After lounging on Hawaii’s beaches and yachting in Sicily, a new star-studded cast has headed to Thailand for a luxurious, deadly vacation in “The White Lotus.” Season 3 of HBO’s dark comedy anthology is set to premiere Sunday.
Among the new vacationers are Aimee Lou Wood (“Sex Education”), Parker Posey (“Dazed and Confused,” “Scream 3”), Patrick Schwarzenegger (“Scream Queens”) and Walton Goggins (“Fallout,” “Justified”). While fan-favorite Tanya, played by Jennifer Coolidge, won’t be returning, this season will feature one other familiar face — Natasha Rothwell, who appeared as spa manager Belinda in the first season.
While the cast features a group of seasoned actors, Lalisa Manobal, better known as Blackpink’s Lisa, will be making her acting debut in the Emmy-winning series. As a member of K-pop’s most popular girl group, the 27-year-old multi-hyphenate artist is having a pivotal year.
Who is Lisa?
Manobal was born and raised in Buriram, Thailand. She spent her childhood dancing with the group We Zaa Cool, until landing an audition at YG Entertainment — an agency behind many of K-pop’s biggest names. At age 13, she joined the agency’s training program, moved to South Korea and began her journey to becoming a K-pop idol. After training for five years, she took the stage name Lisa and made her debut in Blackpink.
Who does Lisa play in ’The White Lotus?’
The pop star will be playing a resort employee and health mentor named Mook. Not much else has been revealed about the character other than that a security guard named Gaitok, played by Tayme Thapthimthong, is romantically interested in her. In the trailer for the show, she also appears onstage as a dancer and can be heard saying, “Everyone comes to Thailand. They’re either hiding from someone or they’re looking for someone.”
What is Blackpink?
In 2016, the K-pop girl group — composed of Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa — released the singles “Whistle” and “Boombayah.” These tunes were an instant success in South Korea, with “Whistle” topping the charts.
Each member brings a different element to Blackpink: Jisoo is the lead singer and face of the group, Jennie is the main rapper and lead vocalist, Rosé is the main vocalist and lead dancer and Lisa is the lead rapper and main dancer. In K-pop, the difference between a main role and a lead role has to do with the level of skill, with a main role being the higher ranking.
As the group’s members continued to release music and perform, they began to garner global acclaim. Building an army of fans called blinks, their music videos, such as 2018‘s “Ddu-Du Ddu Du” and the bilingual hip-hop anthem “Kill This Love” are the second and third most watched music videos by a Korean artist — with more than 2 billion views each. Over their career, they have collaborated with some of music’s biggest names including Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, Cardi B and Selena Gomez. In 2023, they made history by becoming the first Asian act to headline Coachella.
Blackpink performing at Coachella in 2023. From left, Lisa, Jisoo, Jennie and Rosé.
(Frazer Harrison / Getty Images for Coachella)
Is Blackpink still together?
At the end of 2023, the members of Blackpink renewed their YG Entertainment contract for group activities — meaning they each had more control over their solo endeavors. Prior to this, each member was already releasing solo music, and Jennie had appeared on HBO’s “The Idol” as Dyanne.
Throughout 2024, Rosé cracked the Billboard charts with her viral collaboration with Bruno Mars, “APT,” and released her first full-length studio album, “Rosie.” Jennie worked with Matt Champion, a former member of the boy band Brockhampton, on the toned-down electronic single “Slow Motion,” was featured on Korean rapper Zico’s track “Spot!” and most recently released “Love Hangover” with Dominic Fike. Jisoo is also set to release her first solo project, “Amortage,” on Saturday.
Even as they build their individual careers, the members of Blackpink will be “in your area” soon, earlier this month teasing a 2025 world tour.
What else is Lisa working on this year?
In 2024, Lisa signed a solo deal with RCA Records. She hit the ground running, releasing three singles last year: “Rockstar,” “New Woman” featuring Rosalía and “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me).” Most recently, she dropped a new collaboration with pop stars Doja Cat and Raye called “Born Again.” Her debut album, “Alter Ego,” is set to be released Feb. 28 — amid Season 3 of “The White Lotus.”
Look at your favorite album from the past year, and there’s a good chance that 10 to 30 different producers contributed to it. And yet in this “age of collaboration” that continues to produce culture-defining hits, we have a problem: How do we handle all these producer contracts?
In the U.S. model, producer deals are seldom discussed until after a label signs a recording agreement with an artist. Once the deal is set, the artist contracts directly with any producers working on their music — a requirement in the artist’s deal with the label. The artist then requests that the label pay, credit and account to the producer per the terms of their agreement. Unfortunately, this complicated process often becomes a game of broken telephone.
