook Hogan, and Tommy HardenPortland Horror Film Festival Winner: Abby Normal Award: For the exceptionally weird and disturbing “Lucy is a people-pleasing writer-photographer whose dream of being an artist remains just out of reach. A comment from her boyfriend about her teeth triggers Lucy to make an appointment for a dental checkup for the first time in years with the mysterious yet heavily advertised Big Smiles Dentistry.” Super clever! There should be more horror movies about trips to the dentist. This made my toes curl and had me in stitches, as well. Say Ahhh! Katie Small in “Tooth-Hurty!” (2026) CHÄIR Directed by Chris McInroyWritten by Chris McInroy and Carlos La RottaStarring Carlos LaRotta, Kim Lowery, and Chloe McInroy “Carl just wanted to sit down. The chair had other plans.” I am always a fan of Chris McInroy. He and Carlos do a crazy short film every year. I am in awe of how these guys make deadpan, silly, and super-gory original content. It won’t be long before they release a greatest-hits compilation, and I will be in line to buy it. This spoof on Ikea furniture assembly is a tribute to all of us who have struggled to assemble the Scandinavian furniture at home. Carlos LaRotta contemplates his struggles putting a chair together in “CHÄIR” (2026) The Bones Exist Directed by Kelsey Bollig and Matthew DuVallWritten by Matthew DuVallStarring: Alex Pena as “Manny”, Siya Maleki as “Diego”, Jack Campbell as “Don Rob”, Michael Manzako as “The Boy”, and Alex Bankler as the Utah Raptor.Portland Horror Film Festival Winner: Tompe L’oiel Award for Best Special Effects In the unforgiving wilderness of 1850s Alta California, a dwindling group of gold prospectors encounters a feral boy who forces the men to confront the horrors lurking in the woods and the sins of their past. This combines two of my favorite genres: Dinosaurs and Westerns. Perhaps not done since The Valley of Gwanji, The Bones Exists shows plenty of raptors hunting cowboys and does so convincingly. Bonus points for showing the most current understanding of raptors as feathered dinos. Munch Munch! “The Bones Exist” (2026) Flush (France) Written and Directed by Raphaël TreinerStarring Eléonore Gurrey as “Marianne” and Christophe Ntakabenura as “Ben” Abominable plumbing and violent deaths. MARIANNE, extremely pregnant, and BEN, a plumber and one-night stand, team up to survive an epic night and face the monsters of a building beset by an unknown evil. I am a sucker for the Trapped in a Bathroom trope, even going so far as to host a Crypticon horror panel on the topic. This film goes to the top (plumbing) shelf. This is Cosmic horror that brings all the icky, goopy, nasty elements you might expect from this theme is on full display. To think that an effective little romance element managed to sneak into the plot, and you have something unusually effective. I love it when the French go weird. Eléonore Gurrey and Christophe Ntakabenura are unlikely allies in “Flush” (2026)

This week we talk about plug-in power, renewables, and Germany.We also discuss inverters, solar arrays, and microgrids.Recommended Book: Consider This by Chuck PalahnuikTranscriptMost climate scientists and knowledgable folks in adjacent fields will tell you that, as a species, we're way behind where we need to be if we're going to avoid a whole lot of negative consequences caused by global climate change.We've blazed past a bunch of tipping points already, and while the worst-case scenarios we were worried about a decade ago are no longer likely because of the energy-generation and related changes we've made globally, since then, the damage caused up to this point is already doing some pretty bad things to our water cycle and other temperature-regulating systems, and that's looking like it will get even worse over the next several decades—even if worse no longer means cataclysmic in the sense of ending all life on the planet.That said, even noting that progress has been a lot slower than most experts would prefer, progress is happening in regards to the deployment of renewable energy sources, and in the replacement and retirement of dirty, carbon- and methane-spewing sources, like coal, petroleum, and gas.As of 2026, the global share of total electricity generation, so all electricity produced by all sources for all purposes, is about 33.8% for renewables, marking the first time renewables have been used to produce more than a third of the total electricity produced, globally; that also means renewables have surpassed coal for electricity generation for the first time.While hydro and wind continue to contribute to the growth of renewables deployment and electricity generation, solar power is by far the biggest growth area for renewables right now, and solar, alone, covers 75% of total electricity demand growth in 2025—which means as countries around the world deploy more electricity generation assets to account for electricity demand growth, three-quarters of that demand is being met by solar. And this is notable because typically that kind of demand, the majority of which arises in huge, rapidly scaling countries like China and India, has up till recently been met by the dirtiest of energy production sources, coal.There's also been a .02% reduction in fossil fuel generation, year-on-year, which is a very small number, but that level of production is massive, and there are a lot of subsidies and other mechanisms that keep fossil fuels flourishing around the world, so every little sliver of fossil fuel energy production reduction is still a pretty significant thing.Many of these renewables-related wins, in recent years, have been attributable to the large-scale installation of solar facilities, backed by massive, utility-scale battery backups, primarily in China.China is by far the largest producer of solar panels and related technologies—Chinese companies produce somewhere between 80-90% of all the key components and perform the same portion of all key manufacturing stages for the global supply chain, while also controlling the vast majority of resources necessary to manufacture solar panels. And it has been on a tear over the past decade or so, installing just a silly amount of solar infrastructure. Which is good, because China is also seeing a lot of growth in energy demand, so if they weren't deploying that much solar, they would likely be deploying that much coal infrastructure, instead.That said, while huge solar arrays are important to renewables growth, there's also been a recent boom in smaller-scale solar energy deployment in recent years, especially but not exclusively across Europe. And that's what I'd like to talk about today: the emergence of so-called ‘balcony solar,' and what it might mean for the further expansion of solar's footprint around the world.—In 2025, Utah, which is a deeply Conservative, Republican state, became the first US state to pass a bill that makes it easier to legally install plug-in solar panel systems.As of mid-2026, about 30 states have followed suit, and even more are considering it, laws allowing for the installation of such solar technologies winding their way through legislative bodies on the back of the popularity and seeming no-downsides nature of this tech product category.Plug-in solar, also sometimes called balcony solar or garden solar, is currently most popular in Germany, which is the biggest market for this product right now, with about four million such systems installed as of 2025.To understand the popularity of this type of solar installation, it's useful to understand that conventional solar installations have typically required a decent amount of electrical surgery to install. They've usually involved a large number of panels operating as an array, and that array has produced quite a lot of electricity that then has to be funneled as a direct current either back into the local grid using what amounts to two-way wiring, which makes these arrays function like any other power plant, or that electricity is converted using an inverter into an alternating current, where AC is the electrical standard, anyway, so that it can directly power a large building like a hospital or school, or be stored in a large battery facility.All of these options require a huge up front investment, and a reworking of local energy infrastructure so that solar can be incorporated. And that investment requirement, and the necessity to hire specialist electricians to get it all done, severely limits the range of this tech, because there are only so many entities that can afford it, only so many spaces that can deploy that number of panels, the number required to make that investment make sense, economically, is generally quite large, and there are only so many specialists of that kind in a given country, so the labor aspect of this is a big deal, too, these sorts of projects often severely backlogged.Plug-in solar, in contrast, is usually sold as a kit with one or two small- to medium-sized panels and a microinverter or plug-in inverter, depending on whether the end-user's existing electrical setup uses an AC or DC current.A home owner or even a renter with a balcony or garden, or the right amount of space outside one of their windows, can buy one of these systems, hang or place the solar panel or panels in a location where they will get a decent amount of sun, and then plug them in, via the inverter, directly to their home's outlet.The electricity generated by the panels is then shared through the building's existing wiring to all of their outlets, and this allows the resident to use that available energy, first, only drawing energy from the local grid when there isn't enough from the solar panels available. And all of this happens automatically—the solar energy is used if available, and if not, energy is drawn from the grid like normal.This creates a layer of essentially free, clean energy for the resident with a usually fairly small up-front cost: these plug-in solar kits can cost as little as $500, with larger systems that generate more electricity costing between $1200 and $3000; so even on the high-end, because there's no additional installation cost, the home owner or renter setting it all up themselves, this is an investment that can easily pay for itself, usually within 2-5 years.There are caveats here, including that not all grid systems are complaint with this use-case, so would-be plug-in solar users have to check to make sure their local setup can handle this sort of application, and there are many places where this product type still isn't legal, in some cases because of concerns about people installing it without checking to make sure their wiring and the local grid can handle it, and in some cases because of old laws that favor local energy grid companies and their business models, or which favor fossil fuel energy production.The explosion in use of this type of small solar setup, though, speaks volumes about how good a deal it is for many people, and even those who don't live in particularly sunny areas—so places where traditional solar arrays wouldn't make sense, economically—are finding them useful, because they still pay for themselves within some number of years, due to energy bill savings. It's also possible to install home-scale battery systems alongside these balcony solar systems, which means even small trickles of solar energy production can add up, and can be used at night, when the sun isn't shining at all.There are quite a few possible ramifications of this trend.At the local, household level, these sorts of systems can dampen the impact of energy price increases, due to global issues, like the gumming up of the Strait of Hormuz, and due to local issues, like the trend of energy companies increasing prices because of new data centers being added to their grid. That, in turn, can reduce the impact of certain aspects of inflation on individuals home owners and renters.Larger-scale, though, these systems also serve as a sort of deconstructed secondary energy grid.In Germany, for instance, as of late 2025, around 1.14 gigawatts of energy was being produced by balcony solar systems across the country. That's 1.14 GW of pressure taken off of local energy grids, and that represents more resilience for these grids, too, as reduced pressure means fewer brown-outs and similar negative fluctuations. It also means people who have such systems won't be as negatively impacted by issues that take down grids; and that means normal, brown-out like issues, but also problems related to potential cyberattacks and hacks and even physical conflicts. That kind of resiliency is what every nation hopes to have, because it makes strikes on them less damaging, and this is one way to achieve that kind of resiliency—a deconstructed network of microgrids, underpinning the macro-scale one—all at a relatively low cost.These sorts of systems are also becoming more widely available, IKEA selling several kits in many countries where they've been made legal, and other retailers, like Lidl and Amazon are also getting in on the action, making these kits more widely available as the trend spreads.China still controls the vast, vast majority of solar energy asset production, so there's a chance, especially in the case of a theoretical future conflict, that they could turn off the tap on this and these types of assets would go away for a time, which would be bad if local grids come to rely on them taking some of the pressure off the local macro-grid.Those theoretical economic warfare concerns aside, though, if legalization continues to spread, plug-in solar could be one of the best and most successful methods for deploying clean energy to areas where it hasn't been a particularly compelling sell, and where local infrastructure or politics has made such deployment unlikely or impossible up till this point.Show Noteshttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/14/opinion/solar-panels-balcony-backyard-plugin.htmlhttps://arstechnica.com/science/2026/04/globally-86-percent-of-the-new-generating-capacity-was-renewable-in-2025/https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/soaring-solar-and-a-surge-in-hydro-push-more-coal-off-the-us-grid/https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/04/global-growth-in-solar-the-largest-ever-observed-for-any-source/https://www.iea.org/reports/sdg7-data-and-projections/modern-renewableshttps://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/global-electricity-review-2026/https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/china-solar-cell-exports-grow-73-in-2025/https://rhg.com/research/minerals-metals-and-megawatts-how-chinas-power-generation-drives-its-industrial-metals-ecosystem/https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/what-to-know-balcony-solarhttps://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/balcony-solar-taking-state-legislatures-by-stormhttps://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/balcony-panels-germany-utahhttps://www.energysage.com/news/plug-in-balcony-solar-panels/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balcony_solar_powerhttps://www.pv-tech.org/maine-passes-balcony-solar-law-virginia-and-colorado-to-follow/https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/plug-solar-power-could-be-coming-balcony-near-youhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_panelhttps://www.ingka.com/newsroom/solar-energy-for-the-many-ikea-belgium-to-offer-balcony-solar-kits/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Aujourd'hui, Abel Boyi, éducateur, Jean-Philippe Cartier, chef d'entreprise et investisseur, et Barbara Lefebvre, professeur d'histoire-géographie, débattent de l'actualité autour d'Alain Marschall et Olivier Truchot.

