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Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page. If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet. FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted. The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice. Editors’ Picks EUR/USD hits two-week highs above 1.1700 ahead of German inflation data EUR/USD extends gains to hit two-week highs above 1.1700 in European trading on Wednesday. The US Dollar resumes its downside amid rising bets of a Federal Reserve rate cut in September, in the face of benign US CPI data. Germany’s preliminary inflation data and Fedspeak will be in the spotlight later in the day.  GBP/USD rebounds toward 1.3550 amid risk appetite, weaker USD GBP/USD is recovering ground toward 1.3550 in Wednesday’s European session. The pair capitalizes on dovish Fed expectations-led risk-on market profile and renewed US Dollar weakness. Speeches from Fed officials will be eyed in the absence of top-tier US economic data.  Gold extends its struggle near $3,350 amid global risk rally Gold holds the previous bounce led by US CPI data early Wednesday. The US Dollar hangs near two-week lows amid heightened Fed rate cut expectations and risk rally on global stocks. Gold appears vulnerable as the 4H chart portrays a bearish outlook. Bank of England cuts rates in dramatic meeting The Bank of England has cut rates by a further 25 basis points to 4% but the statement hints that officials think the easing cycle is nearing its end. Policymakers are visibly worried about a more persistent bout of inflation as the headline number is way higher than target. Best Brokers for EUR/USD Trading SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market. Read More

FX option expiries for Aug 13 NY cut at 10:00 Eastern Time via DTCC can be found below. EUR/USD: EUR amounts 1.1400 858m 1.1500 3.1b 1.1520 852m 1.1570 1.3b 1.1600 1.1b 1.1650 1b 1.1700 1.9b 1.1705 818m USD/JPY: USD amounts                                  146.75 640m 146.85 795m 147.00 1.4b 150.25 1.9b GBP/USD: GBP amounts 1.3510 521m USD/CHF: USD amounts      0.8000 575m 0.8075 749m AUD/USD: AUD amounts 0.6550 597m 0.6575 995m USD/CAD: USD amounts        1.3725 575m Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page. If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet. FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted. The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice. Read More

Gold attracts some buyers for the second straight day amid dovish Fed expectations. The US CPI lifts September Fed rate cut bets, weighing on USD and lending support. The upbeat market mood might cap any further gains for the safe-haven commodity. Gold (XAU/USD) struggles to capitalize on its intraday move higher to the $3,360 area, though it manages to stick to positive bias through the first half of the European session on Wednesday. The US Dollar (USD) drops to over a two-week low amid the growing acceptance that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will lower borrowing costs in September. The bets were reaffirmed by the broadly in-line July US consumer inflation figures released on Tuesday, which continue to weigh on the USD and offer some support to the non-yielding precious metal. Meanwhile, the latest optimism over an extension of the US-China trade truce and the US-Russia summit aimed at ending the war in Ukraine remains supportive of the prevalent risk-on environment. This, in turn, is holding back traders from placing aggressive bullish bets around the safe-haven Gold. In the absence of any relevant market-moving economic releases, the mixed fundamental backdrop makes it prudent to wait for strong follow-through buying before positioning for the bullion’s recovery from a one-week low touched on Tuesday. Daily Digest Market Movers: Gold bulls seem non-committed as positive risk tone offsets Fed rate cut bets The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Tuesday that the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) remained unchanged at 2.7% on a yearly basis in July. However, the core gauge, which excludes food and energy prices, came in above market estimates and increased to the 3.1% YoY rate from the 2.9% in June. On a monthly basis, the CPI and the core CPI rose by 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively, matching expectations. Nevertheless, the data alleviated concerns that trade-related costs might contribute to broader price pressures and keep a September rate cut by the Federal Reserve on the table, amid signs of labor market weakness. Moreover, CME Group’s FedWatch Tool indicates that traders are pricing in the possibility that the US central bank will lower borrowing costs at least twice by the year-end. This keeps the US Dollar depressed near the post-US CPI swing low and acts as a tailwind for the non-yielding Gold on Wednesday. On the trade-related front, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday extending a tariff truce with China for another three months. This helped to ease concerns about a trade war between the world’s two largest economies and remains supportive of the upbeat market mood amid hopes that the upcoming US-Russian summit on Friday will increase the chances of ending the prolonged war in Ukraine. