Home Business Company Launches New Offer After June Job Report Shows Increased Demand in Online Jobs - YAHOO!

Online company, Vitality for Life is offering a new home business opportunity for Americans after the June job report showed an increase in online labor needs in the United States.

Houston, TX. (PRWEB) July 09, 2012

The monthly U.S. job report was issued for June this week, showed that the monthly gauge saw an increase in online labor demand causing Vitality for Life, the online home business company to launch a new offer for those looking to join the online labor movement. With more online job opportunities finding Americans from all over the world, the home business company launched the free consultation offer to help those interested in working online to find quality and reputable ways to earn an income over the internet. The offer helps people reach their financial prosperity right from home, without worrying about risks or high investments.

The new offer allows interested parties to get a free consultation or informational phone call regarding some of the most proven home business ideas that allows those living in the United States to earn financial prosperity online. The company hopes that the recent reports regarding an increased need for online labor will help motivated those interested in working from home to make the move necessary to begin this type of career and take advantage of one of the best home businesses on the market.

The company will offer the free consultation for those interested and help individuals partner with a billion dollar company that will allow workers to own their own business and do all of their work over the internet, from their own home. The company’s commitment is to help pair people from all over the world with natural, eco-friendly and safe products and allows interested individuals to work on their own accord for this organization right online. The new free informational offer has now launched on the company’s website at vitalityforlife.biz and is available for no cost to those interested in taking jobs from home.

For more information on the new online offer and for more information on this online working opportunity, visit http://www.vitalityforlife.biz/.

Leroy A Tulloch Jr
vitalityforlife.biz
(631) 398-6740
Email Information

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Picaboo Yearbooks Launches Groundbreaking Home Business Opportunity for Real Estate Professionals - YAHOO!

The Picaboo Yearbooks Dealership Opportunity is an Ideal Home Business for Real Estate Professionals who Aren’t Achieving their Full Income Potential in the Struggling Real Estate Marketplace

Menlo Park, California (PRWEB) June 12, 2012

Picaboo Yearbooks, a Silicon Valley-based technology firm that has enabled over 1 million people to create their very own customized and professional-quality photo book, has launched a groundbreaking home business opportunity to help Real Estate Professionals boost their income by doing what they already know.

“Real Estate Professionals have a great deal of knowledge,” commented Bryan Payne, President of Picaboo Yearbooks. “They know all about selling, they know the local area, they knew how to build strong client relationships, they know how to negotiate win-win deals, and they know how to work as a self-starter with entrepreneurial vision. As a Picaboo Yearbooks Dealer, they’ll apply all of this knowledge to potentially boost their income into the 6-figures.”

As an approved Picaboo Yearbooks Dealer, Real Estate Professionals will be awarded an exclusive sales territory, in which they’ll help schools, organizations and businesses discover the benefits and advantages of purchasing customized Picaboo Yearbooks. Real Estate Professionals will also enjoy:

Added Payne: “Since the real estate market is facing a lot of demand challenges, there’s never been a better time for Real Estate Professionals with a passion for sales and sales management to get on board, and lead the revolution in the multi-billion dollar yearbook industry.”

Real Estate Professionals who are interested in doing what they already know so they can potentially boost their income into the 6-figures, and lead the revolution in the multi-billion dollar yearbook industry, can learn more here.

For media inquiries, contact Bryan Payne at bryan(at)picabooyearbooks(dot)com.

About Picaboo Yearbooks

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Picaboo is one of North America’s leading photo book providers with over 1 million active and satisfied customers. The company is privately held, and its funding partners include several leading Silicon Valley venture capital firms.    

Picaboo leverages a core competence in designing, developing and deploying easy-to-use book creation web apps that are elegant and intuitive. Through its seasoned expertise and entrepreneurial spirit, the company is perfectly positioned to disrupt, revolutionize and revitalize the multi-billion dollar yearbook industry via its groundbreaking, technology-led Picaboo Yearbooks solutions.

The name "Picaboo" is a play on the phrase peek-a-boo, which is a common expression that brings smiles to people's faces. Picaboo's use of the term reflects the company's culture, target market and mission.

