Even wildly successful entrepreneurs start out from scratch. But while some build their empires from a young age, others stumble across success, while many more have to roll up their sleeves to make their businesses work.

Find out how the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Richard Branson, and J.K. Rowling got started, and overcame their fears to make millions.

SEE ALSO: Here are the richest suburbs of each of America's 35 biggest cities

Tony Robbins used to be a janitor.

Life and business strategist Tony Robbins is a bestselling author known for motivating and leading others to success. He is chairman of a holding company that has more than a dozen diverse businesses — from a resort to an insurance marketing firm — with combined annual revenue of more than $6 billion. On Feb. 28, he debuts his latest book, "Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook."

Of course, this level of success didn't come easy. As a teenager, Robbins was chased out of his home by his alcoholic mother. Instead of returning home, he took a job as a janitor to support himself, created a plan and went to work filling seminars for late-motivational speaker Jim Rohn.

Mark Cuban owned a pub in college.

Entrepreneur and "Shark Tank" veteran Mark Cuban helms some pretty lucrative business ventures — and he's outright said business is his morning meditation.

The entrepreneur co-founded video portal Broadcast.com, which Yahoo purchased for $5.7 billion in 1999. The following year, he bought the Dallas Mavericks and a 50 percent stake in the American Airlines Center for $280 million. The basketball team is now valued at $1.4 billion.

Among his first business ventures, though, was a bar named Motley's Pub, which he bought with friends before his senior year at Indiana University. The bar was shut down five months later, but the ambitious move was an early indicator of his sky-high potential.

Warren Buffett started investing at age 11.

Most kids spend their free time playing, but 11-year-old Warren Buffett was a mathematical prodigy laser-focused on the stock market. His first stock purchase was six shares of Cities Service, an oil company now known as Citgo. That investment cost him $38 per share.

Initially, the stock dropped. Then, it turned around, allowing him to make a small profit. Since then, the Berkshire Hathaway CEO has turned a once-failing textile company into a worldwide powerhouse valued at approximately $396 billion.

On the day to day, what you do from nine to five may not seem to amount to much. But there come moments in every person's career — career firsts, if you will — that can make or break your entire work life.

If you're prepared for them and see them for the important moments they are, you can make your career, not break it.

Here, our experts identify eight such moments and how to use them to your advantage.  

SEE ALSO: I quit 9 jobs before I was 30 and cried in the bathroom almost every day — here's how I turned things around

1. Your first one-on-one meeting with a new boss

A one-on-one with your boss might bring back memories of being called into the principal's office: It feels as if nothing good can come of this tête-à-tête. But your first private meeting with your boss will set the tone for how you two work together, career strategist Hannah Morgan says. (NBD.)

"It is a chance to learn what is important to your boss and to ensure you meet and exceed his or her expectations," Morgan says. So, "be sure to arrange a meeting if your boss doesn't initiate one."

2. Your first 'yes moment'

According to millennial career expert Jill Jacinto, there comes a moment for every employee in which — suddenly — your boss isn't available to do his or her duty, and he or she asks you to step up to the proverbial plate, like, to give a presentation you weren't prepared to give. (Talk about intimidating.)

"Your immediate inclination may be no, no, no," says Jacinto, "but to move forward in your career, you need to say 'yes.'" By saying "yes" to the things that scare you, Jacinto says, "you are letting yourself be challenged." And that's when big career changes can happen.

3. Your first screw up

"We all make mistakes," commiserates Morgan. And your first work screw up may seem like it will break your career. But, "before you try resolving the problem — or worse, sweep it under the carpet — run your solution by a trusted employee," she suggests.

"Depending on the size of the problem, you may need to check with your manager. It's important to admit you were at fault and what you plan on doing to rectify the issue. By bringing your mistake to the attention of the appropriate leadership, you show that you are aware of your mistake and taking responsibility."

• Jennifer Lopez listed her 6,540 square-foot duplex for $27 million earlier this month.
• The penthouse apartment has four terraces and overlooks Madison Square Park. 
• Some reports say Lopez is selling the apartment to buy a new place with boyfriend Alex Rodriguez.

Jennifer Lopez has left the building.

The singer-actress has listed her New York City penthouse, located in The Whitman, a luxury four-unit building overlooking Madison Square Park, for $26.95 million.

Adam D. Molin, founder of Molin Group, holds the listing.

Lopez — who raked in $38 million in pre-tax earnings last year — bought the 6,540 square-foot duplex, complete with four outdoor terraces, for $20 million in 2014.

People magazine reported that Lopez plans to purchase a new home with Alex Rodriguez, who she has been dating since February. 

Even with Lopez on the way out, the halls of The Whitman will remain star-studded. Residents include former first daughter Chelsea Clinton, hedge fund manager John Silvetz, and NASCAR's Jeff Gordon.

