What You Need to Know Today: September 30

Good afternoon, Early Risers!

Here’s what you need to know

TECH

Spotify is winning the music curation war. “With a full-time job and two young children, these days I don’t have much time to seek out new artists. But discovering new music remains a very powerful experience. Streaming services know this, and since most have very similar pricing and catalogs, curation has emerged as one of the most important areas of differentiation between them,” says Ben Popper. Here’s how Spotify’s Discover Weekly is dominating online music curation.

When being the middle-man pays. Yesterday, Google announced all kinds of new gadgets but the highlight, for me anyway, was the new Chromecasts. Here’s why I like the idea of Google Chromecast so much, “Chromecast, as an infrastructure tool and not a content machine, is a tried-and-true strategy for Google: provide the piping, and it won’t matter much what products or services plug in or what comes out on the other end. It’s similar in ways to the core philosophy behind Google search…” Google has found a way to turn something old (your TV) into something new (Smart TV). The Verge explains more on why Chromecast is Google’s Trojan horse into your home.

What’s better than blocking ads? How about blocking “content” altogether… This app does both.

CAREER

You’ll never guess who said this. Gillian Zoe Segal is the author of Getting There: A Book of Mentors. In a recent LinkedIn post, Segal revealed how Spanx got her an interview with one of the biggest business legends of all time. The legend (who you know), offered this advice to Segal, “You can always tell someone to go to hell tomorrow.”

This 23-year-old created a ‘Black Card’ for millennials. “Just 18 months after launching, New York City-based membership organization Magnises is gaining traction with young professionals who value perks similar to those offered by American Express, but it instead links directly to members’ existing debit and credit cards. It’s also attracting big brands such as Samsung and Tesla that want to connect with these elusive but aspirational consumers,” says Inc. Meet the 23-year-old entrepreneur who’s building a members-only brand.

“He became a driver in a driverless car.” Would you want this job?

Managers, listen up! “Here is a box. What’s in it?” “There’s a flower inside,” Khan said. “What do you want to do with it?” “I want to give it to you.” Khan, 43, describes the simple exchange in tones of the sublime, as though it changed his life, says Bloomberg. This is the weird management training trend you didn’t know about.

LIFESTYLE

An airport in the airport for celebs and elite fliers. “On arrival, a curbside attendant checks your name, velvet-rope-style. Once you’re checked in, it’s off to a swanky lounge, one of the most private spaces in the terminal. When it’s time to board, Delta escorts take you up a private elevator and down a private corridor to the front of the line at a priority security checkpoint. On the way home, you can opt for an express exit with Delta’s VIP Select service. You’re chaperoned to the tarmac, then a hybrid Porsche zooms you across the airfield and onto Century Boulevard where, presumably, your driver will be waiting,” says Nate Berg. LA is just one of these 8 cities that give us a glimpse at what the future will look like. Click here for more.

The best marketing money can’t buy. Why can’t L.L. Bean keep those darn duck boots in stock? This is the question a lot of people have been asking since the infamous boot rush of 2014. Here’s the answer.

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#NOWYOUKNOW

Everyone’s favorite card game is on sale today. No joke.

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