This Week in Review: Rhode to Riches | Donald Trump just dropped a hint that he might slash tariffs on India | Claude vs ChatGPT- Who’s winning? | Crypto struggles to regain momentum | Travel is back
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Quick Bites:
Business x Beauty: Attention Brits! Rhode has officially launched in the UK.
Founder and creative boss Hailey Bieber’s beauty brand, Rhode has finally hit the UK high street in partnership with Sephora.
Translation: Hailey Bieber’s “clean girl” aesthetic is now available for international export.
i.e From today, you’ll finally be able to buy the Peptide Lip Treatment and Barrier Restore Cream without bribing your cousin in LA to ship them across the Atlantic.
🥶 The Stats (because we just have to know the numbers):
- Rhode launched in 2022, as a direct-to-consumer brand.
- In the US, the Sephora launch was historic– we’re talking over $10 million in the first two days.
- At peak frenzy, one report said Rhode’s products sold three units per second (Yep: you blink, you miss 3 raspberry jelly peptide lip treatments)
- In May 2025, Rhode was acquired by e.l.f. Beauty in a landmark deal, valuing the brand at $1 billion.
Tbh.. this is a masterclass in marketing.
Hailey and Rhode built its empire around the “glazed donut skin” aesthetic- the idea that you should look like you accidentally fell face-first into a Krispy Kreme glazed donut but make it ultra luxury
🇬🇧 Why the UK Launch Matters:
This marks Rhode’s first permanent retail presence outside the US.
So now, Londoners can join the glazed cult- minus the customs duties and 2 am eBay markups.
Picture it: Selfridges girlies meet Sephora girlies- Bond Street meets barrier repair.
Hailey: “My goal since day one has been to bring Rhode to as many people as possible, however they prefer to shop, whether that’s online or in-person.”
Sarah Boyd, Sephora UK MD: “We know there are already thousands of UK fans who can’t wait to shop Rhode locally.”
Our Thoughts:
Hmm.. we just HAVE to point this out- Hailey’s had a Rhode map to success since birth.
- Dad: Hollywood actor Stephen Baldwin
- Uncle: Alec “Baldwin from every Thanksgiving movie ever” Baldwin
- Husband: Justin “Purpose of your pores” Bieber
- Brand: A billion-dollar skincare line built around… moisturizer. Like most nepo kids inherit real estate or a guaranteed ivy league education.. Hailey inherited cheekbones, Kendall and Kylie as Bffs, a marketing degree from Kris Jenner University, and an entire god damn Sephora aisle.
Politics: Donald Trump just dropped a hint that he might slash tariffs on India “very substantially”– as his longtime aide, Sergio Gor, was sworn in as the new US Ambassador to India.
Hmm this is like upgrading a flight from economy to premium economy- still bumpy, but at least there’s one glass of champagne included
Key Highlights, reported by CNBC:
- Trump said a “very good” trade deal with India is close, signaling a possible reset after years of friction over tariffs and oil imports.
- Gor, a loyalist from Trump’s campaign days, now becomes the point man for US–India ties- despite having minimal foreign-policy experience.
- India, hit with tariffs of up to 50 %, has been pushing hard for relief as relations cooled over energy imports and digital taxes.
🎯 Why this matters
- Tariff cuts could boost Indian exports and bring American investments back to the table.
- For Trump, it’s also optics: look friendly to India while keeping China in check.
- India’s cautious- Gor’s appointment shows more loyalty politics than regional expertise.
Our Thoughts:
India will become not just a destination to watch for flights and five-star stays, but a major partner in a shifting global power play if these tarrifs are cut.
The “deal pending” sign is interesting-means opportunities could open for brand-partnerships, cross-border luxury launches, bilateral investment in lifestyle sectors.
BUT beware the fine print. Big premium seating does NOT make the inflight meal gourmet.
🧠 Artificial Intelligence: Claude vs ChatGPT.. Who’s winning?
So apparently Anthropic, the “Claude” maker, is on track to hit profitability by 2028, a full two years before OpenAI.
To put that in context: OpenAI plans to get there around 2030, after spending, um, 14x more cash than Anthropic.
Basically: one’s drinking black coffee, the other’s sipping champagne from a data-center fountain
The difference?
Anthropic is building like a quiet A-student- focused on enterprise deals, fewer flashy launches, more steady recurring revenue.
OpenAI is building like a rockstar- multimodal models, video tools, chip factories, hardware dreams.
Investors are watching:
AI companies are burning through billions, but markets are shifting from “grow at any cost” to “show me the numbers.”
And Anthropic might just become the first profitable AI startup in the world.
Our Thoughts:
Anthropic: 2028 break-even.
OpenAI: 2030 break-even.
Us: still tryna break even after buying an oat milk latte at Erewhon
Finance: Bitcoin struggles to regain momentum, Bloomberg reports.
After dipping below $100K, Bitcoin clawed back to $107K– only to slide under $104K on Tuesday.
This fall has not been good for the “I’m in it for the technology” crowd.
About $340 billion in market value has vanished since October 10 thanks to mass liquidations.
Analysts say the coin just can’t break past its 200-day moving average (~$110K)= the line between “we’re back” and “lol, never mind.”
Bloomberg calls it “fragile sentiment.”
We call it everyone’s still effing traumatized from the last crash.
The Bigger Picture:
Markets are jittery over high valuations, interest rate uncertainties, and the realization that maybe- just maybe- we all overdid the “AI will solve everything” narrative.
Bitcoin’s fall below $100K isn’t catastrophic (unless you bought it at $120K), but it’s a reminder that volatility is the only constant in crypto.
Quicker Bites:
- At Web Summit 2025 in Lisbon, celebs like Maria Sharapova delivered the message that culture is now a key part of digital innovation, not just a side-note.
- South Korea’s government is launching a new strategy to boost exports of consumer goods (K-beauty, fashion, food) riding the wave of the global K-culture boom.
- New data shows Gen Z are increasingly getting news via social platforms: 38 % on Facebook, 35 % on YouTube, 20 % on TikTok/Instagram
- Ukraine: At least 15 civilians killed and over 70 injured in mass missile and drone attacks hitting 10 regions over the weekend.
- Thailand has suspended its cease-fire deal with Cambodia following renewed border tensions.
- Gavin Newsom slammed Donald Trump’s US climate policy at COP30, calling it “dumb”.
- Donald Trump reversed his stance on immigration by saying the US needs more foreign talent.
Business Eye 
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