Ashley Tyrner's journey from humble beginnings to the successful founder and CEO of FarmboxRx is a story of resilience and resourcefulness. Starting her entrepreneurial journey with side hustles like flipping Beanie Babies and selling ice cream from a van, Tyrner used her innate ability to spot opportunities to build a foundation for her future success. Despite facing personal challenges, including raising a child on food stamps, she persevered, moving to New York and continuing to hustle by reselling popular toys online.

Driven by her own experiences with food insecurity, Tyrner founded FarmboxRx in 2014 with the mission to provide nutritious food to underserved populations. The company delivers healthy food boxes to millions across America, offering customized nutrition programs and health literacy materials. Although Tyrner faced significant obstacles, including sexist rejections from venture capitalists, she chose to build a self-sustaining business model, overcoming challenges in packaging and logistics to grow the company.

In 2019, Tyrner's business scaled rapidly after a pivotal opportunity arose when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services allowed produce sales to Medicare Advantage and Medicaid recipients. With support from healthcare industry leaders, FarmboxRx expanded its reach, now partnering with over 89 health plans and delivering fresh produce to 2.7 million individuals. Today, FarmboxRx is a thriving multimillion-dollar company, a testament to Tyrner's determination and her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs to surround themselves with advisors who challenge and push them to innovate. (Full story)

The United States leads the world in both food waste and obesity, discarding nearly 60 million tons of food annually and having an adult obesity rate of 41.9%, projected to reach nearly 50% by 2030. Contributing to this health crisis is the prevalence of certain foods and additives in the American diet, many of which are banned or heavily restricted in other countries due to health concerns. Popular American foods like farm-raised salmon, hormone-treated dairy, and Mountain Dew contain additives that are banned in various countries for their potential health risks. This contrast in food safety standards between the U.S. and other regions underscores the need for consumers to be aware of what they eat and how it is regulated globally. (Full story)

Shan Hanes, the CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank in Kansas, was sentenced to over 24 years in prison after embezzling $47 million, leading to the bank's collapse and its takeover by the FDIC. Hanes, who was caught in a "pig butchering" scam, transferred stolen funds to cryptocurrency wallets controlled by scammers. His actions not only wiped out the bank but also devastated local investors, including a church, an investment club, and his own daughter's college savings. Despite the significant financial losses, Hanes showed little remorse, shocking the courtroom as he was sentenced. (Full story)

Nara Smith, born Nara Aziza Pellman in South Africa, has carved a successful path from her early modeling career in Germany to becoming a viral TikTok star known for her "cooking from scratch" videos. After moving to California and marrying fellow model Lucky Blue Smith, Nara became a mother of three and expanded her influence through her glamorous presentation of traditional homemaking on social media. Although often associated with the "tradwife" movement, Nara emphasizes that her lifestyle choices are personal and not prescriptive for others. Financially independent with an estimated net worth of $400 million, Nara also runs a successful blog, "The Paper Pantry," which further solidifies her business acumen and allows her to pursue her passions on her own terms.

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A UK family from Birmingham was left devastated after borrowing £3,900 for what turned out to be a "holiday from hell" in Spain, booked through EasyJet Holidays. Mark and Karen Field, along with their son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren, including an autistic and nonverbal eight-year-old, arrived at the three-star Hotel Club Es Talaial in Cala d'Or, Mallorca, only to find it in appalling condition—dirty rooms, broken fixtures, and a balcony view of a car park. Despite meticulous planning by their daughter-in-law, Nadia, the family faced numerous disappointments, including having to pay extra for clean dining options. Although EasyJet Holidays offered a partial refund, the family is still seeking further compensation, feeling that their holiday was ruined and their money wasted. (Full story)