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How the son of a McDonald's manager built a franchise company that generates $1 billion in revenue

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Anytime Fitness CEO Chuck Runyon

Anytime Fitness has been called the fastest-growing franchise business ever, zooming to 3,500 clubs by the end of 2016 including 1,000 international locations, all in 14 years.

CEO Chuck Runyon doesn't know for sure if the company's phenomenal growth is an all-time record breaker for the franchise industry, but he does tell Business Insider:

"In 14 years to be in 29 countries on 5 continents is really almost unheard of. I promise you, we will find a way to be the only franchise in history to be on all seven continents. Africa is coming. We have some connections to a base in Antarctica. We will donate the franchise and equipment to a base down there to make it," he says.

The company offers 24/7 health clubs that are all meat and potatoes, with a lot of tech, but very little fluff.

They include personal training, cardio equipment, weights. Instead of live, scheduled classes, they have virtual, customized on-demand classes held in a special room equipped with a large screen. Members can do a yoga, spinning, cardio class whenever they want. (None of these clubs have a pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, racket courts).

But at about $35 a month in most cases, it costs less than the big clubs. Plus, any member can use any of the 3,500 clubs worldwide when they travel, again 24/hours a day.

While Runyon wouldn't release financial details of Anytime Fitness, a private company, he did tell us that across all of its clubs, it is bringing in in "excess of $1 billion a year" this year.

Anytime Fitness AppFor instance, one of his franchisees who owns 30 clubs in on the East Coast is expecting revenue of over $18 million in 2016. And almost $6M of that from is from a new personal training model Anytime Fitness has been piloting, Runyon says.

The app factor

The model is based on an app that combines classic do-it-yourself exercise (workouts with instructional videos), with a real human coach, who texts you, encourages you and monitors your workouts through the app. (Scroll down to see the app.) Anytime Fitness acquired the app, previously called PumpOne about a year ago from its developer, Craig Schlossberg for an undisclosed sum.

Most Anytime Fitness clubs will charge around $20 a month for coaching via the app plus whatever fees the personal trainer typically charges for in-person workouts.

In this way, a personal trainer isn't just about counting your reps as you lift weights during a 1:1 session, but helping you all day long to eat right, stay on track, not skip workouts, meet your short-term and long term goals.

Business Insider tried the app with coach Brad Elliott. It was like texting all day with a friend who's main goal is to make sure you get fit.

"There are plenty of do-it-yourself apps," Runyon says."But the vast majority of people do not have the inner discipline to hold themselves accountable without a personal trainer."

The app "amplifies the relationship of client and trainer, like having a healthy angel on your shoulder. You’re going to eat healthier, get your steps in, get your workout in that day. It’s still tied to a human at your club, who knows you, cares about you and wants to help you see progress," Runyon adds.

From McDonald's to a 40-acre headquarters

Runyon, age 47, grew up of "modest" economic means, he says. His mom was the manager of a McDonald's when he Anytime Fitness headquarterswas a teenager and that's how he learned about the franchise business model.

That same McDonald's is still in business and located about one mile away from his current office, a beautiful 40-acre campus in Woodbury, Minnesota.

"I got my start in the McDonald's franchise system, here I am 30 years later, on the same street but our own franchise, which is growing by leaps and bounds. We’re growing faster than McDonald's right now," he laughs.

A real Horatio Alger story

Neither he nor his business partner David Mortensen finished their college degrees, he says. 

Runyon started working part-time as a salesperson at a fitness club while in college, met Mortensen and, along with a third partner, quit school to start a fitness marketing company.

They traveled around the country doing media-blitz membership drives for health clubs, getting paid by taking a percentage of the new members that signed up.

At one point, they bought a "distressed" full-service fitness club and learned how difficult it was to run it profitably. They discovered that some of the facility's most expensive square footage, like the pool, was also the least used.

That led them to design a club that had all the stuff people used the most, and none of the profit-sucking stuff that no one used. They didn't run it. Instead they launched it as a franchise and sold their first one to someone who worked with them before and believed in them, Runyon said.