Bryan Payne, President
Picaboo Yearbooks
415-800-4491
Email Information

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MakeYourJob.org Launches to Help Address the Summer Job Shortage Currently Facing Young People

NEW YORK, May 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), an international non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring young people from low-income communities to stay in school and recognize business opportunities, today launched MakeYourJob.org, an interactive new web resource that gives teens the basic tools and knowledge needed to help turn their interests and hobbies into real businesses. Available at www.MakeYourJob.org, the platform brings key elements of NFTE's entrepreneurship curriculum to the web for free, significantly increasing the reach of entrepreneurship education.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120515/NY06990)

With the U.S. teen unemployment rates at 24.5% in 2011(Employment Policies Institute and Bureau of Labor Statistics), many young people are likely to continue to struggle to find seasonal or part-time jobs. MakeYourJob.org helps tackle this issue by providing young people, parents and educators with the resources that give youth the opportunity to start their own businesses and create their own summer employment. Upon successful completion of the step-by-step course, users will have developed the core set of skills needed and all of the components of a basic business plan so that they can launch and sustain a micro-enterprise over the summer.

"Today, global unemployment for young people is at an all time high. At the same time, the idea and dream of becoming an entrepreneur is becoming increasingly popular – and with constant innovation and digital connectedness, young people are proactively and creatively seeking to connect their educational and career aspirations in ways that are personally relevant, financially lucrative, and meaningful," said Amy Rosen, President and CEO, NFTE. "By creating MakeYourJob.org, we are giving all youth the chance to explore their dreams through entrepreneurship. For the majority of those using the site, the experience will support and develop their aspirations, teach valuable skills, help them make informed education and career choices in the future. I know all of us at NFTE look forward to watching what this next generation of innovators and entrepreneurial dreamers can achieve."

NFTE's exciting and engaging content will be brought to life on MakeYourJob.org through an easy five step process and will feature advice from some NFTE young entrepreneurs already running their own business, as well as expert advice. Some highlights include:

Videos  of young entrepreneurs speaking about their business inspirations and encouraging others to "go for it"Young entrepreneur profiles, including: Fashion designerSports enthusiastWebsite developerSocial connectivity via Twitter and FacebookGlossary of business definitionsWorking business plan that young people can put together and use to present their business ideaAdvice from experts, including: Daymond John, star of ABC's "Shark Tank" and Founder of FUBU, who will be discussing early financing for his business "Peanut Butter & Company" founder Lee Zalben shares the power of online presence to engage customers and make selling funSlava Rubin, CEO and co-founder of IndieGoGo, the world's funding platform

In addition, MakeYourJob.org has also partnered with Cambio.com, AOL's popular young adult destination, for the launch of a new content hub on Cambio focused on helping teens create businesses and learn to make smart financial choices throughout their lives. Cambio and the NFTE will collaborate to allow teens access to MakeYourJob.org, along with inspiring videos of fellow teen entrepreneurs on Cambio.com. AOL will also give a select number of teen entrepreneurs competing in NFTE's National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge the opportunity to present their business ideas on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt-NY in September 2012.

About the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship

Too many young people today drop out of school and struggle to break the cycle of poverty. Since 1987, the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) has been inspiring young people to pursue educational opportunities, start their own businesses, and succeed in life. By providing entrepreneurship education programs relevant to the real world, NFTE empowers students to own their educations in and out of the classroom and to find their own path to success. Hundreds of thousands of students have discovered opportunity all around them through entrepreneurship via thousands of certified educators worldwide. NFTE supports active programs in 18 states and nine countries around the world. Entrepreneurs are a powerful driver of economic growth and NFTE sows the seeds of innovation in students worldwide. For more information, visit www.nfte.com.

About AOL Inc.

Having helped millions of Americans to get online, AOL Inc. (AOL) is on a mission to inform, entertain and connect the world. The home of a world-class collection of premium brands, AOL creates original content that engages audiences on a local and global scale. We help marketers connect with these audiences through effective and engaging digital advertising solutions.

About Cambio

Cambio is a leading online entertainment platform, connecting teens and young adults with the biggest names in film, television, music, sports and fashion.  Cambio is an anchor member of the Cambio Network, which has a global reach of more than 12.5 million monthly unique visitors and  316 million monthly page views. Cambio creates compelling, award-winning original video programming, news and social experiences.  The company attracts a roster of marquee entertainment and corporate partners including Mark Burnett Productions, Warner Bros. Digital, McG, Killer Films, Jennifer Lopez, among others.  Headquartered in New York and Los Angeles, Cambio is a joint venture between AOL, MGX Lab, and Jonas Group.

