☕ Starbucks Just Got a Makeover

Biz Analyst Club Newsletter

by The Business Model Analyst

Hello, Biz Enthusiasts!
AI just scored another job (and it might be yours), Starbucks is undergoing a full-blown makeover, Apple’s teaming up with Google (yes, you read that right), and TikTok’s loss might be a new app’s jackpot. Meanwhile, a lobster-themed AI assistant is going viral, Clawdbot’s the new startup flex, and Disney found its biggest win of the year… in a city full of animals. Let’s get into this week’s juicy stuff. 🚀

Hot Takes 🚀

1. Starbucks 2.0 Is Here ☕🛠️
New CEO Brian Niccol is remaking the coffee giant—from ceramic mugs and better food stock to rethinking how baristas greet you. Sales spiked during holiday promos, but investors want more than festive cups. Will latte innovation lead to stock market stimulation?
👉 See how he’s trying to caffeinate growth

2. Zootopia 2 Is Disney’s Surprise Blockbuster 🐰🎬
Everyone thought Avatar would dominate 2025. Instead, a bunny and a fox ran away with the prize. Zootopia 2 just became Disney’s top-grossing animated film of all time—thanks in large part to Chinese moviegoers, who showed up in huge numbers.
👉 Why this animated sequel broke records

3. TikTok Who? Meet UpScrolled, the Fast-Rising Alternative 🚀📱
After TikTok’s U.S. ownership shift, downloads for UpScrolled exploded +2,850%. The politically neutral app mashes up Instagram, X, and a sprinkle of utopia. Their pitch? “We’re not owned by shady algorithms.” Okay, calm down, Zuck.
👉 Why UpScrolled is climbing the charts

4. Anthropic Launches Claude Apps: Slack, Canva, Figma, and More 🧠💼
Claude’s not just chatting anymore—it’s working. Anthropic rolled out integrations with Slack, Box, Canva, and more, turning Claude into your digital coworker. It can design, manage files, and send messages... but you still have to unmute yourself in Zoom meetings.
👉 Explore what Claude can now do

5. Clawdbot: The Open-Source AI Assistant That’s Going Viral 🦞💻
Built by a developer best known for PDF software (yes, really), Clawdbot runs locally and hooks into ChatGPT or Claude. Techies are setting up Clawdbots on Mac Minis and flexing their AI setups online. It's the nerdiest flex of 2026—and we’re into it.
👉 How to set up your own Clawdbot

Quick Hits 📰

• Apple’s Siri Gets a Gemini Makeover 🍏🤖: Apple’s rebooting Siri with Google’s Gemini AI—coming to iOS 26.4.
  👉 Here's what Siri 2.0 will look like

• AI Job Listings Are Surging — But Are They Real? 💼⚠️: AI-related job posts are up 134%, but many are just buzzword fluff.
  👉 Add “ChatGPT” to your résumé and call it a day

• Luxury’s Losing Its Flex ⌚👜: Even Birkins and Rolexes are seeing resale drops. Scarcity isn’t what it used to be.
  👉 The luxury slowdown you didn’t see coming

• Nike Lays Off 775 in Automation Push 👟🤖: The swoosh is leaning into robots at distribution centers.
  👉 How Nike’s automating its future

• Rental Startup Uses Remote-Controlled Cars 🚗🎮: Vay sends your ride with a driver… sitting in an office.
  👉 Yes, really. Here’s how it works

• Retrospekt Is Flipping Your Childhood for Millions 📸💿: A nostalgia startup is reviving Polaroids, cassettes, and Tamagotchis.
  👉 How retro tech is making a modern fortune

• Lowe’s Is Targeting Gen Z With DIY and TikTok Merch 🛠️🍭: Kids’ workshops, lollipops, and influencers—welcome to the new hardware hustle.
  👉 Lowe’s isn’t just for homeowners anymore

• Flexible Offices Are Booming Again 🏢📈: Industrious saw 58% growth, driven by companies rethinking how and where we work.
  👉 Why coworking spaces are hotter than ever

• Merck Walks Away from $30B Biotech Deal 💊💸: Merck won’t buy Revolution Medicines—for now.
  👉 Inside the deal that didn’t close

• US Carmakers Are Losing Ground in Canada 🚙🇨🇦: Chinese automakers are moving in—thanks to new tariff rules.
  👉 Why GM and Ford are worried

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