Dr. Kathrin Hamm, founder and CEO of sleep-wellness company Bearaby, never wanted to be an entrepreneur. After graduating with her Ph.D. in economics, she started as an economist at the World Bank. Her work took her all over the world and provided invaluable insight into the small, medium and women-founded enterprises she tried to convince banks to lend to — but she “learned firsthand how hard it is, especially in developing countries, for women to get access to finance and start and grow their businesses.”
During her time in India and Bangladesh especially, Hamm faced long, “exhausting” travel days. She’d “never been a good sleeper,” waking easily even as a child, and she developed a chronic case of insomnia. It began “on a more moderate level,” with difficulty falling and staying asleep, before the periods of wakefulness became longer and longer, motivating her to look into different solutions.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Bearaby. Kathrin Hamm.
She started by investigating various mattress options, but when she dug deeper, she found an article discussing weighted blankets. The piece focused on helping children with sensory issues, Hamm recalls, but it also mentioned that evenly distributed weight on an adult body could support better sleep. Hamm was immediately intrigued — as a potential customer.
Related: The No-Excuse Approach to Sleep and Work Performance for Entrepreneurs
“Let me buy a product, sleep better and then move on with my career.”
“I came from a consumer lens,” Hamm says, “and knowing how hard it is for women to start a business, I [was] like, Yeah, I’m good here. I don’t want to start a business or even think about becoming an entrepreneur. Let me buy a product, sleep better and then move on with my career.”
However, the purchase process proved difficult. Unable to find options online, Hamm had to go to a pharmacy in Germany, where she’s from, to place an order. Six weeks later, a “big bean bag” arrived. It was orange and blue and “very noisy,” Hamm says. She was reluctant to even try it at first and wondered if she’d made a mistake.
“But then I put it on during the day on a weekend, and I just passed out after 10 minutes,” Hamm says. “And I woke up more than two hours later, [after] a solid nap, completely passed out, and I’m like, Wow, this is magic. This thing works for me.“
Related: Fighting Sleep Is a Losing Management Strategy. Let Your Employees Take Naps.
So Hamm kept using the blanket at night, but there was a problem: Because the blanket was filled with plastic beads to add weight, she often got too hot. The underlying functionality works; the weight on my body works, Hamm remembers thinking, but how it is made doesn’t work. After some research, Hamm discovered that the technology, which largely consisted of bead-filled chambers between layers of blanket, had been around for 30 years — “Nobody had innovated anything about this product.”
“Why can’t you just use strips of cotton?”
Hamm decided to experiment with alternative designs. She drew some inspiration from her time spent in India, “where there’s a culture of making rugs, knitting, crocheting,” but the ultimate breakthrough came from a conversation with her mom. Hamm had been considering changing the material or adding holes for airflow when her mom said, “Why can’t you just use strips of cotton?” They would create a thick yarn that could be knit together for natural airflow, eliminating the need for heavy artificial materials that shift around and reduce comfort. That idea led to the development of Bearaby’s first small blanket, made from a cut-up t-shirt.
Confident she was onto something, Hamm opted to take a year’s leave from her job to focus on the business. “I didn’t want to take too much of a risk, again, knowing that it can get really hard,” she admits. “[But] my boss was super supportive, and she said, ‘Look, if it doesn’t work out, we make a case study out of it.'”
Hamm withdrew $120,000 from her retirement fund and raised just over $250,000 from a crowdfunding campaign to fund the prototypes for the first batch of blankets. She also looked into patents, but they were expensive, so she did the drawing herself, then had a lawyer put together a provisional patent application, which entitles the filer to 18 months before they have to pay more money. That went through just a couple of days before launch in December 2018; the blanket sold out in two weeks and was the only product of its kind on the market for a couple of years, Hamm says.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Bearaby
Related: How to Take Advantage of the ‘First-to-File’ Patent System
Despite the early success, the more than 50 factories that Hamm approached weren’t inclined to take on the product. They’d never seen anything like it: It wasn’t apparel, and it wasn’t bedding. So, for that first year and a half, Hamm rented a small garage outfitted with knitting machines and knitters to churn out the first products. The strong sales helped the business continue to finance production, which was a good thing, too — because people still weren’t all that interested in investing in the first-of-its-kind product.
“In hindsight, we had to learn to be profitable.”