For more information, visit www.cambio.com.

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Yahoo! Small Business Launches Marketing Dashboard — A Free Offering That Changes the Way Small Businesses Manage ...

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Yahoo! Small Business today announced the launch of Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard, a free tool that helps entrepreneurs discover new marketing opportunities to grow their businesses, while getting a clear picture of their marketing results, online reputations, and website performance, all in one place.

Designed specifically with the small business owner in mind, the Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard provides a clear, consolidated picture of a business’s marketing results and reputation, making it easier to discover new insights and develop new ideas for growth. The tool also enables small businesses to easily analyze website metrics and maintain accurate and comprehensive business listings across the Web. With all these key business metrics accessible in one location, small business owners with limited resources can spend more time focusing on their core businesses and less time buried in multiple interfaces and spreadsheets.

Some of the key features included in the free Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard include:

Search engine and directory listings: Enables monitoring and provides recommendations on new listing opportunities, covering over 100 sites (including Yelp, Yahoo! Local, and more) Online reputation management: Pulls information from up to 8,000 sources (including Facebook and Twitter) Site traffic analysis: Enables users to understand key website performance metrics (including Google Analytics) Small business-focused news and advice: Provided from Yahoo! Small Business Advisor Campaign tracking: Provides email marketing, SEO, and SEM campaign tracking (must subscribe to these services) Support: 24/7 in-house free customer support

Additionally, business owners can opt for paid premium services within the Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard that enable them to enhance their marketing and analysis. For example:

Local Visibility Pro: Small businesses can increase their online visibility by submitting their business information to over 100 search engines and directories Reputation Management Pro: Users get more comprehensive data, plus the ability to track their competitors, receive email alerts, and share positive customer comments via social channels or email Integrated campaign tracking: Small businesses can also attract new customers by taking advantage of marketing services from featured, best-in-class third party marketing vendors, including Constant Contact and OrangeSoda, and display and monitor results from campaigns with those vendors from within the Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard

“We created the Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard to help small business owners who feel overwhelmed by online marketing options and monitoring a wide range of sites and social networks to keep up with customer feedback,” said Shannon Parker Hane, Director of Product Marketing, Yahoo! Small Business. “Now, within a single tool customers can conveniently evaluate their marketing options, campaign results and online reputation without having to search across the Web for information.”

“Our partnership with Yahoo! Small Business on Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard is really a perfect match: both organizations are driven by a commitment to helping small businesses succeed,” said Len Bruskiewitz, Senior Director of Partner Programs, Constant Contact. “This dashboard will give small businesses a clear understanding of the effectiveness of their online marketing campaigns, especially those created in partnership with Constant Contact.”

Yahoo! Small Business customers are already seeing the benefits of the Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard. “I am excited about the possibilities that the Marketing Dashboard presents,” said C. Wayne Holsapple, Specialty Fireplaces. “It shows me potential that I wasn’t even aware of before and it changes the way that I will direct my advertising dollars.”

The Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard and Yahoo! Small Business Advisor are the most recent additions to the suite of tools from Yahoo! Small Business that provide resources to help small businesses grow.

About Yahoo! Small Business

For more than a decade, Yahoo! Small Business has helped millions of businesses get online and grow their presence on the Internet. Whether you hope to start a side business or are currently running a multi-million dollar venture, you can trust Yahoo!’s proven online business experience, powerful yet easy-to-use solutions, and broad community support to help your business succeed online. Learn more at: smallbusiness.yahoo.com.

About Yahoo!

Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO - News) is the premier digital media company, creating deeply personal digital experiences that keep more than half a billion people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the globe. And Yahoo!'s unique combination of Science + Art + Scale connects advertisers to the consumers who build their businesses. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.com) or the company's blog, Yodel Anecdotal (yodel.yahoo.com). Follow us @YahooInc

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TGA Launches Youth Based Tennis Franchise Company Nationwide

Franchises Offer Business Opportunities to Grow Tennis in Partnership with USTA

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) March 29, 2012

TGA, the company that is introducing golf to thousands of children nationwide through programs at schools and community based organizations, is set to do the same for tennis in partnership with the United States Tennis Association (USTA).

