#exit interview software

[exitpro]

In Retail, attracting and retaining talent is a constant challenge amidst labor shortages and evolving consumer demands. High turnover rates persist, driven by factors like schedule flexibility and online competition. Retailers combat this with competitive wages, training, and tech integration. Exit interview software helps capture employee needs, aiding in strategic retention efforts. With these insights, retailers can adapt recruitment and retention strategies, ensuring long-term success in this competitive landscape.

[gdinthehouseee]

Fan Wars: KWON JI-YONG x READER

summary: after managing to keep your relationship with ji-yong private, fans catch wind of potential evidence and refuse to let it go, so he decides to give them something real to talk about...

word count: 1341

tags: smau; fluff, established relationship, sneaking around, making out in semi public

You had done everything right.

Separate exits. Baggy hoodies. Sunglasses even though the sun had long set. Taking the longest possible route back to the car. And yet, here you were, sitting on Ji-yong’s couch with your phone blowing up, as the internet lost its collective mind.

“Ohhh, they are going insane,” Ji-yong muttered, scrolling through Twitter with an amused smirk.

You buried your face in a pillow. “I don’t wanna know.”

“No, but you have to.” He turned his phone toward you. “They’re dissecting everything.”

You peeked over the pillow hesitantly… only to immediately regret it. 

User: I swear I just saw GD at this tiny restaurant… and he wasn’t alone 👀👀

User: Okay. So. Evidence thread 🧵⬇️

This blurry ass video from tonight? Yeah. That’s DEFINITELY G-Dragon.

The person next to him? I compared their walking pattern to Y/N’s past airport footage. IT MATCHES.

In the video, Ji-yong laughs. I ran it through software that compares audio frequencies. IT’S HIM.

The hoodie he’s wearing? He posted it on Insta a month ago. Y/N had a suspiciously similar background in her IG story the SAME DAY.

User: IT’S REAL!!

YGFamily_Updates: 🚨 Some fans are convinced G-Dragon is dating Y/N after being spotted together tonight. Others refuse to believe it. What do you think?

User: that should’ve been me </3

User: He could do waayyy better…

User (reply): you think you're better than y/n?? you should pursue comedy

User: am I the only one who thought he was gay??

User: SHE'S NOT WUH LUH WUH???? NOOOOO </33

User: Whatever makes her happy ig

User: she settled for HIM????

User (reply): ppl like you are why they kept it a secret

User: i can’t be the only one who thinks they’re rlly cute together :(

User: now they really are the parents of kpop

User (reply): i wish they were my parents

User: their kids would be so cute!! They’d have the best life fr

User: y'all are insane...

As much as you want to hide, you can’t seem to take your eyes off his phone. Not even when he continues scrolling through the battle of the fandoms to stumble across some diehard fans trying to piece together more of the timeline.

That one interview from three years ago where Ji-yong was asked about his ideal type, and he gave a vague answer that suddenly sounds a lot like you. A music award show from an entire decade ago where he held the mic for you and fans swore he was looking at you differently. One year ago – a rehearsal clip where you and Ji-yong were standing next to each other, not even talking, but somehow that was now evidence.

“They’ve gone too deep,” you groaned, finally managing to tear your eyes away.

Ji-yong chuckled, continuing to scroll, while he wraps his other arm around you, pulling you into his side. “They always do.”

“How are you so calm about this?” You turned to face him fully. “Half of your fanbase is ready to burn me at the stake, and the other half thinks I’m too good for you.”

He smirked. “Sounds balanced to me.”

You shoved him. “Ji-yong.”

He caught your wrist easily, pulling you closer until you were practically nose-to-nose. His voice softened. “Jagiya, it’s okay.”

Your lips pressed into a tight line. “What if this doesn’t blow over? What if they keep digging?”

He exhaled, brushing his fingers through your hair. “Then let them.” His tone was steady, unwavering. “We don’t owe anyone an explanation. They can talk all they want—we know what’s real.”

You searched his eyes, finding nothing but warmth and certainty. The tension in your chest loosened, just a little.

“…You’re really not worried?”

He smiled. “No.”

You hesitated. “You’re not gonna post anything cryptic and make it worse?”

Ji-yong laughed. “Tempting. Very tempting. But no.” He kissed your forehead, lingering there for a second. “I just want you to feel safe.”

Your heart melted. You sighed, relaxing into him. “You’re really annoying, you know that?”

“And yet,” he murmured, his lips grazing yours, “here you are.”

Outside, the internet burned. Inside, you were home.

That was, at least, until your next event. 

You knew from the moment you stepped onto that damn red carpet that tonight was going to be hell. The flashing cameras. The way certain interviewers perked up when they saw you. The way the entire internet had spent the past three weeks analyzing your every move, convinced that your so-called “secret relationship” with G-Dragon was either a definite reality or the greatest fan delusion of the decade. And now? Now you were both in the same room. At the same event. With hundreds of thousands of eyes watching.

You had never been more aware of your own facial expressions in your entire life. Every breath, every blink, every slight movement of your lips—someone was watching.

Across the room, Ji-yong sat with Seung-hyun, Youngbae, and Daesung. Not even they knew his real relationship status, while the man in question was completely unbothered, sipping his drink like he wasn’t currently the center of a full-blown fan war.

Seung-hyun tilted his glass toward him. “So… are you gonna acknowledge her tonight?”

Ji-yong smirked. “Who?”

Seung-hyun let out a slow breath. “God, you’re insufferable.”

Daesung, who had been watching you like a hawk for the past ten minutes, leaned in. “Okay, but why hasn’t she looked at you even once?”

Youngbae scoffed. “Because she knows people are watching.”

Seung-hyun nodded. “Which only makes it more suspicious.”

Ji-yong just swirled his drink, looking far too entertained. “You guys think too much,” he mused.

“And you think too little about how insane you make people.”

Ji-yong just smiled in response before pulling out his phone.

Slowly, carefully, you glance down.

A message. From Ji-yong.

You hesitate. You know cameras are on you right now. You know people will read into whatever expression you make. You know that someone will try to zoom in on your screen. But still…

You freeze. Before you can stop yourself, your eyes flicker across the room and meet his. It’s only for half a second. A single heartbeat. A blink. But it’s enough. Because he sees you and, to make it worse, he smirks.

After that split second of eye contact, Ji-yong tilts his head ever so slightly. A silent invitation.

You swallow. Pretending to check your phone, you slip out of your seat and disappear into the dimly lit hallway. As much as you really shouldn’t be doing this, you can’t help the way your heart’s pounding with excitement, fluttering at the thought of being sneaky like this. Then— A hand grabs your wrist. Ji-yong pulls you into a darkened corridor.