Hamm leaned into the “bootstrap” mentality, which was a blessing in disguise. “In hindsight, we had to learn to be profitable,” she explains, “to become in tune with our production processes and marketing processes, to be efficient, which sometimes you didn’t see at that time in the direct-to-consumer space. Everyone was like, ‘I raised that much money, and I’m putting that much million on a marketing spend.’ So we never had it, but now, in an environment where money is not flowing [as] freely, we never had that money in the first place, so we are feeling pretty good right now.”
Bearaby saw another major advantage in brand loyalty. Hamm notes that people seeking wellness and sleep tend to form an “emotional connection” with the blanket,” and that it’s easy to fall in love with a brand that helps you sleep better. Substantial interest also translated into an early retail presence. Just five months in, Bearaby was in West Elm, thanks to customers who walked in and wanted to try the blanket. That happened with Nordstrom, too.
Related: Customer Loyalty Is Your Holy Grail for Success. Here’s How to Cultivate It.
As Bearaby considered expansion, it centered on functional products that would uphold its commitment to quality and sustainability (the company is certified by third-party organizations, including The Global Organic Textile Standard, The Forest Stewardship Council and The Global Recycled Standard). Because anxiety so often goes hand in hand with insomnia, the company landed on its warmables line; boasting a weighted and heated neck wrap, bottle and lap pad, it “takes the nervous system to zero,” Hamm says.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Bearaby
Naturally, Bearaby’s products have become an integral part of Hamm’s own sleep routine, and as she’s gotten older, she’s realized even more just how much sleep she actually needs. “Now I sleep for a minimum of eight hours,” she says. “I’m training myself to get nine to 10 hours of sleep, obviously not every night, but definitely every weekend. Also, [it helps] whenever I get a chance to take a nap, like just a 20-minute nap to reset. [I make sure that I have] these conscious breaks, whether [it’s] napping or deep breathing because running a business is a marathon, and if we don’t take care of our bodies, we’re not able to do that over a very long time.”
“Just have tunnel vision for one year, and then reevaluate after those 365 days.”
Hamm’s five-year marathon with Bearaby has led to over $20 million in sales and more than 10 patents — but it all started with a single, somewhat reluctant leap of faith. And according to the founder, that’s exactly what it takes to be successful.
“Once you believe in a product, just take a chance and give yourself a year,” Hamm says. “It’s much more manageable if you [have] a considerable time frame where it’s like, Okay, in that year, I’m giving everything I have, 100%. Because sometimes we second guess ourselves. After [a few] months or six weeks, we don’t see the success, [and] we start doubting ourselves. You say [I have] one year, and I’m not asking if this is working. Just have tunnel vision for one year, and then reevaluate after those 365 days.”
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It can be a long and lonely road to becoming a successful leader—tough choices, self-doubt, and dealing with others’ problems. But at the end of the day, if you can trust your gut reaction and get others to listen, you have what it takes to become a great leader.
In this webinar, creative visionary Clinton Sparks walks us through the most challenging parts of leadership. His expertise is constantly sought after by top strategists, executives, and artists (Lady Gaga, Eminem, Snoop Dogg – to name a few).
Clinton now joins Entrepreneur in this special leadership segment because he believes you have it takes; that you can walk into any room, get others to listen, and become a leader who fixes problems and gets results. Here’s more on what Clinton will talk about:
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Getting your message heard
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Innovate and accelerate everything you do
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Become a leader that can fix any problem
Secure your spot now and fulfill your leadership potential during this insightful session.
About the Speaker:
Clinton is a renowned entertainment mogul, author, speaker, entrepreneur, visionary brand builder, creative executive, and leading-edge innovator when it comes to integrating culture, collaboration, and cross-platform marketing with an outstanding track record of success, and background managing multiple products from ideation to market launch.
He is also a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum music producer, songwriter and DJ responsible for over 75 million records sold.
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Singer-songwriter superstar Taylor Swift remains a global sensation as she continues her record-breaking Eras Tour — and major cultural institutions want to do her justice.
That’s why London’s Victoria and Albert Museum is calling all UK-based “Swifties” to apply for a new advisory role that would provide “insights into the culture and artisanry around handmade signs, friendship bracelets and Taylor Swift memorabilia,” Reuters reported.
