• Humanz, an influencer marketing platform, is going all in on M&A.
• The company raised venture capital to ink M&A deals, including two 2025 acquisitions.
• Read the pitch deck Humanz used to raise $15 million and build out its M&A strategy.

Advertising giants like Publicis, WPP, and Omnicom aren't the only companies deploying roll-up strategies and shaking up influencer marketing.

Humanz, an Israeli influencer marketing platform that expanded to the US in 2024, is going "full acquisition mode" through 2026, CEO Liran Liberman said in an interview.

The company exclusively told Business Insider that it recently raised $15 million from an undisclosed group of venture capital investors to fuel several M&A deals. In 2025, the company acquired two influencer marketing companies: Bambassadors, a user-generated content marketplace, and Ubiquitous, an influencer marketing agency.

Humanz declined to disclose its own valuation, as well as the financials of its recent acquisitions.

Liberman said that Humanz plans to ink three more deals in the first half of 2026. There are two types of deals the company is eyeing: talent acquisitions (such as targeting another company's network of creators and brands) or tech acquisitions (such as payment solutions).

"In this space, there are so many niche players," Liberman said. "Imagine a company great in influencer marketing on LinkedIn for B2B, or a tech company only doing creator payments. If I can acquire them … now we can offer more solutions."

Humanz's acquisition of Ubiquitous and Bambassadors was a strategic play to expand the company's presence in the US, Liberman said. He said that one reason Humanz sought to acquire Ubiquitous was that it's listed as a top influencer marketing company when prompting ChatGPT.

Discoverability on AI chat platforms is an increasingly important strategy for brands, leading to a prioritization of generative engine optimization (GEO), a new spin on search engine optimization (SEO).

"This was kind of our GEO investment," Liberman said.

Humanz raised $8 million from debt providers Viola Credit and Mizrahi Bank as part of its $15 million round, which will help finance its acquisitions. The company anticipates revisiting that deal and increasing it to $50 million to support further acquisitions in 2026 and 2027.

Humanz has raised a total of $32 million to date and has about 170 global employees following its recent acquisitions.

Liberman said that Humanz was profitable in 2025. But profitability isn't the company's top priority heading into 2026.

"We do want to invest a lot in growth," he said.

Read the pitch deck Humanz used to raise $15 million for M&A.

Note: Some details and slides, such as financials, have been redacted.

Humanz describes itself as an 'AI platform powering' the creator economy

It starts its deck by spelling out its mission

Then it maps out the industry and its challenges

It includes a chart estimating the size of the influencer marketing industry

It says the creator space has become 'inefficient'

Then it outlines five challenges the industry faces

Here are the five challenges it lists:

1. Discovery and negotiation
2. Management
3. Measurement and optimization
4. Creator incentives
5. Payment

The deck introduces how Humanz is delivering a solution

It says Humanz will bring creators and brands 'closer than ever before'

It then outlines what features Humanz delivers on

It identifies three key players in the influencer industry

The key players, which Humanz says it's "building trust" with and connecting, are campaign managers, creators, and talent managers.

It then goes into depth on each of the five challenges

Humanz wants to 'streamline content management'

It also says it helps key players communicate

Humanz says it helps creators, talent managers, and campaign managers align their goals

Humanz also says it helps measure and analyze performance

It then goes deeper into how it measures content

Humanz is also focused on simplifying payments

Then the deck goes into the business model

Humanz says its business model is 'sustainable' and 'scalable'

"Our revenue model, consisting of a $1,500 monthly fee and a 20% share of advertiser payments to influencers, ensures a sustainable and scalable business model," the slide says.

It lists out clients, including Meta and TikTok

Here are a few of the clients Humanz lists: Meta, TikTok, Visa, eBay, Google, Unilever, and Adidas.

Then, the deck outlines a three-year plan

Humanz is focused on growth

"Humanz is executing a bold, strategic plan to secure a dominant position in the $250B creator economy," the slide says.

Here's what else it says:

1. Through acquisitions — Beginning with Ubiquitous and Bambassadors, and three more acquisitions planned for early 2026.
2. Maintain aggressive growth — Our 250% YoY growth, supporting over 1 million creators and facilitating millions of collaborations, has already generated hundreds of millions in sales.

Humanz says 'AI will transform' the creator economy

Here's how AI is shaping the creator economy, according to the slide:

Revamped Ecosystem — As content creation becomes easier with AI tools, Humanz is poised to lead the charge by creating better platforms that empower influencers to scale their businesses and drive growth across the industry.

AI Influencers — We are close to the point where it's impossible to distinguish between a human and AI video creation. Humanz is taking proactive steps to ensure that authenticity and transparency remain at the forefront of our platform, empowering both influencers and brands to maintain trust and integrity

Humanz explains how it is using AI across its products

Finally, Humanz introduces its team

The management team is split between Israel and the US

Humanz has seven global offices

It lists offices in New York, Florida, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, the Netherlands, and Israel (where its HQ is).

The deck concludes with a thank you and contact information

• The year-over-year inflation rate in November was 2.7%, much cooler than the 3.1% forecast.
• It's the first inflation report since the government shutdown. We won't have one for October.
• BLS published labor market data on Tuesday, bringing even more clarity to the previous murky data picture.

The year-over-year inflation rate slowed to 2.7% in November from September's 3%, the last month with data.

Economists expected a 3.1% rate, which would have been the highest since May 2024.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics won't be able to calculate an overall consumer price index for October 2025 because the government shutdown that lasted from October to roughly mid-November affected data collection.

Earlier this week, the BLS also published October and November job growth data, as well as last month's unemployment rate, providing more clarity to the state of the economy after a murky data picture due to delayed or canceled government data releases. This delayed report showed a mixed labor market, with better-than-expected job growth, unemployment above September's rate, and wage growth slowing.