“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” you whisper, peeking up at him. 

“And yet, here you are.” Before you can retort, his fingers graze your wrist, trailing up your arm slowly, deliberately. His touch leaves a trail of fire in its wake. “You look too good tonight,” he murmurs, voice husky.

“Ji-yong—”

“I’ve been wanting to do this all night,” he interrupts.

He moves you backwards, pressing you against the wall behind you, and his mouth finds yours. It’s slow at first; teasing, testing your patience. But your hands instinctively reach up to grab his jacket, pulling him closer, and his own restraint is thrown out the window. He loses it. His own hands slide over your waist, gripping, exploring, pressing you firmly against him. His lips move against yours with urgency, hunger.

“Missed you,” he mutters between kisses, trailing down your jaw, your neck. His breath is hot, his hands possessive.

Your fingers tangle in his hair, and he groans.

“You’re gonna get us caught,” you whisper breathlessly.

Ji-yong laughs softly, kissing you again. “Let them.”

You shudder. Your hands clutch his blazer, pulling him back up, crashing your lips to his in another heated kiss. This time, he’s the one who shudders. His hands roam lower, tighter, needier. And just as he presses even closer—

A loud camera shutter clicks.

taglist: @thanosscrossmain @maskedcrawford @mirahyun @riddlerloveb0t @onyxmango @sherrayyyyy @seunghyunwifey @mattsturniolosbabymama @redhoodedtoad @bettelaboure @cinnamonbear22 @xxxicddbr88 @infinetlyforgotten @babygirlewis @loveesiren @tulentiy @petersasteria @allthoughtsmindfull

[mariacallous]

When I walk into Jen Easterly’s office on a bright January day in Arlington, Virginia, I’m greeted by a giant shark head lurking on the floor. I instantly spot a Rubik’s Cube—an Easterly hallmark—emblazoned with the logo of the organization she’s run for the past three and a half years—the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, which President Donald Trump created during his first term.

Easterly, who is 56 years old, jumps to her feet to greet me. The first thing that hits me is her denim pants, which have a dragon on one leg and a serpent on the other. Then she launches into updates on CISA’s animated “Secure Our World” video series and, in the same breath, laments that she hasn’t had time for a private guitar lesson in weeks. Seemingly a regular day on the job for her, except for one thing. As of January 20, Inauguration Day, Easterly’s time at CISA would be over. Trump had fired the agency’s first director, Chris Krebs, after CISA refused to question the integrity of the 2020 election, and Easterly now says she wasn’t asked to stay. Rumors are swirling that CISA programs—or even the entire agency—may soon be on Trump’s chopping block.

The timing couldn’t be worse for the nation to lose its top cybersecurity cop. A Beijing-linked group called Salt Typhoon spent months last year rampaging through American telecoms and siphoning call logs, recordings, text messages, and even potentially location data. Many experts have called it the biggest hack in US telecom history. Easterly and her agency unknowingly detected Salt Typhoon activity in federal networks early last year—warning signs that ultimately sped up the unraveling of the espionage campaign.

The work of banishing Chinese spies from victim networks isn’t over, but the walls are already closing in on CISA. Trump's nominee to run the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, told a senate committee last week that CISA needs to be “smaller” and “more nimble.” And a day after the inauguration, all members of the Cyber Safety Review Board—who were appointed by Easterly and were actively investigating the Salt Typhoon breaches—were let go.

When Easterly officially became the agency’s second director, in 2021, the government was still reeling from a different blockbuster hack—SolarWinds. Kremlin-backed intruders had compromised widely used software to infiltrate the networks of US agencies and other targets. Helping US institutions defend themselves became an even more urgent and daunting project. CISA doesn’t enforce laws or collect intelligence; its job is to evangelize digital security measures and offer free services, so institutions can see what they need to do to not get hacked or—more realistically—get hacked less badly. Easterly got to work building relationships across the federal government and with state and local officials, corporate executives, and utility managers. In crises like the Salt Typhoon campaign, these relationships are crucial to quickly containing the damage.

It takes a determined person, and perhaps a charismatic one, to build rapport with such a wide-ranging group of people. Easterly has the background for it: She has worked in the Army (with multiple deployments), the National Security Agency, and the National Security Council under Barack Obama, and she spent nearly five years in charge of Morgan Stanley’s global cybersecurity. She also helped establish US Cyber Command within the Department of Defense. Somehow, though, she’s chill. To break the ice, and probably to make an impression, Easterly has leaned into her passions while in office, cubing and jamming with executives and utility operators around the country. And, yes, there’s her eclectic style—high fashion (by cybersecurity standards, anyway) mixed with bell-bottoms and Birkenstocks—but also her quiet, intense obsession with trying to solve the puzzle that is digital defense.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity, combining on-camera and off-camera portions. Check out WIRED’s YouTube channel for the video.

You’re in your last days as the director of CISA. How's it going?

It's a little bittersweet.

Why are you leaving?

Well, at the end of the day, I'm a Senate-confirmed political appointee. We serve at the pleasure of the president. I've not been asked to stay.

There are signs that the Trump administration may be hostile to some of CISA’s goals. Do you think the agency has proven it's valuable?

We are America's cyberdefense agency, but our budget is less than $3 billion. I think the American people are getting an incredible return on investment. Anybody who looks at it will see that there's been an enormous amount of progress made in reducing risk to the critical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day. We're talking water, power, transportation, communication, finance. It's not a political or partisan issue, and these threats are only getting more complicated, more dangerous. Any stepping back of what we've put in place will be to the detriment of the safety and security of the American people.

One threat that’s top of mind is Salt Typhoon. How have past foreign espionage campaigns, like Russia’s SolarWinds attacks, informed the work you all are doing?

What we saw in December 2020, with the revelations about the Russian intrusions into US federal government networks, as well as businesses around the world, was a pretty sophisticated supply-chain espionage operation. I would say the bumper sticker was to finally allow CISA to manage the .gov federal digital assets as one enterprise, not as a disparate tribe of a hundred separate departments and agencies. It's still a work in progress, but what we've put in place across the government over the past three and a half years has given us enormous visibility and has allowed us to detect intrusions much more rapidly, to be able to remediate them and to get ahead of future intrusions.

It’s concerning how difficult it seems to have been for the telecoms to eradicate the Chinese hackers from their networks. Has there been progress in terms of that transparency and insight you're talking about?

After the revelations of these breaches, we stood up what's called a unified coordination group. So we're responding, the FBI is investigating, folks like the National Security Agency are using what we see in the intelligence to understand the extent and the depth of this intrusion. And we're coming together to work with the victims. We've been doing that for months. This has unfortunately been out in the press a lot—

I would say fortunately!

