Iterate Weekly - Issue 133
This week we're talking about alien encounters with your Ring doorbell, Gen Z networking trends, climate change and schools, Wear your PSL love on your sleeves, and Theater Camp!
Welcome to issue 133 of Iterate Weekly!
Hope you’re all doing well. This is just a friendly reminder that you can always reply directly to these messages or leave a comment on the Substack post. Feedback is highly encouraged and I’m happy to answer any and all questions that come up.
Let’s jump into this week’s stories.
🤖 Tech
The Ring Doorbell Alien Sweepstakes
Here’s a fun October tech story. Amazon wants to pay $1 Million to anyone who can give visible proof of an alien encounter by way of their Ring doorbell.
Yes, it’s mostly just a publicity effort, but the timing is great. October tends to be the time when many of us see plenty of ghouls and goblins coming to our doorbell camera in search of candy. Maybe we’ll see some extraterrestrials this year too!
It’s a smart idea for Amazon to deflect some of the ongoing privacy concerns about all the data collected by video doorbells. Instead of worrying about Big Brother watching you, let’s just watch out for aliens instead! It makes total sense from an advertising perspective and allows for some free buzz generated by users recreated spooky and otherworldly encounters.
While they do honestly claim that they’ll give a $1 million dollar prize for the best alien spotters, there is a secondary reward. Amazon is encouraging users to submit “your most creative interpretation of an extraterrestrial sighting on your Ring device.” Ah, so now it’s more like a creative sci-fi experiment! No doubt there will be tons of clever entries that Amazon can repurpose in other marketing materials.
To be clear, I actually have a Google Nest doorbell rather than a Ring so I’m not allowed to compete. But maybe Amazon is onto something here. The doorbell camera could be the next great medium for artistic filmmaking. It’s perfect for spooky Halloween gags, but maybe a full-length feature could be shot entirely via doorbell cam. In the hands of the right creative mind, we could have a hit.
Let this be another reminder to enjoy the playful nature of the month of October. Dress up, have fun, and maybe use your tech in some new creative ways this month.
🎓 Education/Productivity/Work
Gen Z has a new take on networking
Like many workplace norms, networking has evolved a lot in the past few years. In fact, Gen Z professionals are approaching networking in a whole new way.
Traditional mentorship opportunities and “networking events” are being replaced by more casual, virtual relationships. Young professionals seem more inclined to connect with peers within their industry rather than only looking for older mentors to take them under their wing.
With the shift to online networking, there are fewer regional borders in place. Sometimes connecting with the perfect person on the other side of the globe is more valuable than your tangentially relevant next-door-neighbor. Surely there will be value in both relationships but borderless work makes for borderless professional networks.
The good news for young people is that these newer forms of networking will likely lead to larger networks earlier in their careers. While many older professionals only look to connect when between jobs, Gen Z seems to always be connectng.
And new data from Linkedin is showing that the updated networking tactics are paying off.
Linkedin director of corporate communications, Suzi Owens, shared with Fast Company that Gen Z grows their networks 28.7% faster than millennials and 54.7% faster than Gen X.
Hmm, so many Gen Z professionals aren’t as lazy as other generations like to think. This should make for a more resilient workforce that can weather whatever future storms lie ahead.
♻️ Health & Environment
Climate change is impacting schools
Climate change is impacting all corners of the globe but some new data is suggesting that perhaps schools will see a greater impact than initially thought.
Many schools just aren’t equipped to deal with extreme temperature shifts. Air conditioning isn’t standard in many parts of the U.S. and summer temperatures are creeping into other months of the year.
In addition to temperature extremes, many schools aren’t ready to deal with catastrophic storms. Insurance policies may not be as robust when compared to residential spaces.
And perhaps the biggest threat to schools is when students relocate. Areas that have been hit hard with flooding or wildfires may lose large portions of their population in one season. This shift can cause funding deficits that impact the families that do stick around after a natural disaster.
We know that powerful storms and climate change is just another part of our daily life. With no end in sight, schools are being forced to adapt quickly and make changes to ensure they’ll be able to continue serving communities into the future. Let’s hope that school leadership can stay ahead of the curb before American children are faced with more dire situations.
🛍 Grab Bag
Show your PSL love with a varsity jacket
It’s October, and that means it’s time for love all of things autumn. Of course, that also includes the iconic Pumpkin Spiced Latte or PSL which is celebrating its 20th birthday this year.
Love it or hate it, Starbucks has partnered with designer KidSuper to create a PSL varsity jacket if you feel so inclined to show your allegiance.
Clothing based on seasonal drinks is enough of a story in my book, but these jackets actually look pretty sweet. It can often be hard for people to incorporate oranges, browns, and creams into their wardrobe. Knock out all three with this conversation starter of a jacket!
Sure, it might be somewhat of a joke publicity stunt but I applaud the effort. The jackets will be pretty hard to come by. The cost is just under $300 USD if you can find one. May I also suggest just sewing some leaf patches to an existing jacket you may have? Or maybe you can build this jacket into a clever Halloween costume? A zombie star high school quarterback who is obsessed with PSLs?
💬 Quote of the Week
"The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire"
-Richard M. Nixon
📽Content Review
Theater Camp
I love it when one of those movies that catches your eye when you’re scrolling through the new releases actually turns out to be good!
I had no prior knowledge of the film “Theater Camp” when I saw the enticing thumbnail on my screen but it looked promising. It’s a comedy set at a fictional theater camp in upstate New York (appropriately called “Adirond Acts”).
The ensemble cast will have a few familiar faces especially if you’re a fan of the excellent show “The Bear”. Molly Gordon writes, stars, and directs as one of the drama teachers. Her Bear co-star Ayo Edebiri is another counselor at the camp where drama and comedy unfold around every corner.
I immediately had “Wet Hot American Summer” vibes from this movie and if you’re a fan of camp comedies, you’ll love this one.
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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