Discussions on this topic can quickly lead to finger-pointing. But the issues that producers are facing today, speaking generally, are not a matter of “us versus them.” The label, which has no direct contractual relationship with the producers, is asked by the artist on multiple occasions to honor deal terms that the label had little role in negotiating. Even if the producer agreement says the producer will be paid within five days of signing, unless the label agrees to pay within that timeframe, that schedule won’t be honored and the producer’s only option is to take it up with the artist.
This disconnect becomes even more problematic when the volume increases. I currently represent over 30 producers and, on average, my office handles 20 to 40 producer agreements a week. That includes review on behalf of our producers as well as drafting agreements for our artist clients, the latter of which could require multiple agreements — even as many as five or six — to clear one song. For a boutique firm like mine, it keeps us busy and the clearances can be a big headache if not done in a correct and timely way. In some cases, they can hold up release dates and, if not executed properly, result in copyright infringement claims that could lead to lawsuits.
When negotiating a record deal for an artist, I make sure to have pointed conversations with the label about how they pay and account to producers because securing clarity in advance about the label’s policies is an absolute must.
It hasn’t always been this way. In the past, prior to the start of recording a project, artists would submit a budget proposal to the label encompassing all the creators on a given project. Oftentimes, the artist would use the label-provided budget to hire one producer, who would be responsible for hiring, managing and paying the musicians and other creatives needed to complete the album.
Today, however, unless you’re already an industry-leading producer, the odds are you’re coming into the studio on spec. This means that you and over 20 other hopeful producers work with the artist on 40 or so songs, with 12 to 15 songs typically making the final cut for the album. The songs that don’t make it are considered speculative, trial-based work done for free. If one or more songs by a given producer do make the cut, the hope is that that producer’s lawyer can negotiate good terms.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot of good music that doesn’t see the light of day due to clearance issues, not to mention music that gets removed from streaming services after release due to a failure to adhere to producer deals (or a failure to do them at all). But even in the best-case scenario when things can be worked out, most producers typically have to wait a long time before they get a single cent due to an overly complicated process.
In the first step of this process, the agreement has to be signed by both the artist and producer, a sometimes daunting task if that artist is touring. After that, the label has to accept the agreement (which can sometimes conflict with the recording deal originally inked with the artist), receive an invoice (sometimes multiple times before it’s actually “received” and in line with label policies) and new vendor paperwork, and wait for the producer to register with the label’s specific payment system.
“A lot of people think that all we do is push a button and money goes out, but there are so many checks and balances that admin does on the back end to ensure that payments are processed properly and within a timely fashion,” says one senior executive at a major label who asked to remain unnamed. Of course, we have to understand the logistical burdens and practical business realities that label employees are up against. But at the same time, we have to recognize the plight of producers who, despite making money for the label, are forced to wait on the payments they depend on to feed their families. Many employees at the labels understand this and know the system has to change.
“There is a huge disconnect when it comes to paying creatives in a decent time frame,” says Malita Rice, vp of A&R at Warner Records. “We have to keep their livelihood in mind and not only think from a label and artist perspective. If you can’t walk out the grocery store without paying, why should music be released without the creative getting paid or waiting months or years to be paid?”
While these systems and disconnects continue to exist, producers who have “made it” will continue to struggle to pay bills, even while their music becomes a viral TikTok sound.
Managing these clearances is such a burden on resources that any lawyer aspiring to make it in music should learn clearance docs first. And for producers who want to put themselves in a better situation? My friend and colleague, Bob Celestin, shares this advice: “One of the many obstacles to producers and songwriters getting paid their publishing monies is the neglect or outright refusal, at times, to document their respective ownership interests in songs they jointly create,” he says. “The easiest way to solve this problem is by utilizing split sheets at some point after they’ve jointly created a song.”
Still, while being diligent about this can help producers, it doesn’t fix the overall problems with the system itself.
So what’s the path forward here? Suggestions have been floating around for years: Unionize producers. Leverage AI to cut down on admin work. Develop a new “default” producer agreement that kickstarts the process. Go the way of the U.K. music industry and have labels contract directly with producers.
The truth is, all of these so-called solutions would help alleviate the current problems while also creating new ones. This isn’t about producers versus labels versus artists but rather about fixing a problem that has negative ripple effects across the industry. It’s imperative that we bring everyone to the table to create a more just system.
Acclaimed attorney Matt Buser leads Buser Legal — the Miami-based law firm at the crossroads of entertainment, sports and intellectual property matters — dedicated to empowering creators and safeguarding elite talent with strategic, personalized counsel. Since its founding in 2014, his blend of deep legal expertise, business acumen, and a passion for the arts has earned the firm acknowledgment from Billboard to USA Today, embodying the innovative spirit behind #NotYourAverageLawFirm.
