Catégorie : Business News

• The director, Sam Mendes, is working on four biopics about The Beatles.
• Each movie will be from the perspective of a different member of the iconic British band.
• Here’s everything we know about The Beatles movies.

The director, Sam Mendes, is working on four biopics about The Beatles.

Mendes, who’s known for Oscar-winning films including “American Beauty,” “Skyfall,” and “1917,” has partnered with Sony to work on the ambitious slate of movies about the iconic British band. 

In a press release announcing the news, Sony Pictures CEO Tim Rothman said: “Sam’s daring, large-scale idea is that and then some.”

Here’s everything we know about the four movies about The Beatles.

Each movie will focus on a different member of The Beatles

Bettmann/Getty Images

According to the press release, each movie will be from the perspective of a different member of the band, meaning Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr will each have their own biopic.

It’s the first time that the band’s company, Apple Corps Ltd., has given permission for the group’s life story and music to be used in a scripted film about them.

Since 1979, 18 unauthorized biopics have been made about the band including 2009’s “Knowhere Boy » starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Lennon and Thomas Brodie-Sangster as McCartney.

The release also says that the four movies “will intersect to tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history.” Yes, Mendes is effectively giving audiences The Beatles Cinematic Universe, so get those “Avengers” jokes out of the way now. 

Sam Mendes will have ‘no limits’ telling The Beatles’ story

Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

In an interview with Deadline in February, Pippa Harris, who will produce the films, said the band’s surviving members, McCartney and Starr, have given their blessing for Mendes to work on the four films.

“It’s a testament to his creative brilliance and powers of persuasion that Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sean Lennon, and Olivia Harrison responded with such warmth and enthusiasm as soon as he spoke with them,” she said, referring to John Lennon’s son and George Harrison’s widow.

Harris went on to say that Mendes will have no restrictions on what he depicts from the band members’ lives.

She said: “What is truly exciting is for Sam to have the freedom to delve into the lives of each of the Beatles, with nothing off limits and no sense of the band wanting him to tell a particular ‘authorised’ version of their rise to success.”

Starr also gave his blessing on in February via a post on X.

Ringo Starr said Barry Keoghan will play him in The Beatles movies

Gilbert Flores/Getty Images

In November, ET Online asked Starr about rumors that « Saltburn » actor Barry Keoghan would play him.

He said: « I think it’s great, I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many. »

Representatives for Keoghan did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.

No actors have yet been cast as Lennon, McCartney, or Harrison.

Per the press release, Sony is looking to release all four movies about The Beatles in 2027, which gives Mendes plenty of time to find the right people to play the Liverpudlian superstars.

Ridley Scott said Paul Mescal has joined the cast after rumors circulated that he’ll play Paul McCartney

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Ridley Scott let slip that Paul Mescal has joined the cast of The Beatles movies during a conversation with Christopher Nolan after a screening of « Gladiator II » on Tuesday.

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According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan asked the director whether Mescal would appear in his next project, « The Dog Stars, » but Scott said that the Irish actor has a busy schedule.

He said: « Maybe. Paul is actually stacked up, doing The Beatles next. So I may have to let him go. »

There have been rumors that Mescal will play McCartney in the movies, and in November he told Entertainment Tonight that he’d love to join the project.

« It would be an incredible story to be attached to. The fact that Sam Mendes is attached to direct, like truly, it would be a dream come true, » he said.

However, he refused to comment on the speculation that he’ll play McCartney, adding: « No, no, no — we’re not going there. »

Mescal’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Joseph Quinn will reportedly play George Harrison

Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images

On Thursday, Deadline reported that « Stranger Things » star Joseph Quinn has been cast as George Harrison in the project.

According to the outlet’s anonymous sources, the actor has been preparing for the role by playing guitar while filming Marvel’s « Fantastic Four. »

Representatives for Quinn did not immediately respond to BI’s request for comment.

Correction: March 1, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the director of the film « No Time to Die. » Cary Joji Fukunaga directed the film, not Sam Mendes.

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The Federal Reserve cut interest rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high rates for deposits we’ve come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you know that you’re getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account — and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Friday, December 13.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren’t the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You’ll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union — not invested through a brokerage account — and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase. 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today’s rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it’s typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You’ll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn’t. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we’ve described above. That’s because a certificate of deposit requires you to « lock in » your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you’ll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you’ll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you’ll get. CD rates aren’t variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you’ll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here’s what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won’t have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don’t have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses. 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond — even if rates fall elsewhere.

• Michael Doolin has worked as a HR director for British Airways, PwC Ireland, and DHL.
• Doolin said managers often give subtle signs that they are considering employees for promotion.
• Being asked to represent the company, lead trainings or given new responsibilities are good signs.

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Michael Doolin, CEO of Clover HR and former human resources director at PwC, British Airways, and DPD in Ireland. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

A promotion might mean a new job title or an increase in status, it could also represent a pay rise or bring an improvement in your benefits package. A promotion is a sign of progress, of improvement, and sometimes of vindication. It’s recognition that hard work pays off.

People are promoted for different reasons. They might have achieved a new professional qualification, like, for those in accountancy, law or medicine. It could come because you’ve met milestones, brought in new customers, or received positive feedback from clients.

Either way, here are six signs that you might be heading toward a promotion at work.

