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Sustainability in PR – How Alyson Roy of AMP3 Approaches Social Responsibility

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Public relations are the one aspect of startup life that entrepreneurs either care too little about or care too much about. Alyson Roy, cofounder of AMP3 PR, stands out among a crowded field. 

The way PR has evolved over the last decade and a half. It’s not what it was. I think start ups and entrepreneurs need to know what PR is today in 2021.

Alyson Roy has a full understanding of what companies need and want from a PR agency. Having run AMP3 for 17 years now, if anyone has her finger on the public relations pulse, it’s Alyson Roy. 

What Is AMP3?

AMP3 “amplifies” its clients in three areas: traditional PR and media outreach, social media and influencer marketing, and special experiential events. This multilateral approach is combined in a unique boutique experience that sets AMP3 apart from other PR agencies. 

It’s a level of service where we become an extension of our clients internal marketing team. we’re one in the same. It’s not the client-brand relationship. [We are] on the front line helping them grow as a company.

In the past ten to fifteen years, public relations has evolved tremendously. Since social media’s dominance, PR has had to slowly peel away from traditional press conferences and releases and figure a whole new strategy to consider. 

Of course, with Facebook being in big trouble lately, Alyson Roy and company have had to consider new strategies yet again. 

Taking Responsibility For The Community

Everyone is aware of the damage that social media can do. Just for mental health and mental health awareness that’s been a conversation.” 

So, AMP3 launched Impact. A social responsibility division of AMP3 that encourages and celebrates a company’s ability to give back to the community. 

We were seeing a need for brands to really start putting their core values and social responsibility at the virtual forefront.”

We’re big believers [that] it’s not an option – it’s a requirement – for brands to be doing something. Not every brand can do all the things but every brand can do something.”

AMP3’s mission to encourage – and require – the brands they represent is a noble and different strategy. It’s almost certain that Alyson Roy and AMP3 recognize the larger picture of what consumers want and like in a company. 

Why Companies Need To Care

With news stories like Facebook putting “company over country,” (as Zuckerberg is reported to have ended his staff meetings with; fist pump in the air included), it’s the smart move for companies to, you know, care

Companies may not necessarily know what they can offer. But that’s why you collaborate with a company like AMP3. They take the time and energy to find out what your company has to offer the world. When we have the means to uplift our community, we should. AMP3 requiring that trait in companies they represent shows an initiative not often seen. 

By 2022, Alyson Roy wants 100% of AMP3’s clients to be a part of this Impact division. As public relations evolve, and media writ large with it, you can expect to see Alyson Roy and AMP3 at the forefront of that evolution. 

We are growing at a rapid pace. I think PR is going to continue to evolve, I think again, it’s not going to be that traditional relationship based service. It’s going to be this strategic group of tools together with metrics. I think PR is going to be where communications and branding overlap to drive impact in measurable results.

AMP3 is a fashion and lifestyle public relations agency located in New York. Their finely tuned and innovative, boutique approach to PR is one that stands out.

Chris Blondell is a Philadelphia-based writer and social media strategist with a current focus on tech industry news. He has written about startups and entrepreneurs based in Denver, Seattle, Chicago, New Haven, and more. He has also written content for a true-crime blog, Sword and Scale, and developed social media content for a local spice shop. An occasional comedian, Chris Blondell also spends his time writing humorous content and performing stand-up for local audiences.

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Adam Neumann: Crashed WeWork, Got $350M from Silicon Valley

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adam neumann

Was it good for the economy or an embarrassment for Silicon Valley? The bottom line is, Adam Neumann is now $350 million richer. The current state of the world has divided us into two camps: those who believe we’re headed for a recession and those who think it’s just a rough patch we’re experiencing. 

Marc Andreessen, co-founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, announced a massive investment in Flow. It is the real estate company of Adam Neumann, who dragged WeWork from a $47 billion valuation into bankruptcy in just six weeks.

On the Optimistic Side

adam neumann

Image credit: VOX

Economists who lean towards the optimistic side point us in a “not a recession” direction. Proof of this is that no company would give away $350 million if it were experiencing a decline in business. Silicon Valley has just handed ousted WeWork founder Adam Neumann, the guy who crashed WeWork, just that amount. 

This may be a good sign that the economy is indeed not going down the dumps as some would want to believe. However, it is an embarrassment for Silicon Valley in particular and the tech industry as a whole. A founder of Y Combinator said redemption is easy for a white guy who f*cked up in the biggest ways and is incredibly wealthy. It’s saddening that not everyone has those qualifications.

