Good Morning! JPMorgan predicts that Amazon has the potential to become the biggest U.S. retailer by 2024 overtaking Walmart. A Harvard scholar who specializes in the science of honesty is facing accusations of falsifying findings.

Goldman Sachs began cutting 125 of its managing directors. And a Qatari sovereign wealth fund reportedly acquired a minority stake in the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals, marking it the first time a sovereign wealth fund has invested in an American professional sports team.

Want to invest in the next big brand name in your home and get in on the ground floor of an innovative technology company? Check out today’s sponsor RYSE.

_{SQUEEZ OF THE DAY}

Rise and Fall of Rivian

You gotta feel for Rivian ($RIVN). A little over a year ago, the company had long waiting lists for its electric pickup trucks. But now the company has a buildup of unsold stock and lagging sales.

The company started selling trucks out of its Normal, Illinois factory parking lot this past Saturday. It's a weird move for sure - most new vehicles are sold through independent dealerships, not directly to shoppers outside the assembly plant.

$RIVN is down almost 90% from its November 2021 IPO and is struggling to compete in an increasingly oversaturated EV market. And last week, they begrudgingly agreed to join competitor Tesla’s supercharging network.

Takeaway: There's no doubt the EV space is the future. But not all the EV companies are going to be in that future. Some argue Rivian's share price is closer now to the company's profitability and financial health. And it’s 90% fall from grace shows how the market has turned on unprofitable startups over the past few years.

_{CAPITAL PULSE}

Markets Rundown

Stocks closed lower over recession concerns.

Movers & Shakers

• (+) CarMax ($KMX) +10% after the used-car retailer beat earnings.

• (–) C3.ai ($AI) -11% after Deutsche reiterated its sell rating.

• (–) Virgin Galactic ($SPCE) -18% after the company announced a $300M capital raise.

Private Dealmaking

• Focused Energy, a nuclear fusion startup, raised $82 million

• Limble, a physical asset tracker, raised $58 million

• Octave, a behavioral health company, raised $52 million

• Sharrow Marine, a propellers for boats and ships maker, raised $32 million

• Captions, a video editing platform, raised $25 million

• Acryl Data, a data management platform, raised $21 million

_{SPONSORED BY RYSE}

Last Chance to Invest in the Company that Won Over the Dragons

The pioneer in smart-doorbell technology, Ring, pitched their business on the hit show Shark Tank at a valuation of just $7 million - the sharks shut them down.

5 years later, the company sold to Amazon for more than $1 Billion, turning the 10% stake initially offered to the sharks from $700K to $100M!

A similar story is brewing up in the Smart Shades segment of the industry, with a company called RYSE pitching on the Canadian version of Shark Tank called Dragon’s Den.

The difference? They actually received offers from two of the veteran investors and have an addressable market that could be significantly larger than that of Ring’s.

The Dragons believe that RYSE has the products, technology, and the team to become the market leader for Smart Shades, and their recent deal with Best Buy has put them miles ahead of the competition.

The opportunity to invest in RYSE is closing soon – don’t miss it.

_HEADLINES

Top Reads

• What’s the cost of thriving in America? (WSJ)

• For companies sticking with remote work, the rules are becoming clear (CNBC)

• Goldman sees emerging stocks eclipsing U.S. market in size by 2030 (BB)

• Why corporate defaults and bankruptcies are surging (CNBC)

• Is AI like the A-Bomb? (YF)

• Companies without direct AI link try riding stock market wave (CNBC)

• Janet Yellen sees more bank mergers in 2023 (WSJ)

• Goldman Sachs faces big write-down on David Solomon’s GreenSky deal (CNBC)

• Why NBA top draft pick Wembanyama is an unprecedented marketing opportunity (YF)

• The world’s empty offices have become a debt time bomb (BB)

• Where’s the recession we were promised? (WSJ)

_{BOOK OF THE DAY}

The Source

Does the “Law of Attraction” actually work? And more important, is this kind of life-changing philosophy within reach for everyone, even the most skeptical among us?

As Dr. Tara Swart, psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and Senior Lecturer at MIT shows us in The Source, if we can strip away our skepticism, these ancient tools of manifestation and visualization are fundamentally powerful and incredibly effective at freeing us of self-limiting behaviors and propelling us toward our truest, most authentic selves.

Swart reveals how and why these systems actually work by offering the latest breakthroughs in neuroscience and behavioral psychology, including lessons in neuroplasticity, magneticism, emotional and logical thinking, and even hydration, self-care, and relaxation.

“Note to self: we do not have to be slaves to our chronological age.”

_{ENLIGHTENMENT}

Short Squeez Picks

• 10 key takeaways from McKinsey’s generative AI report

• Why intelligent people take longer to solve hard problems

• How to catch up in your career if you were a late starter

• How to consistently meditate

• How NYC’s sky-high cost of living compares to London

_{SPONSORED BY BUENA FE}

Investing in Tequila Isn’t Just For Celebrities

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last two years, it certainly seems as if every celebrity has their own tequila company. Tequila has been on an unstoppable rise in popularity, and the excitement just keeps on flowing.

But that's not all. The other cool kid on the block is spirit-based ready-to-drink (RTD) products. Remember the splash White Claw and Truly made? Well, now folks are getting savvy and swapping these beer-cousins for higher quality spirit-based drinks.

So, here's where Buena Fé comes in, riding this wave with its organic, tequila-based RTDs. But get this - they're not playing around with any second-rate mixto tequila. No sir, Buena Fé's all about the real deal - 100% agave tequila.

These guys hit the scene in 2022 and have already made a splash in 12 states, scoring deals with major chains like Albertsons and Total Wine. Their impressive leadership team includes the former President of Mike's Hard Lemonade.

Buena Fé is inviting you to join the party and be a part of their growth and expansion. They're raising capital through crowdfunding, so you can become a proud owner of a tequila company*, and receive some excellent perks (including their “I’m not a celebrity but I do own a Tequila company” tee).

Unleash your inner celebrity and own a tequila company today.

_{DAILY VISUAL}

The Long Decline of Charity

Individuals share of charitable giving

_{DAILY ACUMEN}

Von Restorff Effect

Von Restorff Effect is a cognitive phenomenon which reveals that our brains have a natural inclination to remember distinct or unique items more readily than those that are ordinary or similar.

It has wide-ranging implications in areas such as marketing, learning, and memory retention. By understanding and harnessing this effect, marketers can create memorable advertisements by incorporating distinctive elements that stand out from the competition.

Educators can optimize learning outcomes by presenting information in a manner that deviates from the ordinary, making it more memorable and engaging for students.

The Von Restorff isolation effect underscores the significance of uniqueness in capturing attention and enhancing recall and it can be leveraged to make a lasting impact in various facets of our lives.

_{MEME-A-PALOOZA}

MEMES OF THE DAY