This theory was developed by event strategist, workplace “fixer,” and CEO and Founder of RDC Robyn Duda. She saw how many organizations created wellness initiatives to mask the real problem. The workforce at large is overworked, underequipped, and rarely compensated fairly. These are all massive stressors. Unfortunately, you can have all the wellness initiatives and so-called health perks, but it doesn’t make up for workers feeling undervalued.

Duda’s number one piece of advice? We should be looking at the “Return on Energy.” What does that mean exactly? Well, think about the time spent in meetings, the number of emails, drafts of presentations, and the toll it takes on an employee. But also (and likely more important) the number of moments that elicit epiphanies, connections deepened and even innovations uncovered—the more motivating moments. There is a diminishing return when the toll outweighs the motivation. That is where we need to be looking versus an EOY result. 

“Return on energy is the idea that energy spent has value,” said Duda. “Companies should measure this to understand the toll an output has on their human capital. People do not have an infinite amount of energy to expend, meaning there must be a value placed on their energy relative to the thing they are using it on. 

For example, we should look at the number of emails, time spent in meetings, drafts, v1s v2s, and the psychological toll something takes on an employee. And, we should compare that to the number of innovations created, epiphanies had, connections made, etc. 

What does a return on energy look like in action? “The first step should be showing your employees you value them,” said Duda. “It is a way of exercising personalization in the workplace. It’s an indicator of the potential burnout of top talent, as well as overall culture and workplace improvements. Mindsets and emotions are real in the workplace and a variable to growth for every employer.”

She added, “While work is a transaction—output for money—it’s affected by many outside variables. So having a pulse on key metrics like hours spent in meetings and number of emails in a day versus how someone is feeling (their emotion) could help employers understand where potential vulnerabilities lie in the overall employee experience.”

Duda’s energy hypothesis comes from her award-winning event strategist and experience designer work. She’s created event strategies for some of the most recognized brands in the world, including Coca-Cola, Spotify, Visa, and IBM. As a result, she has become known for thinking differently and creating bold change. And the goal at the end of the day is to harness growth for her clients. 

It’s this experiential touchpoint Duda found throughout her events career that she believes can make a difference in every workplace. 

“I’ve been on the strategy side of events for many years, exploring the intersection of design thinking and experience psychology,” said Duda. “Understanding more about the humans we design for, their motivations, their mindsets, and their emotions has opened my eyes to the impact of an experience.”

The post The One Thing Companies Should do to Increase Employee Loyalty appeared first on Grit Daily News.

“Over the years, we have seen what works, what doesn’t, and where the gaps are,” said Stamford. “The biggest gap is organizations needing more and more tools and services to secure themselves effectively. The key to effective security is joining the dots, not having more dots scattered in more places.”

Here are the four main points to consider when considering cybersecurity for your company.

Understand What You Need

Unless you have many resources to throw at it, what do you do to best secure your organization? What does best secure even mean? Which tools do you buy? Do you need a pen test? There are endless questions, and the answers seem to change daily, so how does anyone deal with this?

“Ultimately, if you determine that a cyber attack could massively harm your business, then make it a higher priority,” said Stamford. “If it won’t impact you ‘too much and you can keep going, then maybe make it less important. Obviously, it has to be important if you have compliance requirements to meet. Keep in mind that laws are changing, and if you don’t take at least a reasonable level of care, you may be liable for harm done to others.”

Consider Resources

The need for security is pushing up the price of the security. Because the sector is “hot,” it’s flooded with applicants. “Unless you have a considerable budget to spend on security resources, it’s difficult to get someone who can help,” said Stamford. “Ask yourself, ‘What are we trying to protect? So what’s the most important piece of data (and where is that data), or technical asset for us?'”

Realize That Business and Tech Are Connected

“Often cybersecurity issues are placed in a technical context,” said Stamford. “But if they can’t be tied back to the organization, then it’s hard for non-technical people to understand them, and even harder to show value.” Historically cybersecurity is seen as a purely technical field; this doesn’t help anyone. 

Get Past the Hype

Because almost everyone is impacted by cybersecurity, everyone is trying to sell something. Right now, there is so much hype “this product will make you 100% secure!” “Stops all attackers” “A.I to secure your business” that we are in a boy who cried wolf situation. Stamford said, “Everything is being questioned, nothing seems to do what it says, and organizations build up more resentment for anyone offering any solution.” Instead, ask, “Are we getting the most from the money we spend on cyber security?” That will help weed out the schemes from the players that will help your business’s security. 