Anything that gets out there has the downside of having adversaries change their tactics. So, while I think the transparency to consumers is important, it also makes it more difficult to then find these actors within the network. I don't expect it to be remediated in the short term.

What about in the long term?

Everybody should assume that our adversaries, in particular China, are attempting to go after our critical infrastructure. The private sector, they are on the front lines of this fight, because they own and operate the vast majority of our critical infrastructure. It's why companies need to put collaboration over self-preservation.

I want a future where something like a ransomware attack is a shocking anomaly. Where damaging software vulnerabilities exploited by nation-state actors are as infrequent as plane crashes. A world where the technology that we've come to rely on every hour of every day is first and foremost secure.

It feels like hackers always find new ways to get where they want to go. Can you win at defense?

I mean, you're right. Defense is hard. I say that as America's cyber head goalie. And that's why it has to be a team. As much as we work to hunt for and eradicate Chinese actors, our partners need to hold those actors accountable, whether that's through offensive cyber capabilities or indictments or sanctions. But, yes, we're on the defensive side, and it's a challenge.

Former CISA director Jen Easterly left office on Inauguration Day as rumors swirled about the fate of the agency.Photograph: Dana Scruggs

Right now is a very scary and precarious time in cyberspace.

I spent a lot of time in counterterrorism, and people would often say, “What keeps you up at night?” But it's really not what keeps me up at night. It's all about what gets you up in the morning. I love my team. I love the mission. Not every day is the best day ever, but you work through the issues, you stay resilient, you stay focused.

Probably a necessary attitude for this type of work. But I just have to be that guy who asks you one more time: What keeps you up at night?

A major conflict in Asia—the potential invasion or blockade of Taiwan by the People’s Republic of China—could have very real consequences here in the US. You could see pipelines and water being affected, telecommunications being severed, rail lines, power. That is all part of a very deliberate effort by the People’s Republic of China to incite what they call “societal panic” and to deter our ability to marshal military might and citizen will. We have to acknowledge that disruption may occur.

Is the public paying too much attention to espionage campaigns like Salt Typhoon? Should we all be more worried about threats to critical infrastructure, like China’s Volt Typhoon?

We are very focused overall on PRC cyber actors. CISA is one of the few agencies in the government that has been able to find both Volt Typhoon within critical infrastructure as well as Salt Typhoon. In fact, it was our work several months ago to find Salt Typhoon that then led to law enforcement identifying virtual private servers that were being leased by the adversaries, and then that unraveled the wider campaign.

You and I have talked before about how Ukraine has faced years of punishing digital attacks and, of course, an ongoing kinetic war with Russia. CISA has partnered for a few years now with its counterpart agency in Ukraine. Do you have concerns that the Trump administration won't prioritize that relationship?

Ukraine is under active assault by a very sophisticated threat actor. What we are learning from how they are dealing with those attacks actually helps us understand and mitigate similar threats to our own infrastructure. Cyber is a borderless space, and what our foreign partners see can absolutely benefit us. We need to ensure that all of us—from the vendors that create technology to companies that buy technology to citizens that consume technology—recognize our shared role in a collective defense of cyberspace and critical infrastructure.

Do you feel that there are too many cooks in the US federal cybersecurity kitchen? Has that been an issue?

It really has not. A lot of people have asked that question, but when the SolarWinds incident occurred I was looking at it as both the cyber policy lead for the Biden-Harris transition team and, perhaps more importantly, from my day job at Morgan Stanley. One advisory came out from CISA that was very SolarWinds-specific. We didn't have SolarWinds in our infrastructure. Another one came from NSA that was focused on VMware, and we did have VMware in our systems. It was not clear how these things were connected. And then you would see an FBI private-sector notice about something else. At this point I've already been in government for 27 years. I'd been in the military, the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, the White House. It's like, I know this. I thought I understood the government. And I couldn't make sense of what the government was trying to tell us about this Russian espionage campaign. It was one of the motivating things about coming to CISA. How do we bring together the federal cyber ecosystem?

The relationships with NSA, FBI, and CISA have never been better. Some of that is personalities, but I think we have actually developed institutional connective tissue, so that it will last. It's very, very clear what CISA’s role is. Now, you often talk about, what does the National Security Council do? What does the Office of the National Cyber Director do? I think we've sorted out the relationships at that level with policy and strategy, but really at the operational level where CISA lives, those relationships across the federal cyber ecosystem I think have never been better.

You said that there is unfinished business as you prepare to leave CISA. Where do you wish you could have done more?

There’s a lot of unfinished business. We have made an impact through our ransomware vulnerability warning pilot and our pre-ransomware notification initiative, and I’m really proud of that, because we work on preventing somebody from having their worst day. But ransomware is still a problem. We have been laser-focused on PRC cyber actors. That will continue to be a huge problem. I'm really proud of where we are, but there's much, much more work to be done. There are things that I think we can continue driving, that the next administration, I hope, will look at, because, frankly, cybersecurity is a national security issue.

I have to ask you, there are rumors: Are you or are you not going on tour when you leave CISA?

You know, I certainly hope to. I played piano and guitar when I was young, but I started taking up electric guitar, and that has become my passion, my obsession. So my big postretirement plan several years from now is to start a bar in lower Manhattan, to have a band. We're going to do magic. We're going to do improv. I'm going to be the bartender.

And will there be Rubik's Cubes at every table?

There will be Rubik's Cubes. I'm obsessed with the Rubik's Cube. When I was 11 these things were introduced across the world, and I was a huge puzzler and a video game person. I learned how to solve it, and then I would go to toy stores—I was this little kid with pigtails—and say, “Hey, if I can solve this in less than two minutes, will you give me a free one?” So I was able to amass this whole set of them.

You must see some sort of connection between that and your day job.

Ernő Rubik, who invented the thing, said something like, if you are curious, you will find puzzles around you. And if you are determined, you will solve them. And when I think about the incredible technical talent that we have here at CISA, it’s the intellectual curiosity, it’s the hacker mindset, it’s the problem solver. But it's also the determination, the relentless drive to solve the most complicated problems out there.

[fereldanwench]

yanno when i left this job the first time around one of the things i mentioned in my exit interview was how frustrating it was to work with outdated and unstable software every goddamn day and forking over some cash for at least a few upgrades would make their illustrators much happier ergo more ~*productive*~

and of course they did not take that advice

so every morning i launch (among other application travesties) 14-year-old versions of photoshop and illustrator on my work laptop which are sorely lacking INCREDIBLY USEFUL FEATURES that even slightly newer versions have and i'm forced to find weird ass solutions to things that shouldn't be problems in the first place!!!!

