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Pamela Anderson, Holds Press Conference to Showcase the Premier of FrogAds.com’s Video News Campaign

March 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

FrogAds, Inc. announced yesterday, it held  the world premier of its FrogAds.com Video News Campaign featuring Pamela Anderson via a live press conference at L’Hermitage Hotel in Hollywood, California. Pamela Anderson, the featured spokesperson of FrogAds.com, and Julian Spitari, Founder & CEO of FrogAds, Inc., addressed the media following the premier of the Video News Campaign.

In attendance at the press conference were major entertainment and business news media for print, photographic and electronic outlets including, E! Entertainment News, Fox News, Reuters, Abaca USA, Berliner, Life & Style, Film Magic, Photo Magic, Foxnews.com, Esquire, Mademan.com, WireImage, Getty Images and CelebPhoto.com, to name a few.

Feeds from the press conference are now airing on the East Coast and will be available to the rest of the country shortly.  FrogAds’ media and public relations firms, Scripted Consulting, and LaunchPad Public Relations, will be disseminating B-Roll of the press conference to over 10,000 media outlets within the next 72-hours.

FrogAds.com is a free global market place for both classifieds and auction that enables you to post ads, photos and videos making them visible to the global marketplace.

You can learn more over at  FrogAds.com.

Filed Under: Auction Sites, Featured, free classifieds, Selling online Tagged With: , , , , ,

Steve Jobs Statue Unveiled in Budapest

December 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

GRAPHISOFT, Graphisoft Park, and AIT-Budapest dedicated a statue honoring the late Steve Jobs in Budapest’s Graphisoft Park today.

Commissioned by GRAPHISOFT Founder and Chairman of the Board, Gabor Bojar, the statue is the first in the world honoring the late founder of Apple, who passed away on October 5.  Crafted by Hungarian sculptor Erno Toth, the life-like bronze statue stands near the entrance of architectural software maker GRAPHISOFT’s Budapest headquarters.

The relationship between GRAPHISOFT and Apple can be traced to the 1980′s, when Jobs came across the first version of GRAPHISOFT’s ArchiCAD software at the 1984 CeBIT in Germany.  His first impressions of the software led him to throw Apple’s support behind the development and distribution of ArchiCAD.  “Apple’s support included cash and computers at a time when GRAPHISOFT was a small company with limited resources, working within the economic and political confines of what was, at the time, communist Hungary,” Gabor Bojar said.  Apple also introduced GRAPHISOFT to its worldwide distribution network, which remains a cornerstone of the business today.  “With its attention to excellence in every detail, Graphisoft Park’s environment embodies the spirit of Steve Jobs,” Viktor Varkonyi, CEO of GRAPHISOFT said.  “I can’t think of a better place to commemorate the man and his legacy,” he continued.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: , , ,

Beso.com Announces Affiliate Program for Content Publishers: From Mega-Sites to Independent Bloggers and Shopping Influencers

November 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Beso.com, the third largest fashion and style website, announced today the launch of its pay-per-click affiliate program, the Beso Affiliate Program.

The Beso Affiliate Program is designed for shopping based content, the focus of many lifestyle and fashion content creators—both big and small—as a way to monetize their retail and shopping related content.  Big, multi-channel sites, independent bloggers and vloggers, and even influencers whose sole platform is a social media network are eligible to participate. The program enables users to generate referral revenue on a pay-per-click basis, as opposed to a percentage of sales.

With this program, content creators have access to millions of products, spanning thousands of retailers via its user friendly affiliate portal.  Affiliates simply search for the products that they want to promote and Beso retrieves content based on its editorially influenced algorithm; allowing the user to grab the link or code and embed it.

David Weinrot, SVP, Operations & Business Development for Shopzilla, Inc., which operates Beso, explains: “We’ve designed an affiliate program that meets the needs of the vast spectrum of content creators on the web.  You don’t need to be particularly technically savvy to use the program.  It’s easy to get links and is based on a straightforward revenue-generating model.  Publishers get paid on clicks, which can quickly translate into real money.”