The post Why Businesses’ Bottom Lines Can’t Ignore Cybersecurity: Expert Breaks Down What to Know appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Most of the conversation around the metaverse has centered around digital land grabs. Yet, the sustainability and long-term view of the metaverse and ownership in Web 3.0 have largely been ignored. ATLAS EARTH is working to change that by allowing players to build real value in the virtual world by creating a virtuous cycle between the real and virtual worlds.

How does it work exactly? 

Founded by marketing and mobile gaming expert Sami Khan, ATLAS EARTH is the first game of its kind. Players can purchase virtual real estate with the in-game currency ATLAS BUCKS as a location-based game. But they can only do it where they are in real life, within 100 yards. Players then get cash back of about $.05 per parcel of land owned and can supercharge their entire real estate empire by up to 30 times by watching in-app ads. You can also buy ATLAS BUCKS in the Appstore or Google Play.

Players can become the Mayor, Governor, or President of their City, State, or Country by owning the most land in real-world geographic locations, such as Austin, Texas. These titles are broadcasted to everyone playing the game in their respective geography. So, for example, the Governor of Texas will be seen by everyone playing the game in Texas.

Ultimately, ATLAS: EARTH is the only virtual real estate project that is mobile-first and location-based. So we’re not talking about real estate displayed on a map where you can zoom wherever you want. Instead, players can only buy land where they are physically standing, validated by their mobile device. 

Furthermore, ATLAS: EARTH is the only metaverse where players can earn land credits by shopping at real-world merchant partners. Using ATLAS BUCKS, players can shop at national partners and earn atlas bucks for every dollar they spend. So, for example, spending $10 at SONIC will earn you 10 atlas bucks as well, which you can use towards more land.

So far, many metaverse products have been lands that exist somewhere in the “ether” and left up to the trust of the DAO that more land will never be minted. When land is tied to the real world, that land is limited—as is the case with ATLAS: EARTH. 

“Our mission is to create a system that allows players to earn value while holding their property,” said CEO and co-founder Sami Khan. “Most people already feel a connection with their city, state, or country,” “They also feel a connection to the real-world locations that they utilize in their daily lives, such as their homes. So we felt that ATLAS: EARTH was a perfect way to create.”

Khan added, “In short, ATLAS: EARTH desires to move the metaverse space forward by creating a more proper analog to real-world real estate—to gain value as you hold the properties, not only when you attempt to sell them for a profit.”

The post Augmented Reality Game Bringing Real Value to Virtual Real Estate With a Cash Back Model appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Parcl—the blockchain-based real estate platform that allows users to invest in a digital square foot of physical real estate in the most desirable neighborhoods—announced a $7.5M strategic funding round. That includes new investors, including Fifth Wall (the firm’s first venture into web3) and JAWS, the family office of Barry Sternlicht. 

With this funding, it’s clear investors see a major opportunity in this new form of real estate. But how does it work exactly? 

Parcl is introducing a new type of real estate investing, which before the advent of web3 and blockchain technology, was not possible until now. The platform enables users to trade the value of general areas such as neighborhoods or cities, effectively gaining exposure to multiple real estate markets at once without the burdens of owning or transacting hard assets. While homeownership rates are at 20-year record lows, the dream of homeownership is out of reach for many. The company hopes to find a way to deliver real estate to all, especially those who are currently locked out of the market, through its new investment model. 

No minimum investment is required. It offers immediate liquidity and carries low transaction fees. Basically, users can trade neighborhoods just like they trade Bitcoin or other crypto assets.

Now, the new funding will help accelerate growth over the next few months. Earlier this year, they held their first testnet (over 70,000 unique visitors and over 300,000 on-chain transactions on Solana’s devnet). In addition, they launched the Homeowners Association (HOA) NFT, a collection of 7,777 unique NFTs inspired by four cities where they are launching new markets, such as Miami and Phoenix.

“As we work towards our goal of providing everyone in the world with the opportunity to invest in real estate, key partnerships across the industry will be critical to our success and that of our users,” said Trevor Bacon, Parcl Co-Founder and CEO. “We’re thrilled to have the support of leading proptech and data-centric VC firms as we utilize blockchain technology and web3 to reimagine real estate investing.”

Dan Wenhold, Partner at Fifth Wall, added, “Our investment illustrates our confidence that Parcl’s platform makes real estate investing more accessible to all. We’re thrilled to partner with the Parcl team as they democratize real estate investing.”

The latest strategic financing round comes after Parcl’s $4.1M Series Seed round that closed in late 2021. Archetype led it with other funding from Dragonfly Capital, ParaFi, and Shima Capital, among others. The first round was used to build out Parcl’s team, beta product, and marketing goals. Since receiving that initial investment, the company hired more than 10 new team members.