Adam Neumann Now

Image credit: WeWork

During his WeWork days, Adam Neumann came up with the concept of WeLive. Now, his new idea is a rebrand of WeLive, called Flow. It aims to own and manage apartments with the special Adam Neumann touch, which borders on being obsessive and faddish.

In his statement, Andreessen seems to believe that the housing problem in the US stems from a lack of branding. That is, apartments are not stylish or sexy enough, which is an about-face from what the real issues are: there aren’t enough supplies, plus the high costs of renting. 

This is in contrast to what Andreessen said two years ago, that we should be building things. Neumann, on the other hand, plans to acquire already existing buildings to turn them into giant playhouses for adults. That, with a bit of glamming and styling, the housing problem would be easily solved.

In a letter to the mayor of Atherton, California, Andreeseen and his wife said that multifamily housing zones would “massively” decrease the values of their homes. This is in response to the city’s efforts to address the housing shortage. The couple also said that these houses would reduce the quality of their lives as well as their neighbors’ and will increase noise pollution and traffic immensely.

Flow

Flow website

According to Andreessen, Flow will offer renters the opportunity to build equity in their apartments. He didn’t provide details and how it would work, though. Vicki Bryan, a credit analyst and the CEO of Bond Angle, says that in that case, the renters would only get a microscopic share, which amounts to almost nothing. 

The Flow deal is met with negativity, as it is seen as a quick way for Silicon Valley to throw money around. The concept does not seem to address a real problem, and worse, it’s going to be run by Neumann. Many liken his business skills to those of a child let loose in a park with a sugar high.

This will be an embarrassment to Silicon Valley, which has, over the past few decades, delivered little to no innovations amid being awash with money. As for Adam Neumann now, he should have learned something from the WeWork fiasco, but it seems he has not.

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Bit.ai Review for Businesses in 2025: Is It Still Worth It?

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When you’re collaborating on documents with other writers or co-workers, how do you keep everyone on the same page?

Truth be told, for most of you, the answer is probably Google Docs. It’s quick, efficient, and easy to share. But what if there was a better way?

Bit.ai professes to be “the world’s most powerful workplace and document collaboration platform.” In this Bit.ai review, we’ll put that claim to the test.

Bit.ai Review: What is Bit.ai?

Co-founded by Raj and Saje Sandhu, Bit.ai has been offering document collaboration to companies like Canon and Harvard University since 2007. The company employs a global team with headquarters in San Francisco.

What does Bit.ai offer?

Bit.ai has grown into a smart documentation and knowledge management platform tailored to businesses of all sizes. 

With the release of Bit 3.0 and the built-in AI Genius Writer in time for other tech players’ version of AI boom, the tool is now as much about content intelligence as it is about collaboration. 

Features include:

  • Collaborative document editor with AI assistance
  • Smart content library with internal linking
  • 100+ file type support and embed options
  • AI-powered writing and content structuring
  • Automated themes, templates, and formatting
  • Cloud integrations (Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, etc.)
  • Document tracking and engagement insights
  • Branded, interactive documents
  • Customizable workspaces and guest access
  • SSO, 2FA, and admin-level security controls

We’ll explore some of the key features in the next section.

How much does Bit.ai cost?

Individual users and Bit.ai offers a flexible pricing model suited for individuals, teams, and growing businesses. Here’s a breakdown of the current subscription plans (based on annual billing):

  • Free Plan – $0/user/month. Includes up to 10 documents per user, 5-user limit, single document import, access to integrations and collaborative workspaces. Exporting, version history, and AI tools are not included.
  • Pro Plan – $8/user/month (billed annually). Offers unlimited documents and users, bulk document import/export, access to version history, and 20,000 AI Genius Writer words (with add-on). Also includes advanced permissions and external sharing features.
  • Business Plan – $15/user/month (billed annually). Includes everything in Pro plus more advanced collaboration features like guest access, embed options, and extended AI capabilities. Also includes top-tier permissions and document management features.

Monthly billing is available at higher rates. Bit.ai also provides custom enterprise plans and continues to offer discounted rates for education, startups, and nonprofits.

Bit.ai Review: How to sign up

Getting started with Bit.ai is as simple as inputting your email and receiving a six-digit verification code.

After that, you’re asked to fill out information like your name, your job title, and your department at your company, as well as create a password. Right off the bat, Bit puts businesses first, setting itself apart from Google Docs before you even log in.