Take a peek inside 21 East 26th Street:

SEE ALSO: Beyoncé and Jay-Z bought their $88 million Bel Air estate with a little-known mortgage strategy anyone can use — but probably shouldn't

DON'T MISS: Beyonce and Jay Z's new $26 million secluded Hamptons mansion sits on an exclusive stretch of waterfront — take a look inside

The Whitman Mansion was originally built in 1924 in New York City's trendy Flatiron neighborhood. The building was converted into boutique condominiums in 2013, with listing prices starting at $10 million.

Source:Curbed New York

Referred to as "the crown jewel" of the Whitman — which has a private gym and 24-hour doorman — the penthouse comprises 6,500 square feet of interior living space across two floors and 3,000 square feet of outdoor space on four separate terraces.

Source:Zillow

A private elevator opens up to a sun-filled great room with a skylight and three sets of French doors boasting up-close views of Madison Square Park. The penthouse has four bedrooms and six-and-a half bathrooms.

• Celebrities have concocted some unusual DIY skin care solutions to stay moisturized.
• Placenta-based skin care products definitely aren't for everyone, but Eva Longoria is a fan. 
• Here are 12 unconventional skin care tips we've learned from celebrities. 

Keeping your skin hydrated in the winter is tough. No matter how moisturized our skin typically is, the cold weather, harsh wind, and dry air seem to suck out every ounce of moisture we try so desperately to lock in.

And while there are tons of magical skin care products to combat the chilly months ahead, sometimes we get sick of the store-bought stuff and want to try something crazy. Apparently, celebrities in Hollywood are on the same wavelength, judging from the unusual DIY skin care solutions they’ve concocted to stay moisturized for the bone-chilling days to come.

But before you click through for unconventional skin care tips from gurus like Kim Kardashian, Cindy Crawford, and Victoria Beckham, we have to warn you, these skin care solutions are’t for the faint of heart. From cat litter to bird poop to seaweed, these products are for the extreme skin care activist who needs a little something extra to stay glowing all year-long.

Take a peek at 12 celebrity-approved unconventional skin care products, ahead.

Kim Kardashian — Seaweed

Everyone loves sushi, but did you know you can moisturize with it? On a post on her website, Kardashian revealed that her secret to staying moisturized, despite her psoriasis (a condition that leaves the skin itchy and scaly), is seaweed-based skin care products. The reality star touts the salt water plant for high amount of B vitamins, a compound that anti-inflammatory properties. Essentially, seaweed is said to cure Kardashian of any redness and irritation. (Kardashian's bonus skin care solution? Lathering on her older sister Kourtney Kardashian's breast milk.)

Scarlett Johansson — Vinegar

Though it's an age-old hack for celebrities to use apple cider vinegar as a shampoo substitute to wash and condition their hair, using the ingredient as a way to cure breakouts is a train we need to catch up on. In an interview with Glamour UK, Johansson revealed that she slathers apple cider vinegar on her face to restore her skin after acne-scarring.

"I researched natural skincare and found that apple cider vinegar is really effective," she said. "Using it as a toner can be harsh, but if you have breakouts it can be really healing.''

Halle Berry — Coffee Grounds

To keep her skin smooth, even in the winter months, Berry mixes coffee grounds with her body wash and slathers the concoction on her body in the shower. The DIY exfoliator is said to promote blood flow and soften the skin due to the natural stimulating caffeine.

Rejoice: New emojis are here! 

On Tuesday, Apple released brand new emojis as part of iOS 11.1. There are 69 new characters, and 239 new emojis in total if you include skin tone and gender variations.

To get the new emojis on your own phone, open your settings app, tap "General," then look for the second tab down titled "Software Update." The option to update your iPhone to iOS 11.1 should appear there.  

The new emojis are a long time coming: The characters were approved by the Unicode Consortium back in March, and the final list became public in June. Emojipedia has been covering all the new emoji updates this year, and has the full list of every emoji in every skin tone.

In honor of their arrival, we've compiled all the emoji contenders and ranked them from worst to best. The criteria for the ranking was pretty subjective — mainly, how they made us feel and whether we can actually see people using them in real life. There aren't detailed explanations for most of the rankings, but we do offer a more in-depth analysis for the top 10 on this list.

Take a look:

SEE ALSO: 22 emojis you're probably using wrong

69. Bowl With Spoon

68. Canned Food

67. Billed Cap

• Reddit is holding a Halloween costume contest, and entries have been pouring in from all over the world.
• INSIDER rounded up the most creative, terrifying, and hilarious costumes submitted.
• From a deadly Silent Hill nurse to a gender-swapped Eleven, these costumes are way cooler than your average party store get-ups.

Some people take Halloween very seriously. Not content with straight-from-the-store versions of Super Man or Disney princesses, these people get extremely creative.

Reddit is holding a virtual Halloween costume contest, and entries have been pouring in from all over the world. These submissions are some of the most clever, frightening, and intense homemade outfits we've ever seen. 