Recorded live at EIC 2026 in Berlin, Jeff and Jim sit down with Martin Sandren, IAM Product Lead at IKEA, for a wide-ranging conversation covering nearly every corner of modern identity security. Martin shares what has changed since his first IDAC appearance on episode 293, including the rise of AI, growing interest in digital sovereignty, and the maturing shared signals framework. The conversation moves through risk-based defense in depth, tiered MFA rollout strategies, session management, and the real challenge of trusting AI to make security decisions. Martin introduces identity dark matter and explains how IVIP can surface the 95-plus percent of applications that never reach an IGA system. The episode also covers shadow AI, MCP server risks, the SaaSpocalypse debate, and the EU AI Act. It closes on a grounded note: solar panels.Connect with Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinsandren/Connect with us on LinkedIn:Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.comTIMESTAMPS00:00 Welcome and EIC 2026 intro01:47 What has changed in two years: AI, sovereignty, shared signals03:06 Martin's EIC presentations: AI for IAM and IAM for AI04:46 Can you prioritize one direction over the other?07:13 What would it take to trust AI making identity decisions?09:32 AI-enhanced detection and risk-based session management13:07 Session invalidation and the shared signals framework14:11 Defense in depth and right-sizing privileges18:25 MFA today: any MFA versus phish-resistant MFA19:17 AI chatbots, enterprise LLMs, and shadow AI23:11 MCP servers, NHI risk, and return on risk thinking27:00 AI configuring IAM systems: how close are we?31:30 LLM costs, the SaaSpocalypse, and enterprise AI futures40:10 Identity dark matter and the IVIP concept44:16 CMDB versus IVIP: do you need both?46:18 The EU AI Act and building an AI governance registry49:18 Where to start: get your AI inventory in place first50:00 Closing thoughts and the solar panel tangentKEYWORDSAI for IAM, IAM for AI, identity dark matter, IVIP, IGA, shared signals framework, phish-resistant MFA, defense in depth, session management, MCP servers, NHI, shadow AI, SaaSpocalypse, EU AI Act, AI governance, zero standing privilege, EIC 2026, IKEA, IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Martin Sandren

The Founderz Lounge Episode #92 with Don Varady and Steve Bon.In this episode of Business & Bullsh*t, Don and Steve break down the rise of the super franchisee and what it means for the future of franchising. They get into how larger operators and private equity groups are buying up more territory, why mom-and-pop franchisees may be getting squeezed out, and the risk franchisors take when growth starts to outweigh culture, support, and customer experience.They also unpack the Bricks & Minifigs controversy and why franchisees can't afford to go outside the system, even when they think they have a good idea. Then they shift into Random Bullsh*t with a ridiculous luxury car insurance scam involving bear costumes, an IKEA Swedish meatball lollipop that somehow exists, and a sharp Founderz Hot Take on fake AI experts trying to cash in before they've earned the right to teach anybody.If you care about franchising, business growth, private equity, brand standards, and spotting business nonsense before it costs you, this episode is for you.Timestamps:[00:00] Trailer and Intro[00:49] Founderz Roundup[00:54] The rise of the super franchisee[08:02] Bricks & Minifigs franchise controversy[15:08] Random Bullsh*t[15:08] Operation Bear Claw insurance scam[16:55] IKEA's Swedish meatball lollipop[19:18] Founderz Hot Take[19:27] AI experts are getting out of hand[23:52] What The Hell Is This?[24:05] Dolly Parton x Dollar GeneralKey Takeaways:  • The franchise industry is shifting toward larger operators, and mom-and-pop franchisees are going to feel that pressure more and more. ~Don Varady• Some of the best franchisees are not the most polished on paper. They are the people with no plan B who have to make it work. ~Don Varady• Private equity can help fuel growth, but the wrong partner can hurt culture, customer service, and the long-term health of the brand. ~Steve Bon and Don Varady• “I think that the future of franchising will belong to operators, not just entrepreneurs.” ~Don Varady• Franchisees cannot go outside the system just because they think they have a good idea, because one bad move can create a brand-wide mess. ~Steve Bon• A lot of people selling AI advice right now are trying to monetize something they barely understand, and real results still require actual work. ~Don Varady and Steve BonConnect with Don and Steve…Don Varady:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 Steve Bon:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 The Founderz Lounge is Powered By:Clean Eatz:Website: https://cleaneatz.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ Website: https://cleaneatz.com/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA Bon's Eye Marketing:Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477  

Kelly kicks things off with an epic (and hilarious) saga of a missing AirPod that turns a weekend getaway into a full-blown investigation — trash cans, lint traps, and all. From there, Jess and Kelly riff on how far audio tech has come, then dive into something they're both obsessed with lately: using AI to tackle home projects. Jess shares how she used Claude to plan a budget-friendly bathroom refresh (cabinet paint job, new light fixture, desert-themed wall art), and Kelly shares how she used it to completely rearrange her home office without buying a single new thing. They wrap up with simple, affordable ways to bring more joy into your space — plus a reminder to grab their free Joy Dressing Trend Cheat Sheet before summer kicks off. In This Episode Kelly's two-day hunt for a missing AirPod (and where it finally turned up) A quick trip down memory lane on how far wireless audio has come Budget headphone hacks for everyday use vs. real AirPods for calls Jess's $250 bathroom refresh: painting cabinets, new lighting, and the step-by-step cure time for polyurethane Using AI (Claude) for home decor inspiration and room layout planning Where to find affordable, non-copyrighted wall art (Unsplash, Etsy, IKEA frames) Same-day printing hacks using Walgreens and Capital One Shopping discount codes Why small changes — like swapping a light fixture or hanging new art — can completely shift how a room feels A reminder about the free Summer 2026 Joy Dressing Trend Cheat Sheet Resources & Links Mentioned Unsplash (unsplash.com) — free, non-copyrighted photos for wall art Etsy — affordable printable art downloads Walgreens same-day photo printing Capital One Shopping — for promo codes/discounts IKEA — affordable frames Get the Free Download Don't forget to grab our Summer 2026 Joy Dressing Trend Cheat Sheet — a one-pager with trend recommendations in a fun "try it, skip it, already living it" format.