But it doesn’t stop there. When you sign up, you create a profile for your whole company, getting a custom subdomain for your team to access your library.

And there you have it! Once you’re logged in, you have the option to see a tutorial. If you want to upgrade to a paid plan, use the handy “Upgrade” button in the lower left corner of your dashboard.

Bit.ai Review: Features

The Bit.ai web app includes tabs for your dashboard and a list of all your workspaces.

The Bit.ai dashboard

Your Bit.ai homepage allows you to view recent activity, featured templates, tutorials and updates, as well as see how close you are to your document limit if you’re a free user.

Free users get access to most core collaboration features but not premium functions like AI, exporting, or advanced version tracking.

You can open documents directly from the dashboard, but only using a featured template or a recently-opened one. To create something from scratch, you’ll have to head over to Workspaces.

The Workspaces tab

First thing’s first: create a workspace. Workspaces are where your documents are created, saved, and shared. Once you’ve made one, you can create a new document, either by using a template, importing an existing document, or starting from scratch.

Creating a document with Bit.ai

When you create a new document in Bit.ai, you’re taken to a bare-bones writing editor similar to Notion. In addition, AI Genius Writer is now integrated into the editor to assist with outlines, rewriting, or prompts. I always find it hard to start writing when you don’t have anything visual to guide you, but once you get the hang of it, it’s fairly intuitive.

I think the reason for this no-frills approach is to make it easier to take meeting notes and write down quick thoughts about a project. For more in-depth functions, however, you can highlight your text after you’ve written it to change the formatting. There’s also a + icon next to your cursor that lets you add links, embeds, files, code blocks, and more.

One neat feature of this text editor is the ability to link directly to other documents and content in your Bit.ai library. It makes it much easier to cross-reference documents than it is in Google Docs, Word, Notes, etc., another great benefit for businesses.

There’s no need to save your documents in Bit.ai—that happens automatically. When you’re done, however, you can share it with collaborators and others, lock it to prevent further edits, change its associated colors, view stats and version history. Note: exporting, version history, and AI writing are reserved for Pro and Business plans.

Bit.ai writing templates

Bit offers a huge range of templates, with themes geared towards managers, marketers, designers, educators, and much more. Some of these are designed to function as static documents, such as thesis papers. Others can be hubs for entire business processes, like the video production template.

After trying out a few of these templates, they’re great at showing off all of Bit.ai’s functionality, but they’re useful even if you don’t use Bit for everything. They offer great templates for outlining your processes, making it easier to set a roadmap and including things you might not have thought of.

Importing documents into Bit.ai

While Bit.ai professes to support a massive range of file types, their import menu is a little peculiar. You can choose to import from “Word” (which just allows you to import .docx files from your computer), from a number of cloud-based sources, or Markdown, .txt, and .pdf files.

The strange thing is, you can’t click on “Word” and then upload a .txt file, nor can you click on “PDF” and upload a Word doc. I have no idea why it’s formatted like this, but it made my upload attempts very confusing.

Not to mention, formatting isn’t included when you upload, and the first two uncommon file types I tried (Pages and Final Draft) were both incompatible.

As of 2025, Bit.ai also includes AI Genius Writer in its paid plans—an AI assistant built into the editor that helps generate content, rewrite sections, and build outlines based on your input.”

Bit.ai Review: Final thoughts

So, how does Bit.ai live up to its thesis statement? Is it really “the world’s most powerful document collaboration platform”?

It may not be the most powerful, but it’s certainly grown into one of the smartest options for teams and businesses. While it’s still not a traditional writing tool—you won’t get full font customization or a rich formatting toolbar—it now offers much more under the hood.

With features like AI Genius Writer, smart internal linking, advanced templates, and built-in document analytics, Bit.ai shines as a modern content hub for collaboration, documentation, and knowledge management.

The platform still has room to improve when it comes to document organization and formatting flexibility, but it’s made impressive strides since its earlier versions.

Final grade: 8/10

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Top 10 Best Places to Buy a Mid Century Modern Office Chair

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What was once old is new again: mid century modern is back in style. From architecture to furniture, the postwar look is in, and the hype extends all the way to office chairs.

Do you need a mid century modern office chair in your life? If so, there’s plenty to choose from. Your office chair should be tailored to your style, whether you like luxury, utility, or something in between.

That’s why we’ve put together our 10 favorite places to find your ideal mid century modern office chair.

What is mid century modern design?

After World War II, spirits were high in the US, and new technology was taking the country by storm. Mid century modern refers to the design concepts that came about during this time.