Today, they do own 36 of their clubs themselves. But the "first club we owned was franchise No. 30. We sold and opened 29 of these prior to opening our own first club, which is unique in franchising. Normally you'd have a bunch out there and then start to franchise," he says.

A rift in the partnership

Things were clipping along at a fast pace but the three-way partnership was starting to crumble. 

"In this industry, I've learned there are three types of people. There are people who care about lifting weights, who care about lifting money and who care about lifting people," Runyon says.

Anytime Fitness tattooHe says he's been all three types in his career but there came a point where he and Mortensen wanted to "lift people" and the third partner wanted to "lift money."

He "had a different philosophy about how to grow the business. It was all about the ROI," Runyon s recalls.

"I wanted to reinvest in the network, lift the people, help franchisees be successful, help members be successful. We called it Return on Emotional Investment," Runyon says.

For instance, the two of them liked doing partnerships with hard-working employees where they put up the capital for a new club, gave an equity stake to the employee and made the person a co-owner. That's one reason they now own 36 of their own clubs.

In 2009, the partnership hit a boiling point and Runyon and Mortensen decided to buy out the third partner out.

One problem: the world was in the midst of an economic collapse.

"Our network was still doing pretty well because people were trading down to less expensive clubs," he says. "But it was tough to get the loan. So we took out a high interest 16% loan. It was a big chunk of money."

He describes that as a "demarcation" point" where they shifted the focus from mega profits to more investment to help members, franchise owners and trainers. It all worked out, he says.

"Our business is profitable. A great business is like a great host. Make sure everyone else is taken care of and in the end you’ll get what you want, too," he says.

Tattoos and a 71-year-old woman

But more than that, he's happy because members keep telling him these clubs are changing their lives.

For instance, Anytime Fitness became famous for its tattoo phenom. It's a thing for trainers and members who hit various fitness milestones to get tattoos of the company's logo.

"We’ve had 3,000 people get tattoos. This year at our annual conference we’ve had five full-time tattoo artists. They couldn't keep up," he said.

People send him letters with the personal stories telling him why they get the tattoo. Every week, he and the team at headquarters pick one letter and reimburse the person for the tattoo.

71-year-old Anytime Fitness member breaking planking world recordOne of his favorite tattoo stories is of a woman named Betty Lou.

She joined an Anytime Fitness club at age 69. "She was 110 pounds overweight and taking 29 medications a day," he says.

She hired a 26-year-old trainer and over the next two years, Betty Lou lost 110 pounds and got off all but three medications. Then she became a trainer herself.

"But that’s not even the cool part of the story. She finds out she’s pretty good at planking. She goes on to set the world record for planking at 38 minutes. A 71-year-old grandmother! By the way, I can’t do more than 3 minutes," Runyon says, adding that the record has since been broken.

"She comes to the annual conference and gets a tattoo on her lower leg. Guess what she’s doing when she gets a tattoo? She’s planking."

Here's a peek at look at the tech used at the Anytime Fitness clubs, and the personal trainer app, available only to members.

SEE ALSO: The 39 best small tech companies to work for, according to employees

SEE ALSO: A peek into women's bedrooms in 2016

The local Anytime Fitness club I attended in Fort Collins has plenty of standard workout equipment.



Its secret sauce is that instead of taking pre-scheduled classes, you can use this virtual workout room with spin bikes and equipment and take an on-demand class. Chris Cattolica, co-owner of Anytime Fitness Fort Collins, shows off the virtual class training room and the black class kiosk (far left).



Here's a closer look at the screen. There are hundreds of possible classes you can take, 24/7, on your schedule. whenever the room is available.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The world's tallest luxury building can't get its superrich buyers to pay full price

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432 Park Avenue

Renters and buyers across Manhattan are revolting against rising prices.

Bloomberg's Oshrat Carmiel reported on Tuesday that 432 Park Ave., the slim skyscraper that's the tallest residential building in the world, has sold units this year for an average of 10% less than the original listing price.

The top-floor penthouse overlooking Central Park closed for $87.7 million, 8% less than the listing price, Bloomberg reported.