Both reports will be helpful for the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision. Before the CPI release, CME FedWatch showed a roughly 75% chance that the Fed would hold rates steady, after three straight cuts, and about a 25% chance of a 25-basis-point cut. The Federal Open Market Committee members, who make the federal funds rate decision, won't meet again until January 27 and January 28, so they will have even more labor market and inflation information before then to make their call.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

• Business Insider's senior pop culture writer ranked the 20 best songs of 2025.
• "David" by Lorde took the top spot, followed by "Luther" by Kendrick Lamar and SZA.
• Listen to the playlist on Business Insider's Spotify.

For much of 2025, it may have felt like music charts were devoid of hits and pop stars were slumping. But that was only true if you didn't know where to look.

Established artists like Tyler, the Creator, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, and Taylor Swift released some of the most polished songs of their careers, while breakout stars like Djo, Katseye, Role Model, and Olivia Dean rose to the challenge with catchy singles of their own.

If you're looking for names like Rosalía, Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, or Addison Rae, you won't find them here — but don't fret. You'll find them instead on Business Insider's best albums of 2025 ranking. In keeping with my year-end tradition, to avoid excessive repetition (and to give as many artists as possible their proper due), these two lists have no overlap.

Thus, the songs featured below have been singled out for their stand-alone appeal. They're as compelling in isolation as they are within their respective tracklists, if not more so.

Keep reading to see my 20 top picks, ranked in ascending order, and listen to the complete ranking on Business Insider's Spotify.

20. "I Think I Like You Better When You're Gone" by Reneé Rapp

Reneé Rapp is one of the most technically skilled and expressive vocalists working today. No song from her sophomore album, "Bite Me," exemplifies this better than "I Think I Like You're Better When You're Gone," an R&B-inflected anthem for avoidant lovers everywhere.

If you like this, listen to: "Mad," "Why Is She Still Here?," "Shy"

19. "Cuntissimo" by Marina

"Cuntissimo," the third single from Marina's sixth album, "Princess of Power," is a welcome return to the pomp of her 2012 cult classic "Electra Heart," which satirized and subverted female archetypes ("Bubblegum Bitch," "Primadonna," "Homewrecker") to tell a story of rebellion and independence.

Thirteen years later, Marina still prefers to act up rather than settle down, and to counter patriarchy with pleasure.

In an internet era saturated with "manosphere" influencers and "trad wife" content, which often urges women to embrace homemaking and submit to their husbands, Marina's "Cuntissimo" is a much-needed dose of ostentatious girl power.

"So often, women don't think they're allowed to feel their sexuality in a way that doesn't involve how it looks for men. They feel that it's been co-opted," Marina said of the song, via Dork. "I would love to be able to free younger women of that, the feeling that our bodies don't quite belong to us."

If you like this, listen to: "Cupid's Girl," "Metallic Stallion," "I <3 You"

18. "Sugar On My Tongue" by Tyler, the Creator

Tyler, the Creator had very clear objectives with his ninth studio album, "Don't Tap the Glass" — namely, to make people ditch their phones and dance. In the album's opening track, Tyler instructs the audience, "Body movement. No sitting still."

The very next song, "Sugar On My Tongue," is Tyler's vision fulfilled. I can't imagine anyone with sturdy feet and healthy knees being able to resist that beat.

If you like this, listen to: "Big Poe (feat. Sk8brd)," "Sucka Free," "Ring Ring Ring"

17. "Basic Being Basic" by Djo

Joe Keery may star in one of Netflix's most popular shows ever (as the beloved Steve Harrington in "Stranger Things"), but if the quality of his music maintains its current trajectory, he'll be better known as a musician in no time.

This year, Keery released his third album, "The Crux," under his stage name Djo. It was led by the endearingly retro "Basic Being Basic," in which Keery makes the case for being earnest over trying to be cool.

The song toes the line between lecture and confession, while Keery's delivery alternates between monotone and falsetto. Here, as well as elsewhere in "The Crux," he's taking cues from frontmen like Matty Healy, Julian Casablancas, John McCrea, and Paul McCartney — but the result is a sound that's entirely his own.

If you like this, listen to: "Potion," "Delete Ya," "Charlie's Garden"

16. "Daisies" by Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber is back, baby. "Daisies" is the infectious highlight from "Swag," Bieber's best album in a decade, and the song of the summer that got away.

If you like this, listen to: "Yukon," "Butterflies," "Walking Away"

15. "Tears" by Sabrina Carpenter

In "Tears," the second single from Sabrina Carpenter's "Man's Best Friend," she takes a man to task — or, more accurately, modern men as a species — for how far underground the bar for seduction has sunk.

Her sarcastic fawning over the bare minimum ("A little respect for women can get you very, very far / Remembering how to use your phone gets me oh so, oh so, oh so hot!") is paired with irresistible disco-pop, making a strong case for Carpenter as Donna Summer's saucy offspring.

If you like this, listen to: "Manchild," "Nobody's Son," "House Tour"

14. "Gabriela" by Katseye

Katseye, a six-piece girl group positioned as the first global K-pop phenomenon, enjoyed a mainstream breakout moment amid the great jeans war of 2025. The group went viral for dancing to "Milkshake" by Kelis in Gap's "Better in Denim" campaign, which the company's CEO touted as a financial boon and "cultural takeover."

The ad's success on social media showcased Katseye's zeitgeisty star power, but "Gabriela" proves the group has staying power as well. The top-40 single features a cowriting credit from Charli XCX, a juicy romantic rival motif à la Dolly Parton's "Jolene," a flamenco-inspired hook, and a bridge sung entirely in Spanish — a seemingly chaotic mix of elements somehow blended to perfection. "Gabriela" is one of the year's smoothest, most indelible pop songs, destined to soundtrack Katseye's ongoing rise to stardom.