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq posted record closing highs on Tuesday, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 reached the 43,000 mark for the first time ever on Wednesday. This is seen undermining traditional safe-haven assets and might hold back the XAU/USD bulls from placing aggressive bets. In the absence of any relevant market-moving macro data from the US, traders will take cues from Fed speakers to grab short-term opportunities. The market attention will then shift to the release of the US Producer Price Index (PPI) on Thursday and the Preliminary University of Michigan US Consumer Sentiment Index on Friday. Nevertheless, the mixed fundamental backdrop warrants some caution before positioning for any further appreciating move. Gold price needs to surpass $3,358-3,360 immediate hurdle to back the case for any further appreciating move From a technical perspective, the XAU/USD pair, barring the previous day’s knee-jerk downward spike, has been oscillating in a familiar band since the early part of this week. The range-bound price action might still be categorized as a bearish consolidation phase against the backdrop of the recent sharp retracement slide from levels just above the $3,400 mark. Moreover, negative oscillators on hourly/daily charts suggest that the path of least resistance for the Gold is to the downside. That said, it will still be prudent to wait for acceptance below the $3,243-3,242 region (200-period SMA on H4) before positioning for a fall to the $3,300 round figure. On the flip side, the $3,358-3,360 supply zone now seems to have emerged as an immediate strong barrier. A sustained move beyond has the potential to lift the XAU/USD pair to the $3,380 area en route to the $3,400 mark. Some follow-through buying beyond last week’s swing high, around the $3,409-3,410 area, would be seen as a fresh trigger for the Gold bulls and pave the way for a move towards the next relevant hurdle near the $3,422-3,423 area. The momentum could extend further towards the $3,434-3,435 horizontal resistance, above which the commodity might aim towards challenging the all-time peak, around the $3,500 psychological mark touched in April. Inflation FAQs Inflation measures the rise in the price of a representative basket of goods and services. Headline inflation is usually expressed as a percentage change on a month-on-month (MoM) and year-on-year (YoY) basis. Core inflation excludes more volatile elements such as food and fuel which can fluctuate because of geopolitical and seasonal factors. Core inflation is the figure economists focus on and is the level targeted by central banks, which are mandated to keep inflation at a manageable level, usually around 2%. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in prices of a basket of goods and services over a period of time. It is usually expressed as a percentage change on a month-on-month (MoM) and year-on-year (YoY) basis. Core CPI is the figure targeted by central banks as it excludes volatile food and fuel inputs. When Core CPI rises above 2% it usually results in higher interest rates and vice versa when it falls below 2%. Since higher interest rates are positive for a currency, higher inflation usually results in a stronger currency. The opposite is true when inflation falls. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, high inflation in a country pushes up the value of its currency and vice versa for lower

A version of this article originally appeared in Quartz’s members-only Weekend Brief newsletter. Quartz members get access to exclusive newsletters and more. Sign up here. Pop quiz: How do you plan a university budget when you don’t know if your international students — who pay full tuition and prop up your finances — will be allowed in the country? For U.S. colleges, it’s a test they’re failing as Trump administration policies lurch from crackdown to cooperation and back again. The volatility reflects broader tensions over America’s relationship with international education. While the administration has used enrollment restrictions as leverage in university settlements, forcing Columbia to commit to reducing its “financial dependence” on international students, economists warn that fewer foreign students could cost colleges billions in revenue and tens of thousands of jobs. With international students contributing nearly $44 billion annually to the U.S. economy and Chinese nationals alone comprising roughly 277,000 students nationwide, the policy whiplash threatens not just individual institutions but America’s position as a global education destination. The numbers tell a stark story that should alarm anyone who cares about American competitiveness. NAFSA, the Association of International Educators and the leading advocacy group for international education, projects 150,000 fewer international students this fall, potentially wiping out 60,000 higher education jobs. Universities are already feeling the squeeze: USC faces a $200 million budget gap and will likely do a major round of layoffs, while the University of Utah moves to cut 81 academic programs. The confusion reached its peak in June when Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to “aggressively revoke” Chinese student visas, only to have Trump announce two weeks later that Chinese students were “always good with me!” as part of a trade deal.  