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05 Feb 2024
Sticky Post By Posted in News, News and Trends Permalink

Elon Musk Says Tesla Workers to Sleep, Live in Texas Factory

Sticky Post By On February 5, 2024


This article originally appeared on Business Insider.

Elon Musk warned Tesla workers to prepare for a challenging production ramp-up as he previewed plans to build a mass-market vehicle.

The Tesla CEO said on the company’s Wednesday earnings call that building Tesla’s next-generation EV, set to enter production in 2025, will require Tesla workers to live and sleep on the manufacturing line at the company’s Texas factory.

“We really need the engineers to be living on the line. This is not sort of an off-the-shelf ‘it-just-works’ type of thing,” Musk told investors.

“That will be a challenging production ramp,” Musk said. “We’ll be sleeping on the line, practically. Not practically, we will be.”

It wouldn’t be the first time Tesla workers have reportedly had to sleep on manufacturing lines to meet the company’s production deadlines.

A former worker at Tesla’s factory in Fremont, California, told The Verge that employees would sleep on the factory floor after 12-hour shifts. Musk has said he slept beneath his desk while spending “three years straight” basically living in Tesla’s manufacturing facilities.

Musk said that Tesla’s next-generation vehicle, which Reuters reported is a mass-market, affordable EV codenamed “Redwood,” is set to enter production in the second half of 2025 at the company’s Texas Gigafactory — though he admitted that he is often optimistic with timing, and could not yet predict how many of the vehicles Tesla would initially produce.

Tesla workers could face a heightened form of what Musk previously dubbed “production hell” during Tesla’s 2017 Model 3 ramp-up.

“There’s a lot of new technology, a tremendous amount of new revolutionary manufacturing technology here,” Musk said.

“I am confident that once it gets going, it will be head and shoulders above any other manufacturing technology that exists anywhere in the world. It’s next level,” he added.

The billionaire has hinted for years that Tesla plans to release a cheaper EV expected to cost below $30,000.

It comes as the company is under increasing pressure from Chinese EV manufacturers prioritizing more affordable vehicles, with the Chinese EV manufacturer BYD recently overtaking the U.S. automaker as the world’s largest producer of electric vehicles. But BYD does not yet sell its cars in the U.S.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.



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04 Feb 2024
Sticky Post By Posted in News, software development Permalink

Attention Developers: Get MS Visual Studio Professional 2022 for Just $45

Sticky Post By On February 4, 2024


Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

Every business can benefit from having efficient and cost-effective in-house development solutions. To help programmers and developers do their jobs better, a software program like Microsoft Visual Studio can make a world of difference.

Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 for Windows is on sale for just $44.99 (reg. $499) for a limited time only. Described as a fully featured development environment known and loved by developers around the world — Visual Studios features a 64-bit IDE, which makes working with large-scale and complex projects easier and more manageable.

If you’re a developer with your own business or an entrepreneur hiring out for your programming and development needs, being able to support work with this software can make a world of difference.

Visual Studios can empower you to build across different platforms and languages with responsive Web UIs in C# with Blazor, crafting cross-platform mobile and desktop apps with .NET MAUI, and more.

It has intelliCode, which can help you type less while coding more by understanding your code context by variable names, functions, and the type of code you’re writing. It can complete lines or blocks of code and produce lists of the next best options.

Visual Studios also comes with CodeLens, which can pull deep and useful insights from your code and reveal important information like authors, tests, recent changes, and a whole lot more.

Elevate your business’s in-house development capabilities. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional is rated 5/5 stars on Microsoft Choice Software, and this limited-time deal will help you discover why.

Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 for Windows is on sale for just $44.99 (reg. $499) for a limited time only.

StackSocial prices subject to change.



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03 Feb 2024
Sticky Post By Posted in News, stock market Permalink

Make Informed Investment Decisions With Lifetime Access to Tykr for $119.99

Sticky Post By On February 3, 2024


Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

Every entrepreneur knows that success lies in smart investments. Yet, navigating the financial markets can be a daunting task. Recognizing this, the creators of the Tykr Stock Screener developed a premium product aimed at simplifying this process for both the seasoned investors and those scooping up stocks for the first time. Not just a tool, this invaluable platform also serves as a mentor, guiding users towards safer and more lucrative investment decisions.

So, what makes Tykr an indispensable financial adviser in your pocket? Starting with the initial steps it shields you from common rookie mistakes: stepping into high-risk moves and heartbreaking losses. Its highly efficient algorithm sifts through a universe of over 30,000 U.S. and International stocks, swiftly recognizing the ones with promising return prospects. It takes users behind the scenes, explaining the “why” behind every recommendation, thereby nurturing an understanding of the market dynamics.

