Latest news with #authenticity
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Forensic scientist pursues Ipswich comic book shop dream
A man who quit his career as a forensic scientist to run a comic book and trading card shop said he had not "looked back" since Smy opened the store in Ipswich town centre which he said had been a lifelong leaving the world of forensics, Mr Smy said he could still use his professional skills to judge the authenticity of cards and spot any stressed comics could offer "real value" to society with the messages they portrayed and recalled how these magazines helped him learn to read growing up. "It's been a dream of mine for years," Mr Smy said. "It was one of those things that sits in the back of your head and you go, 'No, I need to do what's expected of me and do the professional thing and have a career', and I did."Then life happened, and you re-evaluated. I wanted to build something and enjoy it at the same time - I haven't looked back." Mr Smy said originally it had been crime shows that had interested him into a forensics said he had now "repurposed" his skills into to his new career."I still do investigating, finding out the authenticity of a signature, whether cards are real or if they've been faked and unfortunately there are some very good fakes on the market," he continued. "We're talking cards that are potentially worth a couple of hundred or thousand and some of them you cannot tell the difference between the actual and the fakes." Mr Smy felt comics and trading cards could be something for anyone to enjoy, no matter their said they brought joy, while comic book storylines often tackled real-world issues."I originally learnt to read from comics," he added."Some people think they are frivolous and just for fun or they're for kids, but they offer real value to society as well." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Why am I filled with nostalgia for a pre-internet age I never knew?
A video went viral on X a few months ago that I can't stop watching. It's 2003: the band that later becomes MGMT are performing their song Kids to their peers, years before they become a pop sensation, in a dusty quad at Wesleyan University, Connecticut. Social media doesn't exist yet. There is something about the way people look and behave and inhabit the space that tugs at my heartstrings and fills me with nostalgia. No one is dressed that well; the camera zooms unsteadily to capture the crowd's awkwardness, slumped shoulders and arrhythmic bopping. Beyond the footage we're watching, no one seems to be filming. I was only four when the video was filmed, so why does watching it make me feel as if I've lost a whole world? A recent survey suggests I'm not alone – that almost half of young people would prefer a world without the internet. If anything, I expected a higher percentage. This doesn't mean my generation really would like to reverse everything that's happened in the last few decades, but there's clearly something we feel we're missing out on that older people have had, and we attribute it to the internet – or at least to its current form, dominated as it is by social media. What exactly do we think we're missing? Personally, I assume that before the social internet people behaved in more authentic and idiosyncratic ways. Social media has sped up trend cycles, resulting in an eerie uniformity across styles and personalities: we buy the same products, wear the same clothes, act in the same way, reference the same memes – even quirkiness itself or more 'unique' behaviour can be ascribed to trends. I also imagine that if we weren't on display all the time, our friendships and interactions could be less commodified. Now, spending time with friends is material to be documented and then demonstrated to a faceless audience. I'm sure these are rose-tinted assumptions, and I'm conscious too of the things I take for granted about an age of connectivity. Having to trawl through a few measly books and encyclopedias to find anything useful, or growing up in a remote area with little connection to the wider world, surely must have felt both inhibiting and claustrophobic. But it may be that these 'negative' aspects are what young people yearning for disconnectivity actually want – we have a sense that there was a value, now largely lost, in the practical effort required for social interaction, for finding good music, or joining a subculture. Life now in comparison seems streamlined, efficient, more yassified, in a phenomenon that writer Michael Harris calls a 'loss of lack'. Recently, my office manager showed me the technology he and his friends used to 'watch' the football on: Ceefax. The football score would load on a television screen via the changing of a single digit. They would spend the afternoon just sitting on the sofa, waiting for the digit to change (or not). I felt envious of this. Why? If anything, this is clearly a case where an experience has improved exponentially. And yet I'm captivated by the sense of mystery: if they weren't watching the game or reading the updates, what were they doing? What were they occupying their thoughts with? The reality might be that they were bored, another scarce experience in a connected age. At least, if bored, they would have entertained themselves with internal rather than external resources. It doesn't even matter if that was really the case - it is precisely because this experience is unknowable that it is compelling to me. I am haunted by the feeling that spending so much time on our phones has stolen something human and vital from our lives. It is of course true that each era experiences a crisis about the new wave of tech destroying people's souls – when it wasn't the internet, it was