US Business News

US BUSINESS NEWS

In The Room: Unlocking New Revenue Paths for Online Event Organizers

US Business News Staff US Business News Staff on September 24, 2025

The live events industry has always been a space where inspiration and connection collide, but in recent years, its economic side has faced sharper scrutiny. Organizers are under pressure to justify costs, and attendees demand seamless experiences. Against this backdrop, a new player has emerged with technology that redefines how organizers improve event ROI: In The Room.

Founded by entrepreneur Bill Allen, In The Room was born out of necessity. While running Flip Hacking Live, Allen and his COO, Blaze Faillaci, realized a fundamental flaw in the way event metrics were being captured. Attendance was measured, sales were tracked, yet a crucial data point remained invisible—who actually heard the offers that were made from the stage. This gap meant that potential conversions were being lost simply because attendees weren’t in the right place at the right time.

Turning a Blind Spot Into a Business

Determined to close this gap, the team brought in software developer Taylor Harry to design a system that combined registration and live event data tracking. What resulted was a platform capable of monitoring engagement with remarkable precision. The software identifies which attendees are online during key sessions, creating a level of clarity that traditional event tools have never provided.

The business case quickly proved itself. At Russell Brunson’s Funnel Hacking Live, In The Room’s system contributed to an additional million in sales. The success suggested that improved data could contribute to higher profitability. For organizers seeking ways to generate revenue beyond ticket sales, the solution became more apparent.

Real-Time Data as a Competitive Advantage

Traditional event reporting has always been backward-looking, with insights delivered after the fact. In The Room shifts that paradigm by providing live event data collection in real time. Organizers can see engagement as it happens, adjust programming if necessary, and help ensure that key sponsor and sales opportunities aren’t missed.

Equally important is the way the platform simplifies attendee interactions—features like online event data collection, which simultaneously feed organizers with reliable engagement data. The combination of operational efficiency and monetization insight is rare, and it explains why events such as Pace Morby’s Squad Up Summit have adopted the system.

Expanding the Definition of ROI

The conversation around event ROI has traditionally focused on broad numbers. In The Room, challenges are addressed by expanding the definition of return. Did attendees hear the keynote announcement? Were high-value buyers present during a product pitch? Which workshops generated the highest engagement?

By providing answers to these questions, the platform moves ROI measurement from a reactive process to a proactive strategy. Organizers no longer need to guess which aspects of their programming drive results—they can know, in detail, while the event is still unfolding.

For anyone evaluating event lead capture software, In The Room’s approach to lead retrieval highlights just how much untapped value can be discovered with the right tools.

Looking Ahead

The live events industry is on the cusp of a data revolution. With pressure mounting on organizers to increase event ROI, platforms like In The Room represent a shift toward accountability and precision. Allen and his team are positioning the company not just as a software provider but as a growth partner for conferences and venues that want to maximize profitability.

As the industry adapts to this new reality, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: the ability to capture and act on data in real-time will be a defining factor for successful events. For organizers, sponsors, and attendees alike, In The Room is setting a new benchmark for what event success looks like.

More information about In The Room’s solutions can be found at intheroom.live.

What to Know About Breath and Field Sobriety Tests During a DUI Traffic Stop

US Business News Staff US Business News Staff on September 24, 2025

For many drivers, the possibility of being pulled over and arrested for drunk driving may not seem like a major concern. People generally understand the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and most drivers take precautions to ensure that they are fully sober and safe to drive before getting behind the wheel. However, police may pull drivers over for various reasons, and when they suspect that a person is intoxicated, they may ask them to perform certain tests meant to gauge their sobriety and determine whether they could be arrested for driving under the influence (DUI).

During a traffic stop, a driver may be uncertain about their rights and legal options. They may worry that certain issues could lead them to fail sobriety tests, potentially resulting in a DUI arrest, even if they are not intoxicated. However, they might feel pressured to agree to officers’ demands, and they may also be unsure about the legal consequences that could apply if they refuse to follow certain instructions. A DUI defense attorney can provide guidance on whether tests can be refused and how to approach DUI charges.

