STARTUPS CENTRAL

Burger King said its U.S. same-store sales climbed by roughly one-twelfth for the quarter ended June 30, and company leaders point to changes in the Whopper as the main engine of that gain. The chain overhauled the burger’s recipe this year and even redesigned its packaging, moves executives say have prompted lapsed customers to return. Tom Curtis, president of Burger King’s operations in the U.S. and Canada, told reporters that diners are rechecking the menu and that the bra

Local owners say automated voice and chat systems stop missed calls, speed responses and let compact teams act like much larger operations. Missing a call often means missing money. Owners in service industries report prospects vanish after a slow reply or no callback, and many are turning to automated phone and chat helpers that pick up inquiries the moment they arrive, screen them and send them to the right person without delay. Those tools aim to capture the one-off opport

The Colemans opened the business after a hands-on search for the right care setting for a family elder revealed how confusing the options can be for relatives. When Anthony helped his father arrange living services for his grandmother, he saw how draining the process was for family members. He and his wife, Angela, later bought a CarePatrol franchise and today manage two offices serving North Central and eastern parts of Ohio. They’re approaching a decade as franchise operato

Automated assistants that remember shoppers and answer questions any time of day are fast becoming an expectation for online buyers — and companies that ignore them risk falling behind. Retailers and other online businesses are increasingly using conversational AI to greet returning visitors, suggest complementary items and guide shoppers through checkout, boosting repeat business and satisfaction. Roughly four out of five consumers say they prefer companies that tailor the s

Steve Distante, a longtime guide to startups, is channeling his work toward teenagers and younger children with a mix of stories, hands-on challenges and mentorship aimed at stripping away fear. His children's fable collection and a weeklong bootcamp for teens now sit alongside his consulting practice, and organizers say participants often leave more willing to try new ideas. In one recent session, a teenager bluntly critiqued the photos and copy on her mother’s downtown bake

Companies are increasingly recruiting chiefs of staff, offering salaries that can reach about $200,000 a year as the job evolves from calendar keeper to executive lieutenant. Job site data show openings for chief-of-staff positions have climbed by roughly 17 out of every 20 listings since early 2020, a sign that more leaders want a dedicated deputy to manage priorities and follow through on initiatives. The trend is visible at firms that have scaled rapidly. Sixteen years ago

A single simple query — has the customer problem shifted? — can stop founders from piling on features or chasing the wrong fixes when traction fades. When user numbers or sales stall, many startup leaders reflexively tinker with the product. They add settings, rewrite marketing copy or rejig pricing. That can help. But too often teams are treating the symptom instead of the cause: the real issue may be that what customers need today is not what they needed six months ago. Loc

Local founders who only use AI to speed chores miss the point — the real gains come when you bake your judgment and rules into systems that run without you. Many business owners think shaving one-fifth off daily chores is a win. But trimming time from routine work doesn’t create a lasting advantage if the company still depends on the owner’s hours. AI becomes transformational when it stops being a faster assistant and starts acting like a stand-in decision-maker that follows

Many entrepreneurs celebrate a lucrative sale only to discover an unexpected emotional toll. Over several months of interviews with North American founders who had cashed out on what they considered successful terms, a clear pattern emerged: financial success did not guarantee happiness. About three of every four owners reported regrets within a year of selling, and almost all described a sense of emptiness that took them by surprise. The coming decade will see roughly three-

Working toward a business model that protects resources and communities changes how you plan, move and measure success. After selling an earlier venture and spending almost four years living and working alongside farmers in Uttarakhand, I learned that longevity in green business requires different instincts than a fast-growth startup. The most important takeaways: go see problems in person, be willing to redirect when the objective shifts, borrow insight from other countries

Many applicants are chasing the same household-name employers; Greenhouse’s CEO says smaller firms doing similar work offer a clearer path. Daniel Chait, chief executive of the hiring-software firm Greenhouse, warned that openings are drawing far more interest than most candidates expect. On the company’s platform, about 2,539 people apply for every 10 jobs — roughly 254 applicants for each vacancy — a pressure that concentrates around well-known tech and business brands. Cha