Front Page

Front Page/ Texas

Beauty by Earth Branches Out to Hand Sanitizer in Light of Coronavirus Pandemic

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Beauty by Earth, Organic and Natural Skin Care Brand and Inc. 5000 Honoree, Announces the Release of Its First-Ever Hand Sanitizer

DENTON, Texas, May 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — With the recent outbreak of COVID-19, there has been a scarcity of hand sanitizer and other essential germ-fighting supplies on the market. To help facilitate this demand, Beauty by Earth was quick to formulate high-quality, germ-fighting hand sanitizer and make it readily available to customers. 

The product is now available for purchase on its website at www.beautybyearth.com. Orders placed before 2 p.m. will ship that day. It is also available for wholesale. To find out more or become a wholesale partner, contact wholesale@beautybyearth.com.

“Our favorite antibacterial ingredients work together to kill germs while nourishing your hands. Made with organic aloe vera gel, peppermint essential oil, and lavender essential oil, it’s a germ-fighting, skin-loving powerhouse,” states Beauty by Earth’s website. “Aloe vera gel. Honestly, you can’t find a better base for a hand sanitizer. Its naturally occurring antioxidant and antibacterial properties make it a perfect choice. Your hands will love it too! It won’t dry them out like conventional hand sanitizers will. Aloe vera also contains a number of vitamins and minerals which can boost immunity. In particular, Vitamin A helps take out rogue viral and bacterial threats. It’s safe and effective for all ages and skin types.” 

“We are a family-owned business with a deep sense of community,” said Ryan Greve, CEO of Beauty by Earth. “As soon as COVID-19 hit, development and distribution of a quality hand sanitizer quickly rose to the top of our priority list. I’m extremely proud of our small but mighty team for getting this done in record time so we are able to support communities across the county in fighting this pandemic.” 

As with all of Beauty by Earth products, customers won’t find any parabens, phthalates, sulfates, fragrance or any other questionable ingredients in this hand sanitizer. 

“I fell in love with Beauty By Earth 4 years ago after using their Lip Balm. Over the course of the past 4 years I’ve managed to replace all of my skincare items with their natural products, made with a lot of certified Organic ingredients. My skin, lips and hair love these products. The customer service side of Beauty By Earth is amazing! I have never come across a company that gets to know their client base like this one. I highly recommend Beauty By Earth to everyone!” – Sara B.

Beauty by Earth was founded in Dallas, Texas, by two friends searching for safe skincare products for their young children. Their mission is to provide premium organic and natural skincare products at an affordable price, thereby making them accessible to all. The products are Certified Cruelty-free, created from responsibly sourced ingredients, highly rated on EWG, and are proudly made in the USA. For more information, visit beautybyearth.com.

LathropGPM

Featured/ Front Page/ Law/ Technology

Business Owners – Be Prepared, or it could be costly.

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As businesses begin to reopen and employees return to work, companies may be held responsible if an employee or customer becomes infected with COVID-19. In the coming weeks and months, companies can expect to see an increase in the number of tort litigation cases, particularly those involving wrongful death claims, where individuals allege negligence or even intentional infliction of emotional distress. Businesses that have a high concentration of employees working in close quarters are even more at risk.

Mara Cohara and Eric Swan, tort litigation attorneys at Lathrop GPM, talk about what companies should be doing now in preparation of bringing employees back into the workplace, and what to expect from consumers. They predict a spike in cases involving tort claims from people who allege they contracted COVID-19 or experienced flu-like symptoms from their workplace or a business they visited, as an increase in tort claims usually goes hand-in-hand with a general public awareness of a health crisis.

The two most common claims will be related to:

  • Failure to provide adequate equipment (such as PPE) or training to employees

  • Failure to provide consumers with proper safety conditions

While there is not a lot that companies can do to prevent lawsuits from being filed, there are steps to minimize risk and prepare a defense to swiftly resolve the case. For example, they advise companies to retain documented communications showing safety measures that are recommended and followed.

Eric Swan focuses his practice on defending Fortune 500 companies in complex litigation involving product liability, significant mass tort actions, including multi-district litigation, and commercial disputes. In addition to his legal experience, he has a science background with a master’s in cancer biology; prior to practicing law, he worked in vaccine development.

Mara Cohara leads the Environmental and Tort Practice Group and her litigation work spans federal and state courts, including more than 20 states. She advises clients in a variety of industries ranging from manufacturing and hospitality to agribusiness. She has significant experience coordinating large-scale matters and defending high-profile lawsuits that involve media and community attention.