Requests for Field Sobriety Tests

Police officers will often pull drivers over as a possible pretext for a DUI arrest, especially during nighttime or in areas near bars or nightclubs. They may perform traffic stops for various reasons, such as a broken taillight or failure to come to a complete stop at a stop sign. During the interaction, they will be looking for signs that the person may be intoxicated, gathering information that could lead to probable cause for an arrest.

One common method officers use to determine whether a person might be intoxicated is through field sobriety tests. They may ask a driver to step out of their vehicle and perform certain physical tests to gauge their level of physical coordination and their ability to respond correctly to instructions. Any signs that a driver is unable to perform the tests properly could provide an officer with probable cause to arrest them for intoxicated driving.

There are several different types of tests that officers may perform, but only three specific tests are recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In one of these tests, the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, an officer will have the person track an object with their eyes while keeping their head still. The officer moves the object (usually their finger or a pen) back and forth, watching to see if the driver’s eyes move smoothly while tracking it or if they lose focus or cannot properly keep the object in their field of vision. If the eyes move uncontrollably during this test, it might be considered a sign of impairment.

The other two standardized tests are meant to assess a person’s balance and coordination. One test involves walking in a straight line, taking heel-to-toe steps, while the officer watches to ensure the person maintains their balance. The other test involves standing on one foot for around 30 seconds, with the officer watching to see if the person puts the other foot down or struggles to stay balanced. Swaying, tripping, or otherwise failing to follow instructions during these tests could be interpreted as signs of intoxication.

While field sobriety tests are often viewed as reliable methods of determining whether a person is impaired due to alcohol or drugs, they can be subjective. The reasons for a “failure” of a field sobriety test may include medical issues that affect balance, uncomfortable footwear, damaged road surfaces, or weather conditions like strong winds or rain. Officers may interpret various movements or reactions as signs of intoxication, which could lead to arrests even for those who are completely sober.

While police officers may act as though field sobriety tests are mandatory, drivers are permitted to decline to participate. However, it’s important to recognize that refusing to take a field sobriety test might be seen as an attempt to hide intoxication, and arrests may still occur. Consulting a DUI defense lawyer about field sobriety tests can help individuals understand the procedures followed during traffic stops.

Breath Tests During Traffic Stops

Portable breath tests are another method officers may use during traffic stops to assess potential intoxication. An officer might ask a person to blow into a small handheld device that measures the alcohol content in their breath. If the device’s readings indicate that the person is over the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit (which is .08% in most states), it may provide probable cause for an arrest for DUI.

As with field sobriety tests, portable breath tests are not always an accurate measure of intoxication. These devices provide an estimate of a person’s BAC rather than an exact reading. There are several reasons why the readings might be inaccurate, and factors like acid reflux disease or certain types of mouthwash could lead to a false positive. Since portable breath tests can only detect alcohol, they do not identify impairment from other substances.

Drivers are not legally required to take portable breath tests during DUI traffic stops. A person can choose to decline the breath test politely. A DUI defense attorney can address issues related to roadside breathalyzer tests and other factors that might influence a case.

Chemical Tests After an Arrest

Even if a person refuses to take field sobriety tests and declines a portable breath test, they might still be arrested for DUI. After an arrest, a person is typically taken to a police station, where they may be asked to submit to chemical testing to determine intoxication levels. Depending on state laws and police procedures, these tests might involve breathalyzer devices or laboratory tests of blood or urine samples.

Unlike roadside tests performed during traffic stops, chemical tests conducted after an arrest cannot be declined without penalties. Every state has “implied consent” laws stating that drivers who use public roads are considered to have given consent for chemical testing. Refusing a chemical test will usually result in the automatic suspension of a person’s driver’s license. The specific penalties, such as the duration of a suspension, can vary depending on state laws.

A DUI defense lawyer can provide insight into a person’s rights and available options after being pulled over or arrested for DUI. Legal representation can help navigate these cases and ensure that the situation is addressed appropriately.

 

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. The content provided is a general overview of DUI traffic stop procedures and may vary depending on your location and specific circumstances. For personalized legal guidance, it is recommended to consult with a qualified DUI defense attorney.

