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This week, CRV portfolio company Bird publicly announced a new platform for independent operators to manage their own scooter fleets. Bird will sell the scooters and provide access to a marketplace of chargers and mechanics in exchange for a 20% revenue share. We’re incredibly excited about this program, as it allows Bird to quickly expand geographically while giving operators the chance to build a great business on top of a fantastic product.
This effort from Bird fits perfectly within a category that we have huge excitement around — the “business in a box.” These platforms give entrepreneurs the opportunity and infrastructure to run a business without the convoluted and expensive process of building a company from scratch. Entrepreneurs also benefit from the brand and budget of the parent company, as well as other value-add services like accounting, legal, and marketing.
The “business in a box” model allows for significant de-risking of product-market fit (which is very hard to achieve!) by providing a proven product to sell. Nearly 55% of small businesses in the U.S. fail within the first two years, and 40% of these failures are due to the fact that there’s no market for the product or service. A “business in a box” removes the “idea risk” from a venture, leaving the entrepreneur with geographic and operating risk.
If executed well, these models can be value accretive for both the parent company and the individual operators. The parent company benefits from faster and more capital-efficient geographic growth (no need for market launch or operations teams in each city), lower real estate and inventory risk, and better local execution. The entrepreneur benefits from the ability to be his or her own boss (the American dream!) without having to develop an innovative product and establish a standalone company.
The “business in a box” model has taken many shapes over time, but has a long history — franchises (established in the 1800s), multi-level or “network” marketing (1940s), and more recently gig economy platforms.
We are excited about the next generation of these companies, which we are calling “Internet franchises.” These platforms use software and other tech to scale the franchise model, giving operators the ability to run a business built on the product(s) and infrastructure of a parent company without the physical real estate and capital required for traditional franchises. Unlike gig economy platforms, Internet franchises allow operators to truly “own” their business and accumulate equity value over time.
We’ll briefly review the history of this space and why we think it’s so important to the economy, before getting into what we are looking for in this “Internet franchise” model. We’d love to meet any founders who are working on something new in this space! You can reach us at firstname.lastname@example.org, email@example.com, and firstname.lastname@example.org.
History of the “Business in a Box”
Franchising is an ancient business model — it dates back to the Middle Ages in Europe, when nobility sold the rights to operate and collect taxes on their land. Later, explorers were granted franchises by monarchs to establish (and tax) colonies in the 1500s, and pub owners were paid by breweries to exclusively distribute their beer in the 1700s and 1800s. The franchise model moved to the U.S. in the 1850s, after Isaac Singer sold the rights to distribute his sewing machine to salesmen nationwide (Rosenberg Center).
Over the next century, the franchise model expanded to other industries, from automobiles (General Motors in 1898) to food and beverages (A&W Root Beer in 1924) to cleaning products (Duraclean in 1943). The 1946 Federal Lanham Act, which made it safer to license assets to third parties, and the 1956 Federal-Aid Highway Act, which resulted in increasing urban sprawl (Shane), lit a match under the franchise industry. Between 1950 and 1960, the number of companies with franchise operations increased by almost 10x, and in the 1960s some of the largest franchises (McDonalds, Holiday Inn, KFC) hit the 1,000 store milestone (Franchise Law).
Around the same time, multi-level marketing companies (MLMs) emerged as a more capital-efficient model that allowed individuals to directly sell products without requiring a physical location. Whereas franchises can cost hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars to set up (under $50,000 is viewed as “low cost”), entrepreneurs can get involved in an MLM for a few thousand or even a few hundred dollars. The first known U.S. MLM was a company called Nutrilite (1945), a dietary supplement that was licensed by a national distributor and sold door-to-door by 15,000 salesmen.
A number of Nutrilite distributors branched out to start their own companies (including Amway and Shaklee) when they realized how successful the business model could be. Other companies were soon founded around different categories of products, including Avon (beauty products), Tupperware (kitchen products), and Rodan & Fields (skincare). In the past decade, social media has breathed new life into MLMs, allowing salespeople to market to their network at scale on a continuous basis. Despite significant press around scammy behavior, there are ~1,400 MLMs currently active in the U.S., with nearly 20 million recruited salespeople.
The rise of the consumer Internet in the 1990s, followed by the mobile revolution of the 2000s, further lowered the barriers to entry for potential “business in a box” entrepreneurs. Companies like DoorDash, Instacart, and Wag require little more than a car and a smartphone to get started, and some gig economy companies provide training, resources, and a community that mimic some of the better offerings from franchises and MLMs. For example, HopSkipDrive provides new-driver training, a 24-hour support team, meet-ups for drivers to build a community, and bonuses for new families and drivers referred into the platform.
Why This Space is Important
Franchisees, direct salespeople, and gig economy workers receive a lot less attention than founders of venture-backed companies, but their collective impact on the economy is enormous.
By the end of 2017, there were an estimated 3,300 franchisors and 744,000 franchise establishments in the U.S. Franchises directly employed almost 8 million people, represented 10% of non-farm U.S. businesses, and generated $757 billion in output (Rosenberg Center). Some of the largest consumer-facing businesses in the world operate via franchises, including Chevron ($220B market cap), McDonald’s ($142B), and Marriott ($42B).
Direct sales, of which MLMs contribute an estimated 70%+ of revenue, generated $35 billion of revenue in the U.S. in 2017, with 19 million salespeople. Established direct sales companies like Avon and Amway regularly bring in billions in annual revenue ($5.7B and $8.8B, respectively, in 2017), and even relative newcomers like Jeunesse (founded in 2009) and doTERRA (founded in 2008) make more than $1B each year.
The gig economy is difficult to quantify because it’s so large and fragmented, but there’s an estimated 57M gig economy workers in the U.S. (one-third of the working population) who generated nearly $900B in revenue last year. Startups powered by gig economy workers have become some of the most valuable private companies in the world, including Uber ($72B valuation), Lyft ($15B), Instacart ($8B), and DoorDash ($4B).
We believe that the economic impact of these businesses will only continue to grow. These companies also provide a societal benefit by offering employment opportunities to those who may not participate in full-time employment elsewhere. Gig economy platforms allow more flexibility in working hours, while MLMs often employ stay-at-home moms who don’t want a traditional job but can monetize their extensive local networks.
What We’re Looking For
Historically, many franchises have not been venture-backed, as they tend to look more like retail or services businesses in the early days and typically receive debt financing. Direct sales companies have also generally not raised significant venture funding (Stella & Dot and Trumaker are notable counterexamples), as many have been debt-funded or have had scammy products that are unattractive to VCs. Many gig economy companies have been successful venture-backed companies (we’re proud investors in DoorDash!), and we have high hopes for the next iteration of these businesses.
We see this new group of “Internet franchises” as combining the scale of marketplaces with the ownership and incentive structure of franchises.
We believe that recent developments in global shipping and payments will allow capital-light franchises to achieve greater scale than ever before. When retail franchises were first established a century ago, it took years, if not decades, to scale regional operations. Today, a parent company can relatively quickly and cheaply deliver physical goods, payments, content, and marketing to distributors around the world. We’re starting to see early examples of this - Wheelys (bike-powered coffee carts), Tinkergarten (outdoor classes for kids), Robin Autopilot (robotic lawn service), Hotpod Yoga (portable hot yoga studios), and Beeline (mobile bike repair shops) are just a few.
As we look for companies in this space, we’re particularly focused on the following characteristics:
- Abstracts away operational and logistical complexities. Even with help, starting a business is hard and scary. We’re looking for platforms that put a product in the the hands of everyday people and empower them to sell it without needing to hire lawyers, accountants, marketers, and business consultants. One of the reasons McDonald’s franchises have been so successful is that the parent company handles almost all of the infrastructure for franchisees — from the location to the cooking equipment to the menus. The company also provides ongoing training on operational best practices for franchisees, along with marketing support.
- Taps high-quality but under-utilized supply to fill excess demand. New “businesses in a box” will be competing with established companies that have the benefit of a brand, years of expertise, and (potentially) a bigger budget. We think upstarts are most likely to succeed if they fill a supply shortage — if the level of demand for their product or service is high, it will be easier to draw in early users from incumbents. In the childcare space, Wonderschooland WeeCare have found early success by tackling the recent rise of “childcare deserts” in the U.S., while also giving caregivers (e.g. parents, nurses, former teachers) a way to monetize their expertise.
- WeeCare technically fits more tightly in the “Internet franchise” category, as all of their daycares carry the full WeeCare name and branding, while Wonderschool operators can choose their own name. We see Wonderschool as more of an infrastructure platform with some distribution (given their online booking tool), while WeeCare provides the full benefits of an Internet franchise.
- Parent company benefits from decentralized scale. The franchise model doesn’t make sense for every business. Some companies choose to operate a number of their own stores and franchise others, particularly when they don’t want to take on risk in a new geography. However, certain types of companies benefit from scaling in a decentralized way — particularly if it’s expensive (or risky) to move into new geographies, local expertise is valuable, and transactions are mostly local. In businesses that are operationally complex and have high costs to monitoring employees, the incentive-based franchise system may also produce better results. Bird is a good example of a case where franchising makes sense — the company needs people to place and service vehicles on the ground, and Bird can benefit from market-specific expertise from franchisees about where to deploy scooters and how to work with local governments.
- Operator benefits from the company’s scale. Successful franchisors can leverage their scale to provide resources to their franchisees that individual business owners are unable to access. For example, nationwide food franchises (e.g. Subway, Dunkin Donuts) are large enough that they can negotiate favorable terms with suppliers for food and equipment, which is one reason why these franchises often have much lower prices than local restaurants. And while franchisees typically pay national ad fees to the parent company, this gives them access to expert marketers who can execute at a higher level than they could achieve alone.
- Provides opportunities for economic mobility. One of the biggest complaints about gig economy platforms and MLMs is that it’s incredibly difficult (if not impossible) for employees to advance in the organization and accumulate wealth. Some of these companies, though well-intentioned, snare contractors in stressful work with limited economic returns — for example, Uber drivers typically cap out at $17–21k annually if they work 40 hrs/wk. We’re excited about companies that allow individuals to build larger businesses like the traditional franchise model — the Franchise Business Review reports an average pre-tax income for owners of $84k, though operators with multiple successful locations can make millions.
Franchises also provide an opportunity for economic mobility through asset appreciation. A franchisee operating in his or her local market has the ability to build a book of business that is valuable to the parent company, and can later be bought out by the company or sold at a premium to another entrepreneur who wants to operate in the same market.
- Brand provides real benefits towards consumer acquisition. Not all companies that fit within the “Internet franchise” model will require their franchisees to carry the parent company name — some will only provide the back-end infrastructure. However, the largest global franchises are in sectors like food, hospitality, housing, and childcare/education, where consumers build loyalty and trust certain brands to deliver a consistent and safe experience. We therefore expect many of these same sectors to power billion-dollar businesses under the “Internet franchise” model.
Thanks for reading, and we’d love your thoughts and feedback — feel free to email us at email@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.org, and email@example.com, and reach out to us if you’re working on something in this space!
- Saar, Matt, Justine, and Olivia


