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Picture this: Youre in a Zoom meeting discussing quarterly KPIs while simultaneously remembering its pajama day at school, mentally adding juice boxes to the grocery list, and wondering if your oldest child ever finished that social studies project on global warming. Spoiler alert: He did not. Welcome to the mental load. Its the uniquely infuriating traffic jam taking place in the brain of working parents everywhere. They end up managing not just their jobs, but their familys entire logistics operation with no staff, no overtime, and zero institutional memory. This is the invisible work behind the visible work. Not just doing things, but remembering, anticipating, organizing, and emotionally absorbing them. Its the difference between make the doctors appointment and realize child number two hasnt had a tetanus booster since 2017, locate the pediatricians number, find time between meetings, send calendar invites, and prep child so they dont scream bloody murder when they realize why they are at the doctor. And its mostly moms dealing with this. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2015\/08\/erikaaslogo.png","headline":"Girl, Listen: A Guide to What Really Matters","description":"Ericka dives into the heat of modern motherhood, challenging the notion that personal identity must be sacrificed at the altar of parenting. ","substackDomain":"https:\/\/erickasouter.substack.com\/","colorTheme":"blue","redirectUrl":""}} A 2021 Pew Research Center report found that 74% of moms say they manage their kids schedules, compared to 22% of dads. And 78% or mothers say they are the ones responsible for household responsibilities. That includes remembering birthdays (even your in-laws), buying new socks before the old ones get holes, and knowing where every single thing in the house is. Its not that dads dont do anything. They do! Its just that moms are more likely to anticipate needs before they come up. You know, like gifted clairvoyants who can predict a lice outbreak just by glancing at a classroom newsletter. Why It Matters Mental load isnt just a little nuisance. Its a slow leak of cognitive energy. High mental load is linked to increased burnout, sleep problems, and feelings of resentment (shocking, I know). Its hard to be fully present at work or even mildly civil at home when your brain is running a 24/7 logistics hotline. So How Do We Fix It? I am going to skip the patronizing advice to just ask for help. Help implies the task was only yours to begin with. What you need is redistribution, accountability, and a few clever tactics. 1. Conduct a Mental Load Audit For one week, track every single task you do. Then share it with your partner, kids, or coworkers. And not passive-aggressively. Think of it as a performance review. This week, I coordinated three dentist appointments, fielded five school emails, replaced the printer ink, and planned four meals no one ate. How was your week? 2. Create a Cognitive Labor Budget If your household has a financial budget, you need one for mental tasks, too. Whos in charge of medical? Logistics? Emotional damage control? Divide and assign. Youre not being controlling; you are being efficient. The true definition of empowerment is when someone else remembers to send the camp deposit. 3. Use the One Free Fall Rule Let one ball drop. See what happens. Dont remind anyone to pack their gym clothes. Or spend 30 minutes trying to wake your grumpy teen. If disaster strikes, let it. Sometimes chaos is the only true motivator. Thats not sabotage. Thats professional developmentfamily style. 4. Replace Whats for Dinner? With a Rotating Chef Each week, assign someone else to meal planning. Not just the cooking. The planning. Including lunches. If you hear, Can we order in by Tuesday, congratulations. Youve proven your point. 5. Normalize saying, I Dont Do That Anymore. This isnt about giving up. Its about going sane. Youre allowed to say no to the PTA request to plan the spring benefit. Youre allowed to stop being the household stuff finder. You are allowed to NOT notice that the bathroom toilet paper hasnt been restocked. (Even though you did. Of course you did.) Shared accountability The solution to the mental load isnt a better planner, or a new app, or an extra hour in the day. Its shared accountability. And it starts with naming the load, claiming your time, and refusing to be the familys unpaid executive assistant. Because heres the thing: if no one else is worrying about the lunch boxes, the lice, or the PTA signup link thats closing in two hours, it might be time they started. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2015\/08\/erikaaslogo.png","headline":"Girl, Listen: A Guide to What Really Matters","description":"Ericka dives into the heat of modern motherhood, challenging the notion that personal identity must be sacrificed at the altar of parenting. ","substackDomain":"https:\/\/erickasouter.substack.com\/","colorTheme":"blue","redirectUrl":""}}
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E-Commerce