Changes within your organization

Look out for shifts in your company. Is it expanding or restructuring, or is your boss being promoted? Changes in an organization throw up opportunities all the time, and you may be unexpectedly earmarked for a new role.

However, in some mature organizations, the chain of succession could be more concrete. My second job, for example, was at Ford Motor Company, which was a highly structured organization where your career was mapped out for the next five to 10 years.

This approach works in some companies, but it has a habit of coming asunder when life gets in the way. I think there’s a balance to be struck between mapping everything out and being flexible.

However, for many companies workplace reorganization creates space for promotions.

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Positive feedback

You should be having regular performance management discussions. If you’re receiving positive feedback there, it will give you an indication of whether your employer is happy with your work. You might be asked about your career goals, too, which can be a promising sign.

Being asked to represent your company

Senior managers might encourage you to attend exhibitions or get involved in extra-curricular activities on behalf of the company. They might request that you act as an ambassador for the organization, or you might find yourself being asked to speak at events. While it’s no guarantee of a promotion, it’s further evidence that you’re valued at work and may be considered for one when it comes.

Being introduced to new people

Being sought out to meet new people, whether that’s invitations to meetings or introductions to customers, is another important indication that your opinions and contribution to the company are valued.

Being asked for your input

If your boss often asks for your opinion, it’s a positive sign. It shows that they respect your judgment and appreciate your feedback. Use these as opportunities to take initiative and prove your worth to your manager. Do so in a subtle way: volunteering, writing proposals, or taking on additional responsibilities. Never forget that making your boss look good is a great way to set yourself apart.

Taking on extra responsibility

Being asked to take on extra responsibility is another signal that you’re eligible for a promotion. Common examples of this are being asked to take on more work or new clients. Alternatively, you might be asked to mentor less experienced members of the team or lead training.

If you want a promotion, you should be looking to take on more responsibility all the time, as it shows a willingness to learn and add value. Being given a new responsibility is an opportunity for managers to assess your suitability for a new role. And for you, it’s a chance to prove yourself.

Asking for a promotion

If you’re unsure whether you’re up for a promotion, ask your boss directly. Too often, employees assume their manager knows they want to be promoted. People who are consistently striving for promotions should have a clear conversation about promotions at least once a year.

My advice is to ask your boss, « Can we have a conversation about me and where I’m at? » This conversation might be during an appraisal discussion, it might come up in a car journey, or even subtly over coffee.

You can be direct: make it clear that you think you’re ready for advancement and put a business case forward as to why you should be considered. After the discussion, get it documented in writing where you want to be and how quickly you want to get there.

Should you accept a promotion if it’s offered?

Many times, we have a classic conundrum where someone is asked to do a different role overnight with little preparation. A promotion may not always be right for you, and you may not choose to accept one if it’s offered.

Depending on the degree of ambition, I generally advise accepting the promotion and paddling very, very hard underwater while asking for training, support, and guidance to help you thrive in your new role.

• EvenUp vaulted past a $1 billion valuation on the idea that AI will help automate personal injury demands.
• Former employees told BI the company has relied on humans to do much of the work.
• EvenUp says it uses a combination of AI and humans to ensure accuracy, and its AI is improving.

EvenUp vaulted past a $1 billion valuation on the idea AI could help automate a lucrative part of the legal business. Former employees told Business Insider that the startup has relied on humans to complete much of the work.

EvenUp aims to streamline personal-injury demands and has said it is one of the fastest-growing companies in history after jumping from an $85 million valuation at the start of the year to unicorn status in an October funding round.

Customers upload medical records and case files, and EvenUp’s AI is supposed to sift through the vast amount of data, pulling out key details to determine how much an accident victim should be owed.

One of EvenUp’s investors has described its « AI-based approach » as representing a « quantum leap forward.« 

The reality, at least so far, is that human staff have done a significant share of that work, and EvenUp’s AI has been slow to pick up the slack, eight former EvenUp employees told Business Insider in interviews over the late summer and early fall.

The former employees said they witnessed numerous problems with EvenUp’s AI, including missed injuries, hallucinated medical conditions, and incorrectly recorded doctor visits. The former employees asked not to be identified to preserve future job prospects.

« They claim during the interview process and training that the AI is a tool to help the work go faster and that you can get a lot more done because of the AI, » said a former EvenUp employee who left earlier this year. « In practice, once you start with the company, my experience was that my managers told me not even to use the AI. They said it was unreliable and created too many errors. »

Two other former employees also said they were told by supervisors at various points this year not to use EvenUp’s AI. Another former employee who left this year said they were never told not to use the AI, just that they had to be vigilant in correcting it.

« I was 100% told it’s not super reliable, and I need to have a really close eye on it, » said the former employee.

EvenUp told BI it uses a combination of humans and AI, and this should be viewed as a feature, not a bug.

« The combined approach ensures maximum accuracy and the highest quality, » EvenUp cofounder and CEO Rami Karabibar said in a statement. « Some demands are generated and finalized using mostly AI, with a small amount of human input needed, while other more complicated demands require extensive human input but time is still saved by using the AI. »

AI’s virtuous cycle of improvement

It’s a common strategy for AI companies to rely on humans early on to complete tasks and refine approaches. Over time, these human inputs are fed into AI models and related systems, and the technology is meant to learn and improve. At EvenUp, signs of this virtuous AI cycle have been thin on the ground, the former employees said.

