WebCE Weekly Wrap-Up: January 31, 2025

Each week, our Weekly Wrap-Up collected 10 of the top stories from around the world of business to help you stay sharp and competitive amid constant change. Plus, a top podcast of the week along with something fun at the end to help you ease into weekend mode.

This week, a look at what business leaders can learn from the strategic genius of Taylor Swift, how a former NFL player-turned-financial planner is helping other athletes find financial freedom, and more top tips for 2025 as the trends have begun to take shape.  

Top 10 News Stories of the Week

1. The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift (Harvard Business Review) 

   
   

   The secret to Swift’s long-term success, this article argues, can be attributed to four behaviors: targeting untapped markets, finding opportunities to create stickiness, maintaining productive paranoia, and adapting to radical shifts in platforms. By studying the sophisticated moves she has made, business leaders can draw valuable lessons on innovation, reinvention, and strategic thinking.  

   
   

2. Former Bengals Safety Brandon Wilson Helps Ex-Athletes Find Financial Freedom (City Wire RIA) 

   
   

   “I look back on what I did in football. I’m like, ‘How can I use this in the field I’m in now?’” Wilson said. “When I was out there in the field, I had to communicate and talk to other guys, tell them what was going on, same thing with what I’m doing now … Same thing as far as hard work, just like I’m doing now, studying for these exams.” 

   
   

3. 2025 FINRA Annual Regulatory Oversight Report (FINRA) 

   
   

   FINRA’s 2025 Regulatory Oversight Report was published January 28. The Report includes findings from FINRA’s oversight programs, compliance guidance, and new topic areas for 2025. 

   
   

4. FINRA Fines, Suspends Another NY Broker Accused of CE Cheating (Think Advisor) 

   
   

   “In December 2022, Hurowitz certified to New York state regulators that he had personally completed the required continuing education "when, in fact, another person had completed that CE on his behalf," violating a FINRA rule, according to the letter.” 

   
   

5. The Road Ahead: Top Insurance Trends Shaping 2025 (Carrier Management) 

   
   

   Top industry shifts insurers ought to embrace and invest in, such as changing market conditions and advanced customer interaction technologies, won’t just survive but thrive.  

   
   

6. Insurance Payouts at $4 Billion and Counting for LA Wildfires (Insurance Journal) 

   
   

   The true scope of the destruction from the L.A. wildfires is finally coming into focus as preliminary data shows insurance companies have paid out more than $4 billion for losses so far.  

   
   

7. Risk Managers with Financial Lines Exposures: Pay Attention to These Key Risks (Risk & Insurance) 

   
   

   From the changing regulatory environment to the risks of new technologies, Westfield Specialty's Vincent Cisternino delves into the key financial risks and coverage nuances in financial lines insurance for various entity types. 

   
   

8. NASBA and the AICPA Propose an Alternative Path to CPA (The CPA Journal) 

   
   

   Is the 150-hour requirement detrimental to the profession? Three college professors of accounting argue the 150-hour requirement has failed to produce more qualified CPAs and that the time is right to “eliminate the 30-hour post-bachelor's requirement as a separate pathway to licensure.” 

   
   

9. 4 Social Media Tips to Stay Out of Legal Trouble (REALTOR® Magazine) 

   
   

   Make sure your posts abide by copyright and advertising law, are ethical and use the REALTOR® marks correctly. 

   
   

10. OGR’s Podcast Rebranded as Rest Assured: The Funeral Profession Podcast (Connecting Directors) 

    
    

    “Through Rest Assured: The Funeral Profession Podcast, we aim to provide meaningful conversations, practical takeaways, and an ongoing sense of community for funeral home owners, staff, and future leaders,” said Wendy King, CAE, CVA, Executive Director of OGR. 

Top Podcast of the Week

How to Make Better Decisions Under Pressure (HBR On Leadership) 

A conversation with Harvard Medical School’s Carol Kauffman on navigating high-stakes challenges effectively. 

Many people believe that leaders instinctively make the best decisions based on past experience, almost like muscle memory. But Carol Kauffman, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the founder of the Institute of Coaching, challenges this view. She explains why falling back on automatic behaviors can lead to poor decisions, especially when the stakes are high. 

In this episode, Kauffman outlines her framework for sound decision-making in high-pressure situations. She also shares real-life stories of leaders she has coached through difficult decisions and offers insights into how to navigate high-stakes challenges effectively. 

Weekend Wind-Down

The Weirdest Tax Deduction Ever Approved 

In 1962, a man successfully deducted expenses related to cat food—because the feral cats he lured to his property also helped keep his junkyard free of rats. It worked. The court ruled the expense both ordinary and necessary for the operation of the business.