The administration’s approach has been scattershot but relentlessly punitive. This spring, officials sought to deport international students for participating in pro-Palestinian activism and abruptly revoked the legal status of thousands of others, some for minor infractions like traffic tickets. After reversing course, the administration froze new student-visa appointments and began screening applicants’ social media accounts.  Meanwhile, Trump’s travel ban has affected students from 12 countries, with restrictions on seven others. NAFSA points to reports that suggest limited to no visa review appointments for prospective students in India, China, Nigeria, and Japan — countries that collectively send hundreds of thousands of students to U.S. campuses. On Thursday, Trump added another layer of bureaucratic intimidation by mandating that universities hand over racial admissions data to prove they’re not practicing affirmative action. It’s the latest tool in an administration playbook that’s weaponizing everything from federal funding to enrollment caps as leverage against higher education. Consider the Columbia settlement, reached after the administration withheld over $400 million in federal research funds. Beyond requiring the university to pay $221 million in penalties, the agreement includes an extraordinary provision forcing Columbia to “decrease financial dependence on international student enrollment,” a measure that defies basic economics given that international students typically pay higher tuition than domestic students. While American universities scramble to appease an administration that seems determined to kneecap them, competitors worldwide are celebrating. U.K. undergraduate applications from China jumped 10 percent this year, while applications from U.S. students to British programs hit a 20-year high of 14 percent growth. Hong Kong universities report “hundreds of transfer inquiries” from students already in America. At a time when the number of college-age Americans is declining, the administration is actively discouraging the students who could fill empty seats and pay full freight. Without immigrants and international students, the undergraduate population would shrink by nearly 5 million students by 2037.  International students aren’t just customers — they’re the future workforce America desperately needs. At U.S. universities, 71% of full-time graduate students in computer and information sciences and 73% in electrical and computer engineering are international students. One-quarter of billion-dollar startup companies in the U.S. have a founder who first came to America as an international student. As Trump repeatedly declares his intention to win the global AI race and maintain America’s technological edge, his administration is systematically driving away the very talent pipeline that makes such dominance possible. With Trump officials investigating more than 50 universities and promising the Columbia agreement will serve as a “model” for future settlements, the administration appears determined to use every available tool, from visa revocations to data mandates to funding threats, to reshape American higher education. Universities are left playing an impossible guessing game, trying to budget for a future where the rules change faster than they can plan and where their most talented students may simply decide America isn’t worth the risk. 📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief Read More

Amazon is expanding its grocery offerings around the country as it moves to compete with popular grocery delivery services. Suggested Reading The company will now let customers in 1,000 cities order perishable food items with the option for free same-day delivery, Amazon said in a release Wednesday. Thousands of fresh foods are available with the new delivery option.  Related Content In order to qualify for the free delivery, Prime members’ carts must be over $25 in most cities. Otherwise, they’ll have to pay a $2.99 fee for same-day delivery. Non-Prime members will have to pay a flat fee of $12.99 for same-day delivery.  Amazon said it plans to expand this new offering to over 2,300 U.S. cities by the end of this year.  Companies like Walmart and Instacart, among others, already offer popular grocery same-day delivery services. Walmart’s grocery service is free for Walmart+ members and can cost up to $9.95 per trip for orders over $35 for non-members, while Instacart’s is $99 for a yearly subscription that includes free delivery.  Other grocery chains like Target, Costco, Sam’s Club, and Aldi offer same-day delivery services.  Amazon already offers free same-day delivery for products like books, clothes, electronics, and more to Prime members. Now, depending on the city of residence, customers can get free same-day delivery for items like milk, eggs, fruit, and frozen foods.  Perishable items that are “temperature-sensitive” will be delivered in insulated bags that Amazon says are recyclable through many programs. These are the same bags the company uses for deliveries for its Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market offerings.  📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief Read More