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November 21, 2012
Contract awarded for liquor warehouse
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission announced Tuesday that it has awarded a 20-year contract to an Ohio company to build and operate a warehouse in Bow.
© 2014 Wine Communications Group - all rights reserved.
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domain: news


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Business climate indicator in manufacturing is rising noticeably
Significantly fewer companies assessed their current business situation as poory. In addition, more industrial companies expected their economic situation to continue to improve. The electronics industry in particular is optimistic.30 Sep 2020
The ifo business climate index rose to 93.4 in September, up from 92.5 in August. The German economy is stabilizing despite the increasing number of infections. In the service sector, on the other hand, the index fell following four consecutive increases. This was due to less optimistic expectations. However, the companies assessed the current situation as slightly better.
The business climate in retail has brightened significantly. The dealers were noticeably more satisfied with their current business situation. In addition, many of them expect a further recovery in the coming months.
The index rose again in construction. The current situation indicator climbed to its highest level since March 2020. The outlook remains pessimistic, but somewhat less than in August.
Interested in news about exhibitors, top offers and trends in the industry?
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The Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) conducted awareness workshop regarding Package Pilgrimage Rules and Regulations 2017 in 10 places which includes Phuentsholing, Gedu, Thimphu, Samdrup Jongkhar, Bangtar, Narphung, Gelephu, Tingtibi, Panbang and Dagana in the month of January.
An OCP official said, “OCP conducted awareness workshop in few places in which tour operators, gups and common people were briefed about the standards, procedure and responsibilities of pilgrimage operators, pilgrims and other relevant agencies who took an active part in these awareness workshops”.
The team from OCP also went to Phuentsholing on 20th January to monitor and distribute the brochures on packaged pilgrimage to the pilgrims.
The official said, “According to Election Commission’s Public Advisory, to ensure smooth, free and fair election, all government agencies, autonomous bodies, corporation, private offices, religious organization and general public are advised to avoid any events involving the general public from February till May 2018 and from August till October 2018”.
OCP said, “Since we cannot conduct any workshop from February till May, we shall continue with our awareness workshop from June 2018”.
The workshop was conducted with the help from its stakeholders such as Ministry of Foreign affairs (MOFA) and Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan Limited (RICBL).
Chencho Dem from OCP said, “As a statutory agent under MOEA, OCP is mandated to promote and protect the economic interest and safety of the consumers. We came up with this regulation to protect lives, health, safety and other rights guaranteed by section 4 of the Consumer Protection Act which states that consumer shall have the right to protection of their lives, health and safety”.


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Zara’s Ortega announces impending retirement
Business Digest: Without fanfare, Amancio Ortega steps down in favour of number two Pablo Isla
The wealthiest man in Spain, Amancio Ortega, head of the Zara empire, has announced his impending retirement from Inditex, the fashion chain’s parent company.
Having run the company for 35 years, since opening a single shop in La Coruna, Ortega's announcement came without fanfare. Famously shy, he sent a brief memo to his 98,000 employees explaining that vice-president Pablo Isla would soon be taking over.
"Dear friends," he began. "Now is the moment, with great hope and responsibility, to propose that Pablo Isla be named executive president at the next board meeting."
Marketing professor Jose Luis Nueno, of IESE Business School in Barcelona, said: "The situation is optimal for stepping down, the company has shown its ability to drive under any conditions and Ortega is getting close to 75 but is in good health.
"It's the right time to tell the market that the company is in shape to put another person at the top. You don't want to make that decision if he is suddenly hit by illness or the company is doing poorly."
Read a full report at the Independent


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The Welsh government has awarded £2m to the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) to develop a Food and Drink Packaging Sustainability Centre.
Zappar’s augmented reality on Blume Honey Water bottles uses technology for safe brand/consumer engagement.
The plant based meat startup reduces 80% of plastic thanks to its new tray made of 100% recycled cardboard .
Spanish tropical fruit processor Avomix has chosen to partner with Superfos by using its SuperLock pot to protect its guacamole product.
Pro Carton and the European Carton Makers Association (ECMA) have reportedly seen exceptional entries from across the continent for the 2020 European Carton Excellence Award.
Nestlé is intensifying its actions to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.
Blue Waters, the leading bottled water brand in the southeastern Caribbean, is seeing a maintenance in sales activity due to its eight-litre bottle with the UpTap dispensing closure.
Mettler-Toledo’s two new Product Data Check technology features perform product label checks on a wide variety of food packaging.
UK smoothie brand, Naked, has pledged to help build a world where plastics never need become waste.
The winners of Europe’s leading annual packaging design competition for young talent will be announced during an online virtual celebration on 7 October 2020.


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I mentioned a couple days ago that Chinese wireless carrier China Unicom was taking reservations for the Apple iPhone 5. The Apple smartphone will hit the Chinese network on December 14. In the first day, the carrier took reservations from 100,000 people who signed up to purchase the iPhone 5.
Even if a large portion of those people who signed up never actually turn up to pay for the smartphone, 100,000 reservations in a day is an impressive number. With a couple more days of the iPhone 5 reservation availability, China Unicom has continued to receive an impressive number of pre-orders. China Unicom has now racked up 200,000 reservations for the new smartphone in three days.
The number indicates that while the pace of reservations has definitely slowed after the initial onslaught, there still a very impressive amount of Chinese smartphone users interested in the iPhone 5. China Unicom is also announced that it will be offering a subsidy for the iPhone 5 with a minimum deposit of $947 for the 16 GB version.
The Chinese carrier requires a deposit that’s more than the cost of the phone and then refund credits monthly depending on length of the contract spanning from one to three years. The deposit required for the 32 GB iPhone 5 works out to $1107 and the deposit for the 64 GB smart phone works out to $1268. The contract on the 16 GB iPhone over 2 years would cost Chinese users $62 per month.


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Image Credit: Wikimedia CC/Nick-D
It's that time of year again: pine needles in the carpet, sugar cookies breeding like rabbits, crowded stores, running out of tape after those crowded stores close, and cities covered in bright lights and blanketed in holiday cheer.
But it's also when debates rage over the appropriate greeting for the season. The argument over saying “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” is a time-honored tradition that spans the country...and the internet. If you've ever wondered which season's greeting is most popular in the U.S., wonder no more.
According to a Marist poll commissioned by the Knights of Columbus, Americans prefer saying “Merry Christmas” by a 20-point margin. In an article at CNS News, Knights CEO Carl Anderson is quoted as saying:
"The vast majority of Americans celebrate Christmas and prefer 'Merry Christmas' to a generic greeting.
Celebrating Christmas is a reminder that Christ came into the world out of love for us and to teach us to love one another."
An article at FiveThirtyEight, based on 2010 data from Public Religion Research Institute breaks down the preference by geographic location.
The Marist poll also finds that 79% of Americans “strongly or very strongly identify the birth of Jesus with the meaning of Christmas,” and 63% “think the meaning of Christmas is strongly or very strongly linked with attending church services.”
But, FiveThirtyEight notes:
There is no orchestrated war against saying “Merry Christmas,” but it is important to recognize that Christmas can be a potent symbol that reflects intergroup tensions and signals exclusion to some Americans.
So, go ahead — say “Merry Christmas!” and tell anyone that anyone who might argue that most of America agrees with you. Oh, and wish them a Happy New Year, too.


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Over 2,700 handicraft exhibitors would showcase a variety of products including home furnishing, festive decor, fashion jewellery, furniture for thousands of foreign buyers and other visitors.
More than 1600 types of products including houseware, tableware, kitchenware, home furnishing and fashion jewellery were exhibited at the fair.
Mistry said the corporation sells some of the most finely crafted stones and statues, which have an extensive demand regionally and globally.
Handcrafted Indian jewellery is a favourite with foreign customers and fetches a better price than machine-made ornaments.
Santosh Gangwar also announced another mega cluster for carpet sector of Bhaodhi & Mirzapur along with opening of a sub-centre of NIFT in Varanasi.
The proposal comes days after Modi urged people through his radio address to the nation to use at least one article made of khadi to benefit the poor.
Handicrafts and Handloom Exports Corporation of India as well as Handloom Export Promotion Council are working in that direction, he said.
Devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir have caused an immediate loss of Rs 5,400-5,700 crore to the state's economy, with heavy damages to trade, hotels, restaurants, horticulture and handicraft, according to initial estimates of industry body Assocham.