Martin Kemp, whose colourful life has taken in 1980s pop stardom with Spandau Ballet, 1990s movie fame in The Krays, and a regular stint in Eastenders through the early 2000s, says he believes in being completely open with his son 32-year-old Roman about everything.
And that not only involves talking frankly about things like sex, but also the truly difficult subject of death.
On their father-and-son podcast FFS, My Dad Is Martin Kemp, Martin said that, if it ever came to it, he’d rather know that Roman was making the decision to withdraw end-of-life care than Roman’s older sister Harley.
Martin told his son he’d prefer it that way “because you’re a man”. He explains that Harley, now 35, is far more emotional than Roman. “You can block things out more easily,” he told his son.
Responding to the challenge that his decision seemed quite sexist, Martin clarified: “It’s not whether you’re a man or a woman, it’s who you are as a personality.”
Even if Roman’s mum, former Wham! backing vocalist Shirlie Kemp, was involved in the decision-making process, Martin said he’d still prefer Roman to make the final call.
He added that, as difficult as it might seem in the cold light of day, “when it comes to pulling the plug on someone… giving the doctor the wink and saying’ that’s enough,’ you’ll know.”
When it comes to the similarly-emotive subject of organ donation, Martin explains that as much as he believes in it, he would not be allowed to become a donor: “I had hepatitis back in the day,” he says.
Martin clarifies that he contracted Hepatitis A, a liver infection most commonly spread through contact with the faeces of an infected person: ”Once you’ve had any form of [hepatitis], I don’t think you can do organ donation.”
Otherwise, Martin would have no qualms about organ donation. “Once you’re dead,” he says, “you’re dead. You don’t know anything that’s going on.
“When I’m gone, and I’m looking back at my body, I’ll think ‘I had a f*****g great time.’”
He told Roman previously: “When I was 34 and I went through that brain tumour stuff I was practically resigned to the fact that I was going to die, but I was quite happy with my lot because I had lived the most incredible experiences.
“I’d lived stuff that people were dreaming about doing. Every year that I live, every month that I’m alive is like a bonus.”
Roman said he felt the same way about organ donation, saying “Giving your brain up so some trainee doctor can learn how to save someone else’s life is a great thing.
Martin’s brain is, of course a special case. He has lived with controlled epilepsy since the 1990s, as a result of suffering two brain tumours.
The life-saving surgery he had at the time has left him with a metal plate replacing part of his skull, and he jokes that he can never slip through airport security again as a result.
JT Thomas has been through the wringer on Southern Charm Season 10. The self-proclaimed “gentleman” of the group is going to need a “f*ck boy exorcism” of his own soon. So far, he has been accused of calling Patricia Altschul a “b*tch,” pissed Madison LeCroy off, and led Venita Aspen on. How much more damage can one man actually do? In JT’s self-defense, he feels he is just speaking the truth. He refuses to hold back and sugarcoat anything which has left a not-so-sweet taste in his former friend’s mouths.
JT Thomas has left the building
In November 2024, JT announced via Instagram that he would be leaving Southern Charm. After such a successful Season 9, the move came as a shock. He had single-handedly called out Austen Kroll, had a love triangle with Taylor Ann Green, and gave Venita butterflies. At that time, in my book, he was the MVP. The Bravoleb wrote, “It comes with a heavy heart to share that I have resigned from Southern Charm. Yesterday, I informed Bravo that I would not participate in the 2-3 remaining green room interviews.”
JT, who seemed to love being a part of the series, surprised supporters with his about-face. The property developer noted, “I no longer wish to participate in any way moving forward with the TV show. I will leave it at that for now. While I work on the next steps to recover both physically and mentally from what has been an extremely challenging and exhausting year.” It didn’t help his standing in public opinion that he also soft-launched his new girlfriend, Ali Pereless. Needless to say, the man has a lot to answer for, and his feet will be held to the fire.
JT Thomas is back, baby
Honestly, I was worried for a second. I thought that the man of the hour wasn’t going to show up to share his side of the story. It would have been dumb for JT to skip the reunion, as then the narrative would have been written for him. But Bravo gave everyone an early Valentine’s Day present as it was revealed that JT would, in fact, be in the hot seat. The comment section of the post erupted. One post read, “JT in attendance… I just fell to my knees in a CVS.” In all reality, JT has a lot to answer for. He has painted himself out to be an enemy of the state number one since the episode aired showing him playing with Venita’s heart.
Viewers watched as the fashionista cooked a homemade meal for JT, hoping to learn more about his feelings. Instead, what she got was a bunch of gaslit excuses, with him finally sharing he was dating someone. The move was cad-like and a shock coming from JT. He has also burned his bridges with Taylor, as he tried to explain that her boyfriend, Gaston Rojas, is not a good match. Austen literally hates JT, so that dynamic between the two will be extremely interesting. JT has been placed on the end next to Salley Carson and across from Taylor. The man is far enough away to hopefully be able to dodge a few hard questions.