« It didn’t seem to me like the AI was improving, » said one former staffer.

« Our AI is improving every day, » Karabibar said. « It saves more time today than it did a week ago, it saved more time a week ago than it did a month ago, and it saved a lot more time a month ago than it did last year. »

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A broader concern

EvenUp’s situation highlights a broader concern as AI sweeps across markets and boardrooms and into workplaces and consumers’ lives. Success in generative AI requires complex new technology to continue to improve. Sometimes, there’s a gap between the dreams of startup founders and investors and the practical reality of this technology when used by employees and customers. Even Microsoft has struggled with some practical implementations of its marquee AI product, Copilot.

While AI is adept at sorting and interpreting vast amounts of data, it has so far struggled to accurately decipher content such as medical records that are formatted differently and often feature doctors’ handwriting scribbled in the margins, said Abdi Aidid, an assistant professor of law at the University of Toronto who has built machine-learning tools.

« When you scan the data, it gets scrambled a lot, and having AI read the scrambled data is not helpful, » Aidid said.

Earlier this year, BI asked EvenUp about the role of humans in producing demand letters, one of its key products. After the outreach, the startup responded with written answers and published a blog post that clarified the roles employees play.

« While AI models trained on generic data can handle some tasks, the complexity of drafting high-quality demand letters requires much more than automation alone, » the company wrote. « At EvenUp, we combine AI with expert human review to deliver unmatched precision and care. »

The startup’s spokesman declined to specify how much time its AI saves but told BI that employees spend 20% less time writing demand letters than they did at the beginning of the year. The spokesman also said 72% of demand letter content is started from an AI draft, up from 63% in June 2023.

A father’s injury

EvenUp was founded in 2019, more than two years before OpenAI’s ChatGPT launched the generative AI boom.

Karabibar, Raymond Mieszaniec, and Saam Mashhad started EvenUp to « even » the playing field for personal-injury victims. Founders and investors often cite the story of Mieszaniec’s father, Ray, to explain why their mission is important. He was disabled after being hit by a car, but his lawyer didn’t know the appropriate compensation, and the resulting settlement « was insufficient, » Lightspeed Venture Partners, one of EvenUp’s investors, said in a write-up about the company.

« We’ve trained a machine to be able to read through medical records, interpret the information it’s scanning through, and extract the critical pieces of information, » Mieszaniec said in an interview last year. « We are the first technology that has ever been created to essentially automate this entire process and also keep the quality high while ensuring these firms get all this work in a cost-effective manner. »

EvenUp technical errors

The eight former EvenUp employees told BI earlier this year that this process has been far from automated and prone to errors.

« You have to pretty much double-check everything the AI gives you or do it completely from scratch, » said one former employee.

For instance, the software has missed key injuries in medical records while hallucinating conditions that did not exist, according to some of the former employees. BI found no instances of these errors making it into the final product. Such mistakes, if not caught by human staff, could have potentially reduced payouts, three of the employees said.

EvenUp’s system sometimes recorded multiple hospital visits over several days as just one visit. If employees had not caught the mistakes, the claim could have been lower, one of the former staffers said.

The former employees recalled EvenUp’s AI system hallucinating doctor visits that didn’t happen. It also has reported a victim suffered a shoulder injury when, in fact, their leg was hurt. The system also has mixed up which direction a car was traveling — important information in personal-injury lawsuits, the former employees said.

« It would pull information that didn’t exist, » one former employee recalled.

The software has also sometimes left out key details, such as whether a doctor determined a patient’s injury was caused by a particular accident — crucial information for assigning damages, according to some of the employees.

« That was a big moneymaker for the attorneys, and the AI would miss that all the time, » one former employee said.

EvenUp’s spokesman acknowledged that these problems cited by former employees « could have happened, » especially in earlier versions of its AI, but said this is why it employs humans as a backstop.

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A customer and an investor

EvenUp did not make executives available for interviews, but the spokesman put BI in touch with a customer and an investor.

Robert Simon, the cofounder of the Simon Law Group, said EvenUp’s AI has made his personal-injury firm more efficient, and using humans reduces errors.

« I appreciate that because I would love to have an extra set of eyes on it before the product comes back to me, » Simon said. « EvenUp is highly, highly accurate. »

Sarah Hinkfuss, a partner at Bain Capital Ventures, said she appreciated EvenUp’s human workers because they help train AI models that can’t easily be replicated by competitors like OpenAI and its ChatGPT product.

« They’re building novel datasets that did not exist before, and they are automating processes that significantly boost gross margins, » Hinkfuss wrote in a blog post earlier this year.

Long hours, less automation

Most of the former EvenUp employees said a major reason they were drawn to the startup was because they had the impression AI would be doing much of the work.

« I thought this job was going to be really easy, » said one of the former staffers. « I thought that it was going to be like you check work that the AI has already done for you. »

The reality, these people said, was that they had to work long hours to spot, correct, and complete tasks that the AI system could not handle with full accuracy.

« A lot of my coworkers would work until 3 a.m. and on weekends to try to keep up with what was expected, » another former employee recalled.

EvenUp’s AI could be helpful in simple cases that could be completed in as little as two hours. But more complex cases sometimes required eight hours, so a workday could stretch to 16 hours, four of the former employees said.

