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Dubai, the go-to destination for influencers, is now doubling down on its biggest market with the launch of its very own influencer academy. Jointly funded by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and a travel content creation agency, the Beautiful Destinations Academy offers three months of social media training for students, aimed at bolstering Dubais tourism industry. The academy is still accepting applications for four budding influencers, who will be paid to travel and live in the city starting next month. A promotional video by Beautiful Destinations describes the program as an elite training environment where we invest in you to support Dubais unparalleled vision for the future of tourism. Successful applicants will typically train five days a week, with modules covering photography and cinematography, editing and color grading, sound effects, AI tools, industry regulations, and professional development as a travel content creator. At the end of the course, students will receive a certificate from Dubai College of Tourism, with the really special ones offered a full-time job at Beautiful Destinations. All expenses, including flights and accommodation in a luxury serviced apartment, are covered, along with a livable income for the three-month program. Students will also have access to shoot at some of Dubais most stunning and exclusive locations, normally reserved for celebrities and royalty. Jeremy Jauncey, CEO and founder of Beautiful Destinations, told The Independent: I want to share what Ive learned with the next generation and give others the chance to experience the coolest career in the world. And theres no better city than Dubaiwhich has inspired Beautiful Destinations creators since our earliest daysto do this in. You dont need to be an expert to applywere looking for raw, hidden talent. He added: We want to equip young people with the skills to build a solid future in travel content creation, to take advantage of this fast-growing sector. You dont need expensive equipment or formal training just a desire to turn your social media hobby into a dream career. Issam Kazim, chief executive of Visit Dubai, told The Times UK that the academys launch is a testament to our commitment to fostering creativity, innovation and excellence in the tourism sector. Dubai welcomed a record 18.72 million international visitors last year and recently introduced the “golden visa” (a new visa that allows influencers to live in the UAE sponsorship-free), along with a Dhs 150 million (about $40 million in USD) government support fund to aid influencers. Given that over half of Gen Zers aspire to be influencers, where better to make that happen than the influencer hotspot of the world? Applicants must upload a 60-second video on travel culture or adventure on Instagram, tag @BeautifulDestinations @VisitDubai #BDacademy, and complete an online form before April 24 to be considered for the first cohort.
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E-Commerce
Mel Robbinss best-selling book, The Let Them Theory, has captured the imagination of millions of people, earning critical acclaim and resonating deeply with those seeking peace in a chaotic world. The core premise is simple yet powerful: let people be who they are, let them make their own choices, and most importantly, dont waste your energy trying to change others. Its a philosophy of radical acceptancean invitation to stop being burdened by the expectations, behaviors, and opinions of those around us.At first glance, this mindset seems liberating. Who wouldnt want to shed the weight of trying to control the uncontrollable? In a time where burnout is rampant and people are constantly drained by personal and professional obligations, the Let Them philosophy offers a reprievea way to step back and prioritize emotional well-being.And yet, as compelling as this idea may be, it raises an important question: Is letting them always the right approach? The Appeal of Letting Go Theres undeniable wisdom in Robbinss message. Far too many people spend their lives tangled in the choices and behaviors of others, investing enormous emotional energy in situations they have no real power to change. Parents stress over grown childrens choices. Friends stay in draining relationships, hoping people will evolve. Professionals lose sleep over colleagues attitudes and behaviors.In these cases, Robbinss philosophy is a wake-up call: Stop trying to fix what isnt yours to fix. Let them.Let them be irresponsible. Let them be distant. Let them succeed, let them fail. Let them love you or walk away. Let them hold on to outdated beliefs. Let them go down a path you dont agree with. The argument is that by surrendering control over others, you reclaim control over yourselfyour happiness, your peace, your emotional freedom.Its an enticing philosophy, and for certain moments in life, its the exact right thing to do. But what happens when letting go becomes an excuse for disengagement? What happens when let them is applied too broadly? When ‘Let Them’ Becomes an Excuse If Let Them is about relinquishing control over what we cannot change, then where does that leave the things we can change? What about the injustices in our world? What about the relationships that are worth fighting for? What about the responsibilities we carry toward our families, our communities, our workplaces?There are times in life when letting them isnt the right answerwhen stepping back is an abdication of responsibility, not a path to freedom. If a colleague is sabotaging team morale, do you simply let them? If a friend is struggling with self-destruction, do you let them spiral? If a system is broken, do you let it stay that way?The truth is, some things are worth our time and effort. Some battles are worth fighting. Some people are worth engaging with, even if change isnt immediate or easy. To withdraw entirely under the banner of Let them is to risk apathy in moments that require action. A Luxury Not Everyone Can Afford Then theres another realityLet Them is a philosophy that, in some ways, is easier for those who have already secured success, influence, or financial stability.For a young professional trying to establish a career, the idea of simply letting things happen may not be practical. For parents raising children, letting them doesnt always workyou cant let a child make every decision unchecked. For leaders steering a company, a community, or a movement, stepping back at the wrong