What Is the Difference Between Contested and Uncontested Divorce

US Business News Staff US Business News Staff on September 24, 2025

There are many reasons that married couples may decide to split up and go their separate ways. Some of these cases may involve high levels of conflict due to disagreements over how to handle money or how to raise children. Issues such as infidelity or substance abuse may have contributed to the breakdown of a relationship. In more severe cases, physical violence or emotional abuse may play a role. In these situations, divorce may be considered the best choice for everyone involved, as it can help reduce potential future conflict and provide family members with an opportunity to live in a more peaceful environment.

In other cases, couples may have simply grown apart, discovering that they no longer share the same interests, goals, or desires. Over many years of marriage, one or both spouses may come to feel that they are no longer happy with their life, and they may consider ending the relationship and starting over.

The reasons for a divorce may determine how a couple will proceed with the process of legally dissolving their marriage. Whether a divorce is contested or uncontested will depend on factors such as the level of conflict, the spouses’ ability to work together to reach agreements, and the complexity of the issues that will need to be addressed. A family law attorney can help provide guidance on legal and financial matters that may affect a divorce and the options for resolving potential disputes.

Grounds for Divorce

Whether a divorce is contested or uncontested will usually depend on how the issues involved in a case will be handled. However, before those issues can be addressed, the divorce process will need to be initiated. The process will begin when one spouse files a petition for divorce. This petition will usually be served to the other spouse, who will have the opportunity to file a response or submit their own counter-petition for divorce.

A divorce petition will include the grounds for divorce, which are the reasons why a spouse has decided to take steps to end their marriage. The potential grounds for divorce may differ depending on the state where the divorce is filed. However, all 50 states allow for no-fault divorce, meaning that there will be no need for a divorce petition to state that one spouse was at fault for the breakdown of the relationship. In a no-fault divorce, the divorce petition will state that the marriage has broken down due to irreconcilable differences between the spouses.

There may be some situations where a divorce petition may include fault-based grounds for divorce, such as abuse. However, most states encourage no-fault divorce, and in some states, this is the only option. No-fault divorce is meant to help couples avoid conflict, as there will be no need for either party to blame the other for the end of their marriage. A divorce lawyer can help prepare a divorce petition, ensuring that all required information is included and that the petition is served correctly to the other spouse.

Negotiating a Settlement in an Uncontested Divorce

As the divorce process proceeds, a couple will need to address a variety of issues to ensure that they can fully separate their lives from each other. Many of these issues will involve financial concerns, including how to divide all of the property they own. They may need to consider money saved in joint or individual bank accounts, their family home, vehicles, personal belongings such as furniture and appliances, valuable items such as artwork or collectibles, and investments or retirement accounts. Any assets or debts that were acquired during a marriage will typically be considered marital property, and a couple may work together to decide how to divide the marital estate.

In some cases, one spouse may ask for financial support from the other spouse. This may be known as spousal support, spousal maintenance, or alimony. This type of support may be considered if one spouse earns the majority of the family’s income, if one spouse has been a stay-at-home parent or has limited work experience, or if there are other reasons why one spouse may be unable to fully cover their own living expenses. Support may take the form of ongoing payments or a lump-sum payment.

If a couple has children, they will need to determine how they will handle ongoing parental responsibilities, including decisions about issues such as education and medical care. They will also need to determine where children will live, when they will spend time in each parent’s home, how transportation arrangements will be handled, and other related issues. Child support orders will typically be established to ensure that both parents are contributing to the costs involved in providing for their children’s ongoing needs.

All of these issues can be addressed outside of court through the negotiation of a divorce settlement. A divorce attorney can provide guidance on the options that may be used to resolve the outstanding issues in a case, including direct negotiations between the parties, mediation, or collaborative law. The goal of an uncontested divorce will be to create a divorce settlement that can then be filed in court to finalize the case.

Litigating a Contested Divorce

In a divorce involving high levels of conflict or complex issues that spouses are unable to resolve through negotiations, a divorce trial may become necessary. A contested divorce may not necessarily require litigation of every issue. In some cases, a couple may reach agreements on most outstanding issues, but they may be unable to resolve certain matters.

When a case proceeds to trial, extensive preparation will usually be needed. A divorce lawyer will gather all of the relevant information, and they may also arrange for expert witnesses to testify. A pre-trial conference may be held between the parties’ attorneys and the judge to determine whether a case can be resolved without a trial. If a trial will be necessary, both parties will present evidence, and they may call and cross-examine witnesses. The judge will review all information presented and make the final decisions about how the outstanding issues will be resolved. They will then issue a divorce judgment that will finalize the dissolution of the parties’ marriage.