For those of you embracing a cautious investment strategy, Tykr’s exclusive score feature adds an extra layer of security. It rates stocks out of 20, offering a clear insight into a stock’s financial strength. Knowing the Margin of Safety (MOS), an indicator of potential returns, further equips you to take calculated risks. Who said the stock market was all about gambling?

Finding robust investments takes no more than 30 seconds, even for first timers navigating the platform. The seemingly complex world of stock trading is simplified to three categories: On Sale (potential buy), Watch, Overpriced (potential sell). Sorting your investment priorities becomes as straightforward as categorizing your emails.

Tykr has proven itself an indispensable tool for seasoned and novice investors alike looking to secure their financial future.

Recognized as a vital investment tool, its user-friendly interface and insightful algorithm are key to making smarter financial decisions.

For a limited time, score a lifetime subscription to a Tykr Stock Screener Premium plan for $119.99.

Prices subject to change.



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02 Feb 2024
Sticky Post By Posted in Automated Intelligence, News Permalink

The Number 1 Most Bankable AI Skill You Must Have to Succeed in 2024

Sticky Post By On February 2, 2024


Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

If you don’t foster this skill, you’ll fall behind the pack financially and professionally in 2024. Are you fully utilizing AI to drive your productivity and profits yet? Download the free “AI Success Kit” (limited time only). And you’ll also get a free chapter from Ben’s brand-new book.



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01 Feb 2024
Sticky Post By Posted in News, News and Trends Permalink

Who Is Succeeding JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon? See Frontrunners

Sticky Post By On February 1, 2024


This article originally appeared on Business Insider.

A longtime JPMorgan executive who has kept a low public profile while cultivating a reputation as a successful trader with a talent for managing risk is emerging as a contender to succeed Jamie Dimon as chief executive.

Dimon, the longest-tenured Wall Street CEO, has not revealed plans to retire, though the financial industry has speculated on his succession planning and the people most likely to replace him for more than a decade.

Troy Rohrbaugh was named co-CEO of JPMorgan’s commercial and investment bank, known as the CIB, as part of an internal executive reshuffle JPMorgan announced last week. CIB is a sprawling group encompassing global investment banking, commercial banking, and other core businesses. Rohrbaugh will run the CIB together with Jennifer Piepszak, a longtime executive who industry insiders have for years floated as a possible Dimon successor.

Wall Street already knows Piepszak, who had most recently been co-chief executive of consumer and community banking and was the firm’s finance chief from 2019 until 2021. Analysts and investors are also very familiar with Marianne Lake, another long-tenured key executive who was elevated in the reorganization announced last week and is most frequently rumored to take over from Dimon when he eventually retires.

Rohrbaugh, 53, is lesser known to Wall Street than these colleagues. His new position through the internal shuffle has vaulted him more publicly and prominently into the most closely watched succession race on Wall Street.

Now, the industry will watch how Rohrbaugh will guide the CIB as JPMorgan performs above analysts’ expectations even in a slumped deal market. Business Insider has tracked Rohrbaugh’s trajectory from his college days to his most recent role as cohead of markets and securities services.

One industry recruiter noted that Rohrbaugh’s background as a risk manager could make him a powerful C-Suite contender.

Indeed, Dimon is known for boasting about JPMorgan’s “fortress balance sheet,” or its ability to protect against financial shocks while giving its employees the flexibility to test money-making ideas. “They take prolific risk and manage it well,” this person said.

‘Fortunes began to change’

Rohrbaugh arrived at JPMorgan in 2005, the year JPMorgan announced it would name Dimon, who had been president and chief operating officer, as CEO. Rohrbaugh joined the firm from Goldman Sachs, where he managed the foreign-exchange options business for North America.

His first post at JPMorgan was global head of forex derivatives. After years of troubles in JPMorgan’s forex business, “the bank’s fortunes began to change” after Rohrbaugh joined in 2005, Euromoney wrote in 2017. He had been a “source of stability not just for JPMorgan but also for the broader FX industry during its most turbulent years,” the publication wrote. The bank then became the first to introduce the ability to trade from a mobile device, the article said.

Rohrbaugh and longtime executive Eddie Wen, who had also joined JPMorgan from Goldman around the same time as Rohrbaugh, both had a hand in bringing quants and technologists “into the front office so that the business could take ownership of its system development rather than relying on a separate IT department,” Euromoney reported in 2017.

JPMorgan executive David Hudson told the publication that he returned to JPMorgan after working at Nomura in 2010 “to work for Troy.” He saw how the business had “matured after five years. It was clearly much more aggressive and capable, and there was a big focus on electronic distribution as well as on risk management.”

