• Teens and members of Gen Z have come up with a whole host of new slang terms, many of which are confusing to older generations.
• If you've ever wondered the meaning behind terms like "extra," "slay," "stan," or "salty," listen up.
• Here's a list of 17 popular terms and the correct way to use them. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In a world dominated by meme culture, ever-changing social media platforms, and your ability to cram your thoughts into a 280-character tweet, your grasp of basic slang can make or break your credibility as a functional and supposedly cool human. 

Scroll through the comments of any Gen Z influencer's Instagram feed, and you may feel completely out of the loop on what the world is talking about. 

Read more:The state of Gen Z

Though many of these terms have been around for decades, oftentimes derived from the language of black and queer communities, online spaces have made the spread, appropriation, and evolution of language more rapid than ever before. 

Whether you're millennial, Gen X-er, or baby boomer trying to stay up to date, or a Gen Z-er in need of an explanation, here's a list of 17 popular slang terms and the correct way to use them. 

SEE ALSO: What 7 of the most confusing terms you see at a bar actually mean, according to a bartender

"Chill" can be an adjective to describe someone who's cool to spend time with or something that's fun to do. It can also mean to hang out, or be used as a directive to calm down

"I like her, she's chill."

"Wanna come over and chill?"

"Why you so mad? Just chill."

Source: Business Insider 

To be "extra" is to be unnecessarily dramatic and over the top

"She celebrated her birthday for an entire month. She's so extra." 

Source: Merriam-Webster

Unlike the British version of the term "fit," which means attractive, in the United States "fit" is just the shortened version of outfit

"She had on a fire fit at the party." 

"Their fit was bold." 

Source: Buzzfeed, Urban Dictionary 

To "flex" is to knowingly flaunt and show off. As a noun, a flex is the thing being shown off

"He drove himself to school in a new car the day after he got his license. He's trying to flex." 

"That car's a flex." 

Source: Bustle

GOAT is an acronym that stands for the "greatest of all time," with strong roots in American hip-hop

With its most notable appearance during the early aughts in LL Cool J's eighth studio album "G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time)," GOAT has popped up in various songs over the last few decades and now stands as a way to describe respected icons. 

"LeBron James is the GOAT. Period." 

Source: Grammarphobia

"Go off" can be used to encourage a choice, or to support a rant or ridiculous behavior that's already occurred, usually meant humorously

*Friend rants about teacher for five minutes straight*

"Alright, go off." 

Source: Urban Dictionary 

"Lewk" is a variation of "look," a signature physical trait, or a specially and carefully constructed outfit or appearance

"Their dress at prom was a lewk."

"Did you see Megan Thee Stallion's lewk in her newest video?" 

Source: The Cut

"Lit" is an adjective to describe when something's amazing, exciting, high-energy, or otherwise great. It can also mean intoxicated or drunk

"That party was lit."

"I was way too lit last night."

Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary 

"Lowkey" is slightly, secretly, modestly, or discretely. It's the opposite of "highkey," for when you're sincerely or assertively into something

"I lowkey can't wait for summer to be over."

"I highkey love snow."

Source: Business Insider

To be "salty" is to be annoyed, upset, or bitter, usually about something minor

"You asked for a bite, but ate half my burger!"

"You salty?"

Source: Urban Dictionary

To "slay" is to do really well or succeed at something. The term first emerged during the 1970s and 80s in the midst of black drag and ballroom culture.

"She slayed that fit."

"I slayed that test." 

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, PushBlack Now, Business Insider

If someone's "shook," they're affected by something, usually negatively and emotionally. It can also mean shocked, surprised, or scared

"Can't believe how that movie ended. I'm shook." 

Source: Urban Dictionary

"Stan" can be a noun for an overzealous and obsessive fan, or a verb meaning to be that kind of fan. It originated from an Eminem song of the same name. Someone can be a "stan" of a celebrity, or used as a verb, they can "stan" them

"I stan pretty hard for Lizzo."

"Don't say that to the 'Game of Thrones' stans."

Source: Rolling Stone

"Szn" is a shortened version of the word season, often used to refer to periods of the astrological calendar.

"It's Leo szn."

"I highkey cannot wait for Virgo szn to be over."  

Source: Urban Dictionary 

"Tea" is gossip, and "spilling the tea" is the act of gossiping. We can also thank black drag culture for this iconic phrase.

"Spill the tea, what did he say?"

"Last night was a mess. Here's the tea." 

Source: Merriam-Webster, Urban Dictionary 

Someone is "thirsty" if they're overly eager and desperate, usually for attention, approval, or compliments

"He's posted, like, 10 selfies in the last hour. He's so thirsty."

Source: New York Times

A "whip" is a car. Emerging in the 1990s US hip-hop scene to specifically refer to a Mercedes Benz, the word has since evolved to mean all cars

"Check out my new whip." 

Source: Urban Dictionary

• Read more:
• The first video games and software programs famous tech CEOs made when they were young
• The Albert savings app changed my views on money and helped me save $1,500 — here's how
• I'm a social media addict — here's what happened when I quit Instagram and Facebook for a week
• 20 of the best products to buy at Best Buy — and 15 you should probably avoid altogether
•  

• It's not unusual for companies to rebrand themselves, but those original names tend to be forgotten.
• Some tech giants used to go by completely different names — Google was BackRub, eBay was AuctionWeb, and Amazon was Relentless.
• Many companies, like eBay, Nike, or Subway, changed their names just before becoming insanely popular.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Ever heard of the search engine BackRub? Probably not — but you've definitely used it. The website that Sergey Brin and Larry Page founded in 1996 was rechristened Google a year later.

Companies undergo rebranding all the time, but occasionally their new names catch on so quickly that the old ones are virtually forgotten. In Google's case, BackRub was still a relatively unknown side project for Brin and Page, until increasing traffic to the search engine prompted them to find a more marketable name.

Other present-day tech giants went by completely different names as well — Amazon, for example, used to be called Relentless.

Many of the companies on this list changed their names early on. In Best Buy's case, they changed their name from Sound of Music just before they expanded their stores nationwide.

Here are some of the most drastic name changes undergone by today's most recognizable companies. Note that, where possible, we've pointed out the logo changes if the original version is available in the public domain.

SEE ALSO: From the Amazon arrow to the Starbucks mermaid, here are the 15 most drastic logo changes in branding history

DON'T MISS: 11 major rebranding disasters and what you can learn from them

Brad's Drink became Pepsi-Cola

According to ThoughtCo., Caleb Bradham invented what we know today as Pepsi back in 1893, after Coca-Cola had already been around for seven years. Bradham ran a pharmacy, and like many pharmacies at the time, it had a soda machine that Bradham created soft drinks with.

He ostensibly named his new concoction after himself — using a portion of his last name — until he changed the name to Pepsi-Cola in 1898, per The Pepsi Store website. The new name came as part of Pepsi-Cola's health marketing strategy to make the drink's name sound like "dyspepsia," a term for indigestion. The "Cola" portion of the name wasn't dropped until the 1960s.

BackRub became Google

Before Google was the monolithic search engine we know today, it was called BackRub.

You may ask yourself why anyone would choose such an unmarketable name, but there was a (somewhat) practical reason. As previously reported by Business Insider, an early version of the search engine analyzed websites' back links to see how high up on search results they should be placed.

"Google" came from a fellow Stanford student, who suggested "Googolplex," which is the name for 10 to the power of "googol." (A "googol" is 10¹⁰⁰, written as 1 followed by 100 zeroes.) Eventually, the name was reconfigured to "Googol," then finally to its current form, apparently thanks to a simple spelling error. Co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin registered the new domain name on September 15, 1997, and the rest is history.

Sound of Music became Best Buy

Before it was a national chain, electronics superstore Best Buy was an independent stereo equipment store called Sound of Music, according to the company's corporate blog. It first opened in 1966, in St. Paul, Minnesota, a year after the hit musical "The Sound of Music" hit theaters.

But by the 1980s, founders Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler realized they had a successful venture on their hands when they had seven stores and $10 million in annual sales. Their success stemmed from big spending on ads for sales with the "best buys" available, which inspired them to change their name in 1983. They opened their first superstore the next year, and business only got better.

Jerry and David's Guide to the World Wide Web became Yahoo!

Just like Google's Brin and Page, Jerry Yang and David Filo were also Stanford students building a website in the early days of the internet when they came up with what we now know as Yahoo in 1994, CNN reports.

Their site's original (extremely straightforward) name was "Jerry and David's Guide to the World Wide Web." It was a makeshift index of websites that eventually became a search engine. A year later, they renamed it Yahoo!, an acronym for "Yet Another Hierarchically Organized Oracle." The site soon rose up among the tech titans — that is, until Google edged it out in profitability and popularity by the early 2000s.

Research in Motion became BlackBerry Limited

Canadian software company Research in Motion (RIM) was founded in 1985 and started making BlackBerry devices in 1999, according to The Telegraph. And despite BlackBerry phones soon becoming ubiquitous, the parent company kept its original name until 2013, when it finally switched over to the more recognizable Blackberry Limited.

Fun fact: According to Quartz, RIM's devices — first pagers, then phones — were named after blackberries because of their round buttons, which resemble the drupelets (round parts) of a fruit. 

AuctionWeb became eBay

In 1995, French-born Iranian-American Pierre Omidyar created a personal website, which then grew into AuctionWeb, a place where people could bid on all sorts of items.

AuctionWeb was just a smaller portion of the larger eBay site, which also included a travel section and a personal shipper portal. As AuctionWeb became insanely popular, the name was changed to eBay to reflect what media outlets had decided to call it. The change became official in September 1997.

Blue Ribbon Sports became Nike

When Nike was first founded as Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964, it was the US distributor for another shoe maker that eventually changed its name: Onitsuka Tiger (now known as Asics). 

By 1971, Blue Ribbon Sports wanted to make its own shoes, but founder Phil Knight and his team felt the company needed a catchier name. As Business Insider previously reported, names like "Dimension Six," "Peregrine," and "Bengal" were thrown around, until someone suggested "Nike" — the winged Greek goddess of victory. Knight didn't love the sound of it, but felt it would catch on in time. And it did.

Relentless became Amazon

Although it may be better suited as the title of a Hollywood thriller, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos initially thought "Relentless" should be the name of his online marketplace. After friends said the name sounded too "sinister," Bezos decided on a name that had to do with size and volume. Thus, he chose to name his site after the world's largest river.

If you go to "relentless.com" today, you'll still be automatically redirected to Amazon's homepage.

The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company became IBM

IBM — which stands for International Business Machines — has gone through a number of name changes through company mergers and modernization over the years.

In the 1880s, four companies combined to form the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR). The four companies made everything from clocks to data processing machines, and once they merged, they continued to operate in more or less the same way. It wasn't until 1924 that the companies collectively became IBM. By 1933, IBM started using its name on all of its products, effectively completing the merger. 

Pete’s Super Submarines became Subway

A small sandwich shop called Pete's Super Submarines opened in 1965 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Its founder, 17-year-old Fred DeLuca, received $1,000 for his business venture from Peter Buck, a family friend, according to the company website. In 1968, Pete's name was dropped from signs and Subway was born, eventually growing into an international chain.

• Three years ago, I moved from Guiyang, China, to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to attend college.
• Before moving, I had certain perceptions and expectations of what the US would be like.
• Several aspects of US culture were different than I had imagined. And in some cases, those cultural differences left me disappointed.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Three years ago, I moved from my hometown of Guiyang, China, to go to college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

It was my first time living in America, and like many people who move to a new country, I found that my perception of the United States didn't exactly line up with reality.

Read more:I moved to the US from China — here are the biggest cultural differences I've noticed between the 2 countries

As it turned out, several aspects of US culture, from food to transportation to nightlife, were different than I had imagined. And in some cases, those differences left me disappointed.

Here are 14 of the most disappointing aspects of US culture, according to someone who moved from China.

SEE ALSO: I moved to the US from China — here are the biggest cultural differences I've noticed between the 2 countries

Everything closes early in the US

In the North Carolina town I lived in, most places shut down around 9 p.m., except for bars, nightclubs, and a few grocery stores that stayed open 24 hours.

That's very different from what I was used to in China, where shopping malls, restaurants, and cafes stayed open for business much later. At night markets, food hawkers start setting up their booths around 10 p.m. and don't leave until 3 a.m.

In the US, it's hard for me to find a coffee shop that's open after midnight if I need to cram for finals, and it can often be hard to find an eatery for late-night cravings.

Parts of the US are much emptier than I expected

China is the most populous country in the world, and naturally, I'm used to seeing huge crowds on every corner. Whenever you go out, you're likely to see hundreds of people exercising in parks, shopping in malls, and hanging out at coffee shops.

The population of the US is only about a quarter of China's, and in smaller towns, people are much more spread out. 

In the town where I live, I usually never see big crowds of people anywhere, giving the impression of a ghost town. Although I'd see people walking around in the daytime, it was disappointing to see that the outdoor activity would usually die down after sunset. 

While the US is also home to crowded, bustling cities, it's far from the only way people live in America.

You have to drive everywhere

In America, if you don't have a car, and you don't live in a city with convenient public transportation, your life is very, very difficult.

Unlike China, where most people rely on buses and subways, the US is very much a car country. If you don't have a car, it might take you an hour and a half to get somewhere on the other side of the town. This aspect of US culture isn't something that's usually shown on TV and in movies, so I had no idea before I arrived.

Food in America can get really expensive — and the full price is never on display

Food in America is way more expensive than in other parts of the world. 

Worse yet, the menus of American restaurants can be a little deceiving: The marked price doesn't include taxes and tip.

After adding a sales tax of around 7.5% and a tip of 15% to 20%, your meal can wind up shockingly expensive. A lot of Americans might not realize the US is unusual in this regard, but it was disappointing coming from a country where the price on the menu is exactly what you pay.

The air conditioning can get really cold in the summer

Living in the South, I figured it would get extremely hot and humid during the summertime. 

Well, not if you stay mostly indoors. Lots of public places, such as grocery stores and public libraries, have the air conditioner set as low as 66 degrees Fahrenheit. I'll have to bring a jacket with me if I plan to sit in the library for more than two hours.

The measurement system is different from the rest of the world.

The US is one of just three countries in the world that doesn't use metric units of measurement and one of just a handful of countries that uses Fahrenheit for temperatures. Coming from China, I had to learn the conversion between the imperial and metric systems, as well as the calculation from Celsius to Fahrenheit. It was confusing, to say the least.

Most people don't care about fashion

In the US, when it comes to fashion, most people consider comfort and functionality the biggest two factors. Sportswear and athleisure are many people's personal dress code. You see more people wearing Under Armour than Giorgio Armani or Louis Vuitton. 

There's nothing wrong with that, but it's very different from what I was used to in China, where Gucci has become so trendy that many people don't even realize they have knockoffs.