In many cases, a contested divorce is seen as a last resort after negotiations have broken down. An experienced lawyer can provide guidance on when litigation may be necessary, and they can advocate for their client during a trial. Regardless of whether a divorce is contested or uncontested, a divorce attorney can provide legal representation and work to resolve all outstanding issues.

 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Divorce processes and outcomes can vary based on individual circumstances and local laws. For specific guidance related to your situation, it is recommended that you consult with a qualified divorce attorney or professional.

Xuanjing (Jean) Chen: From Academic Research to Global-Scale AI Personalization in Digital Ecosystems

US Business News Staff US Business News Staff on September 24, 2025

Xuanjing (Jean) Chen stands out as a professional who bridges academic research and industry innovation in recommendation systems, personalization algorithms, and data science. Her work combines scholarly rigor with real-world impact, reshaping how AI potentially connects people, content, and opportunities at scale. This balance highlights the relevance of her work, showing how technical research can influence digital ecosystems and user engagement worldwide.

Chen’s academic journey has established the foundation for her technical and analytical depth. She earned a Master of Science in Business Statistics (Marketing Science) from Columbia Business School, graduating with a merit scholarship, after completing her Bachelor of Science in Media, Culture, and Communication with a Data Science minor at New York University. Her scholarly contributions include the paper “A Context-Aware Personalized Recommendation Framework Integrating User Clustering and BERT-Based Sentiment Analysis,” which suggests that advanced NLP and clustering methods could significantly improve recommendation accuracy, and “A Machine Learning–Based Enterprise Financial Audit Framework and High-Risk Identification,” which applied models such as SVM, Random Forest, and KNN to enterprise risk detection. These works have been recognized as expanding the frontier of both personalized recommendation and applied AI in business contexts.

Chen has since translated this research expertise into progressive industry leadership roles. At Bigo Live, she applied her data science skill sets to analyze streamers’ performance and user behavior, directly influencing strategy and contributing to a 19% increase in monthly revenue and a 37% rise in user retention. This ability to translate technical complexity into practical business strategies became a defining characteristic of her professional style. At Habu (acquired by LiveRamp), she advanced the application of data clean rooms by embedding machine learning models into marketing analytics pipelines, delivering measurable ROI improvements for global clients such as ASICS. Her role involved refining customer segmentation and attribution methods, which helped marketing teams make more informed decisions and reduce inefficiencies in advertising spending. By focusing on transparency and reproducibility in data workflows, she ensured that clients could reliably evaluate the outcomes of their marketing investments.

Now at TikTok, within AI Data Service & Operations – Search Ecosystem, Chen is driving the next wave of personalization infrastructure. She designed and launched a three-pillar messaging system—comprising personalized newsletters, general CSI marketing, and item-to-user activations—covering more than 50 million subscribers. These innovations, powered by clustering, multimodal modeling, and AI-driven recommendation, led to a 296% DAU growth and a 120% DCC growth QoQ, while resulting in a reduction of operational costs by over 50%. She also built TikTok’s first personalized newsletter recommendation system, praised by creators as an essential tool for inspiration, milestone tracking, and growth. Her approach emphasized scalability and sustainability: the systems were not one-time experiments but frameworks designed to evolve alongside TikTok’s rapidly growing user base. She also carefully documented key processes extensively, which then allowed other teams within the company to adopt and extend her methods, multiplying the impact beyond her immediate projects.

Across academia and industry, Chen has consistently shown the ability to bridge theory and practice—taking complex statistical models and machine learning frameworks from research to deployment at a global scale. Her contributions demonstrate the transformative potential of AI-driven personalization, not only for business growth but for shaping how digital ecosystems can empower creators and audiences worldwide. By demonstrating that academic methods can be adapted to operational environments, her work underscores the importance of linking rigorous research with applied problem-solving. The systems she has developed show that personalization technologies can scale responsibly when designed with both accuracy and efficiency in mind. In this way, her career provides an example of how innovation may move from theoretical exploration into tools that actively shape user experience in global platforms.