Though his profile is less familiar to outside observers, Rohrbaugh’s name is well-known across JPMorgan and in forex industry and advocacy groups. He had been chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s foreign-exchange committee and the chair of the Global Financial Markets Association’s foreign-exchange group. He’s also familiar with regulators, appearing on Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler’s calendar of meetings with other top JPMorgan executives in 2022 and 2023.

Rohrbaugh’s other stops at JPMorgan have been head of global markets and head of macro markets. Before he worked at Goldman, Rohrbaugh ran the Asian foreign exchange options business for the Canadian bank Banque Nationale and started his career trading options for CooperNeff at the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.

Rohrbaugh’s career spans the dot-com bust, the global financial crisis, and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, that devastated so many on Wall Street who worked in lower Manhattan.

While Rohrbaugh was at Goldman, his firm was close to the World Trade Center, and he experienced loss during the attacks. According to the New York Daily News, he was one of the last people to speak with the Cantor Fitzgerald broker Tim Soulas, who was killed. Cantor lost 658 employees in the attacks that day.

Rohrbaugh before Wall Street

The Baltimore native’s earliest workplace experience, though, was not in a trading pit.

“I was 16, and I was a security guard at a condominium at the Seaside,” he said as part of a series of interviews JPMorgan published in 2015 about executives’ first jobs. “I worked in my father’s business for about 40 hours during the week, and then I worked another 36 to 38 hours from Friday night ’til early Sunday morning.”

Rohrbaugh remains involved in his Maryland alma maters. He is on the board of trustees of Gilman School, an all-boys preparatory school that Rohrbaugh graduated from in 1988.

In 1992 he graduated from Johns Hopkins University, where he studied political science, played football, and is now a member of an advisory board there. In a video addressing the university’s football team last year, he said “pride and poise,” a slogan the football team uses, are two traits that helped him as a player and in his career.

He said that along with being prepared while under pressure, “you need to be calm and thoughtful and ready for when things aren’t working out.”

He was the president of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity while attending Johns Hopkins, where his frat brothers embraced a special tradition of throwing dozens of shoes out the window and onto a tree outside the frat house east of the college campus, the Baltimore Sun reported in 1992.

Students would leave the house, forget something, and yell at their roommates about throwing their items out the window, Rohrbaugh explained to the paper. Once, that item was a pair of shoes, and it got tangled in the tree. “From then on, any time you wore out a pair of shoes, or your roommate had really smelly feet with a tendency to leave his shoes l

Return-to-office tensions

In the yearslong push and pull between what Wall Street firms’ management and wider workforces want with remote work during the pandemic, Rohrbaugh has been chronicled as a vocal supporter of in-person work. That rubbed some employees the wrong way earlier in the pandemic, according to reports.

He is one of many finance executives who spoke publicly about their desire to have more employees working in person rather than at home.

Bloomberg reported that in March 2020, while New York was in a state-mandated lockdown, a JPMorgan employee wrote in a note to colleagues about Rohrbaugh continuing to “want to push everyone to get back into the office,” which JPMorgan disputed at the time.

A senior JPMorgan executive who works with Rohrbaugh recalled that time during the pandemic. This person said on Wednesday that he had managed trading operations well during Covid and took “tremendous” precautions for staff.

Kaja Whitehouse and Alex Morrell contributed reporting.

ying around, they’d end up on the tree,” he said.

“You get a technique after you’ve been here,” Rohrbaugh said. “You can always tell a freshman or sophomore because he’ll miss the tree three or four times, and when he finally hits it, it won’t wrap around.”



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31 Jan 2024
Sticky Post By Posted in Finance, News Permalink

Walmart rewrites the rulebook: Equity, expansion, and evolution

Sticky Post By On January 31, 2024


Walmart stock price

Walmart (NYSE: WMT) has recently unveiled a series of strategic initiatives that underscore its commitment to growth, employee empowerment, and customer satisfaction. These announcements, ranging from a significant stock split to ambitious expansion and modernization plans, mark a change in the company’s strategy to redefine the retail sector.

Democratizing share ownership through stock split

Walmart’s recent declaration of a 3-for-1 stock split represents a strategic maneuver designed to redefine share ownership within the corporation. This initiative is poised to triple the quantity of shares in circulation, which maintains the company’s overall market capitalization while reducing Walmart’s price per share. The underlying objective of this decision is to enhance the accessibility of stock shares, particularly for its associates, thereby facilitating a more inclusive approach to equity participation.

The implementation of the stock split serves to augment the liquidity of Walmart shares. Increased liquidity is beneficial as it implies a higher volume of shares being bought and sold in the market, which typically results in a more favorable trading environment for investors. Furthermore, by broadening the investor base, Walmart diversifies its shareholder portfolio and integrates its employees deeper into the fabric of its corporate achievements. This strategic initiative is the company’s acknowledgment of the pivotal role that its workforce plays in Walmart’s sustainability and prosperity. By promoting a culture of ownership and active participation among its associates, Walmart is investing in a future where employees are contributors and stakeholders in the company’s success.