The Southern Charm reunion will be carnage
Without a doubt, JT has to address the fact that he probably was playing two women at the same time. Venita doesn’t seem like the type of girl who just launched her heart into a crush. She was led on, and I hate having to type that. All he can do now is deliver a genuine apology. But he also has to make amends with Salley, who he upset during the season. The blonde took to the comments of the seating chart post, writing,” Brave of them to put JT next to me.”
Madison has been vocal about JT’s exit. Prior to the season starting, she told Us Weekly, “ I think he quit about five times during our season, so I was not surprised. We’ll see if he actually means it, I have no desire to get him back … I think he definitely [angered] the wrong people, and he couldn’t take the heat.” Many felt JT would have to show up to the reunion since he signed a Bravo contract. JT chose to make a lot of these relationship decisions on his own, and it has turned into a kerfuffle. Hopefully, JT can gather his thoughts and address his former friend’s issues with him. While he most likely will not return for Season 11, at least he can try to leave on a high note.
After stepping away from the reality show spotlight for a season, Dr. Contessa Metcalfe jumped right back into the drama of Married to Medicine. It didn’t take long before things got heated between herself and Dr. Heavenly Kimes as the digs cut a little too deep during a girls trip to the Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo in Florida.
Hostilities remained after the near rumble at the ranch for these former best friends. Although the two worked to remain cordial for the sake of the group into the latest couples excursion in Key West. We booked an appointment with Dr. Metcalfe for an examination about what unfolded during Season 11 so far and what else is in store.
You took a small break from the show. What went into your decision to come back?
Dr. Contessa Metcalfe: I was on the show for five years. I mean I missed my friends! They were having fun without me. It was great to see how they figured out how they were going to settle down with Sweet Tea (Lateasha Lunceford) in the mix. I’ll tell you it’s challenging for the new wife to come into the group alongside the ex. That would have been hard for me to do deal with. So after that got settled out, it was great to come back and not have to choose sides so to speak. Well, maybe? Maybe not. It’s a challenge.
Did it take some convincing for your husband Dr. Scott to agree to come back too?
All the women will tell you the men are like, “They get nothing but the praise for being on the show.” Of course, they become the subject sometimes. At the same time, the men are just out there out and about and love being recognized. Like, “I know you.” You men like to get your egos rubbed. For him, it’s like as long as it’s good with the kids. Making sure the kids are steady and in a safe space and there is not too much blowback. That’s the hardest thing. My kids are older now. My kids are also on social media. My oldest is 16. Being able to handle the negative blowback that happens could be hard on their mental health. So we have to be careful with that.
MARRIED TO MEDICINE — Pictured: (l-r) Phaedra Parks, Dr. Contessa Metcalfe, Dr. Heavenly Kimes, Lateasha Lunceford, Dr. Simone Whitmore, Dr. Jacqueline Walters — (Photo by: Derek White/Bravo)
Right out of the gate, things broke down between you and Heavenly. All the emotions came out. How was revisiting that exchange at the ranch? Social media was on your side, feeling Heavenly hit below the belt by bringing up your mom who was deceased into the argument.
We don’t know this for a fact, but I’m giving her a little bit of grace this year because this year she seems very angry with everybody. I think she is going through something. I would love to know what it really is. As much as it was tough for me in that moment, I did think it was low. Like who does this? Almost the next night and the night out, the emotions came down almost immediately because you’re not that combative and that mean unless you’re going through some things yourself. Maybe just maybe, we’ll find out soon enough, if there is more to the story. I do have a degree in psychology, so there you go.
Then you were paired up together during the water game in Key West. Do you feel that defuse things?
That was tricky, wasn’t it? I’m like, “These girls know what they are doing.” They are saying the paring was random. It was not random. I wish she would have just lifted her hands and let me handle things because I’m always a winner. That’s the point. As much as we can go back and forth and be combative, we can also be a team if we need to team up. It didn’t go very well. It doesn’t mean we will be successful and win, but we can do it. I also wanted to prove to prove to the group that as much as there is conflict among us, that doesn’t mean we will be like children and say, “I don’t want to play anymore.” You can have a bad day and get up the next morning and still do whatever is best. 2025 has shown us already life is too short.
I was cracking up seeing you and Scott walk up looking for this pool party. Then it turns out to be a Vibe Check couples game. Did you all feel set up in that sense as a group?