There are too many luxury buildings in New York, and more are being constructed, which has meant high-end buyers and renters have more options and bargaining power. Meanwhile, owners have to offer more concessions to fend off their competition.

"New York City's rental market has been mostly steady, except at the high end, where the inventory has risen and rents have drifted down," the Federal Reserve said in its most recent Beige Book, based on comments from its contacts in New York.

The Fed added that landlord concessions, from price cuts to free rent, were "increasingly prevalent" in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Jonathan Miller, president of the appraiser Miller Samuel, told Bloomberg that the 432 Park Ave. developer is likely covering for buyers' taxes because sales prices usually end in odd, unrounded numbers, suggesting subtractions were made.

Head to Bloomberg for the full story »

SEE ALSO: The Fed confirmed some of the most troubling trends in Manhattan real estate

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A 58-story luxury apartment in San Francisco is sinking and people aren't sure why

Stunning photos of the Brooklyn neighborhood that puts on the best Christmas-light display in America

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Dyker Heights Christmas Lights 8

The suburban Brooklyn neighborhood of Dyker Heights is a quiet and friendly area year-round – that is, until the holidays start. That's when the neighborhood is flooded with thousands of Christmas-light peepers anxious to see the area's famed displays. Countless homes in the neighborhood take part, putting up dazzling and awe-inspiring feats of festivity, and likely producing similarly awe-inspiring electric bills.

I took a trip to Dyker Heights to see the hyped "Dyker Lights" for myself. Keep scrolling to see some lights that would make Clark Griswold die from envy.

SEE ALSO: This New York City restaurant spends more than $60,000 a year getting ready for Christmas — take a look inside

Dyker Heights is a good half-hour drive from downtown Manhattan, and about an hour away on the subway. Luckily, there are Dyker Lights tour buses that will take you there hassle-free — for a price.



You can see most of the best displays between 11th and 13th Avenues around 81st through 86th Streets.



Some of the homes put up stately, elegant arrangements.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Almost every US president since the 1950s has received this watch at inauguration — and Trump may be the last

Here are all of the properties that are branded with the Trump name

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trump tower

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Twitter at the end of November that he would be leaving his business "in total" to "fully focus on running the country." He added that legal documents were being drafted that would remove him "completely" from business operations.

Trump's business empire and the conflicts of interest it could pose have been scrutinized throughout the future administration's transition. Earlier, Trump had said that the operations of his business would be passed on to his children in what he called a "blind trust," even though that constitutes an independent manager who typically is not someone as closely tied to the holder as his or her children.

But what does the Trump Organization actually do? The answer to that question — similar to inquiries about the president-elect's income and net worth— is quite complex. According to a recent analysis by the Wall Street Journal, "Roughly half — at least $304 million — of the revenue Mr. Trump reported in a federal financial disclosure form earlier this year came from assets held in 96 different LLCs."

That financial disclosure form is 104 pages long.

The Trump Organization includes a portfolio of real estate, hotels, and golf courses, as well as investments in clothing and other products. The company does not own most of these properties outright. Though many buildings around the world have been branded with the Trump name, many were not actually built by the Trump Organization and are instead a result of licensing agreements made with other development companies. The companies that take part in this kind of deal typically pay a fee for the use of the Trump name in the development and management of a property. 

While the perceived strength of the Trump brand dipped and spiked at various points of the election season, this licensing of the family name is a large part of what the Trump Organization does.

BI Graphics Trump property map

Many Trump-branded residential properties — like the condominium portions of the Trump Towers in Chicago and New York, for example — are now controlled by unit owners. Some Trump properties are owned in partnership with other management companies. And in some cases, including the president-elect's home of Trump Tower, Trump does not actually own the land the buildings are situated on.

As for the organization's commercial interests, Trump has a 30% stake in two properties — 1290 Avenue of the Americas in New York and 555 California Street in San Francisco — through a partnership with Vornado Realty Trust. He also owns 40 Wall Street in New York's Financial District and the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

Here, we've rounded up all of the Trump-branded properties and their locations around the world. We've also noted which properties were developed as part of a licensing arrangement.