Today, one of the most anticipated initial public offerings of the year is happening. The collaborative design software platform Figma, Inc. is expected to debut on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Wall Street will closely watch the results of the listing as a bellwether for investors’ appetite in tech-focused offerings. Heres what you need to know about Figmas IPO. What is Figma? Figma is an online collaborative design software platform. It provides tools for designers to craft the user interfaces (UIs) that many of us come across every day, whether that be in the form of websites or app interfaces. Figma, Inc. was originally founded back in 2012 by Dylan Field and Evan Wallace. Their goal was to create an easy-to-use suite of online design tools that could be used in a web browser. Those tools have now been embraced by more than 95% of Fortune 500 companies and 78% of Forbes 2000 companies, according to Figmas Form S-1 Registration Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Companies including Microsoft, Netflix, Dropbox, Slack, The New York Times, Airbnb, Zoom, and many more use Figmas tools to design their interfaces. As Fast Company previously reported, Figma says it had $228.2 million in revenue for the first three months of 2025. It also reported $749 million in revenue in 2024. Currently, the company says it has more than 13 million monthly active users on its platform. It says that two-thirds of its users are non-designers. What has Figma said about its IPO? Many CEO letters that are published when a company goes public focus on how they believe the company is primed for growth and golden pastures ahead. But Figma CEO Dylan Fields letter is a bit different. In it, he talked about the positive potential impact that the worlds shift to AI will have on Figma and design in general. He spoke about how, when it comes to artificial intelligence, he believes that despite its recent advances, the technology is still in its MS-DOS era. The sentiment is reminiscent of Jeff Bezos’s original letter to shareholders in 1997, in which the Amazon founder famously said it was “Day 1 for the Internet.” Field didn’t make grandiose claims about how AI and Figmas future moves would lift the newly public stock. Quite the contrary. After stating that the benefits of taking Figma public included brand awareness, liquidity, and access to capital markets, he cautioned that such benefits did not automatically mean the stocks price would rise. Even if we execute perfectly (we wontno one ever does) markets wax and wane, Field wrote. In addition, you should know that while weve built an efficient business, our primary goal is not efficiency. Our goal is to achieve long-term growth by supporting the rapidly evolving needs of designers.” Field went on to say that investors should expect Figma to take big swings when it comes to investing in its platform and acquiring other companies. That means at times we will make decisions that may not seem immediately rational, he explained. And, while we always strive to exercise good judgement, sometimes we will make the wrong calls. If you decide to invest in Figma, we hope you will take a long-term view and stay patient . . . When is Figmas IPO? Figma priced its shares on Wednesday. It plans to list its stock today (Thursday, July 31, 2025). What is Figmas stock ticker? Figmas stock will trade under the ticker FIG. What exchange will Figma shares trade on? Figma shares will trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). What is the IPO share price of FIG? Figmas IPO price is $33 per share. As Fast Company previously reported, this is up significantly from the original target price range, which was $25 and $28 each. The IPO share price was then revised upwards again to between $30 and $32 each. Its final IPO share price of $33 per share suggests that there was more demand for FIG shares than the company and analysts originally thought. How many FIG shares are available in its IPO? According to a company press release, Figmas public offering consisted of 36,937,080 shares of Class A common stock in its IPO. Of those 36.9 million shares, almost 12.5 million of them were directly offered by Figma itself. About 24.5 million shares were offered by Figmas existing stockholders. Its important to note that Figma only received the proceeds from the 12.5 million shares it offered. The proceeds from the 24.5 million shares sold by existing Figma shareholders went directly to those shareholders themselves. How much did Figma raise in its IPO? Figma says it received approximately $1.22 billion in its IPO, according to Reuters. How much is Figma worth? At its $33 IPO share price, Figmas market cap is now valued at $19.34 billion on a fully diluted basis, Reuters notes. Thats nearly equal to the sum of $20 billion that Adobe offered to buy Figma for in 2023. Investors will be watching Figmas IPO closely Figma is just the latest tech company to go public this year, but Wall Street will be watching how investors react to its listing in order to determine the wider appetite for tech IPOs for the remainder of 2025. Thanks primarily to President Trumps chaotic tariffs, a lot of uncertainty has been injected into the markets in 2025. Uncertainty tends to drive investors away, which can lead to muted results for companies that choose to go public during such turbulent times. If FIG shares trade up significantly in the next few days and weeks, it could make more investors more comfortable with other tech IPOs in the months ahead. Other recent notable IPOs in 2025 have included Chime, Circle, Hinge Health, MNTN, and Slide.