Walmart’s blueprint for economic stability

In its most recent financial report, Walmart has presented a comprehensive strategy to mitigate the challenges of an unpredictable economic environment. The retail giant’s projections acknowledge a scenario where profit margins are expected to compress while sales volumes are expected to rise. This situation exemplifies the intricate difficulties Walmart encounters, encompassing the pervasive influence of inflation and the persistent competitive pressures inherent in the retail industry.

Central to Walmart’s tactical response is a dual focus on inventory management and strategic pricing, with a pronounced emphasis on the grocery segment. By optimizing inventory levels, Walmart ensures that capital is not tied up in excess stock, thereby improving cash flow and operational efficiency. This approach to inventory management is crucial in mitigating the risks associated with supply chain disruptions and fluctuating consumer demand. Simultaneously, Walmart’s strategic pricing initiatives are aimed at delivering value to customers, a critical factor in retaining consumer loyalty and driving sales in a price-sensitive market.

Walmart’s compensation revolution

Walmart’s recent strategic decisions demonstrate a profound commitment to enhancing its workforce’s financial well-being and sense of ownership within the company. Central to this approach is the pioneering introduction of annual stock grants for store managers, a move designed to intertwine its employees’ financial interests with the corporation’s overall success. This initiative represents a significant shift in Walmart’s compensation strategy, positioning it as a forerunner in employee-centric corporate practices.

The decision to augment store manager wages is a further testament to Walmart’s acknowledgment of the indispensable role that its workforce plays in driving the company’s success. By elevating manager salaries, Walmart not only enhances its competitive positioning as an employer of choice but also underscores its recognition of the value and impact that these individuals bring to the company’s operational excellence. This increase in compensation goes beyond monetary benefits; it is an investment in the morale and engagement of a critical segment of Walmart’s employee base.

Walmart’s expansion and innovation drive

Walmart’s recently unveiled expansion and modernization plans represent a strategic thrust toward redefining the retail ecosystem. The decision to construct or remodel over 150 stores in the next five years clearly indicates Walmart’s unwavering commitment to growth, innovation, and customer-centricity. This ambitious project is an evolution of the retail model, blending physical and digital realms to create a seamless, omnichannel shopping experience.

The transformation of these stores involves integrating cutting-edge technology and sustainable practices. By incorporating advanced systems for inventory management, checkout processes, and customer engagement, Walmart is setting a new standard in operational efficiency and customer service. The use of sustainable materials and energy-efficient designs in these stores aligns with Walmart’s environmental commitments, demonstrating its role as a responsible corporate citizen.

Furthermore, the modernization of Walmart’s retail spaces is intricately linked to its digital strategy. These revamped stores are envisioned to function as shopping destinations and vital nodes in Walmart’s online ecosystem. The integration with online platforms ensures a seamless transition for customers between online shopping and in-store experiences, catering to the evolving preferences of today’s consumers who seek convenience, flexibility, and a personalized shopping journey.

From the democratizing effect of its stock split to its visionary expansion and modernization efforts, Walmart’s strategic initiatives reflect a comprehensive approach to navigating the complexities of the modern retail environment. By investing in its employees, adapting to economic challenges, and reimagining the customer experience, Walmart is reinforcing its position as a leader in the retail sector and setting new standards for retail excellence. As Walmart continues to implement these strategies, it remains to be seen how these moves will shape the future of retail and the company’s journey toward sustainable growth and innovation.



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30 Jan 2024
Sticky Post By Posted in News, Success Stories Permalink

This Former Banker Turned Janitor Now Makes $10 Million Annually on His Cleaning Business

Sticky Post By On January 30, 2024


Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Not many bankers would leave their comfortable, high-paying position to clean toilets. But that’s exactly what John Disselkamp did.

The decision turned out to be the best of his life. Disselkamp now runs a $10 Million Janitorial company. But for the months after he left his banking job, it seemed like he was committing career suicide.

From mopping it up to mopping

At 35, Disselkamp decided that he “didn’t want to be sitting in front of a calculator” for the rest of his life, so he quit his job at a Louisville, Kentucky bank and moved in with his mom.

“I was basically homeless, with probably $20,000 in credit card debt and no retirement savings,” he told me on the Fail Your Way to Success podcast.

But Disselkamp wasn’t just freeloading — he was working out a plan inspired by a former banking client who had opened a successful cleaning business. Disselkamp realized he had to first understand the business from the ground up, so he got a job as a janitor, earning $600 a month.