 

About Lathrop GPM
Lathrop GPM is a national law firm with nearly 400 attorneys and 14 offices from coast to coast. At Lathrop GPM, we relentlessly pursue our clients’ interests to help anticipate trends, plan for challenges, and bring their vision to life. As a full-service firm with deep roots and a broad reach, Lathrop GPM collaborates with our clients to shape the future. Lathrop GPM was formed in 2020 through the combination of two 100+-year firms, Lathrop Gage (established in Kansas City in 1873) and Gray Plant Mooty (established in Minneapolis in 1866). For more information, visit lathropgpm.com.

AI Powered Enterprise

Books/ Front Page/ Technology

Delivering On The Promise Of Artificial Intelligence

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Seth Earley’s New Book, THE AI-POWERED ENTERPRISE, Provides Practical Guidance For Implementing Transformative AI Solutions 

“We know how we want our companies to work.  Enterprises ought to be customer-focused, responsive, and digital.  They should deliver to each employee and customer exactly what they need, at the moment they need it.  The data and technology to do this are available now,” declares artificial intelligence expert Seth Earley.  Nonetheless, AI continues to stumble when it comes to making this a reality.  In his new book, THE AI-POWERED ENTERPRISE:  Harness the Power of Ontologies to Make Your Business Smarter, Faster, and More Profitable (LifeTree Media/April 28, 2020), Earley provides practical approaches for solving the data management problems that are at the heart of this disconnect, showing how organizations can truly deliver on the promise of AI. 

“To create transformative AI solutions, we need a holistic, synergistic, and simultaneously integrated flow of information,” explains Earley, who has helped companies across industries to manage data to enable digital transformations.  The problem is that, all too often, this foundational principle is ignored, given short shrift, or deprived of resources. 

The answer, Earley says, lies in ontology – a consistent representation of data and data relationships that can inform and power AI technologies.  In other words, ontology is “the master knowledge scaffolding of the organization.”  Without it, any AI-driven transformation will be slow, costly, and less effective.  

In language accessible to a non-tech audience, Earley draws on examples from numerous client companies to describe what correct execution of data management looks like.  He addresses how to manage this transformation, step-by-step, covering such issues as:

Customer Experience – Customer experience is hard to get right and easy to get wrong.  “It’s a question of the proper integration of technology,” writes Earley.  He explores the roadblocks that hinder a systematic approach to customer experience, and offers a solution:  a “high-fidelity journey map” that accounts for how technology represents and enables elements of the customer experience. 

Marketing – Good marketing is about presenting the right content at the right time to engage the customer.  Today, this means reading the online equivalent of physical body language: “the digital breadcrumbs, cues, and clues that tell us about what our customers need, how we can meet those needs, and how to best present the content most likely to engage the customer at that moment in their journey.”  According to Earley, digital marketers must become knowledge enablers, champions of data quality, architects of digital systems, and keepers of the ontology that powers it all. 

Ecommerce – Ecommerce is where ontology-powered AI can have its biggest impact, says the author.  Its success or failure depends on the quality of data.  THE AI-POWERED ENTERPRISE addresses how to enhance this quality by improving both customer classification and product taxonomies (categorizations) based on features and relationships.

Sales Process – “AI technologies can improve every part of the sales process by freeing sales staff from routine tasks and making them more efficient,” Earley writes.  He discusses effective use of AI-powered chatbots in customer interaction; machine learning to train AI systems to identify sales prospects; and sematic search to recommend the most productive approaches to sales leads.

Employee Productivity – AI and efficient knowledge retrieval systems can enhance productivity across a range of tasks.  The author describes how to overhaul knowledge management systems and text analytics so they can be used in making hiring decisions, training employees effectively, and providing them with access to the correct, contextualized information in their day-to-day work.

In addition to these issues, Earley explains how having the right ontology and data structures can enable AI to improve supply chain dynamics and logistics – and can even have powerful impact on strategy and governance issues.  Moreover, he outlines the basic principles that should guide leaders who are undertaking digital transformations of their organizations.

“The winners and losers of the next fifteen years will be determined by who best harnesses AI for solving business problems for employees and customers,” Earley contends.  Combining a sophisticated explanation of how AI works with a practical approach to applying it to a range of business problems, THE AI-POWERED ENTERPRISE is a must-read for CEOs, CMOs and technology executives – along with anyone who wants to understand the role of AI and how to get a jump on the opportunities it presents. 

