Latest from Business Insider
Business Insider
7 minutes ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Anna Wintour is hiring at Vogue. Here's how to thrive when your boss used to have your job.
Whomever replaces Anna Wintour in running day-to-day operations at American Vogue will have some enormous stilettos to fill. That's partly because Wintour, who's 75, has been at the job for nearly four decades and is a legend in the business. It's also because whoever comes next will report to her. Wintour, who became Vogue's editor in chief in 1988, is giving up that role. However, she'll remain global editorial director at the magazine and chief content officer for its parent company, Condé Nast, the company said Thursday. Taking on a senior role, similar to the one Wintour vacated at Vogue, is often challenging, especially when the predecessor remains on hand, leadership experts told Business Insider. Incoming leaders are wise to signal that they want to make changes without abandoning what makes an organization work, said Kevin Groves, a professor of management at Pepperdine's Graziadio Business School. "We're preserving what's most important to us, while recognizing our environment has changed," he said. Here are three pieces of advice on taking over after a leader who looms large — and who might still be down the hall. Don't be impatient Stepping into this position successfully starts with indicating sincere interest in the role and prioritizing what's best for the organization, Nancy Ho, an executive coach based in Singapore, told BI. "You cannot be impatient and rush into it. It should not be seen like you're power-hungry or claiming a role prematurely," Ho said. Instead, she said, new leaders need to focus on understanding a company's culture and how they can position themselves as an asset to the organization. James Reed, CEO of the UK-based recruitment company Reed, said there is no harm in declaring to your boss that you are ambitious and aim to lead an organization, "even if you avoid explicitly saying you're after their job." "Ask what you need to learn and what more you can contribute to support them," Reed said. "Then they will be aware of your ambition but appreciate that you are seeking to help and learn from them rather than undermine them." Don't rock the boat too early Ho said it's important not to make drastic changes too soon upon getting the job. Ho recommended that the first step is acknowledging the good work done before them. Then, they should gain the team's trust by carefully working with them and making small, gradual changes to improve the organization's effectiveness. "When there's a certain buy-in, and people are more comfortable with a different leader, then you introduce changes," she said. Sabina Nawaz, a US-based CEO coach, said new leaders should not make changes for at least the first three months because the first thing to do after receiving the title is "to be curious." "Go on a listening tour, excavate the reasons behind decisions or actions, try to make sense of things from the perspective of others: given that they're smart and well-meaning, what did they have in mind when they acted this way," Nawaz said. Christian Tröster, a professor of leadership and organizational behavior at Germany's Kühne Logistics University, told BI that new leaders can demonstrate they're becoming part of the organization by being careful not to suggest that everything should change. "Because then you're showing that you are not like them, that you cannot be trusted," Tröster said. "Then you don't have the commitment of your employees to actually go with you." Tröster said that when an incoming leader would have to report to the person who held the post in the past, it's important to have a conversation about expectations. He said that while org charts are often clear, layers are often not always evident, including what relationships people have and who they tend to go to for advice. "I would try to make that visible," Tröster said. That way, he said, workers know who they're expected to go to and leaders and employees can agree to the arrangement. Don't be afraid to be different For those taking over a new role while their predecessor is still around — especially someone as "established and admired" as Anna Wintour, it's important to take advantage of your access to them, Amanda Augustine, a career coach at told BI via email. "Start the job as a sponge, learning what you can from your predecessor and other colleagues," she said, adding that it's important not to stay in information-gathering mode forever. Jochen Menges, a professor of leadership at the University of Zurich and the University of Cambridge, told BI that new leaders should "be different" and avoid trying to replicate the exact leadership style or strategy of the person they're replacing. "If they're too close, then they'll seem to be a copy, and then they can never live up," he said. When new bosses are different in some ways, Menges said, they can be "a leader in their own right."