Related: This College Student Started a Side Hustle So He Didn’t Have to Bartend Until 4 am. Now He’s Earning $7,000 a Month — and Putting It to Good Use.

A fish out of water

“In the beginning, I didn’t know anything,” he recalls. “One time, the owner of a building asked me what we should use to clean the floor, and I had to take a picture, send it to a friend of mine in the industry, and ask him.”

But the humbling experience led him to see his true talents. He was very good at reaching out for help when necessary.

“When I realized my ability to clean wasn’t going to get us very far, I saw that the real business I’m in is in the people business,” he says. “And that’s what had interested me from the beginning.”

From cleaning one toilet to many

The long journey from working as a janitor to ultimately employing janitors started with a cold call.

“I looked up one of the more prominent local property management companies and called up a guy whose name I found on their website,” he says. “I got his voicemail, left him a message, and he didn’t call back. I called him again about four days later, left a message, and he didn’t call back. I did it again a week later, and he didn’t call back. And then three weeks later, he calls and says, ‘Hey, John, it’s Greg. Sorry it’s taken so long to get back with you.'” Two months later, Disselkamp’s company had a gig cleaning an eight-story, 200,000-square-foot building.

Today, his company First Class Commercial Cleaning has 330 employees, serving roughly 5 million square feet per night.

The power of teamwork

Connecting people is what led to Disselkamp’s success and it’s what has helped him flourish.

“Our success isn’t about me—I’m just one of 330 other people,” he says. “I’m really fortunate to have a team of great human beings that work extremely hard and genuinely care about serving others, from our leadership and management team to our supervisors and frontline cleaners.”

Doing common things uncommonly well

Another secret to Disselkamp’s success is his realization that the key to growing a simple business is to care—as much about your team members as your customers.

“We have a saying we tell our managers: before you ask anyone to go pick up a mop, ask them how their family’s doing,” Disselkamp says.

Of course, it’s not just as simple as making a cursory inquiry. Anyone who can go from bringing in $600 a month to netting $10 million a year has mastered the art of making employees feel like they’re a part of something.

As Disselkamp says, “Fortune 500 companies may put a ping pong table in the break room or let everyone sit outside for lunch and think that’s going to change culture when really culture comes down to one-on-one relationships and building trust and genuinely caring about your people.”

Still, it hasn’t just been a smooth, straight ride to the top. “I’ve had many days where I’ve gone to my wife and said, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore,'” he says. “But you have to have some grit because in order to succeed, you have to keep falling down and getting back up.”

This story originally appeared on the Fail Your Way to Success podcast



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29 Jan 2024
Sticky Post By Posted in Finance, News Permalink

10 Must-try Innovation Games to Foster Creativity

Sticky Post By On January 29, 2024


Innovation games are potent tools to foster creative thinking and team synergy, all wrapped up in fun and excitement. Check out our list of 10 must-try innovation and creativity games to play with your friends, family, and students!

Why innovation games?

Innovation games are not merely a source of amusement or a break from routine. They’re strategic exercises designed to stimulate creativity, encourage problem-solving, and cultivate a collaborative spirit within teams. When deployed effectively, these games can catalyze groundbreaking ideas and innovative solutions that elevate your business.

Looking for entrepreneurship games? See our list of some of the best entrepreneurship games to play.

Top 10 innovations games to spark creativity in your team

Embark on a journey of exploration and creativity with some of our favorite innovation games. Each one serves a unique purpose, from enhancing communication skills to fostering team synergy, all while injecting a dose of fun into the work environment.

1. Products: The Card Game

products card game

Products: The Card Game is a creative odyssey that unleashes your team’s imagination. Pretend you’re in a shark tank and sell your family on your big new idea!

  • How to Play:  Create genius or hilariously horrible products, then pitch your glorious inventions to friends and family. The game includes 180 Features (blue cards) and 70 Products (white cards) for infinite replayability.
  • Benefits: This game sparks innovation and inventiveness by challenging players to create unique and imaginative products. It fosters team synergy, making it perfect for a game night with friends, a class activity with students, an icebreaker to start a business meeting, and more. Includes rules with three unique ways to play, invent, and win.

2. Reverse Charades

Reverse Charades turns the classic game on its head, making teamwork the show’s star. In this entertaining twist, the team acts out a word or phrase while one enthusiastic individual takes the guessing stage.

  • How to Play: In a twist on the traditional game, the team acts out a word or phrase while a single person tries to guess it.
  • Benefits: This game promotes teamwork and allows everyone, even the quieter team members, to shine in the spotlight and express their creative instincts.