Image Credit: Don Arnold/TAS24 | Getty Images
The new hire will work with the museum’s curatorial team to contribute their expertise as “part of a drive to complement further the vast curatorial knowledge within the museum’s walls.”
The museum is also seeking experts in other “highly specific cultural niches” for part-time roles, including aficionados of emojis and Crocs shoes.
The V&A is one of the world’s largest art and design museums; founded by Prince Albert in the 1950s, it holds over 2 million objects made in the last 5,000 years, according to Condé Nast Traveler.
Of course, this isn’t the first Taylor Swift-related job to hit the market. In September, The Tennessean and USA Today network made headlines during a search for a “Taylor Swift Reporter” (veteran reporter Bryan West was hired a couple of months later).
Related: Taylor Swift Donates $1 Million to Tennessee Tornado Recovery Efforts
Fans have also been cashing in on a Taylor Swift-inspired side hustle that can pay tens of thousands of dollars per month: selling the friendship bracelets so often exchanged at Eras Tour concerts on Etsy.
Applicants can apply through the V&A’s website here.
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This article originally appeared on Business Insider.
Quality of life is one of the biggest determining factors when deciding where to lay down roots.
US News & World Report created a list of the country’s most livable cities by weighing factors such as affordability, healthcare quality, and the overall happiness of residents.
Here are the top 15 cities with the best quality of life in 2024, ranked from worst to best, according to its report.
15. Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins, Colorado. RiverNorthPhotography/Getty Images via BI
Quality of life score (out of 10): 7.2
Population of the metro area: 354,670
Average annual salary: $59,120
Median home price: $596,583
Median age: 36.3 years old
Known for: Fort Collins is known not only for its stunning natural beauty and plethora of outdoor recreational activities but also for its bustling downtown that’s said to have been the inspiration for Disneyland’s Main Street, USA.
14. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Maria Dryfhout/Shutterstock via BI
Quality of life score: 7.2
Population of the metro area: 1,081,665
Average annual salary: $52,660
Median home price: $338,977
Median age: 36.1 years old
Known for: Only an hour’s drive from the shores of Lake Michigan, Grand Rapids is a popular location for people looking to take advantage of the city’s expansive parks, Grand Rapids Art Museum, and the Grand Rapids Ballet, which is the state’s only professional ballet company.
13. Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Outdoor dining on the sidewalk in downtown Raleigh. Wileydoc/Shutterstock via BI
Quality of life score: 7.2
Population of the metro area: 2,034,246
Average annual salary: $61,759
Median home price: $434,741
Median age: 37.5 years old
Known for: Raleigh-Durham is quickly becoming a premier destination for great food and entertainment with a second-tier city feel. Home to some of the state’s top universities and colleges, as well as more than 20 craft breweries, shopping centers, and local museums, this region of North Carolina is a great place to lay down roots.
12. Washington, DC
Washington, DC. Getty/Chip Somodevilla via BI
Quality of life score: 7.2
Population of the metro area: 6,332,069
Average annual salary: $80,480
Median home price: $538,037
Median age: 37.5 years old
Known for: The country’s capital, Washington, DC, is home to some of the United States’ most famous cultural landmarks, including the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. There’s also a blossoming food scene in this city and plenty of opportunities for a fun night out.
11. Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho. Anna Gorin/Getty Images via BI
Quality of life score: 7.2
Population of the metro area: 750,669
Average annual salary: $49,440
Median home price: $221,475
Median age: 36.9 years old
Known for: Boise’s stunning natural surroundings are just one reason to move to this up-and-coming city. In addition to more than 180 miles of public trails for hiking, biking, and running, artistically inclined folks can take in a show at one of the city’s theaters, while sports fans can root for the Boise State University Broncos.
10. Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey. halbergman/Getty Images via BI
Quality of life score: 7.3
Population of the metro area: 384,951
Average annual salary: $71,600
Median home price: $344,842
Median age: 38.9 years old
Known for: Trenton is renowned as one of the more affordable cities on this list. According to US News & World Report, the average median sale price for a single-family home falls below the national median price. Residents have access to Mercer Meadows, which is a 1,600-acre park, local wineries, vineyards, and breweries.
9. Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York. Paul Brady Photography/Shutterstock via BI
Quality of life score: 7.3
Population of the metro area: 1,088,373
Average annual salary: $56,830
Median home price: $195,508
Median age: 40.4 years old
Known for: The historical figures Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass once lived in Rochester, adding to this city’s rich cultural history. Today’s residents can partake in the city’s many recreational activities, such as watersports on Lake Ontario, skiing at nearby Bristol Mountain, and the local Seabreeze amusement park.
8. Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut. Alexander Farnsworth/Getty Images via BI
Quality of life score: 7.3
Population of the metro area: 1,213,324
Average annual salary: $67,140
Median home price: $347,842
Median age: 40.6 years old
Known for: While the population of Hartford skews older than many cities on this list, there’s no shortage of buzzy restaurants and corporate offices for those looking to grow their careers in the Connecticut capital. The Bushnell Theater brings Broadway shows to town regularly, and The Mark Twain House and Museum is a popular destination for literary buffs.
7. Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay Packers fans support their team. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images via BI
Quality of life score: 7.3
Population of the metro area: 326,590
Average annual salary: $51,510
Median home price: $278,558
Median age: 38.9 years old
Known for: Sports is a way of life in this Midwestern city, thanks to the Green Bay Packers. When football season ends, residents can enjoy Green Bay’s thriving arts-and-entertainment scene or hike along one of the city’s nature trails.
6. Boston
A woman drinking coffee in Boston. 2p2play/Shutterstock via BI
Quality of life score: 7.3
Population of the metro area: 4,912,030
Average annual salary: $76,850
Median home price: $716,746
Median age: 38.8 years old
Known for: One of the most historic cities in the country, Boston offers many exciting cultural activities, including walks along the Freedom Trail and performances by the Boston Pops Orchestra. Fine dining and buzz-worthy restaurants abound, as do historic taverns and bars, and two Boston chefs were nominated for the James Beard Awards in 2024, Eater reported.
5. Portland, Maine
A kayak instructor in Portland, Maine. Michael D. Wilson/Aurora Photos/Getty Images via BI
Quality of life score: 7.4
Population of the metro area: 547,792
Average annual salary: $57,060
Median home price: $501,164
Median age: 43.6 years old
Known for: Portland, Maine, has quickly become the New England city to watch, thanks to its thriving food scene, plethora of outdoor recreational activities, and exciting music and nightlife scene. But the cost of living in Portland is rising steadily, leaving the city at a crossroads of how to create more affordable housing while retaining Portland’s small-town feel.
4. San Jose, California
San Jose, California. Walter Bibikow/Getty Images via BI
Quality of life score: 7.4
Population of the metro area: 1,995,351
Average annual salary: $99,430
Median home price: $1,524,907
Median age: 37.4 years old
Known for: Known as the capital of Silicon Valley, San Jose is a destination for many looking to break into the world of tech and innovation. The cost of living is high, but the close proximity to the ocean and the Sierra Nevada mountain range improves the quality of life for San Jose’s outdoorsiest residents.
3. Madison, Wisconsin
A view of Madison, Wisconsin. Walter Bibikow/Getty Images via BI
Quality of life score: 7.4
Population of the metro area: 674,506
Average annual salary: $59,510
Median home price: $398,096
Median age: 36.5 years old
Known for: As the capital of Wisconsin’s Dairyland, Madison has a thriving food scene built off local cheese and breweries. The city’s lakes and bike paths also make this city a great place to live in the warmer months.
2. Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado. Page Light Studios/Shutterstock via BI
Quality of life score: 7.7
Population of the metro area: 328,713
Average annual salary: $73,360
Median home price: $881,147
Median age: 37.2 years old
Known for: Boulder boasts more than 60 parks and 155 miles of hiking trails for nature lovers. The city’s downtown area also abounds with restaurants, cafés, and bars, while the outdoor Pearl Street Mall is a popular shopping destination.
1. Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan. Paul Brady Photography/Shutterstock via BI
Quality of life score: 7.9
Population of the metro area: 372,428
Average annual salary: $61,010
Median home price: $405,142
Median age: 34.1 years old
Known for: Home to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor combines a small-town feel with the benefits of a bigger city.
According to US News & World Report, more than 90% of Ann Arbor residents live less than a 10-minute walk away from a public park, giving them access to hiking, kayaking, and cross-country skiing. The city’s downtown is also a thriving hub for shops and restaurants, as well as craft breweries and distilleries.
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This article originally appeared on Business Insider.