The post Blockchain-Based Real Estate Investment Platform Raises $7.5M in New Funding appeared first on Grit Daily News.

By leveraging the creativity of its community members and producing partners, $FLIX can generate revenue for film projects while at the same time increasing the token value for investors. And because $FLIX isn’t beholden to the old system of gatekeepers, they have the freedom to take creative risks, ultimately making the kinds of movies Hollywood is too afraid to make. 

So, how does it work?

$FLIX uses a percentage of every transaction to fund movie projects, then successful projects fuel interest in the coin, interest fuels volume, and volume funds the “film wallet.” Once a film, script, or concept is sold, money from that sale is used to buy back tokens and “burn” them. This makes the token deflationary: over time, there will be fewer and fewer tokens worth more and more. 

“At $FLIX, we believe that Web 3.0 is the meaning economy: community replaces clicks, and storytelling trumps algorithms.” Co-Founder Micho Rutare continues, “Crypto investors aren’t just looking at their bottom lines; in this era of the Great Resignation, people are looking to align their investments with their passions. So $FLIX is all about the story: the storytelling of the films, the story of the coin, and the story of how a community of film lovers, filmmakers, and crypto investors comes together to change the way.”  

$FLIX began as a meme coin, a hyped-up cryptocurrency. But while most meme coins are pump and dump schemes, Rutare and Rosenblatt intend to pump and not dump. Instead, they are building long-term value with our film projects and our community. And while they are prioritizing long-term value, they want to generate enough activity to make the coin an attractive short-term investment. 

In the short run, $FLIX is focused on developing a slate of projects, building value with the product rather than hype. Secondly, they plan to produce and release films, with community involvement along the way. Lastly, they want $FLIX to become a real currency, both in the metaverse and at brick-and-mortar theater chains. 

How does this change the landscape of crypto in general? With the recent contraction of the market, the speculative bubble of meme tokens and NFTs is coming to a close. As a result, investors are looking for real value and are more reluctant to throw money at whatever coin is mooning on a given day. “We believe that this current contraction is a lot like the Dot Com Bubble of the early 00s–it took the crash to clear the underbrush, paving the way for the FANG companies to define the Web2 era,” said Rutare. “$FLIX is well-positioned to be one of the giants of the Web3 economy, harnessing the power of the blockchain and using it to create real-world consumer experiences.”

Rutare added, “Ultimately, $FLIX will be a vertical filmmaking platform, generating revenue at every phase, from development through exhibition. For film finance, we want to do what Apple did for personal computing–to create a user-friendly consumer brand that eventually builds its own walled garden ecosystem.”

The post The “Sharknado” Creator Developed a Cryptocurrency Token Revolutionizing Film Financing  appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Do you feel that certain companies were better positioned for the Great Resignation because of how they were hired previously?  

“It’s clear the Pandemic has triggered or brought to light trends on how employees viewed their work previously lurking underneath the surface. For example, McKinsey found that two-thirds of US-based employees said that COVID-19 has caused them to reflect on their purpose in life and nearly half of those surveyed said they are reconsidering the kind of work they do because of the pandemic. With so many employees wanting to feel a purpose or values fit with their employer, companies focused on values-based hiring and engagement were obviously better positioned.”

“The key is learning from what has happened and changing how hiring is approached. For example, when companies hire intending to find the right personality type for the role, this creates a path for employees to feel engaged with the organization and thrive. The business will also be better equipped to engage with that employee and deal with paradigm-shifting events like COVID.” 

You say that you can fix the Great Resignation quickly. How? 

“Our investigations found that although managers recognize the need for a culture fit and believe in the benefits of a values-based recruitment process, implementing such a process is time-consuming and expensive. So Simply was created to fill this market gap. We have adapted proven methodologies into a simple software platform that makes values-based hiring easier and cheaper for a significantly wider market.”

In terms of hiring, what should companies/HR teams be doing?

“As mentioned, the Great Resignation has highlighted that many employees seek a job that aligns with their values and offers purpose. However, many recruitment processes and the recruitment tools available to managers focus on qualifications and experience in hiring, meaning they overlook this demand for values fit from candidates. So, the HR landscape has changed, and there is a gap between current HR technology tools and what candidates want, evidenced by the Great Resignation.”

What are three ways that companies should change their hiring process and why?

To meet the challenges of a now changed recruitment landscape, I would recommend companies consider the following:

1. Hire for values and purpose: In the words of Adam Nicoll, Group Marketing Director at Randstad UK, this is no longer a nice to have. If you’re not hiring for values and purpose, you’re just not going to attract and retain the best people.

