Morning Brew - 🪂 Launch day

Time-saving tools and products we’re really into rn.

Remote work has spoiled our fur babies, who now expect scratches, treats, and hypothetical questions (Are you the best guy? Are you?) 24 hours a day. But summer is here and it’s time to meet up with your human friends, so take care of your very good boys and girls with this app-powered pet feeder. You won’t have to feel so bad about spending all day at the beach.

But if leaving your fluffy buddy at home is out of the question, use BringFido to find the places they’ll be welcomed with open paws.

As Beyoncé recently told us, “Damn, they work me so damn hard/Work by nine, then off past five/And they work my nerves/That's why I cannot sleep at night.” Don’t worry, B! Work gets on everyone’s nerves from time to time. Recover from work stress by taking micro-breaks and spending time on activities you want to do.

A head start on your hustle.

When you picked up pottery-making as a lockdown hobby, you didn’t expect it to blow up on TikTok, but now you have a full-blown side hustle. That means it’s time to stop using your Instagram DMs to execute your orders, and follow our guide to formalizing your small business. Then you’ll want to set up an e-commerce storefront. For tips on how to set up your site, Sidekick spoke with Natalie Gibralter, VP of product and commerce at Squarespace.

The first step, Gibralter says, is to consider what kind of experience you want your customers to have. Design a store that reflects your brand and how you want to present yourself. Then consider what kind of engagement you want on the site.

“Do you want them to sign up for an email list so you can engage with them more regularly? Do you want to promote a recurring subscription or membership where you can have a more ongoing relationship with them? The key benefit of having a virtual storefront is to have an environment that you fully own to connect with customers and prospective customers,” Gibralter explained.

Look through templates to help you decide what kind of vibe you want to create and what logistics you should have based on the product you’re selling.

Once you’ve done that, follow these tips:

• Make the site clean and easy to navigate. “Regardless of the type of product you’re selling, it’s important to make sure the imagery you use on your website speaks to each individual offering,” Gibralter said. If you’re selling crafts or artwork, include photos and a description. If you’re selling a digital product, include a preview and explain its value. Wherever possible, include customer reviews to build trust.
• Integrate your site with your social media accounts. Especially Instagram. Sync your products to your site so customers can buy directly from IG or quickly find your link. Gibralter also recommends promoting your business through Google Shopping or Google Reserve so people can search your ceramic masterpieces using keywords.
• Connect your payment processors. Will your customers use Apple Pay? Visa? Klarna? Integrate those features for seamless checkout.
• Have a plan for your taxes. This is a biggie. We’ll just direct you back to our small business guide on this one.
• Launch! Now that your site is up and running, you want to direct customers out of your DMs and onto the webpage, so promote your creations on social media, send email marketing campaigns, and direct all customer service inquiries to your site. Now you’re an entrepreneur!—SS

Tech tips and tricks.

Crown yourself the unofficial DJ of the aux cord with Spotify’s Crossfade feature, which allows you to blend your songs seamlessly into one another without having to suffer through awkward pauses. To start, head into your Spotify settings, hit Playback, and then select Crossfade. You’ll then be able to select a song blend time of up to 12 seconds (but I’ve found that the sweet spot is 4–7 seconds).

And don’t worry, Apple Music users: You can apply a similar feature to your music library on your Mac by following these steps.—MW

Burning questions of our time.

Outdated dress codes:

Workplace dress codes have relaxed a lot over the years. From heels that literally destroyed your feet to suits that were not designed for summer, companies wanted to see their employees in garments that announced, “Take me seriously: I’m a professional.” But in many industries, workers are increasingly encouraged to come to the office in what makes them feel comfortable.

If your professional acuity is based on the knowledge and skills you bring to the table, should it matter what you’re wearing? For some corporate offices, the answer is “Put on a tie.”

Are office dress codes outdated? Or do they hold everyone to the same professional standard? Let us know your thoughts by replying to this email!—MW

Sidekick is always ahead of the curve. Last week we asked you about productivity trackers and you had A LOT to say. Check out this NYT story for an excellent deep dive on the topic. And now, your thoughts on productivity trackers:

“I think it’s a violation of privacy. We cannot be expected to spend 8 solid hours on company projects in this day and age. Productivity is more than just keystrokes, especially when a good part of the day is spent in meetings. When I’m working remotely, I log in to the company system from my personal laptop (long story, but it just works better for me), so they have zero right to be tracking what I do, where I go. I do have a company-owned iPad, but it’s not connected to our network, so I don’t think they can track me there.”—Sheila

“If you’re doing something on your employer’s asset, they have every right to track you. But they shouldn’t be permitted to put that tracker on your personal device (phone, computer). Also, if they are using a tracker, the employer needs to be concerned that they’re capturing private information about their employee, and is the employer maintaining, securing, processing, and destroying that data appropriately?”—Bob

Your punch list for when you punch out.

Read: With a title bound to turn heads at the bookstore, iCarly star Jennette McCurdy spoke with The Cut about her recently released memoir, which details her troubled upbringing as a child actor with an abusive mother. Word is the book is sold out nearly everywhere, so snap up a copy if you see one!

Watch: Tap back into your high school days alongside awkward but charming Indian-American teen Devi in the latest season of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever. Come for the never-ending teen drama and stay for the show’s heartwarming feel-good moments.

Do: Take your weekends up a notch with an excursion booked through GetYourGuide. The site rejects corny tourist traps in favor of exciting food tours, day trips, and once-in-a-lifetime adventures across the world. And for more travel apps, check out Sidekick’s guide here.

Lights, camera, Brew: Morning Brew is on YouTube! Our shows cover the tech, trends, and companies you care about—and don’t worry, we’re not jargon people. Watch here.