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India's Parliament had for years been discussing the possibility of a Goods and Services Tax (GST) when Modi in 2017 passed a bill establishing such a levy.
That move represented the prime minister keeping a promise: Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said in 2014 that it would overcome the bureaucratic deadlock and finally bring "on board all state governments in adopting GST."
In addition to drawing in more government revenues, the measure — hailed as the country's biggest tax reform in 70 years — was also aimed at reducing illicit transactions.
Although GST had been discussed for many years, "previous governments could not muster the political courage or will to implement this vitally important but politically challenging reform," said Prasenjit K. Basu, a Singapore-based economist and author of "Asia Reborn: A Continent Rises from the Ravages of Colonialism and War to a New Dynamism."
Still, there have been criticisms about Modi's rollout of the new tax. Those center on how quickly the government implemented the GST in a business marketplace that was not well prepared to accommodate the procedural changes.
For one, slow GST processes reportedly continue to hurt exporters, who are entitled to refunds. Exports in October declined 1.2 percent largely on account of the refund delays, according to an analysis posted on the website of the Reserve Bank of India.
Although the Modi-led government had trumpeted the GST as a tax regime made efficient through digital platforms, it has suffered several hiccups on that front. For example, many exporters said they were unable to file refunds for input tax credit, which reportedly resulted in their funds being blocked in the initial months.
"The GST policy was not implemented with the needed infrastructure in place. What would have taken other governments three years to gradually implement was rushed in India within months — and that, too, to a less educated population," said Ghosh.
Smaller local businesses were most vulnerable to bearing the taxes and additional costs from consulting accounting services, Ghosh added.
If implemented well, however, the GST policy could ultimately bring benefits to the country.
The tax regime "will help to boost Indian fiscal revenues over the medium to long term, as well as helping to improve industrial competitiveness by significantly lowering logistics costs for domestic manufacturing firms," Biswas said.
Tax collections are rising as a share of GDP in the wake of demonetization and GST, according to both a government survey and private-sector analysis.


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Chadderton-based logistics company, H&B Logistics, has secured a six-figure funding package from Lombard Asset Finance to expand its 40-strong fleet responsible for moving up to 17,000 pallets every month.
The family-run company, which offers nationwide and international pallet delivery, has used the £131,000 finance to purchase two double deck trailers and two 44-tonne articulating trucks.
Over the last 31 years, Lombard has supported the firm’s acquisition of industry-leading trucks and trailers, including a new green fleet of EURO6 compliant trucks.
The business was founded in 1989 by the Hall and Byrne families to offer a nationwide next day pallet delivery service within the UK. The company employs 48 staff and plans to recruit more people as the business grows.
H&B Logistics recently completed a second phase expansion at its premises at Westwood Business Park in Chadderton, adding an additional 10,000 sq ft drive-through for its trucks. Plans are underway for phase three of the expansion to add a further 10,000 sq ft next year.
The company has continued operating as an essential service throughout the pandemic, including collecting and distributing PPE across the country. It also offered free delivery of PPE to local care homes.
Alan Byrne, Joint Managing Director at H&B Logistics, said: “Thanks to the support from Lombard, we have been able to continue to expand our fleet by acquiring new Euro6 compliant trucks and trailers to meet the increased demand for our services nationwide.
“Looking forward to next year, we want to continue to expand both our fleet and the premises that we operate from, ensuring that we remain a family-run business helping other local businesses meet demands and needs.”
Jonathan Tinsley, NatWest Senior Relationship Manager and Jackie Grundy, Lombard Senior Relationship Manager continue to support Alan and the team at H&B Logistics.
Jackie said: “This latest funding facility is part of our ongoing commitment to support H&B Logistics with its growth. It’s an established family-run business that is expanding rapidly while remaining conscious of its environmental footprint and ensuring all its vehicle are compliant with the highest industry standards.”


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On 1 January 2025, the government will silence anyone using their backs as advertising space. Those promoting online gambling will be subject to the shirt sponsorship ban from the same day. VVV Venlo sponsors BetCity, which makes the following statement: "You can take my back."
BetCity signed a partnership with VVV today and their partnership will be publicly displayed for the first time this Friday. From the next home match against FC Dordrecht, BetCity's logo will be seen on the back of the participants' shirts. Moreover, the new partnership provides marketing opportunities for the followers of both organisations.
No advertising on childer shirts
In addition to shirts for adults, the shirt printer also prints the logo on children's shirts. The bookmaker and football club choose not to feature on the shirts with the smallest sizes; this space has been made available for charity.
BetCity's CEO Melvin Bostelaar believes that traditional football club VVV-Venlo can count on the support of the entire Dutch population. Off the pitch, they get a lot of support from the entire population for their policy decisions.
Marco Bogers, general manager of VVV, is happy with the cooperation between casino and club. He believes Same Nao Bave will boost VVV's revenue and business development.


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Kate Spade was found dead by suicide in her apartment in New York City on June 5. She was 55.
She leaves behind her husband, Andy Spade, and a 13-year-old daughter, Frances Beatrix Spade.
Kate had not been part of her namesake handbag label for more than a decade, but she was at the helm of a new accessories business she and Andy founded in 2015, called Frances Valentine.
Her business partner and close friend, Elyce Arons, told Business Insider that the brand is determined to honor her legacy.
The late designer left four seasons of completed work behind.
It’s been a little over a week since news broke of Kate Spade’s death by suicide. The 55-year-old designer was found dead in her apartment in New York City on June 5.
Since then, fans have been paying tribute to her work by posting messages on social media and sharing memories of the first time they bought a Kate Spade handbag — a brand that she hadn’t been associated with for over a decade. Kate and Andy Spade sold their final stake in the Kate Spade brand to Neiman Marcus in 2006, and it subsequently changed hands twice. It’s currently owned by Tapestry, the parent company of Coach.
Other fans are now wondering what will happen to her newer brand, Frances Valentine, which she founded in 2015 with her husband, Andy, and business partners Elyce Arons and Paola Venturi.
The brand has stayed relatively quiet in the past week, posting a tribute on social media and its website with a picture of the company’s late creative director.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and founder, Kate Valentine Spade, who will remain in our hearts forever,” the message said.
Both the founder-information and press-inquiry areas of Frances Valentine’s website appear to have been taken down.
The company has also been inundated with messages on social media, and a day after Spade’s death, all 25 handbags listed on Frances Valentine’s website appeared to be sold out.
Arons, a close friend of Spade’s who worked as head of operations at Spade’s namesake handbag brand and then became a managing partner at Frances Valentine, told Business Insider that the company is determined to honor Spade’s legacy.
“We don’t know what the future holds for us, but we are determined to continue to make her beautiful work live on through Frances Valentine. …read more
Source:: Business Insider


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Ahead of next summer’s World Cup the globe’s major kit suppliers are readying shirt releases.
We’ve already had a signal of what Adidas have in store for Germany, with images of their upcoming home shirt, inspired by the that famous 1990 World Cup-winning jersey, being leaked ahead of its official release.
Now, Adidas have outdone themselves with early indications of Spain’s kit for 2018’s tournament in Russia.
This time 1994 has provided the inspiration for Adidas’ design team, the year in which the Iberian nation made it to the quarter-finals of USA ’94 where they were bettered by two Baggios, Dino and Roberto, eventually losing the tie 2-1.
Italy famously went all the way to the final where they were ultimately beaten by Brazil on penalties.
This, however, is the classic shirt the Spaniards wore back then:
And with just under eight months to go until the tournament kicks off, we can now get a glimpse of just how beautiful the 2010 World Cup winners’ kit is going to be, thanks to Footy Headlines.


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From a Royal boost to a rosé drought: Five things we learnt from Majestic Wine’s results
PUBLISHED: 12:00 14 June 2018 | UPDATED: 12:07 14 June 2018
The wine market is ever evolving with tastes and fashions changing each year.
Here are five things we learnt from Majestic Wine’s latest results.
UK drinkers are getting more adventurous
At Naked Wines, Hungarian wine sales have increased six-fold, and sales of Bulgarian wines are up 22%.
The company asked its customers what they wanted to see more of and found the top answer was wines from off the beaten track.
We like a touch of Royalty
Fine wines firm Lay and Wheeler, part of the Majestic group, sold 810 bottles of the 2016 Les Setilles Bourgone Blanc, produced by Olivier Leflaive, in two hours after it was served at the Royal Wedding.
The UK is starting to drink Prosecco the Italian Way
In Italy, it’s relatively unusual to drink Prosecco neat, instead a bitter liqueur, like the grapefruit based Aperol, is often added. Majestic saw sales of the spirit increase by 98% last year.
There could be a rosé drought
Higher than expected winter rosé consumption combined with the worst French harvest since 1949 could leave Provence pink supplies in danger. Sales of the wine spiked 118% at Majestic over the May Bank Holiday but the company is encouraging drinkers to expand their tastes or risk missing out.
The Costa Del Sol is changing our habits
The record number of British holidaymakers making their way to Spain has led to a rise in sales of Spanish coastal wines as drinkers have moved on from the much loved Rioja.


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It’s sound check day today…..12.1.12 Geddit?
What’s the world coming to eh? I popped on the BBC evening news, only to be told that Tesco hadn’t made a wazza amount of profit during 2011 (only £89,328,923,932, small change innit?) whilst Sainsbury’s had somehow managed to make loads of wonga; guess they sold more pigs in blankets this Christmas?
BBC news suddenly switched pace and mood to sensationally cover the story involving the youtube video footage that is currently causing outrage all over the world; that of US marines who were filmed urinating on dead Taliban troops. I was really, really shocked. I honestly thought that Tesco would make an obscene amount of profit this year given that they have more shops per square mile than McDonalds AND KFC?
As for the US Marine story, blimey, it’s a sad thing when you realise that you’ve actually gotten used to seeing things like that in the news? The idiotic jarheads filmed each other whilst taking a slash over poor old Mustapha Leik’s gladrags (perhaps they took his name too seriously?) so that it could be some kind of neanderthalistic war trophy?. A keepsake to show their grandchildren perhaps?
Yippeekayamotherfucker! Bet their families are proud!