The U.S. government is about to be Nvidia’s business partner in China. Suggested Reading The major chipmaker recently struck a profit-sharing deal with the Trump administration to send over 15% of the revenue gained from sales of its H20 microchip, one that’s geared towards the Chinese market and meant to power AI systems. The agreement also included Advanced Micro Devices, a Nvidia competitor. Related Content Trump on Monday sought to downplay the capabilities of the H20 chip, calling it an “old chip” that’s far from cutting-edge. The president said he negotiated with Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang after initially seeking a 20% cut of its Chinese chip sales “for the country.” The arrangement, though, has raised eyebrows among trade and security experts who are concerned about the transactional nature of a U.S. firm buying off access into a foreign adversary’s market with U.S. national security taking a backseat. “It undercuts the whole idea of export controls, which are supposed to be premised on national security,” said Evan Feigenbaum, a former Bush administration official who’s now an Asia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “If the government waives these in exchange for payoff, then the government is signaling that ‘national security’ is negotiable and up for bidding.” Others argued that the Nvidia deal sets the stage for the Chinese government to narrow the AI gap. “China’s lack of unfettered access to U.S.-designed AI chips is America’s clearest advantage in the AI race,” Matthew Pottinger and Liza Tobin, a pair of former Trump national security officials, wrote in a Free Press op-ed. “By reversing the ban, the White House is helping Beijing’s Communist regime close the gap.” The White House on Tuesday also didn’t close the door to replicating the deal for other firms. “The legality of it, the mechanics of it, is still being ironed out by the Department of Commerce,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at Tuesday’s daily press conference. “This was another idea of the president and his brain trust on his trade team to try to get good deals for the American people.” Other administration officials shrugged off lingering worries about China accessing advanced U.S. technology. “There are no national security concerns,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a Bloomberg TV interview, adding they don’t want Chinese AI chips to become the global standard either. The Commerce Department didn’t respond to a request for comment about the timeline of implementing the profit-sharing deal. Nvidia has said in a statement that they “follow rules the US government sets for our participation in worldwide markets.” The Trump administration is still negotiating with Beijing on a raft of other issues, including resolving a standoff on trade and landing a possible TikTok sale. Some Democrats questioned how the White House would treat other matters where U.S. national security and economic interests were at stake. “So now the US government is financially motivated to sell AI to China?” Democratic Rep. Jake Auschincloss wrote on X. “Makes me shudder to think what a TikTok deal might look like.” Even some Republican lawmakers started to express reservations. GOP Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, who chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said in a statement that he was “concerned” by the development and questioned whether it was legal. “We should not set a precedent that incentivizes the Government to grant licenses to sell China technology to enhance its AI capabilities,” Moolenaar said. The Trump administration initially slapped a ban on Nvidia’s semiconductor sales without an export license in April. But it backtracked three months later after heavy lobbying by Huang, who doesn’t share a combative view towards Beijing like the national security hawks in Washington. Nvidia earned $17 billion in China last year, around 13% of its total annual revenue. In its quest to preserve its foothold in the lucrative Chinese semiconductor market, Nvidia may trigger blowback for appearing too close to the Trump administration. The Chinese government is pressing domestic, private companies, and state-owned enterprises to justify their purchases of Nvidia’s H20 chips and warned against using them, Bloomberg reported. Indeed, Trump’s Nvidia deal could quickly crash into constitutional and other legal obstacles at home before it ever comes to fruition. The Constitution bars the federal government from imposing export taxes on U.S. goods. Peter Harrell, a former Biden administration trade official, pointed out that a 2018 federal law explicitly prohibits fees for export licenses. It was signed by President Trump in his first term. Trump, though, has muscled ahead in increasingly steering the U.S. economy on a path that fits his nationalist agenda, most notably by imposing a barrage of tariffs on imports from almost every country in the world. Now, a tax on some U.S. exports might be in the cards.  On Monday, Trump suggested he’d be open to allowing Nvidia to sell a downgraded version of its most advanced Blackwell chip in China — as long as the federal government can take a cut of those sales too. Feigenbaum argued that the Nvidia deal comes at the expense of smaller businesses that are simply unable to offer similarly-sized profits to the U.S. government. “That’s anti-competitive,” he said, “which is ironic for a supposedly ‘conservative and ‘free market’ administration, since it favors rich and big firms while pulling the rug out from under smaller ones.” 📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief Read More