People can easily buy dangerous weapons, like guns

I'm still astonished by the fact that Americans can legally purchase and possess firearms before they can legally drink alcohol.

Furthermore, it was shocking to learn that all eligible American citizens and permanent residents can buy and own firearms. At least in my home country, such a thing would never happen. China restricts gun-owning to only certain occupations, like police officers and the military.

The US isn't very energy-efficient

The US has enough resources to offer all of its people, which is a good thing. However, in my experience, many people aren't conscious of energy-saving, which is different from what I expected.

Many little things stood out to me in this regard. When washing their hands, people don't usually turn off the tap while applying hand soap. I know some people who leave home every day with multiple lights on. And most of the buildings on my college campus have lights on and AC running 24/7.

Substance abuse is prevalent on American college campuses

For young adults, using drugs almost seems like the norm if you want to be accepted or "cool." It's much harder to obtain drugs in China than in the US, and penalties for violating drug laws are more severe than they are in America. 

Moreover, Chinese college campus culture is generally more academic-focused than party-focused, so drug use is less common among young people. I suspect many Chinese students wouldn't be proud to admit it if they have done drugs.

The smart kids aren't usually the 'cool' kids

In Chinese schools, those who have good grades are more popular than those who don't. Chinese parents and teachers like and trust those students because they are smart and disciplined enough to be academically successful. 

In the US, often, the students who perform the best aren't always the "cool" kids — for many of them, they're stigmatized as "nerds." It was shocking to learn that much of the time at American schools, students value street smarts more than book smarts.

You can only pay by cash or card at most places

The US is very technologically advanced, but when it comes to paying for things, America is actually behind the curve.

In China and other Asian countries, it's becoming increasingly popular to pay by QR code. With that method of payment, you don't need to carry cash or credit cards — you just scan a QR code with your phone at the register and money is automatically deducted from your mobile wallet.

Meanwhile, most shops and restaurants in the US still only accept cash or card.

American families are not as close as Chinese families

In the US, I found that my peers are not especially close to their extended family members like their aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Sometimes, even the relationships between parents and children and siblings can be a little distant as everyone goes their separate ways in life. 

In China, on the other hand, loyalty and commitment to your family is the No. 1 priority. 

But Americans are generally more individually-minded, and they tend to rely more on themselves than on their families.

It's difficult to find food that's both healthy and affordable

American cuisine is some of the most diverse in the world, and practically every cuisine in the world is available in the US.

However it's often the case that the most affordable foods are the least healthy — think fast food, which is high in calories and lacks much substance. 

In China, simple dishes like noodles, stir-fried meat, and vegetables are often the cheapest thing on a restaurant's menu — and certainly cheaper than the food at McDonald's. 

• Read more:
• I'm an American living in the UK — here are the 9 American products I miss the most
• I tried 3 types of coffee from Starbucks, McDonald's, and Dunkin' — and the winner was clear
• I moved from LA to a town of 2,300 people — here were the biggest culture shocks I faced in small-town America
• I'm a conservative who moved to a liberal city, and I was surprised to see my views change on several issues

• Restaurants employ more minimum-wage workers than any other industry.
• With the movement to increase wages across the country, economists worried the policies would kill jobs and raise prices.
• So far, five cities that have raised wages had little change in employment after the policies went into effect.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The restaurant industry employs the greatest share of minimum-wage workers in America — meaning the "Fight for $15" impacts food service workers a great deal.

Read more:NYC's $15 minimum wage hasn't brought the restaurant apocalypse — it's helped them thrive

There were about 10.7 million Americans employed in the restaurant industry in May 2018, the most recent year for which data is available, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment Statistics program. Grocery stores employ the next highest number of low-wage workers at under 1 million.

The federal minimum wage is currently at $7.25, but some individual states and cities have enacted higher pay. As of this year, 29 states and two dozen major cities have minimum wages above $7.50, according to the Pew Research Center.

Many economists and restaurant owners worried a higher minimum wage would kill jobs and raise prices, but cities like New York and San Francisco haven't seen much impact yet. A new report from the New School recently found the restaurant industry had thrived in NYC years after passing higher wages.

Here's how increased minimum wages have impacted the restaurant industries of New York City, Seattle, the Bay Area, Chicago, and Washington DC.

SEE ALSO: A tweet from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez convinced me I've been using the wrong word to describe waitresses. Here's why I'll never call them 'unskilled' again.

New York City's restaurant industry outperformed the rest of the US in job growth and expansion since it began raising wages in 2013.

New York City voted to raise the minimum wage to $15 this year, which represented a pay increase in 20% to 28% for the area's restaurant workers. The pay hike had little impact on the city's restaurant growth, according to a recent report out of The New School. 

While some restaurants told The Wall Street Journal they had to cut staff this year, James Parrott, a director of economic and fiscal policies at The New School and an author of the study, attributes this to the city's competitive food industry, as well as the rise of delivery apps.

"It seems disingenuous to attribute any change, any decline in employment of restaurants in Manhattan to the minimum wage because there are these other things going on at the same time," Parrott told Business Insider.

Seattle voted to raise minimum wages to $15 an hour back in 2015. The hike had little impact on restaurant closures, but led to higher prices and shorter workdays.

Vox reported that while many restaurant owners threatened to move shop after the $15 wage passed, few of them followed through on their threats. In fact, restaurant jobs in Seattle have been steadily rising since 2015, according to the Federal Reserve.

Yet businesses did raise prices and reduce employee work hours after the wage hike, Vox's Matthew Zeitlin reported. Even with the shorter workdays, some research indicated workers still saw their pay go up. 

The rising minimum wage had little to no effect on the restaurant industry in the Bay Area.

The Bay Area has some of the highest minimum wages in the country (in part due to the area's high cost of living). San Francisco and San Jose currently have $15 minimum wages, and Oakland pays these workers $13.80.

While the impacts of the $15 is still yet to be understood, a 2018 study released by the University of California-Berkeley analyzed minimum wages in these cities in 2016, when they were all above $10. 

The study could not find negative employment effects after minimum wages increased in the Bay Area's restaurant industry. The researchers separated restaurants into full-service and limited-service (or "fast-casual" Chipotle-style chains), and could not find significant employment effects on either type of eatery.

"Our findings suggest that the low-wage community as a whole clearly benefited from minimum wage policies in the $10 to $13 range, particularly if labor-labor substitution effects are minimal," Sylvia Allegretto, labor economist at University of California-Berkeley and lead author of the report, stated. 

Washington, DC, voted to raise the minimum wage for restaurant workers, but city lawmakers stopped it from ever happening.

Despite the fact that DC voted to raise the minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers in June 2018, lawmakers repealed the referendum — called Initiative 77— in October of that year.

The initiative would have ensured restaurant workers get minimum wage regardless of how much they make in tips. Restaurants can pay tipped workers less than $14 if they make up for the difference. Labor groups say this policy still does not ensure workers make enough money.

National Restaurant Association and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington opposed the wage increase, saying restaurants would lay off workers and raise prices to offset higher wages.

Economists at the liberal Economic Policy Institute say paying tipped workers the minimum wage increases earnings and reduces poverty among these employees. Since the law was never enacted, it's impossible to know how the increased wage would have impacted employment.

Five years ago, Chicago voted to raise minimum wages to $13 by 2019. After increasing wages from $10 to $10.50, the city saw little change in employment.

Earlier this year, Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill to increase the state's minimum wage to $15 by 2025. Back in 2014, the city of Chicago voted to raise the city's minimum wage to $13 by 2019. 

Since the city government began raising pay for low-wage workers five years ago, there were no changes to employment or the growth of private businesses as of 2016, according to a report out of the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign.

While Chicago's wage hike boosted incomes for workers in transportation, maintenance, and administrative services, restaurant employees did not see higher annual incomes due to the policy.

"The Chicago Minimum Wage Ordinance has been associated with positive impacts on incomes with little to no effect on employment," the report stated. "Though the minimum wage should be expanded and enforcement should be improved, the minimum wage hikes – by raising standards in the local labor market – have been good for workers in the city."

• No matter how busy executives seem to be, they always seem to have time to prioritize reading.
• Elon Musk follows this pattern. Instead of relying on self-help books or just nonfiction pieces, he reads across different genres. 
• We explored Musk's previous interviews and social media to compile a list of 12 books that he's recommended.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, Tesla, and other larger-than-life tech companies, somehow also seems to find time to read.

Musk has said that reading a variety of books — from epic works of fantasy like the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy to complex how-to books on building rockets — is crucial to his success.

We looked through Musk's past interviews and social media history to come up with a list of 12 books the billionaire entrepreneur thinks everyone should read.

Take a look below.

SEE ALSO: Ray Dalio says anyone who wants to understand today's world should read a 32-year-old book about empires

"The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Musk had a nickname when he was a shrimpy, smart-mouthed kid growing up in South Africa: Muskrat.

The New Yorker reported in 2009 that "in his loneliness, he read a lot of fantasy and science fiction."

Those books — notably "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien — shaped Musk's vision of his future self.

"The heroes of the books I read ... always felt a duty to save the world," he told The New Yorker.

For those who've already read the books and seen the movies but are still hurting for more Middle Earth, Amazon is working on a "Lord of the Rings" TV series.

Buy it here »

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams

In this comedic sci-fi book, a supercomputer finds the "answer" to a meaningful life: the number 42.

To Musk, who read this as a young teenager in South Africa, the book was instrumental to his thinking. He was so enamored with it, in fact, that when he launched his Tesla Roadster into space in February, he put the words "Don't Panic!" — which graced the cover of some early editions of the book — on the car's center screen.

When asked in a 2015 interview about his favorite spaceship from science fiction, he said, "I'd have to say that would be the one in 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' that's powered by the improbability drive."

Buy it here »

"Benjamin Franklin: An American Life" by Walter Isaacson

Musk has repeatedly described Benjamin Franklin, one of the US's founding fathers and an accomplished inventor, as one of his heroes.

Franklin was one of the first to prove that lightning is electricity in his famous kite experiment, which led to the invention of the lightning rod. He's also credited with inventing bifocals: glasses with two distinct optical lenses.

In this biography of Franklin, "you can see how he was an entrepreneur," Musk said in an interview with Foundation, a platform for nonprofits working on climate-change issues. "He was an entrepreneur. He started from nothing. He was just a runaway kid."

Musk added: "Franklin's pretty awesome."

Buy it here »

"Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down" by J.E. Gordon

When Musk started SpaceX, he was coming from a coding background. But he took it upon himself to learn the fundamentals of rocket science.

One of the books that helped him was "Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down," a popular take on structural engineering by J.E. Gordon, a British material scientist.

"It is really, really good if you want a primer on structural design," Musk said in an interview with KCRW, a southern California radio station.

Because of his interest in rocket mechanics, Musk got intimately involved with the planning and design of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket. He has served as the chief designer at SpaceX as well as CEO.

"The reason I ended up being the chief engineer or chief designer was not because I wanted to — it's because I couldn't hire anyone; nobody good would join," Musk said during a talk in 2017 about how he plans to colonize Mars.

Buy it here »

"Ignition: An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants" by John D. Clark

In Musk's quest to learn and master complicated subjects, "Ignition" was crucial in helping him get a handle on rockets, he's said.

John D. Clark was an American chemist who was active in the development of rocket fuels in the 1960s and 70s. The book is an account of the growth of the field and an explanation of how the science works.

Musk took the book's lesson to heart when he was working on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket system. SpaceX used cryogenically cooled RP-1, a type of kerosene used in jets, and liquid oxygen to combust the fuel used to launch the rocket.

While the book is hard to find, it's available online here.

"Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies" by Nick Bostrom

Musk has repeatedly warned against the dangers of unchecked artificial intelligence.

"We need to be super careful with AI," he tweeted in 2014, adding that it's "potentially more dangerous than nukes."

In a documentary about artificial intelligence called "Do You Trust This Computer?" Musk said AI could be used to create an "immortal dictator from which we could never escape."

He added: "We are rapidly heading towards digital superintelligence that far exceeds any human. I think it's very obvious."

To find out why these risks are so scary, Musk says it's worth reading Nick Bostrom's "Superintelligence," which makes the daring inquiry into what would happen if computational intelligence surpassed human intelligence.

Buy it here »

"Our Final Invention" by James Barrat

"Our Final Invention" gives still more warnings about the dangers of artificial intelligence. Musk called the book a "worthy read" in a 2014 tweet.

Barrat takes a close look at the potential future of AI, weighing its advantages and disadvantages.

Barrat says on his website that the book is at least partly "about AI's catastrophic downside, one you'll never hear about from Google, Apple, IBM, and DARPA."

Musk agrees.

"AI doesn't have to be evil to destroy humanity — if AI has a goal and humanity just happens to be in the way, it will destroy humanity as a matter of course without even thinking about it, no hard feelings," he said in a documentary about artificial intelligence.

Buy it here »

The "Foundation" series by Isaac Asimov

In addition to the "Lord of the Rings" books, Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" series made up part of Musk's early interest in science fiction and fantasy.

The books center on the fall of the fictional Galactic Empire, which consists of millions of planets settled by humans across the Milky Way.

The stories may have had a huge influence on Musk's career trajectory. Here's what he said about the series in a 2013 interview with the Guardian:

"The lessons of history would suggest that civilizations move in cycles. You can track that back quite far — the Babylonians, the Sumerians, followed by the Egyptians, the Romans, China.

"We're obviously in a very upward cycle right now, and hopefully that remains the case. But it may not. There could be some series of events that cause that technology level to decline.

"Given that this is the first time in 4.5 billion years where it's been possible for humanity to extend life beyond Earth, it seems like we'd be wise to act while the window was open and not count on the fact it will be open a long time."

Buy it here »

"The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" by Robert Heinlein

This award-winning science-fiction novel, published in 1966, paints a picture of a dystopia not too far in the future. It's exactly the kind of vivid fantasy world that would satisfy an active imagination like Musk's.

In the book, several people have been exiled from Earth to the moon, where they have created a libertarian society.

In the year 2076, a group of rebels — including a supercomputer named Mike and a one-armed computer technician — leads the lunar colony's revolution against its Earth-bound rulers.

In an interview at an MIT symposium in 2014, Musk said the book was Heinlein's best work.

Buy it here »

"Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" by Max Tegmark

If you're sensing a theme among the books on this list, it's that Musk is really into exploring the future of artificial intelligence.

In "Life 3.0," the MIT professor Max Tegmark writes about how to keep artificial intelligence beneficial for human life and ensure that technological progress remains aligned with humanity's goals for the future.

It's one of the few books Musk recommends that deal with the possibility of AI as a force for good rather than evil.

Buy it here »

"Merchants of Doubt" by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway

"Merchants of Doubt" — now also a documentary— was written by two historians of science.