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E-Commerce
New York-based cybersecurity company Reality Defender offers one of the top deepfake detection platforms for large enterprises. Now, the company is extending access to its platform to individual developers and small teams via an API, which includes a free tier offering 50 detections per month. With the API, developers can integrate commercial-grade, real-time deepfake detection into their sites or applications using just two lines of code. This functionality can support use cases such as fraud detection, identity verification, and content moderation, among others. The Reality Defender platform features a suite of custom AI models, each designed to detect different types of deepfakes in various ways. These models are trained on extensive datasets of known deepfake images and audio made using many different types of generative tools. What we’re doing now is saying you don’t need to be a big bank, you don’t need to have a bunch of developers, Reality Defender cofounder and CEO Ben Colman tells Fast Company. Anyone that’s building a social media platform, a video conferencing solution, a dating platform, professional networking, brand protectionall of them can now have deepfake and generative AI detection. The new Deepfake Detection API currently supports audio and image detection. But the company plans to expand coverage to additional modalities in the coming months. The detection system can identify visual deepfakes based not only on faces but also on other image features and the broader context in which the media appears. Deepfakes are a form of synthetic media created using artificial intelligence to produce convincing video, image, audio, or text representations of events that never occurred. These can be used to put sham words in a public figures mouth or to trick someone into sending money by mimicking a relatives voice. Global losses from deepfake-enabled fraud surpassed $200 million in the first quarter of 2025, according to a report by AI voice generation company Resemble AI. The most damaging uses of deepfakes include nonconsensual explicit content (such as revenge porn), scams and fraud, political manipulation, and misinformation. As generative AI tools advance, deepfakes are becoming increasingly difficult to detect. An unidentified imposter recently used a deepfake of Secretary of State Marco Rubios voice to place calls to at least five senior government officials. Colman says that as generative AI tools become more widespread and deepfakes more common, both consumers and businesses will likely start viewing protection against fake content much like they do protection against computer viruses or spam. The key difference, he adds, is that the tools required to create deepfakes are far more accessible than those needed to produce viruses or spam. There’s thousands of tools that are free, and there’s no regulation yet, Colman says. In other words, were likely just seeing the beginning of the deepfake era. It just gets worse from there for companies, consumers, countries, elections, Colman says. The risks are endless. Developers can access the new API and free tier starting today from the API page on the Reality Defender website.