This month the innovative youth sports franchise company will begin awarding franchises for its newly minted TGA Premier Youth Tennis, modeled after its successful eight-year-old TGA Premier Junior Golf program that is now in more than 2,500 schools, reaching upwards of 177,000 students in 23 states.

As with the golf program, the youth tennis franchises will create business ownership opportunities for motivated self-starters who are passionate about tennis, and job opportunities within communities for people who enjoy working with children. At the same time these individuals will change the landscape of growing tennis.

“I’ve always believed the best way to grow youth participation in tennis and golf is to make them accessible by bringing the sports directly to the masses through programs that lay a foundation for future growth,” said Joshua Jacobs, TGA’s founder and CEO. “We are excited for the opportunity to introduce kids from all backgrounds to the fun, positive, character-building aspects of tennis while creating business ownership and job opportunities in the industry.”

The TGA/USTA partnership aligns with USTA’s youth initiative, 10 and Under Tennis, which is geared towards getting more kids to participate in tennis using modified equipment and courts tailored to a child’s size and age. Together they have developed curriculums for K - 3rd grade and 4th – 8th grade, enriching kids’ lives through physical fitness, health and nutrition, education, and character building.

Steve Tanner, chief operating officer of TGA Premier Golf and Tennis, who oversees separate tennis and golf franchises, along with joint tennis-golf franchises, said the blueprint for tennis franchises would be the same as golf.

“We are generating tremendous initial interest in tennis franchises across the country due to our strong pedigree of proving this model with golf and the unique opportunities our partnership with the USTA provides. We’re excited about offering geographical franchises and working with people who are entrepreneurial, passionate about tennis and interested in owning their own business that grows the sport.”

TGA is expected to attract tennis industry professionals, as well as business professionals to develop TGA tennis franchises. Some owners of golf franchises, who wanted to expand their existing business, have already begun snapping up the first tennis opportunities TGA made available.

“We are currently launching initial tennis franchises with 35% of our existing franchise owners around the country,” said Tanner. “This was the first step in deploying tennis and I think it speaks highly of the opportunity that so many TGA golf franchisees are investing in tennis. We anticipate many more franchises coming online in 2012.”

Jacobs and Tanner are optimistic on the potential for growth and success for the in school tennis model. They said tennis will adapt to a school setting very easily using the modified equipment developed by the USTA.

“We think it’s going to be huge,” Tanner said. “With the USTA’s 10 and Under equipment, and the ability to put down lines and put up nets anywhere, kids are able to experience playing tennis with each other on a school campus.”

“By combining the USTA’s terrific initiatives for teaching tennis to kids, together with our full service consistent enrichment programs, we are filling a gap in the player pathway and delivering tennis to a nationwide youth audience.”

###

TGA Premier Youth Tennis (TGA) is a youth development program executed through a unique franchise opportunity for self-starters who enjoy working with children in a business venture that provides entry into youth sports, education, and the tennis industry. TGA introduces youth to tennis at elementary and middle schools, child care centers, and community based organizations, through a multi-level enrichment program before transitioning them to camps, clinics and leagues at local tennis facilities nationwide. TGA is a national supporting organization of the Afterschool Alliance and Lights on Afterschool and is a corporate advocate and national partner of the President’s Challenge on Physical Fitness, as well as the National Council of Youth Sports. For more information on TGA, visit http://www.playtga.com or follow @tgayouthtennis on Twitter.

Media Contacts:

TGA Premier Youth Tennis

Joshua Jacobs – Founder and CEO

(310) 333-0622

Joshua(at)playtga(dot)com

Kevin Frisch – Public Relations

(989) 614-0241

kevin(at)playtga(dot)com

Kevin Frisch

(989) 614-0241
Email Information

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BigTime Software Launches BigTeam: A Year-Round Business-Generation Network Designed by and for Accountants

Mon, Mar 26, 2012, 1:01 PM EDT - U.S. Markets close in 2 hrs 59 mins

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The Entrepreneur's Source Launches Start a Business Weekends - msnbc.com

SOUTHBURY, Conn., March 15, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recognizing the evolution of technology and the way people communicate, The Entrepreneur's Source has introduced a state-of-the-art virtual franchise expo series called "Start a Business Weekend" (SABW). Through a partnership with ON24, the global leader in virtual events and webcasting technologies, these new digital expos allow both current and prospective entrepreneurs the ability to explore business opportunities and gain expert advice from the comfort of their own home or office.