SEE ALSO: Trump's proposed tariff could cause a major problem for Ivanka's $100 million business







See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A nutrition expert reveals the actual health benefits of the trendy health drink kombucha

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Have you heard of the trendy beverage called kombucha? You may have seen it in your local grocery store claiming that it's a miracle drink. Before you add it to your diet, here are a few things you should know.

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The 20 best smartphones in the world

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Google Pixel

I've shaken things up at the very top of this list this month, and I no longer consider the iPhone 7 series the top smartphone you can buy.

In its place is a phone that I thoroughly enjoyed using and which highlights the iPhone 7's lacking features.

Here's our list of the best smartphones you can buy.

Note: Prices may vary depending on the retailer.

SEE ALSO: 8 reasons Google's Pixel is better than the iPhone

DON'T MISS: These are the smartphones with the best signal strength

20. BlackBerry Passport

The BlackBerry Passport may look strange, but a lot of BlackBerry fans seem to love it. It has a really nice physical keyboard, but the key feature is its unique square design.

Price: $200



19. BlackBerry Classic

If you were a BlackBerry fan in the company's heyday, you're going to love the BlackBerry Classic. It looks similar to older BlackBerry models, but features a sharp touch-screen and an excellent physical keyboard.

Price: $362.50



18. BlackBerry Priv

The BlackBerry Priv is a huge departure for BlackBerry. Instead of running BlackBerry's own operating system, the Priv runs Android. While it may look like a standard Android phone, the Priv has a slide-out keyboard.

This could be a great device for those who want a physical keyboard but still want access to Google's apps and services that aren't available on other BlackBerry devices.

Price: $370

Read the BlackBerry Priv review »



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Using Q-tips to clean your ears can do more harm than good

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The 5 biggest winners and losers at the box office in 2016

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finding dory disney

As the year comes to a close, Hollywood looks back with mixed feelings.

Though there were some surprise box-office giants like Disney’s “Zootopia” and Fox’s “Deadpool,” which just added to the predicted success of movies like “Captain America: Civil War” and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (not to mention the huge coin “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” will get soon), the industry also had numerous failures in its sequels (“Independence Day: Resurgence,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”) and reboots (“Ben-Hur,” “Ghostbusters”).

And though there have been record-setting box-office openings this year, ticket sales are down as many are staying home to watch what’s on TV or their streaming services.

Let’s break down what the movie business did right and what it did wrong as we highlight the five winners and losers at the box office in 2016.

SEE ALSO: The tightest race at the 2017 Oscars is best actress — here's who could win

WINNER: Disney

The biggest winner of the year by far is the house Walt built. In early December, Disney surpassed the industry record for biggest domestic box office in a year, earning $2.49 billion (Universal previously held the record for the $2.45 billion it made domestically last year). And the studio could earn close to $7 billion worldwide by the end of the year (if all goes as planned with “Rogue One”), which would break another industry record.

Basically almost everything Disney released this year did as expected or better. “Zootopia” ($1.02 billion worldwide) and “The Jungle Book” ($966.5 million worldwide) earned beyond what anyone imagined. And “Captain America: Civil War” and “Finding Dory” were the biggest domestic earners of 2016

If you went to the movies this year, it was likely for a Disney movie.



LOSER: Sony

The studio had a lot of stumbles this year. Movies with marquee names — like “Money Monster,” starring George Clooney, and “Inferno,” with Tom Hanks — didn’t ignite the box office and its supposed awards contender “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” used a shooting format that only two theaters in the US could show the way it was intended.

But the biggest disappointment was the release of the all-female reboot of “Ghostbusters,” only earning $229 million worldwide on a budget of $144 million. Regardless what the studio did, the people who used the internet to voice their displeasure about the “Ghostbusters” reboot affected its performance.



WINNER: “Deadpool”

Fox rolled the dice by making a movie about an obscure Marvel character whose mouth was sealed shut the last time he was seen onscreen. But its gamble payed off big time.