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E-Commerce
In the current climate of economic volatility, changing workforce expectations, and ongoing systemic talent scarcity, the employertalent dynamic faces new challenges. But the latest data tells a different story: not of breakdown, but of opportunity. Workers across generations and industries arent walking away from the table; rather, theyre renegotiating what matters. Many are willing to reconsider previously hard-won benefitssuch as remote workif it means gaining more long-term value in return, like upskilling opportunities, time autonomy, and roles that align with their values. Its about reshaping the deal to reflect what talent sees as sustainable and future-proof. As CEO of the worlds leading talent company, I see this moment as an opportunity for recalibration toward a better way forward, which requires adapting leadership to one that listens and aligns with what matters most to peopleand businesstoday. The message from talent is that theyre prepared to compromise: not by adding more on top of existing benefits, but by rethinking what really matters. Traditional levers like salary and location are no longer enough on their own. Instead, talent are placing greater value on flexibility, purpose, development, and well-being. Here are four of the most important trade-offs every leader should understandand act on. Employability and growth: the new cornerstones of retention Across the board, workers are doubling down on long-term relevance. The value of remote work is no longer the top priority it once was, as 67% of respondents in the global survey say they now place greater importance on staying employable, and 52% would choose upskilling over the ability to work remotely. This shift signals a broader recalibration of what drives loyalty. Yes, inflation-linked raises still matter74% say theyre essentialbut theyre not enough. Nearly as many workers say that managerial support (68%) and alignment with company values (67%) are what keep them committed over the long term. In other words, talent want more than a paycheck. They want to be developed, supported, and connected to something meaningful. Employers who invest in future-focused learning and career support build trust and resilience. That trust is a powerful differentiator, whereas retention strategies that ignore these elements will fall short, especially as the market rebounds and mobility increases. Time has become the new currency Flexibility is evolving. Its no longer just about where we work; its about when: 59% of workers now say they would prefer time autonomy over a higher salary, and 56% prioritize it over location freedom. To stay competitive, companies need to think beyond set in stone on-site policies. Offering greater control over schedules, for instance through flexible shifts, compressed weeks, or self-managed hours, may become the differentiator in a tight labor market. Navigating the RTO conundrum But as the pendulum swings back toward on-site work, talent are clear about the terms. Among fully remote workers, 3 in 4 expect higher pay to return full-time to the office, almost the same (74%) require more flexibility over hours, and 66% seek additional leave in return for the RTO mandate. This doesnt mean employers cant bring people back. It means we need to make the business caseand the trade-offstransparent. Purpose, autonomy, and support must be part of the equation. Well-being matters more than ever Well-being cannot be overlooked. Three out of five workers are willing to accept a lower paying job for a less stressful roleand 40% have already taken that step. Even as talent place greater emphasis on employability, flexibility, and long-term career growth, one theme cuts across all priorities: well-being still matters deeply. The desire for meaningful work and sustainable careers cant be met in high-stress environments. The takeaway for leaders is that supporting well-being is a strategic lever for retention. Organizations that identify and remove stressors at the sourcefrom workload pressures to rigid systemswill be better positioned to attract and keep their best people. A moment to lead with clarity and care As the world and our markets navigate exceptional challenges, this crucial moment requires something from both employers and talent. The traditional dynamics of give-and-take have evolved, with people standing ready to make trade-offs. But understandably, they want clarity, consistency, and commitment in return. Im of the view that organizations that strike that balancebetween what business needs and what people wantwill be the ones that thrive. That means leading with a long-term view. Investing in employability. Reducing friction. Valuing time. And building trust at every turn. Talent is not asking for all demands to be met. They are asking us, as leaders, to be trusted partners.