See also: 7 Ways to Improve Your Creative Flow as a Business Owner 

3. Word Association

Word Association is the linguistic playground where creativity knows no bounds. Dive into a world of spontaneous connections and quick thinking as players link words in a rapid-fire exchange. It’s not just a game of vocabulary; it’s a mental sprint where wit and imagination reign supreme.

  • How to Play: Start with a random word. Each participant takes turns saying a word associated with the previous one. The game continues until only one participant remains.
  • Benefits: This game sharpens mental agility and enhances the ability to communicate succinctly, paving the way for effective collaboration.

4. Improv Hero

invention charades

Improv Hero is where spontaneity takes the spotlight and creativity steals the show. Dive into the world of unscripted hilarity and quick thinking as players become the heroes of their own impromptu stories.

  • How to Play: Split the team into pairs or small groups and assign them a random scenario or prompt. The teams must improvise a scene based on the given scenario.
  • Benefits: This game encourages quick thinking and teamwork as participants build upon each other’s ideas to deliver an entertaining performance.

5. Quick Fire-Debate

Quick Fire-Debate is the intellectual battleground where opinions clash, and ideas ignite in a rapid-fire exchange of wit and wisdom. Engage in spirited debates on various topics, challenging your team to think on their feet and articulate their perspectives with finesse.

  • How to Play: Select a thought-provoking topic and divide the team into two groups: one supporting the topic and the other opposing it. Engage in a lively 1-minute debate, where participants use their creativity and persuasive skills to make their case.
  • Benefits: This game sharpens critical thinking skills and boosts confidence as team members express their arguments with creativity and flair.

Looking for more activities with invention education? Check out PBS’s invention education classroom. 

6. Creative Mime

Step into the silent realm of expression with Creative Mime, where imagination takes center stage in a wordless performance. This unique game invites players to communicate and interpret ideas, scenarios, and emotions through mime.

  • How to Play: Divide the team into pairs. One person in each pair mimics an object or concept without using any words or sounds. The other person tries to guess what the mime represents.
  • Benefits: This game enhances nonverbal communication and fosters a positive team atmosphere.

7. Twisted Charades

Twisted Charades injects a dose of unpredictability and laughter into the classic game, turning your typical charades night upside down. Brace yourselves for unexpected challenges and hilarious twists

  • How to Play: Similar to traditional charades, participants must convey abstract concepts, emotions, or entire stories through gestures and expressions.
  • Benefits: This game promotes emotional intelligence development and enhances empathy, strengthening team bonds.

8. Puzzle Bonanza

Puzzle Bonanza is not your average mind-bender; it’s an exhilarating journey into the world of brain-teasing challenges and collaborative problem-solving. Dive into a treasure trove of puzzles, each more intricate than the last, and watch your team unravel the mysteries together.

  • How to Play: Provide teams with a variety of puzzles. The team that finishes first is the winner.
  • Benefits: This game stimulates out-of-the-box thinking and fosters collaborative problem-solving.

9. Michelangelo

Michelangelo is not just a name from art history; it’s a game that invites you to channel your inner artistic virtuoso. Step into the shoes of the legendary Renaissance master and unleash your creativity on a canvas of challenges.

  • How to Play: Provide teams with sculpting materials. Challenge them to create sculptures based on given themes or prompts.
  • Benefits: This game allows for the tangible manifestation of creativity and celebrates individuality.

10. What’s in the Box?

whats in the box

What’s in the Box? Isn’t just a guessing game; it’s a suspenseful expedition into the unknown. The excitement builds as players use their senses and wits to decipher the mysterious contents of the box.

  • How to Play: Fill a box with random objects. One participant selects an item from the box and describes how it can be repurposed or used creatively in a different context.
  • Benefits: This game promotes creative problem-solving and divergent thinking, fostering resourcefulness and adaptability.

Innovation activities that are not games but still inspire creativity

While innovation games are a powerful tool for boosting creativity, they’re not the only method. Let’s delve into some creative activities that can inspire your team and foster a culture of innovation.

There are plenty more invention education activities on MIT Lemelson’s website. 

1. Creative Problem Solving

creative problem solving

How to Do It: Present a challenging problem or scenario to the team and ask them to generate as many creative solutions as possible within a given time.

Benefits: Ignite the spark of innovation as your team collaborates to explore and present inventive solutions, fostering an environment of creative excellence.

See also: Be a Better Business Owner By Boosting Creativity

2. Collaborative Art

How to Do It: Divide the team into small groups and ask them to create a collaborative artwork together.

Benefits: Promote team synergy and cultivate a culture of creative collaboration as each brushstroke contributes to a masterpiece of collective imagination.

3. Scavenger Hunt

How to Do It: Create a list of unique items for teams to find within a designated area. Teams must present the items in the most creative way possible.

