Even before the days of iTunes and Spotify, musicians depended heavily on the money they earned from touring to supplement their album sales. And while streaming services have recently provided a big boost of revenue for the industry, the vast majority of musicians still don’t make enough money from their recordings to earn a living. As a result, performing live is often the best option for musicians who want to see a monetary reward for their efforts.
Of course, touring Continue reading
Whether you’re on a long road trip or just heading home from work, chances are that you won’t want to pick up dinner from a gas station. After all, the nation’s fueling stops are better known for roller-grilled hot dogs and unhealthy snacks rather than fine dining. But with many American eaters on the hunt for fresh and convenient options, gas stations around the country have started meeting this demand by bringing restaurants on site.
For instance, in Leesburg, Virginia, Continue reading
As winter winds down, people across the country will start throwing their fleece jackets into the wash for one last spin before months of closet storage. While many people won’t think twice about one load of laundry, unfortunately the environmental effects of this routine task will linger for a long time. Unlike cotton or wool, synthetic fleece releases tiny plastic fibers into wastewater that flows into lakes and rivers. These non-biodegradable materials then bind with other chemicals and cause health Continue reading
Over the years video games have grown from a niche entertainment platform into a dominant commercial and cultural force. And while plenty of casual players drive this thriving industry, a new class of professional gamers has also emerged on the Internet and in “eSports” leagues. During these competitions, dedicated players face off against each other in front of thousands of cheering fans, just like at regular sporting events.
Like video games themselves, eSports were once thought to hold limited appeal Continue reading
For many cyclists, the worst thing about owning a bike is getting it repaired. In the best case scenario, a person must buy a bulky, expensive rack for their car, load the bike, and then drive it to a local shop. If you don’t own a car, though, that means you’ll either need to grab a ride with a bike rack-owning friend or walk your wheels to the nearest repairman.
Or if you’re lucky enough to live near a Velofix Continue reading
For many corporate executives, non-compete agreements are just a part of doing business. Since companies want to hang on to top talent as long as possible, they often insert clauses in contracts that prevent employees from joining competitors for a certain amount of time. While this limits a staffer’s options when looking for a new job, their high-level status usually provides them with plenty of alternative choices.
That’s not quite the case for sandwich makers, however. While non-compete clauses are Continue reading
Running a small business takes a huge amount of work, so it’s not surprising that some entrepreneurs are more than happy to sell their companies if the right offer comes around. And according to data-tracking site BizBuySell, nearly 8,000 businesses did exactly that in 2016. This represents the largest number of small firms sold in a single year since data started getting collected in 2007.
But that doesn’t mean these companies were in financial trouble and needed outside buyers to Continue reading
As the fast-paced world of social media continues to dominate culture, many have worried that traditional forms of media won’t be able to compete. After all, why pick up a book when you can just read text messages and tweets? Although dedicated readers might find that question shocking, it’s precisely what thousands of people are doing with Hooked, a new app that sends out stories to users in bursts of texts.
Currently the top grossing book app in the iOS Continue reading
When David Malcolm took over his family’s sprinkler system business in 1992, he intended to run the company the same way that his father had over the last few decades. But that soon changed once he picked up an old project that his dad started just before he died: finding another use for a low-flow sprinkler designed for farming. At first Malcolm thought he solved the problem by installing the sprinkler heads on hoses and using them to patch up Continue reading
For years crowdfunding sites have provided cash and marketing boosts to entrepreneurs who aren’t afraid to reach out to the public. In exchange, donors receive prizes for their support, ranging from simple displays of gratitude to enormous giveaways for the most generous individuals. One reward they haven’t been able to receive, however, is a stake in the company. For instance, the makers of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset brought in millions from their 2012 Kickstarter campaign. Facebook eventually purchased Continue reading