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E-Commerce
In a former cattle field in rural central Texas, a startup called Starfront has quietly built what it claims is the worlds largest remote telescope observatory by number of scopes.The facility houses more than 400 telescopes, most of which belong to Starfronts customershobbyist astronomers and space-focused businesses who pay for scope-docking space in one of the companys 11 observatory buildings. Essentially, its a data center for the night sky: Customers ship their telescope, camera equipment, and a mini PC to the site, where Starfront staff install it on a dedicated pier. Once set up, customers can log in over the internet to aim their lenses at stars, planets, or galaxiesall from a location with clear skies and minimal light pollution.We want to provide the opportunity for people to enjoy space on their own terms, says cofounder and CEO Josh Kim. You could be driven by the desire to participate in scientific discovery, or you might really just want to take pretty amazing pictures that are awe-inspiring and that you can share with your friends and family.[Photo: Courtesy of Starfront Observatories]Starfronts cofounders include engineer-turned-space-photographer Bray Falls and serial entrepreneurs Kim, Dustin Gibson, and Nate Hanks, all of whom have space-sector experience. They launched the company about a year ago after realizing how many high-end telescopes sit idle, as enthusiasts struggle with urban light pollution and limited time to travel to dark-sky locations.Those telescopes that were bought with such excitement and passion are usually just collecting dust in peoples closets, Kim says.Even those with the time and money to travel often encounter bad weather or technical issues. Its not unusual for the owner of a new telescope to spend their first few nights gazing down at cryptic error messages instead of up at the sky, as they struggle to integrate telescopes, accessories, and the computers that control them, Kim says. Starfront offers an alternative: Customers ship their scopes to the companys fully built-out site, complete with retractable roofs, high-speed fiber internet, and other amenities. The roughly 10-person team handles setup so that equipment is ready to scan the skies every clear night.Typically, five or six staff members work on-site (often living in company RVs) at the location about 90 minutes from Abilene. Balancing nighttime observing with daytime business operations can be tough. Sleep is a hard thing to come by in this particular business and in this particular hobby, Kim says. The company hopes to hire more locally to improve the workload.[Photo: Courtesy of Starfront Observatories]For customers, many of whom connect on Starfronts Discord server, the experience can feel like a star party nearly every clear night, Kim says. There, enthusiasts trade advice on everything from international telescope shipping to astrophotography techniques. Starfront has even coordinated group imaging sessions in which dozens of customers photograph the same part of the sky at once, effectively combining their equipment into a single, higher-resolution, distributed-aperture telescope. Falls has posted images from these efforts on social media, and Kim expects customers will eventually organize such projects on their own.Miami-based astrophotographer Carlos Garcia uses the Discord to share tips for the Seestar, a compact, easy-to-use digital telescope. He posts remotely captured images and videos from Starfronts site to his website, YouTube, and social channels. Garcia first learned of Starfront through Falls posts and later shipped a Seestar and Mac Mini to Texas, where skies are clearer than in his hometown. He now controls the telescope using remote desktop software.One big question I got about the observatory is if we have ever pointed all the scopes at one spot? The answer is yes!This is the result of one such effort, 1650 hours of exposure in Ursa Major! pic.twitter.com/IPt9Cyh7Xp Bray Falls (@astrofalls) July 10, 2025The amount of time that I can spend imaging with the Seestar is substantially higher than if I were to try to image from Miami, Garcia says.When Garcia joined Starfront, the companys lowest hosting plan cost $150 per month. Since then, Starfront has introduced a $99 plan specifically for Seestars. Prices are based on a telescopes swing diameter, and the company has developed a system to maximize real estate while ensuring scopes can rotate freely without colliding.[Photo: Courtesy of Starfront Observatories]Although Starfront didnt invent the remote observatory, it has scaled the concept dramatically while undercutting competitors on price and outdoing them on flexibility. The company builds everything in-house, from mounting piers to the weather-tracking software that controls its roofs, Kim says.[Photo: Courtesy of Starfront Observatories]Starfront is fully bootstrapped and relies on monthly fees for steady cash flow. Soon, it plans to offer telescope rentals alongside pier rentals, likely starting with Seestars, to make the hobby more accessible. Shorter-term rentals are unlikelyvariable weather and moon phases complicate schedulingbut Kim says some customers may choose to sublet access to their hosted equipment.Longer term, the company hopes to expand to the Southern Hemisphere, opening up a completely different set of constellations and galaxies. Starting in the United States, with the largest amateur astronomy market, was a natural choice, Kim says, but even U.S. astronomy buffs are eager to see what they can capture from across the Equator.
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E-Commerce
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