Benefits: Spark inspiration and cultivate innovative thinking as teams showcase their finds in imaginative and unexpected ways.

4. Writing Marathon

How to Do It: Set a time limit and challenge team members to write a short story, poem, or piece of creative writing within that timeframe.

Benefits: Strengthen team bonds through storytelling, fostering a shared sense of unity and unlocking the power of narrative creativity.

5. Collaborative Music Jam

How to Do It: Gather musical instruments or use online platforms for virtual collaboration. Allow each team member to contribute to a collaborative musical piece.

Benefits: Celebrate diversity and cultivate an inclusive and creatively harmonious work environment through the symphony of collective creativity.

6. Cooking Challenge

How to Do It: Set up a cooking challenge where teams must create a dish using a specific set of ingredients.

Benefits: Encourage innovative thinking and resourcefulness as teams whip up culinary creations in the spirit of delicious creativity.

7. Design Your Dream Workspace

How to Do It: Ask team members to envision and design their ideal workspace, creating visual representations of their dream work environment.

Benefits: Inspire creative thinking and foster a shared purpose as each team member designs the blueprint for their imaginative work haven.

8. Creative Journaling

How to Do It: Provide each team member with a journal and encourage them to engage in creative journaling.

Benefits: Encourage self-expression and provide a platform for exploring personal thoughts and emotions, fostering a culture of creativity and introspection.

9. Mind Mapping

mind mapping

How to Do It: Choose a central theme or problem and ask teams to create mind maps to explore creative solutions and connections.

Benefits: Promote visual brainstorming and idea generation, fostering a culture of innovation as teams map out pathways to creative solutions.

10. Vision Board

How to Do It: Encourage team members to create vision boards representing their aspirations and goals.

Benefits: Encourage imagination and provide focus and inspiration for future work as team members craft visual representations of their collective dreams and ambitions.

How to pick the best innovation game (Step-by-step)

Step 1: Understand Your Team’s Dynamics

Before selecting innovation games, assess your team’s dynamics, preferences, and communication styles. Consider factors such as team size, individual personalities, and the level of familiarity among team members.

Step 2: Define Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Clearly outline the objectives you aim to achieve through innovation games. Whether it’s enhancing communication, fostering creativity, or improving problem-solving skills, having specific goals will guide your game selection.

Step 3: Consider Time Constraints

Take into account the available time for the game session. Some innovation games may require more time for setup, explanation, and play. Ensure that the chosen games fit within the time constraints to maintain engagement.

Step 4: Cater to Diverse Preferences

Acknowledge the diversity within your team, including different learning styles and preferences. Opt for a mix of innovation games that cater to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners to ensure everyone can actively participate.

Step 5: Rotate Games for Variety

To prevent monotony, consider rotating innovation games regularly. Variety helps maintain interest and allows team members to experience different approaches to creativity and collaboration. Keep a repertoire of games and introduce new ones periodically.

Step 6: Match Games to Team Goals

Align the chosen games with your team’s overall goals and projects. Select games that mimic or directly relate to the real-world scenario your team is working on. This connection enhances the relevance of the games.

Step 7: Adaptability and Scalability

Choose innovative games easily adapted to different team sizes and settings. This adaptability ensures that the games remain effective in various contexts, whether you have a small team or are conducting a large-scale team-building event.

See also: Two Big Lessons on Creativity Every Business Should Learn

Step 8: Seek Feedback from Team Members

Encourage open communication by seeking feedback on past innovation games. Understand which games resonated most with team members and why. Use this feedback to refine your selection process and tailor future game choices.

Step 9: Embrace Technology

Incorporate technology-based innovation games for virtual teams or to add a digital element to in-person sessions. Explore virtual collaboration tools, online platforms, and mobile apps that can enhance the gaming experience.

Step 10: Monitor Engagement Levels

During and after each game session, assess the engagement levels of team members. Pay attention to energy, enthusiasm, and collaboration. This feedback can guide adjustments to your game selection for future sessions.

Frequently asked questions

1. What are innovation games, and why are they important?

Innovation games are strategic exercises designed to stimulate creativity, encourage problem-solving, and cultivate a collaborative spirit within teams. They go beyond amusement, acting as potent tools to catalyze groundbreaking ideas and innovative solutions.

2. What’s the purpose of playing innovation games?

The primary purpose of playing innovation games is to foster creative thinking, enhance communication skills, and promote teamwork within a fun and engaging context. These games serve as strategic exercises to inspire fresh ideas and solutions.

See the recommended community innovation starter kits to build your area into an innovation community from MIT.

