Author: admin

• Ryan Saltzman is the only one of his four siblings to work in the family business.
• He worked hard to earn his employees’ respect and learn how to work with his dad.
• The 100-year legacy of the business motivates him to keep it going, he says.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ryan Saltzman, vice president of Banner Wholesale Grocers. It has been edited for length and clarity.

When I was a junior in college, I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to do for a career. Then, my dad called.

I’d grow up watching my dad and grandfather work hard at Banner Wholesale Groceries, the company that my great-grandfather founded. That day on the phone, my dad explained that he had recently bought out my cousins’ share of the business. Banner was doing well, but not phenomenal, and my dad wanted me to help grow the company.

Saying yes wasn’t the easiest decision. All of my friends were getting fun, creative jobs or working in downtown high rises. Our business was based in a warehouse in an industrial part of Chicago. And yet, my dad had asked for my help. I couldn’t say no.

The first few years had a steep learning curve

The first few years were definitely difficult. Coming to work and having your dad be your boss has a different dynamic than reporting to someone you’re not related to. With my dad, work always comes first when we’re at Banner.

None of my three siblings works for the business, but they’re still involved. Some of them have worked here in the past, before amicably moving on to something else. They attend all the company and community events we host, because the business is important to our whole family.

I took time to really understand all facets of the business

When I started working here, I wanted to gain the respect of the employees, even coming in as the young son of the owner. I did that by working in every part of the business from the ground up. We’ve had tremendous employee loyalty, so I wanted to show them I understood their jobs.

I knew I couldn’t just come and take over. I had to put in the work to really understand the business at a deeper level.

As a company owner, there was pressure to be the face of the business. I had to be mindful of keeping work at work, and my life outside the company, outside. I wanted to be a leader of employee teams, but I wasn’t very familiar with employees. Striking that balance was sometimes tough.

I’ve been intentional about building a life outside work

In part because of that, I made sure to do things that I enjoy outside the business. I didn’t want work to become my whole identity, so I made sure to play basketball and travel.

That helped bring balance to my relationship with my dad, too. We both love the Chicago Bulls, and he’s a season ticket holder. When we go to a Bulls game, we don’t talk about work — we just enjoy basketball and each other’s company.

If you let work become your life, you’ll drive yourself crazy. I’ve been intentional about making sure that my sense of self and my relationships with family aren’t all centered on the business.

I appreciate the impact the business has had over 100 years

My dad has been working at Banner for 57 years. When I joined the company 14 years ago, it was hard to imagine spending that much time in one job. Now, I can’t see myself doing anything else.

I’m always focused on the bigger picture: how important the business is to my family and to our 110 employees. Working here has made me appreciate my family and what the company has given us. The business not only keeps us connected, but it helps provide for my parents, siblings, and — hopefully, one day — my kids.

This is our 100th year in business. I love thinking about the impact the business has had over that time: on my family, our employees, and our customers. I’ve built relationships with customers who have been buying from Banner for decades. That makes coming into the warehouse on a cold Chicago morning a lot easier.

• I recently visited the Azores for the first time and was astounded by how untouched they felt.
• Located in the North Atlantic Ocean, the archipelago is only a five-hour flight from Boston.
• The islands are an adventurer’s paradise, with endless hiking trails and outdoor activities.

The trip I took to the Azores — an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean, less than 1,000 miles from mainland Portugal — had been a long time coming.

The nine islands span approximately 370 miles and operate as an autonomous region of the European country. My boyfriend’s family is from São Miguel, the largest one, so the Azores have been on our “must-visit” list for some time.

After learning that their beaches, lush landscapes, and unique flora and fauna have earned them a nickname as the “Hawaii of the Atlantic,” I knew I had to go.

Even as the Azores have experienced an uptick in visitors since the pandemic, the two islands we visited, São Miguel and Flores, felt unspoiled. At multiple moments of our 10-day trip in March, my boyfriend and I felt like the only people for miles.

One of the best parts about the Azores is how accessible they are from Boston and New York.

Reaching the Azores is surprisingly easy from the US.

There’s a five-hour flight from Boston and a six-hour flight from New York City direct to São Miguel. I was arriving from Lisbon, so I took a two-and-a-half-hour direct flight to the island.

We spent six days on São Miguel before flying to the more remote, westernmost island of Flores, where we stayed for four days.

I recommend visiting during the shoulder months to get better deals and avoid crowds.

The most popular time to visit the Azores is the summer, specifically between June and September. Accommodations and rentals regularly sell out during this period, so it’s best to book in advance.

