How To React When You’ve Been Blindsided By A Coworker
Don't let your frustration get the better of you.
Originally Published April 28, 2016.
While being blindsided by a coworker is never ideal, it’s a situation that many of us have or will experience in the workplace. If you find yourself in a predicament with a coworker that you feel is shady, use the below tips to sort through the situation.
Communicate
Getting last minute notice that a coworker is leaving your team or dividing their time between your department and someone else’s department is never a good thing, but one that can easily happen to us. Rather than getting upset with your coworker about their lack of communication, be the bigger person: Ask them directly what’s happening. A simple conversation can help you clarify any fuzzy details and it will allow you to hear an explanation for why things unfolded the way they did.
Be honest
Being honest with a colleague isn’t always easy, but it’s the necessary thing to do if you really want them to understand how you feel. Opening up about why you felt a situation was wrong will not only help to prevent your coworker from handling things the same way in the future, it can help them to reflect and rethink their approach to things and how it affects those around them.
Take time to assess the situation
Oftentimes, we jump to conclusions about a situation that we feel we were excluded from. Who else knows besides me? Why was I the last person to find out? Before getting lost in the situation, take time to really assess how things panned out. Ask yourself, “Is this a situation that involves my input? Do I only want to be in the loop for egotistical reasons? If the answer to these questions is “yes,” reassess why you’re stressing about the situation.
Pitching an idea can determine the amount of funding, if any, your company receives. Here are 7 key components to include in a pitch deck.
Originally Published Nov. 27, 2016
In startup land, pitching is all the rage! Last fall, I co-starred on a show on ABC Family (now Freeform) called Startup U, and the one topic that got us a massive spike in viewership was fundraising. Everyone wants to know the secrets.
Here are the key components from my pitch deck that got my company funding from legendary venture capitalist Tim Draper.
Problem:
When you are looking at the problem, you need to ask yourself two very specific questions:
What is the problem that I am trying to solve?
Do enough people also have this problem?
The answers to these questions alone will tell you if you are wasting your time seeking venture investment. Venture capitalists want to know that you are solving big problems.
Solution:
What solution have you come up with for the problem you are attempting to solve, and is this the correct solution to solve it? You will know that by going out and testing the market. If enough people believe you are solving their problem, then you are headed in the right direction.
Market Size:
How big is the market opportunity? Venture capitalists want to know that you are going after a HUGE market. They want your solution to solve a problem for millions and millions of individuals. If your solution only solves a problem for a few people, it might make a great business, but it may not necessarily be ripe for venture capital investment.
Business Model:
Every VC wants to know how you will make money. Is it through revenue shares, advertising sales, or a freemium business model? Whatever the case may be, you need to have a plan for generating revenue.
Competitive Landscape:
Who are your competitors? How is your solution different from or better than theirs? If your answer is, “I have no competitors,” a VC will look at you as if you have two heads attached to your body.
Every company has competitors. They may not be direct competitors, but you should most certainly know who your competitors are.
Traction:
This refers to growth. How many customers do you have? Are they paying customers? How much are they growing month-over-month?
Team:
Who makes up your team? Are they all qualified to work on the solution? Furthermore, do their skill sets overlap, or are they each contributing differently to the business? Also, how long did the team know each other before deciding to go into business together? These are very important factors that a VC will consider when investing.
Now, I say this all to say that this is not the be-all and end-all. There are many interpretations of this, but I can guarantee that if you go into your investor meeting with these items checked off, you are much more likely to leave with some form of financing.
Super Tuesday Results Prove President Biden and Donald Trump Are Here To Stay
So we're doing 2020 all over again?
The results from Super Tuesday prove that deja vu is real. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are steps closer to being their party’s official nominees—again—for president of the United States in November 2024.
More than 12 states hosted primary elections or caucuses on March 5 to determine who’s name would be on Election Day ballots. Both Biden and Trump dominated their races. Biden secured close to 80% of the vote, showing the clear support of the Democratic Party, but Biden can only beat who is present on ballots. Some progressives cast “uncommitted” ballots rather than voting for Biden.
However, analysts worry that voters are unforgiving of Biden’s support for Israel and refusal to call for a ceasefire publicly. On the same day, he doubled down on his support on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The United States is committed to pulling out every stop to get more aid to those in Gaza who desperately need it,” he tweeted.