“Deadpool” is the shocking success of the year as it took in over $782 million worldwide on a $58 million budget. And it was an R movie! This has opened up Fox to make its next Wolverine movie, “Logan,” much more violent (and it likely will receive an R rating, too). And it’s also put the pressure on “Deadpool” star Ryan Reynolds to repeat the box-office success for the sequel, which is stumbling to get off the ground.

But regardless of what may occur, 2016 was the year of Deadpool.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The top 50 video games of all time — RANKED

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Video gamers

It's hard to pick favorites when it comes to video games. As with movies and books, one's preference for video games is deeply personal.

But that didn't stop us from rounding up the top 50 video games of all time.

We did have some parameters, however, when choosing the games: This list includes console video games, spanning from the 1980s to today, and includes only games from more-modern consoles (sorry, Atari fans!). In most instances, we chose an entire franchise or series of games, rather than just one, as our favorite.

We also took into consideration Metacritic scores, user reviews, as well as our own personal experience to choose the games on this list. The good news is that many of these games were either re-released or are still around in some form, whether on eBay, Amazon, or through virtual consoles like that of the Wii U.

50. "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!"

Original release date: October 18, 1987

Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System

Buy it here.

When you think of boxing video games, the first one that comes to mind has to be "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!" Players took on the role of Little Mac, who fought his way up the ranks to beat the big guy, Mike Tyson, at the end. 

The game was re-released in 1990 and billed as just "Punch-Out!!," after Nintendo's license to use Tyson expired. The last battle was replaced by a fictional character, named Mr. Dream. The game was also released for the Wii in 2009.

The game was notoriously hard, however. Not even Tyson can beat himself in the game



49. "Soul Calibur" (franchise)

Original release date: September 9, 1999

Platform: PlayStation, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Buy it here.

The weapon-based fighting game is a standout in the genre. There are six games in the series, which are all set in a fantasy version of the 16th century. There are a ton of characters in the game, all with unique backstories, fighting abilities, and weapons. The franchise has also included characters from other games, like "God of War" and "Assassin's Creed." In "Soul Calibur IV," you could even play as Darth Vader or Yoda from "Star Wars."



48. "Silent Hill" (franchise)

Original release date: January 31, 1999

Platform: PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, XboxXbox 360, Wii, PlayStation Vita

Buy it here.

Unlike so many horror games that try to make you jump out of your seat, Konami's survival horror series has long relied on psychological terrors to keep gamers coming back. Each game of the franchise is set in the foggy, fictitious American town of "Silent Hill," where players are often forced to face monsters that are actually real-world manifestations of the unconscious mind.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

5 tips to decorate your home like a rich person, when your bank account is anything but

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Homepolish

Luxury and richness come at varying price points, and creating a space that feels and looks expensive doesn't always have to be costly.

"Sometimes when working with a limited budget, it's easy to say 'let's play it safe," Homepolish designer Ariel Farmer told Business Insider. "More often than not this route leads to the blah and boring world of beige walls and matching sofas and love seats."

However, says Farmer, "You can just as easily achieve your aspirational home goals through sensible purchases and investing in foundational pieces with high impact."

Below, Farmer shares five tips for decorating your home to feel rich when you're on a budget.

DON'T MISS: HGTV’s Chip and Joanna Gaines choose the opposite of trendy when designing a home

SEE ALSO: 13 things that will trash your home's value

1. Invest in a few primary pieces of furniture

If you're designing a living room, for example, Farmer suggests investing in statement furniture, like the sofa or media console, because as "the largest and most utilized pieces of the room ... it's imperative they be functional and stylish."

Farmer says it's important to "steer away from anything too bulky, rounded or 'of the moment.' The pieces you invest in should be timeless and able to evolve with you."



2. Or try a high-quality accent piece

Furniture doesn't always need to be the big investment, says Farmer, especially if you already own an older or inexpensive piece you want to keep. Buying high-quality accent pieces, like pillows and throw blankets, can elevate the overall look of a room, too.

"Sometimes, that $200 lumbar pillow makes your thrift store find of a lounge chair seem like it was ripped out of the pages of the latest design magazine," she said.

