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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: , , , , , ,

FedEx Launches Seventh Annual FedEx Cares Week

September 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

FedEx Corp. launches its seventh annual FedEx Cares Week, providing volunteer and service opportunities for employees around the world.  Close to 4,000 FedEx volunteers worldwide will donate a combined 20,000 hours to serving local organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life in the communities where FedEx employees live and work.

The week will be held September 12-17 across 28 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). More than 900 FedEx employees will volunteer their time to support a variety of community activities including building improvements and restorations for schools, orphanages and homes for the elderly and mentally disabled; teaching underprivileged children about their history; visiting and providing for sick children, the elderly, and HIV patients; environmental cleanup and reforestation projects.

“FedEx Cares Week creates deeper connections between our FedEx employees and the local communities we serve,” said Stephanie Butler, manager of Global Citizenship at FedEx.  ”Every day FedEx employees passionately help customers solve logistics challenges. Through FedEx Cares Week, our employees extend that passion to help local communities with critical social issues.”

FedEx Cares Week serves as the formal kick-off for the annual U.S. FedEx United Way campaign.  In addition to volunteering hundreds of thousands of hours each year, FedEx and its employees gave over $175 million over the past fifteen years.

This year’s service projects in LAC include:

  • Building Improvements and restorations for schools, orphanages, homes for the elderly and mentally disabled in Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Guatemala, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Martinique, Miami, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands and Venezuela.
  • Connecting underprivileged children with their history in Chile by taking them on a tour of a museum and organizing activities.
  • Visiting a home for the elderly and a clinic for HIV patients in Puerto Rico to provide the residents with food and activities.
  • Organizing a party for children with various illnesses in a hospital in the Virgin Islands and providing them with food and critical supplies including: pampers, formula, baby bottles and baby clothes.
  • Environmental cleanup and reforestation projects in Bermuda, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico and the US Virgin Islands.

 

For more information about FedEx Cares Week and the FedEx commitment to volunteerism and the communities it serves, please visit fedexcares.com.

 

[SOURCE FedEx Express]
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Tiffany Responds to Swatch Termination Claim

September 12, 2011 By 1 Comment

Since Tiffany & Co. and The Swatch Group Ltd. entered upon this venture more than three years ago it has become increasingly clear that Swatch is unwilling to honor the terms of our agreement, make the necessary commitments and work cooperatively to develop the business for TIFFANY & CO. watches in the luxury space. Despite assurances to contrary made in 2007, Swatch has failed to provide appropriate distribution for TIFFANY & CO. brand watches, with the result that our current business forecasts do not include any meaningful increase in watch sales or royalty income. Tiffany has honored its obligations under the agreement, and insisted that Swatch honor its own obligations, particularly its obligation to respect Tiffany’s rights regarding brand-management and product design. Tiffany & Co. is confident that its position will be vindicated in the pending arbitral proceedings in relation to this matter and Swatch’s misconduct.

About Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. operates jewelry stores and manufactures products through its subsidiary corporations. Its principal subsidiary is Tiffany and Company. The Company operates TIFFANY & CO. retail stores and boutiques in the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Japan and Europe and engages in direct selling through Internet, catalogue and business gift operations. For additional information, please visit tiffany.com or call the shareholder information line at 800-TIF-0110.

Filed Under: Legal, News Tagged With: , , , ,

Museum of American Finance Launches Museum Finance Academy

September 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Museum of American Finance announced today the launch of the Museum Finance Academy, a 10-week financial literacy course for 11th and 12th graders with the goal of teaching students to aspire to financial independence, develop an appreciation for savings, make financial goals and learn to avoid scams.

Students will learn the life cycle of spending and saving which is critical as students leave high school and move on to college or a career. Progress will be tracked and students who successfully complete the program will receive a certificate. The top student of the semester will be awarded a $5,000 college scholarship.

The Academy is being launched as a pilot program for the fall 2011 semester and is being offered at no charge to students on a first come, first served basis. Classes will begin the week of October 4, 2011 and will be held once a week. They will be offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 3:30pm to 5:00pm, and Saturdays from 11:30am to 1:00pm. Enrollment is limited to 20 students per class.

The application deadline for the Museum Finance Academy is September 26, 2011. The one-page program application is available on the Museum’s website at www.moaf.org/education.

