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Today we're covering some major changes in student loan forgiveness, Costco’s knockoff troubles, and how to always land on your feet with the ABZ Method.

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The Senate passed President Trump's reconciliation bill Tuesday, making sweeping changes to federal student loan programs. The legislation eliminates popular repayment plans like Biden's SAVE option, replacing them with just two choices by 2028. Borrowers would face a new 30-year forgiveness timeline, up from 20-25 year options.

The bill caps graduate student borrowing at $100,000 lifetime ($200,000 for medical/law students) and eliminates the Graduate PLUS Program. Parent PLUS loans get capped at $65,000 and lose repayment program eligibility. The legislation also removes unemployment and economic hardship deferment options while allowing borrowers to rehabilitate defaulted loans twice instead of once (2025 loan stats here).

Student advocates warn the changes will increase monthly payments for most borrowers and push students toward riskier private loans. The massive package now returns to the House for consideration. If passed, it would represent the biggest overhaul of federal student lending in years. See student loan policy here.

Vancouver-based Lululemon Athletica filed a lawsuit against Costco last week, alleging the warehouse retailer sells knockoff versions of its premium activewear. The suit claims Costco's Kirkland Signature brand and other products mimic Lululemon items like Scuba hoodies ($118) and Define jackets at drastically lower prices, with some Danskin alternatives costing just $8.

Lululemon argues Costco creates customer confusion by maintaining ambiguity about Kirkland manufacturers, leading buyers to believe knockoffs come from the same sources as original products (More). The company said it invested substantial resources developing high-performance activewear and seeks to protect its intellectual property from "retailers who have chosen to copy rather than compete."

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and a court order stopping Costco from selling allegedly infringing products. Lululemon has faced recent challenges including slowing sales growth and supply chain concerns over proposed tariffs. Costco declined to comment on the legal action filed in California federal court. Watch this video about other secret Kirkland copycat products.

China's largest coffee chain, Luckin Coffee, opened its first two US stores Monday in Manhattan's Greenwich Village and NoMad neighborhoods. The company launched with digital promotions and app-based discounts, marking its entry into America's $90 billion coffee market. Luckin operates over 20,000 locations across China, Singapore, and Malaysia, where it overtook Starbucks in 2023.

The tech-driven chain promotes cashier-less ordering and mobile systems targeting younger consumers. In China, Luckin prices drinks about 30 percent below Starbucks, though US pricing remains comparable—a 16-ounce Americano costs $4.45 versus Starbucks' $4.95. The company posted $1.2 billion in quarterly revenue (41 percent increase) compared to Starbucks' $8.8 billion (see 2025 coffee market trends).

Analysts see Luckin's launch as potential competition for Starbucks' 30-40 percent US market share, though national-scale impact remains uncertain. The company hasn't announced expansion plans beyond the two New York locations. If successful, Luckin could reshape America's coffee landscape through increased competition and consumer choice. Read Luckin’s origin story here.

Reid Hoffman co-founded LinkedIn and advises hundreds of startups, but his early venture SocialNet collapsed spectacularly during the dot-com crash. His dating platform never gained traction despite perfect execution. Most entrepreneurs bet everything on one strategy and implode when markets inevitably shift.

The breakthrough: Develop simultaneous contingency plans using his "ABZ Planning" methodology (video):

Hoffman applied this building LinkedIn. Plan A targeted professional networking, Plan B pivoted to recruiting tools if social features failed, Plan Z meant selling to Microsoft for enough capital to restart. This directly challenges conventional "burn-the-boats commitment" wisdom. The framework proves strategic flexibility eliminates the binary win-or-die mentality that destroys companies.

Why this matters: Startups fail because founders confuse hope with strategy. After SocialNet's implosion, Hoffman realized his fatal flaw. "Certainty is a luxury entrepreneurs can't afford," he discovered. His ABZ methodology now guides portfolio companies worth over $100 billion. Multi-plan entrepreneurs survive market crashes 4x more often than single-strategy founders. Use this with career planning here.

Choose discomfort when comfort is available. Taking stairs over escalators, walking instead of driving short distances, and embracing small daily challenges builds compound resilience that separates high-performers from everyone else. Only 2% of people consistently choose the harder option when easier alternatives exist, yet this micro-discomfort creates exponential advantages over time. Instead of seeking comfort, you actively build mental and physical strength through tiny acts of resistance. Your future dominance starts with today's small choices. Read more from Michael Easter here.

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