I recommend planning a trip during the shoulder seasons, either between March and May or September and December, for lower accommodation rates and less tourist congestion — two things I prioritize when I travel.

When we went in March, some restaurants were still closed for the offseason, and we had to deal with more rain than we likely would’ve in summer. However, those blips were worth it for the cost savings and lack of crowds.

Stopping at lookout points in our rental car turned out to be one of my favorite activities.

My boyfriend and I flew between São Miguel and Flores, but once we were on each island, we got around by rental car. I highly recommend adventurous tourists do the same.

Although the main towns are walkable and we could’ve relied on buses, tours, or taxis, having our own car gave us so much freedom to explore.

Driving throughout the islands was one of my favorite activities because of the countless miradouros, Portuguese for “viewpoints,” where we stopped to take in remarkable coastal views.

Scattered throughout the islands, some of the miradouros only have room for one or two cars to pull off onto the side of a cliff. Others were more conducive to gathering, with picnic tables and grills.

My favorite one was São Miguel’s Miradouro da Ponta do Sossego, which has a garden filled with perfectly manicured hedges and vibrant flowers and looks out to the North Atlantic. Cats greeted me upon arrival, and every vantage point (even the restroom) had an unbelievable view.

As someone who loves the outdoors, the islands were a prime travel destination.

We had no shortage of hiking trails to explore on São Miguel and Flores. During our trip, we hiked along dramatic coastlines, to hidden waterfalls, through historic villages, past fields of cows and horses, and around serene lakes.

Most of the trails were well-marked, but a few sections lacked clear footpaths, so we had to forge our own. Although both islands have year-round residents, we rarely saw anyone else on our hikes. So when we reached the trail’s destination, whether it was a waterfall or beach, we had it all to ourselves.

We loved the Salto do Cagarrão and Salto do Prego waterfall trails on São Miguel and also did a portion of the PR02 FLO route on Flores.

Even for those who don’t hike, the Azores are an outdoor paradise. Visitors can soak in geothermal pools, ride ATVs, go canyoning, or spend time whale watching.

On a rainy morning in Furnas, a town on São Miguel, we visited the natural hot springs and soaked in the mineral-rich, 102.2-degree water underneath cool raindrops.

My time in the Azores made me appreciate a slower pace and natural beauty.

I felt a sense of calm and a deep connection to the world around me while in the Azores, and I deeply admired the residents’ slow-paced lifestyle, strong sense of community, and commitment to protecting the environment.

Thrill-seekers, ecotourists, or those simply seeking a nature-filled escape will find what they’re looking for there.

However, it’s essential that they remain mindful of the locals and environment, preserving the islands’ natural wonder. Even though the government proactively protects the islands through strategies such as the Sustainability Charter of the Azores, a voluntary initiative that encourages organizations to adopt eco-friendly practices, visitors should still do their part.

My boyfriend and I hope to return soon and explore the other islands. Until then, I’ll feel saudade, a Portuguese word for a deep sense of longing and nostalgia, for the islands and the peace I felt there.

• Taylor Swift has been busy the past few months, attending award shows, sporting events, and more.
• Her signature style has been on display at every occasion.
• Swift’s best looks have been simple and elegant. Her worst was too corporate.

Taylor Swift is back.

No, she hasn’t announced her 13th studio album or another massive world tour. She’s simply stepped back into the spotlight after a few quiet months away.

Since March, the music icon has been photographed at award shows, walking around New York City, and sitting courtside at an NBA playoff game — usually with her fiancé Travis Kelce in tow.

Naturally, she’s worn statement outfits for each occasion. Designer jackets, expensive jewelry, and luxury handbags remain her signatures.

Some of her recent looks are the epitome of her effortless street style, while others haven’t made much sense. Here’s how we’d rank what she’s worn this year, from her worst ensemble to her best.

Taylor Swift brought back peplum tops in May, but she probably shouldn’t have.

She was photographed in New York City wearing a $1,190 white button-up blouse from Stella McCartney, $1,350 The Row trousers, sandals from the same brand, and a black leather belt.

The bottom half of the outfit was chic, but her top looked too formal, making the outfit feel corporate.

It couldn’t be saved by Swift’s $4,500 Fendi bag or her Cartier Santos Demoiselle watch.

She chose elevated basics for an NBA playoff game, though they weren’t super memorable.

Swift and Kelce were sitting courtside when the Knicks played the Cavaliers in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

Both wore denim outfits for the game, though Swift’s look was undoubtedly more flashy. She paired $790 Stella McCartney jeans with a black denim jacket and a chain-embellished tank top from the designer.