« I had to work on Christmas and Thanksgiving, » said one of these people. « They [the managers] acted like it should be really quick because the AI did everything. But it didn’t. »

EvenUp’s spokesman said candidates are told upfront the job is challenging and requires a substantial amount of writing. He said retention rates are « in line with other hyper-growth startups » and that 40% of legal operations associates were promoted in the third quarter of this year.

« We recognize that working at a company scaling this fast is not for everyone, » said the spokesman. « In addition, as our AI continues to improve, leveraging our technology will become easier and easier. »

Highlighting the continued importance of human workers, the spokesman noted that EvenUp hired a vice president of people at the end of October.

• Susie Moore, a life coach, moved to NYC and landed a tech job by leveraging mutual connections.
• Networking to set yourself up for a future opportunity is especially effective during the holidays.
• She suggests setting intentions, creating ping lists, and attending events to expand your network.

When I was 25, I moved to New York City from Sydney without friends, career prospects, or a college degree. Despite being what some might call unprepared, I knew I would land a job because I excel at connecting with people and taking initiative.

Within two months, I started working for a tech company because I leveraged a mutual connection, an industry peer in Australia whose company had an NYC office. I asked for an introduction to her US team, and she gave me one. A single warm email connection was all it took to get me in the door.

Courtesy of Susie Moore

Networking is simply building relationships by being proactive, and it doesn’t have to be a cringe-worthy chore. It can be fun, graceful, and extremely rewarding, and the holiday season is the perfect time to do it. There’s an undeniable « holiday glow » to people in December.

Now, as a life coach of over 10 years, I encourage my community to expand and nurture their networks no matter their career choices or future goals. If you want to step up your networking game as 2025 fast approaches, here’s a checklist to seize the season before the year ends.

1. Set an intention

What do you want your networking efforts to accomplish? Are you seeking a new position in the new year? Do you want to attract new clients to your business? Do you want to kick off a side hustle? Or do you simply want to strengthen your network for the future?

A measurable goal is ideal, but networking is valuable even without a specific goal. A mentor of mine once told me she has a spreadsheet of 50 people she emails casually every quarter for no reason but to say hello and keep the relationship alive. So few people do this!

We let so many relationships go to waste because we make too little effort, so those who keep in touch win because we stand out and are top of mind when opportunities roll around — and they do. My connections have brought me investment opportunities, speaking engagements, and book deals.

2. Get into the holiday spirit

The season of goodwill is a great time to reach out and express gratitude. Most people are reflective and slow down a bit this time of year, so it’s the ideal time to send a short gratitude note, text, or DM like this:

« Thanks for your help with X project this year — it meant a lot. Wishing you the best holiday break and start to 2025! »

« I’m lucky to have worked with you this year, and I hope the new job at X is going great! Hi to (spouse name). »

« I just found the coolest candle shop/whisky tasting/tennis memorabilia site (insert picture/link of the thing the person likes). Happy holidays to you! »

Sincere, short, sweet, personal messages go a long way in letting people know how they’ve encouraged, inspired, or helped you — or even that you’re just thinking of them.

3. Create a custom ping list

Success can come down to volume and some experimentation. It’s easier to start with people you know, but you can also include some people you’d like to know — for example, I might include 5-10 people I admire with mutual connections.

Related stories

When I moved to NYC, I looked up connections of my friends on LinkedIn and used that as a way to introduce myself:

« Hi name! You and I are both friends with the lovely (friend’s name).

I’ve just moved to NYC and this city is just beautiful in December. Perhaps we could have a latte if you have 20 minutes free next week? It would be great to share some industry information and connect. I’ll gladly come to (part of the city where that person lives/works).

Happy holidays! »

Aim to reach at least 30 people before year-end based on your intention. These can be former coworkers, members of your running or book club, friends of friends, or anyone you’d like to know better.

Not everyone will respond to you, but the right people will. A few Decembers ago, I met up with a fellow entrepreneur who had recently moved to Florida. We’ve enjoyed more than one business collaboration since, and she’s also become a client of mine.

4. Get out there

December is a social season. I’ve made many connections at apartment lobby parties, holiday celebrations, and New Year’s Eve gatherings.

If you’re more introverted, be selective about what you attend — just keep returning to your intention (a tech mixer might be worthwhile, for example, but drinks at your next-door neighbor’s place may not). Generally, it’s worth showing up if you feel on the fence about an invitation. A little face-time goes a long way in nurturing connections.

People are also less busy around the holidays than you think, particularly during the last two weeks of December when schedules slow down. This can be a great time to suggest meeting for coffee, a cocktail, or even a walk. This can also mean a lot to folks in an age of increasing isolation.

5. Underthink it — do it now

The reach-out part is fast. Attacking your ping list doesn’t require blocking out hours on your calendar. You can act on it in small pockets throughout the day — waiting for an Uber, in line at CVS, when you have five minutes to spare before a meeting. Ditch the social media scroll and do something valuable with these idle minutes.

Doors open for those willing to knock. It’s no secret that those who create and maintain sincere relationships experience more opportunities over time. Your network provides a safety net and a steady foundation for information-sharing, mutual support, and fun, so stay connected.

Susie Moore is a former sales director and startup advisor, a life coach and advice columnist, and the host of the Let It Be Easy podcast.