If you like this, listen to: "Gameboy," "Mean Girls," "M.I.A"

13. "Dracula" by Tame Impala

Kevin Parker's fifth album as Tame Impala, "Deadbeat," was heavily inspired by the rave scene in Western Australia, a mood neatly summarized in its third single: "Run from the sunlight, Dracula." The album's narrator thrives in the shadowy, faceless corners of a dance floor.

Shortly after its September release, "Dracula" became the first Tame Impala song ever to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 — a shockingly overdue achievement, but one that "Dracula" earned with its sticky hook and party-ready production. Parker even told Apple Music's Zane Lowe that he wanted "Dracula" to sound "like a Max Martin song," referencing the legendary pop producer who's churned out more hits than anyone else in this century.

If you like this, listen to: "My Old Ways," "Loser," "Obsolete"

12. "Everything Is Peaceful Love" by Bon Iver

Justin Vernon said his acclaimed fifth album as Bon Iver, "Sable, Fable," took shape on the day he wrote "Everything Is Peaceful Love," a soft-rock ballad awash in the musician's signature falsetto.

"I knew what kind of record I wanted to make the day we made 'Everything Is Peaceful Love.' I always knew that would be the feeling I wanted to share first," Vernon said in a statement. "The idea that happiness and joy are the highest form and the true buoyancy of survival, and even taking yourself less seriously could heal the world."

If that claim sounds a bit starry-eyed, the song is sincere and soothing enough to almost make you believe it. "Everything Is Peaceful Love" is the sonic equivalent of taking a warm bath; whatever's going on above water level tends to melt away mercifully, if only for a few minutes.

If you like this, listen to: "Things Behind Things Behind Things," "Walk Home," "There's a Rhythmn"

11. "Sally, When the Wine Runs Out" by Role Model

It's tempting to attribute the success of "Sally, When the Wine Runs Out," a surprise hit from the deluxe version of Role Model's sophomore album, "Kansas Anymore," to a series of viral live renditions.

During early performances of the song, Role Model would invite fans onstage to play Sally during the song's chant-along bridge ("Heard through the grapevine, she can be a diva / Cold like Minnesota, hotter than a fever").

As the tradition gained traction on social media, Role Model began recruiting fellow musicians and celebrities to play the role. The prestigious list has grown to reflect his rising rank in Hollywood, featuring everyone from Olivia Rodrigo and Charli XCX to Kate Hudson and Natalie Portman.

It's the latest iteration of the special guest concert gimmick, following in the shrewd footsteps of Justin Bieber's "One Less Lonely Girl" serenades, MUNA's "Silk Chiffon" cameos, and, more recently, Sabrina Carpenter's "Juno" arrests. But the truth is, a concert gimmick only catches on if the song is actually good, and "Sally" is very good. It's annoyingly charming — easy to memorize and near impossible to shake off.

It has also become a career-shifting hit for Role Model, who was largely unknown just one year ago. Now, when he gets onstage, he greets his fans with a shriek-inducing, "Hey, divas," and they eat it up every time. Through his adoring lens, who wouldn't want to be Sally?

If you like this, listen to: "Look at That Woman," "Old Recliners," "Some Protector"

10. "Where Is My Husband!" by Raye

Raye has not misfired once since becoming an independent artist in 2021. Following last year's audacious single "Genesis," her latest offering is a gorgeous blend of humor, theatrics, and intimacy.

"Where Is My Husband!" feels like gossiping with friends over cocktails, in that it understands the joy of complaining and commiserating. Raye is tired of searching for her lifelong partner, a topic that many artists might plumb for a mournful ballad — but she refuses to succumb to dating doomerism.

Instead, Raye copes by cracking jokes and keeping her eyes on the prize, transforming her exasperated yearning into playful teasing ("Wait 'til I get my hands on him, I'ma tell him off too / For how long he kept me waiting"). She may be impatient, but she's far from hopeless.

If you like this, listen to: "Suzanne"

9. "Buckle" by Florence + The Machine

"Buckle" is the soft heart of Florence + The Machine's sixth album, "Everybody Scream." The track was cowritten by Florence Welch and Mitski, two women who are renowned for unspooling uncomfortable and raw truths in their music. Naturally, their team-up yielded an exquisite piece of lyricism.

While the bulk of "Everybody Scream" leans baroque and bombastic, with "Buckle," Welch and her co-producer, Aaron Dessner, smartly strip down the production. Backed by an acoustic guitar, Welch wrestles with degradation, desire, and the addictive cycle of rejection and resolution, interrupting her own spiral with a poignant wail: "Oh god, I thought I was too old for this."

If you like this, listen to: "One of the Greats," "Perfume and Milk," "Music by Men"

8. "It's a Mirror" by Perfume Genius

"It's a Mirror" by Perfume Genius, aka Mike Hadreas, sounds confident and robust, yet lyrically, the song is fearful and fragile. The narrator is trapped inside his home and inside his mind, terrified that real life is happening somewhere else out of reach. He peers out his window, but can't bring himself to leave.

Hadreas describes this threshold as a kind of portal, a thin barrier between safety and curiosity, akin to Lewis Carroll's famous looking glass. "It's a Mirror," indeed.

"It's a soup of all the things I was thinking about the last few years, the things I ended up talking about across the album," Hadreas told Stereogum of the song. "I like when things are loud, big, but the sentiment is what some people would think of as softer, more tender. That tension is satisfying to me."

If you like this, listen to: "Me & Angel," "Full On," "Capezio"

7. "Perfectly" by FKA twigs

In between her third and fourth studio albums, "Eusexua" and "Eusexua Afterglow," FKA twigs released "Perfectly," a clubby ode to self-actualization.

Twigs gives herself — and, by extension, her listeners — free license to be messy, even a little delusional, especially if it means having more fun. "Inside my head, I have the best time," she sings, abolishing shame with a simple, elegant mantra.

