Researchers found laser-brewed coffee had the benefits of cold brew, without the wait, proving even scientists will do anything for a faster caffeine fix.
In today’s email:
YouTube: A podcast app?
Chart: Hook ‘em Horns.
Weekend Reads for your Sunday Beard Beer.
Around the Web: A Mario museum, sports for rodents, a meal planner with delivery, and more cool internet finds.
🎧 On the go? Listen to today’s 10-minute podcast to hear Zack and Juliet discuss problematic digital musicians, California’s EV play, and YouTube as a podcast powerhouse.
The big idea
YouTube = future podcast champ?
YouTube, just like all your friends during the pandemic, is getting into podcasts.
A new podcasts homepage is now available to US users, going live sans fanfare in late July. TechCrunchspeculates YouTube is waiting for its creator event next month to make a formal announcement.
ButYouTube also:
Hired podcast exec Kai Chuk in 2021
Offered podcasters and networks $50k-$300k to create videos
Discussed audio ads and new analytics for audio-centric creators in a leaked document
Partnered with NPR to bring on 20+ of its most popular shows
Why’s it matter?
While YouTube is often seen as a video-first platform, YouTube Music had 2B+ monthly users and 50m+ paid subs as of September 2021.
Though competitors including Spotify, Apple, and Amazon have made big moves in the space, a Cumulus Media analysis found YouTube is America’s most popular podcast platform, capturing 24.2% of listeners compared to Spotify’s 23.8% and Apple’s 16%.
What’s next?
In the most recent episode of Marketing Against The Grain, HubSpot’s own CMO Kipp Bodnar and SVP of marketing Kieran Flanagan argue that this makes YouTube subscribers the most valuable subscribers on the internet.
Their predictions:
YouTube will make its background listening feature free for all users, potentially offering an ad-free version for subscribers.
Podcasters will benefit from YouTube’s discovery platform and its ability to surface evergreen content by guest, host, and topic.
YouTube will change podcasting, prompting hosts and marketers to move to a more visual format.
Today, at the Fed’s Jackson Hole symposium, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is expected to reiterate his promise to slow inflation with higher rates.
Green hydrogen maker Plug Power will supply Amazon with enough fuel to power 30k forklifts annually.
Instacart is enlisting celebs and influencers to craft curated shopping lists in a bid to bridge groceries and entertainment.
Capitol Records dropped its first virtual artist after critics called out the rap character as a harmful stereotype.
Tesla wants “defamatory” videos of supposedly autonomous Teslas running over child-sized mannequins taken down.
iHeartMedia is hosting a Charlie Puth concert in a “Fortnite” arena on Sept. 9. Meanwhile, Tribe XR is teaching DJs how to perform in the metaverse.
WhatsApp Communities is now available for some beta users. The feature allows for up to 10 groups under the same umbrella.
Woah: Corsair’s new gaming screen bends from flat to curved with an effortless yank.
MrBeast and Hasan Minhaj chilled with our My First Million squad to talk about creativity, success, and more. Watch here.
Ask The Hustle: Making new hires is fun. Incorporating them? Less so. Here’s advice on how first-time managers can prep employees for success.
chart
Singdhi Sokpo
The battle for the ‘richest school’ title
In the world of academic endowments, Harvard is king. The university’s funds added a staggering $11.3B to its coffers between 2020 and 2021.
But the University of Texas is catching up, and analysts believe it might steal Harvard’s title when 2022 numbers are reported.
The University of Texas…
… has a secret weapon: land — specifically 2.1m acres in the Permian Basin. The university makes~$6m a day leasing that land to oil drillers, per Bloomberg.
This cashflow could help Texas’ endowment stay in the black while Harvard and others fall victim to the bear market.
Understandably, UT has faced criticism for its oil investments. Notably, the university also uses its west Texas land for wind and solar generation.
Harvard…
… is no stranger to criticism for its own investments. An op-ed in The Harvard Crimson accused the school of benefiting off the prison-industrial complex and unsustainable energy.
In 2021, Harvard said it would stop investing in fossil fuels. Soon, that decision could make it the second richest school.
Weekend Reads
Welcome to Weekend Reads…
… Recs to pair with your Friday Frappuccino, Saturday SunnyD, or Sunday Beard Beer.
ICYMI:
Zack told the story of a man who orchestrated ~80% of all US bank robberies in the late 1800s — all while living a strange double life.
Jacob broke down the lucrative rise of Corn Kid, the internet’s latest viral sensation, in just ~100 words.
The blog squad wrote about how time boxing can help entrepreneurs up their productivity and take back their calendar.
Spot the fake:
Starbucks employees were accused of kidnapping their boss after asking for a raise.
Snoop Dogg just launched a cereal called Snoop Loopz.
A streetwear company is turning defective sex toys into fashionable shoes.
Peloton is harnessing the energy produced by its studio bikes to lower facility costs.
TRENDS
Business ideas to serve retiring boomers
Boomer-owned businesses in the US account for over 2m companies, 24m employees, and $5T in sales.
And they’re retiring like crazy.
The recent Trends signal is all about business ideas built around this transfer of wealth, like:
Business-for-sale platforms that help boomers sell their companies.
Family legacy summits that teach them how to pass on family businesses.
Buy-‘em-yourself methods inspired by several My First Million guests.
Industry signals like these are a fixture of the weekly Trends newsletter.
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