From a Jack Skellington perched on two-foot stilts to a zombie Stormtrooper that got the attention of Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca himself!), here are our 17 favorite ones.

General Antiope from "Wonder Woman"

This homemade costume was put together by Jessica, from Knoxville, Tennessee. It's 80% leather, 5% pleather, and 15% worbla. 

Georgie and his boat from Stephen King's "IT"

The couples' costume of the year?

Predator

Reddit user Paul handmade this scary costume for his son, Jason.

Planning a wedding is equally one of the most exciting and excruciatingly stressful times of your life. With sites like Pinterest and Instagram sharing every wedding trend from couples kissing in cowboy boots to couples cutting into a 15-tier cake, brides- and grooms-to-be feel pressured to make their day one to remember.

What these curated image sites won't tell you is that even the most rustic burlap-and-mason-jar wedding can break the bank when you start adding in all of the little designer details By the time you've recreated that intricate tablescape (times 10) you're out thousands of dollars, and the only thing your guests will remember is not bringing enough singles to tip the bartender.

In fact, apart from good music and decent food, most guests don't actually notice the details. If you're trying to put together a wedding without taking a second mortgage on your home, consider saving time and money by foregoing the following things that your guests really don't care about.

Envelope calligraphy

Hiring a calligrapher to address your envelopes is a long standing wedding tradition that has made a recent comeback with the availability of hand lettering experts on sites like Etsy. But, does the cost of this detail outweigh its impact?

A quick search on Etsy will show that envelope addressing, including the return address and the RSVP envelopes, is upwards of $6 per invitation. This is for the part of your invitation that will likely be trashed within minutes of arriving in your guests' homes.

If you like the look of hand lettering, consider using your budget on wedding signs or gifts for your bridal party. "If a couple is on a budget, it is best to spend their money on things they can use after the wedding, too," Stacy Lee, owner of Three Arrows Lettering told INSIDER. "For example, they can have a sign created with their names and wedding date on it. This can be displayed at the wedding, and then placed in their home for many years to come."

Open seating

Occasionally couples decide to ditch the seating chart: They think they're doing their friends a favor by letting them choose their own seats. But for guests who may not know anyone else at the wedding, this can be a painfully uncomfortable situation.

"I was all for open seating until I attended a wedding that had it," Redditor ohwowgosh wrote in the /r/weddingplanning thread. "It is really awkward, and people ended up having to stand around because there were single seats all over the place that no one wanted to get stuck in." -

"I went to one earlier this year and my fiance and I were stuck with an elderly group because that's all the seats that were left," Redditor Gelvin wrote in the same thread. "And at one last year we ended up with a bunch of young kids."

Fancy centerpieces

Although table decorations and centerpieces enhance the overall look of your wedding, most guests won't remember whether you used peonies or hydrangeas, or if the votives were set in gold mercury glass or Victorian amber candle holders. What they do care about is being able to see the ceremony and talk to their table mates over dinner.

"The only one I really remember was a giant bouquet of tall flowers that also lined the aisle during the ceremony,” Redditor littlebobers wrote. "They blocked almost everyone's view of the couple during the ceremony and came back as centerpieces during the reception to block the view of anyone across from you at the table. They were pretty, but damn.”

• We tried four brands of canned green beans.
• The brands we sampled were Green Giant, Del Monte, Libby's, and Krasdale.
• Krasdale was the cheapest, but also tasted the most canned, so it came in last place.
• Libby's came in first place because its beans tasted the most fresh.

Canned vegetables get a bad rap.

But if you buy the right brand and give them a little TLC — i.e. seasoning — they're actually not bad. And if you're making a bunch of sides for Thanksgiving, they can be a huge time saver.

As part of an ongoing INSIDER taste test series, we pitted four common brands of canned green beans against each other to see which one tasted the most like fresh vegetables. In the past, we've tested everything from cheap wine to popcorn to pie crusts.

We bought all four brands at grocery stores in New York City and paid anywhere from $1.09-$1.99 per can. All four were salted. The brands we sampled were:

• Krasdale
• Del Monte
• Libby's
• Green Giant

We judged all the beans on two main criteria: taste and texture. Keep scrolling to see which one we thought would be appetizing to even the most stubborn of veggie haters.

I love vegetables, but green beans are probably my least favorite in the category. So rest assured I was a harsh critic when it came to this test.

In order to keep things consistent and simple, I tasted the green beans in their truest form — straight from the can, with no additions or seasoning. I started with the store brand, which was the cheapest of the bunch.

I'm the kind of person who would rather have their green beans a little too crunchy than too soft (who isn't this kind of person?).

Much to my dismay, Krasdale's beans were pretty soft. There wasn't much texture to them; in fact, they were slightly mushy. Plus, they just tasted canned. It was the kind of taste I'm not sure you could season away.