If you like this, listen to: "Girl Feels Good," "Cheap Hotel," "Sushi"

6. "Elizabeth Taylor" by Taylor Swift

Even on Taylor Swift's most divisive albums, her songwriting skill can't help but shine through.

Swift is a master at pairing her personal lyrics with mass-appeal-optimized melodies. Of course, it's true that popularity and profit don't always (or even usually) correlate with high quality. But it's also true that successful pop songwriting — communicating knotty emotions and layered narratives in a way that resonates with a large number of people — is terribly difficult. Swift just makes it look easy.

"Elizabeth Taylor" is one such example from Swift's extensive catalog, and the best from "The Life of a Showgirl."

Sure, "The Fate of Ophelia" is the album's major Billboard hit and "Opalite" is favored by TikTok choreographers, but "Elizabeth Taylor" has all the glamour, friction, lust, and drama that one should expect from a self-professed showgirl — the view of Portofino, the rustle of paparazzi, the buzz of a love affair that's about to hit the front page. The song's rich visuals and snappy one-liners ("They say I'm bad news, I just say, 'Thanks') are complemented by its lavish, orchestral-pop production. And don't even get me started on the beat drop in the chorus.

Swift and her coproducers, Max Martin and Shellback, went all out for this song, leaning into the extravagance that its namesake evokes — and thank goodness they did. Nonchalance has never been Swift's forté.

If you like this, listen to: "The Fate of Ophelia," "Opalite," "Father Figure"

5. "The Subway" by Chappell Roan

Following the slow-burn success of her 2023 debut, "The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess," Chappell Roan has maintained her grip on pop culture with a steady stream of singles: Last year's much-loved "Good Luck, Babe!" was followed by this year's one-two punch, "The Giver" and "The Subway."

The latter became Roan's first top-three hit on the Hot 100 and received two Grammy nominations, including record of the year. The song even sparked a tourism boom in Saskatchewan, the Canadian prairie province that Roan name-drops as her post-heartbreak contingency plan.

Each and every accolade, however wacky, is well deserved. "The Subway" is the kind of torch song that immediately sounds like a classic, at once fresh and familiar. Roan delivers each line with such passion, such palpable yearning, that every time she reaches the anthemic outro ("She's got a way, she's got a way / And she got, she got away"), no matter where I am, I'm seized by an urge to sway a lighter in the air.

If you like this, listen to: "The Giver"

4. "Relationships" by Haim

"Relationships" was the first taste of Haim's fourth album, "I Quit," which both laments and celebrates single womanhood.

This ambivalence is presented frankly in the lead single. "I think I'm in love, but I can't stand fucking relationships," Danielle, the band's lead vocalist and middle sister, repeats throughout the song.

In the outro, the qualifying phrase changes shape ("I think I'm in love, but I can't stand communicating it," "I think I'm in love, so why am I trying to escape from it?"), teasing out shades of annoyance, exhaustion, panic, and avoidance as her relationship collapses. At the root of it all, the singer is plagued by a gut feeling that something isn't quite right — that there's something that love can't overcome.

The song offers no sense of resolve or resolution, and its circular logic is mirrored in the fuzzy, funky production. I could ask myself the titular question over and over without reaching any conclusions, just as no amount of replaying this song seems to satisfy me.

If you like this, listen to: "All Over Me," "Down to Be Wrong," "Everybody's Trying to Figure Me Out"

3. "Nice To Each Other" by Olivia Dean

Olivia Dean's breezy, soulful breakthrough single serves as a balm for the rejection-filled world of modern dating.

Journalists, podcasters, and psychologists alike are tripping over each other to diagnose and cure the woes of modern courtship. This very list features a variety of reactions and coping mechanisms: Marina refuses to sacrifice her independence, Sabrina Carpenter openly mocks her suitors, and Raye opts for restless optimism.

Meanwhile, Dean has a cleaner approach: "We could be nice to each other."

Even as she's realistic about the challenges and miseries that accompany desire, and even though she doesn't want a boyfriend (a fact she proudly declares in the song's third verse), Dean is resolutely hopeful about our capacity for kindness, about the tenderness required for true human connection. Her lyrics suggest there are no road maps, no easy answers, and certainly no guarantees in matters of the heart. Still, she insists, that doesn't mean our hearts have to wither and harden.

If you like this, listen to: "Lady Lady," "So Easy (To Fall In Love)," "Man I Need"

2. "Luther" by Kendrick Lamar and SZA

Traditionally, I've been opposed to including songs from the previous year in a list like this, even if they arrived too late for last year's ranking.

I'm breaking this informal rule for "Luther," which was released on Kendrick Lamar's 2024 album "GNX," for two reasons.

The first is that "Luther" deserves to be immortalized as a defining song of 2025. After Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show, "Luther" rose to No. 1 on the Hot 100 and stayed there for 13 consecutive weeks. It's one of just 47 songs in history to secure a double-digit reign on the chart, and the fact that it reached this milestone several months after its release speaks to its enduring and timeless appeal. (In decades past, this may not have been notable. But in the streaming era, our cultural attention span is shorter than ever.)

The second reason is more important: The song is just that good. "Luther" is the crown jewel of Lamar's longtime creative synergy with SZA, and considering how their duets also include classics like "Babylon," "Doves In the Wind," and the Oscar-nominated "All the Stars," that's no easy distinction. It's the result of two living legends at the top of their game.

If you like this, listen to: "Man at the Garden," "Hey Now (feat. Dody6)," "Gloria (with SZA)"

1. "David" by Lorde

While finalizing her fourth studio album, "Virgin," Lorde repeatedly teased fans with a tagline: "After the Ecstasy, the Laundry," taken from a book about spiritual enlightenment by Jack Kornfield.