Business Insider
7 minutes ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Here are the 4 home trends that are hot in 2025
The NAHB asked 3,000 recent and prospective buyers what they want most in newly built homes. Newly built homes may be shrinking, but buyers aren't sacrificing comfort and quality. Buyers said that a great outdoor living space and smart technology are must-haves. Americans buying newly built homes are working with a lot less space, but that doesn't mean their expectations are any lower. In fact, it means they're looking to maximize every square foot. At the 2025 National Association of Real Estate Editors conference held earlier this month in New Orleans, Rose Quint, assistant vice president for survey research at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), shared during a panel discussion what today's homebuyers value most. Drawing from NAHB's 2024 What Home Buyers Really Want report, a national survey of more than 3,000 recent and prospective homebuyers, Quint revealed that buyers are prioritizing spacious kitchens, ample outdoor space, and smart technology. "High home prices and elevated mortgage rates have made homebuyers keenly aware of what features add the most value to their daily lives," Quint said. "Buyers have determined that investing in the kitchen, in a patio, and home security features enhances the livability of a home." According to NAHB's survey, here are four trends shaping homebuying — from a bigger kitchen that focuses on efficiency to smart thermostats that allow homeowners to control their home's temperature remotely. 1. Buyers want a bigger kitchen. The American home may be shrinking, but one space buyers aren't willing to give up is the kitchen. "For those buying a smaller house, if that's what it takes to make the math work, we ask: What part of the home will you shrink? And they say, take the square footage from the home office, the dining room, even the living room, but for God's sake, stay away from the kitchen," Quint said. Homebuyers don't just want a large kitchen; they're looking for efficiency and a space that brings the family together. This means they're asking for bigger island spaces, walk-in pantries to store food and appliances, and even special-use storage for wine and spices. NAHB data shows that a central kitchen island is a top desired feature among buyers. In some luxury homes, Quint said buyers are even requesting two islands to accommodate cooking, dining, and entertaining needs. 2. Porches and patios are making a comeback. Outdoor living areas have become more important than ever, especially as homes get smaller and offer fewer gathering spaces. Survey data from the NAHB shows that 86% of respondents said they want a patio, and 81% said they'd like a back porch — a sign that porches are making a comeback. The numbers tell the story. In 2008, just 47% of newly built single-family homes had patios; by 2023, that figure had climbed to 64%. Likewise, the share of homes with porches rose from 60% to 68% over the same period. "Buyers want a patio. They want a front porch," Quint added. "They want exterior lighting to enhance the outdoor appeal of their home, landscaping, and a deck. If the home's shrinking, at least that space allows them to have more living space." 3. The modern McMansion can't beat a classic home. For a while, it felt like you couldn't drive through a neighborhood without seeing rows of boxy, modern homes. You know the look — white or gray stone exteriors, oversized rectangular windows, and often a flat roof. They may be trendy, but those minimalist builds may not be dominating the market after all. Today's buyers are leaning more toward traditionally designed homes inspired by classic styles like the kind of house you'd see on "Full House." While there's no clear majority when it comes to architectural preference, NAHB's survey found that 34% of respondents prefer traditional homes. Meanwhile, 26% favor contemporary designs, 17% lean toward bold modern styles, and just 12% prefer transitional homes, which blend modern aesthetics with traditional elements. 4. Homebuyers are tech-obsessed. From smartphones to smart cars, Americans crave cutting-edge tech, so of course, we want it in our homes, too. The NAHB found that the tech features homebuyers want most in their homes include wireless security systems, security cameras, video doorbells, smart thermostats that let them automate their home's temperature, and multi-zone HVAC systems so they can control the temperature in each room separately. "The reason these five features top the list is because homeowners are relying on technology to do two things: increase the safety of their home and improve temperature control," Quint said. "They want technology that works for them."
Business Insider
12 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
I'm a drag queen in NYC whose bookings for Pride Month have plummeted this year. I'm trying to work smarter, not harder.
