Mike Hofman

Editor in chief of Inc., covering founders and the companies they build.

This Emergency Software Company Just Became the Newest Unicorn Following a $100 Million Fundraise

Feb 24, 2026

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7 min read

This Emergency Software Company Just Became the Newest Unicorn Following a $100 Million Fundraise

Here’s how emergency detection company RapidSOS became an indispensable service for first responders.

Mike Hofman

Premium

NYC Wants to Win Back Entrepreneurs. Its New Business Chief Has a Plan

Feb 23, 2026

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7 min read

NYC Wants to Win Back Entrepreneurs. Its New Business Chief Has a Plan

Steve Fulop, the new leader of Partnership for NYC, wants to make the city both innovative and affordable for founders.

Mike Hofman

Money

States Are Moving Fast to Fight Prediction Markets, and It Could Mean Game Over for Kalshi and Polymarket

Feb 22, 2026

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7 min read

States Are Moving Fast to Fight Prediction Markets, and It Could Mean Game Over for Kalshi and Polymarket

Billions are at stake for the Kalshis of the world.

Mike Hofman

Grow

The Hidden Threat Killing E‐Commerce Margins—and Costing Entrepreneurs Billions

Feb 21, 2026

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9 min read

The Hidden Threat Killing E‐Commerce Margins—and Costing Entrepreneurs Billions

As fraudulent returns and chargebacks surge, founders are developing tactics to protect their businesses.

Mike Hofman

Grow

Olympian Chloe Kim Is Heading Home With a Silver Medal—and a Powerful Entrepreneurial Legacy

Feb 20, 2026

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7 min read

Olympian Chloe Kim Is Heading Home With a Silver Medal—and a Powerful Entrepreneurial Legacy

‘Chloe built something far more enduring than a medal count,’ says her co-founder. ‘She built a standard.’

Mike Hofman

Workplace

What Do You Owe a Rejected Job Candidate?

Feb 19, 2026

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8 min read

What Do You Owe a Rejected Job Candidate?

Do you need to respond to aggressive messages from a rejected candidate?

Mike Hofman

Money

AI Has Supercharged Fraud. Here Are 4 Ways Business Leaders Can Protect Their Companies

Feb 18, 2026

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7 min read

AI Has Supercharged Fraud. Here Are 4 Ways Business Leaders Can Protect Their Companies

The CEO of an AI authentication company shares best practices for deepfake-proofing your business.

Mike Hofman

A New ‘Stock Market for Trends’ Could Mint Millionaires Fast

Feb 17, 2026

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9 min read

A New ‘Stock Market for Trends’ Could Mint Millionaires Fast

Noise users can bet on the popularity of everything from the Labubu craze to ChatGPT. It could be the first prediction market for the attention economy.

Mike Hofman

To Make RTO Work, Your Office Has to Feel Less Like Work

Feb 16, 2026

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8 min read

To Make RTO Work, Your Office Has to Feel Less Like Work

Try these 4 strategies from the hospitality industry to create a workplace environment that can help boost productivity and morale.

Mike Hofman

Reinventing Edible Arrangements for the Little Treat Economy

Feb 15, 2026

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7 min read

Reinventing Edible Arrangements for the Little Treat Economy

Edible Brands CEO Somia Farid Silber opens up about her plan to modernize and expand her father’s creation, from cannabis products to smoothies.

Mike Hofman

Sfoglini Is on a Mission to Make the Best American Pasta. There’s Just One Problem.

Feb 14, 2026

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6 min read

Sfoglini Is on a Mission to Make the Best American Pasta. There’s Just One Problem.

Born at the tail end of the last recession, Sfoglini is navigating the twists and turns of the current economy amid the founder’s steadfast commitment to doing things the hard way.

Mike Hofman

Studies Suggest Emotionally Intelligent Leadership is Critical and Can Be Learned

Feb 13, 2026

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7 min read

Studies Suggest Emotionally Intelligent Leadership is Critical and Can Be Learned

Conventional wisdom puts IQ above EQ, but it may be time to rethink the true value of each for your company.

Mike Hofman

Startups Are Quietly Cutting Equity Payouts—Except at AI Companies

Feb 11, 2026

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4 min read

Startups Are Quietly Cutting Equity Payouts—Except at AI Companies

The ownership perk that motivates many people to enter the tech field is getting less lucrative.

Mike Hofman

Money

Here’s Why Smart People Get Fooled by Scam Artists

Feb 10, 2026

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7 min read

Here’s Why Smart People Get Fooled by Scam Artists

A clever TED Talk explains why some scams are so effective.

Mike Hofman

An AI Simulated A Vending Machine Business. It Lied and Cheated Its Way to the Top

Feb 9, 2026

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7 min read

An AI Simulated A Vending Machine Business. It Lied and Cheated Its Way to the Top

Anthropic’s newest version of Claude displayed cutthroat tactics—and also revealed some big, weird feelings.

Mike Hofman

Mexicans Are Refusing to Spend this $50 Peso Bill

Feb 8, 2026

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5 min read

Mexicans Are Refusing to Spend this $50 Peso Bill

According to the Bank of Mexico (Banxico), around 12.9 million people are hoarding the banknote.

Mike Hofman

Technology

Y Combinator Just Released Its Latest Startup Wishlist. Here’s Every Idea It Has for Founders

Feb 7, 2026

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8 min read

Y Combinator Just Released Its Latest Startup Wishlist. Here’s Every Idea It Has for Founders

The accelerator’s new ‘Requests for Startups’ covers everything from AI hedge funds to advanced metal mills.

Mike Hofman

Grow

How Willie Nelson’s THC Beverage Became an $80 Million Business in 1 Year

Feb 6, 2026

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5 min read

How Willie Nelson’s THC Beverage Became an $80 Million Business in 1 Year

Launched by the 92-year-old country music legend, Willie’s Remedy+ wants to become the Olipop of THC.

Mike Hofman

Money

Wall Street’s Sell-Off Signals Trouble Ahead, but Not Because of an AI Bubble

Feb 5, 2026

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6 min read

Wall Street’s Sell-Off Signals Trouble Ahead, but Not Because of an AI Bubble

This week’s market decline has tech investors heading for the doors.

Mike Hofman

Artificial Intelligence

Feb 4, 2026

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3 min read

Was Vibe Coding a Ruse?

If anyone can vibe code, imagine how many developers we can fire!

Mike Hofman

Bravo

Feb 3, 2026

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6 min read

How Bravo Became the New QVC

How the network famous for Real Housewives quietly reinvented itself as a startup incubator, spawning personality-driven brands in businesses from canned cocktails to loungewear.

Mike Hofman

Money

Gen-Z Wants Big Weddings. That’s Great News for Small Businesses

Feb 2, 2026

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5 min read

Gen-Z Wants Big Weddings. That’s Great News for Small Businesses

A conversation with the Knot Worldwide CEO Raina Moskowitz reveals what young couples want out of their special day.

Mike Hofman

Social Media

Feb 1, 2026

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5 min read

Does Hootsuite Have an ICE Problem?

Several thought leaders have denounced the company’s work with ICE online.

Mike Hofman

Artificial Intelligence

Jan 31, 2026

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5 min read

Why Nvidia Bet $2 Billion on CoreWeave

The partnership between Nvidia and CoreWeave adds to concerns about the intermingled financing of the AI world.

Mike Hofman

Premium

Jan 30, 2026

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7 min read

The Growing Business of Testosterone

Hims announced that TRT therapy would be coming to its telehealth platform this year. But a grey market still thrives as recreational use supersedes medical needs.

Mike Hofman