• Susie Moore, a life coach, moved to NYC and landed a tech job by leveraging mutual connections.
• Networking to set yourself up for a future opportunity is especially effective during the holidays.
• She suggests setting intentions, creating ping lists, and attending events to expand your network.

When I was 25, I moved to New York City from Sydney without friends, career prospects, or a college degree. Despite being what some might call unprepared, I knew I would land a job because I excel at connecting with people and taking initiative.

Within two months, I started working for a tech company because I leveraged a mutual connection, an industry peer in Australia whose company had an NYC office. I asked for an introduction to her US team, and she gave me one. A single warm email connection was all it took to get me in the door.

Courtesy of Susie Moore

Networking is simply building relationships by being proactive, and it doesn’t have to be a cringe-worthy chore. It can be fun, graceful, and extremely rewarding, and the holiday season is the perfect time to do it. There’s an undeniable « holiday glow » to people in December.

Now, as a life coach of over 10 years, I encourage my community to expand and nurture their networks no matter their career choices or future goals. If you want to step up your networking game as 2025 fast approaches, here’s a checklist to seize the season before the year ends.

1. Set an intention

What do you want your networking efforts to accomplish? Are you seeking a new position in the new year? Do you want to attract new clients to your business? Do you want to kick off a side hustle? Or do you simply want to strengthen your network for the future?

A measurable goal is ideal, but networking is valuable even without a specific goal. A mentor of mine once told me she has a spreadsheet of 50 people she emails casually every quarter for no reason but to say hello and keep the relationship alive. So few people do this!

We let so many relationships go to waste because we make too little effort, so those who keep in touch win because we stand out and are top of mind when opportunities roll around — and they do. My connections have brought me investment opportunities, speaking engagements, and book deals.

2. Get into the holiday spirit

The season of goodwill is a great time to reach out and express gratitude. Most people are reflective and slow down a bit this time of year, so it’s the ideal time to send a short gratitude note, text, or DM like this:

« Thanks for your help with X project this year — it meant a lot. Wishing you the best holiday break and start to 2025! »

« I’m lucky to have worked with you this year, and I hope the new job at X is going great! Hi to (spouse name). »

« I just found the coolest candle shop/whisky tasting/tennis memorabilia site (insert picture/link of the thing the person likes). Happy holidays to you! »

Sincere, short, sweet, personal messages go a long way in letting people know how they’ve encouraged, inspired, or helped you — or even that you’re just thinking of them.

3. Create a custom ping list

Success can come down to volume and some experimentation. It’s easier to start with people you know, but you can also include some people you’d like to know — for example, I might include 5-10 people I admire with mutual connections.

Related stories

When I moved to NYC, I looked up connections of my friends on LinkedIn and used that as a way to introduce myself:

« Hi name! You and I are both friends with the lovely (friend’s name).

I’ve just moved to NYC and this city is just beautiful in December. Perhaps we could have a latte if you have 20 minutes free next week? It would be great to share some industry information and connect. I’ll gladly come to (part of the city where that person lives/works).

Happy holidays! »

Aim to reach at least 30 people before year-end based on your intention. These can be former coworkers, members of your running or book club, friends of friends, or anyone you’d like to know better.

Not everyone will respond to you, but the right people will. A few Decembers ago, I met up with a fellow entrepreneur who had recently moved to Florida. We’ve enjoyed more than one business collaboration since, and she’s also become a client of mine.

4. Get out there

December is a social season. I’ve made many connections at apartment lobby parties, holiday celebrations, and New Year’s Eve gatherings.

If you’re more introverted, be selective about what you attend — just keep returning to your intention (a tech mixer might be worthwhile, for example, but drinks at your next-door neighbor’s place may not). Generally, it’s worth showing up if you feel on the fence about an invitation. A little face-time goes a long way in nurturing connections.

People are also less busy around the holidays than you think, particularly during the last two weeks of December when schedules slow down. This can be a great time to suggest meeting for coffee, a cocktail, or even a walk. This can also mean a lot to folks in an age of increasing isolation.

5. Underthink it — do it now

The reach-out part is fast. Attacking your ping list doesn’t require blocking out hours on your calendar. You can act on it in small pockets throughout the day — waiting for an Uber, in line at CVS, when you have five minutes to spare before a meeting. Ditch the social media scroll and do something valuable with these idle minutes.

Doors open for those willing to knock. It’s no secret that those who create and maintain sincere relationships experience more opportunities over time. Your network provides a safety net and a steady foundation for information-sharing, mutual support, and fun, so stay connected.

Susie Moore is a former sales director and startup advisor, a life coach and advice columnist, and the host of the Let It Be Easy podcast.

• Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy aim to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget by June 4, 2026.
• They’ve said they will fire federal employees, « delete » agencies, and publicize all of their work.
• The DOGE leaders have name-dropped many causes they might target, like DEI efforts and public media.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have big plans for the Department of Government Efficiency.

The two have promised to significantly reduce the federal budget, with a goal of cutting $2 trillion in spending. In 2024, federal spending reached $6.75 trillion, with nine-tenths going to federal programs. President-elect Donald Trump has long sworn not to touch Social Security or Medicare benefits, which comprise a significant chunk of the budget.

Here’s a running list of things Musk and Ramaswamy have said they will do as they gear up to take on this new role.