Brita Filter, 39, is a household name in drag entertainment. Her popularity went mainstream when she appeared on season 12 of "RuPaul's Drag Race," and she's made appearances on "Saturday Night Live," "Broad City," and "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah." I first heard of Brita in 2023 when my then-employer, PayPal, was trying to book her for a Pride happy hour near our NYC office. But Google had already booked her for the same coveted time slot: post-work drinks the Thursday before New York City Pride — what Brita says was usually her busiest time of year. This year, she says her corporate bookings are down by about 60% compared to last year. Another drag entertainer Business Insider spoke to, Holly Box-Springs, said the few June Pride bookings that have come through for her have been last-minute. Corporate interest in Pride is softening elsewhere; around 25% of corporate donors for NYC's Pride parade (taking place Sunday, June 29) have reportedly canceled or scaled back their support, citing economic uncertainty and fear of retribution from the Trump administration. We asked Brita about how this shift in interest is affecting her career. These are her words, edited for length and clarity. 'I've never had this much downtime in June' I started doing drag over a decade ago — around the same time as Holly Box-Springs, actually. And I've seen the highs and lows. This year feels especially slow. I've never had this much downtime in June since I started. All year long, at least twice a month, I fly all over the US to perform — Alabama, Boston, Seattle, Denver, Detroit, Atlanta, Hawaii. Usually I'd fly out on a Thursday, do a show on a Friday or Saturday, and fly back by Sunday for my regular set at a bar in New York City. But during Pride, drag queens are like Santa Claus during Christmas — everyone wants to book them at the same time. A typical week leading up to New York City Pride used to be nonstop for me. In 2019, during World Pride, I worked 43 days in a row — no breaks. I was hired by big companies. Some days, I had multiple gigs, back to back. I kept count because it was the year I filmed "RuPaul's Drag Race." In one month alone, I made enough money to buy a brand new Toyota Prius. This year? I only have eight gigs total for the month. It's a complete 180. I used to have a manager, assistant, and publicist, but I've been doing it on my own for the past two years. I don't have any corporate bookings at all this year. I'm just working a regular bar shift on the 29th — the day of the Pride parade — at Hardware Bar in Hell's Kitchen, where I perform weekly year-round. This week, I hosted a big activation event in Union Square for National HIV Testing Day. The community events — the more politically-focused or pro-LGBTQ charity events — are still happening, but the corporate big-ticket gigs just aren't there. 'We'll do anything for a comma' When I was booked solid during World Pride in previous years, I'd take as many gigs as humanly possible. If that meant waking up at 6 a.m. and being in drag until 4 a.m. the next day, I did it. We all did. Sleep, skincare, physical exhaustion — it didn't matter as long as the check had a comma in it. We used to say, "We'll do anything for a comma." You just pushed through because that kind of money didn't come year-round. July was for recovery. This year, I'm not taking July off. I might have to work straight through the month. I'll pick up more shows and cover for people who are out of town. Moneywise, I'll have to figure things out; I'm not sure how. I'm grateful. Because of my situation [being on TV], my rates are higher. I'm given more opportunities and at times bigger checks. I'm working smarter, not harder. About 50% of my income is from influencer partnerships and content creation for private companies that pay me to spread political messaging. But I'm spending money as soon as it comes in. For every gig, I have to talk to designers, get a new dress, a new wig, take new photos, do new press. Almost everything I make has to go back into the craft because it's all about the look. My entire job is the look. Or I'm spending money on getting 10 dancers, a rehearsal room, a choreographer, costumes — I'm like my own little Broadway show, except I'm the producer, the artistic director, and the star. 'Corporate interest has changed' A few years ago, Pride was global. You could feel it. People flew in from all over the world. This year's World Pride in D.C. earlier this month didn't feel global at all. It was mostly Americans. I barely met anyone from outside the country. I think a lot of folks are hesitant to come to the US right now. Things have shifted. Budgets are different. Corporate interest has changed. But the work that supports the community directly, such as Pride galas — that's still going. That's what's always mattered most to me anyway.
Business Insider
15 minutes ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Luxury gym memberships can be a splurge. 3 people share how they find discounts and make the most of amenities.