Her album's climactic closer, "David," could be summarized with the same five words. After the spilled secrets, the reckless worship, and the drug-like high of falling in love with the wrong person, Lorde returns to reality, left alone with the mess of independence. "I don't belong to anyone," she crows, apparently in triumph, though she presents a more sobering vision in the outro: "Am I ever gonna love again? Am I ever gonna love again? Am I ever gonna love again?"

Michelangelo's David is known for his pure, scratchless, perfect form, but Lorde inverts this image. Making art is all about chipping away at what doesn't work, finding a recognizable shape within the random chunks of material; with songs, unlike with sculptures, the artist mines her own flesh. Where the beauty of Michelangelo's David is immortal and unattainable, the beauty of Lorde's "David" is willfully human, leaving the listener with the taste of metal and salt on their tongue.

"The body that made this album bleeds and aches and sheds," Lorde told Zane Lowe. "I really tried as hard as I could to make this without shame."

If you like this, listen to: "Shapeshifter," "Favourite Daughter," "Current Affairs"

• Blackstone's holiday video has become a must-see on Wall Street.
• This year's video pays tribute to its origins with a 1980s musical number.
• The video is part of the firm's broader push to "humanize" itself as it reaches a wider audience.

Blackstone's annual holiday video — a tongue-in-cheek Wall Street tradition — is out, and this year's edition turns its trademark self-mockery toward the firm's 40th anniversary.

President Jon Gray starts the video off with a Ken Burns-style tribute to the firm's 40th anniversary, before firing the actual Ken Burns, going through a midlife crisis, and ending with a 1980s musical number.

Danny DeVito makes an appearance with a half-hearted Blackstone commercial that's apparently part of his Jersey Mike's contract.

Come for CEO Steve Schwarzman's jokes about picking up DJing as a hobby that rib Goldman Sach's head David Solomon without saying his name, and stay for a perfect Dirty Dancing lift executed by one of the firm's executives.

Gray told analyst Alex Blostein earlier this month at the Goldman Sachs Financial Analyst conference that the video is a way for the world's largest private investor to "make fun of ourselves." But the firm's video operations, from Gray's "ridiculous" running videos to its Monday morning BXTV meetings, serves a broader purpose to "humanize" the firm to its growing list of shareholders and investors: 300,000 by Gray's count.

• I love solo traveling, and when my boyfriend and I started dating, I knew I didn't want to stop.
• Traveling by myself forces me to consider how I want to spend my time and practice my independence.
• Exercising these skills helps make me a stronger partner in our relationship.

When my boyfriend and I first met in Portugal, we were both traveling alone. He had just switched to a remote job so he could explore new places, and I was a year into a 10-country solo trip.

From the beginning of our relationship, I knew I didn't want to give up traveling by myself just because I was dating someone. I'd grown up exploring the world, and felt a rush of freedom and independence every time I got on a plane alone.

We've now been together for three years, and even with all the adventures we've shared together, I still make a point of taking trips on my own — not because my partner lacks the time, money, or desire to come along, but because we've both learned that time apart is healthy for us.

My trips have become an important exercise in independence

At first, solo traveling while in a relationship was an adjustment. A few months into being together, I found myself restless and lonely while on a trip to Morocco.

However, I realized that traveling solo is like a muscle: If you don't use it, it weakens. To be happy in my relationship, I needed to rebuild that comfort with my own company.

So, I made sure to keep solo travel as a regular part of my life. These trips are a reset button, and I intentionally try to schedule them in new environments where I can learn more about myself.

In January, for example, I spent two weeks in Belgium finishing exams for my second master's degree. Having that time alone allowed me to focus, knowing my boyfriend was cheering me on from afar.

Then, I flew to the US to see family, and he joined me later. Being on my own first gave me space to reconnect with friends before sharing that part of my life with him.

Still, not every trip is easy. This spring, I spent two months in China for an internship. Poor internet connection, strict firewalls, and a major time difference made communication tough.

Although I wouldn't travel for that long alone again, I learned that I was capable of much more than I thought. I made friends, established a routine, and completed a research project independently. When my partner joined me at the end of my stay, he could see all of my growth.

I love that my trips force me to ask myself how I'd want to spend an entire day if no one else's preferences mattered. They also remind me that I know how to take care of myself, and spark a curiosity about the world that I can bring back to my relationship.

Taking time to travel by myself makes me a stronger partner

Of course, I still check in with my partner throughout my travels, sending photos, sharing my location for safety, and calling every few days — but the foundation is trust.

He encourages me to explore the world, and there's never been a hint of jealousy. He's been practicing taking solo trips, too, after I gifted him one to Jeju Island.

Traveling alone not only helps me practice listening to my body and asking for what I need, but it also allows me to explore new foods, routines, and perspectives that I can bring home and share.

This fall, I visited my 50th country, Georgia. I'll admit, I still feel a little nervous before each trip, but that nervousness always gives way to excitement — the thrill of discovery, and the happiness of sharing stories when I return.

Each journey reminds me why I love traveling alone, but even more, why I always choose to come home.

• I paid $180 to ride in business class from NYC to Washington, DC, on the new Amtrak Acela train.
• The train had modern amenities, like 5G WiFi, high-tech bathrooms, and ergonomic seating.
• Despite upgrades, the high price outweighed the benefits of traveling in business class.

I've spent 26 hours riding the rails in business class around the world. My most recent Amtrak trip was the best business-class experience I've ever had in the US — but it still wasn't worth the price tag.

In September 2025, I booked a business-class ticket from New York City to Washington, DC, on the Amtrak NextGen Acela train for $180.

The three-hour ride felt extremely comfortable and a tad luxurious. In the end, though, I couldn't see myself splurging for it again.

I rode from New York City to Washington, DC, on the Amtrak NextGen Acela train.

The Amtrak Acela is an express service between Boston and Washington, DC. The train line introduced a new fleet on the route in August 2025, known as NextGen Acela.