moment can mean failure, chaos, or even harm.The ability to disengage from unnecessary drama is a privilege, one that grows more accessible with financial independence, career success, and age. Its no coincidence that many of the most enthusiastic adopters of this philosophy are those who have already reached a place where they can afford to say, Time is precious. I wont waste it.In fact, this may be the true strength of Let Themnot as a universal directive, but as a philosophy particularly well-suited for those in the later stages of life. For those who have already built their careers, raised their children, fought their battles, and established their reputations, Let Them can be a tool for cutting away unnecessary distractions and spending their remaining years in peace.But for those still climbing, still building, still fighting? Let them might not always be the right answer. Be Selective, Then Commit So where does this leave us? If we reject a total embrace of Let Them, do we go back to exhausting ourselves in battles we cannot win? Do we spend our lives trying to fix people who dont want to be fixed?Of course not.The balance lies in discernmentin knowing when to let go and when to lean in. Not every battle is worth fighting, but some are. Not every relationship is worth saving, but some are. Not every system is worth engaging with, but some demand our full attention.The key isnt to detach from everything but to be highly selective about where you invest your energy. And once you decide something is worth your time, you dont go halfwayyou go all in.Ive never been one to do things halfway. I dont believe in a life of passive observation. I believe in engagement, in purpose, in fighting for what matters. And while I agree that some thingssome peopleare best left to their own devices, I also know that meaningful change requires effort. If everyone simply let them, where would progress come from? Lead Them Theres real value in Let Them, but like all philosophies, its not one-size-fits-all. It works best when applied strategicallywhen used to free ourselves from unnecessary burdens while still engaging with the things that truly matter.For those in the final chapters of life, those who have earned the right to be selective, it may be a mantra of peace. But for those still in the fightbuilding, growing, leading, advocatingthe call isnt to let go entirely. The call is to choose wisely, and when the moment demands it, to step in fully.Because sometimes, the answer isnt Let Them. Sometimes, the answer is Lead Them.
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E-Commerce
It has taken a little over five months and has been anticipated for several weeks, but it now appears increasingly likely that the bromance between Elon Musk and Donald Trump is nearing its end. Musk is reportedly planning to step down from his role overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). During Teslas latest earnings call this week, Musk said, my time allocation to DOGE will drop significantly next monththough he noted that he still intends to dedicate some time to government issues going forward. The announcement came as Tesla reported surprisingly poor results, and Musks pivot appeared to serve as a parachute for a business in freefall. Following his remarks and amid expectations that he would now refocus on Tesla, the companys share price rose. This was an off-ramp for Musk out of the Trump White House, says Dan Ives, managing director and senior equity research analyst at Wedbush Securities. The global brand damage, political firestorm, and perfect storm chaos over the past few months will now end this volatile political chapter for Musk. What Musks departure means for the quasi-governmental agency hes leaving behind remains uncertain. Trump has heavily promoted the potential cost savings DOGE would deliver to U.S. taxpayersthough it’s unclear whether Musks actions have genuinely produced the savings touted by the administration. If Trump hasn’t got bored with DOGE, theres still a chance that he might send a check to voters with a nominal saving, says Bruce Daisley, a former Twitter executive. He’s never expressed much interest in the midterms, so its possible this won’t be of interest by then. Cary Cooper, professor of organizational psychology at the University of Manchester, believes Trump will continue DOGEs work by appointing another entrepreneur or business titan to lead the agency. Hell appoint another business guy, no question about it, he says. Any new head of DOGE may not feel bound by Musks infamous five things email, which demanded government workers justify their roles by reporting five achievements from the past week. Still, Cooper believes the mission will carry on. It may have been Musk who led the way, but I think Trump wants that to happen as well, because he perceives the civil service to be left of center, Cooper says. DOGE remains Trumps tool for pushing that agenda. As for the businesses Musk is returning to, opinions are divided. Teslas reputationand share pricehave suffered amid sweeping layoffs and controversial decisions that have impacted many American families. Ives and Wedbush Securities believe Musks stint in government and his perceived callousness will reduce long-term demand for Teslas electric vehicles by as much as 10%. (Musk did not respond to Fast Company‘s request for comment.) Still, despite Tesla’s recent financial setbacksincluding a near-10% drop in revenueIves remains optimistic about the company’s future. This was the time to close one dark chapter and open a brighter one for the Tesla story, with autonomous and robotics front and center, he says. Some view Musks exit from government and return to the private sector as a strategic move to salvage his personal brand. His brand is damaged, Cooper says. He is seen as an extreme right-wing person who cares nothing except about helping the wealthy like him to survive. While Musk may have held such views for years, it was his highly visible government role that solidified them in the public eye. Because of that, the challenges facing the entrepreneur and worlds richest man are only growing. But Musk has faced crises beforeand is likely to try everything to turn things around. Musk is almost certain to try to pull a rabbit out of a hat of merging xAI with Tesla to position Tesla as an AI business, Daisley says. There’s a much bigger multiple [there], and his talk of robotics gives another horizon to chase rather than the EV one that he’s currently losing ground on.
