Famed investor Warren Buffett again held court this past weekend at the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, offering words of wisdom for entrepreneurs and business owners in today’s rocky economic climate. 

Although you won’t see the famously tech-phobic Buffett making a TikTok anytime soon, the centibillionaire is widely acknowledged as the GOAT of investing. During Saturday’s “Woodstock for Capitalists," Buffett, 92, and right-hand man Charlie Munger, 99, spent nearly six hours cracking jokes and weighing in on a wide variety of business topics, including the recent banking crisis, green energy and the effects of artificial intelligence (“I think old-fashioned intelligence works pretty well,” Munger deadpanned). 

The two investing legends touched on several problems that vex entrepreneurs. Munger observed that making money in investing has become harder due to competition. In a noisy and competitive world, it is more important than ever to think differently and make your product stand out. On an optimistic note, Buffett stated that the best investment is the one you make in yourself. This means building critical thinking skills to succeed at your career and business. 

Of course, Buffett also quipped that “what gives you opportunities is other people doing dumb things.” So there you have it, folks. Be a lifelong learner to get smarter — and don’t be stupid. 

Hit play: What to listen to to boost productivity

Business Breakdowns: BTS of the biggest success stories

The King: How BK joined the fashion world

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Silence is golden — or at least in a noisy office, it’s a rare and precious element. While data indicates most people concentrate best the quieter it is, it's almost impossible to find workplace peace in this age of open-floor plan offices, remote work in busy coffee shops or work-from-home situations with noisy kids. 

So it’s not surprising that more than half of employees wear headphones at work. But while classical music has been found to help the brain process new information more efficiently, tunes can be distracting and aren’t for everyone. Fortunately, there are alternatives to drowning out your co-workers with a symphony. Here’s what to play in your earbuds instead. 

White Noise

Research shows that white noise can help “improve work efficiency” by masking other sounds. Scientists suspect that such noise can increase dopamine in the brain. This can be particularly helpful for people with ADHD, who have been found to have dopamine deficits. 

The best part about white noise is that it’s consistent. You know what you’re getting when you put it on and whether it’s going to work for you. Before you go investing in a sound machine, however, take advantage of free resources on YouTube and in the Apple App Store.

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Nature Sounds

Flowing water and other sounds in nature can similarly cover up your colleagues’ loud conversations, studies suggest. Researchers determined that the sound of mountain streams were noticeable enough to obscure other noises, but were random enough not to become a distraction themselves. 

On top of that, the sense of nature these sounds provide might help with morale by making employees feel like they aren't stuck in an office. There are a number of readily available apps and videos that will send your ears straight to the woods. 

Binaural Beats

If white noise isn’t giving you the focus you need and the sounds of a flowing stream keep sending you to the bathroom every 20 minutes, then consider a third option: binaural beats.  

Binaural beats are an auditory illusion that’s created by sending two sound frequencies into different ears through headphones. In doing this, your brain synchronizes with the different tones, which can reduce stress, increase focus and result in a general flow state. 

There is some data that indicates certain binaural beats can increase focus, but the main benefits are less about covering up sound and more about reducing anxiety. So if you have a stressful job, this may be the best way to deal with the voices in your head — as well as the sound of your boss. 

Great business leaders don’t do — or accomplish — anything alone. Great leaders delegate. As a business leader, your time and attention are pulled in a lot of different directions. What if delegating, even just five tasks, to someone you trust could save you 15 hours each week?

With BELAY, you no longer have to own every task as a business leader. When you delegate, you have more time to focus on the things only you can do — growing your business. Our friends at BELAY have been helping leaders like you get their time back by delegating to a virtual assistant. Check out the top 25 tasks you can delegate to a BELAY Virtual Assistant today.

(Source: Apple)

Ever wonder how Trader Joe’s was able to generate a cult-like following as a grocery store franchise? Curious if the regulatory changes between state and federal laws have enabled the emergence of the cannabis industry in the U.S.? Or maybe you'd like to learn how Amazon Aggregators are buying up hundreds of Amazon’s third-party sellers and growing at rates faster than Amazon itself?

The Business Breakdowns podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, analyzes the ins and outs of where businesses come from, how they operate and what gives them their special sauce. The show’s hosts and the people who know business best — industry veterans, investment professionals, and corporate executives — shed light on what makes these companies tick.

Business Breakdowns charts how some of the largest and most successful companies were built while competitors fell to the wayside. Listen for a helpful breakdown before your business, uh, breaks down.

Looking for more listening recommendations? Check out our picks for the best business podcasts of 2023 and our roundup of inspirational podcasts worth a listen.

(Source: QSR)

Burger King is the home of the Whopper. STAYCOOLNYC is the home of “retro-futuristic chillwear" (their words). But sometimes, the twain do meet: Like dipping a salty chicken nugget into sweet honey, BK’s latest marketing stunt embraces unexpected yet satisfying combos with a quirky trip into streetwear fashion.

The King’s recent ‘70s-style retro rebranding complements STAYCOOL’s house style, with the resulting collab — a soft beige hoodie — featuring an embroidered burger design, a colorful “Stay Cool” slogan and a subtle BK logo outside of the pocket. However, it’s the inside of the pocket where the marketing becomes mind-blowing. That cotton compartment is perfectly Whopper-sized and lined with a heat-reflective foil similar to what you’d find in an insulated bag. That’s right — it’s a burger pocket, and it’s designed specifically to keep your Whopper warm. Burger King calls it “WarmCore,” and yes, they made a hashtag out of it.     

Alongside hashtags and headlines, BK’s marketing department pulled off a combo that’s even better than a burger and fries: They got people to pay for wearing an advertisement. And if you think that sounds crazier than a Whopper pocket, you’d be surprised. Sold exclusively at the restaurant’s online merch store, the BK x STAYCOOLNYC collab sold out within hours. 

But don’t sweat it if you missed your chance to shell out $85 for limited-edition kingly couture. Pocket that money and you’ve got enough to buy about 20 Whoppers. We have no idea how you’ll keep ‘em warm, though.    

While Burger King may have earned the crown with this marketing move, check out the major PR mistake that turned into a big business blunder for the brand.

(Source: Twitter)

Written by Lauren Vino, Ali Saleh, and Dan Ketchum.

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