🏖️ Is ‘bleisure’ the new buzzword?

Coming this season to your TikTok feed: fewer Gen-Z digital stars posing with Louis Vuitton bags.

According to Wired, influencers and the brands who pay them are reconsidering their roles as inflation dents wallets, energy prices soar in Europe, and the world flirts with a global recession.

Budget tightening has come for influencers already…

… but only a little. Industry experts told Insider that influencing will be more resilient to a teetering economy than other forms of digital marketing.

Optics, as much as budgets, may lead to greater changes.

Last month, British TikTok influencer Lydia Millen (805k+ followers) lost heat in her home — very relatable during an energy crisis. Then she checked into an opulent Victorian-era hotel while showing off ~$39k worth of designer goods — not so relatable. The blowback was immense.

To ward off similar criticism, New York influencer Sophie Wood told Wired she has switched her focus to more sustainable and ethical brands, trying to avoid marketing frivolous products in a tough economy.

Of course, we’re talking about luxury brands here…

… whose target customers scroll TikTok on their personal yachts. The filthy rich won’t face major problems from a recession and are less likely to be offended by ostentatious displays of wealth.

That means brands are not going to halt influencer ads altogether. More likely, per Wired, they will reduce their pool of influencers, using those who have developed the most trust with consumers.

At the least: Experts say influencers will be more cautious and gracious as they address their audiences. So you might see an influencer give a shoutout to everyone struggling to pay their heating bills before flaunting their Manolo Blahniks in a $1k/night hotel room.

In America, Christmas trees are a ~$2B+ business. At any given time, there are 350m Christmas trees in various stages of development growing on farms; in a typical year, ~25m will be harvested for sale.

That may seem like a clear path to profit, but most Christmas tree varieties take 8-10 years to reach six feet. During that time, it’s a bit of a financial black hole for farmers — not to mention the growing threat of the artificial tree market.

So, what are the economics behind the trees? In our latest “Hustlenomics” episode, we break down the multibillion-dollar industry.

Retro trends are back in style. It’s totally tubular.

Especially for the savvy ecommerce sellers out there, since search terms like “Retro home decor” have been spazzin’ on Amazon.

Primo product inspiration, by Trends:

• These ‘80s-style leg warmers, for $8.99 each. 
• This guide to ‘80s preppy drinking, doing absolute digits.
• #DisposableCamera: 402m+ TikTok views has market implications.

If you’re into products and profits, try the $1 Trends trial.

See why our newsletter and network power over 15k builders.

Ever found yourself thinking, “I wish I could leave the comfort of my home to stand in a wine cave with my co-workers?”

Neither have we! But too bad — companies are pouring cash previously allotted for office rent into destination corporate conferences that offer remote employees a bevy of in-person social and experiential programming, per Vox.

Instead of yawning in an audience while onstage speakers click through slide decks, today’s conferences take you:

• Fishing microplastics out of a river in Aspen
• Paddleboarding in San Diego
• Barhopping around Lisbon

Wait, but WTF is bleisure?

Bleisure — a portmanteau of “business” and “leisure” — is the corporate world’s newest, gross-sounding buzzword.

The common practice of tacking vacation time onto business trips is catching the attention of conference organizers.

The warmer (and more fun) the destination, the more likely attendees will make a trip out of it, ultimately drawing larger crowds.

And big numbers matter…

… since the trillion-dollar business events industry took a huge hit during the pandemic. With global conference attendance at half of what it was in 2019, alluring events could be just what the industry needs.

Conferences aren’t the only corporate staple making a comeback: retreats are being resurrected, too.

Enjoy trust falls with your boss in Maui!

🖥️ On this day: In 1975, Paul Terrell opened the Byte Shop, the first computer retailer to order fully assembled Apple computers — not the kit Steve Jobs imagined customers would use — in 1976.

😍 Cure boredom: A website devoted entirely to guinea pigs.

🫁 Chill out: Practice deep breathing.

🏃‍♀️ How to: Research found that a winning trick for falling asleep faster and waking up more rested is aerobic exercise.

🦎 Aww: And now, hey, that’s a weird dog.