[jcmarchi]

Laurence Sotsky, Founder and CEO of Incentify – Interview Series

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/laurence-sotsky-founder-and-ceo-of-incentify-interview-series/

Laurence Sotsky, Founder and CEO of Incentify – Interview Series

Laurence Sotsky is Incentify’s CEO and oversees all business and technical operations. He is a seasoned technology executive with extensive experience leading high-growth companies and driving innovation in the SaaS application sector. As an accomplished CEO, he has successfully built and managed high-performing organizations, has extensive international experience and has led three prior organizations to successful exits.

Before Incentify, Laurence was the CEO and Founder of Hopscotch, a venture-backed SaaS platform specializing in mobile application development for the sports and entertainment industry.

Incentify is a software platform that helps organizations manage and optimize their tax credits and incentives (C&I) at scale. It offers tools for identifying, tracking, and maximizing federal, state, and local incentives, including those related to hiring, capital investments, and sustainability. The platform integrates with enterprise systems to streamline compliance and reporting, aiming to uncover missed opportunities and drive measurable financial impact.

What does Incentify do, and how does your platform help businesses unlock and manage tax credits and incentives?

Incentify is the leading software platform for discovering, optimizing, and managing tax credits and incentives (C&I). Our AI-powered suite enables corporations, advisors, and accounting firms to fully realize the value of incentive portfolios—without drowning in complexity. Whether you’re identifying credits, managing compliance workflows, or scaling across hundreds of locations, Incentify turns what was once a manual, opaque process into a streamlined, data-driven advantage.

How much capital is currently going unclaimed in the tax credit and incentive (C&I) space, and why is this such a widespread issue?

According to White House estimates, more than $140 billion in federal tax incentives go unclaimed each year—never even applied for. And that’s just the beginning. When you factor in missed opportunities at the state and local levels, and incentives left on the table due to compliance breakdowns, the total climbs to multiple hundreds of billions annually. Most organizations lack the systems and expertise to navigate a constantly evolving C&I landscape.

Which industries or types of companies are best positioned to benefit from Incentify’s platform?

While virtually every business has access to some form of incentives, the largest gains typically come from three categories:

Labor incentives, for companies hiring or expanding their workforce

Environmental incentives, especially those focused on clean energy and retrofits

Capital expenditure incentives, for organizations investing in infrastructure or R&D

Industries like film, semiconductors, manufacturing, and logistics tend to see outsized benefits—but we’re seeing increasing relevance across professional services, healthcare, and tech as well.

What makes tax credit and incentive management particularly complex without software like Incentify? 

Incentives aren’t automatically granted—they’re earned through strict compliance. Once a credit is identified, companies must meet ongoing documentation, employment, and capital thresholds to qualify. Doing this manually is risky and resource-intensive. Incentify replaces ad hoc processes with automated workflows: each program’s requirements are preloaded, responsible parties are assigned, and the system monitors progress—alerting organizations to gaps before they become compliance failures.

How does Incentify use AI to discover and manage incentives more efficiently than traditional methods?

At the heart of Incentify is a private large language model trained specifically on the tax incentive corpus—billions of dollars’ worth of programs spanning federal, state, and soon municipal levels. Our platform continuously scrapes, interprets, and updates this data in real time. Features like Chat With a Program and Leia, our embedded AI assistant, allow users to interact directly with incentive programs, receive instant guidance, and explore options conversationally.

AI also powers automatic recommendations tailored to company size, industry, and geography—replacing outdated methods with intelligent automation.

Why are corporations, especially CFOs, increasingly turning to tax credits and incentives as a source of capital?

We’re seeing a real shift in how CFOs think about tax credits and incentives. What used to be considered a nice-to-have—too complex, too cumbersome—is now being treated as a serious, strategic source of capital. Specifically, non-dilutive capital that can fund key initiatives without taking on debt or giving up equity.

At the same time, the incentive landscape has expanded dramatically, particularly in areas like clean energy, R&D, and workforce development. These programs aren’t just financial bonuses—they directly align with corporate priorities. And thanks to technology like Incentify, identifying and managing these programs is finally efficient, scalable, and transparent. This isn’t about exploiting tax loopholes—it’s about unlocking capital that was already meant to be used for growth.

What safeguards or compliance features are built into the platform to reduce risk from audits, misfilings, or clawbacks?

Our Optimize product was designed specifically to safeguard against these risks. Once an incentive is loaded into the platform, the key compliance events are mapped out, and the appropriate stakeholders are tagged. If something goes missing—like a form that isn’t filed or a requirement that isn’t met—the system automatically flags it for managers.

We’ve seen business units go from a 40% success rate on incentive compliance to 100% after adopting Incentify.  By embedding accountability into the system, we turn compliance from a liability into a competitive advantage.

Incentify recently raised a $9.5 million Series A. What are your priorities for this capital over the next year? 

This round is all about fueling the next stage of our growth across five major fronts.

First, we’re doubling down on product innovation—especially within Incentify Explore—to make it even easier for users to find and unlock incentives. That includes deep investments in our AI infrastructure, which powers both how we curate data and how we communicate it to users.

Second, we’re focused on technical velocity. In a market moving this fast, continuing to build on our engineering team is critical. Bringing in additional top-tier talent will help us accelerate delivery and continue shipping high-quality features at scale.

Third, we’re putting serious weight behind sales and marketing. Our platform serves Fortune 500s, advisors, and SMBs alike, and this funding enables us to tell our story across all those segments more effectively.

Fourth, data. We’ve already built what we believe is the most comprehensive commercial and industrial incentives dataset in North America—and now we’re expanding that reach globally.

And finally, partnerships. We’ve been quietly developing relationships with some of the world’s largest players, and this capital allows us to support and scale those partnerships with the resources they deserve.

What opportunities do you see for scaling the platform across enterprise and mid-market segments?

As our AI improves, so does scalability. Mid-market businesses don’t have teams of tax attorneys—and they shouldn’t need them to access public funding. Our platform levels the playing field by automating discovery, guiding eligibility, and simplifying compliance. On the enterprise side, we’re seeing multi-billion-dollar companies centralize their entire incentive strategy through Incentify. The goal is the same: eliminate friction, maximize capture.

What’s your long-term vision for Incentify and the role it plays in the corporate finance ecosystem? 

Our long-term vision is for Incentify to be the operating system of the C&I economy. Every company, every advisor, every government agency—collaborating, tracking, and delivering incentives through a single, connected ecosystem. We want to make incentive discovery, application, compliance, and reporting effortless and accessible—no matter the complexity, jurisdiction, or industry. Ultimately, we’re here to ensure that no opportunity is lost, no compliance is missed, and every dollar of public funding does the work it was meant to do.

