Affordable Childcare as Wellness and the Structural Labor Shortage
What we're reading and talking about in Slack
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Forerunner’s Must-Reads of the Week:
The Cut suggests, what if we make affordable childcare about wellness? “For affordable child care to be interesting for people living in individualistic cultures, it has to be about something other than children. Today, child care is becoming a story about wellness. Wellness, unlike a general fight for collective rights, is something easy to think about in terms of individual needs. Wellness, unlike a mass of angry protesters with confusing and sometimes contradictory demands, is appealing. It’s shoppable.”
Seattle schools are suing Google, Meta, Snap, and TikTok. The district is claiming social media addiction has created a youth mental health crisis that educators don’t have the resources to handle. Tech companies aren’t currently liable for what others share on their sites, but that will be up for debate next month when the Supreme Court hears arguments in a similar case about limiting recommendation algorithms.
Wellness is getting…hardcore. Grueling cryo-chambers, midnight hikes, spartan-like ashrams, and other similarly rigorous rituals and treatments are gaining popularity, blurring the lines of restorative and extreme.
One way that Gen Z is disconnecting from tech’s clutches: they’re digging up their parents’ old Canon PowerShot. The hashtag #digitalcamera has garnered 184 million views on TikTok.
Telehealth has always been grounded in the promise of providing access where resources are constrained, but new opportunities within this thesis are still being realized. Telemedicine companies are stepping up to treat sexual abuse victims in rural areas where short-staffed, underfunded hospitals are falling short.
Highsnobriety declares we’ve entered Shroom Boom. There have long been nutritional supplements, health teas, and medicines, but other unconventional uses for mushrooms are sprouting up — from a sustainable alternative to plastic (IKEA) to eco-friendly leather (Stella McCartney, Hermès, Adidas). The global mushroom market is estimated to be worth more than $115 billion by 2030.
As millions of baby boomers start retiring, will we face a "structural labor shortage" that will have major repercussions on the economy, like the Federal Reserve is predicting? And will we see an increase in the needs of retirees and their caregivers? With the number of people in labor force remaining substantially smaller than before the pandemic, the signals are not necessarily reassuring.
Fake retail sites are on the rise. A network of scammers have produced a “cyber threat supply chain” that creates dupe sites of popular brands such as Bombas and Rothy’s. They use traditional retailer strategies to generate traffic and lure unsuspecting consumers through sale ads on Facebook and Instagram.
The idea of buying now, paying later in several interest-free installments has been a big appeal for Gen Z'ers, many of whom have avoided credit cards. From 2019 to 2021, the total value of BNPL loans in the U.S. grew 1,000%, but now the BNPL bubble may be bursting. “BNPL delinquency rates are outpacing those of credit cards, and the companies have seen their valuations slashed in the face of waning interest from investors."
What is predicted for 2023? The New York Times forecasts the end of “vibes,” crafty DIY clothing makeovers, the rise of hair care, a caffeine backlash, and peak “normie.” Oh, and pet rats.
Portfolio Highlights
Kristen Bell has joined health and wellness platform Hers as the company’s first Mental Health Ambassador.
Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, advisor for Calibrate, was interviewed by Leslie Stahl on 60 Minutes about treating obesity as a disease.
Sika Health and founder and CEO Ami Kumordzie is profiled in Forbes.
WWD reports that Cotopaxi CEO Davis Smith will take on a missionary project and will be succeeded by current president Damien Huang.
Katerina Schneider, the founder and CEO of Ritual, and Ariela Safira, the founder and CEO of Real, talk to Business Insider about their takes on the fastest-growing industries to start a business.
Narvar’s CEO Amit Sharma talks about the state of retail returns in Barron’s and Business of Fashion.
Forerunner Highlights
The Information delves into the trend of executives turning to equine therapy, with a spotlight on Eurie Kim.
Work at a Portfolio Company
UI/UX Designer, Sunday | Sunday’s mission to empower consumers to take better care of their land. This role will involve researching, planning, designing, and working alongside the technology team to implement new products, features, and functionality that provide value to customers.
Vendor Experience Associate, Zola | Zola is reinventing the wedding planning and registry experience. This role will deliver a high level of customer service and personalized outreach to vendors who are engaging with couples through Zola.
Accounts Payable Accountant at Homebound | Homebound’s mission is to make it possible for anyone, anywhere to build the perfect home using technology.Thiswill focus heavily on journal entries, reconciliations and analysis, as well as processing invoices in a timely and accurate manner in accordance with the Homebound's policies and procedures.
There are ~605 other openings on our jobs site. Check ‘em out.