Ultimately"it's more about the mix of high and low and buying the best quality that your budget can allow," Farmer says.



3. Get a good paint job

According to Farmer, "a good paint job goes a long way."

She says it's an "inexpensive way to add drama and glamour to a space," without breaking the bank. "Life is too short to live in a white box (unless it's intentional to the design of course!)."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A simple but effective mental strategy can keep you from overeating this holiday

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Baking Christmas cookies family holidays

So you made the decision to completely overhaul your eating habits — you're cutting your calories, eating fewer carbs, and reducing your fat intake.

Things were going well enough for you during the first few weeks of your new plan to eat better, but then the holiday season arrived, and now you're facing an uphill battle of resisting extra helpings of ham, freshly-baked cookies, and sugary cocktails.

How could you possibly say no to seconds and thirds when it would be a personal affront to Grandma?

Thankfully, Gretchen Rubin, a renowned habit expert and author of "Better Than Before" and "The Happiness Project," offers a simple but effective technique to keep new habits on track: anticipate failure.

This doesn't mean you should accept that you are destined to fail. Instead, it's about anticipating your barriers to success and planning ways to circumvent them.

"Most of the problems that come up with our habits are foreseeable," Rubin told the audience at the Fast Company Innovation Festival. "We know the kinds of things that tend to trip us up and the kinds of interruptions that can happen in our routines, so you can anticipate them."

This method of anticipating failure is often referred to as "if/then planning," and, according to social psychologist Heidi Grant Halvorson, hundreds of studies have shown it to double or even triple your chances for successfully reaching your goals. 

The technique is simple: Recognize your trigger — "If X happens" — and plan a way to circumvent it — "then I will do Y."

Having a plan in place from the beginning eliminates the need to make a decision when temptation rolls around and our willpower might not be at its optimal level.

Rubin provides a useful example of how it could work during the holiday season: "If I go to a holiday party, then I will stand very far away from the buffet table, then I will have one drink and not more drinks, then I will hold a drink in one hand and a napkin in the other so I can't take anything from the hors d'oeuvres tray — whatever you need to do."

SEE ALSO: The 12 best lunch options to keep you productive all day long

DON'T MISS: 27 signs you're burned out at work

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Arianna Huffington destroys the macho 'no sleep' mentality


This luxury travel service will build you a custom temporary hotel anywhere in the world

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Dome tents Uyuni Salt Flats (Bolivia) photographer Stéphane Gautronneau (3)

Your options for picking a vacation destination are typically limited to the places where hotels and other accommodations have already been built. But the London-based luxury travel agency Black Tomato is changing that with a new offering: a service that allows you to make your next vacation spot anywhere in the world.

Called Blink, the highly personalized service provides temporary accommodations and a staff to set it all up and take it all down later. Prices range depending on the location and the length of your stay, but they can go anywhere from $10,964 a person for a three-night vacation in Morocco to $29,600 per person for a four-night trip to Bolivia.

Blink can bring five-star accommodations wherever you want to go, as long as you don't mind sleeping in a luxury tent. Here's how it works.

SEE ALSO: Beautiful National Geographic photos show how Americans in every state spend their downtime

DON'T MISS: This New York City restaurant spends more than $60,000 a year getting ready for Christmas — take a look inside

Blink said in a press release that it can set up its temporary accommodations "anywhere in the world where we can transport the tents and materials."



The travel agency's suggested destinations include the sand bank of the Mekong river in Cambodia, the Chegaga sand dunes of Morocco, and the Uyuni salt flats of Bolivia.



Travelers can choose how they'd like their accommodations to look. There are a few tent options: canvas, dome, bubble, bell, tropical villa, yurt, and lodge.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Take a tour of the $367 million jet that will soon be called Air Force One

17 expert-backed tips for working out through the winter

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winter workout running snow

It's the start of winter and it's just beginning to get cold outside in much the US. For many of us, there's a good chance it'll be dark by the time we leave work every day for the next few months.

And that's depressing enough that it seems like a reason to put off workouts, curl up with a book or some Netflix, and wait until spring to get back into shape.