Six of the 10 most expensive US metros for families are in California.
Business Insider looked at the monthly costs for households with two adults and two children from the Economic Policy Institute’s “Family Budget Calculator.” EPI assembled data from multiple sources and looked at several kinds of expenses a household may have.
“The Family Budget Calculator is constructed to determine the resources needed to generate a decent standard of living, one in which a family can afford the basic necessities,” a post from EPI said.
BI looked at families where the parents are “employed, live together with their children, and jointly file federal income taxes.” There are assumptions about children’s ages too: “Families with two children are assumed to have a 4-year-old and an 8-year-old,” a EPI post said.
There are also some assumptions for the various expense categories, such as for healthcare. The budget calculator notes that these “expenses include insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and assume families purchase the lowest cost bronze plans on the health insurance exchange established under the Affordable Care Act.”
The EPI post about the calculator noted that data is for 2023 or when needed “inflated to 2023 dollars with the budget-item-appropriate inflator.”
San Francisco ranked No. 1 — or the most expensive among the metros analyzed by EPI — based on its monthly total cost of around $15,000. With a monthly cost of over $3,000 for housing, based on the cost of a two-bedroom apartment, this was the largest monthly expense among the seven categories for this area.
San Francisco wasn’t the only one with a large monthly housing expense compared to other expenses. Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut, had a housing expense of $2,563 for a two-adult, two-child family, making it its largest monthly expense among the seven categories EPI focused on.
Other metros saw childcare as the highest expense. Childcare was the largest monthly expense among the seven categories for Nassau-Suffolk, New York, for instance.
People may be finding it difficult to afford certain items. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in a recent 60 Minutes interview that “if you think about the basic necessities” like bread and milk, “prices are substantially higher than they were before the pandemic.”
“We think that’s a big reason why people are, have been relatively dissatisfied with what is otherwise a pretty good economy,” Powell said.
Parents and guardians also have to think about the cost and type of childcare they need. For some people, childcare is a massive expense and could be larger than their other costs.
“It’s almost like $2,000 more than our mortgage,” Paige Connell, who has four children, previously told Business Insider. “I mean, that is a pretty significant dollar amount for us. It is the thing that we pay the most money for, for sure.”
Below are the most expensive metros ranked based on the monthly total for two adults and two children according to EPI. The dollar amount next to the metro is the monthly total of the costs for this household.
10. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA: $12,725
John Coletti/Getty Images via BI
Housing: $2,635
Food: $1,198
Transportation: $1,434
Healthcare: $1,244
Other necessities: $1,357
Childcare: $2,635
Taxes: $2,222
9. Napa, CA: $12,765
DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images via BI
Housing: $2,388
Food: $1,261
Transportation: $1,710
Healthcare: $1,599
Other necessities: $1,292
Childcare: $2,311
Taxes: $2,204
8. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA: $12,901
Alexander Spatari/Getty Images via BI
Housing: $2,667
Food: $1,046
Transportation: $1,641
Healthcare: $1,685
Other necessities: $1,315
Childcare: $2,301
Taxes: $2,246
7. Westchester County, NY: $12,960
Alex Potemkin/Getty Images via BI
Housing: $2,029
Food: $1,173
Transportation: $1,382
Healthcare: $1,791
Other necessities: $1,134
Childcare: $3,096
Taxes: $2,357
6. Oakland-Fremont, CA: $12,972
Brad Wenner/Getty Images via BI
Housing: $2,405
Food: $1,200
Transportation: $1,566
Healthcare: $1,594
Other necessities: $1,276
Childcare: $2,662
Taxes: $2,268
5. Stamford-Norwalk, CT: $13,101
halbergman/Getty Images via BI
Housing: $2,563
Food: $1,183
Transportation: $1,503
Healthcare: $2,032
Other necessities: $1,326
Childcare: $2,070
Taxes: $2,424
4. Nassau-Suffolk, NY: $13,565
littlenySTOCK/Shutterstock via BI
Housing: $2,297
Food: $1,132
Transportation: $1,584
Healthcare: $1,675
Other necessities: $1,214
Childcare: $3,137
Taxes: $2,526
3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: $13,752
Walter Bibikow/Getty Images via BI
Housing: $2,941
Food: $1,183
Transportation: $1,566
Healthcare: $1,366
Other necessities: $1,460
Childcare: $2,726
Taxes: $2,509
2. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA: $14,509
Housing: $3,293
Food: $1,269
Transportation: $1,652
Healthcare: $1,608
Other necessities: $1,615
Childcare: $2,343
Taxes: $2,728
1. San Francisco, CA: $15,106
Alexander Spatari/Getty Images via BI
Housing: $3,188
Food: $1,333
Transportation: $1,494
Healthcare: $1,682
Other necessities: $1,601
Childcare: $2,900
Taxes: $2,909
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Less is more when it comes to crafting the perfect resume, according to this industry expert.
