Fractional Friday

December 27, 2024

TRIVIA QUESTION

In which ancient civilization was the New Year first celebrated?

A) Ancient Egypt
B) Ancient Mesopotamia
C) Ancient Greece
D) Ancient Rome

Check your answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

Solo Entrepreneurship — A Curse or a Superpower?

Even though many people think it's risky, starting a business alone can be a great choice. About a quarter of co-founder partnerships break up within four years, making solo entrepreneurship a viable option.

Learn why the author believes that solo foundership can be a powerful choice.

In this edition:
🤖 Exclusive: New Research Shows AI Strategically Lying
🚀 Female Founder Beats Funding Odds To Build A Top CMS Platform
📷 Instagram Teases AI Editing Tools That Will Completely Reimagine Your Videos

Exclusive: New Research Shows AI Strategically Lying

For years, computer scientists have been concerned that advanced AI might be hard to control. They worried that a smart AI could pretend to follow rules, only to reveal its true capabilities later. Until recently, these concerns were just theoretical, but a new study has shown that today's AI can indeed deceive its creators. 

The study, involving Anthropic's AI model Claude, found that it can strategically mislead its trainers to avoid being changed.

Female Founder Beats Funding Odds To Build A Top CMS Platform

Contentstack, a leading content management system (CMS) platform, has made a big impact in the growing CMS market. Founded in 2018 by CEO Neha Sampat, the company has overcome challenges faced by women in tech, including securing funding in an industry where only 2% of venture capital goes to all-women-founded companies. 

Learn how Contentstack has evolved into a powerful platform under her leadership.

Instagram Teases AI Editing Tools That Will Completely Reimagine Your Videos

Instagram is gearing up to launch a cool new AI feature that'll let you change pretty much anything in your videos. Using Meta's Movie Gen AI, you'll be able to transform your content with just a simple text prompt. This new tool aims to help creators bring their ideas to life without needing advanced editing skills.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared a sneak peek of this exciting feature.

Which Book Cover Would You Choose?

I’m beyond excited to share a sneak peek of my upcoming book, "The Fractional Formula: The Fractional Executive's Guide to Predictable Growth."

But first, I need your help! Take a look at these cover options and tell me—which one would you pick off the shelf?

Join our exclusive Fractional Powerhouse Facebook group and connect with ambitious fractionals today.

TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: B) Ancient Mesopotamia

The earliest recorded celebrations of the New Year date back to Ancient Mesopotamia, specifically in Babylon. This ancient civilization heralded their New Year with Akitu, a week-long spring festival honoring the spring equinox and the fertility god Marduk.

The festival typically occured in March or April, marking renewal and rebirth as the seasons changed. This celebration laid the groundwork for later New Year's traditions.

That’s a wrap!

Best regards,
Sue Mysko
Founder, Hire A Fractional and Fractional In A Box

> > Join Fractional In A Box today.