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Ebates Announces Creation of Performance Marketing Brands & Acquisition of FatWallet and AnyCoupons

September 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Ebates, the leader in online cash back shopping, today announced the creation of a new company called Performance Marketing Brands, Inc. (PMB) to own and operate the world’s most rewarding shopper loyalty programs. PMB has acquired the savvy shopping and reward site FatWallet.com and the coupon shopping site AnyCoupons.com and united them with Ebates.com to create one of the largest independent shopping rewards companies. In 2011, shoppers are expected to spend over $1.1 billion through PMB’s sites, equivalent to a top 50 internet retailer in terms of gross merchandise volume according to data from the latest Internet Retailer Top 500 E-Retailer report.

Ebates.com, FatWallet.com and AnyCoupons.com will continue to operate distinct websites, but common ownership will help give the sites and their users access to the most compelling rewards and best deals available anywhere. Retailers now will be able to advertise through a single partner to attract and retain the world’s savviest shoppers.

“Today shoppers are bombarded with an overwhelming number of coupons, codes, deals and sales,” said Tim Storm, founder of FatWallet and strategic advisor to Performance Marketing Brands . “With Ebates.com, FatWallet and AnyCoupons.com we will help consumers cut through the clutter to get the very best offer every time they shop. We also expect to grow and innovate faster by combining the collective ideas of multiple industry pioneers.”

“In addition to providing our users a more rewarding shopping experience, as a combined company, we will give retailers a more effective way to attract new buyers, recapture lost customers, and make sure their best shoppers keep coming back,” added Kevin H. Johnson, CEO of Performance Marketing Brands. “Over the coming months, we will be announcing exciting new ways for retailers to reach active shoppers and for consumers to be rewarded for all their shopping activities.”

Ebates’ creation of Performance Marketing Brands and acquisition of FatWallet and AnyCoupons has been funded by August Capital, Cannan Partners, Foundation Capital and Silicon Valley Bank. The terms of the acquisitions were not disclosed.

“The online reward and discount shopping space is growing rapidly and we felt the time is right to establish a clear leadership position by combining the best companies under Performance Marketing Brands,” said David Hornik of August Capital. “We are happy to support this new combination and look forward to driving new levels of growth and innovation in the industry.”

 

Filed Under: Acquisitions, coupons, News Tagged With: , , , ,

BuyWithMe Purchases TownHog; Rapidly Expands Marketing Platform

September 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Leading national daily deals site BuyWithMe announced today its sixth acquisition of the year, the purchase of TownHog.com, a San Francisco-based daily deals provider. A venture of Dotblu Inc., TownHog has developed an extensive national footprint, merchant relationships and a significant and loyal consumer following since launching in 2009.

Filed Under: marketing, News Tagged With: , , ,

Business Wire to Celebrate its 50th Anniversary with Warren Buffett at the New York Stock Exchange September 30

September 12, 2011 By 1 Comment

Business Wire will commemorate its 50th Anniversary September 30 with the Chairman of its parent company, Berkshire Hathaway, at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Warren Buffett will join Business Wire Chief Executive Officer Cathy Baron Tamraz at the storied Wall Street podium of the New York Stock Exchange at 9:30 AM EDT to ring The Opening BellSMand the Company’s next 50 years of success.

“Business Wire has been a catalyst toward full and fair disclosure for all market participants, so it’s fitting for us to mark our 50th Anniversary with the world’s most successful investor, and opening the NYSE trading day” said Tamraz. “As we look forward to the next 50 years, our experience and innovation will continue to drive new communications tools to companies and audiences.”

The ceremony will precede Business Wire’s actual birthday by two days. Lorry Lokey founded the Company October 2, 1961, in San Francisco and Warren Buffett acquired it in March of 2006.

 

WHO: Warren Buffett and Cathy Baron Tamraz
WHAT: Ringing the Opening Bell at the NYSE
WHERE: New York Stock Exchange
WHEN: 9:30 AM, EDT, Friday, September 30
WHY: Business Wire celebrates its 50th Anniversary
Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Back for the Future: Nike Partners with the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Original Film Creators to Pursue a Future without Parkinson’s Disease

September 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Nike today announced that 1500 pairs of the mythical 2011 NIKE MAG shoes will be auctioned on eBay, nikemag.eBay.com, with all net proceeds going directly to The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Filed Under: Auction Sites, 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: , , , ,

WebMD Named the Most Trusted Consumer Brand for a Second Consecutive Year

August 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

WebMD Health Corp., the leading source of health information, was named the most trusted U.S. brand for a second consecutive year according to the latest data from TrustR, a global study of 50,000 brands conducted by Millward Brown for WPP. Consumers chose WebMD as the most trusted brand ahead of leading brands including Amazon.com, Visa, Tide, Crest and Pampers.