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Industry of Moscow is now almost fully returned to work despite the fact that about half of the enterprises in the conditions of a pandemic have not worked. This was announced by the mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin.
the Mayor on Tuesday called for confectionery and baking factory “Cheryomushki” in the South-West of Moscow and opened a new production line for baking of bread.
“Today, 90% of these enterprises work practically on a full cycle”, — said Sobyanin expressed the hope that “hard times will soon be over, and business of Moscow will stand fully on its feet.” He also said that the government supports entrepreneurship.
the press service of the mayor’s office said that HBK Cheremushki employs 955 people who daily produce 100 tons of products.
earlier, Moscow authorities have approved three packages of measures to support the business during a pandemic coronavirus with a total value of 85 billion rubles. As of mid-may, different forms of support have already benefited from 34.8 thousand organizations.
Stories about how you tried to get help from the Russian state in terms of coronaries and what came of it, email it to firstname.lastname@example.org


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|05-03-2006, 08:29 PM|
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Clinton, MO
Casino cash: $24744
Bill Clinton helped do something really good
As someone who has a kid in Middle School and where they sell Coke at the school I think this is wonderful. Finally someone is actually looking out for the kids.
Soda Distributors to End Most School Sales
May 03 8:12 PM US/Eastern
Email this story
By SAMANTHA GROSS
Associated Press Writer
email@example.com The nation's largest beverage distributors have agreed to halt nearly all sales of sodas to public schools _ a step that will remove the sugary, caloric drinks from vending machines and cafeterias around the country.
The agreement was announced Wednesday by the William J. Clinton Foundation and will also likely apply to many private and parochial schools.
"This is a bold step forward in the struggle to help 35 million young people lead healthier lives," former President Clinton said at a news conference. "This one policy can add years and years and years to the lives of a very large number of young people."
Under the agreement, the companies also have agreed to sell only water, unsweetened juice and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools. Diet sodas would be sold only to high schools.
"I don't think anyone should underestimate the influence this agreement will have," Susan Neely, president and CEO of the American Beverage Association, which has signed onto the deal, said earlier Wednesday. "I think other people are going to want to follow this agreement because it just makes sense."
The agreement should reach an estimated 87 percent of the public and private school drink market, Neely said. Industry giants Cadbury Schweppes PLC, Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. and the ABA have signed on. Officials said they hope companies representing the other 13 percent of the market would follow suit.
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a collaboration between Clinton's foundation and the American Heart Association, helped broker the deal.
"The soft drink industry has decided that it won't wait to be pushed," said Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, the co-chair of the alliance. "It jumped in. ... It may be the soft drink industry, but they made a very hard decision."
The move follows a mounting wave of regulation by school boards and legislators alarmed by reports of rising childhood obesity. Soda has been a particular target of those fighting obesity because of its caloric content and popularity among children.
Still, the deal imposes stricter drink regulations than are currently in place for nearly 35 million public school students.
"This is really the beginning of a major effort to modify childhood obesity at the level of the school systems," said Robert H. Eckel, the president of the Heart Association, adding that the alliance would also be working to put healthier foods in schools.
John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, which compiles extensive data on the beverage industry, said the agreement would have no impact on the $63 billion beverage industry's bottom line.
"The sale of sugar-carbonated sodas in schools is a tiny, tiny part of their overall volume," said Sicher. "Financially, on the big companies, it will have virtually no impact."
He applauded the move, however, saying "The impact is more in terms of responsibility and accountability to the consumer."
Under the agreement, high schools will still be able to sell low- calorie drinks that contain less than 10 calories per serving, as well as drinks that are considered nutritious, such as juice, sports drinks and low-fat milk. The "nutritious" drinks will be limited to 12-ounce servings, Neely said.
Elementary schools will sell 8-ounce servings of the "nutritious" drinks, and middle school kids will get 10-ounce-size drinks.
Whole milk will no longer be offered to any schools, Neely said.
School sales of sports drinks, diet sodas and bottled water have been on the rise in recent years, while sugary soft drink purchases by students have been falling, according to an ABA report released in December. But regular soda, averaging 150 calories a can, is still the most popular drink, accounting for 45 percent of drinks sold in schools in 2005, according to the report.
Diana Garza, a spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co., said in a telephone interview that "these voluntary guidelines escalate ... the shift to lower calorie, more nutritious beverages."
A man who answered the phone at Cadbury Schweppes' London headquarters said no one was available for comment. A call to PepsiCo Inc. was not immediately returned.
The new rules will apply to beverages sold on school grounds during the regular school day and at after-school activities such as band and choir practice, said Jay Carson, a spokesman for ClintonBut sales at events such as school plays, band concerts and sporting events, where a significant portion of the audience are adults, won't be affected, he said.
The deal will be most easily enforced at vending machines, where students buy most of their drinks, Neely said.
How quickly the changes take hold will depend in part on individual school districts' willingness to alter existing contracts, The Alliance for a Healthier Generation said in a release. The companies will work to implement the changes at 75 percent of the nation's public schools before the 2008-2009 school year, and at all public schools a year later.
Dozens of states have considered legislation on school nutrition this year, but about 32 states still have no legislative or regulatory policy regulating the sale of drinks in schools, according to the American Heart Association.
Lawmakers in Connecticut voted last week to prohibit schools from selling regular and diet soda as well as electrolyte replacement drinks such as Gatorade.
The agreement follows an August decision by the ABA to adopt a policy limiting soft drinks in high schools to no more than 50 percent of the selections in vending machines. Unlike the agreement announced Wednesday, that recommendation was not binding.
Most elementary schools are already soda-free.
|05-03-2006, 08:46 PM||#2|
Join Date: Jan 2006
Casino cash: $39672
I saw this earlier. I'd say this was a might better than Reagan classifying ketchup as a vegetable.
|05-03-2006, 09:19 PM||#3|
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Flux,awaiting an observer
Casino cash: $5000
It's pretty good thinking. It may have a good effect in reducing obesity a bit among the kids, and the districts get to keep the sponsorship money from the soda companies who can provide bottled water, fruit juices, and other low-calorie drinks.
No matter how cynical you are, it is impossible to keep up. -Lily Tomlin
I'd rather be a climbing monkey than a falling angel. -Terry Pratchett
|05-03-2006, 09:35 PM||#4|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: None of your business
Casino cash: $70063
Another reason why I keep my kid outta public school.
I don't even allow soda at home except on special occasions and holidays. And I try to make other stuff so much fun it rarely comes up.
And we eat a lot of organic.


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News outlets in Washington, D.C., reported that about halfway through LivingSocial's two-day deal on Zipcar (NAS: ZIP) memberships, consumers had bought a whopping 3,000 memberships. The deal was 75% off the regular price of a membership and $30 in driving credit, which may give investors pause. Are all the new memberships worth the deep discounts' hit to the bottom line? Or is this a brilliant way to gain a leg up on the competition?
Join the club
Wholesale giant Costco (NAS: COST) is a perfect example of how lucrative companies with a membership-based business model can be. Jim Sinegal's company draws nearly all of its profits from membership fees:
Total Net Income
Source: Company annual report.
The numbers don't lie. Costco keeps razor-thin margins on the goods it sells, relying on products' low cost to entice customers into buying annual memberships.
Zipcar, however, is no Costco. Right now, Zipcar only generates 12% of its revenue from membership fees; the other 88% comes from car use. Discount deals like LivingSocial's will not do much to drive that number higher in the short term, but if the company can control costs and limit churn year-over-year, that number should grow. In the meantime, the company must encourage all its new Zipsters (hip slang for members) to make use of their memberships.
Though Zipcar is the dominant player in the car-sharing business, owning 50% of the market share in North America right now, competition is growing from traditional car rental companies like Hertz (NYS: HTZ) and Avis Budget (NAS: CAR) . These companies are reinventing themselves to fit the car-share model with programs like Hertz on Demand.
D.C. is one of Zipcar's four major markets (New York, Chicago, and San Francisco are the others), and competition issues here can highlight challenges the company might face on a greater scale nationwide.
Take, for example, parking spots. Zipcar used to be able to rent premium spots from the District for $200 annually. Those days are over; those premium spots now command as much as $3,600 a year. As a result, Zipcar's number of curbside parking spots dropped this summer from 84 in the District to 12. Who was among the other companies interested in bidding for the same spots? You guessed it, Hertz.
If Zipcar wants to continue to dominate, it has to snatch up as much of the market share as possible, as soon as possible. Though it may take an initial hit on its bottom line with this LivingSocial deal, it now has more than 3,000 customers who will probably not sign up with Hertz or a similar competitor in the next year.
At the time thisarticle was published Fool contributorAimee Duffyhas had a Zipcar membership for two years, but shedoesn't own shares of any of the companies mentioned in this article. The Motley Fool owns shares of Hertz Global Holdings, Costco Wholesale, and Zipcar.Motley Fool newsletter serviceshave recommended buying shares of Costco Wholesale, and Zipcar. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2011 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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“I am very excited to join such an esteemed organization leading their respective segment of the flooring industry in innovation and technological advancements,” says Ben Goodman, Business Development Manager, Välinge North America. “I am confident that we can showcase our technology and capabilities to the North American market in a way that will further advance Välinge as the leader in the flooring technologies segment while enhancing all levels of the value chain for our business partners.”
Ben will bring his deep knowledge of the flooring industry to his role as Business Development Manager for Välinge North America — ensuring importers & distributors reap the benefits from Välinge’s industry-leading innovations, support, and network.
Joining Ben Goodman at Välinge North America is Cheryle Mundy. Cheryle is highly experienced in consumer sales and joins Välinge North America as Sales Manager — initially focusing on Välinge Flooring sales and support in the East.
“I am delighted to join Valinge North America at an exciting time in the company’s growth,” says Cheryle Mundy, Sales Manager, Välinge North America. “I’m looking forward to leveraging my experience with our awesome team and partners to continue growing our presence in North America.”
Mark Machnicki also joins the team as a Sales Manager, taking responsibility for the Midwest. Mark has over 20 years of experience working with wood flooring manufacturers, distribution, and retailers.
“I knew that Välinge’s entry to manufacturing wood flooring would create an unprecedented product — and my first opportunity to see and install the product confirmed my beliefs,” says Mark Machnicki, Sales Manager, Välinge North America. Välinge Flooring offers incredible quality, look, price, innovation, engineering, and support — I couldn’t be happier to join the team.
The expansion comes as Välinge experience growing demand in the US market driven by the launch of their revolutionary Välinge Flooring Hardened Wood Floor collection — a real wood floor that features the Swedish company’s Woodura® technology, the latest 5G® Dry™ waterproof locking system, and 5G® Climb™.
“Välinge Innovation prides itself on its commitment to giving its licensees, partners, and customers the best support — every step of the way,” says Zach Adams, General Manager, Välinge North America. “So, we’re delighted to have Ben, Cheryle, and Mark join — they are a great addition to our team and bring a wealth of experience with them that will be of great benefit to Välinge and our partners going forward.”