2. Implement a diversity recruitment strategy: This is morally the right thing to do, but the research is detailed that this will help your company perform better and access a potential untapped talent pool.

3. Level up your HR technology game: I think we agree that the HR landscape and ‘world of work’ have changed in the last two years. If your technology hasn’t, then you’re being left behind. It’s that simple.

The recruitment landscape has changed, but our skills as companies and HR teams are still valid. We just need technology to help us bridge the gap to this new reality.

The post HR Expert Reveals How Companies Can Combat the Great Resignation appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Trivium Packaging’s recently released 2022 Global Buying Green Report reveals that 86% of consumers among younger generations (under 44) showed a willingness to pay more for sustainable packaging. In contrast, more than half of consumers are “less likely” to buy products in harmful packaging.

Interestingly, a sustainability trend that most consumers wanted to see more of was refillable solutions. The report noted that 74% of consumers said they would be interested in buying products that come in refillable packaging. And 68% of consumers have chosen a product in the last six months based on its sustainability credentials.

Yes, consumers want products in recyclable packaging, but they also recognize the value of extending packaging life through reuse. Therefore, refillable packaging is a versatile and valuable solution for consumer products.

“The data in this year’s Buying Green report presents a strong case that transitioning to sustainable packaging is not only the right decision for the environment but also the right decision for any business,” said Jenny Wassenaar, Chief Sustainability Officer Trivium Packaging. “Metal packaging is perfectly aligned with a circular economy. Once produced, metals exist forever and can be used, reused, and recycled endlessly without losing quality.”

Brands already ahead of the curve are Petal—which offers stylish aluminum hand-soap dispensers that can be refilled with soap pods—and Three Main has taken a similar approach with home cleaning products. And Bubble Tree is a refillable bubble solution that makes its classic bubble-making product in colorful, kid-friendly aluminum packaging.

“Brands that take a more holistic approach to sustainability by making packaging material part of their story can help align perceptions with reality and strengthen their sustainability credentials,” said Trivium Packaging C.E.O. Michael Mapes. “The consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging is higher than ever, and the consumer behaviors, as a result, speak for themselves – businesses need to step up.”

This shift, despite consumers being less focused on sustainability during the pandemic, is likely due to the fact they were spending more time at home. This forced people to see more of their own waste and become aware of the volume of packaging associated with online purchases. In fact, according to the NielsenIQ Report Sustainable Business: The New Force to Be Reckoned With, “The pandemic spurred consumers to shop their values more than ever.”

The 2022 Buying Green Report is based on a survey of more than 15,000 consumers across Europe, North America, and South America, ranging in age, gender, and income distribution. The data collected through these surveys over the last three years provide keen insight into consumer trends related to sustainable packaging and includes the impact of the changing world (i.e., the pandemic) on behaviors and values.

Read the entire report here. 

The post New Study Reveals Consumers Want More Refillable Packaging appeared first on Grit Daily News.

A recent example is a partnership between sustainable luxury brand 1 Hotels and Able Made. The responsibly-crafted apparel brand launched a retail pop-up at 1 Hotel Central Park, creating a 360-degree experience for eco-friendly shoppers. The hotel was the ideal partner with a space inspired by nature and designed with reclaimed materials and greenery. That bodes well with Able Made’s products, which use sustainable fabric and are made in NYC’s Garment District, which immensely lowers the brand’s carbon footprint. 

Of course, when two sustainable brands come together, the experience itself is one deeply rooted in protecting the planet. The shop uses sustainable paper on its hangtags, organic cotton shopping bags, and a moss logo sign to reflect an endeavor towards 360- responsible design, craft, and display. “The audience for responsibly-, ethically-, and locally-sourced products and experiences in NYC is so tuned in right now that I want to be able to capture people who desire these experiences in new and elevated ways,” says Able Made founder and designer Suzanne McKenzie.

Able Made isn’t the only startup focusing on partnerships to better the planet. French startup Foodles, which provides “fresh, chef-prepared, affordable food,” has partnered with Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, and others to install smart refrigerators in corporate offices as a more sustainable and healthy grab-and-go option. 

And even major brands like Tide and the NFL came together in 2021 to launch the #TurntoCold campaign. The reason? The research found that switching from hot to cold water while doing laundry can reduce energy usage by up to 90 percent. That significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Tide took the idea of sustainable partnerships one step further by working with Walmart to develop an interactive website for shoppers showing them how to save money and energy when cleaning their clothes. 

What’s clear is that companies, big to small, are recognizing the importance of sustainability in all aspects of the brand, from the product itself to the retail opportunities. And when two brands with similar values come together, it amplifies that mission even more with the planet as a beneficiary. 