#          #          # 

ABOUT THE  AUTHOR

SETH EARLEY is CEO of Earley Information Science (EIS), a leading consulting firm focused on organizing information for business impact, with expertise in knowledge strategy, data and information architecture, search-based applications, and information findability solutions.  He is currently on the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Marketing Analytics and is a former Data Analytics department editor for IEEE’s IT Professional magazine. He lives in Carlisle, Massachusetts.

Books/ Front Page/ Music/ Technology

Backstage Nashville – A Book Review

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Nashville, Tenn. (April 20, 2020)–Wayne Warner, the artist behind the 2006 “Turbo Twang” country line dance phenomenon, drops the mic, and does so loudly, in his recently released autobiography, “Backstage Nashville: The Undisclosed Story of a Major Label Recording Artist.” Masterfully written, Warner provides a first-hand account of his personal journey into stardom, from his humble hometown in Vermont to the major labels of Nashville’s recording industry. Never one to mince words, Warner unapologetically draws back the curtain on the music business and reveals the startling realities about his life in the country music spotlight. For more information, or to purchase the book, please visit WayneWarner.com.

With brutal honesty, Warner details the inner struggles and personal triumphs of a man catapulted to a level of fame for which he was not prepared. While millions of fans across the globe were learning the dance steps to his latest single, Wayne grappled with internal demons–addiction, self-doubt, and the juxtaposition of Wayne, the man (who wanted nothing more than to be home with his kids), and Wayne Warner, the “untouchable star,” whose success had been brokered, at least partially, through industry politics, the “good ‘ole boy network,” and shady backroom deals.

“Walking off the stage and up the ramp back to the bus, people rushed the fence reaching for the ‘Turbo Twanger,’ asking for autographs, photos, trying to reach through to shake my hand, get a high five, and even hand me gifts. I was thrilled, I was humbled, I was baffled. I was honored, and I was terrified to the core.”

— Chapter 17, pg. 121

Warner’s creation of this book did not come without careful consideration because there are certain elements of the business that are rarely disclosed–and for good reason. However the former Atlantic Records/B Venturous recording artist came to realize that if he didn’t write it, someone else would. Because of this, Wayne felt obligated to be unabashedly forthright about everything. He digs deep and reveals how he grew up a target of bullying, his struggle with addiction, his concerns and joys of adopting two African-American children, and how all of these affected his country music career.

“Backstage Nashville” provides a rare and unique look at the country music industry, intimately told from a recording artist’s point of view that will put you in the studio with Harold Shedd, behind the microphone with Taylor Swift and Bonnie Tyler, in the boardroom with Frank Bell, Barry Coburn, and Al Cooley, rubbing shoulders with big-wigs like Scott Borchetta, Bob Saporiti, and Tim Dubois, and on a journey that might forever change the way you think about the music business.

 

NHL - Challenge

Front Page/ Sport/ Technology

NHL Player Gaming Challenge™ Presented By Honda Puts NHL Players’ Virtual Hockey Skills To The Test

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Nearly 50 NHLPlayers To Represent All Teams In Head-To-Head Series Of Ea Sports™ NHL®20 Game Play

NBCSN To Broadcast Opening Night Matches As Tkachuk Brothers Face Off On Thursday, April 30; Content Also Available On Sportsnet’s Digital And Social Platforms, NHL Network And Streamed On NHL Platforms Twitch, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook Premiere And NHL.Com

National Hockey League Foundation And Electronic Arts To Donate $100,000 Toward CDC Foundation’s Covid-19 Global Relief Efforts

In coordination with ESL Gaming, the National Hockey League (NHL) today announced the first-ever NHL Player Gaming Challenge™ presented by Honda – the NHL’s Official Automotive Partner – featuring NHL players representing all 31 Clubs. In addition, the NHL’s newest franchise, NHL Seattle, will take part in the League’s latest #HockeyAtHome initiative. Over the course of four weeks, beginning April 30, each Club will be represented by one or two current players and featured in a one-time matchup against another Club. Weekly matchups, storylines and broadcast details will be revealed at the beginning of each week. This League esports activation in EA SPORTS™ NHL®20 is a fun and unique way to engage hockey and gaming fans and is supported by the National Hockey League Players’ Association.