Unfortunately, nice as that might sound for a moment, it's kind of a terrible plan.

The benefits of exercise don't fade away with the summer sun. If you let your workout routines lapse, you're going to be stuck with weeks or months of recovery work in spring, increasing your injury risk and slowing any progress towards fitness goals.

If anything, winter is perhaps when we could most use the stress-reducing and mental health-improving benefits of exercise. Plus, a good run or bike ride is an excellent way to work off some of those holiday cookies and a way to counteract some of the brain-dulling effects of a few too many holiday cocktails.

With that in mind, we've collected a few tips from John Honerkamp, a coach with the New York Road Runners and former professional runner, and from experts at the American Council on Exercise.

Here's how to get ready to emerge from winter feeling happier and healthier than you would if you took this time off.

Know that it's worth it. Exercise improves mental health, is perhaps the most effective anti-depressant we have, improves your sex life, makes it easier to focus at work, and more. Not only is it "good for you," but you'll feel better too.



Taking a couple months off is a killer. "You’re not going to lose a ton of fitness in a week or two, but three or four weeks, it gets bad," says Honerkamp. You lose fitness pretty quickly if you aren't getting a workout in — there's no way around that. It can take months to even get back to your baseline fitness after that.

Source: Business Insider



Start as soon as you can, especially since December's weather isn't that bad. "It’s important now, because the bad months are January and February." December is the best time to get accustomed to moving around in the cold, since in most places (sorry, Minnesotans), it's still bearable out. Build a routine ASAP.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These are the top 100 books of the year, according to Google (GOOG, GOOGL)

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Albus Harry thumbnail

Harry Potter reigned supreme in 2016. 

The series remains among the most popular books, and the latest edition of the canon, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," nabbed the top spot, according to Google's ranking of the top books of the year.

The books and graphic novels were ranked based on their popularity in the Google Play store. But they weren't necessarily published this year — in fact, Dale Carnegie's "How To Win Friends and Influence People" still made the list, despite being first published in 1936. 

See below are the 100 most popular books of 2016. All the descriptions of the books below are provided by Google.

SEE ALSO: These are the top 50 movies of the year, according to Google

100. Batman vs. Superman: The Greatest Battles

Authors: Geoff Johns, Frank Miller, Scott Snyder, Jeph Loeb, Joe Kelly, and Mark Verheiden

Plot: "The Man of Steel against the Dark Knight! Superman and Batman are usually allies, but when they do have to go toe-to-toe, it’s the ultimate battle of brains versus brawn! Can an ordinary man take down an opponent with the power of a god? Can even superpowers prevail against a tactical genius who is never less than ten steps ahead?"

Download it: Google /Amazon



99. Find Her

Author: Lisa Gardner

Plot: "Flora Dane is a victim. Seven years ago, carefree college student Flora was kidnapped while on spring break. For 472 days, Flora learned just how much one person can endure. 

"Flora Dane is a survivor. Miraculously alive after her ordeal, Flora has spent the past five years reacquainting herself with the rhythms of normal life, working with her FBI victim advocate, Samuel Keynes. She has a mother who’s never stopped loving her, a brother who is scared of the person she’s become, and a bedroom wall covered with photos of other girls who’ve never made it home. 

"Flora Dane is reckless...or is she? When Boston detective D. D. Warren is called to the scene of a crime — a dead man and the bound, naked woman who killed him — she learns that Flora has tangled with three other suspects since her return to society. Is Flora a victim or a vigilante? And with her firsthand knowledge of criminal behavior, could she hold the key to rescuing a missing college student whose abduction has rocked Boston? When Flora herself disappears, D.D. realizes a far more sinister predator is out there. One who’s determined that this time, Flora Dane will never escape. And now it is all up to D.D. Warren to find her."