In this week's episode of the Vodscarf we welcome social media sensation Jack Skipper and Egyptian Egyptologist Dr. Arto Belekdanian to the studio for an hour of pure, unadulterated history and anti-comedy. Things get incredibly weird, incredibly fast. Watch as Harry's mum calls from a warzone just because she wanted to buy him some birthday pants from Debenhams, Sarah the AI Bot experiences a severe existential crisis before being miraculously cured by Dr. Pimple Popper, and witness Jack Skipper risking his entire reputation in the elite biscuit community by guessing the contents of rusted metal tins. If you've ever wanted to hear an esteemed Egyptologist explain why Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony weren't just hooking up with Cleopatra for her looks, but rather her incredible conversational skills, listen up. 00:51 – Sarah's Lament 04:32 – The Croydon Crucible: Did Nando's coatings and IKEA meatballs create Adele? 05:38 – The 21-pin SCART lead generation struggle 06:26 – Jack's masterclass in succeeding on social media (Hint: Don't make any effort) 09:03 – Spitting water into the bushes vs. the failure of the Top Boy title sequence 10:08 – Regretting the financial investment of buying wigs for TikTok 12:52 – AI Sarah returns! Cured by Dr. Pimple Popper 14:05 – The dark truth about Jack's Australian tomato farm past 14:59 – Throwing bread at Germaine Jenas on The One Show 15:29 – Carpet Fitting 101: The knee-kicker stretcher and the landing runner dilemma 21:12 – Giving all your personal data to the Chinese government 22:01 – Hiding a Saturday comedy course in Brighton from your family 22:43 – Jack completely derails the interview by eating Harry's Twix 25:30 – Lee Evans at the Fairfield Halls and missing the glory days of VHS 27:34 – The BBC weather forecast photo rejection 27:59 – Commercial Break: The Pub Carpet Pillow Collection 29:17 – Theme of the Week: Cleopatra 31:43 – Dr. Arto Belekdanian exposes the legalities of female Pharaohs 33:58 – Roman propaganda: Why history hates Cleopatra 38:31 – Coin portraits and taking the honourable way out 41:09 – Game Time: "Biscuits or Sewing Kit? How well do you know your tins?!" 45:07 – Jack completely embarrasses himself in front of the biscuit community 47:05 – Gary's Joke Corner 49:32 – Butterfly In Blue Jeans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Het is 22 juni 2026 en we puffen er flink op los aan De Praattafel.

Auf den ersten Blick Deko, im Alltag vieler Smartphone-Nutzer aber überraschend nützlich.

John passes a class without ever opening the textbook and ponders whether he used to preach too long. Meanwhile, Jonnie wonders if train travel is really safe and tells the story of a gift from France that came unassembled—and the strange political path it took to become our symbol of freedom. Plus, a conversation about justice, greatness, and the responsibility we have to one another. Today's episode is NOT sponsored by Boba Tea: "The most refreshing choking hazard." FOLLOW Jonnie W: https://jonniew.com FOLLOW John Driver: https://johndriver.com LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, SEND MESSAGE, OR SUPPORT at http://talkaboutthatpodcast.com WATCH/SUBSCRIBE on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwjExy_jWIdNvGd28XgF2Dg Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Un jour férié, on prend la voiture et on part en périphérie de Marseille pour récupérer une commande dans un grand magasin de bricolage. Dans cet épisode, on t'emmène avec nous dans ce que certains appellent “la France moche” : les zones commerciales, les grands parkings et les magasins immenses. On te décrit ce qu'on voit, on te raconte notre trajet, et on partage nos impressions en direct, sans préparation. Au milieu de l'épisode, il y a même une interaction avec une employée d'un magasin qui peut te servir si ce type de situations devait t'arriver en français. Une totale immersion ! Et une autre façon de découvrir la France, loin des cartes postales.

UB Marketing Professor Charles Lindsey says IKEA choosing Buffalo for a new location is "kind of a status symbol" for the region. He tells us more about what it means for the local economy to have stores like IKEA and Costco setting up in WNY.

In dieser Episode wird Olaf Hartmann von Joubin Rahimi, CMO der Time to Act Group, interviewt. Sie sprechen über die Psychologie der Markenkraft und warum Brand Experience das unsichtbare Betriebssystem vieler erfolgreicher Unternehmen ist. Sie tauchen ein in die Psychologie hinter Markenbildung, den Unterschied zwischen Marketing und Marke und wie Leuchtturmerlebnisse Präferenzen erzeugen – im B2B wie im B2C. Anhand von Beispielen wie Amazon, IKEA und Hilti zeigt Olaf, wie starke Signale, konsistente Touchpoints und einzigartige Erlebnisse Marken unvergesslich machen. Sie diskutieren, warum Mitarbeiter das Leistungsversprechen leben müssen und wie Unternehmen ihre Markenkraft gezielt messen und stärken können. Freut euch auf praktische Modelle, Denkanstöße und inspirierende Geschichten rund um erfolgreiche Markenführung in BtoB und BtoC.

Helms, Franz Paul www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Studio 9

The Break Room (Tuesday 6/16) 7am Hour 1) Sexiest dad competition raises the question: do men know their best body part? 2) Story last week in Canandaigua: 86 year old suspect caught attempting a break-in and proceeded to assault a police officer. 3) IKEA is coming to Buffalo in 2027: what does that mean for us Rochesterians?

Most entrepreneurs have never seriously considered the cooperative business model, even though some of the most recognizable brands in the world are co-ops. In this episode, Brian Thompson sits down with D.G. Safeer Hopton, entrepreneur, healer, and author of Creating a Co-op Village, to explore cooperative economics and what it could mean for mission-driven business owners. Safeer has spent decades building co-ops, studying cooperative economics, and helping communities create prosperity through shared ownership. This conversation is a practical and eye-opening introduction to a business structure built on people before profit.   In this episode you will learn: What cooperative economics actually means and how it works in practice How co-op business models differ from LLCs, S-Corps, and nonprofits Why credit unions, IKEA, Sunkist, and Carpet One are all co-ops How patronage refunds work and why they are the fairest profit-sharing system Safeer has found What questions every entrepreneur should ask before choosing a business structure How co-op business models create community prosperity by keeping money circulating locally The history of co-ops from pre-colonial Africa to present day How to get started with a co-op through organizations like the National Cooperative Bank and the National Cooperative Business Association Cooperative economics offers a genuine alternative to the competition and extraction model that drives most traditional businesses. Co-op business models are democratically controlled, neutral in race, religion, politics, and gender, and designed to return profits back to the people who generate them. Whether you are an entrepreneur exploring new business structures, a mission-driven business owner looking for more community aligned ways to operate, or simply curious about how cooperative economics could create more prosperity in your community, this episode is a valuable and thought-provoking listen.   Resources + Links Connect with D.G. Safeer Hopton: LinkedIn Global Village Cooperative Get the book: Creating a Co-op Village: How Real-World Co-op Businesses Build Wealth and Thriving Communities on Amazon Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes Follow & review the podcast: on Spotify and Apple Podcasts Newsletter Sign Up   About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP®, is a tax attorney and Certified Financial Planner® who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.

Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Brian Nowak on IKEA coming to Western New York at the Walden Galleria full 167 Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 gziV8VMKKHVRcNAnCfKmk1qT7mXmr2xs news,western new york,wben,cheektowaga,ikea,brian nowak,walden galleria WBEN Extras news,western new york,wben,cheektowaga,ikea,brian nowak,walden galleria Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Brian Nowak on IKEA coming to Western New York at the Walden Galleria Archive of various reports and news events 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News

 It's your weekly TA & Recruitment news blast with the Scoop from TaPod. This week we have a guest host and cover all kinds of angles, including fake applicant beats 261 rivals, Deloitte disruption forecast, doom jobbing, token maxxing or lily padding, IKEA replaces 8,500 roles, but it's not what you think, World Cup productivity sinkhole, the back door reference and much more.Thanks to Indeed for partnering with us to bring you the Scoop.

State Assemblyman Pat Chludzinski on IKEA coming to Western New York at the Walden Galleria full 214 Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 kUvheCOWtL05ietJKH5TxovMUmp9aE1X news,wben,cheektowaga,ikea,patrick chludzinski,walden galleria WBEN Extras news,wben,cheektowaga,ikea,patrick chludzinski,walden galleria State Assemblyman Pat Chludzinski on IKEA coming to Western New York at the Walden Galleria Archive of various reports and news events 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News htt

