EBay launched an incubator program in March dubbed Retail Revival to help about 100 small US merchants boost their sales by incorporating e-commerce. Participant 7th Floor Clothing in Akron, Ohio, has seen sales rise, and its online store now generates 70% of sales of its signature product, said co-founder Frank Miller III.
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who died Monday, invested in an eclectic mix of startups, owned sports teams such as the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers, and supported a myriad of causes after leaving Microsoft in 1983, writes Harry McCracken. "He didn't have a second act after Microsoft; he had dozens of them, and that relentless quest adds up to a sizable chunk of his legacy," writes McCracken.
Colleges and universities can improve student outcomes by implementing a "purpose first" philosophy that focuses on providing career assessments and guided pathways to help students prepare for the workforce, according to a report from Complete College America. CCA official Dhanfu Elston says it's vitally important for low-income and first-generation students to have career information integrated into their studies.
The US budget deficit reached $779 billion in fiscal 2018, a 17% increase compared with fiscal 2017 and the biggest total in six years. Revenue increased only $14 billion because of tax cuts enacted by the Trump administration.
⋅ Forbes
In-N-Out Burger has stayed true to its minimalist menu, gradual pace of expansion and family-run corporate structure, with the founders' granddaughter as president and every store owned by the company. That in-house mentality extends to each location, as the average In-N-Out manager has more than 15 years' experience, a six-figure salary and part of the profits.
While it took only 55 days on average to identify data breaches in the health care sector, compared with 197 days among all organizations, health care organizations took 1,037 days on average to contain a data breach, an IBM survey has found. The survey also found that just 1% of data breaches were attributed to health care organizations, compared with 16% in financial services, 14% in manufacturing and 13% in technology.
McCann's new 60-second ad for Nespresso, "The Quest," stars George Clooney as a medieval knight and also features actor Natalie Dormer. The global campaign includes an additional 30-second spot and social content that delves into the stories of the people who bring the coffee to market.
Best Buy has grown its home appliance market share in recent years, and this week's bankruptcy filing by Sears could bring the electronics retailer even more big-ticket sales. The retailer has expanded its appliance offerings since buying Pacific Kitchen and Home in 2006, and it now sells upscale brands including Viking.
In the largest settlement to date for a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act breach, Anthem will pay the federal government $16 million for its 2015 breach that affected almost 79 million people. Data targeted included Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses and names.
⋅ Politico
HHS Secretary Alex Azar today is set to deliver a speech addressing the administration's efforts to reduce drug prices, and sources say a rule requiring pharmaceutical firms to include drug pricing information in advertisements could be part of the plan. Drugmakers are opposed to the idea, saying it would deter patients from obtaining necessary care and raise legal issues.
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against California after Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that reinstates net neutrality rules the Federal Communications Commission voted in December 2017 to repeal. The department is seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the California law from taking effect Jan. 1, with US Attorney General Jeff Sessions emphasizing that "states do not regulate interstate commerce."
Environmental concerns related to increased congestion are being raised about a $3 billion expansion and upgrade of San Diego International Airport. The scrutiny could cause a slight rewrite of the project's environmental impact report, which officials say is no longer on track to be completed by the end of 2018.
The American energy trade gap has diminished considerably over the past 10 years, with the value of energy imports only about 1.5 times higher than exports in 2017, compared with the 2003-2007 period when imports were running 10 times greater than exports in value, according to the US Census Bureau. Crude oil is still the biggest energy import into the US, while petroleum products represent the primary export at 70% of the total value of 2017's US energy exports.
A survey by The GO Group LLC found 48% of air travelers are somewhat distressed about Wi-Fi security, and 19% are very concerned. The survey found 25% of travelers aren't concerned about Wi-Fi security, and 9% hadn't considered the issue.
Southwest Airlines will add a daily nonstop flight between New Orleans' Louis Armstrong International Airport and New York City's LaGuardia Airport starting Nov. 4. In April, Southwest will resume seasonal service from New Orleans to Cancun, Mexico, as well as Sunday flights to San Jose, Calif.