“We won’t stand by. We won’t let up.”
The United States is committed to pulling out every stop to get more aid to those in Gaza who desperately need it.
Trump experienced similar strengths and weaknesses. He secured strong support despite losing Vermont to candidate Nikki Haley. By the end of Tuesday night, the potential GOP nominee had 893 of the 1,215 delegates needed to clinch the nomination. Haley had just 66. “They call it Super Tuesday for a reason. This is a big one,” Trump said from his election watch party at Mar-a-Lago.
“And they tell me, the pundits and otherwise, that there’s never been one like this.”
Following the disappointing results, Haley has suspended her campaign. Speaking to her supporters in Charleston, South Carolina, the former Palmetto State governor said the work doesn’t stop because democracy is on the line. “I couldn’t be more worried about America,” Haley said, according to NPR. “It seems like our country is falling apart. But here’s the thing — America will come apart if we make the wrong choices.”
Former Trump supporters share similar sentiments. Across the country, voters have expressed their willingness to cross party lines because they refuse to support Trump. “Anything but Trump,” one supporter said. After a reporter asked a follow-up question, the man said Trump still being in the race was why he voted for Haley.
Nikki Haley is done, but her voters will do something special.
Several Republican supporters are disappointed in the results of Super Tuesday, especially in North Carolina. GOP voters nominated controversial Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson as the nominee for governor. Robinson poses a severe threat to supporters of abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. As a Black Republican, Robinson has been openly critical of the Holocaust, denying it ever happened, and proposed that Black people owe white people reparations for bringing them here as slaves.
There is still hope in Josh Stein, the current attorney general. He grabbed the Democratic nomination, supported by outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper. Serving as AG since 2017, he set himself apart from fellow nominees, including former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Morgan.
Legal Battle Unfolds As 85-Year-Old Claims His Home Has Been Stolen By Former Stepson
Robert Elder, an 85-year-old resident of southwest Atlanta, finds himself entangled in a legal battle over the ownership of his home.
Robert Elder, an 85-year-old resident of southwest Atlanta, finds himself entangled in a legal battle over the ownership of his home, an abode he has invested more than five decades of equity into, according to Atlanta News First. In a lawsuit, Elder alleges that his home has been illicitly transferred to his former stepson, Torrey Elder, through the filing of three deeds, all executed without his knowledge or consent.
The unsettling saga began last year when new deeds were filed in July, August (labeled as a “corrective deed”), and September, all transferring ownership of Robert Elder’s home to Torrey Elder. What makes the case particularly suspicious is that none of the signatures on these deeds match the genuine signature of Robert Elder, as confirmed by official documents. Torrey insists that his father willingly transferred the property to him and accuses the elderly man of falsehood.
Atlanta News First investigations have revealed a startling gap in Georgia’s current property law – filing property paperwork in the clerk’s office requires no identification and ownership proof is not mandatory. This legal loophole allows individuals to file deeds without verifying their identity or demonstrating rightful ownership.
Real estate fraud attorney Rick Alembik, who has taken on the civil case, unequivocally states, “Mr. Elder did not sign these documents, absolutely not. This is stealing. This is theft.” Alembik emphasizes that although no conventional break-in occurred, the fraudulent acquisition of property is a crime that merits prosecution.
The lawsuit does not name the notaries as defendants, but it highlights their role in the alleged forgery of deeds. According to state law, notaries are supposed to stamp documents only when they witness and confirm the identity of the signer. In this case, the notarization of deeds raises questions about how they were validated without the presence or confirmation of the rightful property owner.
Jamilah Garth and Christine Smith, the notaries who signed the contested deeds, have come under scrutiny. Although Smith was reached by phone, she allegedly declined to provide an explanation for her involvement in the incident.
As Robert Elder fights to reclaim his home, this case sheds light on the vulnerabilities within Georgia’s property laws and the imperative need for reforms to safeguard homeowners from fraudulent practices.
Dexcom’s Over-The-Counter Glucose Monitor Gains FDA Clearance
Dexcom announces the FDA approval of its over-the-counter glucose monitor, which will provide access to new medical resources for those lacking insurance.
For those diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, a new over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is on the horizon. Dexcom’s latest device, called Stelo, will allegedly gain FDA approval for online availability by summer 2024.