In this episode of the Crazy Wisdom Podcast, host Stewart Alsop sits down with Larry Swanson, creator of the Knowledge Graph Insights Podcast, for their second conversation together. The two cover a wide range of interconnected topics, starting with a correction Larry makes about the true origin of the term "artificial intelligence," tracing it back to the 1956 Dartmouth Conference and its distinction from Norbert Wiener's cybernetics. From there, the conversation moves through the history and structure of knowledge graphs, ontologies, RDF (Resource Description Framework), and the W3C standards process, touching on concepts like the T-box, A-box, and C-box, as well as the 25th anniversary of the Semantic Web paper. Stewart and Larry also dig into the limitations of large language models — particularly around reasoning, confabulation, and what Larry describes as "cognitive surrender" — and why symbolic AI and knowledge engineering may hold answers that the neural network world hasn't fully embraced. The episode also ventures into consciousness, panpsychism, Michael Pollan's ideas, and Stewart's own hands-on experience vibe coding a personal chatbot to replace functionality he feels he's lost with recent changes to Claude. Larry's podcast can be found at kgi.fm.Timestamps00:00 - Stewart introduces Larry Swanson; Larry corrects the record on AI's origin, distinguishing it from Norbert Wiener's cybernetics at the 1956 Dartmouth conference.05:00 - Larry discusses interviewing semantic web paper coauthors on its 25th anniversary; RDF's hidden ubiquity compared to SIM cards powering everything invisibly.10:00 - Knowledge graphs explained through t-box terms, a-box assertions, and Dave McComb's c-box; IKEA's three-layer knowledge graph as a practical example.15:00 - Stewart connects metadata complexity to AI needs; faceted search explained as c-box attributes driving product filtering experiences.20:00 - RDF 1.2 reification standards discussed; W3C's rigorous recommendation process powering governments and enterprises worldwide through collaborative standards.25:00 - Cyc project examined as influential "successful failure"; Pat Hayes bringing description logic into semantic web; LLMs lacking true reasoning capability.30:00 - Epistemological fault lines between human and computer intelligence; cognitive surrender paper reveals no intelligence threshold protects against AI manipulation.35:00 - Stewart's Claude regression problem drives chatbot vibe coding quest; small language models and domain-specific approaches explored as alternatives.40:00 - Consciousness discussion through Michael Pollan's panpsychism lens; language versus cognition disconnect revealing LLMs as pure token-stitching without genuine thought.45:00 - Context graphs as purpose-built knowledge graphs for AI; Stewart's planning agents versus coding agents architecture and ground truth verification problem.50:00 - Docs-as-code versus code-as-docs paradigm shift; knowledge graphs as universal verifiers against validated facts; RDF 1.2 enabling provenance and degrees of certainty.55:00 - Jessica Talisman's Knowledge Graph Academy recommended for onboarding; kgi.fm podcast shared; knowledge representation community needs better abstraction for wider adoption.Key Insights1. The term "artificial intelligence" was not a marketing gimmick but was coined deliberately at the 1956 Dartmouth Conference to distinguish the work of John McCarthy from Norbert Wiener's cybernetics. The two camps represented genuinely different approaches, and the AI label was a form of intentional intellectual branding rather than empty promotion.2. The semantic web, often called the most successful failure in technology history, has quietly embedded itself everywhere despite never achieving its original vision. Technologies like RDF power metadata standards inside every Adobe product and form the invisible backbone of government systems, enterprise data infrastructure, and cultural heritage organizations worldwide.3. Knowledge graphs are best understood as an ontology combined with all the instances that populate it. The distinction between things and strings, popularized by Google in 2012, captures the core idea that knowledge representation is about concepts as distinct from the labels we give them.4. The t-box, a-box, and c-box framework offers a practical model for understanding knowledge architecture. The t-box holds terminology and concepts, the a-box holds assertions about specific instances, and the c-box manages the attributes, taxonomies, and controlled vocabularies that sit between them and enable things like faceted search.5. Large language models produce fluent, convincing output but lack genuine reasoning, epistemological grounding, or judgment. Research on cognitive surrender shows that even people who understand how LLMs work are still susceptible to being misled by their fluency, meaning intelligence and awareness offer no reliable protection against being deceived.6. The gap between language and cognition matters deeply when evaluating AI. Evidence from people with aphasia shows that thinking can occur without language, which suggests LLMs, being purely language-based systems, are missing a fundamental layer of cognition that cannot be recovered through more tokens or better training.7. Knowledge graphs and RDF-based representation are well suited to the problem of verification and grounding in AI systems. Rather than relying on vectorized embeddings of language, a knowledge graph can store validated, provenance-tracked facts with degrees of certainty, making it a natural foundation for building trustworthy AI applications.

Recently, it was announced that IKEA will be coming to Western New York, to the Walden Galleria mall specifically, in early 2027. Do you think it will succeed? Do you even go to the mall anymore?

Is the anxiety you're feeling a signal of real connection – or something happening within you that's worth understanding? We're unpacking the complex relationship between anxiety and dating, and how anxiety can often be mistaken for chemistry when it may actually reflect deeper uncertainty or unresolved emotional triggers. We discuss the importance of recognizing your personal anxiety patterns, how the “IKEA effect” can backfire when we lead with our anxiety, and how we can challenge the way we define chemistry, recognizing the difference between grounded excitement from anxiety-driven intensity. Enjoy!-Take the Dating Archetypes quiz now: https://howtobedateable.com/Read our book: How To Be Dateable: The Essential Guide To Finding Your Person and Falling in Love: https://howtobedateable.com/Try the Dateable AI Dating Coach: Get personalized advice trained on our years of podcast episodes, courses and frameworks: https://studio.com/dateableFollow us @dateablepodcast, @juliekrafchick and @nonplatonic. Check out our website for more content. Also listen to our other podcasts The Psychology of Relationships and Exit Interview available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.WE WROTE A BOOK! HOW TO BE DATEABLE (Simon & Schuster) is available now: https://howtobedateable.com/ Want to remove distractions from your dates? Download Brick and get 10% off at https://www.getbrick.app/DATEABLEOur Sponsors:* Avocado Green Mattress: Check out their mattress and furniture sale: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/DATEABLE* Get Rain of Shadows and Endings wherever books are sold or at Kensington Publishing https://www.kensingtonbooks.com* Quince: Get free shipping and 365 day returns at https://quince.com/dateable* Ruggable: Get 10% off your first order, sitewide, with promo code DATEABLE at https://ruggable.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Sigma Healthcare, the owner of Chemist Warehouse, is chasing a $14 billion deal to buy UK pharmacy giant Boots. Kmart is opening a massive furniture showroom called K Home to grab a bigger slice of the furniture market. Bending Spoons, the Italian app studio that buys dying internet brands has just filed for a $20 billion Nasdaq IPO. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/FluxappGooglePlay Daily newsletter: https://bit.ly/fluxnewsletter Flux on Instagram: http://bit.ly/fluxinsta Flux on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flux.finance —- The content in this podcast reflects the views and opinions of the hosts, and is intended for personal and not commercial use. We do not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, statement or other information provided or distributed in these episodes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this very special live edition of The Voice of Retail podcast — the first live recording in nearly 550 episodes on the main-stage at Retaiul Council of Canada's STORE conference — host Michael LeBlanc takes the stage at Retail Council of Canada's STORE Conference in Toronto with three of Canadian retail's most compelling leaders: Julia Freeman, CEO of The Jilly Box, David Brownstein, President of Browns Shoes, and back on the podcast for his third visit Selwyn Crittendon, CEO of IKEA Canada and newly appointed Chair of the Retail Council of Canada Board of Directors. Julia Freeman shares the remarkable story of The Jilly Box, co-founded by content creator Jillian Harris — fresh off her Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year 2026 award — which sells 20,000 surprise subscription boxes in under 24 hours, 27 seasons in a row, while championing small Canadian, women-owned and equity-deserving brands. Julia offers a candid assessment of the state of Canadian e-commerce, the patriotic "shop Canadian" wave reshaping consumer behaviour post-tariffs, and how The Market by The Jilly Box marketplace is delivering industry-leading conversion with four units per basket. David Brownstein, fourth-generation leader of Montreal-based Browns Shoes, celebrates a banner week as his father, CEO Michael Brownstein, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala. David reveals the store design philosophy behind Browns' 71 locations — wide entrances, best merchandise up front, AI-embedded traffic counting — plus why Browns has never hired a store leader from outside in 86 years, and why brand partners like On, Birkenstock and UGG are complements, not competitors. Selwyn Crittendon lays out IKEA Canada's grounded AI philosophy: better retailing, better operational efficiency, and better jobs — built on clean data, mandatory AI literacy training for 7,200 coworkers, and a firm commitment that AI augments rather than replaces people. He also unpacks IKEA's small-format expansion strategy, from plan and order points pioneered in Canada to the new London, Ontario store and IKEA's bold SoHo move in New York, and explains why sustainability paired with affordability is "the new superpower of retail." The conversation ranges from family business dynamics and talent retention to influencer marketing strategy — including Julia's advice that your associates and small business partners may be your most powerful untapped brand ambassadors — and wraps with David's three keys to retail success today: empower frontline employees to make customer-service decisions, break down organizational silos to stay agile in the AI era, and invest relentlessly in retaining great people. Recorded in front of a live studio audience — complete with a surprise Jilly Box giveaway featuring the sold-out first-ever men's box — this episode captures the energy, optimism and hard-won wisdom of Canadian retail's best, and Selwyn's reflections on why he stepped up to chair the RCC board during turbulent times. Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025 and 2026. Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

Conviértete en un supporter de este podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/almuerzo-de-negocios--3091220/support.

Conviértete en un supporter de este podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/almuerzo-de-negocios--3091220/support.