Thank you for the great inteview, readers who wish to learn more should visit Incentify. 

[cyberbenb]

Putin calls to 'strangle' Western companies still operating in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 26 called for punitive action against Western companies still operating in Russia, saying they must be “strangled” in response to what he described as Western attempts to suffocate the Russian economy.

“We should strangle them. I agree completely. I’m speaking without any shame, because they’re trying to strangle us. We need to reciprocate,” Putin said during a meeting with Russian entrepreneurs.

The remarks came in response to a proposal from one business representative to “slightly” restrict the work of remaining Western companies, naming Microsoft and Zoom as examples.

The participant claimed, citing unnamed analysts, that Russia’s IT industry was losing billions due to continued reliance on foreign services. Putin took the suggestion further, urging the government to identify those still using Western software.

“Give us everyone who can’t get rid of these bad habits. I’m not kidding, seriously,” he said.

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Following the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, hundreds of Western companies exited Russia or suspended operations under public pressure and legal sanctions.

According to data from the Kyiv School of Economics, 472 foreign firms have fully withdrawn from Russia, while another 1,360 have scaled back their operations.

In some cases, Moscow has directly seized assets from companies that remained in the country. The Kremlin's increasingly hostile approach has been viewed as retaliation for freezing around $300 billion in Russian sovereign assets abroad.

Despite the rhetoric, Russia continues to explore paths for re-engagement with foreign businesses. In February, Putin instructed his government to prepare for the eventual return of Western firms.

Still, no formal requests have been received from companies seeking re-entry, according to Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and former president.

Russia can attack Europe 2-4 years after war’s end, faster with lifted sanctions, Ukrainian intel chief warns

“If the sanctions are lifted, the rearmament process will proceed much faster,” Ukrainian foreign intelligence (SZRU) chief Oleh Ivashchenko said in an interview with Ukrinform.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

[divineinnovation]

How to Plan an Efficient Factory Interior Design from Scratch

Designing a factory interior from scratch isn’t just about arranging machines and workstations—it’s about optimizing every square inch for safety, efficiency, flow, and productivity. Whether you’re setting up a new manufacturing plant or upgrading an older one, a thoughtfully planned factory layout can drastically improve operations, employee satisfaction, and long-term scalability.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through practical and unique points to consider when planning an efficient factory interior design from the ground up.

1. Start with a Process-First Approach

Before touching design software or sketching layouts, map out your entire production process. Understand every input, every step of transformation, and the output. When the design follows the process rather than the other way around, you eliminate wasted motion, unnecessary travel time, and confusion.

Unique Tip: Interview shop-floor supervisors and machine operators during this phase. They know where inefficiencies and bottlenecks occur in real-time.

2. Zone-Based Layout Planning

Dividing your factory into functional zones—such as raw material storage, processing, quality control, packaging, and finished goods—is crucial. But don’t stop at zoning. Use buffer zones to absorb irregularities between steps.

Unique Tip: Design “silent zones” where noise-intensive machinery is separated from human-intensive zones like assembly or inspection areas. This improves focus and reduces auditory stress.

3. Natural Lighting and Ventilation Aren’t Optional

It’s common to overlook lighting and ventilation in industrial settings, assuming artificial systems will take over. But integrating natural elements can improve worker productivity, reduce energy costs, and support sustainable operations.

Unique Tip: Use translucent roofing materials in non-critical zones (like storage areas) to allow soft daylight. Pair that with automatic louvers for ventilation and airflow control.

4. Plan for Flexibility and Growth

Your factory may need to scale or change product lines in the future. Designing fixed, rigid structures will make adaptation costly. Instead, adopt modular partitions and mobile equipment layouts where possible.

Unique Tip: Leave 15-20% of your space as dynamic capacity—not necessarily idle space but multifunctional. It could be used for training, experimentation, or emergency overflow.

5. Integrate Digital Infrastructure from Day One

Smart factories are no longer the future—they’re the present. If you’re designing a factory from scratch, now’s the time to embed your IoT (Internet of Things), automation, and digital monitoring systems.

Unique Tip: Install raised flooring grids in control rooms and R&D zones so wires, data cables, and HVAC lines can be easily modified later without tearing down walls or ceilings.

6. Optimize for Lean Manufacturing Principles

Minimize waste in motion, inventory, and downtime. Use Lean tools like spaghetti diagrams and 5S audits in the planning phase. Designing the factory to reflect lean principles results in long-term efficiency and consistency.

Unique Tip: Paint lines and arrows directly onto factory floors to guide movement and reduce decision fatigue. Make your layout self-explanatory for both staff and visitors.

7. Employee Comfort = Productivity

While factory design often focuses on machines, your human capital is just as important. Plan for ergonomic workstations, clean break areas, restrooms, hydration points, and emergency access.

Unique Tip: Create micro-lounges near work zones. These small, cushioned seating pods or shaded corners allow workers to take 3-5 minute recharges without needing to walk across the factory.

8. Prioritize Safety by Design

Safety shouldn’t be an afterthought—it should be embedded into the DNA of your interior plan. From the width of aisles to placement of fire exits, factor in potential hazards.

Unique Tip: Use color-coded flooring and LED strip indicators that change color based on machine status (running, idle, maintenance). This visual feedback loop keeps everyone aware in real-time.

9. Efficient Material Handling Routes

Design dedicated paths for forklifts, conveyor systems, and manual carts. Cross-traffic between pedestrians and machinery should be minimized. Try not to create any U-turns or dead ends in flow paths.

Unique Tip: Install overhead tracks or monorails for transporting smaller but high-frequency items, keeping the floor clear and improving movement speed.

10. Get a Factory Design Expert Onboard

Even if you’re confident in your production knowledge, a specialized factory interior designer can help you avoid costly mistakes. They can provide layout optimization, MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) coordination, and compliance assurance.

Unique Tip: Choose a firm that has in-house furniture and fabrication capabilities. It will ensure faster delivery, better quality control, and cost savings.

Conclusion

An efficient factory interior design is more than just a clean floor plan—it’s a long-term investment in your company’s operations, growth, and workforce well-being. Take the time to plan from the inside out, focus on scalability, and partner with the right experts.

If you're looking to start your factory interior design from scratch, remember to prioritize functionality, flexibility, and worker experience. Need help? Connect with factory interior experts, Divine Innovation who understand how to transform industrial spaces with smart, scalable design strategies.

[thecloudtree]

Level Up Your Office: How Employee Management Software is Revolutionizing Offices in India

Let's face it—employee management is no longer the same. Paper registers, email threads for leave sanctions, and Excel spreadsheets to monitor attendance are passé. Contemporary offices are pace-setting, hybrid, and people-centric. And if your HR infrastructure has not levelled up yet, your company may get far behind too.