Price: $1.09

Texture: 3/10

Taste: 3/10

Rating: 3/10

Coming off of that letdown, I moved on in hopes that the good old Green Giant would restore my faith in vegetables. And it did.

The Green Giant's green beans were a vast improvement from Krasdale's. They were firmer and had a fresher taste. They were 70 cents more expensive, but worth every extra penny.

Price: $1.79

Texture: 9/10

Taste: 7/10

Rating: 8/10

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Getting dressed for work as a woman can be difficult; it takes longer to do than the guy who can throw on a suit, and most of the options available are missing the mark between flattering and "cute." Instead of making the clothes women want and need, legacy brands have yet to adapt to accommodate the new lifestyles of modern women.

Totes need smarter, more commuter-friendly designs, and well-made classics in premium materials sound much better than the constant churning out of trends in cheap materials—you know, the ones you hate to be in more than a couple of hours, let alone from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (or however long your work day really takes).

For many women, even spending that precious, limited free time in a dressing room to find enough different combinations to wear to work is both exhausting and unappealing — a thought that hasn't made a large enough impact on retail, yet. Instead of expending more of their energy and time working with the complexities of the office, don't many of us wish we could just outsource the problem to a professional who gets it, instead? So we can spend our free time doing what we like, like hanging out with our friends, our family, or even getting ahead in our career. 

These six women's workwear brands, if you don't know them already, will address each of these concerns and a couple more. Here's proof that some people do get it, and thankfully we can spend the time you might not have to find them for you.

I'm willing to bet you’ll be happy to know them: Dagne Dover, MM.LaFleur, Citizen’s Mark, Cuyana, Of Mercer, and Margaux.

SEE ALSO: This is the work bag professional women everywhere have been looking for

DON'T MISS: This piece of jewelry is actually a health tracker that tells me when I’m getting stressed

Dagne Dover

Dagne Dover is a relatively new company that has gained notoriety and a bona fide cult following for bags that master sophisticated leather styles and conscious design aimed to simplify the lives of women on the move. Satchels, totes, backpacks, and other products feature commuter-friendly designs without sacrificing style. 

On the outside, the bags are beautiful constructions of high-quality materials like leather in flattering neutral shades. We've covered both their Dakota Backpack and Classic Tote in depth, and our unanimous opinion is that Dagne Dover is doing something special. The design team has anticipated your needs, your lifestyle, and the things you'll carry and delivered with smarter execution than we've seen most anywhere else.

"It’s no longer good enough to just be 'arm candy'. Nowadays we expect the services and products we use to multitask, to be data-driven and to work harder," Mash told Business Insider. "Dagne Dover is the only brand in the handbag market that does so while continuing to be stylish and organized." 

Take a closer look at Dagne Dover's collections here.

MM.LaFleur

MM.LaFleur works off the same basic assumption that President Barack Obama and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg did when they made the decision to pare down their wardrobe selections to only two colors of suits or the same grey shirt for public appearances. There are simply too many other important decisions to make.

Instead of trying to churn out trends, MM.LaFleur is thoughtfully constructing and improving upon the classics that will become your wardrobe staples.

MM.LaFleur was created to cater to women whose work days can look more like 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and who might not want to devote their limited free time to trying on work dresses in a changing room. As a result, they offer a subscription service called the Bento Box, which is a box of workwear staples handpicked for each customer by a discerning MM stylist based on a short quiz of workwear preferences, prices, and office atmosphere. Don't want to think about the complexities of officewear and wish you could just outsource it? Done.

Women can try on their selections at home, keep what they like, and text a number to get UPS to pick up and return what they don't. They're only charged for what they keep, and 70% of MM.LaFleur's customers are repeat clients. 

If you'd like, you can read our full review on MM.LaFleur and their Bento Box here. 

Check out the complete MM.LaFleur collections here. 

Citizen's Mark

Citizen's Mark might be the one blazer brand to know. While working at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, Citizen’s Mark founder Cynthia Salim realized at 23 the same thing every working woman inevitably does: It’s hard to find high-quality women's workwear that looks credible.

Salim wanted to create the staples she wished existed for a career that the fashion industry didn't seem to know she and her female peers had. But she quickly realized that the problem ran much deeper than expected: When she contacted wool mills to produce for her, they asked if she'd like men's or women's fabrics. When she couldn't find a satisfactory suit factory in the US, most European factories explained that they only did men's tailoring. When even materials and machines are gendered to reserve the highest quality for menswear, no wonder the market for women was so dissatisfying.

All of Salim's blazers are subsequently made with "male" fabrics in factories that specialize in "male" tailoring. The result is stunning. I reviewed the company and two of the blazers myself, and Citizen's Mark is unlike anything else I've ever owned.  

To further reflect the working woman Salim set out to design for, Citizen's Mark contributes to a responsible global supply chain with responsibility, sustainability, and transparency.

Take a look at the Citizen's Mark collections here.