⚡️ LA DERNIÈRE DE 12 POINTS (PARTIE 2) : L'EGO-BOOSTER ET LES LARMES DU FINAL ! ⚡️Après l'explosion d'émotions du début, place à la suite et fin de cet ultime rendez-vous en public à la Brasserie REVA. Sortez définitivement les mouchoirs, car l'équipe ne retient plus ses larmes (et les verres de Campari Spritz continuent de se vider à la perfection).Dans cette seconde partie, Agathe prend enfin les commandes pour sa toute dernière chronique avec un concept redoutable : donner la parole à une dizaine d'auditeurs et d'auditrices historiques pour dresser le bilan ultime de l'équipe.Au programme de ce grand final :La séquence "Ego Booster" : Les vocaux bouleversants et hilarants de Damien de Lorient, Dani, Sandrine, Mathieu de Rennes, Martial ou encore Hélène. L'occasion pour la communauté de rappeler pourquoi ils aiment tant le côté "vieille tata bourrée" de Vincent , les analyses géopolitiques pointues de Quentin sur le folklore yougoslave , le calme olympien de Thomas (qui n'est « pas dégueulasse physiquement ») et le statut de sainte « patronne hétéro » d'Agathe dans ce monde si gay de l'Eurovision.Le procès de la mauvaise foi : Les auditeurs balancent sans filtre sur le plus gros défaut du groupe — leur mauvaise foi légendaire — mais saluent leur travail acharné pour potasser les sujets à chaque saison. Le pire des défauts retenu ? Qu'ils décident d'arrêter le podcast.Souvenirs cultes et nostalgie : Des vacances mémorables dans la Loire avec le podcast en bande-son jusqu'à la mythique table ronde technique avec Benjamin, l'ingénieur de l'UER. Vincent partage aussi une anecdote vintage de 2019 en Israël, avec Thomas perdu sur son tapis persan Ikea pendant une coupure pub.L'invité surprise au micro : Benjamin Illy, grand reporter (de guerre... et d'Eurovision !) à France Info, monte sur scène. Il raconte comment il a découvert l'équipe sur Spotify pour réviser ses sujets et balance sur les coulisses de la salle de presse de Malmö , devenue un joyeux bordel grâce au lobby des bières de la table française.Les mots du cœur : Pour clore l'aventure, Agathe livre une déclaration d'amour d'une sincérité absolue à ses trois acolytes , remerciant Thomas d'être celui qui s'est toujours battu pour porter le projet à bout de bras. Entre deux confessions poignantes sur l'amitié, l'acceptation de soi et le besoin de plaire, Thomas conclut sur la plus grande réussite de ces 5 années : l'amitié indéfectible qui s'est soudée entre eux.Une conclusion mémorable, pleine de rires, de bières tièdes, de punchlines sur l'intelligence artificielle et de déclarations d'amitié indélébiles.L'heure est grave, c'est la fin du voyage. Merci pour les 12 points, merci pour tout, et pour la dernière fois : cliquez, écoutez et vibrez avec la bande !

In this episode, I'm tackling a problem I see all the time: memberships with healthy-looking waitlists that convert far worse than they should when the doors finally open.The issue almost always comes down to the same thing: the waitlist has been treated like just another email list, when it's actually something very different.I share how to set up, nurture, and test your waitlist so the people on it are genuinely ready to buy - not just curious browsers who wandered in for a freebie.If you're building a waitlist for a launch, or running a closed-door membership that relies on a waitlist between enrolment windows, this one's for you.In this episode:Why adding a freebie to your waitlist opt-in is actively hurting your conversionsHow to nurture waitlist subscribers differently from your general email listWhat the Ikea effect has to do with getting more sales when your doors openHow to test the intent of people on your waitlist so you know who's actually ready to buyA clever referral tactic one UK membership uses to let waitlisters skip the queueKey Quotes & Takeaways:"No one's going to join a waitlist if they're not at least a bit interested in actually joining when the doors open. People generally won't join a waitlist out of curiosity.""When the doors do open, it's not just the doors opening to your membership, it's the doors opening to their membership.""This is a waitlist. It's not just an email marketing list. It's not a case of getting as many people on that list as possible. We only want people on that list who have genuine, clear, unmuddied intent to join your membership.""If you've had a waitlist, you've not been nurturing them, or if you've been closed for quite a long time, they've been waiting for a while. The interests may have waned, their circumstances might have changed, or they might have gone looking for an alternative that is available right now."

Or the window… AI failed with IKEA directions but did well guiding a house sale. Elon gets to vote shares he does NOT own, nearly half of insurance claims are denied and Bessent claims a $1 billion crypto confiscation from Iran. If legit, what does that mean for crypto?

New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. You've tried the bins. You've tried the labels. You've watched the organization reels and bought the matching containers. And somehow, within a week, everything is a mess again. Here's what nobody told you: you're not messy. You've just been trying to use an organizing system built for someone else's brain. Cas Aarssen is a professional organizer, YouTube creator, and self-described recovering super slob. After years of failing at traditional organizing methods, she discovered that there are four distinct organizing styles — and once you know yours, staying organized becomes almost effortless. She's helped millions of people transform their homes by working with their brain, not against it. What you'll learn: Why traditional organizing systems fail ADHD and visual brains — and what to do instead The one question every organizing system should answer: does it work on your absolute worst day? The four Clutterbug organizing styles and how to figure out which one you are Why out of sight truly is out of mind for visual organizers — and why that's not a flaw The golden Clutterbug rule for shared spaces that stops the nagging and resentment cold How to start with your messiest spot and let your clutter tell you what system you actually need Why hooks, big labels, and no-lid bins work better than any fancy organizing system you can buy How to have the organizing conversation with your partner without it turning into a fight Why clutter attracts clutter — and the simple fix that breaks the cycle The Lego mat that will change your life (and your kids' cleanup habits) The 4 Clutterbug organizing styles: The Butterfly — visual and macro. Needs things out in the open to remember they exist. Out of sight truly is out of mind. Loves beautiful displays, hates hidden storage. The Bee — visual and micro. Needs to see things but also loves detailed organization. Color-coded files, labeled everything, things arranged just so. The Ladybug — hidden and macro. Likes things put away out of sight but in big broad categories, not detailed systems. The hider who shoves things in a drawer to clear a surface. The Cricket — hidden and micro. Loves detailed, out-of-sight storage. The person with the color-coordinated filing cabinet who knows exactly where everything is. "True organization is meant for your absolute worst day — so that you never have to catch up." Products mentioned in this episode: Lego play mat with drawstring — spreads out as a huge play surface, pull the string and everything collects into a bag. Find on Amazon. Life changing for kids' cleanup. Wall-mounted magazine rack or gold basket organizer — gets papers and bills off flat surfaces and onto walls where visual organizers will actually see them Ikea bathroom rod system with hanging buckets — keeps bathroom products off the counter and at eye level without taking up surface space Take the free Clutterbug quiz: Find out your organizing style and get personalized tips at clutterbug.me Resources mentioned: The Clutterbug Method — Cas's new course for organizing your own home with her coaching. Find it at clutterbug.me Peter Walsh's Clean Sweep on TLC — the show that started Cas's organizing journey Connect with Cas: Website: clutterbug.me YouTube: Clutterbug Instagram: @clutterbug_me Listen next: Why You're Always the One Remembering Everything (And How AI Can Help) with Sarah Dooley Why You're Always Rushing — And What Your Body Is Actually Trying to Tell You with Jenna Free Working Parent Boundaries with Sarah Armstrong Remember: the best mom is a happy mom. Take care of you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most people assume award-winning creative work is a high-wire act: brilliant, risky, and impossible to repeat. Karen Pearce of Rethink makes the opposite case. Fresh off Ad Age's 2026 Agency of the Year and ADWEEK's 2025 Independent Agency of the Year, and as the most-awarded independent agency in the world last year, Rethink keeps producing famous, business-moving work on purpose.Recorded as a Cannes Lions lead-up, this conversation gets into the machinery behind the run. Karen explains why independence lets Rethink protect creative standards instead of chasing scale, why the client's real job is finding sparks rather than poking holes, and how the CRAFTS framework gives a whole agency a shared language for what good looks like. Karen walks us through the Heinz philosophy that every ad is a product ad, the go-then-grow approach that turns big swings into low-risk reps, and why, going into Cannes, she expects a reclaiming of human craft in an AI-flooded market.The through-line: bold creative shouldn't feel scary. Build the right system and the right partnership, and the work that wins awards is the same work that drives the business.Timestamps00:00 Find the sparks, not the holes02:08 What's behind the run: independence and the receipts05:48 Why great creative shouldn't feel scary09:12 Builders vs hole-pokers: the client's real job14:27 Famous brands outperform business metrics19:17 AI, human craft, and the IKEA sleep talkers22:42 CRAFTS: a shared language for great work30:57 Heinz: every ad is a product ad36:24 Go then grow: getting your reps in44:17 Idea first: when media becomes the creativeReferencesRethink: rethinkideas.comKaren Pearce: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengpearce/Rethink's Book: The Business of Creativity Referenced campaigns: IKEA “U Up” and IKEA organizer / Skittles out-of-home; Heinz “Looks Familiar” and the keystone ketchup pouch; Destination Canada; Coinbase craft-led film; Epitaph “garbage media” dumpster billboardsAnthropic “Keep Thinking” campaign for Claude, by Mother Awards context: Ad Age 2026 Agency of the Year

It's six months since Swedish furniture giant Ikea opened its first New Zealand store to much fanfare. But despite the ongoing cost of living crisis and conflict in the Middle East, overall spending on furniture and homewares remains strong. And it's not the only company benefitting. Rachel Helyer Donaldson reports.

