Tag: News

• 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."

• Billionaire CEO Jared Isaacman will be the next head of NASA.
• Isaacman has led and flown on two SpaceX missions, including the first-ever commercial space walk.
• Trump had earlier withdrawn Isaacman's nomination, but now the Senate has confirmed he will lead the US space agency.

Jared Isaacman isn't just a billionaire CEO. He's also a SpaceX astronaut and financier — and now he's going to lead NASA in the new space race.

The Shift4 founder and high school dropout was confirmed as the new administrator of the US space agency by the Senate on Wednesday, after a tumultuous process in which his nomination was temporarily derailed during Donald Trump and Elon Musk's falling out.

Last December, Trump announced he was nominating Isaacman to be the new NASA administrator, but the US president rescinded the nomination in May, shortly before his disagreement with Musk.

In a Truth Social post in July, Trump said he withdrew Isaacman's nomination because of his previous support for the Democratic Party, and because he was too close to Musk. However, Trump renominated Isaacman for the top NASA job in November, after an apparent thawing in his feud with Musk.

Isaacman has flown to space twice aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon, on flights he commissioned, funded, and commanded — including a mission where he conducted the first-ever commercial space walk in September.

So who is Jared Isaacman, and how did the entrepreneur end up on Trump's radar?

Read on to learn about his career rise.

Isaacman dropped out of high school at the age of 15.

At the age of 15, Isaacman decided to drop out of high school and take the GED, according to the Netflix docuseries "Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space."

"I was a horrible student," Isaacman said in the series. "And I wasn't, like, happy in school, either."

He described his younger self as independent and said he didn't understand things like raising your hand to go to the bathroom.

At 16, he founded a multibillion-dollar payment-processing company in his parents' basement.

Isaacman founded United Bank Card in 1999.

The company, now called Shift4, offers mobile-payment software, point-of-sale solutions, and online payments for various businesses.

Isaacman said in the Netflix docuseries that when he started the company, he would wake up every day at 7:30 a.m. and fall asleep on the keyboard at 2 or 3 in the morning.

By 2020, he took the company public. Today, Shift4 processes over $260 billion annually and serves over 200,000 customers, according to its website.

Isaacman has a wife and two kids.

Isaacman has known his wife, Monica Isaacman, for most of his life. The two come from the same town and got married in 2012. They now live in Pennsylvania with their two daughters.

"I want my kids to see humans walking on the moon and Mars," Isaacman told Business Insider.

His wife said in the docuseries that she had good and bad dreams leading up to his first SpaceX mission, Inspiration4, which launched in 2021.

She said while she wouldn't want him to compromise on his dreams of going to space, she worried about what could happen if something went wrong.

Isaacman told Business Insider in the interview that his family and wife were much more enthusiastic about the Polaris Dawn mission this time around, thanks to a successful first mission.

While there are still risks, he told Business Insider his family is aware and accepts them.

He also founded Draken International.

Isaacman founded Draken International in 2012. The company is a private aircraft provider that also trains pilots for the US military, the UK, and NATO countries.

In 2019, Isaacman sold the company to Blackstone.

Isaacman became a billionaire in 2019.

Isaacman hit billionaire status in 2020 after selling Draken International and taking Shift4 public. His net worth is estimated at $1.1 billion, according to Forbes.

He always had a passion for flying planes.

Isaacman said in the Netflix docuseries that he took an early interest in flying and went to flight school at a local airport in 2004.

At the time, he was feeling burned out from starting his company and described flying as "therapeutic." Isaacman also set a world speed record for flying around the globe in 2009.

"I do believe you only get one crack at life," Isaacman said in the docuseries. "To the extent you have the means to do so, you have this obligation to live life to the fullest. You never know when it's going to be your last day."

He added in the docuseries that this philosophy had taken him to fly in air shows as part of a seven-ship formation aerobatic team and on mountain-climbing expeditions in Antarctica.

He's involved with philanthropy.

Isaacman has been involved in several charitable causes and organizations, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

His first SpaceX mission raised over $240 million for St. Jude and was named Inspiration4 to inspire support and raise awareness for the research hospital.

Isaacman and his wife have also committed to The Giving Pledge, a charitable campaign founded by Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett in 2010.

The Giving Pledge serves as a commitment from wealthy people to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.

Isaacman's first space mission took place in 2021.

