Bullet-Resistant Suits To Personal Body Armor | What Former Nike and White House Strategist Is Doing With Steph Curry

Plus: Biden Affirms: “I Will Eliminate Your Student Debt”

One of my coping mechanisms through this pandemic has been collecting new plants, now likely over 40 altogether and I have quickly learned that while they can't talk, they do communicate in other ways and bugs, like the fly that perched on Vice President Mike Pence’s head during last night's debate, will take-over if you don't listen to them. I was surprised to see, amid our heated political atmosphere and pandemic that separates us, a Forbes article from 2012 that suddenly surged in traffic about ten steps to effective listening that spoke about a "high-tech, high-speed, high-stress world".

Eight years later the world is still stressful after the first presidential debate widely panned by observers and drawing ridicule from international media and earning the label “shitshow” from CNN’s Dana Bash. Last night's vice presidential debate also resonated with so many women when Senator Kamala Harris reacted to an interruption by saying, "Mr. Vice President, I am speaking". There are also challenges that you can listen well, but sometimes can’t help but notice a niggling feeling of doubt creeping in. Should you ignore it, or is it trying to tell you something?

According to Airkit’s cofounder and CEO Stephen Ehikian, him and his cofounder Adam Evans noticed that over the last few years the relationship between companies and their customers was changing pretty rapidly particularly in that customers were making more and more decisions based on products that offered a hyper personalized end-to-end digital experience that was fast and convenient. Essentially, cultivating relationships through systems that listen and react. Airkit announced this week that it is coming out of stealth and that it has already raised $28 million since it was created in late 2017 developing pre-built components with templates for the most common customer workflows.

Are you starting a business? Instantly sign up for The Pursuit newsletter for entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses, by Maneet Ahuja sent biweekly.

Must Read Stories For Young Innovators

Aspetto's Abbas Haider and Robert Davis, alumni of Forbes Under 30, have lined up contracts with the Air Force, IRS, Bureau of Prisons and more for their tactical gear.

Startup nTopology is building next generation design software that relies on mathematical computations to create 3D-printed parts and products that are lighter and more efficient than would be possible with older CAD systems.

This week on Unfiltered from home, we spoke with FoodtoEat CEO and Founder Deepti Sharma about money and its necessity in her mission to serving underrepresented communities.

The former Nike and White House strategist, Jeron Smith, is now teaming up with Steph Curry to cut deals between the big studios and underrepresented actors and storytellers.

The Pursuit

This week's collection of expert tips from Forbes contributors around the world for those building and running a business. Click to sign up instantly for The Pursuit, a biweekly essential briefing by Senior Entrepreneurs Editor Maneet Ahuja.

Amid a pandemic implosion, these startups showcase the strength, diversity and adaptability of America’s entrepreneurs—and provide hope for the country’s economic future.

In these unique times, live-streaming isn’t just recommended, it’s becoming essential for businesses to survive.

Are you looking to (finally) scale your business? If so, the best, most sure-fire way to go about doing it is through the creation and seamless implementation of effective business strategies. While somewhat complex, with the right know-how on your side, it's not all that complicated.

No, it’s not the laptop. It’s something much bigger. Microsoft shared this week that their 85-inch Surface Hub 2S will officially be available for purchase this coming January. Priced at $21,999.99, the Surface Hub 2S has assisted in bridging the gap between teams working remotely as well as doctor’s offices, hospitals, and schools. 

“We no longer need Hollywood,” said Malek, a Muslim content creator better known as @arabicmclovin on TikTok. “We don't need those people to give us a platform. We're creating our own.”

Model Citizens: Fashion and beauty brands want more than pretty faces. "We're all looking for 15, 16 and 17-year-old kids on Tik Tok. Brands are trying to find people who already know how to create content and have at least 100,000 followers," said On the Wall president Jawahar Chirimar

Across Forbes