Emina Kapo is braced for an emotional and bittersweet match between her two countries on June 12, and promises the Bosnian diaspora will party whatever the result. PLUS:What countries can learn from Ukraine's innovative combat styleA new documentary explores IKEA's alleged ties to Romania's 'Timber Mafia' Examining the unfolding drama at 60 Minutes The new book from the author of Hamnet is another rich historical fiction, but should you read it?Riffed from the Headlines, our weekly musical news quiz

From TaskRabbit to Trailblazing VC: Leah Solivan’s Unprecedented Path Breakingprecedent.com Leahsolivan.com About the Guest(s): Leah Solivan is the trailblazing entrepreneur behind TaskRabbit, a platform that revolutionized the gig economy by allowing people to outsource small jobs and tasks. Recognized as one of Fast Company’s 100 most creative people in business, Leah is now making waves in venture capital as the founder of Precedent VC, a fund that focuses on AI-powered marketplaces. Beyond her pioneering efforts in business, she is an author and podcast host, with her upcoming book and podcast—both titled “Breaking Precedent”—aimed at highlighting leaders who are transforming their industries and societies. Episode Summary: In this engaging episode of The Chris Voss Show, host Chris Voss converses with Leah Solivan, a visionary in the startup and venture capital domain. Leah delves into her influential journey from founding TaskRabbit to her bold foray into venture capital with Precedent VC, which centers on investing in pioneering AI-powered marketplaces. An equally accomplished author and podcaster, Leah explains how her podcast, “Breaking Precedent,” evolved into a book filled with narratives from various societal leaders. This podcast episode becomes a revelation of entrepreneurship, innovation, and paving new paths in unprecedented times. Throughout the episode, Leah shares her insights on nurturing the entrepreneurial mindset, which she describes as being able to view common situations through a transformative lens—what she terms “vuja day.” Highlighting breakthroughs in AI technology as a modern-day inflection point reminiscent of the dawn of smartphones and social media, Leah discusses how the current technological landscape is redefining entrepreneurship, echoing the pivotal period of 2008. Leah’s inspiring anecdotes and motivational wisdom impart vital lessons in audacity, creativity, and adaptability for budding founders and seasoned entrepreneurs alike. Key Takeaways: Leah illustrates the profound potential AI has in revolutionizing consumer behavior and entrepreneurship, positing that now is an inflection point for groundbreaking business ideas. The origins of TaskRabbit and its eventual acquisition by IKEA reveal the strategic partnerships and market evolution possible in the gig economy. The genesis of Lyft, boosted by TaskRabbit, underscores how collaborative ideas can spur new business models and successes. Leah shares her concept of “vuja day,” encouraging individuals to view everyday experiences with innovative eyes, ready to disrupt conventional norms. Leadership and mentorship have been critical factors in Leah’s journey, driving her commitment to supporting new founders through her venture capital endeavors. Notable Quotes: “We live in a really exciting time if you look at it that way… everything right now is unprecedented.” “This concept of instead of deja vu… I talk about the opposite feeling, which is vuja day.” “In 2008 when all this was happening, I had just left a very cushy job at IBM. My parents thought I was insane.” “We are seeing habit formation happening. We are seeing the consumer mindset changing in real time.”

TEXT US YOUR THOUGHTS!Texas-sized life update, and immediately gets roasted for abandoning both the podcast and his controller. The guys dive into Resident Evil 9, where Leon is basically an action hero demigod, and the rest of us are hiding in lockers questioning our life choices. From terrifying stalker enemies that made Jaime quit mid-session to puzzles so easy they might as well come with IKEA instructions, it's a mix of praise, panic, and playful trash talk. Bottom line: great game—unless you value sleep, courage, or emotional stability.Support the show https://discord.gg/3yfGt9gahB

Are leaders thinking big enough—and human enough—in the AI era? Explore how AI and technology shape the human experience with Kate O’Neill and guest Brian Solis, Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow. Discover the concept of cognitive Darwinism, AI transformation stories, leadership in the AI era, and how to drive growth while staying human-centric. Topics Covered:AI augmentation vs. automationCognitive Darwinism and self-awarenessCapacity and capability overhang in AI adoptionTransformation as a human storyPurposeful iteration vs. intentional innovationReturn on intelligence vs. return on ignoranceReskilling and workforce transformation case studies (IKEA & Walmart)Human-centric leadership and psychological safetyPersonal relationship with technology & digital attentionMind shifts required for future-ready leadership Connect with Brian SolisServiceNowLinkedInBrian Solis, Author at Workflow® Episode Chapters:00:04 Introduction & Guest Welcome01:00 Transformation as a Human Story02:24 The Human Story Leaders Miss in the AI Era03:06 AI's Anti-Human Trajectory & Cognitive Darwinism04:28 AI Tax and Brain Fry05:49 AIQ: Artificial vs. Augmented Intelligence Quotient09:16 Agentic AI & Process Reinvention11:11 Grand Strategy and Leadership Mindsets15:55 Mind Shifts and Self-Awareness17:18 Book Inspiration and Becoming a Leader of the Moment20:13 Unlearning Disruption Myths in Enterprise25:16 Innovation: Creating New Value26:59 Evaluating AI Use: Efficiency vs. Net New Value31:13 Psychological Safety and Human-Centric Leadership32:28 IKEA & Walmart: Augmentation and Reskilling Case Studies38:00 Personal Relationship with Technology & Life Scale41:48 Closing Thoughts: Questions for Embracing Change43:05 Episode Wrap-Up and Farewells

If you have ADHD, you might already know this particular kind of shame. You held it together at a super sad event (let's say a funeral). Dry-eyed, composed, functioning. And then weeks later you completely lost it over something small like a scratch in a piece of furniture, a voicemail you couldn't get a read on, or a realizing you missed claiming a hold on the book at the library you'd been waiting months for. Then you thought there was something wrong with you for not feeling grief or frustration when you were supposed to. Or for feeling it so hard in all the wrong places. Here's the thing: there's nothing wrong with you! And this episode is going to tell you why.This conversation with David and Isabelle started with the last ten percent of a move that never gets finished, with Christmas lights still up in January, with holiday cards that feel impossible to take down because taking them down means saying goodbye. You probably have your version of all of this. Isabelle shares her story of an IKEA table, a scrap truck, and how when her husband Bobby gave the table a voice in the alley while she watched from the window, she burst into tears. If any of this strikes a cord, David shares a reframe for all of these grief-based adventures. It's specific, it's kind, and it's going to rearrange some things you've been carrying around for a while.In this episode:Why ADHD brains declare mission accomplished at 95 percent done, and why the last bit never happensWhy dopamine lives in anticipation, not completion, and what that means for the finish line of anythingWhat Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast, and The Iron Giant actually did to neurodivergent brains (and why you always buy the wonky stuffed animal)Why ADHD brains tend to hold onto everything or onto nothing, and what both are reaching forWhy you couldn't cry at the funeral but sobbed over an IKEA table, and what David says grief actually is-------Wait, What's That? Here are some of the terms and people mentioned in this episode explained:The ROI Equation What David calls the moment at 95 percent done when your anxiety drops, your brain decides the job is basically finished, and completing the last bit suddenly feels pointless. Not laziness. Not a character flaw. Just math.Dopamine The brain chemical most associated with ADHD. It gets released in anticipation of a reward, not when the reward actually arrives. This is why ordering the pizza feels better than eating it, why the first ninety percent of a project is exciting and the last ten is impossible, and why the Christmas lights are still up in February.Norepinephrine (Nora) Comes in after dopamine and helps your brain make meaning of what just happened. Also wired into the stress and anxiety response, which is why finishing something can feel worse than you expected. David and Isabelle call it "nora" throughout the episode.Existential Intervention David's term for the conscious act of changing the meaning you attach to finishing something, since your brain won't generate that motivation on its own. Instead of waiting to feel ready, you decide what finishing actually means to you. That decision becomes the thing that gets you across the line.Near-peer mentoring Learning from someone just a few steps ahead of you rather than an expert at a distance. Comes up in the context of the pandemic, when both David and Isabelle realized everyone's life looked a lot more like theirs than they'd assumed.Animism The tendency to believe objects have feelings or inner lives. It shows up as why Isabelle is nearly in tears watching an IKEA table get picked up by a scrap truck, why David buys the dying flowers at the store, and why you feel genuinely bad about donating a stuffed animal with slightly off stitching. Most neurodivergent people have it. The episode makes a case for why that makes complete sense.-------

www.patreon.com/theconspiracypodcastThe Ark of the Covenant (Part 1)It's a box. Not a particularly big box — roughly four feet long, covered in gold, carried on poles, and missing for over 2,600 years. But according to three major world religions, it's the single most dangerous object that has ever existed on planet Earth. This week, Sean, Eric, and Jorge crack open one of the greatest mysteries in human history: the Ark of the Covenant.Before anyone can chase it, hide it, or die trying to touch it, you need to understand what this thing actually was. The boys walk through the full origin story — Moses on Mount Sinai, 40 days and 40 nights, a very specific divine blueprint, and a construction contract that made IKEA instructions look casual. God wanted acacia wood, exact cubit measurements, a solid gold lid hammered by hand, and two golden cherubim with wings arching inward. No substitutions. No pine. Acacia only, sir.Then the Ark starts doing things. Rivers stop flowing. City walls collapse. Seventy people drop dead just for looking inside it. A man named Uzzah reaches out to keep it from falling off a cart — trying to save it — and God strikes him down on the spot. The Philistines steal it, regret it immediately, and send it back with gold offerings and a full apology. It parts the Jordan River. It flattens the walls of Jericho without a single sword swung.And then, somewhere around 586 BC, it simply vanishes — so completely that even the Babylonian king who looted Jerusalem didn't bother writing it down.Where did it go? Is it buried under a church in Ethiopia? Was it hidden by priests who saw the invasion coming? Was it ever even a physical object at all? The boys lay the foundation this week so Part 2 can go full conspiracy. The mystery is just getting started.

Stew and John Wayne check out the latest Star Wars film, "The Mandalorian and Grogu." Also, Stew talks faulty appliances, Wario's cheesesteaks, and IKEA bookshelves.

Schedule your clarity call We're halfway through the year.Maybe things aren't unfolding the way you expected. Maybe the goals you set in January feel different now. Or maybe you've realized that something you've been working hard to build simply doesn't fit anymore.In this episode of Inspire Create Manifest, Joe explores a powerful analogy about assembling IKEA furniture and how it mirrors the journey of life. Sometimes everything looks fine until the final piece won't fit. The solution isn't forcing it. It's stepping back, reassessing, and rebuilding from a place of greater awareness.You'll discover why being out of alignment doesn't mean you're broken, how to recognize what no longer fits, and the questions that can help you move into the second half of the year with greater clarity and purpose.This conversation is an invitation to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with what truly matters.Questions explored in this episode:What isn't fitting anymore?What am I trying to force?Where have I outgrown an old version of myself?What needs to be rebuilt on a stronger foundation?If you're standing in the space between where you've been and where you're going, this episode is for you.