 

The National Hockey League Foundation and Electronic Arts will donate a combined $100,000 in support of the CDC Foundation’s COVID-19 relief efforts. The CDC Foundation is an independent nonprofit that helps the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) save and improve lives, including during the COVID-19 response. Click here to join the cause.

The impressive lineup of confirmed player talent for the NHL Player Gaming Challenge™ presented by Honda includes Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators taking on his brother Matthew, who plays for the Calgary Flames. The All-Star brothers will be joined by teammates Jake DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins, Evander Kane of the San Jose Sharks, Evgeny Kuznetsov of the Washington Capitals, Alex DeBrincat of the Chicago Blackhawks, Tyler Johnson of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers, as well as avid gamers Zach Hyman of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Filip Forsberg of the Nashville Predators. NHL Seattle, which begins play in 2021-22, will be represented by Seattle Seahawks tight end Luke Willson, who played hockey while growing up in LaSalle, Ont.

Beginning Thursday, April 30, Los Angeles Kings TV play-by-play announcer Alex Faust will host the series of weekly matchups, which will be released on Thursdays and Saturdays. NBC Sports will air the first series of games, including Calgary vs. Ottawa and Columbus vs. Winnipeg, beginning at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN as part of its Hockey Happy Hour programming. Sportsnet will air select episodes on Sportsnet ONE over four consecutive weeks, starting Friday, May 1 at 4 p.m. ET with all matches made available on Sportsnet.ca and Sportsnet NOW. All matches will also air within NHL Network’s on-air programming or its Twitch channel.

All featured matches also will be streamed on the NHL’s social platforms: Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook Premiere and NHL.com. Hockey and gaming fans can follow along using the hashtag #HockeyAtHome.

“Over the past several weeks, the NHL, its Clubs and player community have been very active with gaming initiatives in an effort to connect with fans while social distancing – such as charity tournaments, simulated games and nightly streams,” said Chris Golier, NHL Vice President of Business Development and Innovation. “The NHL Player Gaming Challenge presented by Honda will take gaming to another level. We know how competitive our players are, and coupled with the interaction between players, these series of competitions will be extremely fun to watch.”

The NHL Player Gaming Challenge™ presented by Honda reminds fans to stay safe, stay home and play together. With NHL Players streaming from the comfort of their homes, fans will get a taste of how some of their favorite players are keeping their hockey skills sharp and handling the pause of the 2019-20 NHL® season. ESL Gaming, a leader in esports, is providing the production, creative direction, and logistical guidance for the event. All matches will be played using Sony PS4 gaming consoles.

Honda, the NHL’s Official Automotive Partner in the United States and Canada, has supported the League’s esports initiatives since the inception of the NHL Gaming World Championship™ in 2018.

“Even without live hockey competition, Honda is committed to keeping fans engaged by supporting NHL programming during the 2019-20 season pause,” said Meliza Humphrey, Manager of Honda Automobile Advertising at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “We know this is a difficult time for many people including our dedicated NHL hockey fans and we are pleased to help provide access to NHL players and matchups in this virtual environment while supporting COVID-19 relief efforts.”

As the NHL community continues to practice social distancing and take all necessary precautions during this time, the League will continue to help fans stay connected to players and the game by providing access to unique content and archived games. NHL Pause Binge™ aggregates NHL video, editorial and digital content available on NHL.com, the NHL app and across the NHL’s social channels.

SCHEDULED PARTICIPANTS IN NHL PLAYER GAMING CHALLENGE™ PRESENTED BY HONDA:

Anaheim Ducks: Cam Fowler
Arizona Coyotes: Conor Garland, Clayton Keller
Boston Bruins: Jake DeBrusk, Charlie McAvoy
Buffalo Sabres: Brandon Montour
Calgary Flames: Noah Hanifin, Matthew Tkachuk
Carolina Hurricanes: Warren Foegele
Chicago Blackhawks: Drake Caggiula, Alex DeBrincat
Columbus Blue Jackets: Elvis Merzlikins, Zach Werenski
Colorado Avalanche: J.T. Compher
Dallas Stars: Stephen Johns, Jamie Oleksiak
Detroit Redwings: Madison Bowey, Anthony Mantha
Edmonton Oilers: Caleb Jones, Darnell Nurse
Florida Panthers: Jonathan Huberdeau
Los Angeles Kings: Michael Amadio, Blake Lizotte
Minnesota Wild: Devan Dubnyk, Jordan Greenway
Montreal Canadiens: Victor Mete, Nick Suzuki
Nashville Predators: Filip Forsberg
New Jersey Devils: Mackenzie Blackwood
New York Islanders: Matt Martin
New York Rangers: Chris Kreider
NHL Seattle: Luke Willson, Seattle Seahawks (NFL)
Ottawa Senators: Brady Tkachuk, Chris Tierney
Philadelphia Flyers: James van Riemsdyk
Pittsburgh Penguins: Zach Aston-Reese, Bryan Rust
San Jose Sharks: Evander Kane, Marcus Sorensen
St Louis Blues: Colton Parayko, Robert Thomas
Tampa Bay Lightning: Tyler Johnson
Toronto Maple Leafs: Zach Hyman
Vancouver Canucks: Thatcher Demko, Adam Gaudette Vegas
Golden Knights: Ryan Reaves, Alex Tuch
Washington Capitals: Evgeny Kuznetsov
Winnipeg Jets: Anthony Bitetto, Kyle Connor

NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks and NHL Player Gaming Challenge name and logo, NHL Gaming World Championship, Hockey At Home, and NHL Pause Binge are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. © NHL 2020. All Rights Reserved.

EA SPORTS is a trademark of Electronic Arts Inc.

NHLPA and the NHLPA logo are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League Players’ Association
© NHLPA. All Rights Reserved.

F70920B0-A995-400F-9E72-0855FA20C057-705-0000006559D70CB7

Books/ Featured/ Front Page/ Technology

Book Review: We’re All In This Together

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Mike Robbins, an expert in teamwork, leadership, and emotional intelligence, draws on more than 20 years of experience working with top companies like Google and Microsoft, as well as his MLB pitching career, in his timely titled new book, WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER: Creating a Team Culture of High Performance, Trust, and Belonging (Hay House Business, April 2020).
 
Karl Woolfenden, our Publisher spoke to Mike Robbins and they covered some very relevant topics.


–Leading in the Midst of Uncertainty
–We Have More Than This Requires
–How to Navigate This Strange New World
–Being Authentic and Appreciative, Especially Right Now
–Working and Leading From Home
–Dealing with Fear Authentically and Productively
–5 Tips for Leading Your Virtual Team (video link)
–5 Tips for Successfully Working from Home (video link)
–How to Manage Your Coronavirus Stress (video link)

 
Built upon four key pillars, WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER examines each from the perspectives of the individual team member, the team leader, and team as a collective offering a full spectrum to navigate an ever-changing workplace.

  • Pillar 1: Create Psychological Safety
  • Pillar 2: Focus on Inclusion and Belonging
  • Pillar 3: Embrace-Sweaty Palmed Conversations
  • Pillar 4: Care About and Challenge Each Other

 
Personal stories and interviews with high-level business leaders and thought leaders are woven throughout. WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER details specific insights, ideas, tools and techniques for you and your team to communicate more authentically, give and receive feedback with skill, and create deeper connections. Additional topics include:

  • 5 Reasons Teamwork is Challenging
  • 5 Key Traits of Successful Teams
  • The Authenticity: The Continuum
  • The Balance of Self-Righteousness and Conviction in Great Leadership
  • The Authenticity Equation as Means to Building Successful Teams
  • The Important Difference between Championship Teams and a Team of Champions
  • 7 Musts When Engaging in Healthy Conflict

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
MIKE ROBBINS is an expert in emotional intelligence, leadership, teamwork, and company culture. He works with a diverse group of clients throughout the world, including: Google, Wells Fargo, Microsoft, Schwab, eBay, the NBA, the Oakland A’s, and many more. He is a sought-after speaker and consultant who delivers keynotes and seminars for these and other organizations. Robbins is the author of five books: We’re All in This Together, Bring Your Whole Self to Work, Nothing Changes Until You Do, Be Yourself Everyone Else is Taken, and Focus on the Good Stuff. He and his work have been featured in The Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, as well as on ABC News and NPR. He’s a regular contributor to Forbes, hosts a weekly podcast, and his books have translated in 15 different languages.