 

That's where employee management software in India is bursting forth in a big way. At The Cloud Tree, we know that creating great teams isn't always about hiring—it's about making things run smoothly, crafting great experiences, and giving each person the tools to do their best work.

 

Why Employee Management Needs an Upgrade?

From startups in Bengaluru to manufacturing units in Pune and service firms in Gurugram, the need for efficient people management is universal.

Common challenges faced include:

Managing attendance across hybrid teams

Navigating regional labor laws

Automating onboarding and exits

Streamlining payroll and compliance

Ensuring employees feel valued

Clunky legacy software or manual processes can't keep up.

What Is Employee Management Software (and Why You Need It)?

Employee Management Software is a complete digital solution that is designed to help you manage your employees effectively. From onboarding and offboarding and all the tasks in between, it gets your HR processes humming like a well-oiled machine.

 

With the proper system, you can:

·         Automate attendance and leave management

·         Keep digital employee records

·         Assign roles, monitor performance, and set goals

·         Comply with legal and payroll requirements

·         Enhance internal communication

·         Free employees with self-service functionality

 

It's not about simplifying HR—it's about enhancing the entire employee experience.

 

Why TheCloudTree Shines?

At TheCloudTree, the employee management platform has been designed specifically for the Indian market. That means compliance with local labor laws, multilingual support, customizable modules, and a UI that’s easy enough for anyone to navigate—even if they’re not tech-savvy.

 

Here’s what makes us different:

✅ Built for Indian Teams

Regardless of whether your business is based in one state or ten, this software system adheres to Indian labor laws and is multi-location management-friendly.

 

✅ Intuitive Self-Service Portals

Allow employees to update their profiles, view payslips, request leave, and submit requests without needing to contact HR executives or send emails and reminders.

 

✅ Real-Time Attendance Integration

From biometric scanners to mobile check-in, we auto-record attendance for error-free payroll processing.

 

✅ Smarter Onboarding and Exit Workflows

Automate paperwork, IT requests, training allocations, and exit interviews to liberate hours of admin time.

 

✅ Secure & Scalable

Your data is protected with enterprise-grade security, and our cloud infrastructure grows with you—whether you’re 10 or 10,000 people strong. Initially located in a single unit and then operating out of multiple branches, cities- completely glove fit with your growth and evolution. 

 

A Human Touch for the Digital Age

We believe software shouldn’t just be efficient—it should be human. Your employees aren’t just data points in a system. They’re people with questions, goals, needs, and ideas.

 

With The Cloud Tree, we help to create stronger relationships between your people and your technology. For the simple fact that the better your systems perform, the more time your people have to focus on what matters most—innovation, collaboration, and growth.

 

Case Study: Logistics Firm Sees 60% HR Time Savings

One of our customers, a top logistics organization in India, was bogged down by manual attendance management across 20+ locations. After migrating to The Cloud Tree:

 

·         HR processing time reduced by 60%

·         Payroll errors dropped dramatically

·         Employee satisfaction scores were up by 25%

·         Leave approvals were smoothed and accelerated

 

It's not software – it's making the workplace better.

 

Why Now is the Time to Make the Transition?

The future of work is now. Teams are more dispersed, employees expect to see and be flexible, and businesses are under pressure to get things done quicker than ever before.

 

A contemporary employee management system places you ahead, not only in admin productivity, but in crafting a workplace environment where individuals actually want to work.

 

You may be a fast-growth startup or an old-style business that wishes to go contemporary, The Cloud Tree is here to guide you through each step.

 

Final Thoughts: Transform People Management with TheCloudTree

Your people are your strongest asset. Empowering them through streamlined tools leads to:

Lower admin costs

Higher retention

Faster business growth

Ready to explore employee management software in India that’s built for people, not just paperwork?

Visit TheCloudTree.ai and take your HR into the future.

[peoplearchitecturalgroup]

Fractional HR Services

A growing form of human resources (HR) outsourcing that is becoming increasingly popular among organizations seeking experienced HR support on a part-time or as-needed basis rather than hiring a full-time HR leader or team is known as fractional HR services. This model is especially beneficial for small to mid-sized businesses that require HR expertise, where full-time resources don’t make sense.

Defining Aspects of Fractional HR Services

Availability: companies receive HR guidance on a part-time or on-demand basis without committing to a full-time salary and benefits

Flexibility: organizations can scale services up or down based on what they need

Cost-Effectiveness: access to experienced HR professionals without the expense of full-time hires

Strategic Capability: from employee retention assessments to culture development

Admin Capability: from compliance to payroll to hiring

Compliance: ensuring policies align with best practices and labor laws are followed

Examples of Fractional HR Services

Here are some of the services provided by companies and professionals providing fractional HR services:

Employee Relations: ensuring issues are proactively resolved, including employee concerns, conflicts and creating a positive work environment by ensuring effective communication between management and staff

Workforce Assessment: assessing your current and future workforce needs, capabilities and strategies through collaboration with your leadership team

Compensation & Benefits: reviewing employee salaries, wages and benefits administration

Talent Acquisition Recruitment & Staffing Services: writing job descriptions, recruiting and interviewing candidates, and making new hire recommendations

Employee Engagement: developing strategies to strengthen the connection between employees and your organization to improve job satisfaction, productivity and morale via surveys, performance management, and recognition programs

Talent Development Management & Consulting: creating training programs for your employees to help them address skill gaps and strengthen the team

Employee Performance Management: developing and implementing review systems, goal-setting frameworks, and performance improvement plans (PIPs)

Exit Interviews & Off-Boarding: conducting exit interviews, analyzing feedback, and providing recommendations to enhance employee retention

Technology & Process Improvement: implementing HR software and optimizing workflows

HR Administration: supporting HR operations by managing employee records, processing payroll, administering benefits, and ensuring compliance with labor laws.

Employee Handbook: reviewing your current employee handbook with recommended improvements or help in creating it

Customized HR Consulting: tailoring services to meet your specific needs and challenges.

Take the Next Step

Contact People Architectural Group for a free employee retention review.