James Baile, along with two complete strangers (one of which hadn't ridden a bike since he was 13!) packed their Bromptons into IKEA bags and flew to Dakar. What followed was two weeks riding through Senegal and The Gambia: navigating Dakar rush hour, camping on school playgrounds by invitation of village chiefs, pushing loaded folding bikes through sand that felt like treacle, and sparking conversations with strangers over football allegiances.In this episode we talk about:How a Facebook post about the Tropic of Cancer set the whole thing in motionWhat it's actually like to tour on a Brompton Riding a route that goes from the edges of the Sahara Desert  to the beginnings of West African forestThe reality of border crossings into Senegal and The Gambia for European travellersTaking an overnight ferry back to Dakar with Bromptons as hand luggageWhy going somewhere with zero expectations means everything exceeds themJames's next big adventure  connecting a journey he started back in 1986Give James a follow via his instagram - @jamesb.adventures and you can also listen to the previous episode with him here. Check out Old Man Mountain's new Manzanita Handlebar Cradle  Support the showBuy me a coffee!I'm an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:

Master and Pupil discuss IKEA, going out of business sales, free keys and sunscreen.

We've got a packed show today. I mean PACKED. I have so many notes in front of me that if the FBI raided this studio they'd call it an “insurrection planner.” Half these stories I've been trying to get to for days, and every morning the news cycle shows up like a drunken Amazon driver throwing fresh insanity onto the porch.And let me tell you something: we are never catching up.Never.I could do this show seven days a week, eight hours a day, surviving entirely on caffeine and whatever chemicals they put in gas station beef jerky, and we'd still end every week with another mountain of madness to discuss. America has become a Netflix series written by people who got fired from reality television for being too unrealistic.But as they say, “Brevity is the soul of lingerie.”Which explains Congress perfectly. The less material involved, the more expensive it gets.Now, speaking of expensive coverups, Jill Biden made a revelation that shocked absolutely nobody. The media reacted like archaeologists discovering water in the ocean. “BREAKING NEWS: Joe Biden may have experienced cognitive decline!”Really? You don't say.This is the same man who has wandered off stages, shaken hands with invisible citizens, and looked at teleprompters like they were written in ancient Sanskrit. Joe Biden has spent the last several years speaking in a dialect I can only describe as Pharmaceutical Esperanto.And suddenly the media wants to pretend they just noticed?That's the part that fascinates me. Not the decline. The cover-up. Because everybody knew. Democrats knew. Journalists knew. Staffers knew. Jill knew. The Easter Bunny knew. The only people left pretending were the same folks who told us inflation was “transitory,” the border was “secure,” and men could get pregnant if you just believed hard enough.Now Jill Biden, Doctor Jill, Patron Saint of Denial, is out there acting wounded by the scrutiny. Ma'am, people aren't upset because your husband aged. Everybody ages. America would've shown grace for aging. What people resent is being lied to with the enthusiasm of a timeshare salesman trapped in a pyramid scheme.And now we find out Team Biden is trying to keep information sealed about his cognitive condition going all the way back to 2012?Two thousand TWELVE.That means Joe Biden may have been mentally buffering longer than most people have owned their smartphones.Think about that historically for a second. In 2012, people were still arguing over Bluetooth earpieces. Gas was under four bucks in many places. TikTok didn't exist yet. Hunter Biden probably still had at least one functioning laptop.And somewhere in Washington, insiders allegedly knew Joe Biden's brain was running Windows 95 in Safe Mode.Yet they still shoved him into office. Why? Because modern politics isn't about leadership anymore. It's Weekend at Bernie's with nuclear codes. The presidency became a puppet theater where anonymous staffers, activist bureaucrats, and ideological interns ran the machinery while the Commander in Chief searched for exits like he was trapped in an IKEA showroom.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have a wonderful returning guest this week! Atlanta-based interior designer Lauren DeLoach is back on the podcast to share everything she learned while designing and installing her daughter's freshman dorm room at Ole Miss. As we launch the new Ballard Designs dorm line, Lauren sits down with Caroline, Taryn, and Liz to give the ultimate masterclass in dorm decorating. She explains how she tackled awkward cinderblock walls, the secret to finding the true dimensions of a dorm room, and why "Alien Tape" is a dorm parent's best friend. Quick Decorating & Dorm Takeaways: Find the "Master Map": Don't just rely on the general dorm dimensions provided by the college. Lauren explains that to truly plan a layout, you need to seek out the building's "master maps" (often passed around in college parent Facebook groups). These maps will show you exactly where the architectural quirks are located in your specific room, like vertical plumbing chases and window soffits. The Magic of Alien Tape: To soften the harsh cinder block walls, Lauren used a genius trick to hang full-wall drapery without drilling or damaging the school's property: Alien Tape! It provided enough grip to hold the drapes and create a beautiful faux-fabric wall behind the beds. Pack in IKEA Bags: When moving a kid into college, Lauren highly recommends packing softer items in the oversized, zip-up plastic IKEA bags. They are incredibly durable, hold a massive amount of stuff, and can even be checked as luggage on a flight if you are traveling out of state. Start with the Bed: In a dorm room, the bed is practically the only furniture you have to work with. Lauren and her daughter's roommate coordinated their space using a fresh "Spa and Sage" color palette from Ballard Designs. They started by picking a ditsy floral fabric for the headboards, and then layered the beds with the spa-colored Audrey coverlet and buffalo check duvets. What You'll Hear on This Episode: 00:00 Welcome & Introduction to Lauren DeLoach 01:30 Designing a freshman dorm room at Ole Miss 02:00 Starting the design with a "Spa and Sage" palette and buffalo check bedding 03:00 The importance of coordinating designs with the new roommate 04:00 Why you need the "master map" to find hidden chases and soffits 20:00 Hanging wall-to-wall drapery with Alien Tape to cover cinder blocks 28:00 Tricks for packing and moving using oversized IKEA bags 36:00 Transitioning quality dorm decor into a future college apartment 45:00 Closing thoughts & where to find Lauren's work (Note: Timestamps are approximate based on the transcript segments provided; be sure to double-check against your final audio file!) Also Mentioned: Lauren DeLoach Interiors | Website  Follow Lauren on Instagram: @laurendeloachinteriors Shop the Ballard Designs Dorm Line Please send in your questions so we can answer them on our next episode! And of course, subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. You can always check back here to see new episodes, but if you subscribe, it'll automatically download to your phone. Happy Decorating! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of Mother's Day, get $200 off a new Dear FoundHer... Forum membership through the month of May. Join the community built for women business owners over 40 who are building real businesses on their own terms. JOIN US INSIDE HERE, no code necessary to save.A group of executives walked into a room, and Leah knew exactly who mattered.Dear FoundHer host Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with Leah Solivan to talk partnership marketing, founder visibility, and one of the clearest business growth stories from Taskrabbit's path to acquisition. Leah built Taskrabbit from a Boston apartment with no MBA, no startup network, and no idea how venture funding worked. What she had was an idea she refused to stop talking about and the discipline to do the unsexy groundwork for years before the right opportunity arrived. That is the entire lesson of this episode, and it applies to every woman building something right now.This conversation is for women founders who are tired of being told to run ads, chase virality, or wait for the perfect moment. Leah's story proves that partnership marketing is not a tactic. It is a long game built on real relationships, real data, and showing up consistently in the right markets before you ever get the right meeting.Taskrabbit's sale to IKEA started with one lucky opening, but the deal did not happen because of luck alone. It happened because Leah spent years trying to get on IKEA's radar, knew her numbers cold, and was ready when one person in a room of eight finally mattered. Taskrabbit was already operating in London, one of IKEA's largest markets, and a quarter of its jobs were IKEA furniture assembly. Founder visibility is not about being everywhere. It is about being undeniable when it counts.If you are a woman founder wondering whether the quiet, unglamorous work is moving anything forward, this episode will answer that. Building relationships in business the right way is slow. It compounds in a way quick wins often do not.Episode Breakdown:00:00 From IBM Engineer to Taskrabbit Founder: Leah Solivan's Origin Story03:33 Why Talking About Your Idea Is the First Step in Partnership Marketing08:57 Rebranding From Run My Errand to Taskrabbit11:09 How Leah Validated the Taskrabbit Concept Before Raising Money13:23 Raising a Startup's First Round of Funding With No Business Background19:40 Scaling a Business City by City and the Decision to Go International21:26 Building Trust in a Gig Economy Marketplace24:56 The IKEA Partnership That Led to an Acquisition28:49 Life After the Exit: Investing, Podcasting, and What Comes Next31:03 Three Actionable Tips for First-Time FoundersConnect with Leah Solivan:Follow Leah on InstagramConnect with Leah on LinkedInFollow Leah on XSubscribe to The FoundHer Files Substack: http://foundherfiles.substack.comFree Forum Open House + Networking Session Come see what's inside the Dear FoundHer Forum SAVE YOUR SEAT https://lindsaypinchuk.myflodesk.com/q2forumopenhouse Join THE networking community for women business owners over forty, The Dear FoundHer... Forum Follow Dear FoundHer... on Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dearfoundherPodcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk Read my NEW BOOK -- The Price of Becoming -  www.LearningLeader.com/Becoming Eric Ries is the author of The Lean Startup, one of the most influential business books of the past 25 years, and the founder of the Long-Term Stock Exchange, the first new U.S. exchange to both list and trade multiple stocks since NASDAQ launched 50 years ago. His new book is Incorruptible. Key Learnings The more successful a company becomes, the more valuable it is as a target. Companies are worth stealing and taking over. Most founders are naive about this and don't understand what's coming for them. They've been following the so-called best practices about how companies should be built, structured, and governed. Most of those best practices are value-destroying. Sol Price was a lawyer before he became an entrepreneur. He believed a lawyer had a fiduciary duty to put the client's interests before his own. So when he became a retailer, he asked: "Who's my client?" The customer. He treated the customer as the person he would rather die than betray. When competitors sold a product for less, he'd put up signs in his own store: "Don't buy this from me. You can get it cheaper somewhere else." He capped his margins at 14 percent. He paid above-market wages. It is so much easier to destroy than to create. One day, Sol came into work and couldn't get into his office because the locks had been changed. Investors had pushed him out and forced Fedmart to practice retail best practices. Within seven years, they bankrupted the company. We've built an economy that rewards people for cost-cutting without holding them accountable for the consequences to trustworthiness, brand, or culture. The origin story of Costco: Sol took two weeks off, then leased the office upstairs from Fedmart and started Price Club. One of the young guys who left with him, Jim Sinegal, had worked his way up from stock boy. Jim eventually started his own company using the Sol ethos. A few years later, their companies merged to form what we now call Costco. Wall Street routinely calls Costco the exception to every rule. Wall Street analysts say things like: "At Costco, they take money that rightfully belongs to shareholders and instead invest it in the customer experience." As if that's a criticism. Costco endures because it's protected by a governance fortress. A series of worst practices that resist outside pressure structurally. The $1.50 hot dog has been the same price since 1986. A McDonald's Big Mac was $1.60 in 1986. Today that same Big Mac in California is over $7. Costco sells more hot dogs than every Major League Baseball stadium in America combined. If they raised the combo to $7, it would be a billion dollars of extra net income. They could do it. They choose not to. "If you raise the price of the effing hot dog, I will kill you. So figure it out." Jim Sinegal said it to his COO in 2008 when costs were rising. Figure it out. Costco vertically integrated the hot dog supply chain. They own hot dog production plants in multiple cities. They worked deals with soda vendors. They did all that extra work for the privilege of not making more money on the hot dog. Harder is easier. "When you take the hard road, when you make a principled commitment, you get these almost unbelievable values. Because you're generating the most underrated and most valuable asset in all of business: trustworthiness." "Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life." Jerzy Gregorek, Olympic weightlifter. "Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder. Nobody wanna lift these heavy ass weights." Ronnie Coleman, eight-time Mr. Olympia. Everyone wants the outcome. Nobody wants to do the actual thing. Culture and mission can be cultivated, not commanded. Most leaders get this wrong. They say "I'm in charge of my team." But can you command your team to have integrity? Can you command it to have a particular culture? You have to make consistent, responsible choices, just like cultivating health in your body. Get reps. Eric gave practice talks at a Hobee's restaurant at 7 AM to six people just to get the reps. Caring and trying to do a good job is so unbelievably rare. That alone is a competitive advantage. Feedback tells you something about the person giving it, not about yourself. If someone reads Eric's manuscript and says, "This book sucks," he hasn't learned anything about the book. He's learned this person doesn't like this kind of book. When he stopped arguing with negative customer reviews and started studying who they came from, he noticed patterns. People 16 and younger loved the product. People 16 and older hated it. He learned who his product was for. Separate qualitative from quantitative feedback. Qualitative is for hypothesis generation. Quantitative is for hypothesis validation. When test readers told him a chapter wasn't working, that was qualitative. When the platform data showed nobody was getting past that chapter, that was quantitative. You need both to know what to fix. It is always too early until it's too late. Eric tells the story of a multibillion-dollar founder he warned before his IPO. The founder talked to his bankers, lawyers, and CFO. They told him Eric was a downer. The founder went public anyway with conventional governance. Five months later, his stock dropped 90 percent, and he was ousted. The best time to plant a tree is 40 years ago. The second-best time is today. Eric's checklist for building an incorruptible company: Encode your mission into the corporate charter. Most founders have never read their charter. If your mission statement says one thing but your legal charter says another, you're lying. The easiest fix: file a public benefit corp filing (PBC). Two pages. 44 states. Your lawyer can do it tomorrow. Identify your fiduciary commitments. Who would you rather die than betray? Is it your customers? Your employees? Product quality? You decide. If your answer is nobody, you're a sociopath. The whole book is for the people who actually want to accomplish something. Align your employees to that mission. Make sure everybody on the team is committed to the same fiduciary priority. Create a director's oath. Like the Hippocratic Oath for doctors, but for your board. They must pledge to commit to the company's mission. Board betrayal and investor pressure are leading causes of death of companies in the modern world. Make the directors accountable to somebody. Power without accountability is corrosive to the human spirit. Novo Nordisk is governed by a nonprofit foundation. Patagonia is governed by a perpetual purpose trust. John Lewis Partnership in the UK is governed by an employee ownership trust. IKEA, Vanguard, and REI all have these structures. The data shows these companies are dramatically more stable and higher performing than conventional structures. You are not stuck in traffic. You are traffic. People love to blame the system. But you're not just a passenger. You're part of what creates the system. Where you work. What you buy. What you give your attention to. Every one of those choices is fueling somebody's company, somebody's algorithm, somebody's bonus. The richest people in the world spend billions on PR because they know your individual choices matter. Use that power. Eric's champagne moment a year from now: a grassroots movement around Incorruptible. This book won't get wall-to-wall media coverage. It's antagonistic to people in power. So Eric hopes readers will hand it to their founders, their bosses, their friends. If consumers and employees start demanding, "I want to work in an incorruptible company," that's the toast. Reflection Questions What is your equivalent of Costco's hot dog? The one commitment you'd defend even when it's financially painful, even when the easy move would be to abandon it? Have you ever read your corporate charter, or the foundational document of your team or department? Does what's actually written match what you say you stand for? Where in your work or life would the harder short-term path build something more durable in the long run? Are you willing to lift the heavy weights? More Learning #258: Jesse Itzler: Creating Your Life Resume & Living Outside the Box #529: James Clear: Setting Up Your Future Self & Becoming an Optimist #565: Noah Kahan: The Art of Asking For What You Want Podcast Chapters 00:00 The Price of Becoming - Pre-Order Now!  01:03 Meet Eric Ries  02:55 Is It Possible to Build an Incorruptible Company?  04:04 Why Culture Alone Won't Save You  05:13 Sol Price, Fedmart, and the Locks That Got Changed  07:56 Why Wall Street Calls Costco the Exception  09:11 The $1.50 Hot Dog Story  13:59 Harder Is Easier: The Principle Behind It All  16:48 Why Governance Is Just Soul Craft  19:50 Building the First New Stock Exchange Since Nasdaq  22:33 Eric's Communication Style: Reps, Not Talent  30:52 The Opportunity Hiding in Broken Markets  31:59 How to Know Which Feedback to Listen To  35:39 Qualitative vs. Quantitative: Why You Need Both  37:23 The Whole Foods Cautionary Tale  40:25 The Founder's Checklist for Building Something Durable  43:44 Encode Your Mission Into the Corporate Charter  47:35 You Are Not Stuck in Traffic. You Are the Traffic.  52:37 The Champagne Question: A Grassroots Movement  55:27 James Clear, Author's Equity, and the Future of Publishing 56:43 EOPC

