Andrew Mason of Groupon gets booted, coders are the new rock stars, the business community rallies around same-sex marriage, fashion pioneer Marc Ecko on creativity, Honey Boo Boo tries entrepreneurship, how to become more likeable and why, top tech trends, Duck Dynasty shows America what redneck’ing is all about… This week’s notable news and tantalizing tidbits for young treps:
1. Groupon ousts CEO: The often irascible Groupon founder Andrew Mason is being replaced at the deal giant, effective immediately. Executive Chairman Eric Lefkofsky and Vice Chairman Ted Leonsis will step into the role on an interim basis. So far, it looks like a good move for the company, as shares jumped in after-hours trading. (The Wall Street Journal)
2. Coders are the new rock stars: Computers control almost everything around us, yet most people don’t have a clue how they work. A group of tech superstars (Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Jack Dorsey, will.i.am) are joining together to kick-start a movement aimed at teaching people to code. (TechCrunch)
3. The business case for same-sex marriage: Social pressure has done a lot, but the fight for equal rights for same-sex couples has a long way to go. Tech powerhouses including, Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon, have banded together to fight the Defense of Marriage Act, but they’re putting morals aside and using a more capitalistic angle — that is, banning same sex marriage is bad for business. (Wired)
4. Marc Ecko could have been a pharmacist? Entrepreneur spotlights fashion pioneer Marc Ecko, the founder of Ecko Unltd and Complex Media. In this video, he shares the story of his journey from spray-painting T shirts in his parents’ basement to becoming a serial entrepreneur. (Entrepreneur.com)
5. If Honey Boo Boo can, you can too: The Start of TLC’s Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, Alana Thomson, or Honey Boo Boo, is using social media to sell Girl Scout cookies — proving yet again that in America anyone can be an Entrepreneur. (Mashable)
6. The Secret to Success? Author Dave Kerpen lists the 11 necessary traits for being likeable, which incidentally, he says, will help you in your job, business, relationships and life. See how you stack up. (Linkedin Today)
7. Top tech trends: Ad Age lays out four hot new tech trends and 20 startups capitalizing on the emerging categories. Spoiler alert: Big Data is one of the hot trends. (Ad Age)
8. Nothing to fear: Zack Shapiro, an app maker and engineer at TaskRabbit shares how he overcame his fears and learned to listen to others. His advice? Never back down. Instead, face your fears and lean into them. (Revolution.is)
9. The Genius of Duck Dynasty: After Morrissey refused to appear on Jimmy Kimmel this week because the family from Duck Dynasty was also scheduled to appear, Esquire ruminates on the stereotypes widening the divide between rural and urban America. The Robertsons, the entrepreneurial masterminds behind A&E program, act as the conduit — showing we’re not all that different. (Esquire)
10. Sequestration to start: Today marks the deadline for Congress to agree on a deal preventing the much ballyhooed $85 billion across-the-board federal spending cuts. The Senate yesterday shot down two different bills on both sides of the argument — ensuring the cuts would almost surely occur. The official deadline is tonight at 11:59pm. (New York Times)