Swift also sported a Dior purse, Stella McCartney sandals, and an assortment of gold jewelry — including her massive engagement ring.

The outfit was cute, but also simple and a little forgettable.

The musician accepted 7 iHeartRadio awards in a green corseted minidress.

Wiederhoft designed the ensemble, which was sleeveless and decorated with silver sparkles.

Swift wore it with $36,000 Dena Kemp earrings and Jimmy Choo sandals. The assortment of rings and bracelets she donned also retail for a total of $36,000.

Swift looked pretty, and her outfit was solid. It wasn’t her best look of the year, but it was far from her worst.

Swift’s street style reemerged in April, and it was strong from the start.

On one New York City outing, Swift paired a striped Staud dress in blue and white with $1,195 Christian Louboutin sandals and a mini Lady Dior bag in yellow.

The outfit was fun and perfect for summer. The mix of diamond and opal jewelry she wore with it only added to the look.

Her date-night style this year has been feminine and flowing.

Just look at the floral Doen dress she wore for a night out with Kelce in May. The off-the-shoulder design had puffed sleeves, a semi-sheer skirt, and a ruffled neckline.

The dress was cute on its own, but looked even better with Swift’s choice of accessories: $920 Aquazzura sandals, gold jewelry, and a small raffia bag.

Swift proved that you can’t go wrong with a classic black-and-white outfit.

A different night in New York City, Swift was photographed wearing a white Retrofête minidress. The simple garment had a high neckline, long sleeves, and a short pleated skirt.

On its own, the dress might not have stood out on Swift. However, she accessorized to perfection.

She contrasted the garment with a slouchy Dior purse in black, slingback heels from Gucci, and a ponytail.

Even as a wedding guest, Swift sparkled.

Swift and Kelce attended a wedding in New York City this month and were photographed outside the event.

While Kelce sported a black Essentials suit with subtle pinstripes, Swift glowed beside him in a shimmering Maria Lucia Hohan gown.

The sleeveless design had waist cutouts, all-over ruching, and thin straps.

It looked stunning on Swift, who wore it with gold Aquazzura sandals and opal jewelry that previously belonged to Elizabeth Taylor (whom Swift name-checked on her latest album).

• The creator economy has captivated notable VCs’ attention and checks.
• Some creator-focused startups are raising millions of dollars.
• Here are the pitch decks that 47 startups used in Series A, seed, and pre-seed rounds.

The creator economy has bred a generation of startups — from influencer-marketing companies to new social-media experiences.

These startups have captured the attention and wallets of influential venture capitalists and angel investors over the last several years, giving rise to many unicorn valuations in the space.

Meet 17 creator-economy startups to watch in 2026, according to VCs

AI is continuing to fuel investor interest in the creator economy. For instance, Hedra, a generative AI startup used by some creators to make viral content, announced a $32 million Series A led by A16z in 2025.

These 13 creator economy startups pulled in about $2 billion in funding in 2025

Other categories, such as social commerce, are also top areas of interest for investors. ShopMy, which previously shared its Series A pitch deck with Business Insider, raised another $147 million in 2025 and was valued at $1.5 billion.

Creators themselves, like Emma Chamberlain and MrBeast, are also raising venture capital for their businesses.

See the leaked pitch deck Chamberlain Coffee used

So, how do creator-economy startups land those investments? Often, it starts with a pitch deck. 

Lumanu, a creator-focused financial startup, uses a simple pitch deck that’s more of a “conversation guider,” its cofounder and CEO, Tony Tran, told Business Insider.

“My pitch is always why, what, how, and why now?” Tran said. (Read the full pitch deck here.)

Every startup has a different approach.

Some even ditch the pitch deck altogether and opt for an email or Notion document.

Check out 16 VC firms investing in creator economy startups

We talked with founders who’ve pitched their startups to investors about their process. They broke down the pitch decks they used to secure millions of dollars in funding.

Read the pitch decks that helped 47 creator-focused startups fundraise millions of dollars:

Note: Pitch decks are sorted by investment stage and size of round.