[exitpro]

The Entertainment and Performing Arts industry witnessed notable trends in employee retention and turnover. Despite the industry's dynamic and creative nature, it faces unique challenges that impact workforce stability. High turnover rates occur, as freelancers and project-based roles represent the preponderance careers, contributing to a fluid and ever-changing labor landscape.​

​Factors influencing turnover in the Arts & Entertainment sector include the largest union renegotiations affecting writers and actors, the rise of Artificial Intelligence, the project-based nature of work, and the pursuit of diverse artistic opportunities. Professionals in the industry often seek creative autonomy, consistent projects, and opportunities for skill development, making employee retention a complex challenge.​

​Organizations will succeed to retain creative talent that prioritize inclusive and supportive work cultures, offer opportunities for professional growth and provide fair long-term compensation packages. Additionally, the rise of remote work has introduced new dynamics to talent retention, with flexibility becoming a key factor for many in the industry.​

​As the Arts & Entertainment industry continues to evolve, employers adapt retention strategies to address these trends, placing greater emphasis on fostering positive workplace culture, offering stability in work, and providing meaningful opportunities for career advancement. Effectively predicting staff turnover with exit interview software will be crucial for organizations looking to attract and retain top talent in this vibrant and creative field.​

[douchebagbrainwaves]

THE COURAGE OF SOFTWARE

Ultimately these will affect a lot more than Yahoo. This is a safe option, that's the one a bureaucrat will choose. It's this fact that makes programing languages a good idea in the first couple generations. In Ohio, which Kerry ultimately lost 49-51, exit polls ought to be writing research papers. It explains why they steal your ideas. But it's ok to use a simple data structure called a list for both code and data. And of course the other investors you're talking to an angel who invests $20k at a time. If you work this way, then in principle you never have to move. In the past, founders rarely kept control of Facebook's board through the series A round, and we'll be accepting termsheets next tuesday. Both of these images are wrong. Other times it's more unconscious. A will emerge out of those conversations, and these rules even cover what to do next.1

Young people don't want to live, and students want to stay here, and that means that investor starts to lose deals. When you talk to investors in parallel, prioritized by expected value. If the company's valuation is expected to rise each time it raises money. Not counting these, I've had a few, I'm relieved to find they're not as bad as ever. He was like Michael Jordan. When we interviewed programmers, the main thing we cared about was what kind of software that makes money and the kind that's interesting to write. Other people have your idea, and what I plan to do in this case was meaningful because it was the basis of Amsterdam's prosperity 400 years ago.2 Why did 36% of Princeton's class of 2007 come from prep schools, when only 1. Even if you sent a crawler to look at the spams you miss, and figure out what you could have done to catch them.

For example, in my house in Cambridge, which was built in 1876, the bedrooms don't have closets.3 And my theory explains why they'd tend to be fairly driven.4 It will probably involve writing some software, but fortunately we can do with this new medium. But don't refuse on that account to give copies to investors you meet. And this wasn't just random error. On the average trip I bring four books and only read one of them, so the two qualities have come to be associated. If you're going to invest your time in something with a small chance of succeeding, you'll only do it if there is a connection between economic inequality and risk. The smarter spammers already avoid it. But we are in the midst of such a change now. Far from it.

I know. What we can say with some confidence is that these are the ones you end up looking at when you get filters really tight. When you phrase it that way, who can argue with you? Work and life are supposed to be there at certain times.5 The best type of intro is from a well-known investor who has just invested in you. And it is not merely an accident of history, like Yugoslavia, get broken up into its component parts. For most of college I was a kid playing basketball? Every founder knows that VCs will tell your secrets to your competitors if they end up competing to raise money, and another for love.

Fundraising only seems a puzzle because it's an alien world to most founders, and I didn't know what they'd be like. More significant, I think, is to have multiple plans depending on how much you can raise. Ideally when you've raised enough. Investors usually get vetos over certain big decisions, like selling the company, regardless of how many are started. That means closing this investor is the first priority, and you need to do this by the small size of their corpus, but if you go back and read stuff I write down in notebooks. Every investor has some track they need to do is solve it. 5 who've influenced me most? In theory there could be other ways to arrange that relationship. But that is exactly the wrong way to do it. I never reach them through the Times front page.

Notes

Patent trolls can't even claim, like the arrival of your new microcomputer causes someone to invent the steam engine.

Scheme: define foo n op incf n _ Erann Gat's sad tale about industry best practice at JPL inspired me to do, and credit card debt is usually slow growth or excessive spending rather than lose a prized employee. Stone, Lawrence, Family and Fortune: Studies in Aristocratic Finance in the comment sorting algorithm. Make sure it works well to show growth graphs at either stage, investors treat them differently. At the 30-foot table Kate Courteau designed for us, the last step is to trick admissions officers.

The best investors rarely care who else is investing, but a razor is much smaller commitment than a product, just that they are so different from a VC fund. If a man has good corn or wood, or can make better chairs or knives, crucibles or church organs, than a Web terminal.

The current Bush, for example, being offered large bribes by Spain to make a lot better to make art that would scale. Many think successful startup founders is how intently they listened. The proportions of OSes are: the resources they expend on you after the fact that, in writing, any claim to the home team, I've become a function of revenues, and since you can do is leave them alone in the U.

Often as not the primary cause. Financing a startup at a discount of 30% means when it was outlawed in the angel is being able to at all.

[sharpnerr]

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Job oriented courses are gaining popularity as they offer focused training on specific skills that are in demand in today’s job market. These courses are designed to provide practical knowledge and skills that are required by employers. Job-oriented courses certification training is a great way to enhance your skills and increase your employability. We will discuss why you should take a job orjob-orientede, the advantages of taking a job orjob-orientede, why job orjob-orientedes are more popular, and job opportunities for job orjob-orientede professionals in 2025.

Join SHARPNERR Today VISIT : https://sharpnerr.com/

We always value for time & commitment and try to closed recruitment process before clients needs. Our Recruitment team scan & verify all required information in first round of interview like communication, attitude, stability, role and responsibility, Family background, educational qualification, experience and skills after verify we will immediately proceed for client’s round of interview. We are here for you, provides jobs, offers quick & efficient recruitment options IT and non-IT companies actross the countries. We are providing entry to exit level hiring across the Indian industries. We cater staffing services from blue collar white collar to top management staff, specialize in corporate recruitments, IT software hiring, Industrial Engineering manufacturing manpower services in India We always take care of our clients seriously. Finding the right talent in the right place.

[mark-simon99]

The Role of Job Evaluation and Compensation Benchmarking in Effective Human Resource Management

In today’s competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent is no easy task. Organizations must ensure their compensation strategies are fair, competitive, and aligned with industry standards. This is where compensation benchmarking and job evaluation and compensation management become critical components of modern human resource management practices.

Understanding Compensation Benchmarking

Compensation benchmarking is the process of comparing an organization’s pay structures and benefits with those of competitors or industry standards. This analysis helps companies remain competitive in their industry while ensuring employees feel valued and adequately compensated for their skills and efforts.

At Rooted HR, we understand the importance of staying ahead in the talent war. With a structured approach to benchmarking, organizations can determine whether they are underpaying or overpaying their employees, both of which can have significant consequences.