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(Pocket-lint) - The Nexus 7 2nd-gen tablet has turned up in the Carphone Warehouse inventory ahead of its expected launch on 24 July.
In a leaked spy shot sent by an anonymous tipster to Pocket-lint, Carphone Warehouse is listing two Nexus 7 2 devices in its system ahead of an official announcement from Google or Asus.
The first of the two listings is a 16GB model and the second shows there will also be a 32GB model. Both models are listed as Wi-Fi only.
The inventory listing also suggests that it won't be available on a tariff.
The Nexus 7 2 is expected to launch in the next couple of days in the US. The news comes as more leaks appear from the States about the new tablet from Asus. On Sunday Engadget detailed a leaked store info tag, providing a few more bits of what the 7-inch tablet might conjure up.
The latest information on the rumour mill says the Nexus 7 2 will feature wireless charging functionality, more than likely similar to what's available on the Nexus 4.
Additionally, thanks to the screenshot, we now know the Nexus 7 2 is going to be quite the speed beast. We'll allegedly see a quad-core 1.5GHz CPU, which should bring plenty of power to the small tablet. Furthermore, it sounds like we'll see Android 4.3 included, which is suspected to be being announced at the 24 July media event.
Other specifications for the Nexus 7 2 are rumoured to be a 1.2-megapixel front-camera, 5-megapixel rear camera, a Slim Port for 1080p video playback over HDMI, and a 7-inch display with the possibility of a hefty 1980 x 1200 screen resolution. It is said to be launching at a price of $269 (£176).
Sources have indicated to Pocket-lint that the Nexus 7 2 will indeed be launched next week, but those same sources offer no details yet for the UK, making the CPW listing very interesting indeed.


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Surveys show that a majority of Americans are still in the dark about the coming ban on incandescent light bulbs, but as that ban takes effect between 2012 and 2014, the debate over what kinds of lighting come next is sure to heat up. Many consumers are likely to balk at what they see in terms of price tags and the quality of the bulbs they can buy.
So far, many of the compact fluorescent light bulbs that have been touted as the great green answer to the nation’s lighting needs aren’t giving us that warm, cozy glow we’ve come to love ever since Thomas Edison’s day.
When it comes to energy consumption and efficiency, the science of lighting is clear enough: Incandescent bulbs are highly inefficient, emitting about 98 percent of their energy as heat. The economic argument for phasing them out in favor of more energy-efficient bulbs rests on the claim that billions of dollars would be saved.
but whether those savings are real, or will be offset by environmental considerations, price and consumer reaction, remains unclear.
At bottom, most consumers want lighting that is as close to natural daylight as possible. How various sources of artificial lighting compare to natural daylight depends upon technical factors, including color rendering indices and the color temperature of the light source.
Manufacturers of compact fluorescent, “full spectrum” and next-generation LED lighting are striving to balance those technical factors and manufacturing costs in efforts to produce the light bulb of the future: One that will win consumer acceptance while meeting all government rules.
We think they’ll get there eventually, but, in the meantime, stocking up on the bulbs that made Edison famous might be the brightest idea of all.


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Thanks for the new website, Door4!
We are very grateful to digital agency Door4 for building this smashing website – free of charge.
The Door4 team has decades of experience in digital marketing and web development, so they are experts at building, maintaining and growing organisations’ online presence, with a focus on revenue optimisation.
Leon Calverley, founder and director of Door4, said: “We’re really happy to help with this worthwhile cause.
“As a charitable organisation, The Dream Big Trust has needs and objectives that are not unlike a commercial business, so having an appropriate online presence is essential.
“This is a website that can grow with them and support the great work they plan to do.”


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Gold price is attempting a minor comeback while within a familiar range below the $1,800 mark ahead of the all-important United States Consumer Price Index (CPI) data. FXStreet’s Dhwani Mehta analyzes how the yellow metal could react to inflation figures.
US CPI could impact Federal Reserve’s outcome
“Any upside surprise in the Core CPI data could prompt the Federal Reserve policymakers to revise higher their forecasts for the terminal rate, eventually impacting the US central bank’s Dot Plot chart, which will be announced on Wednesday.”
“Should the US Core Consumer Price Index beat estimates, it could trigger a US Dollar rally alongside the US Treasury bond yields, weighing negatively on the non-interest-bearing Gold price.”
See – US CPI Preview: Forecasts from 10 major banks, inflation appears to have peaked
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply


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Over the beyond yr, hemp and CBD-infused beverages and food have quickly exploded in reputation. With Coca-Cola and other companies rumored to begin testing drinks that incorporate cannabidiol, that’s a non-psychoactive cannabis factor; you are probably thinking: Will Starbucks ever pop out with CBD drinks?
Here’s why it might take a while. If you’re unexpected with CBD oil, it is vital to observe that CBD, unlike the psychoactive factor of the hashish plant THC, will not make you excessive upon consumption, in keeping with the World Health Organization. Instead, the hemp-derived substance — which has been a prison at a federal level since the Agriculture Improvement Act became handed again in December 2018 — is usually used to treat
symptoms of pain, seizure syndromes, and tension. However, research about its efficacy and lengthy-time period results remains in its early degrees. Considering the recent uptick in CBD-infused merchandise, which consists of the whole thing from marshmallows to lotions to gummy bears, clients are probably questioning if a CBD-infused coffee may be in Starbucks’ plans. While the combination may not seem like the maximum natural mash-
up upon the first notion — in any case, CBD has won recognition as a calming substance and is every so often used as a snooze resource, even as people consume caffeine for a boost in energy. But it’s no longer the case. You may not see it at your local Starbucks whenever soon. In an electronic mail, a Starbucks rep tells Elite Daily, “While we’re usually watching traits within the food and beverage area, right now, CBD is not on our street map.


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Solar power company Yingli Green Energy reported an unexpected quarterly loss as sales volumes and prices fell, and it cut its forecast for full-year sales.
Yingli was the latest maker of photovoltaic solar products to post weak earnings as tight financing markets slowed the flow of funds to build new clean-energy systems.
We believe the first quarter marked a low point for the whole industry this year, Yingli Green Energy included, Chief Executive Liansheng Miao told a conference call.
The Baoding, China based company posted a loss of $20.7 million, or 16 cents per American depositary receipt, compared with a year-earlier profit of $31.9 million, or 25 cents per share.
Analysts had on average forecast a profit of 1 cent per share, according Reuters Estimates.
Revenue fell 37 percent to $146.3 million.
The company said it expected to ship 450 to 500 megawatts of solar modules, down from the 550 to 600 MW it had forecast in February.
Shares of Yingli, which had surged 65 percent so far this year, were up 8.9 percent at $11.01 in premarket trading.
(Reporting by Matt Daily; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)


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A Stratasys metal 3D printer will be launched in April 2018. Although the company has released only limited details, in this article 3D Printing Industry gives additional insight and information.
Already a leader in polymer 3D printing solutions, and the inventor of FDM technology, the forthcoming Stratasys metal additive manufacturing platform seeks to “to displace conventional methods for short-run manufacturing,” across key industries including aerospace, automotive, healthcare and consumer goods.
“We are extremely excited to announce our development of this new additive manufacturing platform,” commented Ilan Levin, CEO of Stratasys.
“We believe that this platform will meaningfully expand our addressable markets for the long term and provide our customers with an effective means to realize the values of additive manufacturing for powder metallurgy applications.”
The announcement follows last year’s $25 million investment in metal powder producer, LPW.
Custom, small batch, competitive metal 3D printing
The Stratasys metal additive manufacturing system will target short-run manufacturing areas including pilot-series parts, small batch manufacturing, and “customized, lightweight, and complex parts.”
Stratasys is looking specifically at the automotive sector, and according to the company have received strong feedback from customers over the past several months.
Applications for the metal 3D printer include, pre-production of vehicles or for vehicles with short production series. Lightweight, complex parts will be possible with the 3D printer, customization and the consolidation of assemblies into single components were also highlighted in a call today were the news was discussed.
Inside the technology – materials for the new Stratasys metal 3D printer
According to the company, the metal additive platform has been in development for several years. The system will incorporate Stratasys’ proprietary jetting technology.
On an earlier call today with investors, CEO Levin refused to be drawn on the precise nature of the forthcoming metal 3D printing system. However, he did reveal that aluminum would be the first 3D printing material material.
It is likely that the system will be a variant method of metal binder jetting, potentially using metal injection molding (MIM) powder. Supporting this are the statements around materials and post-processing.
In particular the metal powders are likely to be below the cost of “speciality nature of materials” used in powder bed fusion systems. Regarding post-processing, while the precise methods required were not discussed, Levin did suggest any post-processing would be more inline with conventional manufacturing and widely used practices.
Furthermore, higher end metal additive manufacturing systems using laser or electron beam energy sources are not the competing products for this new Stratasys machine.
“Throughput and cost less is important at adoption stage,” said Levin regarding the current industrial metal additive systems.
Instead the Stratasys CEO commented that the new metal 3D printer is, “focused on conventional techniques for short run manufacturing [that the new 3D printer] could really displace.”
This particular market is becoming increasing crowded, with Desktop Metal probably the most notable company in the space. Stratasys was an early investor in Desktop Metal, and at last years RAPID show it was announced that channel partners and Stratasys resellers would be able to sell Desktop Metal systems.
This prompted a question from one analyst who asked how today’s news would affect the relationship between Desktop Metal and Stratasys. Levin responded by saying, “I don’t believe it affects our relationship. The first Desktop Metal product is a prototyping machine.”
One analyst questioned if the metal 3D print would be a green part, but Levin did not answer as to whether a secondary sintering stage would be required. However, our expectation is that this would be the case.
As an existing partner to a number of aerospace companies, including Airbus and SIA Engineering, Stratasys is favourably positioned to offer its this new metal additive manufacturing platform to existing customers.
Further details of Stratasys new metal additive manufacturing platform will be released at RAPID + TCT 2018 expo from April 23-26 in Fort Worth, Texas. Also coming up in 2018 will be confirmation of whether HP’s new metal 3D printer is a binder jetting system using MIM powder.
Could Stratasys take the prize for 3D printing innovation of the year? Nominations for the 2018 3D Printing Awards close today.
Protolabs is sponsoring the 2018 3D Printing Industry Awards design competition. Submit your design now to win a 3D printer.
Featured image shows example metal 3D printing use cases from an Additive Metals infographic by Stratasys. Image via Stratasys