Leading lifestyle blogger, Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo, was an early adopter of Beso’s program. “The Beso Affiliate Program is an incredible tool for all my shopping posts.  Not only is it easy for me to use, but it’s a great way to show my readers all the stores that carry each item (and where they can find the best price!). The program also helps me learn which products my readers respond to, and which they just don’t.  Plus, the team is always there to answer all of my questions and streamline the process.”

The Beso Affiliate program enables bloggers such as Joanna Goddard to monetize their blog without compromising its integrity.  Many bloggers are interested in making money from their blog, but are not currently doing so.  According to Technorati’s State of the Blogosphere 2011 survey, only 14% of bloggers earn a salary for blogging.  That leaves display ads, affiliate marketing links, and search ads as the most common way bloggers generate revenue from their blogs.  For those that do not have advertising on their blogs, 52% say they don’t want their blogs to be cluttered with ads.  Beso’s Affiliate Program is designed to meet the needs of all fashion and lifestyle content creators by allowing bloggers to monetize what keeps their readers loyal — the content, not the ads.

Beyond A Cup of Jo, numerous others are currently using the program, including Cupcakes and Cashmere, Oh Joy!, and Day in the Life of Sccastaneda. “We’ve learned a lot from working through the process with these sites,” Weinrot adds. “We’re excited to make it more widely available to publishers and influencers.”

Filed Under: Affiliates, blogging, Featured, make money online Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Walmart Announces Launch of E-Commerce Empowerment Solution for Women Around the Globe

October 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Walmart announced plans to launch a dedicated page on Walmart.com that will feature an assortment of products created by women in nearly two dozen countries, including women  who work in cooperatives and own small businesses. Scheduled to be available in spring 2012, products will include jewelry from Guatemala, Thailand and Ethiopia; coffee from Central and South America; and dresses from Kenya.

This builds on the five goals Walmart announced last week around global women’s economic empowerment. By 2016, the dedicated e-commerce site will feature approximately 500 items – from apparel and jewelry, to stationery and accessories – by more than 20,000 women in nearly two dozen countries.

“The challenge for small women-owned businesses – and particularly women artisans – is that they have a fantastic product, but they may not have the size or scale to sell in our brick-and-mortar stores,” Leslie Dach, Walmart’s executive vice president of Corporate Affairs, said at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting. “This commitment today gives these women access to an established set of customers on Walmart.com, as well as the benefit of the company’s knowledge about customers, packaging and promotions.”

Walmart’s partners for the initial line include Full Circle Exchange and Ethical Fashion Africa, a program within the International Trade Centre.

“Walmart’s effort to empower women through e-commerce will truly create ‘scale for good’ and transform the lives of countless women, allowing them to work their way out of poverty in ways that are both sustainable and dignified,” said Mark Priddy, co-founder, Full Circle Exchange. “This initiative coincides with Full Circle’s mission to empower women through commerce and exponentially increases the reach of entrepreneurs who have the skills, capacities and imagination to create more just economies.”

For more information on Walmart’s Global Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative, launched by Walmart President and CEO Mike Duke, visit www.walmartstores.com/women.

Filed Under: Business Resources, Featured, Women in Business Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

BlogWorld & New Media Expo Unveils New Features for Upcoming Mega Social Media Event in Los Angeles

October 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

BlogWorld & New Media Expo, the world’s first, largest and only industry-wide social media event, is making its Los Angeles debut November 3-5 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. In addition to expanding to two shows this year, and moving its Western U.S. event from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, BlogWorld has unveiled several new event features.

“BlogWorld experienced a tremendous 40% growth in 2010 and this year expanded to two shows per year; with that we’ve made several new additions to our event’s lineup,” said Rick Calvert, CEO and co-founder of BlogWorld & New Media Expo. “BlogWorld is the type of conference that grows with its community, and many of the new things we’ve added are in direct response to our community’s requests and we’re looking forward to bringing them something new in Los Angeles.”