"The SABW series offers a whole new model for exploring franchise expos that goes beyond anything that's available on the web," said Terry Powell, CEO and founder of FranchisEsource Brands International, The Entrepreneur's Source's parent company. "We're bridging the power of information with the ease of gathering it by using innovative, virtual technology and real-time collaboration that allows attendees to network directly with industry experts without leaving their home or office. It's complete convenience—franchise representatives are accessible all weekend long to guests. Plus, attendees gain all the benefits of a franchise expo without the travel expenses and time commitment."

The first of five SABW Showcases in 2012 will kick-off Friday, March 23 and run through Sunday, March 25, 2012. The March event is a self-guided "virtual only" event where attendees can engage in conversations with representatives from a variety of different franchise brands, learn how to finance their new business, download resource materials and videos on many business concepts into a virtual briefcase, and learn from live keynote presentations available throughout the country.

Additional expos will follow throughout the year, with some coinciding with regional showcases. These include:

Atlanta digital expo and showcase May 4-6;International digital expo August 24-26;Chicago digital expo and showcase September 7-9; andDallas digital expo and showcase November 9-11.

Following each SABW expo, attendees will receive a 60-day, complimentary pass to revisit their respective expo for further learning.

The Entrepreneur's Source has more than 25 years of experience in helping make franchisors and their franchisees more profitable. The company presents prospective franchisees with new business opportunities that complement their goals, needs and expectations, while delivering franchisors the right individuals to grow their concepts.

To attend the March 23 through March 25, 2012 SABW virtual showcase, register at www.StartABusinessWeekend.com . For more information about The Entrepreneur's Source and business coaching support, visit www.TheEntrepreneursSource.com .

About The Entrepreneur's Source®

The Entrepreneur's Source is North America's leading career and franchise Business Coaching Company dedicated to the entrepreneur, with more than 230 offices in the United States and Canada. With its unique E-Source Coach Advantage and partnership with E-Myth Worldwide®, The Entrepreneur's Source offers a full range of services to individuals seeking alternate career options and to franchise businesses looking to increase performance. Today, The Entrepreneur's Source dominates the $1.5 billion Business Coaching/Consulting franchise market in North America. For more information on the services available for franchisors, please visit www.ZorSource.com .

The Entrepreneur's Source logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=12044

CONTACT: Media Contact: Jayne Levy Fishman Public Relations (847) 945-1300 ext. 225 jlevy@fishmanpr.com

© Copyright 2012, GlobeNewswire, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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The Entrepreneur's Source Launches Start a Business Weekends - msnbc.com

SOUTHBURY, Conn., March 15, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recognizing the evolution of technology and the way people communicate, The Entrepreneur's Source has introduced a state-of-the-art virtual franchise expo series called "Start a Business Weekend" (SABW). Through a partnership with ON24, the global leader in virtual events and webcasting technologies, these new digital expos allow both current and prospective entrepreneurs the ability to explore business opportunities and gain expert advice from the comfort of their own home or office.

"The SABW series offers a whole new model for exploring franchise expos that goes beyond anything that's available on the web," said Terry Powell, CEO and founder of FranchisEsource Brands International, The Entrepreneur's Source's parent company. "We're bridging the power of information with the ease of gathering it by using innovative, virtual technology and real-time collaboration that allows attendees to network directly with industry experts without leaving their home or office. It's complete convenience—franchise representatives are accessible all weekend long to guests. Plus, attendees gain all the benefits of a franchise expo without the travel expenses and time commitment."

The first of five SABW Showcases in 2012 will kick-off Friday, March 23 and run through Sunday, March 25, 2012. The March event is a self-guided "virtual only" event where attendees can engage in conversations with representatives from a variety of different franchise brands, learn how to finance their new business, download resource materials and videos on many business concepts into a virtual briefcase, and learn from live keynote presentations available throughout the country.