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Accor has opened the first property under its upscale Pullman brand in Brazil, a 350-room hotel in Sao Paulo’s Ibirapuera Park district.
Pullman São Paulo Ibirapuera is located close to the city’s Art Museum and the site of the Sao Paulo Art Biennal, and features rooms starting from 30sqm, two floors of meeting rooms, the living-room style “Chill out Space”, Pateo restaurant serving international dishes including Brazilian speciality feijoada, an outdoor pool, fitness centre and spa facilities.
The group has also announced its goal of opening Pullman properties “ in all of Latin America’s major cities over the next few years”, with the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte set to benefit from a 280-room Pullman hotel.
Elsewhere the brand will debut in the Netherlands (Eindhoven), Indonesia (Bali and Jakarta), New Zealand (Auckland), Vietnam (Hanoi) and India (Gurgaon) before the end of this year, as well as opening four new properties in China.
For more information visit pullmanhotels.com.
Report by Mark Caswell


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$100 million in non-fungible tokens (NFTs) were stolen in the space of a year. Unfortunately for the thieves, their war chest gradually lost value.
Elliptic, a famous British blockchain analysis firm, has just published its report dedicated to the market of non-fungible tokens (NFT). According to experts, $100.6 million in digital works were stolen between July 2021 and July 2022.
Unfortunately for hackers, the non-fungible tokens stolen during this period have gradually lost value. In May, the loot of the thieves already amounted to only 23.9 million dollars. In June, the total value of stolen NFTs contracted to around $5 million. Finally, the tokens were only worth $3.9 million in July.
NFTs have suffered significantly from the cryptocurrency crash. As less and less cash is pumped into certified works on the blockchain, the price of most collections has gradually eroded. Several flagship collections, such as the Bored Ape Yacht Club, have seen their prices crash on exchange platforms, such as OpenSea.
The number of flights continues to increase
Elliptic points out that the number of stolen NFTs continues to increase despite the downturn in the market. During the month of May, 3,473 NFTs were stolen from investors. The following month, hackers seized 3,712 tokens, compared to 4,647 in July. If the value of assets is falling, more and more users adopt non-fungible tokens, which increases the number of potential victims.
Among the main illegal operations are Bored Ape Yacht Club Instagram account hack. By taking control of the official account of Yuga Labs, the entity developing the collection, a hacker managed to collect 32 NFTs from investors’ wallets. At the time of the events, the assets were still worth $3 million.
Related: Napster Betting on NFTs and Cryptocurrencies to Make a Comeback
After investigation, Elliptic discovered that many cybercriminals use NFTs to launder dirty money. Since 2017, $8 million was laundered through an NFT selling platform.
Along with thefts and hacks, many well-known brands continue toreap profits thanks to non-fungible tokens. This is notably the case of Nike or Dolce & Gabbana. According to data from Dune Analytics, the top 12 brands to engage in NFTs have generated billions of dollars in profit. Nike tops the list, earning $1.29 billion with non-fungible tokens.


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Take 'Made in UAE' global: Experts
Dubai - Speaking in a panel discussion on Dubai's Economic Blueprint for 2021, Masand also highlighted how diversification is important in the SME industry in the region.
Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) which have been born and brought up in the UAE can and should be taken international, said Niraj Masand, co-founder and director of banke International, at the 2016 SME World summit in Dubai.
"I personally think we should encourage a platform whereby we sell the UAE brand globally. We need to take our made in UAE brand products and services and trade them internationally. We should take our home grown brands to international markets, and I encourage all our SMEs to start with the region itself. The population in the UAE is close to 10 million, but if you look at the neighbouring countries, they can give a big boost to the UAE SMEs that reach out to these markets," Masand said.
Speaking in a panel discussion on Dubai's Economic Blueprint for 2021, Masand also highlighted how diversification is important in the SME industry in the region.
He explained that for an SME owner today, expanding their core businesses is a must if they are to retain a competitive advantage. Similarly, Farah Aslam, managing director of Dimara International, also spoke about the importance of innovation and how SMEs that focus on innovation have and edge in the market. SMEs in the UAE today already contribute over 60 per cent of the country's non-oil GDP, and are likely to contribute as much as 70 per cent by 2021.
Speaking on the current economic environment in the region, Hans Henrik Christensen, director of the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Centre at the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, noted that the SME sector in the region would remain mainly unaffected by the negative conditions. "Obviously, there are a lot of startups that are struggling to find customers for their products right now, but we are just scratching the surface in terms of what the market can take. I don't believe that all is gloom and doom and that the outlook for the SME sector in the region will remain mainly positive."
|SMEs score at Disruptive Entrepreneur AwardsDubai - Six UAE-based SMEs were honoured with the Disruptive Entrepreneur Awards at the 2016 SME World summit in Dubai, for their contribution to the SME industry in the region.|
SME World 2016, the third edition of the largest entrepreneurship conference in the Middle East & North Africa region, was inaugurated today by Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO of Dubai SME.
Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO of Dubai SME, presented the awards to the six winning SMEs in two categories - start-up and established SME business. The winners in the start-up category included Beehive, the UAE's first peer to peer financing platform that has acquired over 3,000 clients in the last two years. The second winner was Load ME, the Uber of trucking with a network of 6,500 trucks and the first transporters market in the Middle East; and the third winner was Travall, a first of its kind mobile app offering a video concierge to the city.
The winners of the established SME business category included IXTEL Technologies, a supplier of network services for converged infrastructures that has acquired 500 clients in the last three years.
The second winner was RTS Global Partners, a family business advisory and professional services firm supporting hundreds of international clients in over 150 disciplines; and the third SME to win in the category was Taka Solutions, an engineering and technology company that uses an innovative paid-from-savings business model to reduce energy consumption and carbon from buildings.


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French startup Groover launched its service in early 2019: a platform for musicians to submit their tracks for feedback from industry professionals. Now the company has raised a $7m funding round led by Partech and Bpifrance to continue growing.
Groover says that it now has more than 70,000 independent musicians signed up to its site, with more than 1m tracks having so far been rated by its community of 1,500 pros.
The funding will be used partly on expansion. “Groover will soon open its first offices in the US, which is already the second largest country for us after France, as 25% of our user base is from North America,” said CEO Romain Palmieri.
Groover is also working on its ‘Groover Obsessions’ accelerator program for some of the artists discovered through its service, which launched earlier this year. 50 musicians are now part of it.


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In 2017, Mobile devices officially surpassed desktop computers as the primary method of browsing the internet in North America. Google has introduced new changes that will now penalize websites that are not mobile optimized. The bottom line, if your website isn’t optimized for mobile devices your business will be losing potential clients and customers.
It’s 2017, Your Website Should be Mobile Optimized!
With mobile device usage steadily increasing every month with no end in sight, Google has decided to make changes to the way it evaluates a website’s ranking based on how optimized it is for mobile devices.
With the recent changes, Google has removed the “Mobile Friendly” title from search results. The “Mobile Friendly” label was originally implemented back in 2014 as a way to help mobile users select the best search result based on the device they are searching from.
The reason for removing the “Mobile-Friendly” label is because it is now assumed that websites will be mobile-friendly, if they’re not then they will not be ranking properly for search queries performed from mobile devices. The new expectations from Google are very reasonable, as of writing this article over 80% of websites are currently mobile-friendly.
The recent changes shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been keeping up with Google’s public announcements, back in 2016 Google announced they would be using their new “Mobile-First” indexing in place of Desktop indexing.
Google’s algorithms will now primarily use the content from a website’s mobile version to rank pages from that website. Meaning, if your website isn’t optimized for mobile devices yet, it’s time to take action or you’ll soon be left in the dust by your competitors.
Is Your Website Mobile Optimized?
Curious to see if your current website is mobile friendly? Check it now with Google’s free mobile-friendly test.
If you have already optimized your website for mobile devices or have a “Responsive” website, the official Google Mobile-Friendly Testing Tool is great for identifying any issues and even provides constructive suggestions for improvement.