For the first time in the event’s five-year history, BlogWorld & New Media Expo will include:

PodCamp L.A. – BlogWorld welcomes PodCamp L.A. to its New Media Expo trade show floor. PodCamp is a community-run and user-generated event for podcasters and listeners, where participants are both the experts and the speakers. PodCamp L.A. will feature knowledgeable podcasting practitioners that have come together at BlogWorld to teach and learn form each other. First held in Boston, Mass., PodCamp has spread across the United States and the world.
Track Keynotes – In addition to daily Keynotes, BlogWorld will open the conference each day with three concurrent Track Keynotes showcasing its most sought-after presenters and niche-focused content. Track Keynote topics will be announced soon.
Featured Track Keynoters include:
  • David Armano, EVP, Global Innovation & Integration, Edelman Digital
  • Chris Brogan, Blogger, Author, Consultant and President of Human Business Works
  • Kelby Carr, Founder and CEO of Type-A Parent
  • C.C. Chapman, Blogger, Podcaster, Social Strategist and Co-Author of Content Rules
  • Jason Falls, Blogger, Social Media Strategist and Co-Author of No B.S. Social Media
  • Chris Garrett, Online Business Coach and Co-Author of ProBlogger
  • Ann Handley, Blogger, Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs
  • Sonia Simone, CMO of Copyblogger
  • Liz Strauss, Brand Strategist,  CEO & Founder of SOBCon
  • Tom Webster, VP, Strategy, Edison Research
#BlogChat – #BlogChat is one of the most popular chats on Twitter, led by Mack Collier every Sunday night at 6 p.m. PDT. Collier is bringing #BlogChat to BlogWorld in a LIVE format instead of online.
Networking Breakfasts – BlogWorld kicks off each morning with a networking breakfast where attendees can connect with each other and mingle with speakers, exhibitors and sponsors.
Hands-On Workshops – BlogWorld introduces hands-on workshops where attendees will do more than just listen, they will put the practices they are learning into play on location. Planned workshop topics include: SEO, webinars, public speaking, corporate blogging, photography, video, humor writing, successful Facebook pages, real-time content creation, content marketing and more.
Revamped Virtual Ticket – The Virtual Ticket has been improved so users feel as close to being at BlogWorld as possible. It includes more than 100 hours of session recordings and will feature Johnny B. Truant, a big-personality blogger and creator of the new Virtual Ticket, as the Virtual Emcee. In addition to the session recordings and streaming coverage of keynotes and evening networking parties, Truant will host exclusive interviews with speakers not even available to live attendees, as well as provide behind-the-scenes footage and backstage access to BlogWorld.
The Virtual Ticket is a great substitute for people unable to attend BlogWorld. It is also a valuable add-on for conference badge holders, because is allows them to experience sessions they may have missed and revisit those they found particularly engaging.

BlogWorld & New Media Expo 2011 in Los Angeles is sponsored by premium brands such as: Ford Motor Company, Southwest Airlines, .ME, Verisign/.TV, Century 21 Real Estate, Technorati, Blogger, WordPress.com, Vanilla Forums and more. Featured speaker interviews and news reports from the Expo will be presented by TechZulu and WebProNews.

About BlogWorld & New Media Expo

BlogWorld & New Media Expo is the first and only industry-wide tradeshow, conference and media event dedicated to promoting the dynamic industry of new media.  Thousands of attendees learn about Content Creation, Distribution, Monetization and Social Media Marketing strategies, including step-by-step techniques and leading-edge tools from the most successful and influential Bloggers, Podcasters, Vloggers, Web TV & Radio Broadcasters, Social Influencers, New Media Pros and Online Journalists.

For upcoming event info and announcements, subscribe to e-news at www.blogworldexpo.com and get the latest new media industry news at www.blogworld.com.