• Aldi has lots of cheap products offer, but not everything is a steal. 
• The German grocery chain doesn't accept coupons, but many of their house brand "knockoffs" still run for pretty cheap. 
• While Aldi is great for most grocery shopping, here are 17 things you shouldn't be buying from there. 

Even though ALDI doesn’t accept coupons, their high-quality house brand “knockoffs” keep my kitchen stocked between promotions — sometimes at half the cost of brand names!

But does ALDI always beat the everyday prices at other stores? I did some deep digging and found these 17 things that you should definitely never buy at ALDI (and where you should buy them instead).

To be extra fair to ALDI, I’m only including examples that don’t need coupons at other stores.

1. Don’t buy flour at ALDI; buy it at Walmart instead.

Walmart sells 10 lb. bags of flour, and my local ALDI only sells 5 lb. bags. Since there’s no option to buy in bulk at ALDI, you can get flour cheaper elsewhere. Like Walmart. Check it out:

• Walmart: Great Value flour, $0.28/lb
• ALDI: Baker’s Corner all-purpose flour, $0.36/lb

2. Don’t buy coconut oil at ALDI; buy it at Walmart instead.

If you’re a big fan of subbing healthy coconut oil in some of your favorite recipes — or even using it in your beauty routine — I recommend buying in bulk at Walmart.

• Walmart: Great Value (56 fl oz.) organic coconut oil, $0.18/fl oz
• ALDI: SimplyNature organic coconut oil, $0.29/fl oz

3. Don’t buy gluten-free pasta at ALDI; buy it at Target or Walmart instead.

I recommend ALDI’s LiveGfree brand to all my gluten-free friends, because their GF items are usually cheaper, but they don’t have the best prices on pasta.

• Walmart: Great Value GF spaghetti, $0.08/oz.
• ALDI: LiveGfree GF spaghetti, $0.13/oz

• Target: Market Pantry GF penne. $0.13/oz.
• ALDI: LiveGfree GF penne, $0.18/oz

Serena Williams has a new baby and a new ZIP code.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles winner recently purchased a $6.7 million home in Beverly Hills — the city most famous for its 90210 ZIP code — about a month after giving birth to her first child with fiancé Alexis Ohanian.

The 6,000-square-foot Spanish-style residence sits on a quarter-acre lot in a gated community, once home to high-profile residents like Gwen Stefani and Britney Spears.

Scroll through for a tour of Williams' new digs.

SEE ALSO: 'I never touched it': Serena Williams tried to deposit her first million-dollar check in the bank drive-thru

DON'T MISS: The 30 highest-paid tennis players of all time

Williams purchased the home in October. Around the same time, she listed her other Los Angeles residence in Bel-Air for $12 million.

Williams' Bel-Air mansion, which she bought in 2006 for a little over $6 million, is now on the market for just under $12 million, Business Insider's Mark Matousek reported. 

The newly constructed home is a three-story contemporary with five bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

The entire space is light and airy, with minimalist decor.

No one wants to work for a bad boss — especially not one who will run the company into the ground.

And there have been enough high-profile scandals of late to make just about any employee worry about their company's leadership.

Luckily, online jobs and careers community Glassdoor offers a glimpse into the inner working of a company and how well employees believe their CEOs are leading them.

Glassdoor CEO ratings rely solely on the input of employees who elected to participate anonymously in an online survey about whether or not they approve of the way their CEO is leading the company.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list, nor is it ranked, below, take a look at how some of the top players in their industries are doing, according to their employees.

SEE ALSO: From fry-cook at McDonalds to waitress at Hooters, here are the unglamorous first jobs of 24 highly successful people

SEE ALSO: What 25 highly successful people were doing at age 25

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

CEO approval rating: 95%

"Excellent leader at the helm, seeing changes every day in the right direction. Good compensation, excellent benefits, terrific culture."— Sales employee

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk

Tesla CEO approval rating: 86%

SpaceX CEO approval rating: 98%

"Leadership gives you the resources and authority to work autonomously (and/or within a small group) to accomplish the company's goals, which frequently means that even junior engineers are given opportunities to contribute meaningfully to the company right out of the gate, which gives you an intense feeling of ownership and responsibility."— SpaceX propulsion development engineer

IBM CEO Ginni Rometty

CEO approval rating: 62%

"For a company that promotes employee advocacy, it does a terrible job keeping up employee morale and giving the power to the employee. All the power stays in the hands of senior management.

"Listen to your employees and actually follow through with the promise of caring about each one. Do not write off 'millennials' just because they are younger than you."— Graphic designer

The New England Patriots stunned the NFL world on Monday when they traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers and made yet another long-term commitment to the 40-year-old Tom Brady.

The trade marked the fifth time since Brady took over as the Patriots' starting quarterback that the team traded away one of his backups. Several others left as free agents.

While there are high hopes for Garoppolo in San Francisco, the track record for former Brady backups is less than stellar. Below we take a look at what happened to every notable Patriots backup quarterback during the Brady era.