TV, or the radio, or the printing press, even papyrus scrolls, and nostalgia is common across every generation. But I don't think any previous generations were ever so down on their own era, in such large numbers, to the point they'd erase its major salient feature. We feel nostalgic for a world that can't be brought back. As Donald Trump said, now 'everything is computer'. Ironically, my nostalgia for a pre-internet age is being fed by the internet itself: the machine constantly feeding me clips of the past, footage of young people operating decades ago where everything seems refreshingly unobserved and carefree. So the very engine of this nostalgia is the thing half of us wish to do away with, despite the fact that it's an incredible resource, that has allowed unparalleled access to older music, knowledge, ways of living – and is also by nature democratic, questioning traditional media outlets on global affairs and challenging convention. If this survey is a canary in the mine, what should we do? Enjoyable as it is, I don't think being misty-eyed about the past is the solution; neither is fetishising a perceived authenticity of the past. 'Authenticity', I think, looks like the power to opt in or out, perform or not, when you want to – in other words: freedom. So when it comes to the internet, if switching off entirely isn't possible any more, then surely the words of MGMT can be useful: control yourself, take only what you need from it. Isabel Brooks is a freelance writer
Entrepreneur
2 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Navigating Sustainable Growth – Lessons in Leadership and Scaling
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. At Brite Payments, we've grown from a small idea with big potential into a high- growth European fintech, a process that has brought with it a lot of lessons. For founders seeking to build something meaningful and enduring, here are five principles that have come to rely on through my entrepreneurial journey. Elevate your leadership with a strategic communication mindset Authenticity in leadership is a critical component in building trust within the workplace – even more so within a scaling business where change can be a constant. However, I believe that authentic leadership can be reinforced through a strategic communications mindset – thinking about and being deliberate in how information is shared, where it is shared, and with whom it is shared. The default setting for many startups is to share everything, everywhere, in the name of transparency. But this can be overwhelming as the business size and complexity increases. Leaders who can blend authenticity with an intentional and consistent communication style can bring a lot of clarity to their business. Strategic communication becomes even more important when operating across borders, where maintaining uniform standards helps prevent fragmentation. For example, ensure you have tightly defined title structures from day one, helping to avoid ambiguity internally. This ensures that whether someone is onboarding in Stockholm, Berlin or Madrid, for example, they're joining a company with a clear and consistent framework. When everyone understands where they sit within the organisation and what's expected at every level, it builds alignment and trust at scale. Hire like a strategist, not a sprinter In the early days of startup life, the pressure to move fast can tempt founders into hiring reactively. But overhiring can cost more than time – it can cost culture, clarity and eventually momentum. I believe that it is highly effective to hire for the most crucial senior positions early, which can help to avoid common mistakes than can become costly and painful to correct further down the line Bringing in experienced leaders and people who have navigated similar journeys also means that experience can "trickle down" and junior team members learn from their managers, helping them grow into more responsibility with greater ease. Prioritising roles that directly impact growth and ensure compliance will be key. Whether it's expanding into new markets or building the product in a way to meet regulatory demands, always be deliberate in identifying which positions are mission-critical and which ones can wait. Just because a role is common within the startup world, doesn't mean it's necessary right now. We are now operating in a second-generation world and fintech, along with tech more generally, is much more mature than it was 10-15 years ago. There now exists a level of domain expertise and knowledge that wasn't there when many of today's tech unicorns were founded. As a result, many roles are more specialised and have a more well-defined skill-set. For employers, there is pressure to stand out in talent markets, such as Stockholm, where well-established companies are fiercely chasing the same talent. Your unique employer proposition – whether it's growth opportunities, team culture or transparency – can also be your competitive edge. Build culture that can withstand growth It's easy to have a strong culture when your team fits around a table, but as companies scale, onboarding new team members across time zones, departments and geographies, culture becomes something that must be deliberately reinforced – not passively maintained. Founders need to bake culture into how they operate, not just how they celebrate. That means investing in performance management processes that scale, defining what high performance actually means in your context and not just in theory. At all levels of the organisation, individuals benefit from having clear growth paths, and culture must support long-term development – not just short-term output. That said, a strong culture is tested not in the good