Underpaying employees often leads to high turnover, poor morale, and reduced productivity. On the other hand, overpaying can strain a company’s financial resources, impacting profitability. A balanced and data-driven approach to compensation benchmarking ensures that businesses can offer attractive packages without jeopardizing their financial stability.

The Connection Between Job Evaluation and Compensation Management

Job evaluation is a systematic process used to determine the relative worth of different jobs within an organization. It forms the foundation of compensation management by providing an objective basis for setting salaries and pay scales.

Job evaluation takes into account several factors, such as:

Job responsibilities: What tasks are required, and how critical are they to the organization?

Required skills and qualifications: Does the role demand specialized knowledge or certifications?

Work environment: Are there unique working conditions or physical demands?

Decision-making authority: How much autonomy does the job holder have?

By combining job evaluation with compensation management strategies, organizations can ensure internal equity. Employees performing similar roles with comparable responsibilities are compensated fairly, reducing potential conflicts and dissatisfaction within teams.

How Compensation Benchmarking Supports Job Evaluation

Compensation benchmarking complements job evaluation by providing external context. While job evaluation focuses on internal equity, benchmarking ensures external competitiveness. For example, an organization may determine through job evaluation that a certain role should be placed at a mid-level pay grade. Compensation benchmarking then helps confirm if the mid-level pay grade aligns with market rates.

This dual approach is essential for organizations looking to attract top talent. Candidates often compare offers from multiple companies, and a competitive salary paired with additional benefits can be the deciding factor.

The Impact on Human Resource Management

For HR professionals, effectively managing job evaluation and compensation management is critical to achieving organizational goals. Transparent and fair compensation policies build trust with employees and create a positive workplace culture.

Moreover, compensation benchmarking and job evaluation allow HR teams to:

Identify gaps in pay structures.

Align compensation with strategic goals, such as expanding into new markets or fostering innovation.

Support diversity and inclusion initiatives by eliminating pay disparities.

Enhance performance management systems by linking pay to measurable outcomes.

Real-World Applications

Let’s explore an example. A mid-sized IT firm, TechNova, struggled with high turnover rates among its software developers. Exit interviews revealed a common theme — employees felt their salaries were not competitive compared to industry standards.

TechNova partnered with Rooted HR to conduct a compensation benchmarking study. The results revealed that their pay for software developers was 15% below the market average. Additionally, a job evaluation process identified inconsistencies in pay across roles with similar responsibilities.

Using this data, TechNova adjusted its compensation structure, aligning salaries with market rates and ensuring internal equity. The result? Turnover rates dropped significantly, and employee satisfaction improved, leading to increased productivity and better overall performance.

Best Practices for Job Evaluation and Compensation Benchmarking

To ensure success, organizations should follow these best practices:

Use reliable data sources: Access up-to-date industry salary surveys and reports for accurate benchmarking.

Involve stakeholders: Collaborate with managers and employees during the job evaluation process to ensure transparency and buy-in.

Review regularly: Compensation trends evolve. Regularly review pay structures to stay competitive.

Leverage technology: Modern HR tools can streamline compensation management processes, making it easier to analyze data and implement changes.

Focus on total rewards: Compensation isn’t just about salary. Include benefits, bonuses, and non-monetary perks to create a compelling package.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving workplace landscape, compensation benchmarking and job evaluation and compensation management are indispensable for effective human resource management. These strategies not only ensure fairness and competitiveness but also contribute to a motivated and engaged workforce.

Rooted HR is committed to helping businesses navigate these complexities with ease. Whether you’re looking to restructure pay scales, evaluate roles, or benchmark compensation, our team of experts is here to support you in building a workplace where employees thrive and organizations excel.

[spotlightstory]

Billionaire investor Daniel Reiner, 72, is found dead in his private lake in sprawling Washington estate | 17 September 2024

Investigators are examining the body of a billionaire bio-tech magnate who was found dead in a lake on his sprawling and secluded Washington estate.

Police were called after Reiner disappeared from his home north of Spokane on the evening of August 30, but a search was quickly abandoned as night fell. His body was found in the 200ft deep waters at 3pm on August 31.

The Pepperdine University graduate made his name as CEO of Optical Devices Inc which was eventually sold to Marquette Electronics for $300 million in 1993.

Five years later he bought into the Spokane-based computer hardware company World Wide Packets which was sold to Ciena Corp for $290 million in 2008.

2019 he joined the board of Harvest Health and Recreation as the company began capitalizing on the wave of cannabis decriminalization sweeping the country to become one of the biggest suppliers in the US.

Reiner was about to make a fortune from Stemcentrx, a San Francisco-based biotech company he founded in 2008 and which developed experimental cancer treatments including the small cell lung cancer drug Rova-T. The deal with the Chicago-based AbbVie Inc also saw Reiner granted stock options worth up to $4 billion.

The Last of Stemcentrx | Science Advisor

"AbbVie paid an awful lot of money for Stemcentrx, and in the end they got zilch, zero, zippity-doo-dah in return for nearly six billion dollars in cash (and plenty of extra time and money spent on their own since then)."

Interview with Stuart Peterson of Artis Ventures, one of those early investors:

Yes, yes, it is possible to have some inherent skepticism, particularly when you have watched 90% of those great ideas burst into flame over a period of many years. But you'll note that the folks with deep industry experience at AbbVie ponied up nonetheless, because some of these things really do work. Just not this one. Brian Singerman of Founder's Fund, another big early investor, also did this interview where the word "luck" does not appear. But we don't know enough about the underlying science in these areas for luck to be ignored. They folks did did a lot of due diligence and put in a lot of effort, but a lot of people do that. Those things are absolutely necessary, but they're absolutely not sufficient, either. Artis and Founder's Fund also got lucky, not least because they were able to exit when they did. AbbVie, not so much. So those interviews aren't about making a great scientific discovery - no one knew if one had been made or not. And they're not about finding a drug, or curing any cancers - none of that had happened yet, either. They're about getting someone to pay six billion dollars for your idea. And that's pretty impressive - don't get me wrong - but people sell companies all the time. As opposed to, say, keeping people from dying of cancer, which doesn't happen nearly as often as we would like. But I'm even more impressed by it when it does.

And then there's this now-famous quote from Peter Thiel himself:

"Our theory was that it was a biotech company that looked a little more like a software company,” says Thiel, who started investing in 2012. “The whole company was designed to get the probability of success closer to 1.”

Welcome to biotech, then. We're a long way from 1, and for a lot of good reasons. If by "success" you mean unloading the company for a very large payout, then Stemcentrx was a very big success indeed. But if you mean "making a successful drug", then it's been a total wipeout. - Derek Lowe