Go Live Together

Featured/ Front Page/ Technology

Freeman Launching ‘Go LIVE Together’ Coalition to Protect the Trade Show and Live Events Industry

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Coalition brings together live events industry leaders to urge local, state, and federal legislators to consider measures for support and recovery

DALLAS, April 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Freeman is uniting with live events leaders from across the United States to announce the formation of Go LIVE Together, a coalition of 80 founding partners—representing over 4,000 companies with U.S. operations—who have joined forces to support legislative actions that will aid our industry’s recovery from COVID-19. We are bound together by the belief that nothing in the world will ever replace the power and need for live events.

“While our concern is first and foremost supporting the suppression and mitigation efforts around COVID-19, live events will be an integral part of accelerating the U.S. and global economic recovery,” says Bob Priest-Heck, CEO of Freeman. “A fundamental aspect of the industry are that trade shows and events enable companies to grow, educate and innovate. Protecting the industry means protecting key economic and social drivers that not only impact jobs today, but also the development of the next generation of businesses. As the largest live events producer, Freeman is proud to unite with other industry leaders to form a coalition to make this possible.”

Go LIVE Together is focused on preparing for U.S. local, state, and federal recovery legislation, so we are ready to drive recovery once the health crisis is behind us. This group will advocate for funds to offset the added costs of hosting an event post COVID-19, and for funds to incent people to attend live events when it is safe to do so.

Events serve as a massive incubator for innovation and economic growth.  Advocating for recovery funding will be essential – not only to the events industry – but to the healing and recovery efforts of the global economy, because:

  • Live events contribute nearly $1 trillionto the U.S. economy annually, with events touching every major sector that makes up the U.S. GDP.
  • In 2019, the events industry employed 3 million workers directly, with a total impact of close to 7 million jobs.
  • The live events industry employs millions of union workers, general laborers, strategists, marketers, concession stand workers, entertainers, riggers, project managers, and more.
  • Over 80 percent of the companies that serve the live events industry are small, with many being women and minority-owned businesses.

“It’s indisputable that live events have significant, quantifiable economic impact,” said Priest-Heck. “But they also provide the intangible. These events allow brands to connect directly with their audiences in a meaningful way and the experiences leave a lasting impression that cannot be replicated.”

Please join our efforts in advocating for what we all already know to be true — nothing in the world will ever replace the power and the need for live events.

Let’s Go LIVE Together! #GoLiveTogether

For more information on the founding partners and the coalition visit www.golivetogether.com.

About Go LIVE Together

Go LIVE Together, in partnership with Freeman, the global live events company, comprises a coalition of 80 founding partners representing over 4,000 companies with operations in the U.S. and 112 other countries. The coalition has assembled to ensure that, when the health crisis is over, the voices and concerns of the live events industry are addressed in local, state, and federal recovery funding related to COVID-19. The live events industry is a diverse, valuable, and vibrant ecosystem that contributes nearly $1 trillion to the U.S. economy and employs millions of workers. Visit golivetogether.com to learn more and support this initiative. Engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn using #GoLiveTogether.

 

About Freeman

Freeman is the world’s leading live event and brand experience company. We help our clients design and deliver immersive live experiences for their most important audiences. Through comprehensive offerings including strategy, creative, logistics, digital, and event technology, Freeman helps increase audience engagement and drive business results. What makes us different is our collaborative culture, intuitive knowledge, global perspective, and personalized approach, which we’ve gained from our 90+ years as an industry leader. For more information, please visit Freeman.com.

Gaming-Corona-Title-768x401

Featured/ Front Page/ Technology

Infographic: 53% of Gamers Spend More Time Video Gaming In The Eye Of The Corona Crisis – Gaming Stocks Rise

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53% of regular gamers are spending more time in front of the screen since the beginning of the corona crisis. 36% of the total population have been gaming more since the beginning of the pandemic as can be seen on a new infographic by Kryptoszene.de. Gaming stocks are among the few industries that profit from the current events. 

The longer the quarantines are in place, the higher the gaming consumption: between March 24th and 26th, 38% of 14-29-year-olds spent more time playing computer games, compared to 48% the week after.  For the 30-49-year-olds, the relative increase from 22% to 33% is even higher – data provided by a “Havasmedia” survey.

Moreover, gamers are even getting approval from the World Health Organization (WHO). They expressly advise gaming in the times of the coronavirus. With the “PlayApartTogether” campaign, together with game developers, such as Activision Blizzard, they are calling on gamers to stay at home and play.

 

Gaming Stocks Demand Reaches Record Levels

In the course of the recent events, Google search queries for the term “gaming shares” are also increasing rapidly, according to data from the search engine operator.  The relative search volume reached between the 16th and 22nd February 2020, the highest value in the past 365 days – when many shares from other industries are plummeting.