In 2021, Isaacman funded and led the first civilian mission to space, called Inspiration4. The mission was carried out by SpaceX's Dragon capsule.

Isaacman previously told Business Insider that the prep for the mission was extensive and involved a lot of studying and physical tests.

"The academics were pretty intense," Isaacman said, adding that there were thousands of pages across a hundred manuals to learn about SpaceX's Falcon and Dragon aircraft.

It also involved crew members learning how to draw blood from each other as well as take skin samples to prepare for increased radiation levels on the trip.

Isaacman commanded the first-ever privately funded space walk.

On September 10, 2024, Isaacman and three other crew members successfully took off on their way into orbit for the first-ever privately funded space walk.

The space walk featured SpaceX's new EVA suits.

During the spacewalk, the Polaris Dawn crew will wear the new SpaceX EVA suits → https://t.co/LRl5pPlAC9 pic.twitter.com/MVHzNwiWZU

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 10, 2024

Polaris Dawn lifted off from Launch Complex-39A at NASA's KSC, which also saw the launches of other historic missions, such as the Apollo 11 moon landing. Dragon and the Polaris Dawn crew safely arrived back on the coast of Florida on September 15, 2024.

Trump nominated Isaacman to lead NASA.

In an X post on December 4 of last year, Isaacman called the nomination "the honor of a lifetime" and suggested that human space exploration would be a top priority.

Space-industry experts told Business Insider that Isaacman was not a traditional pick for NASA Administrator, but his background in commercial spaceflight would benefit the agency.

"They need someone who is not afraid to try something new if the old ways aren't working," George Nield, a former head of the FAA's office of commercial space transportation, previously told Business Insider.

Michelle Hanlon, executive director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law, called Isaacman "an inspired pick," in part due to his "stellar" managerial skills.

"He has shown a real commitment to increasing access to space, and I think he is going to be a great person to promote space to the general public," she said.

Trump later withdrew Isaacman's nomination, citing a review of "prior associations."

Trump said he was dropping Isaacman's nomination on May 31 in a post on Truth Social, after a "thorough review of prior associations." He also said that he would soon announce a new, "mission aligned" nominee.

Isaacman had donated to Democratic candidates throughout his career up until the 2024 election, according to OpenSecrets.

Isaacman responded to the withdrawal on X by saying he was "incredibly grateful" to the president, the Senate, and anyone who supported him throughout the nomination.

"The past six months have been enlightening and, honestly, a bit thrilling. I have gained a much deeper appreciation for the complexities of government and the weight our political leaders carry," Isaacman wrote in a post.

Isaacman later said he was a "good visible target."

In an episode of the "All-In Podcast" released in June, Isaacman said that his Democratic donations were always public and he doesn't think it was the reason his nomination was withdrawn.

"I don't think that the timing was much of a coincidence that, you know, there was other changes going on the same day," Isaacman said, adding that there was "more than one departure that was covered on that day."

Isaacman said that he thinks there were "axes to grind" and he was a "good visible target." He said he doesn't "fault the president at all" and fully supports him.

Musk defended Isaacman and later entered into a highly public feud with Trump over his spending bill.

Musk had ended his time at the White House leading DOGE just days before the decision to withdraw Isaacman's nomination. Musk swiftly came to Isaacman's defense following the withdrawal and wrote in a post and said on X that it was "rare to find someone so competent and good-hearted."

Days later, Musk ramped up his criticism of Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," which escalated into the two exchanging insults on social media. Musk accused the president of being involved in the Epstein files, and Trump threatened to eliminate government contracts with Musk's companies.

Trump referred to Isaacman as a "blue blooded Democrat" on Truth Social.

While the dust appeared to momentarily settle between Musk and Trump after their public dust-up, the feud started back up again when Musk renewed his criticism of Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," which was just signed into law in July.

Isaacman was drawn to the forefront as tensions rose between the two.

In a post about the end of EV mandates in Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," Trump shed some more light on the decision that went into withdrawing Isaacman's nomination.

"Elon asked that one of his close friends run NASA and, while I thought his friend was very good, I was surprised to learn that he was a blue blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before," Trump said on Truth Social in July.

Isaacman had previously said in the "All-In Podcast" in June that he's always been "somewhat of a moderate" and leaned right.

Trump added that he thought it was "inappropriate" that a close friend of Musk would run NASA when it's such a big part of Musk's corporate life.