Follow BlogWorld on Twitter at www.twitter.com/blogworld and www.twitter.com/blogworldexpo.

Filed Under: blogging, Business Resources, Featured, News, social media Tagged With: , , , , ,

Steve Jobs 1955 – 2011

October 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

No doubt that we are deeply sadden by the loss of Steve Jobs, a visionary. We are all better for the time Steve Jobs was here. Steve Jobs passed away today but will continue to be an inspiration and daily part of our lives.

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Apple announced the death of Jobs – “We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today,” Apple said. “Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.”

 

[Photo: Apple]

Filed Under: Featured, Success Stories, Technology Tagged With: , , ,

Latino Professionals in Southern California Compete for Grants to Launch and Grow Their Small Businesses

September 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The entry period for the Third Annual Latino Small Business Awards presented by Verizon Wireless will continue through September 30, 2011. Established entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, and working professionals can nominate themselves or others for cash and technology grants valued at over $70,000.  More information, including how to enter, is available at www.verizoninsider.com/negociosand at local networking events held throughout Southern California.

There are three entry categories: Outstanding Entrepreneur for established entrepreneurs whose businesses have been in business for over one year, Outstanding Aspiring Entrepreneur for professionals planning to start their own businesses within the next five years and Outstanding Business Professional for professionals who work for a small or large corporation and do not own their own businesses. The winners of the Outstanding Entrepreneur and Outstanding Aspiring Entrepreneur awards will each receive one Motorola Xoom, one 4G LTE Mobile HotSpot, three 4G LTE Samsung Charge devices and voice and data service one year or up to $7,000– and $10,000 in cash! The winner of the Outstanding Business Professional award will be awarded a $2,500 donation to a non-profit of his/her choice, one Motorola Xoom, one 4G LTE Mobile HotSpot, three 4G LTE Samsung Charge devices and voice and data service one year or up to $7,000.

Applicants must explain how a Verizon Wireless grant will help change and expand their businesses. Verizon Wireless will then choose contest winners on October 10, 2011 and announce grant recipients on October 14, 2011 during an intimate awards ceremony.

As part of the Latino Small Business Awards contest, Verizon Wireless will partner with several Latino business events throughout Southern California.  Updated times and addresses will be posted on www.verizoninsider.com/negocios

Mobile Technology Workshop, in partnership with El Clasificado Newspaper
September 28, 2011
7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
11205 Imperial Hwy., Norwalk, CA 90650
2011 NAHREP Real Estate & Marketing Conference
September 17-20, 2011
JW Marriott LA Live Los Angeles, CA
Diversity Business Expo and Mixer
September 29, 2011
12:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
The Double Tree Hotel – Airport
201 E. MacArthur Blvd. Santa Ana, CA 92707
Latino Business Expo
September 29, 2011
4: 00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Four Points Sheraton
1050 Schooner Dr., Ventura, CA 93001
Last year’s grand prize winner, Araceli Padilla of Araceli Padilla Insurance Agency was awarded $2,500 in cash, ten Motorola Droid 2 smartphones and service for one year on these devices. “When my name was announced as the winner of Verizon’s Latino Small Business Award, I was in disbelief because I knew that my hard work and sacrifice was being acknowledged by someone else. Today, that award continues to help me move forward and motivates me to inspire others,” said Padilla.

Filed Under: Business Growth, Business Resources, Featured, News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Websites now Free for Missouri Businesses

August 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Today Google is announcing Missouri Get Your Business Online. Designed with prominent local and national partners to help drive economic growth, the program provides businesses in Missouri the tools and resources to establish a website, find new customers, and grow their businesses.

Google is partnering with Intuit to provide its popular Intuit Websites offerings for free including an easy-to-build website, a customized domain name and web-hosting for one year. Participating businesses also receive a local business listing on Google Places and free tools, training and resources to succeed online.