Drew Bledsoe was drafted by the Patriots as the first pick in the 1993 draft and served as their starting quarterback for nine seasons. He signed a then-record 10-year, $103 million contract extension in 2001, nine months after the Patriots drafted Tom Brady, but he lost his job to Brady early in the next season when he ruptured a blood vessel in his chest. He returned from the injury but did not regain his starting job in New England.

Source: New York Times

Bledsoe was traded to the Buffalo Bills after the season for a first-round pick. He spent the next five seasons with the Bills and the Dallas Cowboys, going 35-35 as a starter. He now owns the Doubleback Winery in Walla Walla, Washington, with his wife.

Damon Huard signed as a free agent with the Patriots prior to the 2001 season. He threw just one pass for the Patriots in three seasons as Brady's backup.

Salaries continue to soar in Major League Baseball as 36 players will make at least $20 million in total earnings this season, up from 21 players just three years ago.

This year's group of highest-paid players includes ten starting pitchers, six outfielders, four first basemen, a pair of designated hitters, and just one reliever.

The New York Yankees lead the way with four players on the list, followed by the Detroit Tigers with three. Six other teams have a pair of players on the list.

Salaries and contract information via spotrac.com and BaseballProspectus.com.

t24. Jayson Werth — $21.0 million

Team: Washington Nationals

Position: Outfielder

2016 WAR: 1.1 Wins

Contract: 7 years, $126.0 million (contract expires after this season)

One thing to know: Werth recently said he wanted to play another five years — until he is 43 — although it was unclear if he was joking. Werth also said that he and the Nationals have not discussed a new contract but noted "there’s always a possibility."

t24. James Shields — $21.0 million

Team: Chicago White Sox

Position: Starting pitcher

2016 WAR: -0.9 Wins

Contract: 4 years, $75.0 million (through 2018 with $16.0 million team option for the 2019 season)

One thing to know: Shields was traded by the Padres to the White Sox with $57.8 million remaining on his contract. The Padres will pay $30.8 million of that, including $11.0 million this season.

t24. Aroldis Chapman — $21.0 million

Team: New York Yankees

Position: Relief pitcher

2016 WAR: 2.7 Wins

Contract: 5 years, $86.0 million (through 2021)

One thing to know: Chapman can opt out of the contract after the 2019 season and can reject any trade through the 2019 season.

A terror attack Tuesday in New York City killed at least eight people and injured 11 others, after a truck drove down a busy Manhattan bike lane.

The suspect, whom media reports have identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov, crashed into a school bus and pulled out fake firearms before he was shot by police and taken into custody, police said.

Here's how the scene unfolded on Tuesday.

SEE ALSO: 'Act of terror': At least 8 dead in New York City after truck driver plows into crowd

A rental truck from Home Depot was used to drive down a bike lane in New York City, police said.

The suspect then crashed into a school bus.

Multiple fatalities occurred in the lower Manhattan-area bike lane.

• Analysts are unanimous in their belief that the Bank of England will hike interest rates on Thursday.
• Rates are set to increase from 0.25% to 0.5% in the bank's first hike since 2007.
• Forecasters differ on whether or not the increase will be a good idea.

LONDON — On Thursday at noon, the Bank of England will be the most watched central bank on earth, as it announces the decisions from the November meeting of its crucial Monetary Policy Committee. If the markets are to be believed, there's a nearly 90% chance that the bank will raise its base interest rate.

Doing so would mark the first increase in rates since 2007, before the financial crisis forced the bank to aggressively cut rates in order to cope with the shock brought to the British economy. After the crisis ended, the bank remained on hold for more than seven years. Between 2009 and August 2016 the base rate stayed at 0.5%.

It then dropped to 0.25% after the bank's emergency cut in August, which intended to soothe the economy in the immediate aftermath of June's Brexit vote.

Now however, the year and a quarter of 0.25% rates looks to be coming to a close, as Bank of England Governor Mark Carney and his MPC assess the need for higher rates in the UK economy.

At its simplest level, the policy dilemma facing Britain's central bank  is that it must balance surging inflation brought on by the weakened pound since the referendum, with the slowdown in the economy, dwindling consumer spending and declining inward investment. If the central bank keeps interest rates low, the risk is that inflation will get worse. If it raises them, the risk is that it might further dampen the economy.

Until the last couple of months, the weakening macroeconomy since the Brexit vote has held sway in the minds of most BoE ratesetters, but with inflation hitting 3% in September, and growth strengthening from 0.3% in Q2 to 0.4% in Q3, it seems pretty much inevitable that Britain will see a return to a base interest rate of 0.5%.

Analysts are pretty much unanimous about that. Of the dozens of research notes from major banks, asset managers and research houses seen by Business Insider in recent weeks, not a single one sees anything other than a hike on Thursday.