Nolan Church, a former Google recruiter and current CEO of talent marketplace Continuum, says his biggest resume faux pax is too many words and not a lot of context.
“The No. 1 thing I don’t want to see on a resume is probably text bricks,” he said in an interview with CNBC Make It, adding that if he sees “endless streams of text” on an applicant’s credentials, “there’s zero chance you’re going to move forward.”
RELATED: 19 Best Skills To Put on a Resume That Employers Will Love
Instead, Church advises people to “optimize a resume for 10-second viewership” with short sentences that highlight the most important points, making it faster for HR to review your credentials and move along in the hiring process.
Church finds that people often go wrong when describing their daily duties, and says a concise one-line bullet below each job title should suffice. With short-hand communication like Slack and email so pertinent in office culture, getting to the point fast and clearly is crucial.
RELATED: Exploring the 6 Different Types of Resumes
“If you can’t succinctly describe what you’ve been doing in your career, there’s just no way you’re going to be able to succinctly write in the workplace,” Church said.
He recommends the tools ChatGPT and Grammarly to cut down on words and consolidate descriptions. Additionally, he suggests having at least five to 10 people review and provide feedback on your resume. That way the next time a recruiter sees your credentials, they will be finely tailored.
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After nearly a decade as a digital creator, David Dobrik has set his sights on entrepreneurship.
Dobrik has over 20 million subscribers combined on his two YouTube channels – David Dobrik and David Dobrik Too, and was one of the highest-earning YouTubers in 2020, making $15 million from his content back in 2020.
The creator, who turns 27 on July 23, makes content with his friends, known as the Vlog Squad, doing various stunts and feel-good giveaways. He also gifted his friends Teslas, and in turn, continued to rack up the views.
In 2018, he garnered 60 million views on a “breakup video” with his former girlfriend of three years and content creator Liza Koshy. The two frequently filmed videos together and had fans invested in their relationship. But things then came to a halt.
Image credit: Getty Images | David Dobrik smiling on a red carpet.
In 2021, Dobrik was hit with a slew of allegations and claims around foul play in his videos with few safety precautions. One subject claimed she was assaulted during filming. One of his pals claimed to be badly injured while filming one of his videos and hit the creator with a $10 million lawsuit that has yet to be resolved. Dobrik then took a break from the public eye.
Now, Dobrik is revamping his brand from happy-go-lucky creator to businessman — he opened a pizza shop and signed on for several equity brand deals — and now requires his subjects to sign consent forms, he told Rolling Stone.
Here’s more about Dobrik’s businesses and latest projects.
Where Did David Dobrik Grow Up?
Dobrik grew up in Košice, Slovakia, before his family relocated to Illinois when he was five years old, per Rolling Stone. In the U.S., his father started a real-estate photography business while his mother took care of the family. He played tennis and worked as a waiter in high school.
“His family and my family, we’re not the richest. We survive by our means,” Dobrik’s longtime friend Ilya Fedorovich told the outlet. “I think that one of the reasons that he’s supersuccessful now is that he didn’t have much when he was growing up, but he wanted a lot.”
He started posting videos on Vine when he was 16. He then continued his education at the College of Lake County in Illinois before dropping out of his first year to move to LA and be a creator full-time. Although Vine shut down in 2017, his star was already growing on YouTube.
RELATED: This 22-Year-Old Is Now the Most Popular TikToker in the World
What Controversies Have Surrounded David Dobrik?
In 2021, former friends claimed they were bullied into uncomfortable situations while filming. Content creator Trisha Paytas, who was often filmed while she was dating his friend, Jason Nash, told Vulture: “I have more PTSD from David and Jason than I do hooking on Santa Monica Boulevard.”
