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Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Goldbelly is the best gift I've ever given my dad — I use it to send treats every Father's Day
Dads are notoriously hard to buy for. Fortunately, we all know the adage: The way to someone's heart is through their stomach. That's especially true for my dad, and I think I've found the perfect gift strategy: treats from Goldbelly. For the past several years, I've been sending both my dad and father-in-law Goldbelly deliveries for Father's Day. It started when my husband and I were living in Kansas and I had to send a gift since I wouldn't be home for Father's Day. Flowers and chocolates aren't really my dad or father-in-law's thing, so I went with a BBQ sampler from local Kansas City restaurant Joe's for each. It was a huge hit with the dads and a fun way to bring a little bit of Kansas to them on the East Coast. Since then, I've used Goldbelly to send Coney Island hot dogs from Detroit (a staple food from my dad's hometown), bagels and lox from Zucker's, and this year — shhh, don't tell my dad — pastrami from 2nd Ave Deli, a restaurant near where we now live in New York City. Each of these foods is rooted in a memory between me and my dad, so it feels special. Goldbelly makes it super easy and reliable to send, and is now my go-to place for dad gifts, especially when I feel stuck on what to get him. What is Goldbelly? Goldbelly is a food delivery service that partners with famous food purveyors and eateries all over the country — like Magnolia Bakery, Lou Malnati's, and Pat LaFrieda — and ships their signature foods nationwide. There are also meal kits and monthly subscriptions for different types of food, like pizza or bagels, as well as subscriptions to foods from different cities. How Goldbelly works Head over to Goldbelly, and you'll find a page filled with pictures of delicious eats from all over the country. You can browse by category of food, what's popular at the moment, iconic shops, or check out one of Goldbelly's curated gift guides. Once you find what you're looking for, it's just like ordering anything else online. There is also an option to add a gift message and recipient information, which makes Goldbelly packages extra giftable. Shipping time and price is dependent on the product and where it's coming from. Review of Goldbelly I've been both the recipient and the giver of many Goldbelly deliveries. And while a few of my coworkers have been able to try Goldbelly for free, I've personally paid for all 11 orders I've placed with Goldbelly. I've even sent items to myself while I was living in Kansas and far from the foods that I loved. Those shipments included Birthday Cake Babka from Jake Cohen, two separate orders of Zucker's NYC Bagels, Hot & Spicy Cheese Bread from Stella's of Madison, and Kringle from O&H Danish Bakery. I think it's safe to say I'm a big fan. The food is quite a bit more expensive than what you'd pay if you were getting it in person — think $3 per New York bagel instead of $1.50 in person — but most of that cost accounts for shipping and handling. When I was living in the food desert that was rural Kansas, it was worth every penny. Don't just take my word for it though. My teammates have tested Goldbelly on several occasions throughout the years; here are their experiences: Remi Rosmarin, reporter:"After visiting a friend in Seattle in July a few years ago, I was looking for the perfect thank-you-for-hosting-me gift. Of course, there are always flowers, candles, and edible arrangements, but nothing felt personal enough for a friend who had gone out of her way to plan a wonderful weekend on the West Coast. As coincidence would have it, I came across Goldbelly the day after I returned. While in Seattle, my friend had mentioned her only real complaint about the city was that there are no good bagels (sorry, Seattle), so I figured, why not send them? I perused Goldbelly's curated guide to " Best Gifts from NYC," knowing there had to be some great bagels inside. I landed on a package from Ess-a-Bagel — a New York institution and a personal favorite — which included enough bagels and fixings for six. The box cost $109.95 for six bagels, a half-pound nova lox, and a half-pound of any type of cream cheese. You can also add more cream cheese, lox, and spreads for an added price. I ordered it on Tuesday morning, and it was delivered to my friend's doorstep the next day on Wednesday afternoon. Even though I was able to test this service for free, it's clear that Goldbelly provides a pretty good value. A typical nova bagel sandwich at Ess-a-Bagel costs $17, but the Goldbelly price isn't much higher, clocking each bagel and lox combo in at just about $18.30. Of course, there is also a delivery fee to consider, and you may get a heavier helping of lox and schmear at Ess-a-Bagel, but that's beside the point. This delivery brought serious smiles to an East Coast transplant who had a hankering from some New York bagels, and for that, I'd definitely gift it again." Jada Wong, former senior editor:"Goldbelly is great when you're missing certain foods or want to deliver a special treat for someone's birthday. It's a delicious and practical gift for yourself or someone else. So far, I've ordered fresh Maine lobster meat for homemade-ish lobster rolls from McLoon's Lobster Shack and deep-dish pizza from Lou Malnati's after canceling a trip during the pandemic, and cupcakes from Carousel Cakes for my dad's birthday. The lobster meat prices were similar to online grocery store prices but with the added benefit that the meat was fresh from Maine. We ordered two pounds of lobster meat, which was enough to make six rolls with generous piles of meat. If you get a 4-pack of deep-dish pizzas at Lou Malnati's through Goldbelly for $130, each one comes out to $32.50 instead of the $25 or so they'd usually cost at the restaurant, but those won't nearly be as expensive as a flight to Chicago or Maine. All the orders arrived safely in padded styrofoam boxes and, in the case of the lobster and pizza, surrounded by ice packs so they were still fresh. There were easy-to-follow prep and cooking instructions for the lobster and deep-dish pizza, and the results were delicious." The bottom line Nowadays, we're comfortable with buying so many items online. If you can buy a mattress and have it delivered to your door, you should be able to do the same with bagels and lobster rolls. Goldbelly has definitely filled a niche for food-lovers everywhere. While there's nothing like eating the real deal in person, Goldbelly can get you pretty darn close.