Getting online represents an enormous economic opportunity for Missouri businesses. While 97% of Americans look online for local products and services, 63% of American small businesses do not have a website or online presence. That’s a lot of small businesses that are virtually invisible to potential customers looking online. The perception that getting online is complex, costly and time-consuming has prevented many small businesses from taking the first step.

“Small businesses in Missouri need to be online because that’s where their customers are. Now they have a chance to easily and quickly create their own web presence and grow their businesses online,” said Scott Levitan, Marketing Director for Google.

“As a leading provider of small business solutions, we have witnessed the growth small businesses have seen from getting online,” said Ralph Matlack, Group Product Manager at Intuit. “We are excited to offer Intuit Websites for free to all the wonderful small businesses in Missouri and to help them create a customized presence that represents their unique brands.”

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. By giving them the tools to get online we are opening doors to new customers and new markets, helping them grow and create jobs,” said United States Senator Claire McCaskill.

“We are committed to making Kansas City the center of America’s entrepreneurship. Our partnership with Google continues to put job creation first and foremost. Kansas City was recently cited as one of the nation’s top seven places to launch a start-up, and this project to help small businesses get online strengthens that position,” said Kansas City Mayor Sly James.

“Because more than 90 percent of our members are small businesses, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce understands the impact that small businesses have on the local economy, and we know that having a Web presence is becoming more and more important to the success of small businesses. Google’s free resources to help get Missouri businesses online represent a significant opportunity for our region. We are thrilled to be partnering with Google on the initiative,” said Jim Heeter, President and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

“Small businesses today are truly operating in a global marketplace. A robust online presence is necessary for every small business to level the playing field and keep them competitive with the big companies with huge market share. The Small Business & Technology Development Centers are proud to partner with Google to help Missouri companies get their businesses online, making the ingenuity and creativity of Missouri’s entrepreneurs available to the world, day or night, 365 days a year,” said Chris Bouchard, Interim State Director for the Missouri Small Business &  Technology Development Centers.

Filed Under: Business Growth, Featured, News, Websites Tagged With: , , , ,

Foodily Launches Recipe Network on Facebook®

August 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

With two-thirds of visitors to Foodily (www.foodily.com) already sharing their favorite recipes via Facebook, the popular recipe network has taken its mission to make recipe search more social a step further with the launch of Foodily on Facebook.  Now people can share recipes from across the web, get insights into their friend’s best-loved dishes and daily cravings without leaving the Facebook Platform. Using its visual recipe search and social feed of friend’s recipes, the new Foodily on Facebook experience makes it even easier to discover new recipes, share recipes you love and ask your friends about the recipes they are sharing.

“Eating is one of the most social things we do every day,” said Andrea Cutright, CEO of Foodily. “People want to use their friends and family to figure out what to cook and it’s clear that Facebook is the place where so many of these conversations are happening. This release brings Foodily even closer to that community with an ‘on canvas’ experience tailored to Facebook.”

In addition to seeing favorite recipes and what friends are cooking in the Facebook Foodily app, people are able to invite and follow new friends or follow popular topics to stay updated on what’s new on the web and discover new recipes. All of this news is kept in a streamlined feed that tracks food-related posts and comments in one easy-to-find location right on Facebook.

Foodily’s recipe index includes hundreds of sources that range from mainstream food sites to independent food blogs and gives people the ability to visually browse recipes side by side before deciding what to cook, whether searching for “buttermilk biscuits,” “gluten-free brownies,” or a dish “with pesto and without nuts.”

Moreover, people are able to compare recipe details like ingredients, calories, fat content and other nutritional values, which can be a priority when dealing with food allergies, losing weight or merely trying to be healthy. Having their circle of friends available when making these choices can be critical in helping maintain dietary goals. *

The app also lets people go beyond their circle of friends to follow favorite cooking styles, dietary requirements, celebrities and chefs, or simply discover people with similar food interests. In the welcome email from Foodily, people will find the first of continued recipe recommendations from food authorities such as culinary expert Victoria Von Biel, so you can go beyond just your friend network and see recipes from categories you care about.