As Walmart raises prices, the company is expanding its 10% employee discount program to include most grocery items for its approximately 1.6 million U.S. workers.  Suggested Reading The company announced in a letter to employees Wednesday that, effective immediately, employees will receive 10% off all food categories, including dairy, frozen, dry grocery, meat, and seafood, as well as general merchandise and fashion. Related Content The updated policy will apply to 95% of Walmart’s regularly priced items. Before the policy change, the extended discount offering was only available to workers during the holiday season. Outside of this time period, employees could get 10% off on fresh produce and the majority of its general merchandise.  “We’ve heard your feedback that these savings make a real difference for you and your families. And we have continued to hear that you would like to see this benefit expanded,” the company’s chief people officer Donna Morris said in the letter, which was sent to employees Wednesday and shared with Quartz.   Morris added that Walmart’s 10% discount is one of its most requested benefits.   The retailer confirmed back in May that it would raise prices during the upcoming months to battle rising costs brought on by tariffs. “We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible. But given the magnitude of the tariffs … we aren’t able to absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins,” Walmart CEO Douglas McMillon said in an earnings call. President Donald Trump responded to Walmart’s price increase announcement in a post on his Truth Social site, telling the retailer to “EAT THE TARIFFS” and saying, “I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!” A CNBC analysis from July tracked 50 Walmart products over seven weeks at a store in New Jersey and noted that about 12 of them went up in prices, including milk, frying pans, jeans, and some coffee products. Walmart’s new discount announcement comes nearly a week after President Trump’s new tariff rates for nearly 70 countries went into effect.  Walmart’s COO Kieran Shanahan posted a video on Linkedin Wednesday announcing the updated program, saying he shared the “exciting news” with Walmart store and supply chain leaders at its annual Holiday Meeting.  One worker commented on the post saying they were “confused” when they received a larger discount than expected a few days prior, adding this update is “great for associates.”   U.S. employees get access to the discount program after working at Walmart for 90 days. After working at the company for 20 years, employees have access to the discount for life.  Walmart’s stock is down about 2% Wednesday.  The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the news about the expanded discounts on Wednesday.  📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief Read More

The total U.S. national debt exceeded $37 trillion, marking a historic high.  Suggested Reading Debt owed by the U.S. rose above $37 trillion on Monday, according to a Tuesday report from the Treasury Department. The national debt tracks how much money the federal government owes from borrowing and interest accrued over time.  Related Content The national debt was at $36.83 trillion on August 1. A year ago, the national debt amounted to a total above $35 trillion but was higher than $36 trillion by December.   Since July, U.S. national debt has been growing at a sharper pace. According to a debt tracker maintained by Republican Congressman David Schweikert of Arizona — a member of the Joint Economic Committee — the national debt has grown $59,361.77 per second for the last year, based on Monday’s data.  After President Donald Trump signed his ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ into law on July 4, the Congressional Budget Office revised its January projection for 2025. The U.S. federal deficit — a measure of how much the government spends compared to how much it receives in revenue — was originally projected by the CBO to be $1.9 trillion this year and $2.7 trillion by 2035. On July 21, its outlook changed, predicting a rise in the federal deficit to $3.4 trillion from 2025 to 2034 based on the president’s new megabill. The U.S. will decrease direct spending by $1.1 trillion, while also decreasing revenue by $4.5 trillion, according to the projection. On June 30, President Trump said in a release that his bill would “flip” the primary deficit to a surplus — meaning the U.S. would bring in more money than it spends — by 2034, contradicted by the CBO’s later projection.  The office had also reported in January that the national debt would rise from 100% of GDP this year to 118% of GDP in 2035. According to an analysis from the Pew Research Center, by the end of the second quarter this year, when the national debt stood at $36.2 trillion, it was already at 119.4% of GDP.  📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief Read More