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What CFOs Can Learn From Consumer Sentiment On The Economy
Klaviyo is a CRM system that collects e-commerce consumer data and helps companies better target audiences. Although it's a bit higher up the ladder of companies that will be impacted by tariffs, the IT provider has been conducting weekly consumer pulse polls to see how shoppers are thinking about spending and the economy. After all, what consumers feel about the economy directly affects Klaviyo's business. 'Because when it comes to earning share of wallet, especially in uncertain times, the brands that win are the ones that truly understand their customers,' Klaviyo Vice President of Insights and Strategy Jake Cohen writes in the introduction. The weekly polls examine different questions around consumer spending. One thing is crystal clear: Impending tariffs are having a big impact on consumer spending, and the picture isn't all that rosy. Since yesterday was Memorial Day, traditionally a big sale weekend for retailers of all stripes, last week's poll asked consumers how they felt about traditional big sales. While the poll didn't capture fewer people planning to shop those sales, it did show consumers nervous about prices and availability going forward. Nearly a third of respondents said they were going to shop Memorial Day sales specifically to take advantage of deals before tariffs take hold. Half said they're planning to start shopping for December holidays much earlier—nearly seven in 10 think there will be inventory shortages later in the year, and close to three-quarters expect price increases at key sales moments. With the on-again, off-again tariff threats still being lobbed at different countries and regions by President Trump, planning for the future is becoming much more difficult. But it's worth noting the way that consumers are also trying to strategize. The near-term financial picture is unpredictable for almost everyone. Klaviyo has its own business and finances to manage, and it's found steady growth through innovation and expansion. I spoke with CFO Amanda Whalen about how the company is developing. An excerpt from our conversation is later in this newsletter. A trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday morning. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images It's been another week of ups and downs for the stock market. Early Thursday morning, President Donald Trump's economic policy package, which he calls the 'big, beautiful bill,' passed the House of Representatives by a razor-thin vote of 215-214. The bill makes the tax cuts initially passed in 2017 during Trump's first term permanent, totaling $5 trillion in cuts. It also increases defense and immigration enforcement spending. To offset the new spending, the bill slashes funds for federal assistance programs, including Medicaid and SNAP. The bill, which is now with the Senate, has opponents on both sides of the aisle. Some decry its cuts to social programs—as well as other Trump-favored conservative policy proposals embedded in its more than 1,000 pages. But others oppose the steep increase in spending, which could add $2.4 trillion to the deficit. Investors are pulling back with alarm—10-year treasuries hit a 5.1% yield, mortgage rates surged to 7.08% and the price of gold climbed toward a record high, writes Forbes senior contributor Peter Cohan. The chill in investor confidence spread to the stock market, but several announcements from Trump about tariffs rattled stocks deeper. Last week, Trump threatened a 25% tariff on Apple unless it starts making iPhones in the U.S. The threat reverberated through Apple's stock price, which fell by more than 3% on Friday, while many analysts said that Trump's request is not feasible given supply chain and manufacturing facility logistics. Trump also declared a 50% tariff on the EU, starting June 1, saying that negotiations were not going well and that the blog was 'very difficult to deal with.' On Monday, Trump announced he was delaying that tariff until July 9, after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X that they had a 'good call' about continuing negotiations. U.S. markets moved upward Tuesday morning, with the Nasdaq posting more than a 2% bump, and the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average seeing more than a 1% rise. The Small Business Administration is making major changes in its loan program to what it says is a push to make the loans safer for the government. Analysts, however, tell Forbes' Brandon Kochkodin that they make it harder for businesses to get the loans in the first place. The changes, which go into effect on June 1, include new citizenship requirements. To qualify for a loan, 100% of the business must be owned by U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or individuals who have held a green card for at least six months. Kochkodin reports that may make things difficult because four out of every 10 U.S. small business owners are foreign-born. Additionally, small business owners who are selling to a new owner are essentially boxed out of retaining an interest—something many do to help ensure a smooth transition. Now, any seller that retains equity in the business must personally guarantee the entire SBA loan for at least two years, which is often a dealbreaker. Billy Long, President Trump's nominee to head the IRS, speaks at his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing last Long, President Trump's nominee to head the IRS, faced tough questions by the Senate Committee on Finance at his confirmation hearing last week, writes Forbes' Kelly Phillips Erb. Long, who served as a member of the House of Representatives for 12 years, has no formal training in tax, law or accounting, and he didn't serve on any committees related to taxation. Long doesn't have a college degree either; most of his career was spent as an auctioneer following his training at the Missouri Auction School, which he's said was the 'Harvard of auctioneering schools.' Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) quipped that Long's experience in taxes came after he left Congress, 'when he dove headlong into the tax scam industry.' Long worked as a business tax credit consultant. He received $65,000 from White River Energy, an Arkansas-based oil and gas company selling so-called 'tribal tax credits,' which the IRS said do not exist. Under law, those who promote nonexistent tax credits could be subject to criminal or civil penalties. A committee vote on Long's nomination has not yet been scheduled. Klaviyo CFO Amanda Whalen. Klaviyo B2C CRM platform Klaviyo has grown exponentially in recent years, bringing together a wide range of data to help consumer businesses target customers and drive their success. The company went public in late 2023, and has been growing steadily, posting 22% year-over-year revenue growth in its most recent quarter. I spoke with Klaviyo CFO Amanda Whalen about how she helps Klaviyo develop and succeed. This conversation has been edited for length, clarity and continuity. What is the finance department's role in helping Klaviyo's platform evolve? Whalen: I'm a big believer that building a world-class finance organization starts with deep business understanding. Business understanding comes from speaking directly to customers, which is why I spend significant time talking to and meeting with customers. The conversations aren't just about numbers. They're about how customers use our product, what drives their success, what's really meaningful to them and, importantly, how do we solve their most important business challenges? Understanding what matters to customers enables us to be real strategic partners, helping to shape decisions on where we make investments in product, how we drive growth investments, how we think about investments that will help our go-to-market teams drive customer value. You mentioned that Klaviyo's cofounders Andrew Bialecki and Ed Hallen prioritize both growth and efficiency. How do you work from the finance department to drive those values? We are really big believers in having a firm understanding of our unit economics. It comes from being a bootstrapped business. It always was important to us to have a rapid cash conversion cycle so that we could invest more in ourselves to grow. We keep a constant look at what investments are working well, where we can double down, where we might need to do more experimentation. And just having a firm understanding of how we continue to invest in places that are going to drive that efficient long-term growth. On the R&D side, we're looking at new products we are building. How do we make the product scalable to serve our customers, not only now but in the future. Since I joined, the revenue of the business has more than doubled. It's all about understanding where the business is headed and then how do we invest capital to back great long-term growth. What kind of advice do you have for other finance professionals? One of my favorites is from someone who I used to work with who said that the strongest finance leaders are like dolphins: You need to be up above the surface of the water, scanning the horizon, thinking strategically, making those investments to drive growth, and diving deep under the surface, understanding the details. My best advice to other finance professionals is to get comfortable not only operating across multiple levels, but switching back and forth between the multiple levels as well. The second is that your success is going to be linked to your ability to develop a fantastic team. A thing that I'm proud of in my career is that I have a high single-digit number of folks who've worked for me who now have gone on to be CFOs in their own companies. I got to learn from some of the best. [Former CFO] Brett Biggs at Walmart was fantastic at that. Carol Tomé, who was at Home Depot and now UPS was amazing at it. Mark Hawkins is a legendary mentor to many of the CFOs in SaaS. It is being conscious not only of how you are developing your own career, but importantly how you are building the careers of the folks who work with you, as well. In an era of new disruptive changes seemingly every day, it's easy for leaders to feel fatigued quickly. There's no way to stop the changes from happening, but a new perspective—one of confidence, faith in the company and emphasizing an ability to adapt—could make it easier on your company. Finding a way to reframe the current situation might be difficult, but AI can help. Here are five ChatGPT prompts that can help the chatbot give you a different perspective and more extensive look at everything your business is doing—and who's there to support you. While there are a lot of controversial aspects in Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' one provision unanimously passed the U.S. Senate as a standalone bill last week. What was it? A. Repealing tax write-offs for professional sports team owners B. No taxes on overtime C. Increasing the child tax credit D. No taxes on tips See if you got the right answer here.