times, but when difficult decisions need to be made. Within a healthy environment, these moments are understood as part of the company's evolution and maturation. While it may be difficult or feel disruptive in the moment, strong culture can help teams to regroup and realign, with greater clarity on what success looks like. Operating across borders definitely adds a layer of complexity. European companies, for example, often span vastly different cultural norms. In Sweden, leadership tends to be consensus-based and non-hierarchical. In Germany, there's often more formality, structure and an expectation of top-down decision-making. Leadership expectations vary across regions, and culture can easily become fragmented without clear internal alignment. Maintaining a collaborative ethos while accommodating these nuances requires leaders to be intentional in how they set standards and communicate expectations. As a company grows, culture becomes a shared responsibility, but it starts at the top. Leaders set the tone. And the right tone can mean the difference between scaling successfully or fracturing under pressure. Stubbornness and adaptability are not mutually exclusive Sustainable growth requires founders to hold their vision tightly, but their methods loosely. While determination is an important quality in any entrepreneur, being too rigid about how to achieve a goal can limit a company's ability to evolve. Adaptability is not a sign of indecision, it's a strategy. In high-growth businesses, pivots in product focus, market positioning or internal structure are often necessary. What may initially feel like a step back, can in hindsight create space for stronger long-term performance. Founders and leaders who stay grounded in their core mission, while remaining flexible in how they get there, are best positioned to navigate change effectively. Striking the right balance between consistency and iteration is especially important when scaling. Encouraging innovation inside the company requires more than just giving people permission to share ideas; it involves designing an environment where creativity is welcomed, and feedback is actionable. However, openness must be matched with structure. Not every idea will be implemented, but every idea should be heard. That balance between inclusivity and decisiveness is what keeps companies fast, without tipping into chaos. Ultimately, the goal is to build a team and culture that knows when to double down and when to rethink the playbook. Leaders must model that behaviour too. And when anchored to a clear purpose, adaptability becomes a competitive advantage and not a compromise. Think beyond the next quarter Chasing short-term growth may generate quick wins, but without long-term direction, it can also damage the engine driving sustainable success. For scale-ups especially, it's not just about hitting quarterly revenue targets; it's about making deliberate decisions about where to invest people, time, and capital for the future. Founders and executive teams need to resist the allure of growth for growth's sake. That means taking the time to define clear long-term objectives and making sure those goals are communicated and understood at every level of the business. Regularly reviewing and adapting long-term plans keeps the organisation aligned and focused, even as the market shifts. Long-term thinking also means building with resilience in mind. Scalable systems, empowered leadership, and flexible processes are needed to navigate the unknown. Whether it's new regulation, sudden macroeconomic changes or rapid market expansion, businesses that plan ahead are better positioned to respond without losing momentum. Sustainable scaling doesn't mean playing it safe but it does require playing the long game. The companies that endure are the ones that build for what's next, not just what's now. The real work of long-term success Sustainable growth is about being intentional and uncomfortable decisions may need to be made at every stage of the journey. For founders, that means continuously evolving your role and your perspective. What worked when you were 10 people won't work at 50, and what worked at 50 won't scale to 200. The fundamentals of scaling a successful business I believe can be encapsulated as follows; lead with clarity, hire with intent, and adapt without compromising your values. The recipe might sound simple, but the complexity lies in doing those things consistently, especially when the pace picks up and the stakes get higher. Founding a company shouldn't just be about chasing an idea. It should be about building the foundations to make that idea real, over and over again as your market, your team and your role all change. That's the real work. And it's what makes this journey worth it.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How The ‘Sinners' Movie Delivered On Authenticity