I would have worn a formal gown if I’d known what we were walking into. The pool was just part of the background. The Vibe Check was a lot. I was happy to hear what was happening with the other relationships. Like Scott and I are doing great here. Hearing [couples having] no sex? What are you all talking about? Who does that? That’s the thing. Scott and I have been married 20 years. A lot of the other couples have been married even longer than that. For some of the younger couples and others in the dating phase, that Vibe Check shows you the transition that happens. Then of course what happened with Dr. Greg [Lunceford], Quad [Webb] and Tea. That was like insane. But it also shows you that despite divorce, there is still a lot of emotion right below the surface.
What did you think of Dr. G trying to silence Tea as Quad was going in on him?
I know them. I’ve talked to them. I’ve been at dinner when it’s just myself, Scott, Tea and Greg and a lot of interactions, he’ll say stuff like, “Ignore her. Don’t respond to her.” It’s hard though. It’s hard when you feel like you’re being triggered to not respond. I’ve heard him say over and over again to her, “I don’t want you to engage. Do not engage.” Then there is the age gap. He wants her to do what he wants her to do, but Tea you know for two years. You know she isn’t going to be told what to do. There is this yin and yang when it comes to them. I think she is finding her footing and voice in this marriage. I don’t’ know what happened before, but I do know for a fact she is not being told what to do. I think we’ve all been there in relationships. My husband is older than me. There has been a lot of times he’ll say, “You don’t know what is going on. I’ve been here longer than you.” I’m like, “Don’t baby me. Don’t tell me what you think is happening. I’ve been here long enough.” It took some time for us to have to deal with that. He tried to tell me like t his at the beginning of our relationship. Now watching it unfolds, maybe he was right. Maybe engaging was not right for both of them. He should have taken his old advice.
How has it been getting to know Sweet Tea? It seems like Heavenly was taking offense that you were getting close to her. Maybe seeing her as an outsider.
Which is a paradox because she invited her to the group! Didn’t Heavenly bring her! I guess she rescinded the invitation that we missed. That’s the thing. I just have to be honest. I think Heavenly just wants me to be her friend. She doesn’t know how to say that. Her actions are almost like when you’re little and someone likes you and hits you or calls you names or picking at you because they want your attention. That’s what I see. I think she is missing our friendship. As much as she, talks about me, what else can I take from that?
It seems on the show you and Scott are in a good place. How would you describe your relationship today? What have you taken from the past to move forward like you have?
Here we are 20 years. This is our 20th year of marriage. Every relationships has ebbs and flows. We have been through bumpy patches before. We were first long distance in our marriage in the beginning. So, when we first moved to the same city it was tough. Of course, that seven-year period. Having kids was tough. Having to figure out how to give Scott his Scott time and not just focus all my attention on the kids because that is what mommies do. We get into mommy mode and forget about the relationship stuff. There have been times we’ve had ebbs and flows, but we just keep learning and growing together. That’s what it is all about. We have to make a conscious decision and commitment to our commitment. Time can bring new challenges, but it also teaches us a lot of lessons. That’s what we continue to do. The last couple of years have been some good years, but there were also some tough years before those. So, I think we’ve earned this time.
MARRIED TO MEDICINE — Season:11 — Pictured: (l-r) Phaedra Parks, Toya Bush-Harris, Dr. Jacqueline Walters, Dr. Simone Whitmore, Quad Webb, Dr. Heavenly Kimes, Lateasha Lunceford — (Photo by: Phylicia J. L. Munn/Bravo)
You mention having a 16-year-old [Lauren]. What does she make of the show as she understands it more?
I’ve had to block my daughter before because she is a teenager. When someone says something negative about mommy or our marriage, she will want to say something and respond. I’ll have to tell her, “These are grownups. You can not. Mommy can defend herself.” I’ve had to tell her at times not to engage or take things personally. I do let her know we have chosen to receive this criticism and open our worlds up for commentary. You can’t be made when it’s not all positive. That’s true with families too. You can’t just not speak to your parents if they have something negative to say about what is going on in your relationship. You just have to go, “I’ll take this and receive it and do what I want with it for this moment. Maybe it’s helpful. Maybe it’s not. You keep moving.” You can’t internalize everything either. It has been a learning experience for her to also get tougher skin. Learn resilience.
What can you tell us about your story for the rest of the season?
Look, I get to be the fun-time friend. That’s my part. But what is happening in our world, my husband and I just purchased a building last year. It was a great opportunity to expand our practice. We now have decided to do more comprehensive primary care. I also do addiction medicine. I’ve also been able to expand our footprint to people who are suffering from opioid, alcohol abuse and so many other different issues. I also do other addictions like addiction to food and so many other things. We could be here all day to talk about all the things I see. I’ve been really grateful of the opportunity to see what I do. I’ve gotten a realm of patients I didn’t expect. Working with my patients, it teaches me to be a better mommy to my kids. I learn a lot through my patients.
What can you tease about the trips coming up? It seems things might be getting physical with the guys. We may need some security at one point. What can you tell us?
