CNBC Make It

Jay Chaudhry has seen his share of success. The 66-year-old co-founded his first company, SecureIT, with his wife in 1996. That sold for $70 million in an all-stock deal in 1998. He then founded three other companies, AirDefense, CipherTrust and CoreHarbor, all of which were ultimately acquired. In 2008, he founded his current venture, cybersecurity company Zscaler, at which he now serves as the CEO. When it comes to what traits it takes to succeed, Chaudhry cites one characteristic: passion. Specifically, a “passion to achieve something meaningful,” he says. Here’s why he believes it’s critical.

In today’s job market, it can feel like winning the lottery just to hear back from a recruiter to set up an interview. But even in a challenging market, it’s important to know what you need in a job, what you want and what your red flags are. Gen Z career expert Jade Walters recommends looking out for one major red flag that could keep you from burning out in the future: Avoid joining a team that’s clearly short-staffed and desperate to hire. Here's how Walters gauges it.

If you’re shopping for a new car, you’re probably keeping a close eye on tariffs. President Donald Trump has announced a 25% tariff on certain imports from Mexico and Canada starting April 2 — a move that could send car prices soaring, according to a recent analysis by Anderson Economic Group. However, it’s looking less likely that auto imports will be included in that rollout, though final details remain unclear. In the meantime, other tariffs already in effect could start pushing prices higher. A combined 20% tariff on imports from China took effect March 4, followed by 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum on March 12. Automakers in the U.S. rely on complex supply chains that often include parts imported from China, Mexico and Canada. Because of that, Trump’s tariffs are expected to drive up manufacturing costs and, in turn, push new vehicle prices higher later this year, according to AEG’s data.

There’s no single path rich people follow to obtain their wealth. Some are born with generational wealth that gives them a head start, while others work their way up through grit, determination and well-timed career decisions. Luck may also be a factor. But there are a few common habits among wealthy people, self-made millionaire, author and TV host Ramit Sethi wrote in a recent newsletter. “It’s time to stop worshipping rich people — and start copying what they actually do,” he wrote. Here are five rules Sethi said rich people live by and how you can use them to grow your own wealth.

Of the many kinds of people in the workplace, one stands out to Shizu Okusa as a major red flag. 🚩 It’s someone who communicates poorly, especially during a conflict or disagreement, says Okusa, founder and CEO of New York-based wellness company Apothékary. She particularly dislikes when people publicly criticize their peers at work. You’ve probably seen this scenario play out before in a movie or in real life. A boss, dissatisfied with an employee’s work, makes an example out of them during the next team meeting. Your colleague calls out another employee for not contributing to a big project, right in the middle of the office. Here's why Okusa says it’s her number 1 red flag.

March Madness is upon us. And people are ready to gamble on it. Sports fans will bet a total of $3.1 billion through legal means on this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament, according to an estimate from the American Gaming Association. With Cinderella teams, buzzer-beaters and double overtime nail biters, betting on the tournament — whether through your office bracket pool or on a mobile app — might seem like an easy way to earn extra cash and make the games more exciting. However, financial experts warn that one mistake can spell catastrophe for your finances. And many betters don’t realize they’re making it. ⬇️

Parents around the world are debating when to give their children smartphones, as evidence grows that smartphones can have negative effects on the mental health of children. Research indicates that young people’s mental health was worse the earlier they got their first smartphone, according to a Sapien Labs study published in 2023. But smartphones have become an essential part of everyday life in an increasingly online world and many parents want to give their children devices so they can keep track of their location and stay in touch with them when they leave the home. So how soon is too soon?

Among her tips for jobseekers to stand out, former Google exec Jenny Wood suggests they leave a voice note in their recruiter’s LinkedIn inbox 24 hours before the interview. Same goes for anyone else who’s interviewing them and whose name they have. Among the many direct messages she gets on the platform, the voice notes “stand out to me and I listen to every single one,” she says. TopResume career expert Amanda Augustine agrees that this could be an effective way to stand out — but with caveats about how to do it. Here’s how she recommends going about leaving such a message and other ways she and career expert Phoebe Gavin suggest using the tool.

Jonathan Sanchez was raised by a single mom who was careful about money. She scrupulously saved, clipped coupons and held onto furniture and clothes that would not have looked out of place in an 80s movie. After he got his first job, Sanchez earned a decent salary as a software engineer, but he realized that he had inherited his mom’s scarcity mindset. He always felt worried or guilty about money — and a lot of it was just going to his basic living expenses and paying off his wife’s student debt. Sanchez’s approach to money changed in 2019, when he and his wife started talking seriously about what kind of future they wanted for their two young kids. They wanted to build wealth so that their kids could afford more opportunities in the future. They educated themselves and made a plan with help from a financial advisor. They started investing in real estate, acquiring three rental properties. And in 2020, they launched a personal finance website, Parent Portfolio, to help other families like theirs. At 37, Sanchez’s net worth had reached a million dollars. But although he hit this financial milestone, he says there are some frugal habits that he will never give up.

Advanced technologies in food production allow our food supply to meet the demands of our growing population. But at what cost? Ultra-processed foods can be detrimental to our physical and mental health. Yet they now account for more than half of the calories in the standard American diet, says Dr. Uma Naidoo Director of Nutritional, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Psychiatry at Harvard. Here’s why ultra-processed foods are so bad for you, and how to cut down on cereal and other ultra-processed foods in your diet.