Representatives for Musk and Trump did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment. A representative for Ramaswamy declined to comment.

Slash regulations

Musk and Ramaswamy plan to suggest regulations to cut to Trump, whom they said could then use executive actions to pause the regulations and begin the removal process.

The co-heads outlined their ideas in an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal and explained that they plan to lean on two recent SCOTUS rulings, West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency and Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. The cases, they said, « suggest that a plethora of current federal regulations exceed the authority Congress has granted under the law. »

Some legal experts previously told BI that the DOGE leaders are misinterpreting the lawsuits, which they said do not add to the executive branch’s ability to curb regulations. Under the rulings, agencies still need to comply with a lengthy administrative process to change or overturn rules, the experts said.

‘Delete’ entire agencies, or at least vastly change them

A key part of DOGE’s cost-cutting agenda has to do with scaling back government agencies — Ramaswamy promised that the group will « delete » entire departments. Political scientists and fellows at Washington think tanks previously told BI that deleting departments outright almost always requires congressional approval, making DOGE’s goal seem unrealistic to some. There are more than 440 government agencies; Musk has said he wants to trim that down to no more than 99.

Here are some of the agencies DOGE plans to target:

Planned Parenthood and public media may be impacted

Musk and Ramaswamy criticized the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and « progressive groups like Planned Parenthood » in their op-ed. They said that DOGE will try to curb federal spending « by taking aim » at the funds appropriated for those services, among others.

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The CPB is the largest funding source for public radio, television, and online services, primarily for local public media — in fiscal year 2024, it had a budget of $535 million. Congress created the CPB and authorizes the budget. Between 2019 and 2021, American affiliates of Planned Parenthood received approximately $148 million in federal grants, according to the Government Accounting Office.

Target expired federal spending commitments

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Musk and Ramaswamy said in their op-ed that they plan to go after expired federal expenditures. According to the Congressional Budget Office, $516 billion worth of federal appropriations in 2024 have expired, with the largest programs in terms of spending relating to veterans’ healthcare, drug development, and NASA. Neither Musk nor Ramaswamy have specified which expired authorizations they’ll target.

Reduce the federal workforce

Musk and Ramaswamy said they want to significantly reduce the size of the federal workforce, though haven’t specified precisely how many employees should be cut. There were more than 2 million federal employees as of 2023, according to the nonpartisan group the Partnership for Public Service.

Civil service workers benefit from job protections that make it difficult to fire them, but the DOGE co-leaders said in their Journal article that Trump could implement « reductions in force » that aren’t directed at individual employees.

In the op-ed, Musk and Ramaswamy said that after eliminating federal regulations, « mass head-count reductions across the federal bureaucracy » will follow. They plan to determine the minimum number of employees needed at each department and said they might enact policies that lead some staffers to voluntarily resign, like return-to-office mandates, early retirement offers, and severance packages.

Federal employee salaries don’t comprise a big chunk of the budget — not including military personnel, their annual salaries and benefits total approximately $305 billion, or 4% of spending, per the Washington Post. If Musk and Ramaswamy got rid of 25% of the federal workforce, government spending would fall by around 1%.

Relocate some federal agencies and reform building use

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Musk and Ramaswamy raised the possibility of relocating federal agencies outside Washington in their op-ed, a point that Ramaswamy has spoken more about online and in interviews. When talking to Fox News in November, he said he « absolutely » wants to move agencies elsewhere and called the fact that some employees don’t go into the office a « dirty little secret. »

In a post on X from late November, Ramaswamy said addressing the cost of maintaining federal buildings « sounds like a job for DOGE. » According to a 2023 report from the Government Accountability Office, 17 of the agencies reviewed use about 25% or less of their buildings’ space. The federal government spends around $2 billion each year to maintain federal office buildings and $5 billion to lease space to agencies, the report found.

Conduct audits of agencies

In their opinion piece, Musk and Ramaswamy said that audits conducted during temporary payment suspensions could bring big savings. They called out the Pentagon and wrote that the agency failed its seventh consecutive audit. Support for the proposal came from an unlikely place: progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders. In a post on X, Sanders said that « Elon Musk is right, » pointing out that the Pentagon has « lost track of billions. »

ANGELA WEISS / AFP

Publicize all the changes the commission makes

Musk said he will publish all of DOGE’s actions online for « maximum transparency » in a post on X.

« Anytime the public thinks we are cutting something important or not cutting something wasteful, just let us know! » he wrote. In the same post, he said DOGE will create a « leaderboard for most insanely dumb spending. » Ramaswamy promised in a post that DOGE will start « crowdsourcing » for sources of waste and fraud.

Disband DOGE no later than July 4, 2026

When Trump announced the creation of DOGE, he said the committee would disband by July 4, 2026. The committee’s leaders, though, have said they think their work will be done earlier.

Musk said on X that DOGE will complete its goals « much faster, » and Ramaswamy told Fox News that « people will be surprised by, I think, how quickly we’re able to move with some of those changes. » To complete its work, DOGE plans to employ « a lean team of small-government minded crusaders » that works closely with the Office of Management and Budget, according to the leaders’ opinion piece.

They’ve hinted at abolishing Daylight Savings Time and other initiatives

Though posts on X don’t equate to an official DOGE plan, Musk and Ramaswamy have both posted about other things they might tackle in their roles, some of which would require Congressional approval.