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: (L-R) Li Jun Li, Jayme Lawson, Hailee Steinfeld, Delroy Lindo, ... More Michael B. Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku, Omar Benson Miller, Ryan Coogler, Miles Caton and Jack O'Connell attend the Warner Bros Pictures "Sinners" New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on April 03, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by) Ryan Coogler's Sinners' movie just crossed another milestone, with domestic box office sales passing the $250 million mark. It is now the third highest-grossing horror movie of all time in the U.S., and the highest grossing original horror movie of all time in North America. The representation the film showcased both on screen with the diversity of actors shown, and behind the screen with the director, cinematographer, and other key talent were a big reason why people, including those from underrepresented and underserved communities went to see the film. I recently saw Sinners' for the first time, and then spent a good amount of time going through a bunch of fan commentaries on TikTok and YouTube. The sheer number of commentaries from a broad diversity of people are a signal at how connected people are to the work and the craft. But one aspect of the discussion around the Sinners' movie that is relevant to marketers comes from how so many people referenced the authenticity of it. Ultimately, people from different communities represented in the film, felt that is was an authentic portrayal of cultural elements of their culture. Consumers are increasingly demanding more authenticity from brands, especially as more of them engage in inclusive marketing. But one study showed that many consumers feel brands struggle to deliver authentic marketing, especially when they are trying to engage consumers from underrepresented and underserved communities. Let's look at how Ryan Coogler, who wrote and directed the film, was able to achieve this noteworthy degree of authenticity, especially for the communities and cultures that are not his own. The main vampire in Sinners' is of Irish descent. I saw one TikTok video that went into great detail to connect the historical tales dating back hundreds of years to what we saw on screen. Another woman of Irish descent talked about how moving it was to hear songs she grew up hearing as part of her culture featured in the film. Other commentary came from the inclusion of Asian characters. Many people who saw the film did not know the history of Chinese settlers in the Mississippi Delta during this time period, nor their relationships to the local communities there. And perhaps the commentary that really reeled me in was about the Choctaw Nation, and although their role in the film was brief, it was full of cultural intelligence and left such a lasting impression on the audience, that enough of them are saying they'd love to see a prequel or spinoff movie just about the tribe and their reputation as vampire hunters. All that nuanced and deep history were woven into the story in a way that showed a deep degree of research, cultural intelligence, and storytelling, so as to not tokenize the communities, but to make them feel seen and as a critical pieces of the story in the film. Each of these cultures' presence were intentional, rather than afterthoughts. Their stories, even though not fully told, had depth and complexity to them. There isn't enough of that in media and marketing for people from underrepresented and underserved communities, which is what made this so refreshing. When speaking on The Director's Cut podcast, Ryan Coogler shared 'we had a lot of consultants on this movie, but I tend to work with a lot of them, but it's all an effort to try to get as much right as we could.' He went on to walk through an extensive list of the types of consultants he engaged for Sinners, including twin consultants, Choctaw consultants, musical cultural consultants, a Chinese cultural consultant, a Mississippi Delta historical consultant, and more. Coogler explained, 'it's all these different aspects to it that we wanted to try to nail.' Fans have mentioned that the details elevated the movie for them and allowed them to connect on a deeper level. Coogler's commitment to getting everything right is one that marketers should aspire to. He worked with consultants who hold and or were experts in identities being represented in film. Working collaboratively with these consultants helped Coogler and his team embrace the inclusive marketing principal of 'nothing about us without us.' Because many marketing and advertising teams are often not representative of the broad diversity reflected as end consumers, teams will often find themselves in a position of working to engage a community that isn't represented by lived experiences on the team. As such, to increase your effectiveness (and reduce the likelihood of making mistakes and causing harm), it is recommended that you seek out talent to collaborate and co-create with you who are part of the communities you want to reach. If you don't have the talent on your team who are experts in and or have lived experiences as a part of the communities you are trying to serve, cultural consultants can go a long way in helping you make your communications authentic. The visual imagery your brand uses tells a story. When done well, the imagery you use can help make the stories you are telling and the messages you communicate feel more authentic. For instance, in the Sinners' movie, there was a scene where the characters were negotiating pricing for a sign for their juke joint. The Chinese shop keepers mentioned that the only paint color they had was red, and that impacted the price. One commenter on social media pointed out the significance of the color red in Chinese culture, and how that color was intentionally used as a symbol for some of the events that took place later in the film. Intentionality in ensuring the elements you choose to incorporate in your visual imagery will give it more meaning to people from underrepresented and underserved communities who get the significance of your choices. Doing so will go a long way toward helping them feel seen by you. When it comes to doing inclusive marketing well, don't reinvent the wheel. Follow best practices that have been proven to work to make more of the people you want to serve feel sesen, supported, and like they belong with you. As you commit to excellence in engaging these communities, you'll quickly find that the more you lean into it, the more they will reward you with their loyalty.