About Foodily:

Foodily makes sharing recipes a social experience and empowers people to make more informed decisions about the foods they eat. Through its comprehensive recipe network, influenced by friends, people can find and share the food they love online. Based in San Mateo, CA, Foodily is driven by a team of seasoned, food-passionate search, linguistic and consumer product experts. The company is backed by leading venture capital firm Index Ventures. Visit www.foodily.com and get cooking!

*(Sources: “Role of social support in lifestyle-focused weight management interventions,” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 59(S1): S179–S186, Verheijden MW, et al., 2005; “Treatment of obesity,” Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 82(1): 93-102, Thompson WG, et al., 2007)

 

[SOURCE: Foodily]
Filed Under: Facebook, Featured, social media, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Survival Tips After a Hurricane Strikes

August 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

CPSC and USFA Warn About Deadly Dangers That Can Linger After Hurricane Irene Passes

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) are warning residents in hurricane-impacted areas about the deadly dangers that can remain even after Hurricane Irene strikes.

Consumers need to be especially careful during a loss of electrical power, as the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire increases at that time.

In order to power lights, to keep food cold or to cook, consumers often use gas-powered generators. CPSC and USFA warn consumers NEVER to use portable generators indoors or in garages, basements or sheds. The exhaust from generators contains high levels of carbon monoxide (CO) that can quickly incapacitate and kill.

“Don’t create your own disaster in the aftermath of a storm,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “Never run a generator in or right next to a home. Carbon monoxide is an invisible killer. CO is odorless and colorless and it can kill you and your family in minutes.”

From 1999-2010, nearly 600 generator-related CO deaths have been reported to CPSC. CPSC is aware of an annual average of 81 deaths due to carbon monoxide poisoning from generators in recent years. The majority of the deaths occurred as a result of using a generator inside a home’s living space, in the basement or in the garage.

“We know from experience as victims try to recover from disasters, they will take unnecessary risks with candles, cooking and generators. These risks often result in additional and tragic life safety consequences,” said Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator Glenn A. Gaines. “When you consider the challenges faced by firefighters and their departments to also recover from the same disasters, it is important that all of us remember even the simplest of fire safety behaviors following disasters of any type.”

Do not put your family at risk. Follow these important safety tips from CPSC and USFA in the aftermath of a storm.

Portable Generators
Never use a generator inside a home, basement, shed or garage even if doors and windows are open. Keep generators outside and far away from windows, doors and vents. Read both the label on your generator and the owner’s manual and follow the instructions. Any electrical cables you use with the generator should be free of damage and suitable for outdoor use.

Charcoal Grills and Camp Stoves
Never use charcoal grills or camp stoves indoors. Burning charcoal or a camp stove in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide. There were at least seven CO-related deaths from charcoal or charcoal grills in 2007.

CO Alarms
Install carbon monoxide alarms immediately outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home to protect against CO poisoning. Change the alarms’ batteries every year.

Electrical and Gas Safety
Stay away from any downed wires, including cable TV feeds. They may be live with deadly voltage. If you are standing in water, do not handle or operate electrical appliances. Electrical components, including circuit breakers, wiring in the walls and outlets that have been under water should not be turned on. They should be replaced unless properly inspected and tested by a qualified electrician.

Natural gas or propane valves that have been under water should be replaced. Smell and listen for leaky gas connections. If you believe there is a gas leak, immediately leave the house and leave the door(s) open. Never strike a match. Any size flame can spark an explosion. Before turning the gas back on, have the gas system checked by a professional.

Candles
Use caution with candles. If possible, use flashlights instead. If you must use candles, do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire. Never leave burning candles unattended. Extinguish candles when you leave the room.