The rest of this season is going to be quite delightful. Visually, it will be beautiful because there is a lot of pomp and circumstance and costumes. Emotionally, I think it will be tough for a lot of the ladies and guys. Also, it’s also a lesson that we have so many unresolved things we have sometimes beneath the surface. We hold it together as we possibly can. One single teeny tiny thing can break the dam and everything just pours out like an avalanche, so you have to watch. Again, we opened up yourself to this and the commentary. Also, look at our experience and figure out something you may have done differently or maybe take a look at things and see if it’s maybe something you need to manage on your end. This season is emotional. I will say that. I hope I can be the friend. This year has been a stable year for me. When you’re going through it, you have to be there for people who are. I hope and pray I’ve been a good friend to all my friends who are struggling right now.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
There’s no perfect formula for finding the right location for a franchise business; it’s part art and part science, and the needs of a restaurant brand will lead that franchise to a different search than, say, a business consulting firm. But no matter what industry you represent, the mission is the same: Stay true to your model and understand your guests so your new location will create the same experience they’ve come to expect everywhere you operate.
Here are four essential steps that should be part of your search process:
The local brokers will be even more important if your franchisor doesn’t have a dedicated real estate team to help you determine if your prospective location can support your franchise. But even a corporate team can’t know every market in every state and town. One of your local managers’ jobs should be to build great relationships with the commercial brokers in that market.
As you begin your search, make a wish list of all the features you want in your new location and group them into Tier One and Tier Two sites. Tier One locations will have all the critical areas you need, like substantial foot traffic if you expect a lot of walk-in business or ample parking if you expect guests to drive to you. Tier Two sites will list the must-have elements and indicate what you can give up.
Market data is essential in judging where to plant your franchise flag, and traffic is one of the most significant data points. But don’t just ask for raw numbers. Find out when the traffic flows to and from your business. If you’re an entertainment venue, you won’t want the most frequent traffic to be driving away from you at night. If you want your coffee shop to attract morning commuters, you don’t want to be more than a block or two away from the subway or train station.
Your location should also be easy for drivers to enter and leave, which I call “the real estate within the real estate”. There are great lifestyle centers, but there’s a difference between being in the back, almost hidden, and being right near the main entrance so guests just have one turn and they’re in.
That’s why you can’t expect a spreadsheet to tell you everything. Get your real estate team into a car and have them drive a three- to five-mile radius around where you hope to open. What does the market feel like? How is parking and the access to it? Is the location well-maintained and frequented by serious consumers, or does it attract a lot of people just hanging out?
Don’t wait until you’ve chosen a finalist before talking with the property owners. You’ll be in a better negotiating space when you put out three or four letters of intent, hoping to get one or two down. With more options, you won’t be desperate to make a deal.
When you finalize an agreement, make sure a real estate attorney checks all the details — your liabilities, your covenant, your guarantees and other legal issues — so it’s as much in your favor as possible.
Be aggressively patient
My motto has always been “Be aggressively patient.” Look at as many locations as possible and be patient as you search.
When I’m looking for a new Ford’s Garage location, I come up with that two-tiered list of features I want. Tier One has everything, and Tier Two has what I must have and what I can do without. I don’t immediately settle for a Tier Two spot if I can’t find a Tier One right away but keep looking for my ideal. I don’t want people’s perception of our brand to be a Tier Two version of our Tier One brand. So, I make sure we’re patient in finding the right location.
It can take us a good six to nine months to find the right place if nothing is available when you’re first looking or if there’s a lot of competition. But when you finally open up in precisely the place you envisioned, with all the features and amenities you dreamed of, it’s worth the wait.
It took less than a month, but with Donald Trump in the White House and Republicans in control of Congress, the era of “debanking” is coming to an end.
Last week, hearings by the Senate Banking Committee and House Financial Services Committee exposed debanking — or canceling bank accounts — as a key element of the Biden administration’s crackdown on both conservatives and on the $3.5 trillion crypto industry.
Trump and the GOP have vowed to reverse both efforts while making the country the crypto capital of the world. After the hearings, top crypto executives said they can already see a thaw in their relationships with banks, which are openly seeking business from the once shunned industry.
President Trump has vowed to make the country the crypto capital of the world. Jack Forbes / NY Post Design
Here’s why: Fed chairman Jerome Powell (aka the top bank regulator) said on Tuesday during another Senate banking committee hearing that he is “struck” by evidence of debanking, and is removing language from examination manuals that causes Fed staff to cancel accounts.
“The worst of debanking appears to be behind us,” Nathan McCauley, the chief executive officer of crypto bank Anchorage Digital, told Fox Business’s Eleanor Terrett. “What’s even more significant than the possibility of debanking is the bipartisan recognition from lawmakers that using banking access as a pressure tactic threatens core American values of fair play and due process.”