Isaacman said he thought his initial nomination was a scam.

On an episode of the "Shawn Ryan Show" in September, Isaacman said he didn't take it seriously when Trump's transition team first approached him about leading NASA.

He said that in late November 2024, a friend informed him that his name was being circulated for a job in the administration. Then, while running in Central Park, he said he missed a call and had a message from a number he didn't recognize — he said he assumed it was a scam.

"It was like, 'Would you be interested in serving in DJT's administration?" Isaacman said on the podcast. "And I deleted it because I was like, if it was not a scam, it would be just a little bit more legit than this."

Isaacman said he realized his mistake when the friend reached out again and said the administration was trying to reach him. He soon got on the phone with Howard Lutnick, who had been running his transition team at the time, about leading NASA, Isaacman said. The next day, he said he met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

He said Trump shook his hand at the end of the meeting and said "you got the job." Isaacman added that he thought Trump liked him in part because he was a "political newcomer."

Trump re-nominated Isaacman for NASA administrator in November.

Months after withdrawing his nomination for Isaacman, Trump renominated Isaacman for NASA administrator on Tuesday.

"Jared's passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era," Trump wrote in his Truth Social post.

Following the renomination announcement, Isaacman thanked Trump for the opportunity in a post on X.

"Godspeed, President Donald J. Trump, and Godspeed NASA, as America leads the greatest adventure in human history," Isaacman said in the post.

Isaacman is confirmed as the new head of NASA.

After a volatile year, Isaacman was finally confirmed as NASA administrator on December 17, with the US Senate voting 67-30 to approve his appointment.

Isaacman will take over the position from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has served as the agency's interim administrator since July.

In a hearing before the Senate earlier this month, Isaacman stressed the importance of beating China in the race to land astronauts on the moon, warning that failure to do so could "could shift the balance of power here on Earth."

This story was originally published on September 11, 2024, and most recently updated on December 18, 2025.

• Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, remains guarded on his succession plans.
• The 76-year-old billionaire leads the world's largest luxury goods company, LVMH.
• Uncertainty about LVMH leadership succession continues to draw attention in the luxury sector.

Bernard Arnault really doesn't want to talk about his succession plans.

The 76-year-old billionaire, who has been at the helm of LVMH since 1989, remains guarded about his plans for retirement and his future replacement.

In an interview on Wednesday, Arnault said that he hopes to be at the helm of the company for another decade before naming his successor. Earlier this year, the LVMH board voted to allow Arnault to keep his top spot at the business until he's 85.

"Talk to me again in 10 years, I can give you a more precise answer," he told CNBC's Sara Eisen, adding that he hopes he "will make these 10 years."

The LVMH family's eventual handover of power has been frequently compared to HBO's satirical drama "Succession," where the Roy family is locked in a battle over who will inherit control of the patriarch's global empire.

Analysts have said that Arnault has created a "Darwinian contest" between his five children for the top spot at LVMH.

All five of his adult children — Delphine, Antoine, Alexandre, Frédéric, and Jean — have senior roles at the company across its various brands. Four of them also sit on LVMH's board.

"For my children, I tried since their birth to explain that they are very lucky to be in a family that has the chance to manage such a group," he told CNBC's Eisen.

"But for getting responsibility, they have to merit the responsibility and to prove they can do it," he added.

Still, it isn't necessarily guaranteed that one of his children will take over the reins of the company. Arnault told CNBC that when he speaks of a "family company" at LVMH, this includes some of his longtime senior employees.

"As in any family, at one point there is a succession," he added.

• AI mentions in job listings are declining as employers expect AI competency to be a basic skill.
• Ladders' data shows AI roles have grown, but it's listed as a required expertise less frequently.
• Knowing how AI is affecting your industry and your job is still important, said one CTO.

That job description you're reading might not mention AI, but an employer will likely still expect you to know how to use it.

A new snapshot of job listings from career platform Ladders showed that, while the number of AI roles listed on the site has tripled since 2021, the share of postings mentioning AI has decreased.

It's an indication that more employers are viewing technology as an everyday skill rather than as a differentiator, Marc Cenedella, founder and CEO of Ladders, told Business Insider.

"It will be mentioned less and less in the same way that Microsoft Office isn't mentioned in job postings anymore," he said.

