Working Girl's Guide #57: Meta's AI investment, my fiancé's graduation, and more bridal looks

WhatsApp is advertising for the first time ever, the creator economy continues to boom, and I’m sharing my favorite Aritzia dress for office-to-vacay vibes.

Let’s get into it.

WhatsApp says goodbye to its “no ads” policy to help fund Meta’s investment in AI

WhatsApp, which maintained a no-ad stance for years, has gone the way of the masses and is introducing paid advertising. If you only use the app for messaging, you might not see any ads; they’ll be in Updates, the social tab that about half of WhatsApp’s 3 billion global monthly users visit EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. This is a big deal because the platform’s slogan used to be “No ads! No games! No gimmicks!”…but $19 billion, which is how much Facebook bought the app for back in 2014, can change things. The advertising revenue will help Zuck invest more in AI, which Meta has been a little behind on compared to its competitors.

The creator economy continues to grow at an astronomical pace

Big news for the creator economy: 2025 is the first year ever that ad revenue from influencer content is exceeding that of traditionally produced advertising content. We’re of course used to seeing influencers in fashion/skincare, but it’s becoming increasingly common for tech companies to work with influencers, too (hi!!). The influencer market is expected to grow another 36% by the end of this year, to a total of $33 billion…so if you’ve been looking for your sign to keep (or start) posting, THIS IS YOUR SIGN.

Axolotls can make new limbs, and maybe humans can, too

Depending on how brain rot you are, you might be familiar with the axolotl, which is an extremely cute amphibian that was trending on TikTok for a while. Alternatively, you read scientific papers and know that it’s the only animal that can regenerate entire body parts, including limbs and spinal cord. Either way, you might be interested to learn that a team at Northeastern has made major strides in understanding how the creature regenerates such complex organs, and is working to apply these learnings to bodily regeneration as it pertains to human beings. They’ve figured out that, in theory, we shouldn’t need to modify human DNA in order to induce generation; it could just be a matter of turning on genes we already have. Humans don’t have axolotl-like powers yet…but scientists are getting closer.

My fiancé (sorry did I mention I’m engaged?) is a Business School graduate!! To celebrate his foray into the next chapter of adulthood, we spent the week partying like 22-year-olds, which let me tell you, I am no longer physically capable of. Kudos to him for getting the degree, to me for matching my dress to his graduate robes, to both of us for officially saying goodbye to the South Bay commute!

Is wearing white my new personality? Obviously! You only get one bridal era!! Is it chill to show your toes in the office? Probably not, but until Annie complains…I’m gonna keep doing it. This Aritzia dress also comes in a bunch of other colors and patterns for those of you who are spill-prone or otherwise not into the idea of constantly proving to the world that you’re getting married… I personally find the dark brown and the light green gingham to be adorable. There’s also a butter yellow gingham mini dress option, which is major swoon (vibes are a little picknick-y for me personally, but would be so cute on someone whose style is a little more girly than mine!).

IDK about you but I simply no longer go on vacations that aren’t attached to travel for a friend’s wedding. With all the wedding travel that this era brings, there’s really no time (or money tbh) for additional trips, so I’m learning to make the most of it and bundle ‘em all up! In Miami for a wedding weekend? Tacking on a few days after! Traveling ALL THE WAY to Hawaii for a bachelorette party? No chance I’m not adding a few more days. If you’re heading straight from a summer wedding to a mini vacation, you do not need two personalities in one suitcase. The hack: pack around one outfit formula that works for both.

Pick a color palette (e.g., soft neutrals or bold brights) and choose 2–3 versatile pieces that can be worn in multiple ways. A satin midi skirt can go from rehearsal dinner with heels to beach dinner with sandals. The flowy dress you wore to the welcome party can be a swimsuit cover-up later. And bring one nice pair of heels, max. (They’ll be on your feet for 3 hours. You’ll be barefoot by cake.) Wrinkle release spray is also God’s gift to women, because you always think you’ll have time to iron your linen dress in your hotel room… and then you absolutely do not (just me??).

This week, Ross and I sit down with Dr. Emily Anhalt, clinical psychologist and author of Flex Your Feelings, to unpack the emotional chaos hiding beneath our polished LinkedIn personas (yes I feel attacked). We’re talking emotional push-ups, burnout red flags, and whether ADHD counts as a superpower. We dive into the psychology of ambitious entrepreneurs, overthinkers, and ourselves; We break down how to build emotional strength before you hit a wall; and the fine line between rewatching The Office and spiraling. Also on the docket: autonomous golf bags, guacamole surcharge ethics, and why your inner child probably needs a snack. I know mine does. Listen here.

Thanks for reading!