Musk has posted about abolishing Daylight Savings Time, continued spending in Afghanistan, and « fake jobs » in the government.

Ramaswamy said in his own posts that DOGE could be used to address subsidies from the CHIPS Act, DEI efforts at universities, and how the federal government buys technology services.

• Waymo One’s robotaxis could threaten Uber and Lyft drivers’ earnings if they get access to airports.
• Airport rides are among the most profitable trips for human drivers.
• Waymo One is offering airport trips in Phoenix and is awaiting approval in other markets.

If Waymo One’s robotaxis continue expanding to airports, human ride-hailing drivers could see their incomes take a big hit.

Airport trips are « incredibly important » for ride-hailing drivers, particularly those who work near cities with major airports, said Lindsey Cameron, an assistant professor of management — whose research focuses on AI and gig work — at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She added that airport pickups can be especially profitable because those rides often have higher fares, which are driven by strong customer demand.

« Those are the most lucrative rides, » she said. « You’ve got a captive audience who wants to go home, and so they’re willing to pay. »

Many Uber and Lyft drivers have told BI their gigs are already less profitable than they were a few years ago — due, in part, to an increase in competition from both human and robot drivers. The threat of robotaxis further chipping away at their business has put some of them on edge.

Nicole Moore, a part-time Lyft driver and the president of the driver advocacy group Rideshare Drivers United, said that in the last couple of weeks, she’s seen a significant uptick in concern from LA-based drivers about the impacts of robotaxis on their earnings. In November, Waymo One began offering rides to the public in Los Angeles.

« You put more drivers on the street — whether they’re robot drivers or people — everybody makes less money, » she said, adding, « We’re thankful they’re not in the airport yet. »

Waymo One, which is owned by Alphabet, is the only company operating autonomous vehicles at US airports, Waymo told BI. It’s also the biggest autonomous taxi service in the US: In October, the company said it was providing more than 100,000 weekly paid rides in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix. Additionally, the company announced this fall it will offer rides to the public in the Atlanta and Austin markets early next year and in Miami in 2026.

While Waymo One airport trips are available in Phoenix —and the company has approval to begin pilot testing at the Austin airport — robotaxis are still restricted from airports in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In these cities, approval for airport rides would come from groups that oversee the airports’ operations.

The experts BI spoke to said it’s unclear if and when robotaxis will receive widespread approval for airport trips in the markets they’re operating.

Spokespeople for Los Angeles World Airports and the Airport Commission for San Francisco International Airport told BI there is no estimated timeline for when Waymo One will receive approval, but the groups are monitoring the robotaxi’s progress.

The LAWA spokesperson said the airport can experience significant curbside congestion and that for driverless taxis to gain airport approval, they would need to operate safely and efficiently and not impact the airport’s current commercial and private vehicle operations. The Airport Commission spokesperson said driverless taxis would need to demonstrate the ability to operate on freeways and in communities near the airport and ensure they could safely meet the needs of customers.

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Waymo is pushing for airport expansion in the US

Waymo told BI that it’s providing thousands of trips each week to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the most popular destination for its riders in the city. The company also said it’s in active discussions with San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport about expanding its fleet to these airports, but didn’t give BI a timeline for when it expects to receive approvals.

The company added that it was granted approval to provide robotaxi trips on freeways in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin, but that it hasn’t begun offering those rides to the public yet: Access to these trips is currently limited to Waymo’s employees in San Francisco and Phoenix.

A spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport told BI that the airport would monitor Waymo One’s pilot testing before deciding whether to approve airport pickups.

Uber did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment, and Lyft said that its drivers have generally earned more on airport trips than on non-airport trips.

It’s not just drivers who are feeling the pinch from Waymo One’s expansions. GM announced on December 11 that it was retreating from the robotaxi business « given the considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business, along with an increasingly competitive robotaxi market. »

Meanwhile, on December 5, shares of Uber and Lyft traded lower after Waymo announced it was expanding to Miami.

To be sure, Waymo isn’t the only company rolling out robotaxis: Tesla and the Amazon-owned Zoox are also developing their own versions of a robotaxi.

Airport trips are some drivers’ ‘bread and butter’

Moore said that airport trips aren’t as profitable for drivers as they used to be, but that they remain important.

« They have been our bread and butter for many, many years, » she said.

Jason D., a 50-year-old driver in Phoenix, told BI he does more airport trips than any other type of ride — in part because he drives an Uber XL vehicle that has the space for luggage and multiple passengers. He said competing with Waymo One at airports and elsewhere has hurt his earnings.

« Driverless taxis are flooding an already competitive Phoenix market and taking money from human drivers, » Jason D, who drives full-time for Uber and asked that his last name not be included for fear of professional repercussions, previously told BI. He added that Waymo One’s cars also contribute to significant congestion at the airport because they don’t know how to follow traffic officers’ hand and voice commands.

Sergio Avedian, a part-time Uber and Lyft driver based in the Los Angeles area and senior contributor to the gig-driver-advocacy blog and YouTube channel The Rideshare Guy, told BI that airport drop-offs tend to be quick, pay relatively well, and often come with a tip.

In comparison, doing airport pickups can require drivers at major airports to wait in designated lots until a passenger books a ride. Avedian said this process can be frustrating, but that airport pickups often pay better than drop-offs because the fares are higher — which is why some drivers think they’re worth the wait.