They make the case that scientists with political and industry connections have obscured the facts surrounding a series of public-health issues, including tobacco, pesticide use, and holes in the ozone layer.

Musk recommended the book at a conference in 2013 and later pointed to the book's key takeaway in a tweet, saying that the same forces that denied that smoking caused cancer were denying the danger of climate change.

Buy it here »

"Einstein: His Life and Universe" by Walter Isaacson

Musk is a big fan of Walter Isaacson's biographies.

In a 2012 interview, Musk recommended Isaacson's biography of Albert Einstein, a man who left a profound mark on science and human history.

The book is based on Einstein's personal letters and explores how he went from a young, frustrated patent officer to a Nobel Prize winner.

It's a story that likely inspired Musk.

Buy it here »

• Many job interviewers ask tough questions designed to trick you.
• We took a look at some of the best responses from Vicky Oliver's book "301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions" for a better idea at how to handle difficult situations.
• Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

Some job interviewers ask tough questions designed to trick you. Others want to get a better sense of your thought process or see how you respond under pressure.

Whatever the reason, you'll want to be prepared for curveballs or challenging questions.

In her book "301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions," Vicky Oliver says in order to prevail, you need to "trounce your competition."

Read more: Here are the answers to job interview questions from 20 of America's top companies, from candidates who know

Previous reporting from Business Insider's Shana Lebowitz includes an ultimate guide to nailing any job interview. Lebowitz reported that speaking at a steady pace and resisting the urge to humblebrag are two key things experts recommend you keep in mind when answering questions.

We've highlighted 25 of the tougher questions you could be asked during your next interview, and examples on how to answer them from Oliver's book, "301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions."

It's important to note that these sample responses are merely meant to help guide you. They won't necessarily work for everyone, in every situation — and you should never lie in an interview. 

Read on for the tough questions.

Vivian Giang contributed to a previous version of this article.

SEE ALSO: The ultimate guide to nailing your job interview

NOW READ: A 22-year-old job seeker's viral 'stress interview' illustrates exactly why even big-name companies such as Google are moving away from gimmicky job interviews

Q: What is your biggest weakness that's really a weakness, and not a secret strength?

A: I am extremely impatient. I expect my employees to prove themselves on the very first assignment. If they fail, my tendency is to stop delegating to them and start doing everything myself.

To compensate for my own weakness, however, I have started to really prep my people on exactly what will be expected of them. 

Q: Will you be out to take my job?

A: Maybe in about 20 years, but by then, I suspect you'll be running the entire company and will need a good, loyal lieutenant to help you manage this department!  

Q: You have changed careers before. Why should I let you experiment on my nickel?

A: As a career-changer, I believe that I'm a better employee because I've gained a lot of diverse skills from moving around. These skills help me solve problems creatively.

Q: What if you work here for five years and don't get promoted? Many of our employees don't. Won't you find it frustrating?

A: I consider myself ambitious, but I'm also practical. As long as I am continuing to learn and grow within my position, I'll be a happy camper. Different companies promote people at different rates, and I'm pretty confident that working for you will keep me motivated and mentally stimulated for several years to come.

Q: If you knew that things at your company were rocky, why didn't you get out of the company sooner?

A: I was working so hard to keep my job while everyone around me was being cut that I didn't have any time left over to look for another job. With all of the mergers that have been happening in our field, layoffs are a way of life. At least I gave it my best shot!

Q: I see from your resume that you worked at CC&L for four years, and that's terrific. But I also noticed that you weren't promoted during that time. Why not?

A: CC&L is a great company, and thanks in part to my team's contributions, they are doing very well these days. But that wasn't always the case. 

During the first two years that I worked there, people were being fired left and right, and just hanging onto my job was a feat. 

Once the company began to turn around, [my boss] was offered a terrific job at a rival organization and it took CC&L six months to replace him and when they did, the new boss was eager to bring in his own people. Once again, I tenaciously hung on to my job, and, even though I was long overdue for a promotion, I really didn't think that the timing was right for me to broach it. No one from the old staff was there to even vouch for my performance!

Q: If you were running a company that produces X and the market was tanking for that product, what would you do?

A: I would search for new markets for the product while I spurred the engineers to change the product to make it more marketable to its original core audience.

Q: From your resume, it looks like you were fired twice. How did that make you feel?

A: After I recuperated from the shock both times, it made me feel stronger. It's true that I was fired twice, but I managed to bounce back both times and land jobs that gave me more responsibility, paid me more money, and were at better firms.

Q: Are you telling me that, now that you're 40-something, you would be willing to start at an entry-level position just to get your foot in the door here?

A: Sometimes you need to take a step backward to move your career forward. Starting in an entry-level role would allow me to learn your business from the ground up.

The career that I've been in is so different than yours that I would love the opportunity to start over again in your field. The salary cut will be well worth it. 

Q: You majored in philosophy. How did that prepare you for this career?

A: Philosophy didn't prepare me for a career in architecture at all. But it did force me to become philosophical about my prospects. After two years of trying to figure out what to do with my life, I visited Chicago one weekend, and was absolutely spellbound by the gorgeous architecture all around me. 

I came home, applied to architecture schools all over the country, and was accepted by one of the best. I've never looked back ... this is definitely the career that I was meant to be in. 

Q: What are the biggest risks you've taken in recent years? Which ones worked out the best, and which ones failed?

A: I used to work at a large, global PR firm where life was sleepy, but comfortable. It was a "white-shoe" organization; people left every night at 6 p.m. and our clients were big biotechnology companies that really trusted the top management of our firm. After a couple of years went by, I felt like I wasn't learning anything new, and I confess that I began to feel bored. I thought that if I took a job at a smaller PR firm, I would feel more challenged. 

I joined a small PR boutique that had only been in business for five years. This turned out to be a colossal mistake. The top management was terribly unprofessional, plus they didn't have the contacts with newspapers, TV, and cable stations that we really needed to service our clients properly. I canvassed my own contacts, of course, but I was the only person in the entire firm who had any contacts! Promises were made to clients that couldn't be kept. It was a fiasco.

After six months, I called up the large, global PR firm and begged for my old job back. Fortunately, they hadn't replaced me.  They slapped by wrist for being disloyal, but they happily rehired me. I've been working there ever since, grateful, but bored ... which is why I'm meeting with you today. 

Q: What do you view as your risks and disadvantages with the position we are interviewing you for?

A: I think that with the home office located halfway across the globe, there is a very small risk that one might not have the chance to interact with the key decision-makers as often as might be ideal. On the other hand, teleconferencing, email, faxing, and having a 24/7 work ethic will go a long way towards bridging the gap. 

Q: From your resume, I notice that you interned at a small investment banking boutique. Did you pursue a full-time job offer with them? What happened?

A: Yes, I did very well at my internship, and I had originally assumed that I would come on staff once I graduated from college. However, BB&L drastically cut back the number of new hires they were planning. As fate would have it, they will not be hiring any of the interns they had last summer. 

I love working at BB&L, and I brought some references with me today to show you that my job performance there was stellar. Still, in some ways, I consider this new turn of events to be a lucky break for me, believe it or not.

Q: Can you describe your dream job?

A: This is my dream job and that's why I approached you about it in the first place. I am excited about the prospect of helping your promotion agency upgrade and fine-tune your loyalty programs.

Q: Why did you take so much time off from work, and why do you wish to get a job now?

A: When I first had the twins, my husband was working 24/7, and I really needed to be there to raise the kids. But during that time, I really missed working. 

Fortunately, I kept my hand in the business during those years by consulting for several of my ex-clients. 

Q: How many skis are rented each year?

A: There are 250 million people in the U.S. Let's suppose that the number of skis is 15% of that, or 37,500,000. Of those, let's figure that 21,175,000 of them own skis, leaving the number who rent at 9,325,000. Then let's add the number of tourists who ski, say, 1 million. So the grand total of renters would be 10,325,000.

Now let's assume that the renters who live here take three trips a year, so three times 9,325,000 is 27,975,000 and add that with 1 million is 28,975,000. 

Q: If you were hiring someone for this position, what qualities would you look for?

A: I would look for three main talents:

1. The ability to solve problems;
2. The ability to nurture strong working relationships; and 
3. The ability to close deals.

A candidate who possesses all three would make the ideal associate new business director. 

Let me tell you a little bit about my background ...

Q: What would you do if you really wanted to hire a woman under you, and you knew the perfect candidate, but your boss really wanted to hire a man for the job?

A: I'd recommend that we perform an on-site "test," by hiring both candidates on a freelance basis for two weeks each.

Q: What if you worked with someone who managed to take credit for all your great ideas. How would you handle it?

A: First, I would try to credit her publicly with the ideas that were hers. Sometimes, by being generous with credit, it spurs the other person to "return the favor."

If that doesn't solve it, I'd try to work out an arrangement where we each agreed to present the ideas that were our own to our bosses. If that doesn't work, I would openly discuss the situation with her.

However, if the person taking credit for my ideas was my boss, I would tread cautiously. To some extent, I believe that my job is to make my superiors shine. If I were being rewarded for my ideas with raises and promotions, I would be happy. 

Q: How many hours a week do you usually work, and why?

A: I work pretty long hours most of the time. With the extra time, I try to find ways to "add value" to each assignment, both my own and the firm's. When our clients read our reports, I want them to think that no one else could have possibly written them, except for our company.

Q: Are you better at "managing up" or "managing down"?

A: If you aren't good at "managing up," you rarely get the opportunity to "manage down." Fortunately, I've always been quite good at self-management. I've never had a deadline that I didn't meet.

Q: Please give an example of the most difficult political situation that you've dealt with on a job.

A: I was hired by a woman who was on her way out. She asked me to be her "fall guy" on a number of assignments. I just learned to drop the assignments off with my boss on the day that they were due, and when the managers would ring me up, I would recommend that they simply follow up with her. This kept me out of hot water with my boss and with her superiors.

Q: Let's discuss a time when you missed a significant deadline.

A: I would absolutely love to, but honestly, it's never happened.

Q: Is it more important to be lucky or skillful?

A: I think that it's more important to be lucky, although being very skilled can help to create more opportunities. Certainly, [at my former job, my boss'] confidence in me inspired the decision-makers at our firm to trust that I could do the job. But clearly, I also happened to be in the right place at the right time. 

Q: When do you think you'll peak in your career?

A: I come from a long line of healthy, hardy, mentally active types, and so I confess that I never even think about "peaking" in my career. That having been said, I do think it's important to have some self-knowledge, and to recognize when one is past one's prime. 

• READ MORE:

• The ultimate guide to nailing your job interview

  24 psychological tricks that will help you ace a job interview

  Here are the answers to job interview questions from 20 of America's top companies, from candidates who know

  The 32 smartest questions to ask at the end of every job interview

  19 questions you should never ask in an interview — and what you should ask instead

• Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is a psychologist who uses science and tech to help organizations predict human performance.
• He says that many people these days seem disenchanted with the idea of traditional employment, mostly because it may require putting up with a bad boss.
• You can tell if you have a bad boss by asking yourself five simple questions, including whether or not he or she knows you well and has an accurate picture of your potential, and your strengths and weaknesses.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

We tend to see leadership as a glamorous and desirable career destination, but the crude reality is that most leaders have pretty dismal effects on their teams and organizations. Consider that 70% of employees are not engaged at work, but it's their boss' main task to engage and inspire them, helping them leave aside their selfish interests to work as a collective unit with others. Instead, managers are the number one reason why people quit jobs. As the old saying goes, people join companies but quit their bosses.

As I highlight in my latest book, passive job-seeking, self-employment, and entrepreneurship rates have been on the rise even in places where macroeconomic conditions are strong and there is no shortage of career opportunities for people. For instance, in the US, there are now 6 million job seekers for 7 million job openings, but people appear to be disenchanted with the idea of traditional employment, mostly because it may require putting up with a bad boss.

To be sure, there are many competent leaders out there, but academic estimates suggest that the baseline for incompetent leadership is at least 65% (note this figure is based on analyzing mostly public or large companies), and, even more shockingly, there appears to be a strong negative correlation between the money we spend or waste on leadership-development interventions and the confidence people have in their leaders.

An obvious question this sad state of affairs evokes is how one can work out if his or her boss is incompetent. Clearly, it is always tempting to blame our manager for our unfavorable work experiences, but it may also be the case that the problem is us rather than them, with recent research indicating that all aspects of job satisfaction are influenced as much by employees' own personalities and values as by the actual (objective) working circumstances they are in.

The way we experience our boss is no exception. Here's a quick five-point checklist to work out what your manager's probable level of competence might be.

SEE ALSO: 10 harmless mind tricks that make people like you more

1. He or she is generally liked, or at least well-regarded, by his or her direct reports

This would be consistent with the mainstream scientific view that upward feedback (feedback from those who work for the manager) is the best single measure of a manager's performance. Conversely, how managers are seen by their own managers is mostly a measure of politics, likability, or managing "up." If the answer is no, the probability that your boss is incompetent increases dramatically.

2. His or her team tends to achieve strong results compared with similar/competing teams (internally and externally)

Note this may happen even if the answer to question one is no, though generally speaking, both points are positively intertwined: People perform better when they like their bosses, and they like their bosses more when they perform better. Thus, if the answer is no, then your boss is probably not that competent.

Read more:Ex-Googlers, Stanford professors, and startup CEOs share their best advice on making a career change

3. He or she frequently provides you with constructive and critical developmental feedback to improve your performance

And does he or she do it for others in your team, too? If the answer is no, then chances are your boss is less than competent, as one of the fundamental tasks of any manager is to improve their team members' performance by providing accurate and helpful feedback on their potential and performance.

4. He or she knows you well and has an accurate picture of your potential, including your strengths and weaknesses

No bosses can do their jobs well unless they are fully aware of what their team members can and can't do, which is a necessary precondition to assigning each employee to tasks and roles in which their skills and personality are best deployed. After all, talent is by and large personality in the right place. If you think your boss doesn't know you, then he or she is less likely to be competent.

5. He or she seems truly coachable and continues to improve to the point of getting better on the job all the time

Just like your employability depends on your own ability (and willingness) to continue to develop key career skills and learn things that broaden your career potential, your boss should also be finding ways to get better. This means not just displaying the necessary humility and curiosity to learn — including from his or her own employees and customers — but also finding ways to keep their dark side or undesirable tendencies in check. In short, does your boss show self-awareness and the drive to get better, irrespective of whether that actually advances his or her own career? If the answer is no, then your boss has limited potential.

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is an international authority in psychological profiling, talent management, leadership development, and people analytics. He is the chief talent scientist at Manpower Group, cofounder of Deeper Signals and Metaprofiling, and professor of business psychology at both University College London and Columbia University. He has previously held academic positions at New York University and the London School of Economics and lectured at Harvard Business School, Stanford Business School, London Business School, Johns Hopkins, IMD, and INSEAD. He was also the CEO at Hogan Assessment Systems. Tomas has published nine books and over 130 scientific papers (h index 58), making him one of the most prolific social scientists of his generation.

