If there's one thing an Olympic gold medalist can attest to, it's the fact that strength and conditioning are only half the battle when seeking a win; mental health and inner confidence are just as important. For gymnast Gabby Douglas, the pandemic was the perfect time to focus on both mental and physical well-being.
"Taking care of your physical and mental health is key. That's the new wealth," she said.
For young gymnasts and aspiring Olympians, especially, Douglas noted that confidence is the secret sauce to finding success and following dreams.
"I would say never limit your talent or your beliefs because of someone else's limited imagination. If you have a passion, heart, to do something, then go for it 100 percent," she added.
The gold medalist recently expanded her non-athletic professional portfolio by partnering with Smoothie King to promote a new line of drinks aimed at boosting health.
"I try to incorporate smoothies every single day with post-workout [drinks], and even when I start my day, because they have such amazing benefits with fuel, with brain function, and, like you said, overall joint health. And just the recovery, the muscle recovery, is beyond," Douglas told Cheddar.
Smoothie King's new line of Stretch & Flex Smoothies are available in two flavors, Tart Cherry and Pineapple Kale, and include a "proprietary blend" of type II collagen according to the company.
In efforts to help support black-owned brands. Ulta Beauty says it will make a commitment to not only give these brand shelf space but also help them navigate the ins and outs of growing a business. Last week, the beauty retailer announced in order to reach those goals, the company will spend $50 million on diversity and inclusion programs, including an accelerated program to mentor entrepreneurs of color. CEO of Ulta Beauty, Dave Kimbell, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Inflation remains hot as the January PPI has increased by 1 percent, twice what analysts had been expecting with a jump of 9.7 over the year. Beth Ann Bovino, the U.S. chief economist, for S&P Global Ratings, joined Cheddar News to discuss the rapid pace of inflation alongside higher wages, predicting the Federal Reserve will act quickly and forcefully this year. "They haven't changed their forecast, yet, that's gonna come out soon. But we expect that a March rate hike is basically pretty much baked in the cake," she said. "We think six rate hikes in total for 2022."
For black history month, Cheddar is highlighting black business leaders who are driving the need for representation forward. On February 10, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted an event called 'Developing the Black-Owned Business Ecosystem.' The virtual event was organized under the lobbying group's two initiatives -- the Equality of Opportunity Initiative, and the Coalition to Back Black Businesses. The event highlighted the developments needed to develop more black-owned businesses in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Wilbon, Dean of the School of Business at Howard University, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss his experience as a speaker at the event.
Black spending power reached a record $1.6 Trillion in a 2021 report from the University of Georgia Selig Center for Economic Growth. Ayesha Selden, certified financial planner, breaks down why real estate is the key to closing the racial wealth gap and how Black Americans are using social media to improve financial literacy. "If we look at home ownership as being a primary driver of wealth, when you look at the equity that Americans have in their homes, that equity can be used to buy additional assets like other rental properties. That equity can be used to educate our children," Selden said, noting that lower rates of home ownership meant Black Americans tend to incur more debt on average for their student loans.
A new survey from Etoro suggests that talking crypto might actually help Americans on the dating scene find love...or at least land another date. The survey found that 74% of respondents would be more interested in going on a second date with a person that pays the bill in Bitcoin. Callie Cox, Etoro's U.S. investment analyst, joined Cheddar News to discuss.