Additional expos will follow throughout the year, with some coinciding with regional showcases. These include:

Atlanta digital expo and showcase May 4-6;International digital expo August 24-26;Chicago digital expo and showcase September 7-9; andDallas digital expo and showcase November 9-11.

Following each SABW expo, attendees will receive a 60-day, complimentary pass to revisit their respective expo for further learning.

The Entrepreneur's Source has more than 25 years of experience in helping make franchisors and their franchisees more profitable. The company presents prospective franchisees with new business opportunities that complement their goals, needs and expectations, while delivering franchisors the right individuals to grow their concepts.

To attend the March 23 through March 25, 2012 SABW virtual showcase, register at www.StartABusinessWeekend.com . For more information about The Entrepreneur's Source and business coaching support, visit www.TheEntrepreneursSource.com .

About The Entrepreneur's Source®

The Entrepreneur's Source is North America's leading career and franchise Business Coaching Company dedicated to the entrepreneur, with more than 230 offices in the United States and Canada. With its unique E-Source Coach Advantage and partnership with E-Myth Worldwide®, The Entrepreneur's Source offers a full range of services to individuals seeking alternate career options and to franchise businesses looking to increase performance. Today, The Entrepreneur's Source dominates the $1.5 billion Business Coaching/Consulting franchise market in North America. For more information on the services available for franchisors, please visit www.ZorSource.com .

The Entrepreneur's Source logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=12044

CONTACT: Media Contact: Jayne Levy Fishman Public Relations (847) 945-1300 ext. 225 jlevy@fishmanpr.com

© Copyright 2012, GlobeNewswire, Inc. All Rights Reserved

View the original article here

The Entrepreneur's Source Launches Start a Business Weekends - msnbc.com

SOUTHBURY, Conn., March 15, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recognizing the evolution of technology and the way people communicate, The Entrepreneur's Source has introduced a state-of-the-art virtual franchise expo series called "Start a Business Weekend" (SABW). Through a partnership with ON24, the global leader in virtual events and webcasting technologies, these new digital expos allow both current and prospective entrepreneurs the ability to explore business opportunities and gain expert advice from the comfort of their own home or office.

"The SABW series offers a whole new model for exploring franchise expos that goes beyond anything that's available on the web," said Terry Powell, CEO and founder of FranchisEsource Brands International, The Entrepreneur's Source's parent company. "We're bridging the power of information with the ease of gathering it by using innovative, virtual technology and real-time collaboration that allows attendees to network directly with industry experts without leaving their home or office. It's complete convenience—franchise representatives are accessible all weekend long to guests. Plus, attendees gain all the benefits of a franchise expo without the travel expenses and time commitment."

The first of five SABW Showcases in 2012 will kick-off Friday, March 23 and run through Sunday, March 25, 2012. The March event is a self-guided "virtual only" event where attendees can engage in conversations with representatives from a variety of different franchise brands, learn how to finance their new business, download resource materials and videos on many business concepts into a virtual briefcase, and learn from live keynote presentations available throughout the country.

Additional expos will follow throughout the year, with some coinciding with regional showcases. These include:

Atlanta digital expo and showcase May 4-6;International digital expo August 24-26;Chicago digital expo and showcase September 7-9; andDallas digital expo and showcase November 9-11.

Following each SABW expo, attendees will receive a 60-day, complimentary pass to revisit their respective expo for further learning.

The Entrepreneur's Source has more than 25 years of experience in helping make franchisors and their franchisees more profitable. The company presents prospective franchisees with new business opportunities that complement their goals, needs and expectations, while delivering franchisors the right individuals to grow their concepts.

To attend the March 23 through March 25, 2012 SABW virtual showcase, register at www.StartABusinessWeekend.com . For more information about The Entrepreneur's Source and business coaching support, visit www.TheEntrepreneursSource.com .

About The Entrepreneur's Source®

The Entrepreneur's Source is North America's leading career and franchise Business Coaching Company dedicated to the entrepreneur, with more than 230 offices in the United States and Canada. With its unique E-Source Coach Advantage and partnership with E-Myth Worldwide®, The Entrepreneur's Source offers a full range of services to individuals seeking alternate career options and to franchise businesses looking to increase performance. Today, The Entrepreneur's Source dominates the $1.5 billion Business Coaching/Consulting franchise market in North America. For more information on the services available for franchisors, please visit www.ZorSource.com .