• Microsoft is the world's most valuable company.
• It's undergone a major culture change since CEO Satya Nadella took over five years ago.
• We asked HR chief Kathleen Hogan to explain exactly what that culture change has looked like.
• Hogan told us Microsoft now looks for candidates with a growth mindset and rewards employees who have supported their coworkers' development.
• Click here for more BI Prime content.

Microsoft is the most valuable company in the world.

Its success is largely attributable to changes made by CEO Satya Nadella, who took over from Steve Ballmer in 2014, when the company's performance was stagnating.

Nadella started by overhauling the company culture, replacing an environment of competition and workaholism with an emphasis on a "growth mindset." That's a concept in developmental psychology that describes the belief that talents — or perhaps more precisely, competencies — can be developed through hard work and that failure is an opportunity to learn. That's in contrast with a "fixed mindset," where talent is assumed to be innate, and failure a signal of incompetency.

Read more: How Satya Nadella's leadership style catapulted Microsoft to a trillion-dollar valuation — and what you can learn from it

This culture transformation has put Microsoft's people strategy — that is, human resources — in the spotlight. To find out how the company really approaches people management, Business Insider spoke with Microsoft's chief people officer, Kathleen Hogan, a 16-year company veteran who previously led Microsoft Services, which supports businesses and individual consumers who use Microsoft technologies.

Hogan told us that Nadella has made people issues "first-class problems" for Microsoft's senior leadership team. "Sometimes on the culture change," she said, "he's pushing and I'm trying to catch up with him."

Hogan also shared the best way to suss out growth mindset in job candidates, why employees' individual success doesn't matter as much as it used to, and why a sense of purpose is crucial to job performance.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Shana Lebowitz: You've been with the company 16 years. What are the biggest ways you've seen the culture change in that time?

Kathleen Hogan: When Satya became CEO, we went through a pretty rigorous process for nine months to define our culture. The culture we aspire to have is really moving from the sense of a bunch of know-it-alls to a bunch of learn-it-alls.

That's probably been the biggest change, really grounding our culture in this concept of a growth mindset— confronting and acknowledging that we all have fixed mindsets but trying to be cognizant of that. And working every day to exhibit the growth mindset and enable others to have that as well.

Read more:Satya Nadella says this book gave him the 'intuition' he needed to revamp Microsoft

Lebowitz:You've mentioned that you look for a growth mindset in job candidates. How can you tell if a candidate has it?

Hogan: We look for curiosity and learning. You can certainly assess it in the interview itself. A standard question is to ask somebody when have you failed and see if they're willing to acknowledge when they failed and how they learned from it and how they approach that. If they have that growth mindset about it or if they say, "I've never failed."

Read more:A former Starbucks HR exec shares the single job-interview question that predicts success better than a résumé

Lebowitz: I want to learn more about how Microsoft is trying to cultivate a growth mindset in its current employees. The bigger question here is what the role of HR has been in Microsoft's culture shift over the last five years.

Hogan: HR has certainly been a key enabler of the culture change, but in partnership with the entire SLT [senior leadership team], our 16,000 managers, and our 140,000 employees.

We came up with some big symbolic changes to show that we really were serious about driving culture change, from changing the performance-review system to changing our all-hands company meeting, to our monthly Q&A with the employees.

Microsoft no longer wants employees who look out just for themselves

Lebowitz: How did you change the performance-review system to be more in line with the culture you were aspiring to?

Hogan: We really moved from a system that was a forced rating system, where 20% of folks had to get a 1 and 20% got a 2. And largely it was focused on your individual impact. But [now we're] talking about what we really value and what we really value is three dimensions. One is your own individual impact, the second is how you contributed to others and other success, and the third is how you leveraged the work of others. We have a little bit of a "not invented here" syndrome.

Read more:A Wharton professor explains 3 ways nice guys can get ahead at work

We're really recognizing people who were driving impact but were enabling others' success, as well as leveraging others, in the spirit of "One Microsoft." And then a year ago, we introduced one priority that everybody at Microsoft has, which is making Microsoft more inclusive. And so we've used a performance-review process [for that], too. 

Read more:How Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella did what Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates couldn't

Lebowitz: How do you evaluate how an employee contributed to someone else's success? That might be a little harder to quantify.

Hogan: Examples are where, especially from a software perspective, people took dependencies on other people's work versus having to reinvent it. Some of it is more qualitative in terms of a manager recognizing people on the leadership team that are onboarding and helping somebody new to the team.

When we grounded our culture in a growth mindset, we had three core pillars. One is to be way more customer-obsessed. The second was to be way more diverse and inclusive. But the third was "One Microsoft" and this notion that for us to best serve our customers and deliver the most impact to our customers; we really wanted to operate as one Microsoft. Instead of just operating in your silo and just optimizing for your team, it's really optimizing for team Microsoft. And that belief was if we did that, we would best be able to serve our customers.

Read more:Microsoft made inclusion every employee's responsibility. Here's why.

If you can't talk to your boss about feeling disengaged, you should find another boss

Lebowitz: I'm curious to hear your perspective on how Satya Nadella has changed the way Microsoft approaches HR. You mentioned that part of his leadership team partnered with HR on people priorities.

Hogan: The most important thing Satya did as a CEO is he made all of the people priorities — that you might think are typical for HR to work on — he made those first-class problems for the SLT to work on. If anything, sometimes on the culture change, he's pushing and I'm trying to catch up with him.

Lebowitz: What are the most important things Microsoft is currently looking for in job candidates?

Hogan: Humility and empathy would be really important. Also this curiosity and this ability to learn. Things are moving so quickly, and the ability to learn and to be curious is a key skill for our employees. We are looking for people who exhibit the growth mindset.

Also people who are passionate about our mission and people who want to wake up every day in service to our mission and who get a deep sense of purpose from that. You'll come to Microsoft and use this incredible platform to serve your own purpose.

There is a lot written about how millennials want purpose. And what I've come to believe after five years in this role is everybody wants purpose. That's the secret sauce. Pay and perks are table stakes, but if you have that great sense of culture and people, pride in the company and that sense of purpose, when you have all layers working, that's when people are at their best. And also when I think people want to stay.

Read more:Microsoft totally changed how it does interviews in its developer division to make sure candidates have the actual skills to do the job

Lebowitz: When people are at their best, they want to stay. So what would you advise employees to do, whether they work at Microsoft or another company, if they're not feeling fulfilled?

Hogan: First, I would advise them to zoom out and make sure that they're looking at the broader picture. Sometimes you can be stuck; you're focused on that meeting you're in. When you zoom out and you look at this incredible opportunity we have and the people that you get to work with and the impact that you really are having, [see if you are] really as unfulfilled as you may be feeling and practice gratitude.

Read more:Hulu's HR chief shares the simple task you should do when you realize you hate your job

But even with that, if you really feel unfulfilled, I'd say have the discussion with your manager; do your own soul searching on what really gives you joy, what gives you purpose and, and if it's not the role that you're in, seek to make a change.

Read more: Top tech companies like Netflix and LinkedIn say they have no problem with employees interviewing for other jobs — in fact, they might want to help

In general, we work really hard at Microsoft to coach and support our managers on that critical role that they play in terms of our employees' experience and their satisfaction. So hopefully most of our employees would be able to have that discussion.

But if you felt like your manager isn't in that league where you feel like, if you went to them and confided in them, it wouldn't go well, then at that point it would be starting to network and find a new opportunity where you could find a manager that you could have those honest discussions with.

SEE ALSO: POWER BROKERS OF TECH: HR chiefs reveal how to get hired at Microsoft, Facebook, Netflix, and other top companies

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian have a combined net worth of $189 million. Here's how they make and spend their money.

• Most companies offer benefits of some kind or another, including parental leave, health/medical insurance, and paid time off.
• Other companies, however, approach benefits and perks a little differently.
• Here are 12 companies with unique employee perks, from free burgers and books, to annual Star Wars parties. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Most of us spend more waking hours in the office than anywhere else — so it's only natural that we want to enjoy our time at work. And perks help...significantly. 

Luckily, employers are catching on and starting to find creative ways to make employees feel valued and appreciated — and we're not just talking about free office kitchen snacks!

Read more:Employees at In-N-Out say they're more satisfied than others at tech giants like Google and Microsoft

We turned to Glassdoor to find 12 companies that offer awesome, fun, unique benefits and perks employees can enjoy both inside and outside of the office.

Hope Restle, Melissa Stanger, and Aaron Taube contributed to an earlier version of this article.

SEE ALSO: 17 Companies With Awesome Perks That Will Make You Jealous

International Cruises & Excursions has an on-site nail salon for employees and tons of travel perks — including free vacations for work anniversaries!

This travel company offers on-site nail salon appointments for employees working at their Scottsdale, Arizona location. Employees can book manicure or pedicure appointments during their lunch breaks, or before or after work.

The Arizona campus also offers massages, a full fitness center, travel discounts. Every year employees work with the company, they also receive rewards to put towards an anniversary vacation!

Casper gives their employees free mattresses, pillows, and more — plus you can nap at work.

Working for Casper might just be what dreams are made of. According to Glassdoor, Casper employees receive free mattress packages upon joining the company, catered lunches twice per week, fitness discounts, and unlimited PTO. Employees can also take naps during the workday in the office's "nap pods," which are fitted with actual beds. 

SADA Systems hosts an annual Star Wars party complete with foam lightsaber battles and screenings of the movies.

Glassdoor reports that to celebrate their place as one of the Best Places to Work, the company hosts a Star Wars party for its employees. Coworkers participate in fake lightsaber battles and enjoy screenings of all the iconic movies. The party is now an annual company party on May 4th, aptly named the "May the Fourth Be With You" party. 

BambooHR gives employees the day off on their birthday.

Birthdays are often overlooked by companies as a valid excuse to take the day off. BambooHR, however, thinks differently. They give employees their big days off, allowing them to spend the day with loved ones, friends, or simply doing what they love to do. 

Glassdoor reports that one employee posted on the BambooHR blog about how much they appreciate the perk. 

"I slept in and went running AND did yoga (I never get to do both in one day). I had lunch with family and friends. I had a lemonade. I really liked the fact that I didn't have to DO anything. I could just do what I wanted to do."

Disney employees get free admission to the theme parks, plus discounts on hotels, cruises, and merchandise.

If you're an employee at the Walt Disney Company, work may actually be the happiest place on earth. Disney employees get a ton of magical benefits and perks— including free admission to the theme park and discounts on Disney restaurants, hotels, cruises and merchandise.

Timberland gives its employees paid time off to volunteer.

Employees at Timberland are encouraged to take paid time off to complete volunteer work. They can take up to six months for a service sabbatical to volunteer at non-profit organizations. The company also closes its doors for Earth Day and Serve-a-palooza so employees can participate in company-wide service and volunteer projects.

Pinterest gives new parents paid time off, plus other resources.

Pinterest has an out-of-the-box parental leave policy that is great for its employees. Not only do new parents get three months of paid time off, but they also have the option to take a month of part-time hours and are given two classes on how to re-enter the workplace after the arrival of a new child. 

Penguin Random House gives its employees free reading material.

Working for a book publishing company certainly has its perks. Employees of Penguin Random House can choose a couple of books every year to receive completely free of charge. They must be chosen from a specific list of titles, however. 

One employee wrote on Glassdoor about their appreciation for the company and its amazing perks: "PRH has great perks, amazing vacation package, summer Fridays, etc. The community is friendly and collaborative at lower and middle levels."

Taco Bell recruits new hires with free food and "hiring parties."

Job interviews can be nerve-wracking — that's why Taco Bell is making it a little more fun. "Hiring parties" offer potential new employees the opportunity to meet with hiring managers, play games, eat some free food, and have the opportunity to interview for a position. 

Eater reports that applicants can also receive free merchandise at the parties, including company-branded keychains, stickers, and T-shirts.

Houzz employees are given slippers to wear around the office.

Heels and loafers are definitely not a requirement in this office. On their first day of work, Houzz employees receive complimentary slippers to wear around the office — what could be better than some free, comfortable office footwear?

Airbnb lets you stay in some of their coolest listings for free.

Airbnb offers its employees a $2,000 yearly stipend to allow them to travel all over the world and stay in any of their listings.

"[The] $2,000 annual employee travel credit is amazing," one employee wrote on Glassdoor.

In-N-Out gives its employees one free Double-Double burger and fries during each shift.

Your mouth is probably watering already at this delicious employee perk. At West Coast fast-food chain In-N-Out, employees can help themselves to a free burger up to a Double-Double and an order of fries during their shift.

• Read more:
• The 50 best places to work in 2019, according to employees
• Here are the best retailers to work for in 2019, according to employees
• These are the 25 companies with the happiest employees in 2018
• Trader Joe's is one of the best places to work in the US — employees share the 7 best parts of the job

• Billions of dollars are invested in startups every year.
• Whether a startup seeks to raise money from angel investors, venture-capital firms, or other backers, the presentation — or "pitch" — about the business is critical.
• The most effective pitch decks deftly weave data, imagination, and storytelling in a captivating slide presentation.
• Business Insider regularly interviews startups about fundraising strategies and collects the pitch decks that helped them raise funding. You can read them all by subscribing to BI Prime.