Additionally, allegations rose against former Vlog Squader Dom Zeglaitis after a woman claimed he sexually assaulted her for a video encouraged by Dobrik, per Insider Business.
Zeglaitis denied the claims and noted in 2022 that he and Dobrik hadn’t spoken since the allegations. Entrepreneur was unable to find legal documents in relation to the claims.
He apologized for his involvement in a video titled “Let’s Talk” in March 2021, claiming that consent is pertinent to his content. Following the allegations, Dobrik lost thousands of followers and brand deals from partners including EA Sports and Dollar Shave Club, per Vulture.
Dobrik was brought under scrutiny again following the release of a documentary titled “Don’t Try This At Home” by former Vlog Squad member Jeff Wittek in April 2021. He claimed he was badly injured and broke part of his face and skull in a wakeboarding accident that was being filmed for a video. Dobrik claimed on his podcast that he paid thousands for Wittek’s medical bills, but he denied Dobrik’s claims.
In June 2022, Wittek sued Dobrik for $10 million for negligence. The suit has yet to be settled.
What Businesses Is David Dobrik Involved in?
At the height of his YouTube days, Dobrik was getting paid thousands to post on behalf of brands, like SeatGeek, Fan Joy, Dollar Shave Club, EA Sports, Chipotle, and more.
But after doing hundreds of brand deals, he never had a stake in the companies he promoted, he told Forbes.
“There are so many things that I could have done to set myself up for the future. One thing is with equity. With SeatGeek, there was a company that I was part of a lot. But never, ever did it cross my mind to ask for equity. So that’s what I wish that I would have been a lot better at,” Dobrik told the outlet in August 2022.
“I was never good at putting myself in positions where I was getting equity and I was also getting the cash to promote,” Dobrik continued. “Now, when I do things, especially when it’s a longer relationship that I have with a company; then there will definitely be cash options and then equity.”
With his hiatus from the limelight (he hasn’t posted on YouTube in over a year), Dobrik has been focused on growing his business portfolio.
Dobrik told Forbes he partnered with Happy Hour Tequila Seltzer in a cash deal and said he also partnered with a supplement company founded by his childhood friend called Xeela Fitness. The brand currently sells just pre-workout and protein supplements.
Then there’s Doughbriks, a Chicago-style pizza restaurant located in Los Angeles that Dobrik worked on for two years before the restaurant’s grand opening in November.
RELATED: Twitter Is Mourning the Loss of 97-Year-Old TikTok Star Grandma Holla
“Doughbricks came about because I’m from Chicago and I love pizza,” Dobrik said. “This is something that is really new to me. A physical object for a digital person. That’s why I think it’s crazy because everything is online. Any product is always online.”
Dobrik’s restaurant brought in huge crowds on opening day, with one family driving 200 miles for a bite, according to NBC News.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE. THANK YOU OH MY GOODNESS THANK YOU
Dobrik hasn’t posted a new episode of his Views Podcast since April 2022. Despite transitioning away from YouTube, he’s active on TikTok with 26.3 million followers.
What Is David Dobrik’s Net Worth?
Dobrik was crowned one of the highest-paid YouTube stars of 2020, racking in $15 million for his content.
During an episode of the Views podcast in 2019, Dobrik said he was making about $275,000 a month from YouTube.
He gave fans a tour of his $9.5 million mansion in Los Angeles that has its own Hawaiian Punch fountain. He also collects various memorabilia, including a $10,000 fully functioning Iron Man suit.
Dobrik’s net worth is estimated to be $25 million.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
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Happy hour? Wine not.
But before you plop down your hard-earned money on a savory bottle of red or a bottle of white, you might want to understand better why wines are priced the way they are. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just because they taste better — or because they’re older than your grandpa.
We asked Brianne Engles, the head winemaker at Chamisal Vineyards in San Luis Obispo, California, to shed some light on this mysterious topic. Chamisal specializes in handcrafted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, grown on an 82-acre estate in the Edna Valley AVA. Their offerings range from $35 for their estate-grown wines to $100 for their luxury icon wines. Engles says cost boils down to three key factors — farming, oak, and quality.
Brianne Engles of Chamisal Vineyards
Farming
Harvesting grapes at a vineyard can be costly, including planting, irrigation, and labor. At boutique wineries like Chamisal, individual “blocks” or a designated group of premium vines in a vineyard require more TLC.