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Why UK gaming stocks will be top gainers from the pandemicBy Angelica Malin
With an estimated value of £4bn as of 2020, the UK’s gaming industry is worth more than music and video combined. Experts have already projected this value to almost triple to about £10bn by 2023, with the over 27,000 currently employed by the sector projected to also triple by 2025.
These are according to a 2020 report by Robert Walters, a global recruitment agency. The report underscores how gaming is the only sector within the leisure and entertainment industry to have gone against all odds during the COVID-19 shutdowns – earning more than film, music, and video put together during the national lockdown.
By the close of Q1 2020 alone, digital downloading spiked by 67% week after week, with physical game sales soaring by a stunning 218 %. And according to Robert Walters’ Senior Manager Technology, Tom Chambers, the COVID-19 has significantly impacted the games sector.
After national sporting events, leisure and hospitality, and blockbuster premiers were all prohibited, gaming has gained further mileage in the daily lives of different generations as the best pastime lockdown activity.
Higher accessibility is another reason gaming in the UK has performed well. You’ll want to remember that games are now accessible on PCs, apps, and mobile phones. Today, accessibility is at an all-time high, unlike the days when you required a console.
The interactivity front is where gaming was highly prosperous. It even resulted in a significant rise in new users during the lockdown.
Everyone wanted to keep close with family and friends by playing together online. It was especially noteworthy of the 60+ years audience. The elderly resorted to gaming and playing with their grandchildren for mental fitness.
Gaming Companies Are Still Hiring
The COVID-19 crisis pandemic notwithstanding, the gaming business continues to record a 20% increase in vacancies every year throughout all sub-sectors. In 2020, for instance, here’s how some of the roles in the industry performed:
- IT-related roles – +43 %
- Game programming – +154 %
- Project management – +140 %
- Developers – +91 %
- Audio/video specialists – +76 %
- Artist/creative – +59 %
If we are to follow these trends, 2021 might explode with clamor to satisfy global demand.
Top UK Gaming Stocks
Several countries are already reputed as significant players in the gaming sector, especially the highly populated and tech-savvy nations like South Korea, the US, Japan, and China.
And while others may have considered the United Kingdom young in the industry, it’s now fifth among the world’s largest gaming markets.
Here are some of the top listed gaming companies if you’re looking to invest in the gaming industry or some fun London week activities:
- Konami Corp (LSE: KNM) – It is one of the largest gaming companies listed on the London Stock Exchange, save for its multinational profile, being Japan-based. Beyond developing games, Konami Corp has substantial investments in the healthcare and fitness industry. Therefore, it cannot be considered stock for pure-play gaming. Even so, gaming remains bread and butter for the company famed for developing the Metal Gear Solid trademark.
- Space Ape (LSE: SA) – Based in Soho, Space Ape is a famous UK gaming company that came into the mobile gaming industry with a bang. They have since created some of the most famed mobile games like Transformers: Rival Kingdoms and Earth Wars. The company’s impeccable reputation earned it a University of London contract to provide a masterclass in game development to students throughout the city. That’s an enormous feat for any gaming company.
- Playtech (LSE: PTEC) and NetEnt (LSE:0XX7) – These two embody gaming companies dedicated to creating gambling software. With a total shareholding of about 96.8%, Swedish Evolution Gaming now owns NetEnt following the $2.1bn buyout deal last year.
- Microgaming (LSE: MGM) – It is the go-to UK-based gaming company for casino gaming software. The 1994 founded gaming giant is credited with hundreds of casino games. Micrograming even pips Playtech as far as the sheer number of games produced goes, making it the most prominent web-based gambling software operator listed on the London Stock Exchange. Microgaming plays a significant role in the modern age of online slots after developing the best progressive slots. The company is famous with Kiwis and Aussies, who are enjoy playing online pokies. Microgaming has especially great NZ casino bonus offers for the Kiwis.
- Mega Moolah is one of Microgaming’s most played progressive pokie titles. With a minimum mega jackpot of $1 million, it features payouts that can immediately turn you into a millionaire. It makes an excellent pick for a fun London week activity, although you can play it from virtually anywhere. Other Microgaming’s popular online slots include Thunderstruck and Immortal Romance.
- Sports Interactive (LSE: SI) – This video game developer is reputed for developing Football Manager, NHL Eastside Hockey Manager, and Championship Manager. While founded in London, Sports Interactive was sold 12 years later to a Japanese publisher, Sega.
- Ubisoft (LSE: ONVL) – Although the gaming company has a French origin, it still maintains a London listing. It is the biggest, pure-play video gaming company in the London Stock Exchange by market cap. Konami, on the other hand, has expanded into multiple industries. Ubisoft, by contrast, isn’t ingrained in the digital casinos’ world but boasts various successful franchises, including Far Cry and Rayman.
The UK is notorious for harboring some of the finest gaming companies worldwide, primarily focusing on online slot machines. These developers understand the massive demand for quality, enjoyable casino and video games from global players and go all-out to deliver the best.
With the exponential growth of online gaming, these companies are still undisputed.


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The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Apple Inc., accusing the company of monopolizing the smartphone market
The lawsuit alleges that Apple has restricted developers of apps, products, and services used on the iPhone, preventing them from offering alternatives that could lower costs for consumers. The alleged monopoly allows Apple to extract more money from consumers, software developers, publishers, and merchants. The lawsuit has been joined by 16 state and district attorneys general.
Apple has responded to the lawsuit by stating that it threatens the company's ability to provide innovative technology and could set a dangerous precedent. The company argues that the lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law and that it will vigorously defend against it.
The lawsuit against Apple is seen as following in the legacy of previous challenges to monopolies, such as Standard Oil, AT&T, and Microsoft. The Justice Department aims to address Apple's alleged pattern of conduct over the past decade, which it claims has reinforced the company's monopoly power by excluding rivals, technologies, and stifling innovations.
Apple has previously faced scrutiny over its app store policies and the commissions it charges on in-app purchases. In 2020, Epic Games sued Apple, claiming that the company had unreasonable restraints on how it handles in-app payments. A federal judge ruled in 2021 that Apple had to allow developers to use payment options outside of its app store, which circumvented Apple's 30% commission on app transactions. However, the Supreme Court refused to hear appeals from both sides, and the case was considered a victory for Apple.
In addition to the lawsuit from the Justice Department, European Union regulators have accused Apple of violating antitrust laws, specifically in relation to its App Store rules for music streaming services.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco has stated that Apple has gone from revolutionizing the smartphone market to stalling its advancement. The lawsuit claims that Apple has maintained a chokehold on competition by locking its customers into the iPhone while locking its competitors out of the market. The lawsuit also highlights issues with iPhone limiting options on its products, such as messaging with users of other phones and the blocking of third-party developers from creating digital wallets to compete with the iPhone's tap-to-pay function.
The Justice Department has quoted Apple executives' comments against competition as part of its justification for the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that Apple has kept prices and fees high by blocking innovative super apps, suppressing mobile cloud streaming services, excluding cross-platform messaging apps, diminishing the functionality of non-Apple smartwatches, and limiting third-party digital wallets.
Apple has been accused of responding to competitive threats by imposing restrictive contractual rules and restrictions, allowing the company to extract higher prices from consumers, impose higher fees on developers, and throttle competitive alternatives from rival technologies.
Apple, headquartered in Cupertino, California, is one of the most profitable companies globally, generating significant revenue and net income.


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March 26, 1985
For Better Living Inc., a diversified company with interests in concrete, plastics, publishing and oil and gas exploration, reported a fourth-quarter loss of $407,000 but said its profits for the entire year jumped 324%, largely due to a sale of property. The loss for the quarter ended Dec. 29 compared to a $170,000 loss in the like period of 1983. The San Juan Capistrano company said its earnings normally suffer from a slowdown in construction during the winter months.
March 12, 1987
For Better Living Inc. said that it had net earnings of $2.3 million for its fiscal 1986, compared to profits of $43,000 the year before. Sales for the fiscal year, which ended Dec. 27, were $70.1 million, up 49% from $47.1 million. For its fourth quarter, the company earned $787,000, contrasted with a $751,000 loss in the same period the previous year. Sales of $20 million were up 60% from $12.5 million in the final period of the company's fiscal 1985.
July 28, 1987
For Better Living Inc. of San Juan Capistrano reported net income of $709,000 for the second quarter ended June 27, up 24% from $570,000 in that period last year. Sales for the period were $19.6 million, an 18% increase from $16.5 million last year. For the first half of the year, total profits came to $902,000, up 18% from $766,000 last year. Total sales were $35.9 million, a 12% increase from $32 million. For Better Living Inc. makes concrete and plastic products.
August 1, 1997 |
For Better Living Inc. said Thursday that it will purchase the site of its Quikset/Associated Concrete plant in Santa Ana for $3.8 million through escrow. The company said it will continue to make precast concrete products at the site, and will evaluate potential uses for any land surplus. For Better Living publishes magazines and makes precast concrete and plastic building products.


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Luxury cinemas slated for Westfield Southgate Mall are another step closer to opening, as the city of Sarasota issued a $297,000 demolition permit Friday. While other nearby construction plans and real estate sales have the intersection of Bee Ridge Road and South Tamiami Trail slated to become hub for redevelopment.
Cobb Theaters aims to open a seven-screen CinéBistro complex in the former Saks Fifth Avenue space this year. The city is reviewing two additional permits for more than $3.4 million of work on the site, according to city building records.
The 35,000 square-foot CinéBistro will have oversized, reclining leather chairs and in-theater full service dining from an American Bistro-style menu. The cinema will also have a bar, dining lounge and patio that will be open to moviegoers and any other guests, and movies will will include first-run and independent films.
“Cobb has a great track record of opening CinéBistro at various location across the country, and we are very happy to have them join Westfield Southgate and our successful lineup of retail brands,” said Westfield Southgate General Manager Jim Ralston in a November news release.
The mall received a $511,000 permit for a coming Abercrombie & Fitch store earlier this month.
Across South Tamiami Trail, Brightwork Real Estate spent $750,000 to buy a drive-thru at the Leedom Building near the intersection of Bee Ridge Road and U.S. 41 to build a 4,100-square-foot retail project. The former bank property is just north of Paradise Plaza, which is undergoing a redevelopment of its own.
Representatives from development firm, which creates and owns the real estate for many of the most desirable national retailers including Starbucks, Wawa, Walgreens and Chipotle, said there are no immediate tenants planned for the project. Brightwork recently demolished the former site of El Adobe nearby to develop a Verizon Wireless store.
ECHO Realty LP is also revitalizing other nearby retail space, with construction underway in the former Borders space in Paradise Plaza.
Pier 1 Imports plans to move its store out of the Landings Plaza and open in a portion of the 21,000-square-foot space later this year. Columbus, Ohio-based stylist community firm Salon Lofts will open its second Sarasota location at the beginning of May next to the home decor store.
"It’s really a surprising strong market given its size.” said Brightwork Real Estate Partner Austin Simmons in a recent interview with the Business Observer. "The economy is very strong there and there’s a great breadth and depth of different folks there with lots of different needs that a lot of retailers can serve.”