A look at the price development shows the crisis resistance of various gaming stocks. While the DAX lost 12.71% in monthly review, the prices of Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Nintendo TakeTwo Interactive continue to rise. Nintendo shares grew the largest – 22%.

Activision Blizzard’s Optimistic Forecast

Meanwhile, game developers certainly haven’t reached the peak of their population – Kotick, Activision Blizzard CEO, recently said that the company could have a billion customers by 2025. At this moment, they have about 350 million users.

INFOGRAPHIC:

53% Of Gamers Spend More Time Video Gaming in The Eye of The Corona Crisis – Gaming Stocks Rise
lendio-block

Featured/ Front Page/ Technology

What A Small Business Can Do – Securing A Loan, through The SBA or other sources

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A straightforward conversation with Brock Blake – CEO, Lendio

This morning Karl Woolfenden, Publisher of Business Class News and Host of Link’d AM talked openly about what the options are for small businesses and he asked some question which if your are small business owner may find Brock’s answers very helpful and educational.

 

 

With the coronavirus impacting small businesses across the country, the CEO of Lendio, Brock Blake, sheds light on what small businesses can and are doing to secure loans from the range of banks, lenders and the SBA. Lendio operates the largest small business loan marketplace in country, processing 200-300 loans a day…restaurants, theatres, gyms, small retailers and manufacturers, etc.…with over 75 lenders.

Through tech and loan specialists talking directly with small businesses, Lendio can share how lenders and small businesses are reacting to and navigating the current climate. The demand over the last few days has skyrocketed. He can also connect you with local Lendio loan specialists in Seattle and other hotspots across the country, as well as small businesses.

During President Trump’s Oval Office address, Lendio saw a 75% increase in queries, and a 133% increase in loan applications from the same time the previous week. Overall, the Lendio marketplace has facilitated more than 100,000 loans totaling over $2 billion—generating an estimated $6.5 billion in economic output that’s created nearly 45,000 jobs.

Brock discusses the importance of small businesses finding the right type of loan from the lenders best suited for them, which will be essential in navigating a recession. He can also discuss Small Business Administration loan options. Lendio helps small business owners with any option within the SBA they need—whether it’s a small working capital loan for a growing business, the purchase of a new office space or manufacturing facility, or an equipment upgrade. Lendio represents SBA Express, Micro 7a, 7a and 504 loans, among others.

MedZoneHand Sanitizer Family Picture

Front Page/ Healthcare/ Technology

Medzone To Release Hand-Sanitizers With Proceeds Donated to World Health Organization

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Medzone, a sports medicine and cosmetic brand, founded in 2001 was originally created to help active people to keep moving forward. In an effort to help fight the spread of the coronavirus, Medzone is currently reviewing and creating unique, high-quality hand hygiene products. With the increase in market need for sanitizers and hand hygiene products, Medzone has created a new line of products including hand sanitizing gel, hand sanitizing spray and foaming hand sanitizers which will be available at www.medzonecorp.com and major national retailers in the coming weeks. MedZone is offering an option to pre-order starting March 23rd.

Medzone is currently working with major retailers for distribution as quickly as possible to help those in need. “We are in regular contact with national retailers and companies in our supply chain to make sure we can deliver high quality products in the earliest time possible.” Said Joe Freeman CEO of MedZone.

In addition to bringing great products to market that are effective and help customers, the company has committed to donating $0.10 for every hand sanitizer unit sold to the World Health Organization and is working with a CDMO Supplier who  has agreed to donate actual product to local healthcare professions. “As a company, we wish the best for our customers and all Americans during this unprecedented time. In this difficult period, it’s imperative that all of us come together and help our community get through these uncharted waters.” said Freeman.

The hand sanitizers will range in pricing from $3.99 – $11.99 and are slated to launch late March, pre-order is available now. More information can be found at www. MedZoneCorp.com.

About MedZone

The mission of MedZone® is to make EveryBody Feel Better. MedZone products work to prevent, treat and manage aches, pains, discomforts, wounds and skin-chafing issues for individuals in sports, industrial settings and recreational activities. The products were initially designed in 2001 based on requests from medical professionals, athletes and in 2002, U.S. Military Special Forces. Over the years the products have been adapted to work for athletes, active people, law enforcement, military and for certain healthcare needs.

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