Under pressure from the Biden regulatory apparatus, banks canceled accounts of clients who did business in crypto or those who supported conservative causes, like the Second Amendment, often on nebulous grounds, according to witness testimony. During last week’s hearing, Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) presented documents that the Fed was directing examiners to make banks draw on so-called “controversial activity or comments” made by clients of those banks that wanted access to the Fed’s credit facilities.
The FDIC under new Trump-appointed acting chairman Travis Hill also released documents that showed that the agency warned banks to refrain from doing business with anything related to crypto.
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Rather than risk being blocked or fined by regulators, the banks took no chances. The hearings indicated they canceled the accounts rather than fight the Biden administration’s regulatory might.
But the mood in Washington and in bank regulatory circles has clearly changed. Bank executives say they are courting crypto as regulators have backed off following the hearings; lefty causes like Diversity Equity and Inclusion are being canceled by Trump via executive order and ended by major corporations.
The banks also know they need solid reasons to cancel accounts that go beyond a client being “controversial.”
“The hearings were a clear sign that Congress gets it, and we no longer need to debate whether debanking is real because everybody, Democrats and Republicans, agree that it is,” Coinbase’s chief legal officer Paul Grewal told Terrett. “I think that message came through loud and clear and from our perspective, that’s a home run.”
Team Trump is slamming New York for accommodating illegal migrants: It’s not World War III, but Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams will do themselves (and their constituents!) a big favor by boosting cooperation with Washington.
On Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi sued New York for limiting that cooperation, citing the state’s Green Light law, which grants driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants and bans inquiries into immigration status, requiring a judge’s order for any release of state info.
State officials even tip off drivers if immigration officials request their data.
“Sovereign” states can opt out of immigration enforcement, conceded Bondi, but when “inaction crosses into obstruction, a State breaks the law” — since the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause makes New York law inferior to federal law.
Meanwhile, border czar Tom Homan is “not happy” with Adams’ help so far.
After the two met Thursday, the mayor vowed to issue an executive order letting ICE agents operate on Rikers Island, focusing on “violent criminals and gangs.”
That’s a start.
In fact, Hizzoner has repeatedly said he wants to help nab violent migrant criminals. But he’s constrained by sanctuary laws that the City Council refuses to amend.
Those claim to bar federal agents from public buildings, for example, so the best a recent City Hall memo could do was remind city workers it’s a “federal crime” to “shield” an illegal from “detection” and urge them to cooperate with agents if “you reasonably . . . fear for your safety.”
Homan, understandably, wants more.
Indeed, the new Laken Riley Act boosts federal powers to go after criminal migrants, and so should force the city (and state) to give up even more “sanctuary” ground.
Look, President Donald Trump was elected to clean up President Joe Biden’s migrant disaster, and he’s doing that, in part, by discouraging wannabe-migrants with a crackdown on criminal border-jumpers already here, as well as far tougher enforcement at the border that’s got crossings down to a six-decade low.
Yet open-border lawmakers have turned New York into a migrant sanctuary — protecting even criminally violent ones — in what increasingly has become outright defiance of federal law.
Then again, state and city laws and policies are at odds with New Yorkers’ preferences: A recent Siena poll found a whopping 80% back deportations of illegals who’ve committed crimes.
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More broadly, Empire State voters even support Trump’s overall deportation efforts by 48% to 31%
So Hochul needs to square her professed backing for “deporting violent criminals” with her fervent support for the Green Light law — which, ironically, she fiercely opposed two decades ago, as Erie County clerk.
“No way I’m letting federal agents, or Elon Musk’s shadowy DOGE operation, get unfettered access to the personal data of any New Yorker in the [Division of Motor Vehicles] system,” huffed Hochul.
The gov should stand down, unless she wants a war on an issue where her own voters back Trump.
(She should get her “villains” straight, too: DOGE isn’t the one on the DMV front; rather, it’s fighting the city over $80 million in FEMA money used for immigrants.)
Hochul and Adams need to work out their differences with Washington; the gov can take a huge step by rescinding the Cuomo “sanctuary” executive orders, while Adams welcomes ICE back to Rikers Island.
Radicals will scream, but New York voters will stand behind leaders who embrace common sense.
NatWest Group (LSE: NWG) released its final results this morning (14 February) for the year ending 31 December 2024. It reported an attributable profit of £4.5bn, up 12% since last year, but still a slowdown in growth.
By comparison, the bank’s third-quarter results showed a 26% increase in profit, supported by strong lending growth and customer deposits. The group’s return on tangible equity (RoTE) is now up to 17.5%, higher than guidance forecasts. Despite headwinds from lower interest rates, the bank’s earnings continue to rise, now at 53.5p per share.