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E-Commerce
The AI revolution is redefining business and tech leadershipand no one is standing more squarely on the front lines than product leaders. Once seen as a behind-the-scenes role, the CPO is now one of the most powerful voices in the executive suite. In 2020, only 4% of the Fortune 1000 had a CPO, a number that has since ballooned to almost 50%. In the next few years, we expect to see that figure grow to 70%. At Products That Count, the nonprofit for product managers I chair, weve spent the past year talking to almost 1,000 CPOs at companies ranging from startup unicorns to Fortune 100 giants like Salesforce, Walmart, and Microsoft. What weve heard is clear: The organizations that are winning with AI arent just using it to move faster. Theyre rethinking how product is fundamentally built, who builds itand who leads the charge. Heres what the top product leaders are doing differently to get and stay ahead in the AI era. 1. They see AI as acceleration, not just automation While headlines focus on job replacement, leading CPOs are focused on capability expansion. Theyre not asking, How can we do the same work with fewer people? Theyre asking, How can we build something completely new and disruptive in a fraction of the time it used to take? One CPO at a global retailer told us that PMs using their internal generative AI platform are almost doubling their efficiency. These AI-powered product managers are running competitive research, generating specs, mocking up interfaces, and even writing basic codewithout waiting for a 10-person engineering team to get looped in. This shift is also reshaping org charts. The once-standard 10-to-1 engineer-to-PM ratio is giving way to a new reality where PMs are full-stack strategists. AI isnt replacing the workforceits supercharging it. 2. Theyre hiring business builders, not tech nerds Todays most effective PMs arent former engineers. Theyre high-context thinkers who know how to ask the right questions, not necessarily write the code themselves. A computer science background was pretty important 20 years ago, one B2B SaaS CPO told us. Now? Only one of my PMs has one. This new breed of generalist Super PM blends product instinct, customer obsession, and AI fluency. Theyre cross-functional by design and comfortable leading without a road map. And theyre rising fast because they can adapt fast and they deliver business value right off the bat. 3. M&A is central to their strategy Product velocity has become the currency of innovationand most CPOs know they cant build everything in-house. More than 75% of the CPOs we surveyed say M&A will be a critical growth driver in the next one to three years. But unlike in the past, product leaders arent just involved after the deal closestheyre often the ones scouting, evaluating, and sponsoring acquisitions. As one healthcare CPO put it, AI and data are fast becoming the central focus. M&A will be critical to assembling that solution suite. Another said, As CPO, Im the sponsor of acquisitions. That shiftfrom M&A as a finance function to M&A as product accelerationmarks a massive evolution in how CPOs are expected to operate. 4. Theyre obsessively focused on success metrics Revenue still matters. As Checkr CPO Ilan Frank told us, At the end of the day, most of us are working for a for-profit company. If that’s the case, then the metric is profit. That’s what we’re here to drive. Particularly when assessing how to implement and leverage AI, product leaders are keenly aware of the bottom line. And they know that revenue and profit are not the only numbers that tell the story. Todays top CPOs are expanding their focus to include metrics like time-to-value, customer retention, and long-term engagement. Theyre not just looking at quarterly ARRtheyre looking at how quickly customers see value, and how long they stick around once they do. That shift isnt just philosophical. Its structural. It encourages smaller, faster product experiments, tighter feedback loops, and stronger cross-functional alignment. As Frank put it, NPS wont tell me if we have the right pricing or packaging, but time-to-value will. Defining the AI Era All told, product leaders are winning the AI era by working smarter, not harder. Theyre moving fastbut not just by working more. Theyre reimagining what the product function can be: a strategic growth engine, a talent magnet, and a seat at the very top of the company. Theyre prioritizing adaptability over pedigree, collaboration over control, and outcomes over ownership. Rather than stripping down head counts, theyre doubling down by investing in more generalists and product professionals to keep their feet on the accelerators. Theyre blending human instinct with AI horsepowerand building teams that can ship smarter, not just faster. The companies that empower this kind of leadership arent just navigating the AI era. Theyre defining it.