What they do differ on, however, is whether or not a hike is a good idea. Some analysts believe that the bank simply can't ignore the fact that inflation is currently 50% above its 2% target and must hike now, while others believe that the macro environment simply isn't suited to increasing rates, with the UK's sclerotic productivity a major concern for many.

Business Insider decided to round up a handful of the most interesting analyses from major firms, including charts when appropriate, which you see below.

Mike Bell, Global Market Strategist, JPMorgan Asset Management

Their view: Markets are ready for a hike, and the reaction is likely to be subdued.

What they say:"Market reaction should be relatively muted if a rate rise is delivered. That said, if the Bank of England gets cold feet and delays raising rates, sterling and gilt yields are likely to fall. 

"If the Bank does raise rates, as expected, it is doing so against a weak growth backdrop, signs of weakness in the London housing market and a still hugely uncertain political outlook. Inflation is high predominantly because of the fall in sterling caused by the Brexit referendum result, not because of a strong domestic economy.  

"The market only expects one additional rate rise next year, on top of the one this week, and is unlikely to price a more aggressive rate hiking cycle until there is more evidence that low unemployment is starting to feed through into an acceleration in wage growth, which may or may not materialise.

"The ongoing Brexit negotiations put the Bank of England in a challenging position: they have to try and set monetary policy based on the medium term outlook for the economy when the economic outlook has rarely been so uncertain and opaque."

Peter Thorne, Senior Financial Analyst, Charles Stanley

Their view: A hike will be a "double-edged" sword for the UK's banks.

What they say:"Rock-bottom interest rates have been terrible for UK banks’ profitability, but any interest rate rise – which increases the amount they earn on interest free balances – could actually be a double-edged sword.

"Higher interest rates will boost UK banks’ net interest income but the equity market is increasingly concerned about the slowdown in the UK economy and the negative effects it could have on loan growth and bad debt charges which a rate rise might worsen."

Martin Beck, Lead UK Economist, Oxford Economics

Their view: A hike, but a finely balanced decision.

What they say:"September’s meeting saw a majority on the MPC conclude that a rate rise 'was likely to be appropriate over the coming months.' But with the macro data soft and public caution from some members, November’s decision looks finely-balanced, if erring towards a hike."

"If it goes for a hike on 2 November, the MPC can point to an absence of downside surprises in support of such a move. But the case still looks weak. GDP growth of 0.4% in Q3 was above the Bank’s expectation, although growth in 2017 has undershot the average pace since the current expansion began."

"As to how November’s vote might go, two of the Bank’s Deputy Governors, Sir Dave Ramsden and Sir Jon Cunliffe, have been clear that that they are not part of the hawkish majority. A third MPC member, Silvana Tenreyro, indicated that she is in the latter camp, but not that a hike was needed imminently. So any vote for a rise won’t be unanimous."

November 1 is World Vegan Day.

Improving everything from cholesterol and heart rate to concentration and a solid night's sleep, there seem to be plenty of health benefits to ditching dairy, meat, and eggs.

However, one thing that many people worry about when going vegan is getting enough protein.

Surprisingly, many top athletes — including world champions, martial artists, and an Olympic weightlifter — don't seem to be worried in the slightest about getting enough protein from their vegan diets.

Business Insider has compiled a list of world-class vegan athletes who are at the top of their game — and have a fully vegan lifestyle to thank for it.

From football strikers to weightlifters, scroll on to discover 14 athletes who are vegan — and what made each of them switch to a plant-based diet.

Venus Williams — tennis player

Venus Williams is an American tennis player who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles and 14 Grand Slam Women's doubles titles. She has also won the prestigious Wimbledon women's singles title five times and has four Olympic gold medals.

Williams has an estimated net worth of £72 million ($95 million), and is the second highest-earning female tennis player of all time behind her sister Serena.

The tennis star adopted a raw vegan diet after she was diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome in 2011 and doctors advised it would relieve some of her symptoms such as extreme fatigue and joint pain.

In an interview with Health magazine about the disease and her raw vegan diet, Williams said: "I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and I wanted to maintain my performance on the court. Once I started, I fell in love with the concept of fueling your body in the best way possible [through raw, vegan food].

"Not only does it help me on the court, but I feel like I’m doing the right thing for me."

Lewis Hamilton — Formula 1 racing driver

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton won his fourth title this week after adopting a vegan diet earlier in 2017.

Hamilton is the world’s 10th highest-paid athlete, according to Forbes. Thanks to his endorsements and brand deals with L’Oreal, Mercedes, and Puma — amongst others — the Formula One driver has an approximate net worth of £131 million ($172 million).

Talking to the BBC about his recent transition to a vegan diet, Hamilton said: "As the human race, what we are doing to the world... the pollution [in terms of emissions of global-warming gases] coming from the amount of cows that are being produced is incredible. They say it is more than what we produce with our flights and our cars, which is kind of crazy to think. The cruelty is horrible and I don't necessarily want to support that."