Following is a list of some recent startup pitch decks published by Business Insider, organized by the funding round that each deck was used for:

Seed

• AceUp: Here's the pitch deck that's helping this 28-year-old first-time entrepreneur raise over $2 million in seed funding to make professional coaching more accessible
• Airbnb: The first investor pitch deck for $31 billion startup Airbnb, which has raised over $3 billion and is nearing an IPO
• Careem: Here's the pitch deck Careem used to secure its first round of venture capital, which led its first investors to a 100x return when Uber bought the company this year
• Foursquare:Foursquare is 10 years old and has raised over $240 million. Here's what the startup's first investor pitch deck looked like in 2009, before it raised any money.
• Include:The deck a 23-year-old Croatian entrepreneur used to raise 2 million euros to turn its smart benches into a worldwide ad network
• Octi: The deck an LA entrepreneur used to raise $7 million for his new social-network idea
• Osano:The deck a Texas entrepreneur used to raise millions for a startup inspired by Zuckerberg's congressional testimony
• Pillar: The deck that Pillar, a student-loan-management startup, used to score $5.5 million from Kleiner Perkins and an A-list of Silicon Valley backers
• Public Goods:This deck helped a New York startup raise millions to build a direct-to-consumer marketplace that fills the gap between Amazon and Walmart
• The Predictie Index: This deck helped a 65-year-old company raise $50 million, and show investors why its personality-testing service was suddenly growing like a hot startup
• Swit: Here's the pitch deck that convinced investors to pour $6 million into a startup trying to take on Slack and Asana despite entering the market years late
• Uber:Uber's original deck from a decade ago shows just how much the ride-hailing giant has changed
• UpTop:The deck a New York startup used to raise $5.5 million to expand its apartment-rental service
• Winnie: The deck that raised millions for 2 ex-Googlers whose startup helps new millennial parents find childcare
• Zestful: The deck that helped employee-rewards startup Zestful raise a $1.2 million seed round before it had any customers

Series A

• Amify:The pitch deck a Virginia startup used to raise $6 million after 7 years of bootstrapping its business
• Arcus:The buzzy fintech startup Arcus has raised nearly $13 million. Here's the pitch deck that's helping it woo top VCs like Andreessen Horowitz.
• Bind:We got a look at the slide deck of Bind, a startup that's raised $70 million to upend the way we pay for healthcare
• Day One Ventures:The deck a 29-year-old Russian-born VC used to persuade investors to contribute millions to her fund
• Divvy: The investor deck that helped the real-estate startup Divvy raise a $30 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz
• Headset:We got an exclusive look at the pitch deck buzzy marijuana tech startup Headset used to raise $12 million and ink deals with Nielsen and Deloitte
• Hometalk:The deck a New York startup used to raise $15 million to expand the services it offers its community of 17 million DIYers
• Pixeom:The deck a Silicon Valley startup used to raise $15 million to promote its edge-computing service
• Recogni:This founder's startup developed a super-efficient chip to help self-driving cars 'see' the world around them. Here's the pitch deck it used to raise $25 million to get the chip in production.
• Sandbox VR:Check out the deck that Sandbox VR used to get Andreessen Horowitz as lead investor in a $68 million round, and watch the investors discuss the pitch
• Seedo:Here's the pitch deck that's helped this Israeli tech company raise $11 million in private funding to build automatic, at-home weed growing machines
• Sempre Health: We got a look at the pitch deck of buzzy Silicon Valley health-tech startup Sempre Health. It reveals how a $4 billion industry is ripe for disruption.
• Skymind:The deck AI startup Skymind used to scoop up $11.5 million in funding
• Verbit: The deck this New York startup used to raise $23 million to expand its hybrid transcription service

Series B

• Brex:A buzzy startup raised $57 million from Peter Thiel and Y Combinator using these 19 slides
• Cardinal Analytx:We got a look at the pitch deck that buzzy AI startup Cardinal Analytx used to raise a $22 million round led by famed investor John Doerr
• Devoted Health: We got a look at the deck that buzzy startup Devoted Health used to hit a $1.8 billion valuation before it signed up any customers
• DivvyCloud: The deck Virginia's DivvyCloud used to raise $19 million in VC funding
• Front:A hot startup raised $66 million in 5 days using these 24 slides
• HealthJoy: We got a look at the pitch decks that buzzy $40 million startup HealthJoy used to snag early investors and then execute a huge strategic shift

Series C

• Kong:Kong is capitalizing on one of the big trends in software. Here's the pitch deck it used to raise $43 million to build out its service.
• Lola.com:The deck corporate-travel service Lola.com used to raise $37 million in funds
• OpenFin:The deck that hot Wall Street startup OpenFin used to raise $17 million from Barclays and Wells Fargo
• Trumid:The deck Trumid, a Wall Street trading startup backed by George Soros and Peter Thiel, used to raise $53 million

Series D

• Carta:The investor deck that $800 million startup Carta used to raise $150 million in venture capital
• SmartRecruiters:Recruiting-software startup SmartRecruiters raised $50 million at a valuation above $300 million. See the deck that sold Insight Ventures on leading the startup's Series D.

Series E

• Cloudian:The deck that helped an enterprise storage company raise a $94 million round of Series E funding

SEE ALSO: The first-time founder's ultimate guide to pitching a VC

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: All the ways Amazon is taking over your house

• General Electric used to be a byword for American innovation until a few years ago.
• Its 127-year history was marked by revolutionary technologies, immense profit, and now, alleged fraud.
• Here's a look back at GE, a manufacturing company that became one of the biggest on Earth, but not without immense setbacks.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Ever since it was formed in 1892, GE has been a byword for American innovation — that is, until a few years ago. 

GE hasn't just gone through a tough period. It's had a steady decline, caused by corporate turmoil, the 2008 financial crisis, falling market value, and bad subsidiary purchases. To top it off, last Thursday GE was accused of covering up $38 billion by Harry Markopolos, an accounting expert who was one of the first whistleblowers of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme.

But in its heyday (which was most of its 127 years in business), GE was an example for businesses across America. It was one of the original 12 members of the Dow Jones industrial average— and the longest-standing. GE scientists and engineers invented or perfected light bulbs, X-rays, refrigerators, television, commercial jet engines, nuclear power plants, and so much more. GE's legendary CEO, Jack Welch, defined corporate culture in the 1980s. His successors, Jeffrey Immelt, John Flannery, and Larry Culp saw the company fall from grace.

Here's the story of GE, from manufacturer to global conglomerate to fallen giant.

SEE ALSO: Who is Harry Markopolos? The famed Madoff whistleblower has likely already made millions after publishing a report accusing General Electric of fraud

1889-1892: Edison General Electric

In 1879, inventor Thomas Edison patented the incandescent light bulb after his laboratory tested 3,000 designs over two years. 

By 1889, Thomas Edison had formed Edison General Electric from a handful of electricity companies he'd been operating. Three years later, The General Electric Company was formed after a merger with Thomson-Houston Electric Company, led by businessman Charles Coffin.

1896: The Dow Jones industrial average

Just four years after its formation, General Electric became one of the original 12 companies to be a part of the Dow Jones industrial average, which was created to measure the value of industrial companies.

Every other company was eventually removed from the Dow, except for GE, which was included, on and off, for most of its existence. That changed in June 2018, when it was replaced by Walgreens Boots Alliance as one of the present-day 30 companies included.

1896-1981: New technologies

Over the decades, GE spent much of its time developing new technologies, ranging from home appliances to commercial jet engines. Many of its innovations resulted from merging with smaller companies to gain access to their inventions.

Whatever GE didn't invent, however, it perfected. As the New York Times reports, GE's accomplishments include the following:

• In 1906, a Swedish engineer invented voice radio. Before that, the closest thing people had to it was telegraphs transmitted via the dots and dashes of Morse code. 
• In 1922, GE began making electric home appliances, such as the first electric stoves, washing machines, and refrigerators.
• In 1927, GE developed the first television. 
• In the 1930s, moldable plastic was developed, revolutionizing mass-manufacturing.
• In 1941, GE built the first American jet engine. 
• In 1957, GE opened the first nuclear power plant near Pittsburgh, which stayed open until 1982.

1981-2001: GE under Jack Welch

By the time GE's best-known CEO, Jack Welch, took over in 1981, the company had been heavily investing in smaller businesses. Welch had a no-nonsense approach to profit, so he ordered that any GE business that wasn't leading in its market should be fixed, sold, or closed. In his first two years as CEO, 71 businesses were sold.

But GE didn't just sell off companies — it bought them, too. One of its biggest acquisitions was radio company RCA in 1986, which owned TV network NBC. 

Welch didn't think of GE as merely a manufacturing company — he thought of it as a "boundary-less" business. By the time he stepped down in 2001, GE had grown from a $25 billion to a nearly $130 billion behemoth.

2001-2017: GE's next CEO, Jeffrey Immelt

After Jack Welch's 20-year tenure came GE's next CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, in 2001. For all the positive things GE employees and analysts have said about Welch, just as many accusations have been hurled at his successor. 

Immelt was hand-picked by Welch, who publicly praised Immelt when he stepped down in August 2017. In a statement released to CNBC, Welch said, "Jeff brought his best every day for 16 years. I wish him the very best in the many good years ahead."

Welch later admitted to other GE executives that the choice was one of his biggest mistakes, according to Fox Business.

A lot happened during Immelt's 16 years running GE. The 2008 financial crisis dealt a huge blow to the company: Its stock fell 42% in 2008, forcing GE to rethink its operations. It went back to focusing on what it did before Welch took over — manufacturing. It quickly sold off some of its biggest past money-makers, like NBCUniversal, GE Plastics, and GE Water, and GE Appliances. Warren Buffett stepped in and invested $3 billion to keep the company afloat.

For most of his tenure, Immelt had two private jets — one that he used regularly, and one that he kept as a spare, without telling GE's board of directors. The board only found out after the Wall Street Journal reported it in October 2017.

Immelt stepped down with only seven weeks' notice. The day he announced his retirement, June 12, 2017, GE stock went up 4%.

Despite investors' relief at Immelt's departure, GE's stock hasn't reached that height — $28.94 a share— since.

2017-2018: John Flannery's stint as CEO

Jeffrey Immelt was replaced by John Flannery, the head of GE's health care business, who had been with the company for 30 years. He served as CEO for 14 months before being removed in October 2018 by a unanimous vote from the board of directors.

Flannery received an exit package worth $10 million.

The company lost over $100 billion in market value during his tenure.

GE today

GE's most recent blow came when accounting executive Harry Markopolosaccused the company of fraud, covering up $38 million, worth 40% of its market value. In a 170-page report posted online on August 15, Markopolos, alleged that GE had been making fraudulent financial filings to cover up its immense debts.

Markopolos is reportedly working with an undisclosed hedge fund, which is betting that GE share price will drop. 

"This is market manipulation—pure and simple," current GE CEO Larry Culp said in a statement. 

Markapolos said GE was "a bigger fraud than Enron," referring to the failed energy corporation.

• The prestigious title of president of the United States comes with benefits and perks that are just as luxurious.
• US presidents earn a $400,000 salary while in office, but that's not the only financial perk.
• Presidents also have access to a country home, a personal plane, a helicopter, and a post-presidency pension.

• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Presidents get a lot of perks for having the most prestigious title in the US: living in the White House, 24/7 house staff, and a pretty sizable salary.

Yet one perk they don't enjoy? Vacation days. 

"Presidents don't get vacations — they just get a change of scenery," Nancy Reagan once said. 

While presidents can take trips to the golf course or summer homes, they are accompanied by aides, advisors, and heavy security, and work still happens outside the White House.

Read more:These are the top 20 US presidents (and why you won't find Trump on the list)

Aside from having to work on the beach, presidents have several perks that lift a financial burden off their shoulders. 

US law requires the president of the United States to be paid a salary while in office. According to Title 3 of the US code, a president earns a $400,000 salary and is still on government payroll after leaving office. The president is also granted a $50,000 annual expense account, $100,000 nontaxable travel account, and $19,000 for entertainment.

While sitting presidents and former presidents receive several perks that last beyond their time in office, like security and health insurance, wardrobe budgets are not included. Presidents and their families usually do not receive or accept clothing as a "gift" from designers, like celebrities on the red carpet. If a piece is accepted as a gift, it is immediately housed in the National Archives after being worn.

Aside from a prestigious title and global recognition, take a look at the financial perks that come with being the most powerful person in the US (and quite possibly, the world).

SEE ALSO: These are the top 20 US presidents (and why you won't find Trump on the list)

Presidents receive a six-figure salary.

Congress raised the presidential salary from $200,000 to $400,000 in 2001 (plus an extra expense allowance of $50,000 a year). For President Trump, that is a huge decrease from his usual income — he's worth $3.1 billion, according to Forbes.

The president also receives a travel budget of $100,000 and a $19,000 allowance for entertainment. While a presidential salary is taxable, the other bonus benefits are not, according to the US tax code. 

Presidents get to live in the luxurious White House.

The White House has housed US presidents since 1792. The estate has six floors and 132 rooms, including a bowling alley and chocolate store, Business Insider's Mark Abadi previously reported. One of the rooms is a fully equipped fitness center with a tennis court and swimming pool.

Presidents get $100,000 to redecorating the White House.

Presidents and their families are given $100,000 to redecorate the White House to feel more at home. The Obamas did not accept the allowance to redecorate and used their own funds instead, according to Candace Keener on How Stuff Work's podcast "Stuff You Missed In History Class." 

NBC News reported that Trump's administration spent $1.75 million on new furniture, wall coverings, and a desk, though it's unclear if Trump paid out of pocket.

Residents have access to the White House garden's fresh fruits and vegetables.

Michelle Obama started work on the White House garden during her husband's presidency. Melania Trump continued Obama's work and the tradition of hosting school children on the grounds, according to CNN. Today, the garden's fruits and vegetables regularly appear on the White House menu.

On-hand cooks and housekeepers help out around the house.

The White House is also home to nearly 100 permanent residents including maids, cooks, a plumber, a florist, and a head housekeeper, according to GoBankingRates. The upkeep alone costs $4 million a year, according to Jane McGrath on How Stuff Work's podcast "Stuff You Missed in History Class." 

The first family doesn't get all these costs covered, however. According to former first lady Laura Bush, the president is billed at the end of every month for hourly pay for waiters and cleanup crews used for private parties, among other expenses.

Presidents get to watch movies at home.

Franklin Roosevelt converted a room in the White House to a tiered home theater with 51 seats.

The first movie shown during Trump's administration was "Finding Dory." The theater is now open to East Wing tours thanks to Melania Trump's direction in 2017, according to a statement released by the White House. 

The president also has access to a country home in Maryland.

If a president wants a break from one fancy address, he can go to another. Camp David is located in the Catoctin Mountain Park in Frederick County, Maryland. The country home is fully equipped with a gym, swimming pool, and aircraft hangar. It has been the presidential retreat since the 1930s.

The president has full access to Air Force One.

The customized Boeing 747-200B reserved for the president is highly sophisticated. The plane has 4,000 square feet of space, a medical operating room, private quarters for the president, and the capacity to feed 100 people at a time. CNN reported that it costs about $200,000 an hour to operate Air Force One. 

The president also has access to the smaller helicopter, Marine One.

Marine One follows the president wherever he goes. It can operate rescue missions and cruise at more than 150 miles per hour even if one engine fails. It is also armed with anti-missile systems and ballistic armor, Business Insider reported.

The president is fully protected at all times, even into retirement.

Secret service is always near the president, but protection doesn't end after a president leaves the White House. Retired presidents receive the perk for life and their children are protected until the age of 16. In 2017, the secret service's budget was $1.9 billion, according to Homeland Security.

The president rides around in a fleet of armored cars, called 'The Beasts.'

Whenever the president travels by car, he travels in bullet- and bomb-proof luxury. The Beasts, as they're known, are a fleet of cars designed and constantly watched by the Secret Service. The cars are built for targeted attacks — but they won't win a street race. They weigh as much as a tank and only get 5 miles per gallon, according to GoBankingRates. 

A 60,000-square-foot guest house

Being the guest of the president has its perks too, including an entire guest house to yourself. Blair House accommodates heads of state and other dignitaries when visiting the US, Business Insider previously reported. The home includes four townhouses with 120 rooms and 18 full-time employees.