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. It’s easy to believe AI is replacing personality. The tools keep getting smarter, the answers faster, the automation more seamless. But here’s what I’ve seen — through client work, advisory calls and personal experience: the more AI evolves, the more your personal brand becomes your most defensible asset. We’re not entering a future where the individual disappears. We’re entering one where the people who know who they are — and know how to show up with clarity — will stand out. Your name. Your tone. Your beliefs. Your story. These aren’t just personal details. They’re trust signals. They’re what make people remember you. They’re what make your work hard to replicate or replace. Related: 10 Reasons Why Branding Is Important, Even For Startups AI has changed visibility We’ve now entered a phase of work where tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and Copilot shape the flow of information. They decide who gets surfaced, who gets linked and who gets seen first. But even when AI brings people to your doorstep, they still do what they’ve always done. They Google you. They check your LinkedIn. They look for alignment, consistency and depth. They want to know you’re real. That your voice holds up across platforms. That your work and your words match. They don’t want to be sold. They want to be led. And people follow voices that are clear, specific and grounded. AI might deliver the content. But your brand is what earns the trust. What AI can and can’t do Yes, AI can move faster than you. It can summarize your thoughts, mimic your style and output a polished draft in seconds. But it can’t replicate your point of view. It can’t manufacture your lived experience. And it doesn’t carry your credibility. That’s what makes your brand valuable. It’s not a tagline. It’s not a color palette. It’s the clarity you’ve earned over time — through experience, reflection and repetition. And in a market flooded with speed, it’s depth that stands out. The brands that win aren’t the loudest The best personal brands aren’t built to be liked by everyone. They’re built to be unmistakable. The kind people remember, refer, and recommend. When your brand is working, people know what you do, how you do it, who it’s for and what you care about. That clarity creates alignment, not just with clients or followers, but with AI systems scanning the internet trying to understand who you are and why you matter. That’s how you stay discoverable. That’s how you become referable. That’s how your work gets amplified — by machines and by people. How to build a brand that holds up If you’re serious about building a personal brand that can stand out in this AI-driven landscape, start here: 1. Get consistent onlineAudit your digital presence. Look at your LinkedIn, your website bio, your social profiles, your media mentions. Are they telling the same story? Are they using the same tone? AI systems build understanding from scattered signals. Don’t confuse them. 2. Define your voice and valuesWhat are you known for? What do you stand against? What’s your tone — calm, bold, curious, directive? Write it down. Keep it close. Let it guide how you write, how you speak, how you show up. 3. Show your workShare case studies. Reflect on what you’ve learned. Talk about your wins, but also about the work behind them. We’ve entered an era where authority comes not from titles but from transparency. Related: Creating a Brand: How To Build a Brand From Scratch Clarity beats noise We don’t need more noise. We need more clarity. Your personal brand is not a vanity project. It’s not about trying to be everywhere or please everyone. It’s about becoming a trusted signal in a noisy world. It’s the filter that helps people decide what to follow, who to buy from, and which voices to let influence them. AI might accelerate reach. But your identity is what sustains the connection. And that’s what builds longevity. This matters not just for marketing, but for momentum, opportunity and trust. Because the truth is, your brand speaks before you do. It speaks for you when you’re not in the room. And it can carry you through every algorithm shift, platform pivot and market change. People will always gravitate toward someone who knows who they are — and lives like it. So if you’re building a brand right now, don’t aim for attention. Aim for alignment. Make it clear. Make it true. And make it yours. Read More