As opposed to the frilly, ornate designs of classical furnishings, mid century modern designs are angular, material, and functional. Wood is a common design element, especially teak. Mid century modern furniture may also have materials like glass, vinyl, and metal. Designs are simple and geometric, with bold accent colors to make them pop.

The mid century modern aesthetic never really went away, but it’s made a noted comeback in recent years. Some have chalked it up to Boomer and Gen X nostalgia, others point to mid-century-set shows like Mad Men and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Why should I buy a mid century modern office chair?

A mid century modern office design
source: Modsy

Mid century modern is the perfect fusion of style and utility. If you want to cultivate an office space that commands respect without being ostentatious, mid century modern is the style for you.

When it comes to office chairs, an MCM one is often made with sturdy wood and vinyl. They combine the ergonomics of a modern office chair with old-fashioned grace.

If you’re concerned with utility and utility only, a more bog-standard office chair may suit you. But a mid century modern office chair is great for someone who wants to wow colleagues with a mature, thoughtful business space.

Where can I get a mid century modern office chair?

1) Wayfair

mid-century office chair

When it comes to furniture, Wayfair offers the best of both worlds. Their goods, including their mid century modern office chairs, are stylish and affordable. You can get a sturdy task chair for less than $100 or a more distinguished seat for less than $350.

MCM office chair examples: Dovray ($126), Bradford ($139), Lithonia ($133)

2) France & Son

mid-century office chair

Wayfair’s chairs are affordable, but France & Son is the perfect option for luxury shoppers. Their mid century modern office chairs are robust and sleekly designed. If you dress to impress and enjoy the finer things in life, these are the chairs for you.

MCM office chair example: Brooks ($695)

3) Houzz

mid-century office chair

Started as a community for people to share home decor tips, Houzz has become a great ecommerce platform for finding stylish furniture. They’re more known for home decor than desk chairs, but they have plenty of great, affordable finds if you know where to look.

MCM office chair examples: Arvilla ($173), Rathburn ($259)

4) Laura Davidson

mid-century office chair

The Laura Davidson collection offers a fairly limited selection of classic office furniture. Still, there’s a reason they’re trusted by big-wigs like Apple, Disney, and Salesforce. Their chairs are sturdy and beautifully designed, reimagining classic Eames and Knoll designs.

MCM office chair examples: Rockefeller ($275), SOHO II Soft Pad ($450)

5) Icons of Manhattan

mid-century office chair

Icons of Manhattan has a simple philosophy: do one thing, and do it right. Their office chairs are handcrafted from premium materials and tailored to a mid-century modern style. If you want that Mad Men energy in your office (hopefully with a lot less angst), these are the chairs for you.

MCM office chair example: Ribbed Medium ($219)

6) Amazon

mid-century office chair

Yes, the internet’s premier shopping destination has a robust collection of mid century modern office chairs. Like with most products, their selection of seats is vast and can be hit or miss. Still, they’ve got stunning chairs available for any style, whether you care about comfort, class, or ergonomics.

MCM office chair examples: IDS Home Modern ($219), Art Leon MCM Swivel ($139)

7) AllModern

mid-century office chair

AllModern’s collection of desk chairs and other furniture truly embodies the mid century modern spirit. Their work is tight, angular, and functional above all. They’re part of the Wayfair family and they traffic in a number of modern styles, but their sleek chairs are perfect for any mid century modern space.

MCM office chair examples: Frederick ($229), Kealey ($349)

8) Overstock

mid-century office chair

Overstock is known as a one-stop shop for quality home goods at sub-wholesale prices. If you want a spiffy mid century modern office chair that won’t break the bank, they’re the first place to look. While they’re somewhat less reliable than the more upscale platforms on this list, their selection is massive.

MCM office chair example: Joseph Modern ($163)

9) Walmart

mid-century office chair

Hayneedle’s selection of mid-century modern office chairs falls somewhere between the minimal Laura Davidson and the endless Amazon catalog. Their array of mid-century designs is affordable and versatile, with chairs that match almost any style. While they may be part of the Walmart family, these chairs are anything but second-rate.

MCM office chair example: Waleaf ($97)

10) Target

mid-century office chair

Why splurge when you can save? As usual, Target is a hidden gem, offering a sturdy selection of mid century modern office chairs for some of the cheapest prices out there. Many of the chairs they offer are from the same designers as these other stores—Christopher Knight, LumiSource, Armen Living, etc.—at reduced prices.

MCM office chair example: Lombardi ($136)

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