“More than 100 million visitors turn to WebMD each month for trusted and valued health information,” said Wayne Gattinella, President and Chief Executive Officer, WebMD. “We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to provide the most objective and trustworthy information that empowers consumers to make more informed health and wellness decisions.”

The 2011 study and related report, “Beyond Trust: Engaging Consumers in the Post-Recession Word”, conducted by Millward Brown, is based on global consumer research contained in the proprietary BrandZ database. Since BrandZ’s creation 13 years ago, over 2 million consumers and B2B customers across more than 30 countries have weighed in on thousands of brands. TrustR is a combination of trust and recommendation; trust measures how consumers feel about the brand over time, while recommendation reflects recent brand performance. For more on the report, go to www.millwardbrown.com. To view WebMD’s leading health information, please visit www.webmd.com.

 

[SOURCE: WebMD]
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Dad Blog Releases List of the Top 5 Dad Gifts…That Have Never Been Invented

August 31, 2011 By 1 Comment

Listing the top 5 Dad Gifts that have never been invented? A little more challenging. Always up for a challenge, DadDoes.Com, a popular Dad Blog, released their list of five great gifts for Dads that someone needs to invent.

Summer is a great time for Dads. Of course, summer kicks off with the greatest of all holidays — Father’s Day. Dad Does created their Ultimate Father’s Day Gift Guide, and spent much of the summer doing brutally honest product reviews on other possible gifts for Dad. Still, as summer comes to a close, DadDoes.Com realized that something was missing.

“We are always looking for products that can make a Dad or Mom’s life a little easier, better or more fun. While we saw some great products this summer, there are a few we didn’t see — but guarantee that Dads would love them,” states Dan Nessel, founder of DadDoes.Com.

As their gift to inventors everywhere, DadDoes.Com released their list of Dad Gifts that NEED to be invented. The list includes:

The iKids App — wear headphones, run the app and live life on a 5 second delay. When the app hears your kids say something like “I’m bored” it replaces it with “I love you Daddy.”

Membership in the 20 Year Old Dudes Club. Dad wants to be a 20-something year old guy again? Now he can. Be part of this club and receive endless tasteless tweets, sex-filled status updates and totally twisted texts.

For The Complete List, Please Read the Top 5 Dad Gifts Never Invented.

Nessel concludes, “While the list is a little tongue-in-cheek, the philosophy of each gift is legitimate. Products need to make a Dad’s life easier or better in some way and without a doubt, every product on this list will do exactly that!”

About Dad Does:

Dad Does is the place where Dads Do Things and Review Things. Covering everything from video game reviews for parents to toy reviews, DadDoes.Com has become a destination site for parents looking for brutally honest and fun reviews. Dad Does has been featured in numerous media outlets including WABC-TV, Fox News, Grand Magazine and The Gazette.

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

 

[SOURCE DadDoes.Com]
Filed Under: Blogging, News Tagged With: , , ,

Flip Video Founder Jonathan Kaplan Opens First “THE MELT” Restaurant Location in San Francisco’s Financial District

August 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

THE MELT, a new take on the fast casual restaurant business, today announced the opening of its first location in San Francisco’s Financial District.  Utilizing farm fresh local products, all-natural ingredients and innovative technology, THE MELT is the first fast casual restaurant chain focused solely around the classic grilled cheese and soup combination. The first location, at 115 New Montgomery Street, is the first of four eateries scheduled to open in the San Francisco Bay Area by the end of the year.  THE MELT offers customers an affordable array of irresistible grilled cheese sandwiches, seasonally fresh soups, and delightfully balanced meal “combos.”

Created by Flip Video founder and entrepreneur Jonathan Kaplan, THE MELT uniquely leverages the power of technology to provide unequaled ordering convenience and innovative food preparation. THE MELT delivers made-to-order, restaurant-quality grilled cheese sandwiches and soups in less than 90 seconds – completely reinventing the fast casual restaurant experience for the better.

“Life is complicated enough… so a simple, affordable meal like grilled cheese and soup is an easy way to make people happy,” said Jonathan Kaplan, founder and Chairperson.  ”At THE MELT, we’re blending your old favorites with innovative new technology to offer irresistible meal combinations in an enjoyable quick-service environment.”

