Don’t just post and hope. Ask AI for captions, hashtags and edits that fit each social platform.
Smart ways to make more money and find new customers
Small business owners must build trust, set trends and share their customers’ values. Connecting with customers is one of the most important ways to make money.
Success starts close to home. Before connecting with customers, you must build strong bonds with your teammates. Tap or click here for five leadership secrets every small business owner should know.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, keep reading. Kim started her brand from the ground up and learned many tough lessons. Here is some of her best advice for any small business owner.
1. Choose a solid and memorable brand name
Pick a name that rolls off the tongue. You also want to pick one that inspires good feelings in whoever is talking about your business. There’s a lot of psychology at play.
A 2006 study scanned people’s brains to see how they responded to name brands. Researchers made a shocking discovery. Brand names trigger more of an emotional response than other words.
A more recent study found that favorite brands activate two brain regions. These aren’t just any brain regions: They’re the parts that are important for developing close interpersonal relationships. Scientific American shares all the details.
You can use this knowledge to your advantage
Here’s the main takeaway. When we talk about brands, we process the name through the more emotional parts of our brains.
As a small business owner, you can influence your customers’ emotions. You can use that power for good — and profit. Sadly, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for a good brand name. Here’s our advice:
- Do some soul-searching.
- Invest in research to find a good name.
- Be original without being esoteric.
If you’re stuck, flip through the dictionary. You may not find the business name you stick with, but it will get the gears turning.
💸 Say goodbye to paper checks: Starting Sept. 30, Social Security, veterans benefits and IRS payments will only be sent electronically. Most folks already use direct deposit, but if you’re still getting checks, you’ll need to either open a bank account or request a Treasury-issued debit card by calling 800-967-6857. Don’t wait on this.
16th century
That’s when the word “bro” first popped up, short for “brother.” Fast-forward to today, mix in a little social media brain rot, and Gen Alpha has taken it further with “bruh.” It now means just about anything: a greeting, joy, frustration, you name it. Versatile? Absolutely. Clear? Not even close.
👀 Trading goes social: Robinhood’s turning into a social app. You’ll see verified trades (paywall link) like time stamps and profits. Even follow public moves like Pelosi’s options game or Zuck’s stock moves. Beta’s just 10,000 people early next year. Basically, a social feature for Wall Street gossip making it way too easy to copy.
📖 Bible goes cinematic: Pray.com is cranking out AI-generated Bible videos (think seven-headed dragons, collapsing cities and angels that look like superheroes). Millions are watching, mostly guys under 30. Theologians say it cheapens Scripture into a “Don’t forget to like and pray!” social media plea, but Pray’s team calls it “the Marvel Universe of faith.”
🤳🏼 Oops, she did it again: Britney Spears posted a nude photo on Instagram, just boots and a strategically placed rose emoji, and yep, social media exploded. The next day, she followed it with a raw post about her kids, past trauma and trying to heal. Some are whispering a comeback, others say it screams therapy. I think it’s just so sad.
Stay groovy, Old Faithful: Social media’s latest doomsday fantasy? That Yellowstone’s wildlife is fleeing an imminent volcanic eruption. The panic started with a fake post claiming “hundreds” of the park’s ~40 mountain lions were fleeing. Bears “escaping” turned out to be filmed in a drive-thru zoo in South Dakota. Someone posted a herd of wildebeests in Africa. Speaking of… What did the dad say after dropping his son off at Yellowstone National Park? Bison! (lol)
🎶 Songwriters go social: TikTok just launched a “Songwriter” tag and profile tab, so hitmakers behind the hits can finally get some spotlight, as opposed to solely relying on dancing teens for career stability.
Stay in the know: Spot a topic trending on X that ties into your business? Let your favorite AI bot help you craft a social media post to show your audience you’re paying attention. Just say, “Write a [platform] post about [trending topic] that fits my [business or brand topic].”
1 billion
The number of humanoids Morgan Stanley expects to exist by 2050. Yes, that’s one bot for every eight people on Earth. So if your coworker gets replaced by a robot, don’t panic, statistically, so will you. If you’re picturing WALL-E with better knees and worse social skills, you’re not far off.
Less than 100
That’s how many shark bites are reported globally each year. Not a huge number, but it’s been going up. Why? Blame social media. Some influencers are telling tourists to snap selfies or reach out for a pat. Add to that the fact that most people can’t tell a reef shark from a bull shark. Yeah, natural selection in action.
$34 million
How much funding a new project called Poolhouse got. The folks behind Topgolf are launching luxury social clubs centered around pool. Think food, drinks and tech like augmented reality. The first one should pop up in London in 2026. Can’t wait to pay $28 for fries while getting hustled by a guy in AirPods.
50,000
How many orders Edgar’s Bakery gets each year for its famous three-layer strawberry cake. Social media swears it’s the best cake in the world. The catch? You can actually make it yourself. Here’s the recipe. It doesn’t look that tough. (Jan, I hope you’re paying attention ’cause that lemon cake was awesome!) Speaking of … What do you call a sad strawberry? A blueberry. So good!
iSpy: A private detective took to social media to spill one of the tricks of the trade. He says if someone comes to your door looking for help with a lost pet, it’s just a ploy to see your face and verify you’re home.
Social Security scam warning
Good news for the 72 million people on Social Security: there’s a 2.5% increase starting in January. Bad news: scammers are going after you.
The phony social media vote surge
If you haven’t voted, go now. The polls are close, and your vote matters. Now, let’s debunk a fake social media claim about tonight’s votes.
Airline data breach puts podcaster Payne Lindsey in danger
True-crime podcaster Payne Lindsey, creator of Up and Vanished, was all set to fly to Nome for his latest investigation but bailed at the last minute. He didn’t tell anyone, yet somehow rumors started swirling on social media that he was there. Payne joins us to break it down, plus we’re talking Verizon outages, a couple blocked from suing Uber, and leaked MrBeast “founder mode” documents.