Dexcom announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted the medical device clearance on March 5, per CNBC. Stelo is intended for use by people with Type 2 diabetes who do not use insulin for treatment. With its over-the-counter status, a doctor’s prescription is not needed to obtain the monitor, making it more accessible to those without insurance coverage.
CGMs are small sensors that can track glucose levels through the skin, giving patients real-time information throughout the day that can be sent to their phones. With this information, users will have a better grasp of their current health and can notify their families or doctors in case of concern. CGMs’ expanded availability through this approval will allow more Americans to be on top of their diagnosis. In a press release, Dr. Jeff Shuren, the director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, elaborated on this stride for health equity.
“CGMs can be a powerful tool to help monitor blood glucose. Today’s clearance expands access to these devices by allowing individuals to purchase a CGM without the involvement of a healthcare provider,” expressed Dr. Shuren. “Giving more individuals valuable information about their health, regardless of their access to a doctor or health insurance, is an important step forward in advancing health equity for U.S. patients.”
This news will be especially helpful for people of color, as Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form that impacts ethnic and racial minorities. Black adults are 60% more likely to be diagnosed than their white counterparts, according to Northwestern Medicine. This new medical advancement by Dexcom will ensure that those often disenfranchised in the health industry can have access to new resources.
Patients 18 or older can wear the Stelo for up to 15 days. An accompanying app updates information regarding glucose measurements and trends every 15 minutes. Further details on its price point and in-store availability have yet to be announced.
RuPaul Brings All Aboard The Rainbow Book Bus And Online Store
RuPaul and the Rainbow Book Bus are annoucing the grand opening of Allstora, the media personality's new venture to ensure diverse authors get greater profits from book sales.
Readers, your latest ethical bookstore has arrived. RuPaul is bringing everyone along his Rainbow Book Bus as he announces the release of his new online marketplace, Allstora, co-owned by authors.
Co-founded by RuPaul, Allstora hosts over 10 million titles for book lovers and seeks to uplift diverse authors by having them participate in the profit share. The Drag Race host shared the news on his Instagram on March 4, complete with his nonprofit organization, the Rainbow Book Bus, so avid readers of all backgrounds could feel welcome and invited.
RuPaul’s vision for Allstora is for “empowering creators and cultivating community. Here, you can support your favorite authors, find your story, and find your people.”
As the Chief Creative Officer, RuPaul will also debut his Book Club in collaboration with Allstora. Its membership entails monthly book deliveries, exclusive interviews and playlists for passionate readers.
Their mission statement is “to protect, promote, and empower all storytellers through an equitable compensation model and to uplift the voices of underrepresented groups, including LGBTQ+ people, women, and communities of color.” Through this business model, buyers are able to purchase books with wholesale memberships, providing further discounts while ensuring authors are paid more.
As for RuPaul’s charitable venture, The Rainbow Book Bus will continue working with LGBTQ organizations to provide access to novels for diverse communities, especially in areas where book bans are a more significant threat. To further promote the nonprofit endeavor and Allstora, the Rainbow Book Bus is embarking on a nationwide tour to give away 10,000 books to marginalized peoples. Traveling to areas such as Tulsa, Oklahoma, Memphis, Tennesse, and Atlanta, its effort will not only spread literacy but also promote a marketplace where authors receive their fair share.
The announcement coincides with the release of RuPaul’s memoir, The House of Hidden Meanings, which will be available for purchase starting March 5. The novel details his life journey to become one of the most prominent LGBTQ+ figures in media and will be the first novel pick for RuPaul’s Book Club at Allstora.
The innovative online book marketplace is open for memberships now.
Tennessee Woman And Man Arrested After Allegedly Killing Man In A Case Of Mistaken Identity
The pair were charged with first-degree murder.
A Tennessee woman was arrested after being involved in a killing where she mistakenly killed a man who she thought was her former boyfriend.
According to Law & Crime, 29-year-old Kiauna Newsom was arrested and charged with one count of first-degree murder after reportedly killing George Harris, her former boyfriend’s roommate. Harris was shot in a Chevy Malibu that belonged to her ex, who was not identified but told police officers that he let Harris borrow the car shortly before the shooting. He also informed police officers that he and Newsom had just been arguing.
Kiauna Newsom, 29, was charged with First Degree Murder.