The Food

THE MELT uses only wholesome, high quality ingredients such as hearth-baked breads, with a consistency designed for dipping, specially selected artisan cheeses, and well-balanced MELT seasonings. The fine dining restaurant quality soups are artistically crafted with natural, peak season produce.  Together, the pairings create THE MELT’s unique menu featuring five specialty combos:

The Classic – Cheddar on Potato Bread + Two Tomato Basil Soup

Fresh tomatoes, sweet basil, sharp cheddar, and hearty potato bread make a perfect combination.

The Wild Thing – Gruyere on White Wheat + Wild Mushroom Soup

The rustic, full-bodied flavor of wheat and mushrooms complement the sharpness of Gruyere cheese.

The Italian Job – Fontina and Provolone on Garlic Bread + Sausage and Pepper Soup

A duo of cheeses hugged by bread toasted in herbs and spices, paired with a play on the classic dish of sausage and peppers that has been carefully blended into a bowl of silky, sweet, and spicy soup.

The Amsterdam – Smoked Gouda on Eight Grain + Spicy Black Bean Soup

Hearty, heady spices cooled by creamy, smoked cheese.  Bold flavors of cumin, New Mexico chilies, coriander, ancho chili and chipotle are spun into a light and spicy black bean soup.

The Mission – Jalapeno Jack on Sourdough + Sweet Corn Tortilla Soup

A perfect symphony of lush, creamy corn, bright and spicy pepper jack cheese, fresh pickled jalapenos, and the tang of sourdough bread.

THE MELT strives to stay affordable and democratically priced, without sacrificing quality and value.

  • Soups: $3.95/cup, $5.95/bowl, $5.95 for 14 ounces to go
  • Melts: $5.95
  • Combos: $8.95 scores you a Melt + cup of soup

 

The Melts are prepared on custom presses powered by radiant infrared heat to expedite cooking time and maximize flavor.  This process balances two specialized tasks – toasting the crust and melting the cheese. Soups are aerated prior to service for combinations of flavors and textures that until now have been reserved for traditional fine dining experiences.

The Technology

As the latest venture of Flip Video founder Jonathan Kaplan, THE MELT uses location-based mobile technology allowing guests to remotely order “combos,” soups, Melts or other items from their computers and mobile phones.  Customers can place orders while on the go and pick them up at any MELT location, always hot and ready, anytime.  Every Melt location knows about every customer order, so a customer never needs to decide when or where to pick up their meal.  After ordering, they will receive a QR code that can be scanned at any restaurant location; this enables customers to skip the line and pick up their freshly-made order within minutes.

The Environment

THE MELT also aims to be one of the most eco-friendly fast-casual restaurant businesses in the country by using only plastic-free and independently BPI certified compostable packaging.  From soup cups to sandwich wraps, THE MELT packaging is made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper, contains no bleach or other toxic chemicals, and is lined with a plant-based PLA rather than polyethylene.  This approach helps THE MELT offset carbon emissions associated with the manufacturing and transportation of all packaging, reduces landfill waste, and saves thousands of trees every year. Additionally, the restaurants are being designed by the James Beard award-winning hospitality and architecture firm AvroKO, and are made entirely of recycled materials from the walls to the floors.

The Philanthropy

Upon launch, and in conjunction with its corporate partners, THE MELT will institute a “round up” philanthropic program to encourage customers to start “the conversation” about world hunger.  This program will enable customers to “round up” the total of their purchase (i.e., a $5.75 purchase can be rounded up to $6.00), and the additional amount (.25) will be donated to charitable organizations dedicated to fighting world hunger.  Additionally, THE MELT will empower staff members at each restaurant location to choose a local hunger-fighting charitable organization in its neighborhood and develop a specialized philanthropic program designed to make a difference.

The Team

THE MELT combines the talents of James Beard award-winning restaurant designers, retail leasing experts, operational process and kitchen workflow engineers, and the culinary talents of a visionary Michelin Star award-winning culinary team. THE MELT will begin operations in California, opening five locations in the Bay Area by the end of 2011– with plans to expand to over 500 locations nationally by 2015.  Kaplan has assembled an extraordinary board of directors including Ron Johnson, former head of Apple retail and now CEO of JC Penney; acclaimed chef and restaurateur, Michael Mina; Michael Moritz from Sequoia Capital; and Bruce Dunlevie of Benchmark Capital.

For more information, please visit www.melt.com.  Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

 

[SOURCE: THE MELT]
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