Former presidents also get a vacation budget.

Presidential perks last beyond four (or eight) years. The General Services Administration is required to provide a former president enough money to cover travel and business expenses. Congress presented Obama with legislation that would cap that spending at $200,000 per year, but Obama vetoed the bill in 2016, according to the White House.

Presidents get access to premier health insurance.

While serving a term, a White House doctor is always on call and medical staff accompany the president at all times. The White House has its own clinic with exam rooms, medical equipment, and military doctors on staff, according to the LA Times.

If a president serves five or more years of federal service, they receive priority health benefits and use of veterans hospitals. If eligible and interested in partaking, 75% of presidential health care is covered by taxpayers and purchased through the Washington, DC, Obamacare exchange, according to the LA Times. 

Presidents get pretty hefty pensions.

The Former President Act determines how much compensation a president will receive after leaving the White House. In 2016, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton received annual pensions of $205,700. In 2017, Obama received $207,800, according to GoBankingRates. 

While presidential pensions are fixed rates, presidents can ask for additional funds from Congress to cover things like staff salaries and office space, according to MONEY. For example, George W. Bush received $1,098,000 for office space in 2015, the most of any former president that year.

The White House covers the cost to transition from one administration to another.

Transitioning one administration to the next is costly. A president's administration transition costs are covered up to six months after taking office. This includes office space, staff compensation, communication services, and postage associated with transitioning, according to the Center for Presidential Transition. Obama's 2008 transition into office cost about $9.3 million.

Presidents and their immediate family members are honored with a state funeral.

Presidents and their immediate family are American icons and their legacies are preserved after death. When an immediate presidential family member dies, they are honored with a state funeral, which is reserved for heads of state. A state funeral can last for 7 to 10 days and is a three-stage event with full military honors. The presidential family gets a military escort and flyover with a 21-gun salute, according to CBS News.

• Plenty of successful companies have been founded by women, but only a select few have become billion-dollar businesses. 
• Tech companies like Bumble, Eventbrite, and Cisco are all women-led, billion-dollar businesses. 
• Fashion and beauty companies like Glossier, Rent the Runway, and Spanx are also great examples. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In recent years, we've seen an increase in women-owned businesses in the US.

In fact, there are more than 11.6 million American companies owned by women that create $1.7 trillion in sales. But only a fraction of these businesses has gone on to become billion-dollar companies. 

From a dating app to a genetic testing kit, these are the women-owned businesses that skyrocketed straight to the top of their fields, organized by valuation. 

Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss launched Rent the Runway in 2009. Today, the fashion business is valued at $1 billion.

In 2008, Jennifer Hyman got the idea to start a business where women could rent designer clothing after her sister had to buy a $2,000 dress for a wedding. Hyman teamed up with Jennifer Fleiss to start the business, which started modestly on the Harvard campus. In 2009, Rent the Runway was officially launched, allowing women to access designer clothing for less money. 

Ten years later, Rent the Runway is valued at $1 billion and continues to threaten traditional retail stores. 

Dr. Kathy Fields and Dr. Katie Rodan created Proactiv in 1995. Today, the skin treatment company is worth $1 billion.

In 1989, Dr. Katie Rodan was frustrated that she couldn't prescribe an acne treatment to her patients that would treat their whole face — not just the problem area. The following year, she and her friend Dr. Kathy Fields decided to find and sell an over-the-counter acne treatment. In 1995, Proactiv was launched and revolutionized the skincare industry. 

Today, the company has 20 million customers, and Proactiv is valued at $1 billion, according to Forbes. 

In 2002, the two doctors created the Rodan + Fields brand, which focuses on skincare products for older women. 

Whitney Wolfe Herd launched Bumble in 2014, and now the dating app company is worth $1 billion.

Whitney Wolfe Herd started her successful career in dating apps when she was a co-founder and vice president of marketing at Tinder. When she filed a lawsuit against her boss for sexual harassment, she was forced to leave the company. After Tinder, Herd decided to compete against her former employer and create a new dating app. With financial help from Badoo founder Andrey Andreev, Herd created Bumble, which allows women to make the first move after matching. 

Today, Herd continues to be the CEO of Bumble, which is valued at $1 billion and has 35 million users. 

Ellen Latham launched Orangetheory Fitness in 2010, and now the company has reached $1 billion in sales.

Ellen Latham was a physiologist when she opened her first yoga studio. Her customers quickly started to complain that they needed to supplement their yoga workouts with cardio, so she opened "Ellen's Ultimate Workout," which used scientific studies to build a full-body workout. In 2010, Latham turned her unique workout approach into a business with the help of Jerome Kern and David Long. Together, they opened the first Orangetheory Fitness studio in Florida and then slowly expanded throughout the country. 

In 2019, the company reached $1 billion in sales and now has 1,100 studios around the world.

Sara Blakely launched Spanx in 2000, and the shapewear company is now worth $1.1 billion.

When Sara Blakely was getting dressed for a night out in the '90s, she quickly decided to cut the feet out of her pantyhose. Her intuitive design inspired her to start a pantyhose business that was comfortable for women. On nights and weekends, she would work on patenting her design after already working a full day as a door-to-door fax machine salesperson. In 2000, Spanx was officially launched. 

In 2012, Blakely was named the youngest female self-made billionaire, and today, the shapewear company is worth $1 billion.

Emily Weiss started Glossier in 2014 and now the beauty company is valued at $1.2 billion.

While Emily Weiss started as an intern at Teen Vogue (and even made an appearance on "The Hills,") she became known for her blog, Into the Gloss.

The blog focused on beauty products, and it became so popular that she decided to leave her job at Vogue. In 2014, she turned her beauty blog into a company called Glossier, which sells beauty products directly to consumers via Instagram. 

Just five years later, Weiss' Glossier has been valued at $1.2 billion, and she has said she plans to open five retail locations in 2019. 

Anne Wojcicki and Linda Avey started 23andMe in 2015, and the genetic testing company is now worth $2.5 billion.

In 2006, Anne Wojcicki launched 23andMe with the help of Linda Avey and Paul Cusenza. The company was designed to test the likelihood that you will get various diseases, including cancer and even motion sickness. At the time of its launch, the genetic testing kit cost $999. Two years, later Time magazine named it the Invention of the Year. 

Now, the company has been valued at $2.5 billion and has had over 10 million customers. 

Along with her husband, Julia Hartz started Eventbrite in 2006, and now the event planning company is worth $2.8 billion.

In 2006, Julia Hartz and her husband, Kevin, realized it was difficult for regular people to host ticketed events. Together, they launched Eventbrite, which allows consumers to buy tickets to events directly on Eventbrite's website. Soon, the modest company was selling 60,000 tickets to a Black Eyes Peas concert in Central Park. 

Today, the company has grown to cover 3.9 million events worldwide, and the company is now worth $2.8 billion. 

Nichole Mustard helped create CreditKarma in 2008. Now, the finance company is worth $4 billion.

In 2007, Nichole Mustard was asked to join a project with Kenneth Lin and Ryan Graciano. Together, they came up with the idea to create a company where people could access their credit scores for free. In 2008, CreditKarma was officially launched, and two years later, the company had one million members. 

Today, Mustard is the chief revenue officer at CreditKarma, which is now worth $4 billion. The company has given free credit scores to over four billion members. 

Sandy Lerner started Cisco with her husband in 1984, and now the business is worth $248 billion.

Sandy Lerner and her husband, Leonard Bosack, were working at Stanford University in 1981 when they developed a router that could connect computer networks. In 1984, they turned this new technology into a business called Cisco Systems. Throughout the next few decades, the company sold computer routers to several companies. Eventually, Lerner and Bosack left the company, but the business continued to grow and become profitable.

Today, Cisco is valued at $248.3 billion. 

• Read more:
• More women are starting their own businesses — but the reason why obscures a troubling truth about our workforce
• Startups with women founders are on track to see record venture investment in 2019
• Women are now seen as just as competent as men, but less ambitious — and it's a good and bad thing
• 21 organizations that are fighting for women's rights in the US and abroad

• Ninety percent of startups fail. It's a fact of startup life. 
• David Jackson is a founder of one of those failed startups. He cofounded Roost, "basically Uber for lawn care," in 2013.
• While the startup was getting positive feedback and seemed to be growing, it wasn't making any profit. After a year, the cofounders shut down Roost. Now they run FullStack Labs, a thriving software-consulting business.
• Jackson's advice to startup founders is straightforward: fail fast, transition the business early, and consider how high the risk of failure is. 
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

With the startup-failure rate holding steady at around 90%, stories of new companies going belly-up are common. What's less common is finding founders of these failed ventures who are willing to candidly share exactly what went wrong and why.

David Jackson is one entrepreneur who isn't ashamed to admit that his startup — a company called Roost, which he described as "basically Uber for lawn care" — bit the dust despite the best efforts from him and his business partner to keep it alive.

The pair launched Roost in 2013 with the starry eyes of every tech cofounder — with high hopes for its success. Jackson explained how everything started out smoothly and showed initial signs of growth: "Homeowners came to our website, measured out their property on Google Maps, selected a weekly or biweekly plan, and submitted their payment information," he said. "We then partnered with lawn-care professionals who would provide the recurring service to the homeowner. After each visit, we'd charge the homeowner's credit card and allow the homeowner to leave feedback for the landscaper." 

Read more: One email put a 24-year old on a path from intern to COO in six months. Here's the exact text he used.

At the company's peak, Jackson and his partner were processing several hundred jobs per month, receiving positive feedback from homeowners and landscapers alike who were involved with the service. Despite these early indicators, the company wasn't making any profit, and the model required significantly more customer service than Jackson had anticipated.

"Roost worked well for a while," Jackson said. "But when something went wrong, the homeowners would call us directly and want us to fix it, as opposed to calling the landscape company." As the startup grew, customer service began absorbing more and more of the cofounders' time and resources, eliminating whatever small profit margin they might have made. "Lawn care is a commodity service, and buyers are very price-sensitive, so we had a hard time raising prices to try and offset the cost," Jackson said. 

After a year of trying to make it work, they called it quits and shuttered the business. Though Roost wasn't Jackson's first startup, he felt discouraged about the outcome. "It was pretty disheartening to shut down Roost, especially since we had strong initial traction and positive feedback from customers and service providers, and decent revenue," Jackson said. "But I was convinced that the business model just wouldn't work in the long run, which made the decision easier."

Pivoting to a new venture

The cofounders had bills to pay, so they needed to think fast. They pivoted their efforts toward software consulting, which Jackson considered "an easy place to turn." The gearshift turned out to be a smart decision, as their consulting business ultimately evolved into FullStack Labs, which launched the same year as Roost and has become a huge success. The company generates several million dollars in annual revenue, with offices now in California, Washington, DC, and Colombia. 

Read more: The best way to teach yourself to code and land a six-figure job, from 5 people who've done it

"When we originally started FullStack, we had no idea it would grow as quickly as it has," Jackson said. "We thought that best-case scenario, maybe we could build a small five- or 10-person consulting firm." But they far exceeded that original vision. In the five years since they launched FullStack, the company has grown to 60-plus employees, with continued expansion projected in the future. The firm has also been able to grow profitably without taking on outside investment.

Jackson attributes the successful bounce back to a compatible dynamic with his cofounder. "My business management and sales experience combined with my business partner's technical experience gave us a competitive advantage in the consulting marketplace," Jackson said. "We were able to divide and conquer between delivering projects and focusing on sales, and the business just took off." 

Since Jackson has experienced both sides of the entrepreneurial coin and has emerged relatively unscathed from a failed venture, his advice to other entrepreneurs hoping to beat the one in 10 odds and launch a successful startup has special meaning. First, he suggests that founders don't waste too much time trying to make lemonade from an obvious lemon. "Fail fast," Jackson said. "Your time is precious, and you can't afford to invest several years into a business that's not going to make it." 

Read more: Here's exactly what it takes to get accepted into Harvard Business School, according to 5 grads and the managing director of admissions

Jackson also recommends that if you're going to change course, do so early — even if it means transitioning to an entirely new business model. "If you try enough business models, eventually you'll find one that works," he said. 

His final tip: think about whether the business that you're proposing has a high chance of failure. "Established business models (like software consulting) are much easier to make successful than new products and services that don't currently exist in the marketplace," Jackson said. "There's more upside if you can create something brand new, but the chances of failure are much higher. So don't be afraid to pivot to an established business model in the event your moonshot business model didn't work."

SEE ALSO: The ultimate guide to nailing a sales pitch that closes the deal every time

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Stewart Butterfield, co-founder of Slack and Flickr, says 2 beliefs have brought him the greatest success in life

• The founders of a cult London shoe brand say there are 3 styles of shoe both men and women should own.
• For men, it's crucial to have a pair of loafers, slip-on sneakers, and Chelsea boots, according to Allan Baudoin of Baudoin & Lange.
• Meanwhile, he thinks women should invest in ankle boots, high heels, and, of course, loafers again.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you have a steady income, there are plenty of investment items worth splurging on that will last a lifetime.

Shoes are no different, according to two fashion experts.

Business Insider spoke to Bo van Langeveld and Allan Baudoin, the founders of cult London loafer brand Baudoin & Lange who have some pretty strong opinions on good (and bad) fashion.

Read more:15 things everyone should splurge on that will last a lifetime

The duo previously told Business Insider that "overdressing" is the absolute worst thing anyone can do.

They also believe there are 3 specific styles of shoe that both men and women should own to make their wardrobe as versatile — and long-lasting — as possible.

Men

Loafers

Perhaps unsurprisingly as the cofounder of a loafer brand, Baudoin said that "a comfortable pair of elegant loafers, in dark brown or black suede" is a must. He added that tassels are great for a more classic look, while plain loafers look more modern.

"Quality and comfort are the two key factors to consider when purchasing a pair of loafers," he said. "Are the loafers lined? Are they well-heeled? Is the material supple and soft? Will they require breaking in time? How do they feel?"

"There are multiple different things to keep in mind, along with your own sense of style, preferences and of course, your wardrobe."

Slip-on sneakers

Baudoin believes in going uber-casual, too, and recommends a pair of "comfortable, smart-casual suede and rubber sole slip-on sneakers."

"I would advise men to always approach how they dress for the day or the evening by thinking who they will encounter on their outing, in which environment, and how these people will likely be dressed," he added. "On some occasions, a smart-casual sneaker is perfectly suitable and appropriate, so long as there is no compromise on overall style."

Chelsea boots

The final pair that every man should own? "Chelsea boots in a very dark burgundy akin to dark brown," according to Baudoin. "These pair very well with a casual pair of selvedge denim jeans for everyday wear."