— Memphis Police Dept (@MEM_PoliceDept) March 5, 2024
An affidavit of probable cause stated that police officers from the Memphis Police Department responded to a call on Saturday, March 2, at about 1:53 p.m. for a reported shooting. When first responders arrived on the scene, they said they discovered an unresponsive Harris inside a parked Chevy Malibu that had four bullet holes in the driver’s side door. He appeared to be suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel took Harris to Regional One Health, where he was pronounced dead.
“(Newsom’s ex-boyfriend) explained that he believed that he was the intended target and Harris was the victim of mistaken identity. (The ex-boyfriend) stated that he and his ex-girlfriend, Kiauna Newson, got into an argument at a store at Kirby and Shelby Drive. (The ex-boyfriend) advised that he left the store and went home. When he got home, victim Harris asked (the ex-boyfriend) to borrow his car,” the affidavit stated.
“(The ex-boyfriend) loaned his car to Harris and advised that a short time later, he received a phone call that Harris had been shot. Video from the store at Kirby and Shelby showed that Kiauna Newson was wearing a white V-neck shirt and driving a gray Nissan a short time before the murder.”
The affidavit also stated that Newsom admitted to driving a Nissan Altima with someone she knew as “Boogie.” They went out looking for her former boyfriend’s vehicle, and when the pair saw the Mailbu, they “pulled alongside (her ex-boyfriend’s) Chevy Malibu and Boogie pulled out a rifle-style firearm then fired multiple shots into the Chevy Malibu. Newsom advised she then fled the scene in the Nissan with Boogie.”
Newsom picked Boogie out of a police lineup, and an arrest warrant was issued for Boogie, who was identified as Justin Howard. People reported that Howard was picked up and also charged with first-degree murder.
Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, founder of T.D.E. (Top Dawg Entertainment), was recently honored in Los Angeles by having a street renamed after him.
East Imperial Highway and South Central Avenue intersection was christened “Anthony Tiffith T.D.E. Music Square.” Council member Tim McOsker and Top Dawg took a photo in front of the newly placed street sign that honors him. The street unveiling took place on Saturday, March 2 at 2 p.m.
The previous day, McOsker presented a Certificate of Recognition to Top Dawg from the Los Angeles City Council, recognizing him in Council Chambers.
On McOsker’s Instagram account, he wrote, in part, “As the founder of T.D.E., Top Dawg has had a transformative impact on our beloved community of Watts. Raised in the Nickerson Gardens housing development, his commitment to uplifting local talent and fostering a sense of pride within our beloved Watts has been a beacon of hope.”
Top Dawg grew up in Nickerson Gardens, and Top Dawg Entertainment started in 2004. The man behind the label had a roster of artists, including Kendrick Lamar, S.Z.A., ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Isaiah Rashad. He also built a recording studio, “House of Pain,” for his artists.
“Growing up in the project, it was tough. You know, we went through a lot of things, but the goal was to come back, build and teach,” Top Dawg stated while receiving the recognition. “I never thought I’d be standing here in the City Council getting this intersection named after me. Never in my wildest dreams, and I appreciate it.”
K.N.X. News also reported that Top Dawg Entertainment’s Jay Rock, the first signee to the label, was the first Watts resident to bring home a Grammy Award.
Young, elected in January 2024, met with some of the highest-ranking gang leaders in Memphis and crafted a plan to cease fire for seven days. To Young, that wasn’t asking for much, but it came with a cost.
“My ask for them in that conversation was, ‘Can we get a seven-day ceasefire? Just seven days where there’s no shooting, no killing?'” the mayor asked.
“And they said, ‘Yeah, we would be willing to do that,’ and they gave me a couple of caveats.”
Young provided the context of the meeting during a panel discussion on Mar. 4 at the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis regarding youth workforce development. Young said all the leaders came to an agreement, but in return, they are seeking well-paying jobs and the training needed to secure them.
Lastly, they requested assurances that their enemies also agreed to the ceasefire.
Memphis has experienced record-breaking numbers in violence. Almost 400 people were reported homicide victims in 2023 – a significant jump from 190 reported in 2019. Overall crime has been down since the start of 2024, however, with close to 600 violent crimes so far, not including homicides; the Justice Department is worried the city is reaching a 17-year high crime rate.