3. Are innovation games only for entertainment, or do they have strategic benefits?

Innovation games are not merely sources of entertainment; they offer strategic benefits. When deployed effectively, they can lead to the generation of inventive ideas, enhance problem-solving skills, and strengthen collaboration within teams.

4. Can innovation games be used in entrepreneurship contexts?

Absolutely. Innovation games are versatile and can be particularly beneficial in entrepreneurship settings. They encourage out-of-the-box thinking, enhance communication, and promote the development of creative solutions—all essential elements in entrepreneurship.

5. What are some examples of innovation games to spark creativity?

Some examples of innovation games include “Products: The Card Game,” “Reverse Charades,” “Word Association,” “Improv Hero,” and “Quick Fire-Debate.” Each game serves a unique purpose, from boosting communication skills to fostering team synergy.

6. How do I play “Products: The Card Game”?

In “Products: The Card Game,” players create genius or hilariously horrible products and pitch their inventions. The game includes 180 Features (blue cards) and 70 Products (white cards) for infinite replayability. The benefits include sparking innovation, inventiveness, and fostering team synergy.

7. What is the objective of “Reverse Charades”?

“Reverse Charades” turns the classic game on its head by making teamwork the star. In this twist, the team acts out a word or phrase while one person guesses. The game promotes teamwork and allows everyone, even quieter team members, to shine in the spotlight.

8. How does “Word Association” contribute to creativity?

“Word Association” is a linguistic playground where players link words in a rapid-fire exchange, promoting mental agility and enhancing the ability to communicate succinctly. It stimulates creativity through spontaneous connections and quick thinking.

9. What is the role of “Improv Hero” in team dynamics?

“Improv Hero” puts spontaneity in the spotlight as players become the heroes of their own impromptu stories. The game encourages quick thinking and teamwork as participants build upon each other’s ideas to deliver entertaining performances.

10. Are there non-game activities that promote innovation and creativity?

Activities like creative problem-solving, collaborative art, scavenger hunts, writing marathons, collaborative music jams, cooking challenges, designing dream workspaces, creative journaling, mind mapping, and vision boarding are excellent non-game methods to inspire creativity and innovation.

11. How can these non-game activities contribute to team dynamics?

Non-game activities contribute to team dynamics by promoting collaboration, sparking inspiration, and encouraging innovative thinking. These activities enhance communication, strengthen bonds, and foster a culture of creativity within teams.

The post 10 Must-try Innovation Games to Foster Creativity appeared first on Due.



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28 Jan 2024
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This Refurbished iPad Air Is on Sale for $156 Through January 28th

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A tablet can complement a wide range of business needs, and they’re exceptionally great for business travelers. If you feel like an iPad could complement your work life, then there’s no reason to wait any longer to pick one up. This refurbished Apple iPad Air is on sale for just $155.99 (reg. $499) through January 28th at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Its 16GB of storage space can fit a fair amount of photos, videos, and apps. In terms of the visuals, you can’t do much better than the 2048 x 1536 native resolution of this display. Once you’ve downloaded your favorite software and apps, you can easily navigate between work tasks, personal messaging, and calls. The 1.2mp front camera and 5mp rear camera make for great tools for taking business calls, FaceTiming, and team meetings.

This impressive device works on WiFi only, and it can go for a remarkable ten hours per full battery charge, which is another reason why it’s so popular among business travelers.

Please note that this iPad Air has a grade “B” refurbished rating. This means it should operate well but might have some light scratching or scuffing on the outside.

Don’t wait any longer to realize your tablet dreams. Instead of bouncing only between a phone and a desktop or laptop, add something a little more versatile into the mix. This iPad also comes with a black case.

This refurbished Apple iPad Air 9.7″ 16GB (Wi-Fi only) is on sale for just $155.99 (reg. $499) through January 28th at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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27 Jan 2024
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Secure 213 Hours of Coding Education for $50

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Building a website, creating new functionality that’s tied to your specific industry, and developing new tools and features — these are all things most businesses need to grow nowadays. These are also all tasks that require skilled and informed programmers. To reduce costs on contractors and outsourcing, you can do more for your business by learning some coding skills yourself.

On that note, it’s worth mentioning that The 2024 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle is on sale for just $49.99 (reg. $1,500) through January 28th only. This in-depth collection of online learning materials features 213 hours of content spread across 15 courses. Each one has a specific focus.

One of the more well-reviewed courses in the bundle, Learn To Code with Python 3, features 78 lessons on the popular programming language Python and its basics. Rated 4/5 stars, the course goes over why Python is important, its functions, reversing a string function, navigating a system with an OS library, and more.

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Instead of always hiring out to solve your programming and coding needs, you can collect some of the knowledge yourself to save your business time and money.

The 2024 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle is on sale for just $49.99 (reg. $1,500) through January 28th at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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