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Will Varner
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IN THIS ISSUE
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An Olympic gold medalist on mental health
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You can actually like your job
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Are gyms officially back?
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Good morning. A few years ago I met a journalist who reported from dangerous areas of Somalia. Despite us both working in the “news” industry, I remember thinking to myself, “Well, we have very different jobs.”
This morning you’ll be waking up to headlines (not in Sunday Edition) of the Taliban having entered Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul.
My thoughts go back to that reporter, who recently joined the Kabul bureau, and all the other journalists in the area who are bravely keeping us informed—especially the local ones for whom this must be particularly devastating.
As one Afghan reporter wrote, “Being an Afghan journalist in Afghanistan is like writing a story about different fires in your house and report the burning of each part, despite your family members being stuck there and you can’t help them.”
—Neal Freyman
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Stock Watch: 'Jeopardy!'
We didn’t have space to include it in the chart, but here’s a great factoid: Media mogul Merv Griffin originally composed Jeopardy!’s iconic theme song, “Think!”, as a lullaby for his son. In 2005, he told the NYT that it made him between $70–$80 million in royalties.
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Icebreakers with...Olympic Champion Surfer Carissa Moore
Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
In Tokyo, Hawaii native Carissa Moore won the gold medal for the US in surfing’s first ever Olympics. Not satisfied with that hardware, Carissa is currently competing in the World Surf League’s latest event in Oaxaca, Mexico, where she’s already notched a near-perfect 9.80 on one wave.
What’s the world of competitive surfing like? Here’s Carissa in her own words.
How do you think surfing’s introduction to the Olympics will affect the sport?
I hope it opens up surfing to a broader audience and can bring more people in, whether that's by inspiring someone to try surfing for the first time, or motivating them to choose their own path.
As an athlete who’s been vocal about your mental health, how have you felt seeing Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles put a spotlight on mental health this year?
I think we all, every human, go through our own mental struggles. I feel that as athletes, sometimes it can be amplified with the pressure of the events and being under a microscope. But being conscious of and in tune with your own mental health, not being afraid to ask for help, and taking the time you need to feel through that space is super important.
What is the community of pro surfer women like?
It’s a really small, tight community. I feel like everybody knows everybody for the most part, and it’s like a second family to me. I've grown up with a lot of the women on tour, and there’s mutual respect among all of us. But also we want to beat each other really bad, you know?
If you could compete at any surf spot in the world, where would it be?
Oaxaca is definitely one of the places that I'm the most excited to compete at. I’ve been on a surf trip here but it was over 10 years ago, and I have some of the best memories from surfing this spot.
But for me, just being able to compete at home the past few years has been extra special, in front of the home crowd and waves that I've grown up surfing. We started our season off at Honolua Bay, Maui, and Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu. Surfing there is definitely my favorite.
What should anyone who goes to Hawaii eat?
Oh, you have to grab a Banan Bowl. My husband and his buddies own a place for really delicious, vegan soft serve made from local bananas and local fruits, and it's just a nice, healthy treat. If you do go, you have to get a scoop of mac nut honey butter.
Surfing has a lot of its own slang. Is there a word or phrase that you particularly like?
“That was siiick.”
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
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You probably don’t know the secret to winning as a team is cooking together as a team.
And the best way to chef it up with your colleagues is with Truffle Shuffle’s private event giveaway. You could win a virtual private cooking experience catered to your group by their Michelin Star Chefs. In fact, their studies show that after a Truffle Shuffle meal, your team is 1,000% more likely to get the job done!
For all you “math people” raising your eyebrows, that wasn’t a typo. You’re 1,000% more likely to SUCCEED! We even asked our data department—aka our pet turtle, Dave—to crunch the numbers and they confirmed it’s accurate. One thousand percent success, baby.
Truffle Shuffle has provided group cooking experiences for the likes of Salesforce, Apple, Google, and even got a deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank.
So put on your finest (and most likely only) apron and take advantage of this rare opportunity to impress your boss with your newly learned fresh pasta skills.
Enter the giveaway today.
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The Grass Isn't Always Greener
Each week, our workplace whisperer Shane Loughnane answers reader-submitted questions about work in 2021. Anything you need some help with? Ask Shane here.
Hi Shane, nothing in particular bothers me at work. Is that a thing? Or is it abnormal? It's possible that since this is my first real job I am unable to identify problem areas, but I want to be better at identifying issues and communicating them. Got any advice?—Minnie, NYC
While the Seinfeld fan in me knows that no Festivus celebration is complete without the traditional “Airing of Grievances,” the same doesn’t have to be true of every employee review. It’s quite possible to simply find yourself in a great job situation that also happens to be the right fit at the right time in your career.
That said, you are wise to want to take advantage of the opportunity to reflect critically and provide feedback. Good managers—and I will add, far fewer than all managers—make a regular habit of collecting feedback.
I would challenge you to think about this more broadly. Rather than just focusing on problem areas, what are some things your employer could be doing to provide an even better work experience? Are there other areas of the business that you’d like more exposure to, or cross-training that you might benefit from? Professional development opportunities that aren’t currently being offered? Most importantly, what’s the snack situation? I hope you’re not settling for a handful of raisins.