One of the final things the gang leaders mentioned was their “young boys” needing money in their pockets. Young has, hopefully, found a peaceful way to get them what they need. Those in attendance for the discussion celebrated a major donation from JPMorgan Chase to The Collective Blueprint, a nonprofit organization helping unemployed youth find a successful career path.
Collective Blueprint received $275,500 to fund a two-year grant to develop the Opportunity Youth Advanced Green Manufacturing Workforce Pathway Program. A Chicago study found that young adults who received a job or participated in an internship had a 45% drop in violent crime arrests.
Similar to the gang leaders, Young said many of the youth come from poverty with limited resources. “They said, ‘We don’t have programs at our community centers,'” he told the crowd. “‘We don’t have things to do, so we go out and we steal cars, and we ride around with our friends.'”
This won’t be the last meeting of its kind with the gang leaders, Young said, and he hopes that more city leaders follow suit. Struck by their humility, Young said the meeting helped open his eyes to how “normal, or regular” the gang members were. Many admitted that they don’t want to be living that type of lifestyle, but have no choice.
“What they said to me was that they’ve been conditioned to this lifestyle,” Young said. “If we introduce some opportunities, we may be able to turn the tide.”
HP Wants Consumers To Embrace A Subscription-Based Printing Service
HP is spinning the subscription model as a benefit to small businesses or families, but the deal also requires a two-year commitment as well as monitoring by the company.
On Feb. 29, HP launched a subscription service that allows a printer to be rented, gives those who subscribe a certain number of pages to print, and send them ink every month for a fee. That fee ranges based on the printer model and number of pages allotted, from as low as $6.99 a month for an HP Envy model and 20 printed pages all the way to $35.99 for an HP Officejet Pro model and 700 printed pages.
Stuck in a 360 deal with HP and the ink for my printer. If I cancel the monthly subscription, when I need ink it's like $100 regularly. pic.twitter.com/XGpjCPLg4s
As Ars Technica reported, the company is spinning the subscription model as a benefit to small businesses or families, but the deal also requires a two-year commitment as well as monitoring by the company. In addition to this, HP requires an active Internet connection, or it will end the service; while continuing to charge for it if the printer is found to be offline.
The company defends this controversial practice by claiming that it is necessary to maintain the service. According to its own privacy policy, HP has the right to “transfer information about you to advertising partners.” Hence, they “recognize your devices” and it also gives those third-party partners the potential ability to “combine information about you with information from other companies in data sharing cooperatives.”
HP also maintains in its privacy policy for its “All-In Plan” that it only “collects necessary data to deliver services like the HP All-In Plan” and that it “does not sell customer data to third parties for advertising or any other purposes.”
However, as PC World reported, HP’s program follows a commitment from HP chief executive Enrique Lorres to make printing an HP subscription service. Lorres claimed in January that the program was driven by a desire to make printing more sustainable. “Our view is that we need to make printing as easy as possible,” Lores said. “And our long-term objective is to make printing a subscription. This is really what we have been driving. We know it reduces the barriers to print, it offers a much more convenient solution to customers, and especially, [it] is more sustainable.”
HP and Lorres, as Digital Trends reported, were already facing criticism for their practice of “bricking,” or effectively shutting down HP printers that use third-party ink. Lores explained this practice by saying that, somehow, ink cartridges exposed their systems to viruses. Lores explained the company’s actual motivations, telling CNBC, “This is something we announced a few years ago that our goal was to reduce the number of what we call unprofitable customers,” Lores told CNBC Television. “Because every time a customer buys a printer, it’s an investment for us. We’re investing [in] that customer, and if this customer doesn’t print enough or doesn’t use our supplies, it’s a bad investment.”
Customers, meanwhile, have sensed that HP’s moves represent a cash grab and have filed several class action lawsuits holding the company responsible for their practice of bricking printers. These lawsuits have resulted in the company having to shell out millions of dollars to affected customers.
According to Top Class Actions, a January 2024 class action suit filed in Illinois claims that HP is effectively running a monopoly in the market for replacement cartridges. The lawsuit states, “In effect, HP used the software update to create a monopoly in the aftermarket for replacement cartridges, permitting it to raise prices without fear of being undercut by competitors.”
The lawsuit claims that HP is in violation of the Sherman Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and consumer protection and antitrust statutes in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia. The plaintiffs are also seeking a jury trial as well as an award for compensatory, statutory, and punitive damages for themselves and all who joined the lawsuit.