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E-Commerce
Branded is a weekly column devoted to the intersection of marketing, business, design, and culture. This week Chipotle Mexican Grill announced plans to crack a market that already has plenty of Mexican-food options: Mexico. Specifically, the Colorado-founded, California-based burrito concern said it would work with Mexican firm Alseawhich operates Latin American and European locations of various chains, including Starbucks, Dominos Pizza, and Burger Kingto begin opening Chipotle restaurants in Mexico by early 2026. Its a confident move at a time when many fast-casual chains are struggling, and businesses in general are scrambling to game the fallout from the Trump administrations ever-evolving tariff regime. On Wednesday Chipotle posted mixed results for the first quarter of 2025 that it attributed mostly to economic headwinds as consumers remain cautious about spending in the volatile trade atmosphere: Comparable-store sales are slightly down, and the revenue of $2.88 billion fell slightly short of analyst estimates. Still, the chains quarterly revenue was up 6.4% over last year, thanks mostly to opening new locationsand expansion abroad is one way it says it will continue that strategy. Chipotle currently has more than 3,700 locations, and while most are in the U.S., it also has a presence in Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, and the Middle East. In short, the chain clearly seems focused on international growth. [Photo: Chipotle] Still, while plenty of U.S. restaurant brands have gone global, selling an Americanized version of local cuisines hasnt always played out well. Dominos Pizza spent several years trying to hook Italians on its speedily delivered pies before concluding that infiltrating one of the worlds proudest culinary cultures wasnt going to happen. And in a more direct comparison to Chipotles plans, Taco Bell has made two attempts to sell an American version of Mexican food to actual Mexicans. Both fizzled. Taco Bells first venture into Mexico began in 1992, when it already had thousands of U.S. locations but relatively few abroad. The problems, according to a Vice timeline of the chains Mexican forays from 2017, included a mismatch between its menu offerings and the expectations of Mexican diners: Crisp-shelled tacos were an anomaly there, for instance, and had to be rebranded as tacostadas in an attempt to reference tostada crunch. The bigger problem may have been a lack of demandlike bringing ice to Antarctica as one Mexican cultural critic put it at the time. Within two years, the chain withdrew. It tried again in 2007, this time opening in a higher-end shopping mall (next to a Dairy Queen) near Monterrey and making no particular attempt to be authentic, even keeping french fries on the menu. As one Taco Bell marketing executive put it, the chain would not pretend to be Mexican food. It would simply be Taco Bell food, with an emphasis on value and convenience. Foolish gringos, one Monterrey food writer commented dismissively at the time. Taco Bell withdrew again. Chipotle hasnt addressed this comparison directly (and declined to comment to Fast Company), but its statement about the Mexico venture alludes to an emphasis on authenticity in its appeal to the Mexican palette, promising its offerings will resonate with guests in Mexico,” according to Nate Lawton, chief business development officer at Chipotle. “The country’s familiarity with our ingredients and affinity for fresh food make it an attractive growth market for our company.” Alsea CEO Armando Torrado added that his firm would leverage its vast knowledge of the Mexican consumer. Chipotles menu doesnt seem to have tacostada-level issues, but some Mexican-food experts have questioned the chains authenticity in the past, complaining that its burritos are a mass-market take on the form, emphasizing heft over variety. And its current hit offering, a honey chicken burrito, sounds suspiciously tailored to American palettes. Still, its worth acknowledging that, Mexico aside, Taco Bell today has more than 8,000 locations around the world, including hundreds in Central and South America. And U.S. chains have of course spread across the planet, sometimes adjusting their menus market by market (McDonalds famously tweaks its menu in different markets to add local flavor, like teriyaki chicken sandwiches in Japan and a dosa masala burger in India). Chipotle has reportedly worked for years to diversify its ingredient and farming supply chain across the Caribbean and Latin America as well as the U.S., but still sources roughly half its avocados from Mexico, making them tariff vulnerable. Given how unpredictable global trade rules are becoming, and Chipotles stated growth goals and strategy, it makes sense that the chain would try to diversify its customer base beyond the United States. Whats less certain is whether Mexican diners are looking to add Chipotles burritos to their diet.
Category:
E-Commerce
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