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CLEVELAND — Heinen's Grocery Store showed appreciation for its employees who are working through the COVID-19 pandemic with a surprise gift—a thank you note and $100 cash.
After receiving comments from customers praising the efforts of those working through the pandemic—helping ensure their communities have access to food and supplies at Heinen’s locations across the state—the store decided to acknowledge those efforts with a cash bonus.
Employees received thank-you notes from Heinen’s owners, brothers Tom and Jeff Heinen, for their extraordinary efforts during a stressful time.
“It takes the complete team working together from the warehouse and manufacturing, the drivers, the stores and the office to deliver what our customers are raving about. In the craziness of last week, it is easy to forget you are serving as the lifeline for so many, in so many ways that go beyond just providing food,” the Heinen brothers wrote in the letter.
Inside each letter was $100 in cash, a small yet powerful way to thank their employees for their efforts.


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Redbox Uses Lionsgate To Distribute Original Movies And Studio Library Titles Licenses For Free Streaming Services
Redbox, whose main business remains the rental of DVDs at kiosks across the United States, increases its ambitions in the original cinema sector and expands its free and ad-supported streaming platforms as part of a deal with Lionsgate.
As part of a multi-year distribution pact, Lionsgate will manage the distribution of Redbox Entertainment titles to home entertainment windows and lead efforts to license movies to subscription streaming services. Redbox says it expects to release 36 original films per year. Originally, Redbox’s strategy was to distribute the movies through its owned and operated channels, but it is now seeking wider distribution.
In addition, Redbox has licensed Lionsgate’s 17,000 Title Library Movies and TV for Redbox’s ad-supported AVOD services and ad-supported free television (FAST) services.
Recently released Redbox Entertainment films include “Capone” with Tom Hardy, “Shadow in the Cloud” with Chloë Grace Moretz and Nick Robinson, and “SAS: Red Notice” with Sam Heughan and Ruby Rose. Upcoming releases include “The Last Son” with Machine Gun Kelly and Heather Graham, “Bandit” with Josh Duhamel and Mel Gibson, and “Muti” with Morgan Freeman and Cole Hauser.
“Redbox has a large list of upcoming movies in 2022 and beyond, and we’re excited to work with Lionsgate to identify which ones are the perfect fit for their distribution model,” said Galen Smith, CEO of Redbox, in a statement. .
Ron Schwartz, president of global distribution for Lionsgate, film group, added that the partnership of the companies “has evolved into a multi-faceted distribution relationship on home entertainment, SVOD and AVOD platforms, this which allows us to continue to diversify our content offering to our consumers ”.
Redbox is on its way to becoming a publicly traded company, through a merger with Seaport Global Acquisition Corp., a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). Redbox says the PSPC deal, expected to close in the third quarter of 2021, “accelerates Redbox’s ongoing transformation to provide customers and partners with a multi-product experience across physical and digital channels.”
Pictured Above: Tom Hardy in “Capone”


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Here’s some good news for fans of Diablo IV, the latest installment in Blizzard’s popular action RPG franchise: A limited collection of handcrafted jewelry based on the game is coming exclusively to the IGN Store. It’s from RockLove Jewelry and
Las Vegas—Attendees at the JCK Las Vegas show will be able to see a 35-carat lab-grown diamond, a stone that’s just slightly larger than the record-setting lab grown-diamond reported on just last month.
Maitri Lab-Grown Diamonds created the emerald-cut, Type
Most people think of jewelry, especially statement jewelry, as expensive investment items that will do major damage to your bank account. But that’s not always the case. Every once in a while, you can score a really stunning piece that
A housekeeper for a Las Vegas hotel was charged for allegedly stealing more than $750,000 worth of jewelry from a room last month, including designer watches, bracelets and necklaces, according to police and court files obtained by The Washington Post.
The premiere of Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaids on Friday, May 26, is shaping up to be the cultural event of the summer. From the captivating visuals andthe highly-anticipated soundtrack to the Halle Bailey of it all
The Department of Justice is looking into whether Sen. Bob Menendez (DN.J.) was given expensive gifts, headlined by a Mercedes-Benz, a luxury Washington apartment, jewelry and money, according to reports.
The main question for DOJ investigators centers around whether the


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Starbuck’s Delivery a Risk Worth Taking
Tom Dougherty, CEO – Stealing Share
4 November 2014
Starbucks’ new business plan includes home deliveries
Nobody can ever say that Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, is afraid of trying something new.
With a poor quarterly sales report ripe on his heels, Schultz announced that “we are playing offense.” His recipe for success is to roll out a delivery service that will use crowdsourcing tactics like companies Uber and Deliv do. Starbucks would potentially pull from a large group of part-time workers willing to deliver drinks and food within a specified radius. Deliveries would cost around five dollars and drivers would earn an hourly stipend for driving costs.
With multiple orders happening per delivery, this is a pretty cost-effective option for Starbucks.
To kickstart the new model, users will be able to order drinks using the Starbucks App on their phones, and they can also pick up coffee in a store, without the wait.
The hope here is to have users engaged with the online services provided by Starbucks, which would then, it hopes, pave the way for those same users to place orders for delivery at home.
My only concern is that Starbucks has built its brand around an experience, from placing the order, watching the coffee made and drinking and lounging in its stores. But the brand has been powerful enough to make inroads in the coffee pods market, so it’s possible that this could work.
All in all, this is a bit of a gamble by Schultz, but that’s what I like about him. A great leader is willing to take risks in the face of adversity.
Napoleon once said: “Victory belongs to the most persevering.” If Schultz’s past and present plans are any indication, his strategy for home deliveries will work just fine.
Time Inc Tom Dougherty, CEO - Stealing Share 16 October 2017 Time Inc cuts issues, and it's the right thing to do Well, this can’t be good for the publishing industry, can it? Time Inc announces it’s reducing the number of issues for Fortune, Sports Illustrated,...
Shock Advertising Tom Dougherty, CEO - Stealing Share 13 October 2017 Why Shock TV Fails. Paper-cuts. Shock advertising by Lexus and Direct TV Commercial effectiveness is in decline. Advertising agencies try anything to get you to notice the ad. However, it doesn’t...
American Influence. Declining. Tom Dougherty, CEO - Stealing Share 12 October 2017 End of the American Century I was thinking about a book, written by a friend of mine entitled The End of the American Century. The author is Steve Schlossstein (yes indeed 3 Ss), a...


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Earlier today, Ubisoft kicked off a livestream teasing the setting of the next Assassin’s Creed game, and after showing the process of the creation of its key concept art from scratch over a period of 8 hours (you can take a look at the final art above), they’ve finally unveiled the game officially. Called Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – as we reported earlier – the game does indeed take place in a Vikings setting, as has been detailed in multiple leaks over the past year.
The end of the stream also promised that a world premiere trailer for the game will be released tomorrow, April 30, at 8 AM PDT / 5 PM CEST. We can expect to find out more details about the story, the protagonist, the gameplay, and how the game looks then.
Of course, we don’t yet know when the game will be out or what platforms it will be releasing for, but that, too, is information that Ubisoft will likely share with tomorrow’s trailer- so stay tuned for that. Leaks over the past year have suggested that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will be a cross-gen game.


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Winning Packard plant online auction bid tops $6M
DETROIT (AP) - A former car plant and symbol of Detroit's economic decline appears to have sold for just over $6 million at a tax foreclosure auction to a bidder from Texas.
The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press report that someone registered as Jill Van Horn of Ennis, Texas, put in the winning bid during Friday's online public auction for the Packard plant.
The auction opened on October 8th at $21,000. The full bid amount is due by the end of Monday.
Wayne County Chief Deputy Treasurer David Szymanski says properties are offered to the next highest bidders if the top bidder fails to come up with the money. The county can seize the property if the buyer fails to secure or demolish the structures on the 40-acre site within six months.


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San Francisco–One analyst predicts a lack of newness in women’s apparel at Gap’s namesake global brand will weigh on the company’s overall comparable store sales results in June.
The specialty retailer saw comparable store sales edge up 1% during the four weeks to May 31. Banana Republic and Old Navy booked respective gains of 3% and 2%, while Gap Global reported a 3% comparable store sales decline.
Net sales reached $1.27 billion, up 4% from $1.22 billion in the same period last year, driven by heightened year-on-year promotions.
“We delivered a positive comp to start the second quarter, building on last May’s strong performance,” said Chairman/CEO Glenn Murphy.
FBR Capital Markets analyst Susan Anderson said Gap has started off the second-quarter ‘on plan’, with Old Navy and Banana Republic described as “bright spots that show continued positive momentum.”
But Anderson believes Gap’s global namesake brand continued to be weak, due to a lack of newness in the assortment. “While we are encouraged by the trajectory of Old Navy and Banana Republic, we believe that the Gap women’s assortment will continue to weigh on comps/margins until the fall.”
Gap Inc. remains one of less than 10 retailers who continue to report monthly sales.
For commercial purposes, extract supplements can be obtained from the fruit of the pericarp. Garcinia cambogia reviews is performed by a physician Chen and Oz to prove that it is an herb for weight loss, a lot of research has been done. Studies, Garcinia cambogia extract supplementation decreases the weight of the body fat accumulation, was shown to have a positive effect on prevention. We are important substances such as cholesterol (LDL), reduces the serum leptin and triglycerides. In addition, it will increase the level of serotonin and cholesterol (HDL). The study also, Garcinia cambogia extract supplements, has proven that there are no significant adverse effects on many of the eight weeks, such as its use.