The Entrepreneur's Source logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=12044

CONTACT: Media Contact: Jayne Levy Fishman Public Relations (847) 945-1300 ext. 225 jlevy@fishmanpr.com

© Copyright 2012, GlobeNewswire, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Grow America launches with $250,000 business competition - Deseret News

Grow America is giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to win a $250,000 grant through business contests throughout the year.

Grow America, a new organization that supports entrepreneurship both locally and across the nation, is giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to win part of the $1 million in cash and services the company is contributing through business contests throughout the year.

The competitions, known as Grow America Springboard, are the first move from Grow America toward supporting job growth in the state. Alan Hall, former chief executive officer and chairman of MarketStar Corporation, founded the company, which was unveiled Tuesday during a press event.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about job creation here and across the country,” Hall said in an interview with the Deseret News. “There is a formula to accomplishing that. Competition is the beginning of how you get entrepreneurs up and running.”

Before Grow America, Hall started Grow Utah Ventures, which was focused on cultivating entrepreneurship on the state level. Through Grow Utah, about 40 businesses have been started that have generated more than $700 million in total revenues and 2,000 jobs.

Hall’s newest organization is now trying to spread its influence on a national level.

Entrepreneurs have an opportunity to participate in three competitions in 2012. Grow America, along with help from its partners, will be giving away $1 million in cash and services to the best ideas, companies and startups over the course of the competitions.

The first competition is now live, and those interested can enter the competition in one of three categories. One category is for those who have an idea, but need help starting it, while the others are for companies who are either in the startup phase or fully developed.

A $250,000 grant in cash and services will be divided among the winners of each of the categories. After two elimination rounds, companies will compete for the grand prize in a live pitch at the Salt Palace Convention Center on May 21.

Two other competitions will occur in the summer and the fall. After all three contests, there will be a state competition in 2013. Each of the competitions will provide $250,000 in prizes, totaling $1 million.

Grow America is backed by a number of community partners, including Zions Bank, Comcast Spotlight and the Utah Jazz.

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Facebook Timeline For Businesses Launches: Presenting New Marketing Challenges and Opportunities - Online PR News

On February 29th the social networking giant announced that they were releasing Timeline for business pages effective immediately and that on March 30th 2012 all business pages would be switched over to the Timeline format automatically.

Online PR News – 04-March-2012 –Over the last twelve months, Facebook has become more important than ever before as a marketing tool for businesses large and small. As of January 2012, more than 60% of the small businesses operating in the US alone had a Facebook business page that they updated on a regular basis.

These businesses though got something of a shock on February 29th when the social networking giant announced that they were releasing Timeline for business pages effective immediately and that on March 30th 2012 all business pages would be switched over to Timeline format automatically. That leaves just about a month for businesses to ?get their house in order? and prepare to embrace the sometimes controversial new format.

Timeline - the format change first introduced by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg at the Facebook F8 conference in September of 2011 - has been rolling onto personal Facebook pages for some time. It has its fans and a rather vocal number of detractors as well. Although it is rumored that Timeline for personal pages will become the standard very soon making the switch is not yet mandatory, leaving some business owners who dislike the idea altogether angered that for their business pages they will have no choice but to utilize the format.

The Timeline changes will impact businesses more than they will personal pages. One of the functionality that businesses made a great deal of use of on Facebook - fan gating - is no longer available in the Timeline format. Fan gating was the practice of installing an extra application that would display a different landing page to those yet to ?like? the page to the one that current fans saw.

Most other functionalities remain effective however and many people believe that the new Timeline for Business will prove to be great for businesses in the end. Peter Lee, CEO of WireWakersVA, a New York based SEO and Web Site Development company admits that a number of the company?s clients did voice immediate concerns about the change. ?The announcement took a great many people by surprise and although Facebook Fan page owners have ample time to work on their Timeline a certain sense of panic did set in. However, as we have been demonstrating to our clients Timeline has a lot to offer businesses. The larger cover photo alone presents a fantastic branding opportunity.?