In the meantime, don’t forget to mention to your manager the things you feel are being done particularly well. Encouraging that continued behavior is an equally important part of the feedback loop.
Btw, you are 100% right. As you progress in your career, you will inevitably get “better” at identifying issues and find yourself longing for simpler times. Until then, take some advice from business sage Billy Madison: “Stay here. Stay as long as you can.”
My husband loves to tell me about Irish pronunciation rules so I looked at your last name and guessed it’s pronounced “Logan.” How did I do?—Carol, Providence, RI
Let’s see. That would make me “S. Loughnane,” which, in certain parts of Providence (Carol’s house) you might hear combined and pronounced as “Slogan”—a memorable motto or phrase or, historically speaking, a Scottish Highland war cry. Dang, you almost talked me into it. Unfortunately, your husband’s rules must have some exceptions. Care for another go at it, anyone?
Coming soon...HR Brew. Be one of the first subscribers to our upcoming newsletter on all things human resources.
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The Future of Gyms Is Hybrid
Mark Bertulfo/Unsplash
It’s been a rough year-and-a-half for any place you go to for a half-hearted, 20-minute StairMaster sesh. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 22% of US health clubs have closed for good, taking 1.5 million workers with them, per the International Health Racquet & Sportsclub Association.
But for the gyms that have managed to stay open through lockdowns, business is booming.
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Planet Fitness increased revenue 241% last quarter compared to 2020, and added 700k new members.
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Colin Waggett, the CEO of London-based luxury gym Third Space, said his clubs are seeing an all-time low on cancellations for pre-booked classes (3%).
- Xpontential, the boutique fitness company that owns brands like Club Pilates and Pure Barre, said that revenue was only 13% below Q2 2019.
Will the good times last?
In May, when Covid capacity restrictions were lifting across the US, gym traffic returned to 83% of pre-pandemic levels. But crowded weight rooms may not last for long. The Delta variant has already pushed city governments in New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans to require vaccines for public venues, including gyms. And in some states, most recently Oregon, indoor mask mandates are coming back to make your chin even sweatier while you squat.
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Planet Fitness CEO Chris Rondeau told CNBC this week that about 150 clubs currently require masks in accordance with local guidelines, but he hopes that the mandates are short-lived.
There’s also the existential threat posed by in-home fitness companies that exploded during the pandemic. To keep up with demand for its bikes and treads, Peloton broke ground on its first US factory in Ohio this week. And even when this current wave of Covid recedes, most data points to in-home fitness sticking around and coexisting with physical gyms.
- 70% of online fitness program users plan to keep using them post-pandemic, per McKinsey.
- 40% of Peloton users also have a gym membership, according to the company.
Looking ahead…in many ways, the trajectory of gyms reflects the trajectory of the physical office. Advances in tech have made in-home fitness a sweaty, convenient pleasure, but others may crave human interaction and equipment they can’t find at home.
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Life insurance that gives you freedom to live. Ethos offers life insurance without time-consuming medical exams and blood tests—just answer a few health questions in a quick, online application. They've eliminated the paperwork and put you in control of the process. No hassle—protect your loved ones here.
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Open House
Welcome to Open House, the only newsletter section that asks, “Why are rich people so tacky?” We’ll give you a few facts about a home for sale and you try to guess the price. And whatever price you’re thinking of for this listing, go higher.
Zillow
Let’s hop on a yacht to [undisclosed address] in Great Neck, Long Island, and check out today’s 8+ acre compound with an unobstructed view of the NYC skyline. There are so many bodies of water on this property, the architect must have been Aquaman himself. Amenities include:
- 18 beds, 32 baths
- Home movie theater (gag), bowling alley, and tennis court
- Stuffed animal civilization
- Private lazy river
- Being even richer than your rich neighbors
How much for some Gossip Girl nonsense? Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for the answer.
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Just Click It
1. How the pandemic now ends. (The Atlantic)
2. A high-level explainer of ethereum. (Alex Lieberman)
3. I didn’t know how to write about my sister’s death—so I had AI do it for me. (Believer)
4. Beyoncé’s evolution. (Harper's Bazaar)
5. Finding a way back from suicide. (New Yorker)
6. Stop-motion animation fun with matches. (SWIMMING on YouTube)
7. An oral history of Kermit in the gulag. (Mel Magazine)
8. Where Republicans are starting to worry about Big Oil. (Politico)
9. The melodies of train doors around the world. (New York Times)
10. Dubai is a parody of the 21st century (Adam Something on YouTube)
It’s a good time to invest in good time fuel. AsomBroso Tequila has notched sales in excess of $20 million, and the tequila market is estimated to surpass $14.7 billion by 2028. Learn more about AsomBroso and how you can invest here.*
*This is sponsored advertising content
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Meme Battle
Welcome back to Morning Brew's Meme Battle, where we crown a single memelord every Sunday.
Today's winner: Joshua A. in the Philippines.
This week's challenge: You can find the new meme template here for next Sunday. Once you're done making your meme, submit it at this link for consideration.
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✤ A Note From AsomBroso Tequila
You should read the Offering Circular and Risks related to this offering before investing. This Reg A+ offering is made available through StartEngine Primary, LLC, member FINRA / SIPC. This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. Please drink responsibly.
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