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Inflation and rising costs post-pandemic have hit restaurateurs hard, forcing many to evolve their business strategies to stay afloat. According to Dr. Anne McBride, vice president of impact at the James Beard Foundation, and chef D’Andre Carter, owner of Soul & Smoke, the industry’s resilience stems from a shared commitment to hospitality, culture and community. “On average, independent restaurants make 3-5% profit margins, and that’s on good days,” McBride says. “You are getting into this business because you truly believe in hospitality. Restaurants are so central to anything that we do outside the house. And that’s what I think drives that resilience, this cultural importance that they place in our lives.” Related: This Is What the CEO of Kickstarter Wishes Aspiring Entrepreneurs Knew At Soul & Smoke, a Chicago-based restaurant business with three brick-and-mortar locations and two food trucks, Carter says customer connection is core to its mission. “We are 100% connected to our customers and the community,” Carter says. “Independent restaurants are vital to the community. We live here, work here and source here. Just like [McBride] mentioned, all the revenue that comes in gets spent back into the community.” Carter also values transparency, especially when it comes to rising costs. His strategies for staying attuned to customer sentiment include connecting via social media, creating new menu items and paying attention to demand. “I want guests to be able to dine at Soul & Smoke,” he says. “I don’t want anyone to feel like they can’t afford to come have a dining experience.” Related: She Created the Dance Studio She Was Looking For. Now, It’s a Nationwide Brand. One way restaurants can do this is by using data. The James Beard Foundation releases a report every year about the state of the industry, which can help entrepreneurs make informed decisions. “One of the key pieces of data of the 2025 [Independent Restaurant Industry Report] was that almost everyone increased their prices,” McBride says. “But there is a drop-off after 15% — up to 15% increased profits. Anything higher than that, and profits drop. So this is actionable information that owners can use when they’re looking at their menus.” Carter relies on data to drive daily operations and long-term planning. “We have to use our sales history to determine how to run a business,” he says. “We use data on how to schedule the employees for work. We use data to inform us on how much food we need to order, how much food we need to prep. That’s the only way you’re gonna be successful in today’s industry.” Still, numbers are just one piece of the puzzle. For Carter, using technology intentionally helps to create connections both inside and outside the kitchen. “Social media is how we stay connected with our community,” he says. “[It allows us to be] authentic and more natural [in showing the] reason why we do the things that we do.” From showcasing what’s on the smoker to letting customers know where the truck will be parked, Carter sees social media as a powerful tool that helps Soul & Smoke stay top-of-mind. Still, being on camera didn’t come naturally. “That was something I had to grow into,” he says. “Being a chef these days is not just about cooking the food. You’ve got to learn how to work with technology. You have to learn. You have to be comfortable with social media. You have to be a mentor. You have to be a community activist. [There are] so many different layers of being a chef in today’s world. It shows that the industry is growing and evolving.” Related: She Went From Teacher to Owning a Business in an Unexpected Industry – And Wants Others to Do the Same: ‘There Is So Much Opportunity’ For Carter, showing up for his neighborhood is part of the business model, not an afterthought. “Being there for the community, supporting the causes that people really care about — people don’t forget that,” he says. One example of this commitment is Soul & Smoke’s community fridge, where the team donates fresh meals every day and encourages others to do the same. According to McBride, this kind of community engagement not only builds loyalty but also creates a lasting brand identity. “You have to make the experience of visiting you a differentiator,” she says. “The key element is authenticity and engagement. Today’s customers, more and more, want to patronize businesses that they feel match their values.” On top of engagement, Soul & Smoke also differentiates itself by collaborating with local businesses. “No one’s really running a business by themselves,” Carter says. “We partner with different dessert companies [and] a local brewery. That way, anytime we want to announce something, [those partners have] the incentive to push that out as well.” Related: He Went From Customer to CEO of a Rapidly-Expanding Dessert Chain By Following This Process Partnerships, technology, data and storytelling all play a role, but none of them work without listening to feedback. That’s why Carter and his team take every online review seriously. “We read every review,” he says. “We take every review seriously, and we discuss it as a team. Sometimes we get really good reviews on how my gumbo reminded them of when they were in New Orleans, and they’ll always make me feel good.” Even critical reviews can offer opportunities to grow. When customers complained that the brisket was too fatty, for example, Carter didn’t push back. He simply added a less fatty option to accommodate those preferences. “We offered the customer different cuts of the brisket, and honestly, the bad reviews kinda went away,” he says. It’s that kind of flexibility that defines how independent restaurants like Soul & Smoke are not just surviving but evolving. “Don’t give up. Be flexible,” Carter says. “Try your best to be a people person. Listen to the customers. Listen to your staff. That goes a long way.” Carter and McBride