John Gabbert built a massive furniture brand. But in order to do it, he had to defy his family. John grew up working at his dad's furniture store in the suburbs of Minneapolis. It sold classic, American-made furniture, with flowery prints and curved legs. But in 1972, John took a life-changing trip to Sweden, where he discovered an obscure store called IKEA. It was selling an entirely different type of furniture: simple, modern, and inexpensive, with a manufacturing process they controlled. To John, it looked like the future of furniture. The only problem, his dad didn't agree. That disagreement led to a 10-year family rift—but also a new business. In 1980—zafter a deal to buy out his dad broke down—John spun out his own furniture brand, Room & Board. Today, it sells hundreds of millions of dollars of furniture in its own classic designs, mostly made by small American manufacturers. This is the story of how John did it, without outside investors, and without chasing growth for growth's sake.What You'll LearnWhy the right thing for your business might be the hardest thing for your familyHow John connected with young boomers—not their parents The key to long-term success: growing slow and saying “no”Why John refused private equity moneyWhy Room & Board transitioned to employee ownershipTimestamps:00:06:10 - Gabberts: flowery furniture in a fake living room00:09:41 - Becoming president of the family business at age 2300:13:33 - A fateful trip to IKEA in Sweden: “That's what the future needed to be”00:18:36 - John tries to buy out the family business… until his dad backs out00:35:47 - Design inspiration from modern art—and steel frames00:46:38 - Why making furniture in America makes sense00:55:27 - Investors come to call… and John says no01:01:48 - The decision that transferred ownership to employeesThis episode was produced by Chris Maccini with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Rommel Wood. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Kwesi Lee. Follow How I Built This:Instagram → @howibuiltthisX → @HowIBuiltThisFacebook → How I Built ThisFollow Guy Raz:Instagram → @guy.razYoutube → guy_razX → @guyrazSubstack → guyraz.substack.comWebsite → guyraz.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.