Every day after work, Alex Meyers picks up her two kids from day care and drives straight to her gym, one of the Bay Club locations in California. There, she drops them off at her gym's complimentary childcare center for two hours while she works out. When they're done, the family eats the dinner Meyers packed before heading home, doing it all over again the next day. Like other luxury gym-goers, Meyers pays a few hundred dollars a month (around $500, to be exact) for her membership. She also feels it's completely worth the price tag. "On the weekends, you could go spend $100 going to the zoo or a museum or some other local kid attraction places," Meyers, a 32-year-old civil engineer project manager, told Business Insider. Instead, she takes her children, ages three and four, swimming or to the gym's basketball court. "We save that money by just going to our gym." Luxury gyms have become a third space for many people. Popular athletic club franchises like Equinox and Life Time offer amenities beyond sparkling new equipment and specialty classes, such as childcare services, tidy workspaces, and, in some cases, poolside bars. Younger generations even see gyms as the new social clubs. It's why people are willing to shell out for shiny memberships, even if they have to budget or sacrifice other luxuries to afford them. An all-inclusive third space At the very least, a luxury gym will run you over $200 a month, or at least $2,400 annually. Rob Moal, a personal trainer in Vancouver, spends $260 a month for his Equinox membership. "With the higher price, I try to use the place as much as I can," Moal, 43, said. He goes there six to seven times a week, sometimes even a few times a day, even though he doesn't actually train his clients there. He likes taking yoga and boxing classes in addition to his solo workouts. If he's not exercising, he's catching up on some work at the gym, unwinding in the sauna, or chatting up other gymgoers. Given Moal's work experience, he's seen a lot of gyms. He said he likes how clean and organized Equinox is, and who it attracts in turn: often ambitious, full-time workers who he said are also "very respectful" of the space. "It's almost like a social influence," he said. "If I go there in the morning, everyone's very busy and they're doing their thing, and they get out. So it kind of encourages me to keep up the pace." For some, it's not necessarily a place to work out Some members use their gym's other amenities almost more than the gym itself. Hannah Le, 27, the inventor of the Buckle Scrunchie, spends her days pitching her product to retailers. Instead of trekking back home or hunkering down in cafes between meetings, she finds the closest Life Time. There, she can do some work, charge her phone, or freshen up before a date or party. "I don't see it as just a gym," Le, who signed up at a discount with her roommate and pays $224.16 a month, said. "They really cover a lot of the other bases for me." Le touches upon another factor drawing people to luxury athletic clubs: you don't need to exercise to get a lot out of them. Meyers takes her kids to the Bay Club even when she feels too exhausted to work out. On those days, she sits in the meditation chair or just reads by the pool. "It gives me a minute to breathe," Meyers, whose husband is on the road on weekdays, said. No-brainer budgeting For those working remotely or hybrid, venturing outside the home can cost a pretty penny. Co-working spaces like WeWork and Industrious cost at least $100 a month — cheaper than a gym membership, but without the core perk of having workout equipment and specialty classes. Fancier options like Soho House have gyms baked in, but run you a few thousand annually. Coffee shops, meanwhile, add up and aren't always convenient in big cities: in New York, you still have to hunt for a seat and worry about leaving your laptop unattended. If it takes a little extra saving to swing a membership, luxury gym members say they are willing to do it. Moal packs his lunches instead of buying Equinox's and budgets for his membership. In months when money is tighter, he'll skip a night out drinking. Others make up for the gym cost on what they don't spend. Meyers said after-school activities, which sometimes last only 45 minutes for kids as young as hers, can also be expensive and time-consuming to coordinate. Instead, she puts that money toward her gym and its childcare services, which she said include all the toys, crafts, and activities a typical daycare has. "I can get something out of it, and they get something out of it that they love as well," she said. For some, paying a few hundred extra dollars a month on rent still wouldn't afford them their own place, or even a much bigger room. It can, however, grant them access to multiple spacious facilities almost whenever they want. Le, who shares the "tiniest studio apartment with no direct sunlight" with her roommate, sees Life Time as a slice of luxury she can enjoy every day. "I use this gym probably more than 95% of the rest of the city does," she said. When she first moved to New York and dropped her stuff off at home, it was the first place she went.