Among about a dozen job categories Ladders reviewed, each saw a drop in postings that name-checked AI. For design and UX roles, AI mentions dropped from 56.7% of jobs in 2021 to 44.6% in 2025. Listings for product management positions registered a similar decrease.

Even in software engineering, where the proliferation of coding agents has raised concerns that junior coders, in particular, will have a harder time finding work, AI references in job listings decreased from 53.5% to 45.8% in the four-year span.

Mentions of AI in job listings could pick up again, Cenedella said, if specialized tools emerge in different industries, though he said that might not happen until sometime in 2026 or 2027.

If that shift does come, it might mean that people in areas such as sales, pharmaceuticals, or semiconductors could need to demonstrate fluency with specific AI applications or methods for using the technology, Cenedella said. Employers could then start calling out those skills in job postings.

AI outside technical roles

The overall drop in mentions of AI doesn't mean interest in the technology is fading, especially in certain areas. Ladders found that about 525,000 leadership and executive roles include AI references, up from 213,000 in 2021. All told, in 2025, the technology has been mentioned in 45% of executive postings on the site.

Roles that aren't primarily technical — areas like finance, ops, design, sales, and project management — are seeing some of the fastest increases in AI skills adoption, Ladders found.

One reason, Cenedella said, is because the technology is moving so fast.

Overall, Ladders said that jobs specifically about AI, such as engineering roles, shot up on its site to 6.7 million in 2025 from 2.1 million in 2021.

Regardless of whether a job posting mentions AI, a boss will likely want you to be able to use it, Agur Jõgi, chief technology officer at the software company Pipedrive, told Business Insider.

"It's just like a ticket to the game," he said.

Know your business

Jõgi said that you need to understand how AI is transforming your field and how it's affecting your job. "That enables you to move as fast as the rest of the industry is moving," Jõgi said.

By knowing how others in your line of work are using AI, he said, you can then develop similar skills.

Jõgi said that if you're a holdout who's resisting using the technology, it could mean you're in for longer days if you want to keep up with colleagues who are going all in.

Eventually, as more people embrace AI, the early adopters who juiced their workplace productivity through AI will see that advantage fade, he said. To maintain it, Jõgi said, these go-getters will need to develop a fresh advantage.

"To beat the competition, you need to do something smarter, or you need to do slightly more," he said.

Do you have a story to share about your career? Contact this reporter at tparadis@businessinsider.com.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Stacey Kennedy, the US CEO for Philip Morris International, based in Stamford, Connecticut. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I began my career with Philip Morris International, a tobacco company, in 1995 as a territory sales manager. I held several other positions before becoming vice president of sales for the Southeast region in Atlanta in 2006.

From there, I worked in Lausanne at the VP level and subsequently became the managing director for multiple countries in Europe, before being appointed president of the South and Southeast Asia region. I assumed the role of CEO of PMI's US business in January 2023.

I just celebrated 30 years at PMI. I've spent half of my career in the US and half outside the US. I'm a former smoker myself who switched to IQOS, a heated tobacco product, more than a decade ago.

Here's what a typical day in my life looks like.

I wake up between 6:30 a.m. and 7 a.m.

I allow myself five minutes to check my phone and ensure there's nothing urgent, as we're a global business and things can happen overnight.

I start my mornings with a mantra of 'pay myself first.' I've adopted the mental image of putting my own oxygen mask on first, because if you start the day refreshed, you can show up as a better leader.

In my ideal morning, I get out of the house and take a mindful walk in my neighborhood. I add a 15-minute yoga routine after the walk.

The less ideal morning is when I skip the walk, either because the weather isn't great or I decide to trade it for 30 minutes of extra sleep, and then try to get my 15 minutes of yoga and stretching to start the day, regardless.

I'm not a big breakfast person, so I might grab a handful of berries or a couple of figs. I always have a double espresso from my Nespresso machine. Occasionally, I'll have a matcha from a Cuzen Matcha maker.

I hit the road for my office around 8 a.m.

I usually go into the office in Stamford four days a week on average, and it's about a 25-minute drive away. What makes me anxious before walking into the office is whether the business is moving fast enough — if we're innovating with urgency while staying disciplined and responsible.

My mornings are filled with meetings. I've ensured we have a well-organized office layout with numerous open spaces, a barista bar, and coffee corners.