 

[SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission]
Filed Under: Featured, News Tagged With: , ,

How I Made My Millions: From Dairy Barn to Booming Business, “Bag Lady”

August 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

What began as a small startup company in a dairy barn in northern Illinois has today become a multi-million dollar corporation with more than 800 employees worldwide. And for its founder, Maribeth Sandford, her rags-to-riches success story is about to be told on CNBC’s inspirational program How I Made My Millionsairing Monday, August 29th at 9:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight.

The story of Maribeth Sandford is a truly inspirational American woman success story. As a single mom in 1980, and looking for a way to support herself and her children, Sandford decided to use her experience in graphic arts to begin printing logos on shopping bags. She borrowed $10,000 from her father to buy a printing press and set up shop in a dairy barn. Her focus was on printing small quantities of bags to suit her customer’s needs. Selling bags by day and printing them by night, slowly her business began to grow. She paid her dad back…and then some.

Now a grandmother, Sandford runs a company that has topped $40 million in sales two years in a row and Bag Makers is becoming a family affair. The company has long named different bag styles after family members and featured her children and grandchildren on its catalog covers. Now her two children are helping to run the company too, together with 11 other family members.

“You start off very economically in a barn, and work after the kids go to school,” says Maribeth Sandford, CEO of Bag Makers, of her early days. “It’s the all American story. A woman starts a company in a barn and look where we are today. We’re the nation’s leader in what we do, kind of cool,” says Bag Makers’ President Chuck Sandford.

About Bag Makers

Bag Makers, Inc. is a leading supplier of non-woven, paper and plastic bags to the promotional products industry. Established in 1980, the company imprints more than 80 million bags each year to the corporate marketplace through a national network of promotional marketing companies. Today, Bag Makers employees 320 people in the U.S., plus 500 in its factory in China to produce more than 100 styles of bags. Using this global supply chain, Bag Makers also provides custom design and manufacturing services to its clientele.

 

[SOURCE Bag Makers, Inc.]
Filed Under: Featured, Success Stories Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Lifetime Opportunity to Enter Career-Building Contest Runs Through August 5

August 1, 2011 By 1 Comment

DailyCandy, the insider’s, trend-setting email newsletter and popular website known to launch the newest and best designers, boutiques, restaurants, products, and personalities, announced today a roster of top industry experts who will mentor the winners of its second annual Start Small, Go Big contest. With only five days left to enter, burgeoning entrepreneurs need to race for the lifetime opportunity to win and meet with DailyCandy’s favorite luminaries who started small and went big. Visit www.startsmallgobig.comby August 5 at 10 a.m. to enter.

The DailyCandy Start Small, Go Big contest, sponsored by Ink from Chase, the small business credit card portfolio from Chase Card Services, brings DailyCandy’s favorite success stories — the country’s most prominent entrepreneurs — together with tomorrow’s innovators for a series of small business workshops at the DailyCandy Academy in New York City. Industry big wigs will mentor four lucky winners — one from each of the Fashion, Food & Drink, Beauty, and Home categories. Winners also receive a DailyCandy Dedicated email, visibility on the company’s website, and promotion to DailyCandy’s 800k+ Twitter followers and Facebook fans. They’ll also attend a blowout celebration with the movers and shakers from NYC’s digital media, tech, food, fashion, and beauty industries.

This year’s DailyCandy Start Small, Go Big top-notch list of mentors includes:

  • Jonathan Adler: Potter-turned-lifestyle guru Jonathan Adler makes home decor anything but stuffy; he’s successfully brought a whimsical touch to his 14+ stores while parlaying his groovy aesthetic into design books and a gig on Bravo TV.

 

  • Stacey Bendet, founder of Alice + Olivia: Designer Stacey Bendet started with one solid idea (to create the perfect pair of pants) in 2002 and translated it into a global collection of ready-to-wear dresses, yoga wear, shoes, menswear, and children’s clothing.