Speaking on the results, recently-appointed CEO Paul Thwaite said: “We are fully focused on delivery as we shape the future of NatWest Group as a vital and trusted partner to our customers and to the UK, and in doing so, create further value for our shareholders.”
A final dividend of 15.5p was proposed, resulting in total dividends of 21.5p for the year — 26% higher than 2023.
Growth and dividends
Up over 110% in the past year, analysts have been cautious about predicting further growth for the bank. The average 12-month price target is 480p, less than a 10% rise from today’s price.
The UK government has further reduced its stake in NatWest to 6.98% and it should become fully privatised later this year after it sells its remaining stake. That would be the first time it was fully private since 2008. Once that happens, it’s expected to change its dividend policy, increasing shareholder returns from 40% to 50%.
That may be one reason it’s been tipped as one of the safest dividend stocks in the UK. Since restarting dividends in 2019, they’ve grown at a rate of 26% a year, from 2p per share to 21.5p. The yield now stands at 4%, a high percentage considering the rapid price growth.
An investment of £1,000 in 2020 could have quadrupled to £4,000 today (with dividends reinvested). Few UK stocks have provided such returns. But can it keep performing so well?
Looking ahead
NatWest is the fourth-largest bank in the UK and a key player in the nation’s banking sector, serving millions of customers with retail and commercial banking services. The past year saw notable leadership changes following the controversy over the closure of Nigel Farage’s bank account at Coutts. Dame Alison Rose resigned as CEO, marking a significant shift in the bank’s leadership.
It has since explored several potential ways to drive growth. Examples include acquiring a prime residential mortgage portfolio from Metro Bank and completing a deal to purchase parts of Sainsbury’s Bank’s operations. Reports suggest Santander is considering selling its UK retail division to NatWest, hinting at potential expansion opportunities.
Yet despite the positive performance, risks remain. The bank recently announced plans to shut 53 branches this year as part of its digital transformation strategy. The move could dent the bank’s reputation as a key high-street establishment. A lower interest rate environment is another factor to account for, as this could limit the bank’s loan-based income.
Overall, the bank has gone from strength to strength under its new CEO and looks likely to continue. While the rapid growth of 2024 may taper off somewhat, I still think it’s a promising stock to consider in 2025.
The league said it currently plans for the No. 4-seeded Rams to host the No. 5 Vikings during their playoff game Monday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which is south of where fires burned on Wednesday, but it has a contingency plan if the fires adversely impact the ability to host the game.
“As with all games, there are contingency plans in the event a change in location is needed,” the NFL said in a statement. “In this instance, the game would be played on Monday night at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.”
In a statement Thursday morning, the Rams said they still hope to have the game at SoFi Stadium but “will continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in contact with local officials, the NFL and NFLPA.” If the location is changed to Glendale, the team said, ticket holders will be contacted by email with information on “what that means for their current tickets.”
“The safety of the Los Angeles community is our top priority, and our thoughts are with everyone affected by the fires in the area,” the Rams said in their statement. “We are grateful for the tireless efforts of first responders who continue to protect our city and community as well as individuals who continue to help our neighbors in need.”
“We hope you all are somewhere safe and we hope to see you Monday night,” said the Rams, who are practicing Thursday as scheduled at their Woodland Hills facility.
The No. 5 Chargers, who also play their home games at SoFi Stadium but are opening the AFC playoffs on the road Saturday against the No. 4 Houston Texans, will donate $200,000 in wildfire relief efforts, the team announced Wednesday. The money will be split across the American Red Cross, the L.A. Fire Department Foundation, Team Rubicon and pet rescue organizations sheltering animals displaced by the fires.
Returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2022, the Chargers adjusted their practice routine Wednesday to limit players’ time outside at the El Segundo practice facility. Offensive players and defensive scout team members alternated on-field sessions with defensive players and offensive scout team members and some coaches and team personnel were wearing face masks on the field.
While most Chargers players and coaches live near the South Bay and were outside of immediate danger, offensive coordinator Greg Roman said wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal and his family had to evacuate from their Calabasas home.
The Chargers canceled one of their postseason fan events in Sherman Oaks, originally scheduled for Friday, but will proceed with “Charge Up to Playoffs” events in Orange, Rancho Cucamonga and Hermosa Beach while also holding supply drives for evacuation centers.
Fans attending events are asked to bring commonly requested items for an evacuation situation, including bottled water, blankets, new or gently used clothes, first aid kits, hygiene products (soap, shampoo, deodorant, saline solution, toothpaste, toothbrush, hand sanitizer), baby supplies (diapers, formula, wet wipes), feminine hygiene products, paper towels, toilet paper, portable chargers, pet food and water.
