Executives Often Benefit from "Cheap Stock" Options Before IPOs
Before a company's initial public offering (IPO), some executives may already be positioned to gain significantly from "cheap stock" options, according to research from the University of Notre Dame, as reported by Phys.org on February 3, 2026. The research indicated that these options commonly result in fivefold gains for executives.
An IPO can serve as a source of "cheap money" due to the way stock options are valued before a company goes public.
In other news, at a charity gala in Palm Beach last month, billionaire investor Herbert Wertheim paid $2 million for a private visit to the White House with President Donald Trump, according to Fortune. The winning bid occurred during a charity event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, supporting educational scholarships for children of Palm Beach police officers and firefighters. Organizers stated that the event raised a record $7.5 million for first responders' scholarships and local services. Wertheim's lunch purchase included roundtrip travel on financier Thomas Peterffy’s private jet, a perk donated jointly by Peterffy, Trump, and philanthropist Lynne Wheat. "It is certainly for a good cause," Wertheim said in an interview with the Palm Beach Post, according to Fortune.
Meanwhile, musician Pharrell Williams, after decades in the music industry, stated that he never stops working because he loves what he does, according to Fortune. Williams, who won the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2026 Grammys, said, "I'm so blessed to call this a job. I've never stopped loving this job; I've never stopped being a student." He encouraged others to "never stop grinding" and "never stop working."
In the realm of Olympic athletes, many struggle to make ends meet despite representing a global spectacle, Fortune reported. While it may seem safe to assume Olympic athletes rake in the dough much like other celebrities and public figures, the reality is that many of them hold on to several jobs just to make ends meet. The athletes who represent the 2 billion global spectacle often take home at most tens of thousands of dollars, and many earn nothing directly from competing. The cost of training for the Olympics can range from tens of thousands of dollars a year to more than $100,000 for some sports. Annual training costs in sports like skiing and skating can run as high as five or even six figures once flights to competitions, equipment, ice time, coaching, physical therapy, and insurance are factored in. The International Olympic Committee does not pay athletes to compete.
Finally, Time magazine published a piece reflecting on the unique atmosphere of Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, describing it as a place where the sounds are "inimitable," blending the natural with the supernatural.
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