“Our highest producing, highest quality blocks tend to have lower yields,” explains Engles. “When you have lower yields, your cost of farming is higher.”
This is because low-yield grapes result in lower production, leading to more scarcity of product. All the pruning, canopy management, and harvesting at Chamisal are performed by hand and follow Organic farming practices, which require multiple vineyards passes throughout the growing season. These labor-intensive elements contribute to the increased cost of farming.
Oak
Oak aging is a popular practice among winemakers because it adds complexity and smoothness to the wine. Chamisal wine is aged in oak barrels imported from France. In the barrel, the wine is exposed to oxygen, which helps to soften the tannins and develop the flavors. The oak barrels also impart unique flavors to the wine, which consumers might say smells like vanilla or baking spices.
The oak barrels at Chamisal are used judiciously to allow for the transfer of oxygen into the wine, elevating the unique character of each grape variety and vineyard site’s soil.
But oak aging is a complex and time-consuming process. “New oak is expensive. So if you have a higher percentage of new French oak, it can lead to a more expensive wine,” says Engles.
Time is also a factor. Some wines are typically aged for 12 to 18 months in oak barrels. This practice takes space and money to ensure that a bottle of wine is appropriately nurtured.
Quality
The quality of the grapes coming out of specific blocks is also a factor in the cost of the wine. But when winemakers measure quality, they’re not just focusing on the taste. At Chamisal, they evaluate the wine that comes out of each block in the cellar and do an extensive evaluation.
“We smell it, sip it, give it grades,” explains Engles. “Winemakers are not just sitting there writing flowery descriptors. We’re determining does it have intensity, are the tannins in balance, does it have enough fruit, does it have all the guts and pieces that make a very high quality.”
All these factors make the perfect bottle of wine harder to achieve, and scarcity causes the price to go up.
Would you like some Chardonnay with that crustacean?
Chamisal is hosting its 15th annual Lobsterfest on July 21 and 22nd. Lucky gourmands are treated to long tables piled with steamed lobster, corn, artichoke, sausages, and, of course, lots of wine.
Prices range from $215 for club members to $265 for the general public.
For reservations, visit their site.
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JPMorgan global market strategist Jack Manley and The Fitz-Gerald Group principal Keith Fitz-Gerald discuss Tesla’s investor day and if now is the time for investors to get off the sidelines on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Tuesday that working from home is “morally wrong” when others in the service industry still have to show up in person.
“There are some exceptions, but I think that the whole notion of work from home is a bit like the fake Marie Antoinette quote, ’Let them eat cake,’″ Musk told CNBC.
“It’s like, really, you’re going to work from home and you’re going to make everyone else who made your car come work in the factory? You’re going to make the people who make your food… that they can’t work from home? The people that fix your house – they can’t work from home? But, you can? Does that seem morally right?” the billionaire asked. “That’s messed up.”
He said he saw it as both a productivity issue and a moral issue.
ELON MUSK TELLS TESLA EXECUTIVES HE MUST PERSONALLY APPROVE ALL HIRING IN NEW MEMO: REPORT
Elon Musk walks in the Paddock prior to final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 6, 2023, in Miami. ((Photo by Clive Mason – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
Musk said that workers need to get off their “moral high horse” with their “work from home bulls—.”
He added that he is a big believer that employees are more productive when they are in person.
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The “laptop class,” Musk noted, is living in “la-la land.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk leaves the Phillip Burton Federal Building on Jan. 24, 2023, in San Francisco. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)
“I’m saying like, look, put 40 hours in,” Musk said. “And, frankly, it doesn’t even need to be Monday through Friday. You could work Monday through Thursday. And, also, I think people should take vacations.”
SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks in Los Angeles June 13, 2019. (REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo / Reuters Photos)
Musk said there are probably two or three days annually that he does not put in a full day’s work.
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Many companies have reversed pandemic work-from-home rules, with others operating remotely or in a hybrid setting permanently.
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Price: [price_with_discount]
(as of [price_update_date] – Details)
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Publisher : CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 7, 2018)
Language : English
Paperback : 92 pages
ISBN-10 : 1724868373
ISBN-13 : 978-1724868374
Item Weight : 6.7 ounces
Dimensions : 7.5 x 0.23 x 9.25 inches
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