Articles by: Hanna Brooks Olsen

[caption id="attachment_14124" align="alignnone" width="620"] Image via Flickr[/caption] "You will become way less concerned with what other people think of you when you realize how seldom they do," wrote David Foster Wallace in his 1996 tome, Infinite Jest. Three years later, a pair of psychologists would give that same sentiment a name: the spotlight effect.

[caption id="attachment_14040" align="alignnone" width="620"] Image via Flickr[/caption] Though it's extremely important to our finances, many Americans have no idea what their credit score is, either because they haven't needed to or, more likely, because they're nervous to see the damage. But not knowing can't save you when you try to take out a small business loan, only to get denied because your credit score is too low.

[caption id="attachment_13806" align="alignnone" width="620"] Image via Flickr[/caption] The internet is a cruel place – especially when it comes to the awkwardness of teenagers. Prom photos are especially susceptible to highlighting this particularly rocky and, often, unphotogenic phase of life, and there are plenty of websites out there just waiting to eat it up and Tweet it out.

[caption id="attachment_13883" align="alignnone" width="620"] Image via Flickr[/caption] Arguably one of the most misunderstood elements of doing creative business, protection of intellectual property (IP) is, to most sole proprietors, freelancers, and small business owners, deeply unsexy – not to mention confusing. Unfortunately, that means a lot of them overlook it entirely, which can leave them open to theft, copyright infringement, or other seriously losses of value or income.

[caption id="attachment_13731" align="alignnone" width="620"] Image via Flickr[/caption] For regular workers, tax season can be a time of financial abundance. A big return can mean money toward a vacation, some much-needed home repair, or just about anything else you've been putting off.

[caption id="attachment_13621" align="alignnone" width="620"] Image via Flickr[/caption]   In the time between when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press (around 1440) and, oh, 10 years ago, letterpress printing has had quite a roller-coaster ride. The technology that revolutionized the dispersal of information was a necessary – albeit clunky and expensive – piece of equipment for the advancement of the written word, and for hundreds of years, it was absolutely crucial.

The city of Austin, Texas is teeming with creative, smart people this week as South By Southwest gets into full swing. Musicians, artists, filmmakers, scientists, and educators are coming together right this minute to share ideas, come up with solutions, and collaborate on projects.