The HOBT: 🏆Tim Cook's trophy to Trump | 💬Kustomer is Back | 🧬mRNA Cancer Therapy

Hey 👋🏼 Tim Cook just handed Donald Trump a custom gold-plated trophy with Apple’s logo, crafted entirely in the USA, down to the box. While this shiny gesture accompanied Apple’s $100B American Manufacturing Program announcement, the internet isn’t impressed. Critics are calling it a political performance, questioning whether appeasing power is now part of Apple’s innovation strategy. Cook insists it’s patriotism. Others see it as damage control with a golden glaze.

If you have any concerns or want to say something, please feel free to reply to this email or to [email protected]

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING?

Meta Acquired His Company for $1 Billion, and Then Changed Its Mind. Now, He’s Charting a New Path

🚀🤖 After a $1B acquisition by Meta and a swift spin-off, Kustomer is back on its own and just secured $30M in Series B funding to double down on AI-powered customer support. CEO Brad Birnbaum views the split as a blessing, calling 2023 a moment of clarity. Now rebuilt from the ground up with cutting-edge AI, Kustomer’s new stack aims to transform CRM beyond the typical chatbot layer. Backed by Norwest and others, the company is betting big on owning the full experience: data, logic, and interface, all in one platform.

🌐🧠 AI might be reshaping industries, but Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky isn’t buying the “new Google” hype just yet. On the heels of a strong Q2 earnings beat, Chesky shared that while Airbnb is embracing AI, from cutting customer service inquiries by 15% to planning a smarter, more personalized agent rollout, it’s still early days. The real edge, he says, won’t come from using the biggest models but from building tailored experiences that actually solve real problems.

🧬💡 Strand Therapeutics just secured $153M to push its “programmable” mRNA cancer therapies forward, with backing from heavyweights like Regeneron, Amgen, and Eli Lilly. Its lead drug, STX-001, showed promising early results in patients unresponsive to checkpoint inhibitors, using mRNA to turn tumors into IL-12 factories and spotlight them for the immune system. With six programs in the pipeline and a fresh Phase 1 trial on the horizon, Strand is betting that mRNA’s next breakthrough won’t be a vaccine; it’ll be a targeted weapon against cancer.

MORE NEWS

✂️📚 VicBlends, the viral barber with 25M followers, just launched the first-ever barber school inside a California prison, aiming to turn haircuts into hope. The VicBlends Academy at Valley State Prison gives incarcerated men the chance to earn a state barber license before release, offering not just a skill but a real shot at rebuilding their lives. Inspired by a 2021 visit with mentor Scott Budnick, Vic's mission is clear: real rehabilitation starts with purpose and a path forward.

☕🔥 Starting a small coffee roasting business might seem like a dream fueled by passion, but Marius Nica, founder of Olivo Coffee Culture, warns that 2025’s tough economic climate demands much more than enthusiasm. With startup costs around $120,000, soaring green coffee prices, complex regulations, and stiff competition across Europe and beyond, passion alone won’t cover rent or tariffs. Success now requires sharp financial planning, solid operations, and smart marketing to build trust and consistency. If you’re thinking about opening a roastery, understanding your numbers and embracing the less glamorous parts of business could be the real key to surviving and thriving.

RECOMMENDED READS

Harvard Researchers: Use the 7-Hour Rule to Squeeze the Most Joy Out of Your Free Time

AI can do your writing, but not your thinking

How to pitch like a pro — lessons from a ‘Shark Tank’ insider

MARKETING IN ACTION

🦸 Your customer isn’t looking for another product; they’re looking for a path to transformation.

Your role? Be the guide.

🧩 When your messaging helps them see success with your help, marketing becomes a roadmap to results, not a sales pitch. Focus your story around them, not you.

LET’S TALK MONEY

📊 Many founders jump into investments or expenses without clarity. Whether it's a new tool, a service, or a growth plan, understanding the why behind every financial move is essential.

🎯 Your capital should be working strategically, not emotionally. Finance isn't about spending less; it's about spending smart.

INSIDE THE CONVERSATION

🤝 Influence in business isn’t about pushing, it’s about serving. When your communication aligns with what others truly care about, trust follows naturally.

🎤 The most persuasive entrepreneurs speak with the customer’s goals in mind. Help them win, and you’ll win too.

THE WISDOM LINE

“Do what you love, and success will follow. Passion is the fuel behind a successful career.”

- Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay Inc. and HP Inc.

Thank you so much for reading this far. Have a good day! Bye 👋