Download it: Google /Amazon

 



98. The Bazaar of Bad Dreams

Author: Stephen King

Plot: "Since 'Nightshift,' published 35 years ago, Stephen King has dazzled an entire generation of readers with his genius as a prominent writer of short fiction. Now in his latest collection, he once again assembles a generous array of unforgettable, tantalizing tales — including those that, until recently, have never been published in a book (such as the story 'Cookie Jar,' which is exclusive to this edition). There are thrilling connections between these works — themes of mortality, the afterlife, guilt, and what we would do differently if we could see into the future or correct the mistakes of the past. Magnificent, eerie, and utterly compelling, 'The Bazaar of Bad Dreams' is one of Stephen King’s finest gifts to readers everywhere — a master storyteller at his very best."

Download it: Google /Amazon



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

L.L. Bean says it will sell more than 600,000 pairs of its beloved snow boots this year — here's why people are so crazy about them

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Bean Boots

Bean Boot mania, it seems, will not abate any time soon.

This year, however, there is some good news for fans of the unique rubber boot that is celebrated for its weatherproof qualities.

While the popular boot from outdoor retailer L.L. Bean is still sold out in popular sizes until next year, the waitlist is currently about 20,000, the company said. That's down from 50,000 last year and 100,000 the year prior.

L.L. Bean spokesperson Mac MacKeever emphasized that the retail stores are better stocked than the website, and many alternative colors and sizes are still available.

This year, L.L. Bean says they're making 3,000 pairs a day and will surpass 600,000 pairs sold this year — a new record. Over the past year, the factories in Maine that make the boots have been working nearly 24/7 — three shifts, six days a week — in an attempt to meet holiday demand. They've still fallen short despite their best efforts.

"It just keeps coming," L.L. Bean bootstitcher Diane Lavallee told The Boston Globe last year, when the waitlist stretched to 50,000 people. "We feel bad. People are waiting, and we want to please our customers. It's just crazy, and I've never seen it like this before."

Part of the reason for the backlog is the shoe's "it" status, combined with its laborious manufacturing process — which, for many of the boot's components, is still done by hand.

"We realize we could outsource, but that will never happen," McKeever told Bloomberg last year. "The boots have been hand-sewn in Maine by our own skilled boot workers, and they always will be."

As part of its new plan to meet demand, L.L. Bean will be leasing a new factory to complement the existing two, and it will invest in another $1.2 million injection molding machine that forms the rubber bottom of the boot. The company will hire an additional 100 staff to bring the total Bean Boot factory staff to around 600 — double what the staff was just three years ago.

The company's goal is to be able to make 1 million pairs of Bean Boots a year by 2018.

Bean Boots

"They're all over college campuses and high schools," L.L. Bean spokeswoman Carolyn Beem told Boston.com last year. "Without changing anything, they're back in style."

Why are the 100-year-old boots so popular? There are a few reasons:

  • Legacy products are hot right now. Consumers — especially millennials — connect to the product's history and bulletproof track record. The Bean Boot dates back to 1911, when brand founder Leon Leonwood Bean sold his Maine Hunting Shoe, which the Bean Boot descended from.
  • A slightly goofy aesthetic is back in style. The all-American boots fall into the still-going-strong "normcore" trend that's popular among young urbanites. It's also a super-distinctive style that everyone can and will recognize on your foot.
  • The boots are an incredible value. The most basic model is only $120, and it comes with L.L. Bean's unconditional satisfaction guaranteemeaning you can return the boots at any time for virtually any reason.
  • Speaking of bulletproof, that's exactly what Bean Boots are. They're known to be completely flawless from a functionality perspective. Many owners see the boots perform for decades without requiring replacement.

After all, the fact that the boots are still hand-sewn in Maine at a reasonable price point is precisely the reason they're in such high demand. Though the scarcity may be sending some customers to less in-demand brands, it certainly hasn't hurt the Bean Boot, NPD Group chief retail analyst Marshal Cohen told the Globe.

"It adds to the lore and the beauty of getting the boot," Cohen said. "It's the smartest strategy you can possibly employ."

SEE ALSO: I tested L.L. Bean's legendary return policy by returning 4-year-old shoes

DON'T MISS: 12 gifts the modern gentleman actually wants this year

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NOW WATCH: Here's why people love these L.L.Bean boots that sell out every winter

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