In addition to being the fastest Amtrak train with a top speed of 160 miles per hour, the NextGen Acela has modern interiors and high-tech amenities.

I booked a business-class ticket for $180.

The Amtrak Acela trains only have two classes — business and first. I booked my business-class ticket for $180.

Out of curiosity, I looked at the pricing for coach seating on the regional Amtrak train, which is 30 minutes slower than the Acela. It was $40.

When I arrived at Penn Station in NYC, I sat on the floor to wait for my train.

My train was scheduled to leave at 10 a.m., but there was a 90-minute delay. Since I was stuck at the station for longer than anticipated, I briefly considered going to the Metropolitan Lounge, an elevated space overlooking the train hall with cozy seating and complimentary refreshments.

First-class passengers and those traveling in sleeper accommodations can get into the lounge for free, but other Amtrak riders have to pay $50 to access it.

Since I'd already splurged on the business-class ticket, I decided to skip the lounge and head to the standard waiting room instead, but it was full. I finally settled for a seat on the floor against the wall until it was time to board.

Since I wasn't in first class, I didn't get priority boarding.

When I got in line to board, I was reminded that business class is just a standard ticket on the Amtrak Acela. Unlike business-class rides I've taken that also had coach seating, this trip didn't include the perk of priority boarding.

The business-class car had a sleek, modern look.

Retractable window shades, exposed overhead bin space, informative screens, and ergonomic seats made the car feel like a step up compared to business-class Amtrak trains I've booked in the past.

The seat was much more comfortable than most I've booked on Amtrak trains.

Soft, cushy, spacious, supportive — these are the words that popped into my head when I settled into my business-class seat. A reclining function and footrest made the ride even more comfortable.

Power outlets, USB ports, and a reading light were all conveniently located on the side of the seat. In front of me was a tray table and a fold-out cupholder.

I spent most of the ride streaming YouTube videos.

Most Amtrak trains I've been on have had WiFi, but in my experience, the connection has typically been too weak for much more than a Google search.

I was stoked when the NextGen Acela's 5G WiFi was fast enough to stream YouTube videos without any issues. I passed the time by watching live sessions of my favorite bands.

The bathroom was spacious and clean with modern touches.

I've learned to set the bar low for train bathrooms. Stocked toilet paper, soap, and paper towels are not a given. Cleanliness and extra space aren't either. In my experience, some business-class bathrooms are no different from those in coach.

So I was ecstatic when I stepped inside the lavatory on the NextGen Acela. The automatic door opened into a spotless space that felt big enough for two people to do jumping jacks simultaneously.

I found it aesthetically pleasing too, with bold red accents and trendy touches, from the shelf to the mirror.

I also appreciated the touchless water, soap, and dryer functions on the sink.

Although it was much more comfortable than sitting in coach, I didn't think a business-class ticket was worth the high price point.

"Amtrak travelers always have their preference," an Amtrak representative wrote in an email to Business Insider. "If they want to experience these premium trains with enhanced amenities, they can. Or, if they prefer convenient and affordable downtown-to-downtown service up and down the Northeast Corridor, Northeast Regional trains offer a comfortable and enjoyable way to travel throughout the Northeast Corridor and points beyond."

The next time I take an Amtrak train, I'll miss the cozy seat, elevated bathroom, high-speed WiFi, and shorter travel time. Still, these perks weren't enough for me to consider Acela's business class to be worth more than quadruple the price of a coach ticket.

• Mark Zuckerberg became the world's second-richest person for the first time in October last year.
• He's grown $23 billion wealthier since then, but has dropped to sixth place on the rich list.
• Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Larry Ellison have all outpaced him in gaining wealth.

Mark Zuckerberg has grown $23 billion wealthier in under 15 months — yet he's dropped four places on the global rich list because other tech bosses have done even better.

The Meta CEO overtook Amazon chairman Jeff Bezos to become the world's second-richest person for the first time in October 2024. His net worth has advanced to $229 billion since then, but he's slid to sixth place on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index as of Wednesday's close.

Zuckerberg — whose company owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — only trailed Elon Musk by $50 billion in October last year.

But the Tesla and SpaceX CEO's net worth has rocketed to $632 billion as of Wednesday's close, widening the wealth gap between the two men to more than $400 billion.

Alphabet cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have added roughly $100 billion to each of their fortunes over the same period, boosting them to $256 billion and $238 billion, respectively. That has catapulted Page from seventh to second in Bloomberg's rankings, and Brin from 10th to fourth place.

Bezos' net worth has jumped by $39 billion to reach $244 billion, good for third place.

Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, who briefly topped Musk to become the world's richest person in September, now ranks fifth with $231 billion to his name, after gaining $52 billion since October last year.

Similar to Zuckerberg, Bernard Arnault, the CEO of luxury goods giant LVMH, has slipped from fourth to seventh place, despite gaining $11 billion to reach a net worth of $204 billion.

Meta has trailed Tesla and Alphabet

The reshuffle of the wealth rankings since Zuckerberg took second place last year largely reflects how big tech stocks have performed since then.

Tesla and Alphabet have led the pack with respective gains of 94% and 78%, followed by Amazon with a 22% rise, as investors wager all three will play key roles in the AI revolution.

Meta has lagged behind with an 11% increase, while Oracle has climbed 7%, and LVMH has inched up by less than 2%.

Moreover, SpaceX recently saw its valuation jump to $800 billion, based on a secondary share sale ahead of a potential listing next year, which has bolstered the value of Musk's stake in the aerospace company.

The rising value of Tesla and SpaceX stock has resulted in Musk extending his lead at the top of the rich list, while Alphabet's surge has caused Page and Brin to leap up the rankings.

Amazon's stock jump has allowed Bezos to retain third place, while owning nearly 50% of Oracle and a sizeable stake in Tesla has enabled Ellison to remain in fifth.