I spend a lot of my morning with my direct reports, working on our strategic plans, and there's a lot of travel mixed in there, too.

We have our flagship factory in Owensboro, Kentucky, and we're building a new factory in Aurora, Colorado. Additionally, we have an office in Washington, D.C., where I spend time on policy and regulatory matters. I work with our teams and policymakers and regulators, including the FDA, to ensure adult smokers have access to better alternatives.

My calendar is typically scheduled a year in advance

We start with the global management team and board meetings, which are fixed on the calendar. We're usually six weeks out for non-fixed things that come up on the schedule.

We've developed interesting ways to ensure that there's free and flexible time. We have something called P.O.D.D. meetings — a problem, opportunity, discussion, and decision meeting. We address issues that arise and ensure we don't miss a critical opportunity.

One of my leadership principles is to identify your strengths and operate from a position of strength, while also acknowledging your weaknesses. I have my fair share of flaws; one of mine is the importance of running timely, efficient, and effective meetings.

I'm not a particularly timely person myself — I just don't possess that capability. To me, time is a concept, and as a curious person, I love engaging in conversations. When I get into a deep discussion or solve a problem, I honestly can't tell you if I've spent 40 minutes or four hours, because I'm fully immersed. My husband is an extremely timely person, so this drives him bananas.

I take an hour lunch and have meetings during it

I think it's a great way to sit and hear different topics from different groups.

I usually have lunch in a conference room or an open space. Sometimes, I go down to the canteen, but I prefer to have a smaller group with me so I can actually have a conversation.

If I'm choosing my meal, it's usually a salad with grilled chicken and a drizzle of olive oil. If it's a lunch arranged around a bigger meeting, my assistant chooses, and I'm very happy to eat what someone else has decided. It's one less decision to make.

My afternoons are full of, you guessed it, meetings

I take a moment at the end of the day with my chief of staff and assistant to reflect on what we accomplished that day and review the schedule for the rest of the week.

My job is very demanding, and it's easy to get overwhelmed; it's also easy to get frustrated. My non-negotiable indulgence that gets me through the day is a strong espresso and an IQOS break.

During the moments when things feel overwhelming, I almost always go to a gratitude practice. It's amazing how much it shifts your entire mood and perspective away from the things that frustrate or make you grumpy and onto the things that are so important to be grateful for.

I leave the office around 6:30 p.m.

I try to have dinner with the family at 7 p.m., but sometimes it ends up being 7:30 p.m., depending on whether my teenage 16-year-old twins have sports practice after school.

Normally, I'm the chef, and when I travel, I try to set my husband up for success — he's definitely not a chef. We had to have crockpot lessons.

I cook a Mediterranean-style diet. It's likely a salad with grilled fish and possibly rice.

We have a 'check your phone at the door' policy, and it's been a game changer for the whole family. My husband almost always brings an interesting topic to the dinner table. It's a great way for our kids to develop their own perspective on things.

My husband's tried to get me into some TV series, but it's just not my jam

I've gotten into a couple of shows with the kids on weekends, and my son has a wicked sense of humor, so we got into Parks and Recreation. We don't watch TV during the week, because they're off with their homework.

I almost always have a decaf espresso with my husband after dinner and debrief on our day.

I read in the evening for anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes. I usually allow myself two fiction books and a nonfiction book. I save fiction for the weekend, because once I start a fiction book, it's really hard to put it down.

I typically go to bed around 11 p.m.

Going to bed before 10 p.m. is really tough for me, but I try to have my lights out by 11 p.m. so I can have an ideal morning.

I usually do a quick check-in before I start reading, so if everything's OK by 10 p.m., we're good to go.

If I check in, I try not to get caught up in responding to everyone. Sometimes I do. I might send my chief of staff a quick note so that she can get this organized first thing in the morning, but I limit myself to no more than five to 10 minutes of work-related tasks at night.

When I go to bed, I'm a great sleeper. I'm about asleep the second my head hits the pillow.

I try not to work on the weekend, but things always come up

I rarely go into the office, but I do work to engineer any tasks that need to be done on the weekends around the family schedule.

I attend as many regattas as I can. My son is in crew and loves it, and my daughter's in debate. I volunteer as a parent judge at debate competitions.

My non-routine routine is what helps me show up as my best. If I'm too routine and scheduled, I feel like I'm in a box. I need a bit of free space and curiosity to drive me.