Women

Ankle boots

Baudoin thinks a pair of "ankle boots with a mid-high heel" is perfect "for everyday use and all-day walking."

"These would pair perfectly with denim and a white linen shirt," he added. 

Loafers

And, of course, a pair of loafers, too — "soft leather slip-on loafers, preferably some that can be collapsed like ballerinas and stored in a handbag."

Van Langeveld agreed. "In my opinion, a pair of classic black loafers is a key investment piece for any man or woman's wardrobe. As long as the style is simple and elegant, these can be paired with smarter attire for formal occasions or more casually — they are both versatile and timeless."

High heels

Finally, Baudoin thinks "naked" high heels are crucial for a woman's evening wear repertoire.

"Many women wonder what makes Parisian chic what it is," he added. "It is often about embellishing details in a subtle and natural manner and playing with the limits of nonchalance."

Read more:The founders of a cult shoe brand say men and women both make the same key fashion mistake

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This is the shortest route for a road trip across the US to see 50 national landmarks

• For the first time ever, private equity giant KKR is rolling out a formal analyst program that it will fill with college graduates. 
• Many private equity firms traditionally only hired people after they spent a couple years honing their skills at investment banks. Hiring out of college puts PE head-to-head with banking. 
• PE has been pushing to recruit earlier and earlier to battle fierce competition for young talent, both within the financial sector and from hot areas like tech. 

KKR has jumped into the undergrad recruiting game, joining some other big private equity firms in a race to lock down the best young candidates before they graduate.

The move is noteworthy — private equity firms have traditionally hired people after they spend a couple years honing their skills as analysts at investment banks. But the industry has been pushing to recruit earlier and earlier, and this opens up more select spots for the most talented undergrads to get hired into six-figure PE jobs.

KKR told Business Insider that it is hiring about a dozen full-time analysts straight out of college to start at the 1,200-person firm in 2020.

"We don't want to limit ourselves and that's why we feel it's important to identify multiple avenues to access talent," Bola Osakwe, director of human resources at KKR, told Business Insider. "We feel we are an apprenticeship business and an organization where you learn best on the job."

Overall competition for junior talent across industries is fierce, turbocharged by added competition from tech companies. And as private equity firms have grown into asset management giants, they also increasingly have the resources to build their own training programs and recruit analysts straight from college themselves.

KKR had tested out recruiting analysts straight from college in 2013 and made hires in 2014 and 2015, but it never had a formal program until now.

More than a dozen people Business Insider interviewed over the past month, ranging from hiring executives at private equity firms, to financial industry recruiters and career advisers at business schools, all reported more resources being put toward college recruiting by private equity firms.

That builds on a trend in recent years of private equity firms extending offers for associate-level positions to analysts at investment banks almost as soon as they start work after college, nearly two years ahead of their official start date, business school advisers said. Investment banks meanwhile have pushed back by making special efforts to retain talent, like promoting top analyst performers to the associate level earlier.

"It's really heated up," says Todd Carson, a career adviser at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. "They are identifying top students at Wharton undergrad, for example, and trying to recruit them right away, before letting them go to Goldman Sachs."

KKR said it has reached out to as many as 75 schools through a "variety of tools" to access candidates, though it did not specify how many schools it is visiting on-campus or which ones it has targeted. Starting next summer, analysts will get to work alongside KKR's lines of investment professionals in divisions they selected in their applications, spanning across credit, real estate, infrastructure and private equity. 

Despite the ramped-up college outreach, private equity firms that already were hiring undergrads have not significantly expanded the size of their analyst programs, making them incredibly competitive for applicants.

Blackstone, which has had an analyst program since at least as far back as when its president Jon Gray joined the firm in 1992, has been attracting more undergrad applicants for a small pool of jobs. There, of the 23,991 applications lodged in 2019, only 90 people started as first-year analysts.

Blackstone says applications for its analyst program surged 61 percent between 2018 and 2019, and interest in their analyst program at the college level show no signs of abating for this year's round.

"We are going earlier and wider," says Paige Anderson, head of Human Resources at Blackstone. "We fundamentally believe that if we attract people at a college age and train them, we can develop them into great investors and great leaders in the firm."

Blackstone in 2013 launched a program where women sophomores could spend a couple days at the firm during the academic year and get acquainted with its people. It started another program in 2016 for diversity hires.

Bain Capital, which staffs more than 1,000 people, first started college recruiting a little less than a decade ago — and this year is shaping up to be the busiest recruiting year yet, said Susan Levine, who oversees the firm's hiring in North America.

Bain has already received as many as 450 applications for Bain's 2020 analyst program, quadruple the number of applications as the first year it started college hiring.

By October, Levine and about 15 of Bain's investment professionals will decide who will work as an analyst in North America after graduating next summer.

Despite all the work, there will only be about five or six accepted. As for what it takes to stand out as a candidate?

"We are looking for people to be very well-rounded," Levine said. "We aren't just looking for people who receive perfect grades or 800s on their SATs. In addition to looking at academic achievement, we are looking for people who have been leaders, who have participated in clubs, whether it is dance, sports or other activities. We also gravitate toward people who have done well in their community."

To be sure, many firms in the industry are sticking with the more traditional approach.

The Carlyle Group, for instance, recruits college students only rarely as investment analysts, but does recruit analysts for Washington, D.C.-based fund management and accounting roles. 

For those roles, it holds meet and greets with students at a range of schools, including George Mason, Virginia Tech, Howard University and William & Mary.

The goal is to inform a broader population of people about a possible career in private equity and let them know about Carlyle, which employs more than 1,775 people overall.

"What [we're] trying to do is develop and engage relationships and letting them know there is a potential here in the private equity, alternative asset management world," said James Cheribum, head of talent acquisition at the firm, about the D.C.-area outreach. "A world they don't perhaps know as well compared to the banks."

Smaller firms also appear on college campuses, though their approach is more targeted. For example, Two Six Capital, a firm that seeks co-investments alongside private equity firms, seeks students in data science and engineering clubs at Ivy League schools, as well as Stanford and Berkeley.

Whatever happens, Patrick Curtis, who runs the financial careers website Wall Street Oasis, said that he expects the early recruiting trend to continue to catch on.

"It should start moving more down market," he said.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Jeff Bezos is worth over $160 billion — here's how the world's richest man makes and spends his money

• Signpost offers marketing tools for small and medium-sized businesses.
• Stuart Wall, the startup's founder and CEO, got the idea for it after having a bad experience trying to market his sister's pottery business on Google.
• Signpost helps clients easily build a database of their customers and helps them interact with and solicit reviews from them.
• The company recently raised $52 million in venture funding using the pitch deck below.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

While Stuart Wall was a student at Harvard Business School, he thought he'd help his older sister promote her pottery studio back home in Indiana by buying ads on Google.

The result, he told Business Insider in an interview this week, was a disaster.

"It was super-complicated and a total waste of money," Wall said.

But the marketing effort wasn't a complete loss, at least not for Wall. The experience helped give him an idea for a startup that would help small businesses like his sister's studio with marketing. So he formed Signpost to help such companies find new customers and retain the ones they already have.

While big corporations often have sizeable sales and marketing departments, such tasks often fall to the business owner — or to no one at all — in small companies. Many such companies simply don't have the people or resources to keep close track of or market to their customers, Wall said. Nor have there been a lot of marketing or customer retention tools designed for such companies; Salesforce and services like it generally target much larger corporations.

That's where Signpost fits in. Its service is designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses. The New York company has crafted its system so that new clients can join easily — within five minutes, Wall said. Signpost creates a database of their customers from existing contact information the companies already have on file, from the phone and email interactions they have with customers, and from transaction data. It then uses that information to send messages to those customers, soliciting feedback from them after purchases and asking them to post reviews or refer the companies to their friends.

Signpost focuses on helping customers improve their ratings

A big part of Signpost's offering is designed to help small businesses improve their ratings on sites such as Yelp, Google, and Facebook, said Wall, the startup's founder and CEO.

People don't often leave reviews of businesses unless they're particularly motivated to do so — they had awful or extraordinarily good experience; they're family members or friends with the owner; or they own a rival business. In part, that's because it can be difficult. The customer has to seek out a review site and then find the business on the site. But Signpost has found that consumers are much more likely to leave a review if it makes the process easier for them.

The company starts by soliciting feedback from consumers soon after their purchases or interactions with its small business clients. If they've had a good experience, it sends them a link to a review site that allows them, when they click on it, to immediately post their comments. 

If the process of leaving a review is made that simple, "it's remarkable .... how many people will take the time to leave that feedback," Wall said.

On the flip side, Signpost tries to head off customers from leaving negative reviews on such sites. When customers respond to the initial feedback email by saying they've had bad experiences, Signpost directs them back to the companies with which they interacted, so that the business owners can try to address what went wrong in private before the consumers post negative reviews.

"It's our belief that in a lot of cases when someone has a bad experience, they want someone to hear them, they want their voice to be heard," Wall said. "We'll detect negativity before it manifests itself online," he continued, "and we give the business owner an opportunity to fix it and improve their business."

Ratings offer a better return than Google ads, Wall said

Signpost has focused on ratings and reviews, because it's found that small businesses see a much better return on their investment in terms of attracting and retaining customers when they make an effort to improve them instead of investing in ads on Google, he said. In fact, improving such ratings helps make Google ads more effective, he said. Customers can get turned off if they search for a business and see that it has bad ratings.

Reviews and ratings and soliciting customer feedback is "table-stakes marketing," he said. "You need to have good reviews online," he continued. "That's becoming the dominant mechanism that people [use to] find you."

Founded in 2010, Signpost has accumulated a massive database of consumers — some 70 million. It doesn't allow clients to view or market to their competitors' customers, Wall said. But they can benefit from that huge trove in other ways. A business may only have a customer's name from a transaction. But if that person is in Signpost's database, the business might be able to gain access to the customer's email address or phone number and use that information to send the customer follow-up marketing messages or offers.

The company, which offers its service throughout the US, has found a ready audience. It now has more than 10,000 business clients overall and has found particular traction among services business, such as real-brokers, contractors, and fitness centers, Wall said.

Also read: This VC firm managing $500 million in assets tries to invest in as few companies as possible. And it only wants startups with management teams looking for help.

Signpost charges customers between $200 and $400 a month per location for its service, depending on the number of features they choose. In the first quarter, the company hit break even on a cash flow basis, and its core business was growing at a 43% annual rate, Wall said.

The company, which now has about 200 people, could get even bigger soon. Last month, it raised $52 million in a late-stage funding round led by High Bar Partners.

Wall plans to use the money to bulk up Signpost's sales team and to establish partnerships with companies such as newspaper publishers that will market its service to their small business customers. It also plans to add staff to its technology and product teams, he said. Wall doesn't think Signpost needs to add a lot of new features to its service, but he hopes to keep improving what it already does.

Attracting, tracking, and retaining customers "is a big problem for local businesses," he said. "I think there's going to be a billion-dollar company that solves that problem in the next five years, and obviously, I want it to be us."

Here's the pitch deck Signpost used to raise its recent funding round:

SEE ALSO: This pitch deck helped a 65-year-old company raise $50 million and show investors why its personality testing service was suddenly growing like a hot startup

Got a tip about venture capital or startups? Contact this reporter via email at twolverton@businessinsider.com, message him on Twitter @troywolv, or send him a secure message through Signal at 415.515.5594. You can also contact Business Insider securely via SecureDrop.

• See more pitch decks:
• This founder's startup developed a super-efficient chip to help self-driving cars 'see' the world around them. Here's the pitch deck it used to raise $25 million to get the chip in production.
• Here's the pitch deck that convinced investors to pour $6 million into a startup trying to take on Slack and Asana despite entering the market years late
• Here's the pitch deck a Montreal startup used to raise $2 million to get the word out about its AI-powered chatbot after funding it themselves for two years
• Here's the pitch deck a German software startup used to raise $10 million to move to San Francisco and take on Oracle

• UBS Investment Bank recently emailed out its second annual reading list to its bankers.
• This year's list revolved around the theme of "change," and includes books ranging from "Charlotte's Web" to a history of a 19th-century naval battle.
• UBS Investment Bank is reportedly considering laying off hundreds of employees, as its heads consider how to deal with a rough first half of 2019.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

UBS Investment Bank recently sent its employees in the Americas a summer reading list, which it then shared with Business Insider. This year's theme is growth through change.

Sam Kendall, head of corporate client solutions for the Americas at UBS and the list's author, said the original compilation was a long list of reads he wanted workers to keep handy when they needed to reflect on changes or transitions. He pared down the list to 10 books, and sent it on August 6.

"When we sent out the list we encouraged people to take their own journey either via other books or venues where they may learn from others about dealing and preparing themselves for change," Kendall told Business Insider.

The list kicks off with a quote often attributed to Charles Darwin: "It's not the strongest or most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change." The University of Cambridge traces the quote to a Louisiana State professor paraphrasing the scientist in 1963.

Self-growth through adaptation is, of course, a timeless theme applicable to any organization. And it's a natural progression from last year's UBS book list, which was focused on leadership, and included libertarians' favorite novel, "Atlas Shrugged." (That list began with a quote attributed to the author and women's rights pioneer Margaret Fuller, "Today a reader; tomorrow a leader," though that one is of dubious origin.)

This year's theme comes at a time when investment banks are struggling with the slowing economy and trade war, leading UBS's peers to announce as many as 30,000 job cuts. Bloomberg reported that UBS's co-heads of investment banking, Piero Novelli and Rob Karofsky, are mulling an overhaul of the business and also considering cutting hundreds of jobs.

Regardless of internal and external changes, Kendall has been big on reading since assuming his role early last year, going so far as to establish a small lending library outside his office. The exec has sought ways to encourage his bankers to embrace innovation and extolled the virtues of being well rounded.

The bookshelves at UBS have three or four copies of each of the books featured in Kendall's email, which we've included in full below.

SEE ALSO: 15 books billionaire Ray Dalio says you should read to understand today's world — and have a fulfilling life

Colleagues,

As I mentioned at the recent townhall, it is vital that we continue to challenge the status quo and drive agility in our thinking and structure. Being open to change and managing towards it is not only an important driver of successful businesses; it can also create opportunities we hadn't even imagined. 

As Darwin said, being able to manage change is the key to survival, but this journey is not one that we take alone or unprepared. Hence, the 2019 CCS Americas Suggested Readings are aimed at helping everyone prepare themselves for the changes ahead, whether they are within our industry or the industries that our clients operate in.  

Change, be it disruption or innovation, isn't a new problem for our age, nor one of technology. As showcased in some of these books, it is something that we as a society have been grappling with for many generations. Many of these titles directly touch on change and several were selected to give you some insight into tools that may be useful in navigating it.

While I hope that many of you will be able to enjoy one of these selections during your summer vacation, reading these books should not be limited to the summer. Learning is a constant journey.