 

  • Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx: Millions of women have creative genius Sara Blakely to thank for ridding them of VPLs (visible panty lines); her Spanx shape wear line began with footless panty hose and now comprises more than 200 slimming products.

 

  • Andy Cohen: The face of Bravo TV, Cohen is the network’s executive vice president of original programming and development, overseeing popular shows like Top Chef and The Real Housewives series. He is also the energetic host of the network’s zany Watch What Happens Live.

 

  • Lev Glazman and Alina Rotyberg, founders of Fresh: With ingredients such as sugar, soy, milk, and rice, Fresh helped pioneer the natural beauty movement, using natural ingredients in its skin care and body care, cosmetics, and more.

 

  • Marcus Samuelsson: Owner of four restaurants, cookbook author, and TV regular, Marcus Samuelsson is the youngest chef to get two three-star reviews from The New York Times and was chosen to cook for President Barack Obama’s first state dinner.

 

  • John Sencion and Brad John, founders of Flight 001: With their multicity cyber boutique they have mastered the art of merchandising, and its modern stores brim with brightly colored luggage, in-air gadgets, and endless travel-size awesomeness.

 

  • Gail Simmons: Culinary expert, food journalist, and cookbook contributor Gail Simmons is the always-engaging host of Bravo TV’s Top Chef Just Desserts, as well as a regular judge on Top Chef and Top Chef Masters.

 

  • Kate Somerville: The best facialist in all of Melrose Place, Kate Somerville created an award-winning line of inventive skin care products (including exfoliating creams, repair treatments, on-the-go tanning wipes, and hydrating masks).

 

  • Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff, founders of Big Gay Ice Cream Truck: Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff served enough artisanal ice cream from their little food truck that could that they were able to open a storefront in New York City’s East Village this summer.

 

Last year’s contest winners, who were one year ago on the cusp of greatness, are today well on their way to success, thanks in part to the mentors they were paired with.

  • Nella Pasta founders Leigh Foster and Rachel Marshall from Boston were in desperate need of a new ravioli machine. Today, they are selling sustainably made pasta at eight retail locations, ten farmers markets, and soon Whole Foods in the North Atlantic region.
  • Dolly Pearl founder Vi Hoang of NYC went from personally sewing all of her dresses on the floor of her apartment to hiring a seamstress, working from a sewing studio, and entertaining numerous requests from boutiques hoping to sell her line.
  • Thursdays, the girls-only cooking and crafting website and weekly dinner party planners from Kentucky, have dramatically increased their social network following, regularly conduct media interviews, and most recently hired guest bloggers to expand their website’s content.

 

The key to winning Start Small, Go Big: Each product or service should make life a little sweeter, just like DailyCandy. To enter, winner wannabes should visit dailycandy.com/startsmallgobig by August 5 at 10 a.m. EST, fill out their key business info, select a category, and finish these three statements: 1) The world needs my business because …, 2) My big idea moment was …, and 3) My greatest challenge so far has been … . On August 22, DailyCandy editors will unveil 12 finalists (three from each category) and invite America to vote (daily!) for their favorites. On September 16, DailyCandy will announce one winner in each of the four categories.

In mid-October at the DailyCandy Academy, the winners will partake in a day specifically created to suit their entrepreneurial needs; they’ll have unprecedented access to industry leaders who’ll mentor and share their start-up stories and tips for success. The winners will also rub shoulders with top executives in the areas of PR, marketing, finance, and technology, and clink cocktails with DailyCandy’s favorite business owners who started small and went big.

Not only is the Start Small, Go Big microsite where the contest kicks off, the site also serves as a year-round resource for new business owners looking for insights, tips, and invaluable early-day resources. There, visitors can follow the continued growth of last year’s contest winners — and follow in the footsteps of industry experts who’ve blazed the trail to success. To learn more about DailyCandy’s Start Small, Go Big contest or the DailyCandy Academy and the mentors participating this year, visit www.startsmallgobig.com.

 

 

[SOURCE: DailyCandy]

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