Series A

• Restream, a livestreaming alternative to platforms like the Amazon-owned Twitch: $50 million Series A (14 pages)
• Hedra, a generative AI video platform: $32 million Series A (9 pages)
• Dub, a fintech startup that lets people copy influencers’ stock trades: $30 million Series A (15 pages)
• ShopMy, an affiliate platform that lets creators earn commissions through shoppable landing pages: $26.5 million Series A (23 pages)
• Posh, an IRL events startup: $22 million Series A (12 pages)
• Pearpop, a creator-marketing platform: $18 million Series A (18 pages)
• Spoon Radio, a social-audio startup: $17 million Series A (15 pages)
• Kyra, a content studio, talent-management firm, and influencer-marketing platform: $15 million Series A (20 pages)
• Allstar, a startup helping gamers become social-media creators: $12 million Series A (6 pages)
• Lumanu, a business-solutions platform for creators: $12 million Series A (8 pages)
• Hype, a platform for link-in-bio and other creator-monetization tools: $10 million Series A (13 pages)
• Catch+Release, a startup that helps creators and everyday social-media users license their content to brands: $8.8 million Series A (12 pages)
• Slip.stream, a music startup focused on gamers: $7.5 million Series A (13 pages)
• Brag House, an esports startup: $5 million Series A (24 pages)
• CreatorDB, an influencer marketing company: $4.7 million Series A (13 pages)

Seed

• Linguana, an AI video translation startup that is targeting YouTubers: $8.5 million (13 pages)
• AvatarOS, a startup building virtual avatars for social media, gaming, and other immersive experiences: $7 million (11 pages)
• Hypernatural, a generative AI startup that wants to be the Canva for video: $6.8 million (14 pages)
• Flick, an AI video generation startup for filmmakers: $6 million (10 pages)
• Scenario, a generative AI startup to create gaming art and assets: $6 million seed (8 pages)
• Sesh, a music startup that connects artists and fans using their mobile wallets: $5 million seed (13 pages)
• Authoritive, an online course-development startup: $5 million seed (11 pages)
• Dstlry, a comic-book creator startup: $5 million seed (26 pages)
• Dharma, a travel startup for creators and brands: $4.7 million pre-Series A (17 pages)
• Glystn, an AI-powered community-management platform: $4 million seed (15 pages)
• Daisy, an influencer marketing startup that launched in 2024: $3.9 million (9 pages)
• Anima, an augmented-reality startup: $3 million (15 pages)
• Grandstand, a sports startup working with athlete creators: $2.75 million
• Seam Social, a new Web3 social-media platform: $2.5 million (10 pages)
• Spark, a digital art platform from the YouTuber Moriah Elizabeth: $2.5 million seed (9 pages)
• Insense, a startup helping e-commerce brands get low-cost ads: $2.5 million pre-Series A (9 pages)
• Supercast, a podcast subscriptions startup: $2 million seed (20 pages)
• Chartmetric, a music-data and -measurement company: $2 million seed (46 pages)
• Ultimate Playlist, a music-marketing startup: $2 million round (9 pages)
• Magroove, a music distribution and discovery platform: $1.6 million seed (21 pages)
• Stagetime, a professional-networking startup for performing artists: $1.5 million seed (13 pages)
• Jubilee Media, a content studio looking to expand beyond YouTube and TikTok: $1.1 million seed-plus (12 pages)

Pre-Seed

• Storiaverse, a startup for animators and writers: $2.5 million pre-seed (16 pages)
• July, a “talent manager in your pocket” for creators: $2.3 million pre-seed (9 pages)
• Squads, a startup that helps creators mint and sell crypto coins: $1.8 million pre-seed (12 pages)
• Skye, a career-coaching platform: $1.6 million pre-seed (33 pages)
• Punchup Live, a comedy platform: $1 million pre-seed (19 pages)
• Spore, a content and community-building startup: $1 million pre-seed (17 pages)
• Hashtag Pay Me, a startup that helps creators price brand deals: $200,000 pre-seed (9 pages)

Other

• Humanz, an influencer marketing platform, raised $15 million for an M&A spree (28 pages)
• Our Future, a short-form video-news brand that targets Gen Z: acquired (15 pages)
• Rodeo, a social shopping platform, shared the pitch deck it used to get into an Andreessen Horowitz startup accelerator (11 pages)

• X’s head of product, Nikita Bier, said the platform is cracking down on copycat creators.
• These users are “programmatically reuploading content from smaller accounts” for profit, he said.
• Bier says to use “Share Video” or “Quote” for proper attribution and to support original creators.

X is introducing new strategies to rein in its copycat economy.

Elon Musk’s social media platform is now cracking down on large accounts that have been “programmatically reuploading content from smaller accounts” to game its creator revenue-share program, X’s head of product, Nikita Bier, said.

That program lets eligible creators earn money from engagement on the platform, which has also created an incentive for some accounts to rapidly repost or repackage viral content before the original creator gets the credit.

Bier said X is now identifying those posts and “allocating the impressions entirely to the creator,” an effort aimed at making sure original posters — not aggregators — get paid.