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
‘This Is Me!' – A heartfelt debut novel exploring identity, love, and acceptance in a small Australian town, just in time for Pride Month
COOMBS, Australian Capital Territory, Australia, May 27, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Released in the lead-up to Pride Month this June, 'This Is Me!' (ISBN: 978-1779628541) Book One in the 'Finding Ourselves' series by debut author Aspen Thomas, is a moving and timely novel that delves into self-discovery, authenticity, and resilience in the face of societal pressure. Published by Tellwell Publishing, 'This Is Me!' follows Luke Corbett, a young man returning to his conservative hometown of Gamarra after years living in Canberra. Struggling to reconcile who he is with where he comes from, Luke faces the challenge of living openly in a place that may not be ready to accept him. When a long-lost childhood friend resurfaces, old feelings reawaken and Luke must choose between staying silent or embracing his truth. Part coming-of-age, part quiet revolution, 'This Is Me!' captures the tension of living authentically in a world that often demands conformity. With lyrical prose and vivid character development, Aspen Thomas offers a tender portrayal of love, identity, and courage, deeply rooted in the rural Australian experience. 'I wanted to tell a story that felt real. Growing up gay, autistic, and with ADHD in a small town shaped the way I see the world and how I write. Luke's story is fictional, but the feelings, the fears, the moments of joy, they're very much my own,' said Thomas. As Pride Month approaches, 'This Is Me!' is a timely reminder of the importance of visibility and diverse storytelling. In Australia, nearly 10% of young adults aged 16 to 24 identify as LGBTQ+, reflecting a growing demand for authentic, inclusive stories that reflect real lives. With LGBTQ+ romance literature experiencing a global surge in readership, up more than 700% over five years, 'This Is Me!' stands proudly among a new wave of powerful queer voices shaping contemporary fiction. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ASPEN THOMAS is a science and mathematics educator, avid tennis player, and lifelong storyteller. Raised in the small Riverina town of Goolgowi and now based in Coombs, ACT, Aspen draws inspiration from his rural roots, his experiences as a neurodivergent individual, and his passion for honest, human stories. This Is Me! marks his literary debut and the beginning of the Finding Ourselves series. Learn more: BOOK SUMMARY Title: 'This Is Me!' Series: Finding Ourselves – Book One Author: Aspen Thomas Genre: Fiction / Coming-of-Age / LGBTQ+ PAPERBACK: 9781779628541 HARDCOVER: 9781779628558 EBOOK: 9781779628565 Author Website: Publisher: Tellwell Talent – Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo, and major book retailers. IMAGE LINK FOR MEDIA: NEWS SOURCE: Author Aspen Thomas Keywords: Books and Publishing, debut author Aspen Thomas, Pride Month, fiction, Tellwell Publishing, This Is Me!, LGBTQ+, COOMBS, Australian Capital Territory This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Author Aspen Thomas) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire . Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P126479 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