« You have a chance of maybe catching a ‘unicorn,' » he said, referring to the highest-paying trips. He added that many airport riders are business travelers who can expense their trips and are therefore less likely to balk at a high fare or not tip.

While robotaxis are already operating in the LA market, Avedian isn’t overly concerned about robotaxis impact on drivers’ earnings in the short term. But he knows the clock is ticking.

« Long-term, definitely it’s going to be a threat, and that’s why we suggest everybody not treat Uber and Lyft driving as a career, » he previously told BI.

If more airports approve robotaxis, Moore said she hopes riders will value the customer service humans provide.

« Customers often expect you to put their luggage in the trunk — is the robotaxi going to do that? »

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• Costco said it’s seeing a boost in meat and produce sales.
• Costco’s finance chief said in the Q1 2025 earnings call that there was a shift toward « food at home. »
• The retailer posted strong growth this quarter, with sales increasing 7.5% from the year before.

Americans are swapping dinners out for nights in, Costco said in its 2025 first-quarter results.

« I would say that we are seeing what we think is a little bit of a shift from food away from home to food at home, » Costco’s finance chief, Gary Millerchip, said in the company’s Q1 2025 earnings call on Thursday.

He said the trend was « certainly reflected in strong meat and produce sales. »

Customers showed a « gravitation towards those lower price per pound items across categories like poultry cuts of beef and pork as well, » he said.

He added that international food items, such as « Synear pork soup dumplings, Sona Masoori Rice, and Hot Pot Beef Sliced Rolls, » were also seeing « strong momentum. »

The wholesale chain, which operates on a membership model, reported a strong quarter. It reported $60.99 billion in sales, an increase of 7.5% from the previous year.

Membership numbers increased by 7.2% compared to last year, with Costco ending the quarter with almost 139 million membership cardholders.

The company’s stock is up nearly 50% since the start of the year.

Costco’s comments on Americans’ dining habits echo those made by other fast food chains and grocery retailers this year. They come as inflation and high food prices leave Americans looking for ways to save on costs.

« Consumers are choosing to stay at home or look for cheaper alternatives than more expensive sit-down restaurants, » Jefferies analysts wrote in a July note.

The CFO of McDonald’s told analysts at the UBS Global Consumer and Retail Conference in March that lower-income consumers « are just choosing to eat at home more often. »

In June, the fast food chain launched a $5 value meal to try to win back some customers. Its rivals, Taco Bell and Burger King, quickly followed suit.

And the country’s largest grocer, Walmart, told CNBC in May that the rising price of eating out has pushed more people into its stores to buy groceries.

« It’s roughly 4.3 times more expensive to eat out than it is to eat at home, » Walmart’s finance chief, John David Rainey, told CNBC. « And that’s benefiting our business. »

Costco didn’t respond to a request for comment.

• Boeing has delayed its Air Force One delivery to 2029.
• That means the new planes likely won’t be delivered until after the end of Trump’s second term in office.
• The $3.9 billion deal with Boeing has faced multiple setbacks since 2018.

Boeing’s delivery delays are hurting President-elect Donald Trump’s dreams of flying on a new Air Force One jet.

The project to build two new jets is so behind schedule that Boeing has told the US Air Force it expects to deliver the planes in 2029 or later, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. This means the planes may be ready only after the conclusion of Trump’s second term.

In 2015, the Air Force chose Boeing to build two new planes to replace its aging 747 presidential fleet. In 2018, the planemaker and the Trump Administration agreed to pay $3.9 billion for the planes.

Boeing initially expected to deliver the first new 747 in late 2024. But problems including a bankrupt supplier forced the company to reschedule its first plane delivery to 2026, and the second for early 2027. Both deliveries have now been pushed to 2029.

Trump is frustrated with the delays and has been asking his team about the status of the planes, the Journal reported.

The current Air Force Ones are white and light blue, as has been tradition since the John F. Kennedy administration.

In 2019, Trump said the « baby blue doesn’t fit with us » and said he wanted a dark blue, white, and red plane. The design was rejected after a thermal study found the dark blue color could emit additional heat and would need more tests.

A difficult time for Boeing

The agreement Trump and Boeing signed in 2018 is a fixed-price agreement, which makes the planemaker responsible for any cost overruns. Trump negotiated the deal and threatened to cancel the contract if it went above $3.9 billion.

The delays have cost Boeing over $2 billion and have raised total project costs to around $5.3 billion.

In 2022, then-CEO David Calhoun called the Air Force One project a « very unique set of risks that Boeing probably shouldn’t have taken. »

Boeing has faced a series of challenges in recent months.

In September, 33,000 Boeing workers went on strike. The walkout lasted nearly two months and left Boeing with a backlog of around 5,400 commercial aircraft worth roughly $428 billion. The strike ended in early November after the planemaker agreed to raise wages by 38% over four years. The manufacturer is also hurting from Federal Aviation Administration shutdowns after a series of accidents and complaints.

To recover from those losses, Boeing on Thursday said that it plans to spend $1 billion over the next five years to increase production of its 787 Dreamliner and meet an earlier output target of 10 planes a month by 2026.

Representatives for Boeing, the US Air Force, and Trump’s transition team did not respond to a request for comment.