For posts with added commentary, Bier recommended using X’s “Share Video” or “Quote” feature to ensure attribution goes to the original creator.

The move is part of a broader push by X to reduce payouts for aggregators, whose business model has often depended on rapidly repackaging other people’s work for monetizable engagement.

Bier singled out one of the platform’s most prolific posters on Saturday. Mario Nawfal is the CEO of IBC Group, a crypto consulting firm. He also hosts the largest live discussion show on X and has some 3.5 million followers.

Nawfal reposted a video of an ABC News journalist reacting to gunshots fired outside the White House on Saturday. A community note below the post now reads, “OP stole this video without providing credit.”

“Please do not reupload the author’s video: use Quote or Video Reshare,” Bier added. “Your revenue was reduced by 90% last cycle and we’re running out of room to reduce it more.”

Nawfal replied that his account always uses the video reshare option, but it doesn’t work for longer tweets.

That response now also has a community note: “No he doesnt. Here are additional examples just from the last few hours,” the note says, listing three other posts that don’t provide credit. “Chronic content thief.”

• I let my kids take over the grocery self-checkout.
• What started as chaos turned into teamwork and independence.
• Grocery shopping became a way to teach practical life skills.

I have always loved grocery shopping with my kids. From the time they were babies and toddlers, I loved putting them in the cart and chatting about what I was buying. It always feels a bit chaotic, but it’s always been one of my favorite things to do with them.

Now that they’re older and have graduated from riding in the cart to walking beside it, I’ve looked for ways to get them more involved in the process. They would help choose produce or grab things off the shelf and put them in the cart.

But then the day came when they wanted to start scanning groceries at the self-checkout. There are three of them, and the thought of them all grabbing items out of the cart and scrambling to scan things seemed like a lot.

But one day I thought, “What the heck, let’s see what happens.”

Things got wild

The first time we did this, it was understandably chaotic. My son (the oldest) insisted on scanning, and the younger girls wanted to scan as well, so there was a lot of grabbing for items and running from the cart to the scanner. Groceries were tossed haphazardly in bags.

I was trying to keep track and make sure everything was actually scanned, and one kid started looking at the candy shelf near the checkout.

When we left, I was sweating. But the kids were so happy. You’d think they had just gotten to drive a spaceship. But no, they literally did a basic grown-up task that many actually dread.

They fell into their own roles

After a few times, they fell into a rhythm that I had no hand in figuring out. Each started to handle their own task while I kept a watchful eye on the cart and made sure everything got scanned. The oldest and the middle work on scanning, even talking to each other to make sure nothing is left behind, or adjusting based on who can pick it up (my son takes care of the heavier items).

Once the item is scanned, it’s passed to the little one, who puts it neatly in the bag or box. When everything’s done, she gets to use the debit card to pay, navigating the prompts on the screen like a pro. It’s a special moment when, as a parent, you can step back and watch your kids figure something out on their own — or better yet, with their siblings.

When I asked them what they liked about helping at the checkout, my son said, “I’m not bored. If I wasn’t helping, I would just be standing and doing nothing, and it’s boring.” It gives them a sense of purpose that’s really fun to see.

We’ve taken it a few steps further

A few years ago, I created a Master Grocery List. It’s laminated, so I use a dry-erase marker to mark the items we need each week. Since the kids have gotten more involved in shopping — and have more opinions on what they’d like to eat — I moved the list to a spot on the fridge that’s easy to access. Now, if they use the last of something, realize they need something for school, or have a supper idea, they’ll add it themselves.

Since helping with groceries has been a theme in our home lately, I decided to go one step further and hand the phone to my middle child so she could place a pickup order herself. She had the list handy, and I told her the budget. She had a blast and did a really great job, even recommending a smaller size coffee when she saw the prices to make sure she stayed within the budget.

It can be hard to take a step back, but it’s worth it

Part of the fun of raising little humans is teaching them how to do daily tasks and watching them learn how to navigate the world. Basics like doing laundry, loading the dishwasher, and shopping take time for them to figure out, but they end up with a sense of pride and accomplishment as they learn. That doesn’t mean it’s always easy.

The first time the kids took over at the checkout, I found myself reaching to help multiple times. But given a few extra seconds, they typically figured things out on their own. I’ll still step in if necessary, but I try to wait for them to ask for help rather than just jumping in and taking over.

They’ve made mistakes, and I’ve had to help, but at the end of the shopping trip, they have a sense of accomplishment and ownership. It’s also good for me to step back and let them do so. Up next, I’ll hand off the list in the store and see how it goes.