You’ve been following the Republican and Democratic conventions, right? Well, don’t worry, even if you haven’t your favourite business, HR and tech blogs will be covering them and the election season as a whole in detail. That’s because both candidates are betting big on workplace, trade and economic issues, and the consequences of this election — both at the presidential level and in the house — will have serious implications for us all. As we creep closer to election day, it will become harder and harder to cover what we normally do without also covering the election. But I’m going to ease you into this political takeover — this week we’ll be half election news and half tech news. You didn’t think I’d skip out on the Verizon/Yahoo deal, did you?
This is your Friday Five:
Why Even Donald Trump Wants to Raise the Federal Minimum Wage
Presidential hopeful Donald Trump said Wednesday that he “would like to raise the minimum wage to $10/hour.” This is a break from the usual Republican position that minimum wages hurt small business and make it harder to workers to negotiate with their employers. The reason Trump changed position on this issue is obvious — he wants to snap up low wage workers who continue to struggle even through the broad economic recovery that the USA is enjoying.
Fact-Checking Hillary Clinton’s Comments on Trade, Immigration, Taxes, More
Hilary Clinton’s speech Thursday night at the DNC, accepting their nomination for President, was heavy on workplace and economic issues. The Wall Street Journal takes a look at some of her big promises, comparing them to her past positions and assessing the likelihood that, if elected, she will put these plans into action. Keep a close eye on this election because so much of the platforms of both candidates has big implications for HR and business professionals.
New Documentary Spotlights Silicon Valley Female Entrepreneurs
Jessie Fetterling interviews the Nora Poggi and Insiyah Saeed about their new film, She Started It, which follows tech female entrepreneurs. Insiyah described part of their motivation in creating the film as putting more female business leaders and innovators on screen, front and centre, and hopefully inspiring the next generation. She says
“A lot of women don’t realize they can be business-minded early on. You go to high school and college and, after that, try to think of what you want to do for a job. By the time you’re 30, you’re a bit settled. But what happens with guys is they get their foot in the door around 16 or 17, and they already have enough experience to try and start something. We are trying to change that mindset and tell girls that maybe in college, you can try to start your own business.”
Why Yahoo, Once the Darling of the Internet, Couldn’t Keep Up
It’s finally happening. Yahoo is being snapped up by Verizon, putting an end to its slow, downward spiral. The deal turns the once great internet company “into a holding firm with no day-to-day operations.” Zach Dubinsky looks back on where it all went wrong.
Verizon buys Yahoo: Does it ad up?
The Economist digs into the Verizon/Yahoo deal: why it was brokered and what it may hold for Verizon’s main business, and for Yahoo’s various, neglected properties. The big takeaway for them is: mobile advertising.