The post Sustainable Startups Are Stepping Up Their Eco Efforts appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Iconic Moments is the world’s first NFT marketplace and blockchain exclusively for museums and historical institutions. They’ve created a global solution that addresses today’s steep challenges facing the museum industry. To Iconic Moments, the future of historical institutions lies in unlocking the value of their existing collections and enabling them a simple, curated way to monetize rare and storied moments in history. And that is possible through NFTs. 

“The idea of applying the world’s newest emerging technology to one of the world’s oldest industries is exciting,” said Chris Cummings, CEO of Iconic Moments.

So, what are they doing exactly? Well, the company has rights agreements to over 5 million pieces of content, which includes 450,000 institutions like the National Broadcast Museum. Iconic Moments works directly with cultural heritage institutions to analyze their assets, identify the highest value items, and assemble them into “drops” of varying price structures. 

Once launched in Q2 of 2022, the company will release these limited-edition NFTs “inspired by artifacts from the vaults of the world’s top museums,” according to the website. Every purchase then helps support the buyer’s favorite cultural institution while protecting that historical moment on the blockchain. Plus, buyers might get surprises like a year-long membership to a museum, an invite to a VIP event, or a ticket. 

Iconic Moments has raised $2 million in investments to create the benchmark trusted digital marketplace for preserving, protecting, and sharing the most comprehensive collection of rare, valuable, and historic global moments. They are also currently holding partnerships with leading organizations worth over $30 billion with past clients, including Procter & Gamble, Porsche, The City of Nashville, and more.

This helps organizations preserve their past and showcase their legacy through an immersive experience with their core software. In short, you can buy iconic moments and save the world’s history.

“So much of NFT-Land is focused on the present and new content,” said Cummings. “And Iconic Moments wants to focus on the past and the incredible treasure troves that sit in the archives of collections around the world.”

The foresight to create such an opportunity has already been recognized by the United Nations. In February, Iconic Moments won a World Summit Award, making it the only company in the United States to receive this high honor. 

“Our mission at Iconic Moments is to enable museums and cultural institutions to engage a new generation of visitors digitally, evolve the museum experience, and create a more sustainable economic model for museums through eco-friendly NFTs and the Metaverse,” said Cummings at the time of the award. “Iconic allows museums to drive much-needed revenue through limited-edition NFTs without giving up ownership or governance of the world’s historical assets.” 

The post NFT and Blockchain for Museums: The World’s Oldest Institutions Meet the Newest Technology appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Well, Mark Kohlenberg—a 30-year footwear industry veteran and CEO of WDM Footwear and Accessories—knows the secret. Not only does his company run a private label production and e-retailing business, but he also works with dozens of D2C name brands and is the owner of successful smaller accessory brands like Moral Code and Milwaukee Boot Company. So, he has first-hand experience navigating the ever more complicated Amazon-esque world that can offer cheaper goods. 

The good news? Small brand success is possible.

“D2C brands are inherently more competitive simply because they don’t need to slice the pie as many times as conventional wholesale brands or those that sell through Amazon,” said Kohlenberg. “And consumers are always looking for unique, local and new takes on established brands, so messaging and a unique and a strong sense of purpose is critically important when it comes to separating your brand from the pack.”

But, what’s the secret? Here are three ways small brands can keep prices competitive and be successful. And they’re not what you think.

Define Brand Fundamentals

Brand fundamentals are essential for maintaining competitive pricing. “You need to have a non-commodity product that creates attention, buzz, and demand,” he said. “And on top of that, brands need to work on creating and keeping themselves fresh, engaging, and alive. If you continually check these boxes, you’ll undoubtedly remain competitive in the market.”

Don’t Compete

Don’t even bother to compete with e-commerce titans like Amazon directly instead of co-exist. “There are more than enough customers out there that will buy from both Amazon and your brand, and you can easily co-exist with Amazon and build still a profitable business,” he said. “If anything, Amazon has helped speed up retail transformation to make e-commerce an additional way of buying products.”

Consider a Physical Store

Brick-and-mortar isn’t dead; it just needs to change. Especially in industries like fashion, it’s always more advantageous to have the ability for a customer to touch, feel and experience your product—which makes brick-and-mortar more productive for the customer and the retailer.

“I recently saw several brick-and-mortar retailers that recognized they needed to change and are engaged on social media and utilizing email, event, and partnership marketing to keep their customers buying,” said Mark. “And I believe that if you have a better-grade, higher-priced tactile product, there’s always going to be a brick-and-mortar place.”

The post How Small Brands Can Keep Prices Competitive in the Age of Amazon and Hyper-Consumerism appeared first on Grit Daily News.