Business Insider
16 minutes ago
- Business Insider
Exclusive: A look into how AI deepfakes has eased the process of scamming friends and family
For years, one of the few defenses that kept people from being scammed was the cultural and emotional relationship that existed among communities. However, deepfakes, orignially known as Generative AI has contributed to blurring such lines. During a meeting with Business Insider Africa, Rob Woods shared some insight on the subject. The integration of generative AI technologies, such as deepfakes, has weakened traditional scamming deterrents. Communities traditionally relied on social cohesion and reciprocal observation to prevent internal fraud. Generative AI allows for convincing impersonations, replicating voices, accents, and appearances. People are less inclined to swindle or scam those they know, such as family, friends, neighbors, religious comrades, or fellow citizens, due to feelings of guilt, empathy, the danger of social isolation, and reputational harm. However, with the emergence of generative AI, this long-standing line of defense seems to be weakening. Historically, various built-in measures deterred insider fraud, identification and familiarity acted as deterrents. It's tough to lie to someone who recognizes your face, family, or personal history. Secondly, communities, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, tend to be close-knit and based on trust and shared responsibility. A person who defrauds in such an environment faces long-term social ramifications, ranging from ostracism to having their family name ruined. But perhaps one of the biggest reasons people don't swindle their own is how privy people within the same community are to each other's scam patterns. While the emergence of AI comes with numerous benefits, the blurring of the deterrents to in-community scams is perhaps one of the tech's current most glaring cons. This point was elaborated on by Rob Woods, Director, Fraud, Identity and Biometrics Expert at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, who recently spoke to Business Insider Africa. 'You know, you don't necessarily get defrauded by your population, you get defrauded by different nationalities, and especially in smaller countries where there's that sort of local loyalty,' Rob stated. 'But if generative AI can mimic the local accent and local language, then it hooks people in.' Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), formerly limited to research laboratories and theoretical discussions, has emerged as one of the most transformational technologies of the times. Generative AI is changing the way we interact with machines, create content, and solve issues by producing realistic visuals and human-like prose, as well as music, code, and even synthetic voices. But how did it all begin, and where is it going? Originally intended to bolster the media industry, this AI has now become a very dangerous tool in the hands of scammers. 'The original purpose for deep fakes (it wasn't necessarily called deep fake, it was generative AI) was to make creative industries much quicker, much more detailed, and much more fantastical,' Rob stated. He went on to highlight humanity's affinity to turn a good idea into a harmful thing, which did not result from the creation of AI. His solution to this is ethics control and revisions to the system. 'You can create whatever's in your mind. Just give a good description to the engine. But like the term deep fake, and something I term a lot as bad AI, a lot of the AI systems should have ethical control,' he stated. 'So, if I ask one of the big brands, tell me how to or teach me how to scam someone in a bank scam. It won't let me. But if I give it a prompt to say, hey, I think I'm being a victim of a scam, please can you highlight the key tactics used by fraudsters to scam victims, so I can better protect myself, suddenly it produces 2000 words of everything that is needed to do a scam. Generative AI was created for a good purpose, probably a fun purpose, and automation, but then went into a different realm.' How deepfakes are becoming a real problem One of the biggest shifts in the use of AI is that fraudsters no longer need to be physically or emotionally present to execute a scam. With tools like AI-generated voice cloning, deepfake videos, and hyper-personalized phishing messages, they can impersonate trusted individuals with frightening accuracy. As mentioned earlier, deep fakes have presented an avenue for fraudsters to scam those who are close to them. How? A scammer can now make a mother believe her child is in danger with a cloned voice, or trick a business owner into wiring money using an AI-generated video of a known associate making the request. This level of impersonation removes the emotional and moral barriers that would typically prevent someone from deceiving someone close. After all, if the scammer never has to face the victim, and the victim can't even guess who the scammer is, guilt and shame play a much smaller role. As stated by Rob, who, based on his job, has seen some key trends in scam patterns: 'We've seen this in Northern Europe with the Netherlands, a tiny population who speak multiple languages, notably English, French, and German. Scams used to be in English, French, or German, but not Dutch. And then there was a rise in scams using generative AI, where it translates real-time into Dutch, generative AI can mimic the local accent and local language, then it hooks people in.' He went on to cite a popular case that happened in Japan. 'I think there is an instance last year in Japan where an executive was conned into approving a transfer of tens of millions of dollars because he was on a team's call with the board, but every single person on the call was a deep fake, and they all instructed him to make this payment to that other company, but it was a scam' he said. 'So we're seeing more and more examples appear in the world,' he added. As AI becomes more accessible, the threats increase. Communities that used to rely on interpersonal trust and social cohesiveness must now adopt new levels of digital literacy and skepticism. It is no longer adequate to say, "He wouldn't scam us, he's one of us." In the age of artificial intelligence, looks and voices may be created, and even people you know may not be who they claim to be.