The upshot is that Zuckerberg has slumped to sixth place despite a solid wealth gain. But given how quickly the list changes, and the fact he's only $27 billion behind Page in second place, he might not be there for long.

• Selena Lounds, 46, felt unsure about pursuing homeownership on her own.
• In 2022, she and her best friend teamed up to buy a house together in upstate New York.
• Lounds shared the pros and cons of co-owning a home, from splitting bills to tough compromises.

After years of spending thousands of dollars a month on rent, longtime New Yorker Selena Lounds figured it would be more cost-effective to buy a home. But she still had reservations.

"I was scared to do it by myself and worried about making the wrong decision," Lounds told Business Insider. By 2021, she had reached a point in her career where she had the extra money to invest. But as a single woman, her biggest concern was taking on a big financial commitment alone.

Fortunately, her friend Wade Jensen was also looking for an investment property around the same time. The pair decided to buy a home together.

After months of house hunting, they formed an LLC and bought a 2,100-square-foot home in upstate New York in 2022 for $565,000, splitting the costs evenly. They turned the three-bedroom, three-bathroom property into an Airbnb, which has brought in a little over $90,000 in revenue since May 2023.

"Whatever we earn, we put back into the house," Lounds said. "We see the home as a long-term investment, especially since it will only continue to appreciate."

Here are the pros and cons of investing in real estate with a friend, according to Lounds — from splitting renovation costs and property-management duties to compromising on big decisions.

Co-buying makes homeownership feel less intimidating

Going it alone as a first-time buyer can be daunting. You have to worry about qualifying for a loan, coming up with the full down payment, and keeping up with the mortgage if your employment changes.

Lounds said that co-buying the home with an LLC alleviated many of those concerns.

"Our names are both on the mortgage," she said. "We split the down payment, and the LLC mainly helps protect us from legal and financial risk." If an Airbnb guest is injured on the property, or if she and Jensen fall behind on the mortgage, the LLC helps shield their personal assets and income, Lounds added.

The success of their co-ownership ultimately gave her the confidence to buy on her own. This year, she purchased a four-bedroom, two-bath, 1,600-square-foot home and is considering adding another property in the coming year.

You have to compromise on big decisions

Lounds and Jensen have equal ownership of the home and consult each other before making major decisions about the property, guided by an operating agreement they drafted when they first purchased it.

Because the property is both an Airbnb and a business asset, they agreed that neither of them can live there full time. And when they decide to sell, they'll either agree to list the home or have one person buy out the other's share.

"You have to have some sort of operating agreement going into it," Lounds said. "All of this is really clearly laid out in advance. It's been a few years since we created it, but there are essential guidelines for how we would approach a sale."

You're not footing the bill alone

Having a partner to split the bills is one of the biggest advantages of co-buying.

"As a first-time homeowner, I didn't realize what those capital expenses would entail, like if the air conditioner breaks," she said. "I'm learning it now with my own place. These are big expenses, so having someone to share them with makes the load feel lighter."

If she and Jensen need to buy or fix something under $500 — say, a new light fixture or faucet — they usually just go ahead without checking in. Larger-ticket items require a more extensive conversation.

The friends also split the income they earn from the Airbnb.

So far, they've hosted more than 30 stays. Their nightly rate fluctuates with demand, but the base rate is about $300 a night. In 2025 alone, the property has brought in about $29,023 in revenue — not including their Christmas and New Year's Eve bookings, which will add another $3,168, Lounds said.

It can be challenging to agree on design choices

Co-owning a home does not mean Lounds and Jensen always see eye to eye, particularly on décor, which is why Lounds said they discuss each choice.

"Both Wade and I are designers and creative people, so being aligned on what we buy, how things look, and the overall vibe is actually really important," she said.

The friends recently added a hot tub to the home, an upgrade Lounds hopes will make it more attractive to Airbnb guests. Before pulling the trigger, they had to weigh the costs, including installation, and plan for preparatory work, such as adding a concrete pad.

"It was a major conversation," she said. "It took us a really long time. For about two to three years, I've been saying we need a hot tub. Meanwhile, we just got one. Sometimes it takes time to negotiate those things and to actually move the needle."

You can split both management duties and daily upkeep

The friends share chores and manage the home. Lounds sets up automated messages for arriving guests, and she and Jensen check in on them during their stay. Jensen also pays for several of the utility bills he set up, and together they handle the spring cleaning and gardening.

They also hired a housekeeper and a lawn service to keep the property in good shape.

Axel Springer, Insider Inc.'s parent company, is an investor in Airbnb.

• Kevin Tang, 13, created FallGuard, an AI device to detect and alert for falls.
• Motivated by his grandmother's accident, Tang aimed to help families prevent fall injuries.
• FallGuard won the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and is now available as an app for users.

While many teens are using AI to help themselves with homework and socializing, Kevin Tang, 13, is using it to help others.

"A few years ago, my grandma sadly fell in my kitchen, and nobody noticed immediately," Tang told Business Insider. By the time his family found her and called 911, "it was still too late, since she was left with permanent brain damage."

He later learned that his friend's grandparent had also fallen, and that the family hadn't found out until the following day because they lived in another state.

After that, Tang felt compelled to find a way to help not just his family and friends, but the millions of older adults who suffer from falls each year.

His project, FallGuard, earned him first prize at the 2025 3M Young Scientist Challenge and a cash prize of $25,000, which he said he has already partly reinvested in improving and growing the project.

How Tang's award-winning AI project works

Tang started working on Fallguard in the summer of 2024. Since then, he has built and developed it into a device that uses AI to detect when a person falls in real time and immediately sends an alert to the person's family members' phones via the FallGuard mobile app. It can also detect when a person has been lying down for an extended period.

"This system does not rely on a cellular carrier and does not generate any messaging fees," Tang wrote in a follow-up email. "A single FallGuard device can be linked to multiple phones so that several caregivers can receive alerts at the same time."

