Author: wildgreenquest@gmail.com
With the Strait of Hormuz in crisis and gas prices surging, few executives are feeling the pressure more acutely than Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley. He gives a candid account of what the turmoil means for the auto industry, and for an iconic American brand navigating one of the most turbulent moments in its history. Plus, Farley gets frank about the China threat reshaping the global auto business, and his frustration with Ford’s own ingenuity. This is an abridged transcript of an interview from Rapid Response, hosted by the former editor-in-chief of Fast Company Bob Safian. From the team…
Published April 17, 2026 10:11AMIt’s no secret the economy has been unpredictable recently, and even if your job hasn’t been hit, you’ve probably felt the pinch of inflation. The outdoor industry is no exception, with outdoor gear prices increasing 11 percent in the past year.The good news? There are plenty of ways to save money on gear. You can peruse used items on Marketplace or secondhand stores, or through initiatives like Patagonia’s Worn Wear and Cotopaxi’s Preloved, which offer an added layer of confidence. If only new will do, patience can pay off by shopping end-of-season sales, or you can…
Social media has fundamentally rewritten the rules of beauty. Trends that once took years to trickle from runway to consumer now emerge, peak, and drive real-world consultations within weeks. Consumers scroll past filler trends and noninvasive procedures during their lunch breaks and book appointments before dinner. The trend-to-treatment pipeline has never moved faster, and the stakes have never been higher. There’s a fundamental mismatch at the heart of the system: Aesthetic inspiration is social and collective, but aesthetic results are deeply personal. What works for one face, skin type, or bone structure won’t always work for another. Yet, consumers routinely…
Alex takes on a serious hike and a search for turquoise in this installment of his new travel showGet a Little Out There with Alex Honnold, Episode 3. (Photo: Morahan Visuals)Updated April 17, 2026 09:33AMNevada is a land of contrasts—open desert and verdant mountain ranges arranged in a hopscotch of vast and varied terrain. It’s a unique place, and naturally, it draws some unique people. In his new five-part video series, “Get a Little Out There with Alex Honnold,” the world-class climber embarks on a mission to get to know the people and places of his home state. From towering…
Here in San Francisco, we live in a bubble, and we know it. While much of the rest of the country sees the city through the lens of Fox News cameramen searching out homeless encampments, we actually live in a very beautiful, very wealthy, and, currently, very AI-obsessed place. Traditionally, the billboards along 101 through Silicon Valley have offered a glimpse into the collective mind of the tech industry. These days, a big chunk of that industry, including most of the major AI labs, is based here in San Francisco, and the billboards have followed. The San Francisco Chronicle recently…
Picture it: You’re in an economy seat on a 17-hour flight. Would you pay an extra $300 for just four hours lying flat? Air New Zealand hopes the answer is yes. The airline is finally launching its Economy Skynest lie-flat sleep pods, starting at $495 NZD ($291 USD) for a precious four hours. Passengers in economy and premium economy will have the option to book one of six individual pods nestled in three-tier bunk beds. The “nests” will be available on select Air New Zealand flights between Auckland and New York—one of the world’s longest flights. “For a country as…
Shares of Netflix Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) are getting battered this morning, one day after the company reported its Q1 2026 financial results—the first since the streaming giant abandoned its plans to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) in February. In addition to its quarterly earnings, Netflix also announced a bombshell: its cofounder and current chairman, Reed Hastings, will be exiting the company this June. The departure of Hastings, who has been the de facto face of the company since its inception, has left many investors wondering about Netflix’s future. Here’s what you need to know. What’s happened? On Thursday, Netflix announced…
When age-related challenges set in, feel your best by employing the whole health toolkit, from exercise to supplementsMidi Health supplements. (Photo: Midi Health)Published April 17, 2026 06:43AMSome healthy habits are good for everyone. We should all exercise regularly, targeting both cardio and strength training. Get consistent, quality sleep, stay hydrated, and eat nutritious food. Spend time outside year-round and breathe in plenty of fresh air. Unfortunately, these health habits aren’t always enough. If you’re a woman in your 30s, 40s, or 50s, you’re well aware that feeling good every day isn’t a given, regardless of how many miles you run…
Time is precious, and conferences can be expensive—and time-consuming. If your name is not on the official agenda, should you attend anyway? Perhaps it’s an annual industry gathering, or it’s a niche conference that may bring in business. There are many reasons to attend, and just as many not to. We asked our Fast Company Impact Council members if a conference is worth attending, even if they weren’t speaking at it. If you guessed that the answer is “it depends,” you’re right. It depends on a leader’s personal and professional goals, networking options, learning opportunities, and more. We share 13…
Five years ago, tech angel investor Chris Adamo and a few friends jumped on a burgeoning trend in the digital asset world: they used a virtual real estate broker to buy 23 parcels of property in a metaverse called The Sandbox. He doesn’t remember exactly how much he spent, but it was around $200,000 for the whole group. The real estate, to be clear, consisted of pixelated parcels in “hip,” “trendy” virtual “neighborhoods,” an asset that crypto bros and Web3 enthusiasts like Adamo saw as the future of tech and digital investment. At one point, it ballooned tenfold in value.…