Health
The X-Men bug that will save the planet:
Scientists in Japan have accidentally created a mutant enzyme that will break down plastic bottles!
Currently, oceans can break down plastic over a course of centuries. This new enzyme will start the process in a mere few days! Even better, scientists believe that the enzyme can be enhanced to produce even more impressive results. They believe that their final concoction will have the ability to break down plastic into its base components, and then those components can be reused to create more plastic. This could finally be a true recycling process for plastic!
However, the best benefit of all is that this discovery could mean a beginning to the end of the horrific damage that plastic is doing to our planet.
Learn the specifics of this unusual enzyme here.
Wealth
Follow up... Solving problems and building wealth:
Yesterday, I mentioned that solving problems was the absolute best way to create a profitable business.
Well, here's a perfect example of two entrepreneurs doing just that!
Kurt and Melissa Godwin decided to start a company of their own so that they could spend more time with family. Instead of focusing on researching other people’s problems, they decided to tackle their own! Both have had major annoyances with pests; Melissa refers to herself as a “mosquito magnet”, and Kurt’s oldest son fought with Lyme disease twice as a result of tick bites.
What resulted was them franchising with a pest control company called Mosquito Joe. Because of their passion and drive to grow their business, they earned the title “Franchisee of the Year” by Mosquito Joe corporate.
One of their biggest growth factors has been strategizing together about how to continue the company’s growth. You know what they say, “two heads are better than one.”
Wisdom
“Discussion is an exchange of knowledge; an argument an exchange of ignorance.” -Robert Quillen
Throughout history, book clubs have offered great minds the opportunity to share and discuss complex ideas.
As we celebrate the launch of our own book club, we decided to compile a list of some of the most notable book clubs ever hosted!
Tech Trends
Smartphones and substance abuse?
In a new study published in NeuroRegulation, Erik Peper and Richard Harvey claim that being addicted to your smartphone is no different than any other substance abuse.
One finding from the study showed that the students (the test subjects) that used their smartphones the most were also the students that reported higher levels of feeling isolated, lonely, depressed, and anxious.
However, just like any other form of substance abuse, it can be broken! Two suggestions that you can implement right away are:
Turn off push notifications. The alerts and vibrations “hijack” the same neural pathways in our brains that once alerted us to imminent danger.
Consciously make an effort to spend more time with face-to-face communication. This allows you to wean yourself off of the smartphone addiction; similar to ridding sugar from your diet!
Read the rest of the findings here.
Marketing Trends
The Anti-Apple:
Netflix is happy calling themselves “the anti-Apple”. In an interview, Reed Hastings, CEO and founder of Netflix, compares the work environment of Netflix with Apple; saying that Netflix provides a lot of freedom to their employees, whereas Apple compartmentalizes everything.
Hastings points out that every company decision is put in front of every single employee at Netflix. This breeds a culture where employees aren’t afraid to speak their mind about a particular company decision. Hastings believes that disagreeing silently is disloyal.
It’s easy to see why adopting this type of environment and culture can have such a positive impact on a company; employees have voices and are heard, rather than just being told to “do this without question”. Point to a company where all employees feel like part of the team, and I’ll show you a company that is consistently growing!
Learn more about Netflix’s planned growth over the next few years here.
Tip of The Day:
Add Ginger to Your Bath
Rid your body of toxins by taking a ginger bath. Add ½ cup freshly grated ginger or 1 teaspoon ginger powder to your bath and soak for 15mins. This will cause you to sweat A LOT for up to a few hours after your bath. While that may sound uncomfortable, we guarantee it’s worth it. You will sleep like a baby that night and feel rejuvenated in the morning!