Unlike wearable devices that you have to remember to charge and put on, FallGuard works via a camera connected to a computer. "You can just place [the camera] on the wall, and it works all the time," Tang said, later adding that, "no video is recorded or uploaded, which helps protect privacy."

A couple of limitations are that a person must fall within the camera's field of view. Moreover, the camera must be connected to a computer with the FallGuard model, which can only support one camera at a time. Tang said he's working on expanding the system so one device can support multiple cameras that could be placed all around a home. "So that way you don't have to have multiple computers," he said.

Tang built FallGuard using MediaPipe, a Google-developed AI library, which can map a person on screen by placing key points on their body. With a two-stage fall detection algorithm that Tang developed, FallGuard analyzes posture and movement over time. It does this via a common tool in computer vision models called bounding boxes that can track how a person's body proportions change from standing to lying down, Tang said.

If the AI detects a lay-down event, it looks at the previous one second to check if the person's velocity suddenly dropped, helping distinguish a fall from someone lying down intentionally.

There are still a few kinks Tang is ironing out to improve FallGuard's reliability, he said.

Improving people's quality of life

During the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, Tang was paired with Mark Gilbertson, a robotics and AI specialist at 3M, who mentored him on the project.

While Kevin did all of the programming and designing himself, Gilbertson said he helped with questions like how Tang should mount his device on the wall and what material to use.

From the start, Gilbertson said Kevin's personality and project stood out to him. "I liked that his project had an emotional connection to his life," Gilbertson told BI.

When Tang won the prize, he was excited that the news would alert more people about FallGuard who could use it, Gilberston said.

Indeed, Tang said he's received interest from about 500 families so far. "One stood out to me was, this man who was trying really hard to take care of his wife, but he was deaf, so he wouldn't hear his wife fall," Gilbertson said, adding that the man noted, "This invention will just really change our lives and quality of living."

One of the things Tang used the award money for was to purchase a MacBook to code the FallGuard app for computers, so people can convert their own computer into a FallGuard device. It works with most regular computers, he said.

When asked what he's most proud of, Tang didn't mention the prize, the title, or the media attention. Instead, he pointed back to the device itself, which hung on the wall behind him.

"I'm really proud of how much my project evolved from the very start," he said. From a tripod and camera, to a mounted device, to an app anyone can download — each model improved on the one before. "I just kept working until I had a final product."

• A doctor said lifting weights boosted her energy and health, so she started recommending it to patients.
• She swears by squats and deadlifts to build full-body muscle and strength in less time.
• Weightlifting can help stave off early death, especially when combined with a little cardio exercise.

When Dr. Shernan Holtan started lifting weights in 2013, she was mainly looking for a bit of me-time.

Her career in bone marrow transplants — plus raising two kids — had left her with little room to take care of herself.

After hiring a personal trainer, and was shocked at how much her energy and mood improved.

"All the energy you put in, you get back manyfold more through the metabolic and mental benefits of exercise," Holtan told Business Insider.

"As soon as I really realized what this was doing for me physically and mentally, I wanted to implement this for patients too."

Her patients at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York receive stem cell treatments for conditions like leukemia — a grueling procedure that can require months of recovery time in a hospital.

Once they started following Holtan's personalized exercise plans, they recovered and returned home weeks earlier than expected, according to Roswell Park data.

As for Holtan, chief of blood and marrow transplant at the center, she is now a record-setting powerlifter, building her way up to an all-time best squat of 308.6 pounds, earning her the top national rank for her age group in 2019.

Now at 49 years old, she can easily squat 225 pounds for reps, deadlift 250, bench 125, and run for miles without getting tired.

She said her favorite muscle-building exercises pay dividends for long-term health and offer an immediate boost to energy, confidence, and mood.

"I'm super happy to say at age almost 50, I can do all those things, and that means that I fear very little during any given week," she said. "I know I can tackle these hard things and recover from them. So whatever challenge you have, send it my way."

Squats and deadlifts 'are king' to build full-body muscle

On a typical day, Holtan hits the gym at about 5:30 a.m. to pump iron before work. Her routine varies, including a mix of strength training, CrossFit, and running for well-balanced fitness.

When it comes to muscle and strength gains, "squats and deadlifts are king," Holtan said.

Both movements are compound exercises, tapping into multiple muscle groups at once, including the core, back, and legs, to secure and stabilize your body and the weight as you move.

To get the most out of weightlifting and avoid injury, Holtan recommends starting small, with a weight you can handle and a number of reps that doesn't leave you exhausted. Then, build up a little at a time. That can make it easier to stick to a routine, rather than pushing too hard and feeling sore for a week (or more).

For patients recovering from treatment, Holtan gets them to begin with scaled exercises — doing squats without any added weights, or sitting back into a chair and standing up again until they have strength to do it without supportive equipment.

"Let's start with where you're at today. That's how you build without hurting yourself," she said. "Major gains can be made over time with consistency."

For longevity, mix weightlifting with cardio

Strength training isn't just about building muscle; it can also help stave off early death, according to a growing body of research.

However, it's only part of the equation — exercise that gets your heart pumping is crucial to prevent heart disease and lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, studies show.

That's why Holtan added running, hiking, and other cardio, like jump roping, to her routine.

As a result, she's lifting a bit less weight than when she trained for powerlifting alone, but can now easily run for five, six, or even seven miles (a feat she previously thought was unimaginable for her).

Changing it up with new types of training also keeps exercise fun, and boosts her mood and energy, Holtan said, and the better longevity is a bonus.

"The main motivator, honestly, is I feel better today," Holtan said."Perhaps my rate of aging is slowing. Perhaps my risk of cancer is decreasing, perhaps my risk of other chronic diseases, including dementia, maybe that's decreasing too, and that's a nice benefit."