Scott Jurek — long-distance runner

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Scott Jurek is an American ultramarathon runner, winner of 16 prestigious ultramarathon titles, and US record holder for furthest distance run in 24 hours with 165.7 miles — averaging 8:42 per mile.

Jurek started his transition from "meat and potatoes" to a fully vegan diet during college, spurred on by the health defects and illnesses he saw at physical therapy school as well as in his own house; Jurek’s mother has multiple sclerosis. The ultrarunner saw veganism as a long-term solution to avoiding his family’s history of chronic disease, according to GQ.

"If [athletes] aren’t fueled properly, they don’t have great results," Jurek told GQ.

On deciding to go vegan in college, Jurek said: "It was definitely a long-term decision rather than one made for short-term performance gains."

LONDON — Brand analysis company BrandZ has released its first annual ranking of the UK's most valuable brands.

BrandZ, which is owned by advertising and marketing conglomerate WPP, combined financial data, consumer insights, and analysis of revenue earned by each brand within groups to come up with its ranking. 

The company said it draws on "worldwide, on-going, in-depth quantitative consumer research, and build up a global picture of brands on a category-by-category and market-by-market basis."

"Our research covers 3.2 million consumers and more than 100,000 different brands in over 50 markets," BrandZ said in the report.

Not all of the brands in question are owned by UK companies but all began in the UK and most are still headquartered here. WPP's David Roth said in a statement: "The potential is high for UK brands to succeed globally after Brexit. They are steeped in heritage, and what it means to be ‘made in the UK’ is held in high esteem by international consumers."

Here are the brands that topped its ranking:

12. Land Rover — $5.2 billion (£3.9 billion)

Brand owner: TATA Motors.

Brand value: $5.2 billion (£3.9 billion).

Headquarters: Coventry.

Brand category: Cars.

BrandZ says: "Land Rover advertising tells stories of personal adventure, including high-profile adventurers such as Ed Stafford, who walked the length of the Amazon River, and polar explorer Ben Saunders, as well as adventurers closer to home, such as the Michalak family, whose road trip around the Scottish Highlands was documented on YouTube.

"Land Rover has a long association with rugby, and was a principal partner of the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand in 2017, linking to rugby’s values of resilience, integrity and passion."

11. Dove — $5.9 billion (£4.4 billion)

Brand owner: Unilever.

Brand value: $5.9 billion (£4.4 billion).

Headquarters: London.

Brand category: Consumer goods.

BrandZ says: "Dove is a personal care brand that stands out in its category for using its communications to challenge the way the world thinks about beauty and improve the way women feel about themselves.

"According to Dove, their brand is used by more than 10 million women in the UK each week and is the one of Unilever’s biggest brands in the UK."

10. O2 — $6 billion (£4.5 billion)

Brand owner: Telefonica.

Brand value: $6 billion (£4.5 billion).

Headquarters: Slough.

Brand category: Telecoms.

BrandZ says: "The brand sets itself apart in its category through its focus on live experiences and benefits or its customers, which go beyond its role as a telephone service. Its O2 Priority loyalty scheme provides customers with discounts and offers, and priority access to event tickets and experiences."

Every month, job review site Glassdoor sifts through its mountains of data to see which occupations enjoyed the biggest wage increases.

Paychecks for retail roles, including store managers, cashiers, and more, were on the rise in October as companies gear up for the holiday shopping season.

“We are seeing increased demand for roles that serve as the logistical foundation for back-end operations for online retail,” said Glassdoor’s chief economist Andrew Chamberlain. “We anticipate this will continue to grow over the coming months, fueled by the upcoming holiday season and as Amazon and Walmart expand their online retail presence.”

While the data isn’t official — government numbers on employment and wages are scheduled to come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in its monthly jobs report on Friday — the results provide some insight into which fields saw wage growth, and how much their paychecks grew.

Here are the jobs which saw the biggest raises last month:

SEE ALSO: These niche coffee chains could be the next Starbucks

10. Sales Representative

Median base pay: $46,531

Increase over last year: 3.9%

9. Store Manager

Median base pay: $48,616              

Increase over last year:  4.0%

8. Construction Laborer

Median base pay: $39,678 

Increase over last year: 4.0%

Everyone likes to dress up for Halloween, and when you're a superstar athlete it means that the costumes can be even more over the top.

While LeBron James and John Wall hosted parties for friends, family, and teammates, other sports stars simply got in costume forthe love of the holiday.

Below you can check out the funniest, scariest, and most successful Halloween costumes from around the sports world.

As seen above, Stephen Curry went as Jigsaw from the "Saw" franchise, much to the delight of teammate Draymond Green.

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LeBron James also opted for the horror side of costumes, dressing up as a very convincing Pennywise the Clown.

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Russell Westbrook and teammate Nick Collison pulled off a solid "White Men Can't Jump" inspired look.

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