In addition to our suggested readings, I encourage everyone to use the additional resources at your disposal (i.e., TED Talks or simply researching the topic of change on the internet) to continue to explore how to best deal with change, satiate your intellectual curiosity and prepare yourselves for the future - whatever it may be.

Please let me know your feedback and feel free to pass along any additions that should make their way onto our library shelf.

Happy reading!

SJK 

"Breathe In, Cash Out"

By Madeleine Henry

What it's about: This is a story about a Wall Street banking analyst, who plans to quit her job the minute her bonus hits the bank account to follow her real passion of becoming a yoga instructor. Think The Devil Wears Prada meets banking…

Why it's applicable: While it is fiction, it drives us to recognize parts of ourselves and awareness about our industry. The author is much like her protagonist. She too worked at an investment bank and left to follow her dream. The lesson here is to do something you are passionate about.

"Charlotte's Web"

By E.B. White

What it's about: This is a classic children's story about a pig named Wilbur and his friendship with a spider named Charlotte.

Why it's applicable: One of the themes of the book is change: the turning of the seasons, the process of transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Rather than accepting these things as an inevitability, the characters go beyond the limits of change. Even fiction intended for children can teach us valuable lessons around change. Relive your childhood and get a new perspective on change by revisiting this old favorite.

"Duveen: The Story of the Most Spectacular Art Dealer of All Time"

By S.N. Behrman

What it's about: This is the story of Joseph Duveen, considered by many to be one of the most influential art dealers of all time. His successful career was rooted in the simple idea that "Europe has a great deal of art, and America has a great deal of money." Duveen shipped works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Turner, among other great artists. Many remain as the core collections of the United States' most famous museums.

Why it's applicable: Duveen created a whole new marketplace by matching those that had money with those that needed it. His ability to be unconstrained by the rules of the day and to stay close to his clients in America enabled him to build his reputation as the preeminent fine-art dealer. The book illustrates the power of following the money to identify a new market.

"High Financier: The Lives and Time of Siegmund Warburg"

By Niall Ferguson

What it's about: This is a biography of Siegmund Warburg, a member of the prominent Warburg banking family. Along with Henry Grunfeld, he was the co-founder of S.G. Warburg. S.G. Warburg was later acquired by Swiss Banking Corporation in 1995 and ultimately became a part of UBS.

Why it's applicable: Learning about our history, the good and the bad, is an important part of understanding how we got to where we are today. This book doesn't just talk about Warburg the man; it shines a light on how he began his career as an outsider and went on to pioneer mergers and takeover tactics in the UK, as well as to develop the Eurobond Market.

"Seize the Fire: Heroism, Duty and Nelson's Battle of Trafalgar"

By Adam Nicolson

What it's about: It is the story of the Battle of Trafalgar and of Admiral Nelson, who led the British Royal Navy to victory over the Franco-Spanish fleets. The book details not just the battle, it also poses questions about the beliefs, ambitions, and relational dynamics between commanders and their men.

Why it's applicable: Nelson died in the middle of this battle, and yet the Royal Navy went on to defeat the Franco-Spanish fleets. Using the relatively new tactic of sending his ships to divide the enemy rather than line up parallel to them, his orders to the fleet positioned their ships where they would do most harm. He empowered his commanders to conquer. This book conveys how empowerment and innovation can enable great strategy.

"Serious Creativity: Using the Power of Lateral Thinking to Create New Ideas"

By Edward de Bono 

What it's about: The author Edward de Bono coined the term, "Lateral Thinking." His book describes the process of how the brain works and how you can train your brain to be more creative. 

Why it's applicable: One of the main purposes of creative thinking is to find better ways of doing things. Creative ideas are logical in hindsight, but that doesn't mean that they could have been reached by logic in foresight. Creative thinking doesn't  necessarily mean increased risk - it does mean new insight and new perceptions that require us to open our minds.

"The Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World"

By Anne-Marie Slaughter

What it's about: The world is full of complexity, particularly within foreign policy and business. For example, of the world's 175 largest nation-states and private companies, 112 are corporations. This book asks whether we should move from chessboard-style relationships to looking at the links between individuals. It suggests that we must learn to understand, shape and build on those connections.

Why it's applicable: While this book focuses on foreign policy to evidence the thesis of network theory, it is just as applicable to the business world, as the power of networks is vital to the management of complexity and change.

"The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations"

By Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom

What it's about: The title refers to the biological difference between starfish and spiders. Cut the head off of a spider and it dies. Cut the legs off of a starfish, and the starfish not only survives - it regenerates. So it is with organizations: traditional organizations (spiders) have a rigid hierarchy and top-down leadership. Revolutionary organizations (starfish) rely on the power of relationships.

Why it's applicable: When we think about the change that our clients are experiencing as they move across sectors or are disrupted, we have to be open to new structures - ones that are horizontal or virtual - rather than the traditional vertical org charts.

"The Zero Marginal Cost Society: The Internet of Things (IoT), the Collaborative Commons and the Eclipse of Capitalism"

By Jeremy Rifkin

What it's about: Rifkin describes how the "Internet of Things" is propelling us to an era of nearly free goods and services, precipitating the meteoric rise of a global "Collaborative Commons" and the eclipse of capitalism.

Why it's applicable: The advent of the third industrial revolution, as outlined in the book, points to a world far different from the one we inhabit today. While we can't accurately predict the future, it is possible to at least open our minds to the possibilities of the future.

"Waiting for Godot: A Tragicomedy in Two Acts"

By Samuel Beckett

What it's about: Based on Beckett's translation of the French play En Attendant Godot, the play begins with one of two strange souls who sit under a tree and...wait. They are waiting for Godot. They don't know when he will arrive or what they will do when he gets there, but still they wait. Each day, they say they will stop waiting, but wait they do...

Why it's applicable: Piero Novelli often references this book. It is a great story of two passive observers who are waiting for something to come to them rather than taking action. Spoiler alert: nothing happens. Piero sees much value in this book, and I think you will too. Not only can you read this, you can also see the play!

• Elena Donio helms legal-talent marketplace Axiom, which refers to itself as "the future of law," and previously helped run SAP Concur — yet still encounters sexism.
• Donio makes it her priority to mentor other women and encourage girls to get ahead at work.
• Along with calling out sexism when she sees it, Donio tells women not to say "yes" to everything and to take time away from work if they want to spend it with their families.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Elena Donio is the CEO of a major legal talent company that filed to go public earlier this year.

She has 20 years of experience leading influential tech firms.

And she's sat on the board of companies like Twilio and PayScale.

But no matter her accomplishments or how far the corporate ladder she climbs, there's one thing that unites her with women at all levels in the workplace: Men interrupt her when she tries to speak.

"I was in a meeting relatively recently with an outside party, where I was cut off in mid sentence several times," Donio told Business Insider. "It was a fairy large room, and there were internal and external parties in the room, and there were even more junior Axiom teammates in that room."

"So I had to take a deep breath, and called this individual out, and said, 'If you continue to interrupt me, we're not going to get this meeting done, so you need to stop.'"

Donio's experience being the only women on executive teams motivated her to ensure tech and law become more inclusive for women. While she donates towards girls' coding programs and mentors young women, she said being a role model in her position can help others — like publicly calling out sexism when she sees it.

The importance of mentorship in the C-suite

Getting interrupted — whether on purpose or not — can be commonplace for women in the workplace. In meetings, women will go unnoticed if they don't speak up — but if they are vocal, men perceive them as "rude," studies show. CEOs like Donio face even greater scrutiny, as psychologists found female leaders are viewed as less "likeable" than their male counterparts. 

Sheryl Sandberg has spoken about this interruption "paradox" that can occur during meetings. Men's interruptions often go unnoticed, but when women fight to answer questions, they get chastised. 

While underlying sexism could be keeping women from entering the C-suite, mentorship might be the best way to break the glass ceiling. For instance, 32-year-old CFO Jamie Cohen of ANGI Homeservices recently told Business Insider her key to getting ahead was having a mentor, or "sponsor," at work that advocated for her and helped her up the ranks. 

Donio makes mentoring women a priority by sponsoring coding programs for women, a school for African girls, and donating to female-focused charities. She also aims to mentor young women at Axiom as a leader, which is why she opted to call out the sexism. Donio said many young women even thanked her after the fact for standing up for herself. 

"I think historically in my career, I probably wouldn't have done that," Donio said. "But it's become more important for me to call it out when I see it, because I think all of these people demand that of me."

The CEO has other ways she hopes to serve as a mentor to young women. She often tells women that careers don't follow a "straight line," and encourages them to take time off to focus on their family. Donio herself took a few years off to enjoy the time when her children were young.

"You can go away for a minute, you can come back and that's okay, because over time, as your children get older, a whole bunch of space begins to open up," she said.

Why women need to find leadership roles in industries without visibility

Donio also encourages women not to try and "do everything" — a pressure many women feel, as research finds it's harder for them to say "no" at work. Instead of trying to be a utility player and do everything, Donio encourages women to focus their time on one skill set and become an expert on it. Once they land leadership positions, she says to ask for help from team member so women don't get burned out.

Donio's last piece of advice to women is that if they have the option to be a leader — particularly in a space that's lacking women like law, tech, and finance — they should. That way, not only do more women get their voices heard, they can encourage other young women to follow in their footsteps. 

"If we don't want the vast majority of the decisions made in politics, in science, in consumer products, in the financial world to be made by a single gender, we have to be in," she said.

SEE ALSO: How this 32-year-old became a CFO is a lesson in how mentorship helps break the glass ceiling

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• The middle of summer means trips to the amusement park for many American families.
• According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, amusement parks and arcades employ workers in a variety of occupations.
• Here's what the typical worker in each of those occupations makes annually.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

America is in the middle of summer vacation season — and for many families, that means taking a trip to an amusement park. But how much do the workers who keep the roller coasters moving make?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment Statistics program offers data on employment and wages across different occupations and industries.

According to that report, the amusement parks and arcades industry employed about 206,820 people in May 2018, the most recent period for which data is available. Jobs in the industry tend to be lower-paying than average: The median annual wage in the amusement parks and arcades industry was $23,640, far below the median across all industries of $38,640.

Here are all the occupations with at least 1,000 employees in the amusement parks and arcades industry, ranked from lowest to highest median annual wage, along with the number of people employed in each.

SEE ALSO: 22 high-paying tech jobs for people who love being glued to their computer screens

22. Waiters and waitresses make an annual salary of $19,900.

Total employed in the US: 2,140

What they do, according to O*NET: Waiters and waitresses take orders from customers and serve food and drinks at restaurants or cafes.

21. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers make an annual salary of $20,130.

Total employed in the US: 8,020

What they do, according to O*NET: Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers make sure people are safe in amusement parks, whether they're in the pool or on the slopes.

20. Combined food preparation and serving workers make an annual salary of $20,390.

Total employed in the US: 13,070

What they do, according to O*NET: Combined food preparation and serving workers both prepare and serve food to customers. 

19. Recreation workers make an annual salary of $21,250.

Total employed in the US: 1,900

What they do, according to O*NET: Recreation workers organize and promote activities, including arts and crafts, sports, games, music, and other social activities.

18. Amusement and recreation attendants make an annual salary of $21,640.

Total employed in the US: 51,490

What they do, according to O*NET: Amusement and recreation attendants operate amusement concessions, kiosks, or rides, and maintain amusement park supplies and equipment.

17. Cashiers make an annual salary of $22,390.

Total employed in the US: 10,560

What they do, according to O*NET: Cashiers handle customers' money using cash registers or scanners. 

16. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers make an annual salary of $22,630.

Total employed in the US: 2,430

What they do, according to O*NET: Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers help customers attending events or lining up for rides. 

15. Cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop counter attendants make an annual salary of $22,850.

Total employed in the US: 5,410

What they do, according to O*NET: Counter attendants serve food to customers from counters or steam tables. This job category includes cafe servers, cafeteria workers, and snack bar attendants.

14. Janitors and cleaners make an annual salary of $22,890.

Total employed in the US: 7,010

What they do, according to O*NET: Janitors and cleaners keep buildings clean and orderly using equipment ranging from brooms and mops to carpet cleaners and floor waxers.

13. Tour and travel guides make an annual salary of $22,960.

Total employed in the US: 1,010

What they do, according to O*NET: Tour and travel guides escort people on sightseeing tours, giving facts and explaining their significance. 

12. Retail salespersons make an annual salary of $23,550.

Total employed in the US: 7,080

What they do, according to O*NET: Retail salespersons sell merchandise at kiosks, stalls, or shops.

11. Actors make an annual salary of $24,024.*

Total employed in the US: 1,020

What they do, according to O*NET: Actors in amusement parks dress up as various characters and do impersonations, usually for the amusement of children.

*BLS doesn't include annual figures for this occupation; this annual median was estimated by Business Insider using the hourly median wage provided by BLS.

10. Customer service representatives make an annual salary of $26,100.

Total employed in the US: 2,720

What they do, according to O*NET: Customer service representatives assist customers with questions or complaints, either in person or over the phone.

9. Security guards make an annual salary of $26,800.

Total employed in the US: 5,380

What they do, according to O*NET: Security guards monitor premises to prevent people from breaking the rules.

8. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers make an annual salary of $26,890.

Total employed in the US: 1,560

What they do, according to O*NET: Landscaping and groundskeeping workers take care of lawns, plants, and trees. Their duties include sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, and watering, along with keeping the area free of general trash and debris.

7. Laborers and freight movers make an annual salary of $27,510.

Total employed in the US: 1,350

What they do, according to O*NET: Laborers perform any sort of general labor, including moving freight or boxes.

6. Stock clerks and order fillers make an annual salary of $29,080.

Total employed in the US: 1,010

What they do, according to O*NET: Stock clerks organize shelves and tables of merchandise in stores and stockrooms.

5. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers make an annual salary of $33,170.

Total employed in the US: 1,650

What they do, according to O*NET: First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers coordinate workers to ensure efficient customer service.

4. Maintenance and repair workers make an annual salary of $33,600.

Total employed in the US: 2,720

What they do, according to O*NET: Maintenance and repair workers make sure mechanical equipment is running smoothly. This includes pipe fitting, boiler repairs, welding, carpentry, and other general building repairs.

3. First-line supervisors of personal service workers make an annual salary of $35,110.

Total employed in the US: 4,360

What they do, according to O*NET: First-line supervisors of personal service workers coordinate personal service workers like make-up artists, caddies, or maids.

2. All other managers not otherwise categorized make an annual salary of $72,240.

Total employed in the US: 1,240

What they do, according to O*NET: Managers supervise amusement park employees in general.

1. General and Operations Managers make an annual salary of $76,310.

Total employed in the US: 1,540

What they do, according to O*NET: General and operations managers oversee other workers in a variety of tasks, whether they're administrative tasks or manual labor.