Other new features that Timeline offers include the ability to add company milestones from the past to the page, the option to ?pin? certain featured posts to the top of the page for up to seven days and larger photo displays on wall posts themselves.

Says Peter ?The switch to Timeline is certainly something that businesses need to devote some time and thought to. Our social media experts have had a busy week experimenting with its functionalities and there are some difficulties to be overcome. Once these are worked through though the Timeline pages that we have been working on are turning out wonderfully well and I believe that in the end even those who are skeptical about the concept right now will find that the new Timeline offers greater connectivity and branding opportunities than have ever been available before.?

About WireWalkersVA
WireWalkersVA is based in New York, NY and was started by its CEO, Peter Lee and a dedicated team of business, marketing and social media advisors. Their website http://wirewalkersva.com/ provides business, marketing, SEO and social media resources in the form of free ebooks, podcasts, videos, blogs and a business forum.

# # #

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New Age Prospects.com Launches New Website Offering Resources for Finding and Starting Business Opportunities - YAHOO!

New Age Prospects.com launched a new website and online community for entrepreneurs and businesses that are seeking new business opportunities, self-employment tips and professional resources.

Halibuton, Ontario (PRWEB) March 01, 2012

New Age Prospects.com recently launched a website that serves as an online resource and professional community for individuals and companies seeking new business opportunities and self-employment information. New Age Prospects.com provides a wide range of information and tools for entrepreneurs and business owners who want to start a business or feature wares and services.

New Age Prospects.com is dedicated to helping individuals and companies carry out passions, find business opportunities and achieve success. New Age Prospects.com helps individuals learn more about how to purchase and manage a successful local, stay-at-home or online business. At New Age Prospects.com, visitors can find the proper avenues for embracing personal passions and starting the self-employment process of owning an independent business or franchise.

“Our mission is to create an online resource for individuals looking for business opportunities as well as for those who offer business opportunities,” says James Pearsell, Owner of New Age Prospects.com. “New to Web Development, I believe there is a need to create websites that consolidate search results into streamlined directories for easier and quicker access of valuable information.”

Experts with various specializations can use New Age Prospects.com to help visitors seek new career ventures, self-employment and financial stability. New Age Prospects.com is designed to be an online research tool and outlet for professional organizations that want to offer educational advice and services for entrepreneurs. Vendors and owners of local or online businesses are encouraged to utilize the New Age Prospects.com portal to promote services and advertise their company.

Entrepreneurs can start creating online, local and franchise business opportunities by visiting http://newageprospects.com/.

About New Age Prospects.com:

New Age Prospects.com is committed to helping individuals and entrepreneurs stay inspired, express passions confidently and explore new opportunities. New Age Prospects.com is an online community, directory and resource for individuals who are seeking self-employment and financial success. New Age Prospects.com is targeted to assisting professionals who are interested in businesses such as baking, sewing, flower arrangements, personal training, cleaning and home painting businesses. New Age Prospects.com welcomes visitors passionate about any type of trade, interest or hobby. Businesses offering educational resources and self-employment opportunities or interested in advertising can visit http://newageprospects.com/ to learn more.

###

James Pearsell
New Age Prospects.com
1 (705) 457 9569
Email Information

View the original article here

New Age Prospects.com Launches New Website Offering Resources for Finding and Starting Business Opportunities

New Age Prospects.com launched a new website and online community for entrepreneurs and businesses that are seeking new business opportunities, self-employment tips and professional resources.

Halibuton, Ontario (PRWEB) March 01, 2012

New Age Prospects.com recently launched a website that serves as an online resource and professional community for individuals and companies seeking new business opportunities and self-employment information. New Age Prospects.com provides a wide range of information and tools for entrepreneurs and business owners who want to start a business or feature wares and services.

New Age Prospects.com is dedicated to helping individuals and companies carry out passions, find business opportunities and achieve success. New Age Prospects.com helps individuals learn more about how to purchase and manage a successful local, stay-at-home or online business. At New Age Prospects.com, visitors can find the proper avenues for embracing personal passions and starting the self-employment process of owning an independent business or franchise.

“Our mission is to create an online resource for individuals looking for business opportunities as well as for those who offer business opportunities,” says James Pearsell, Owner of New Age Prospects.com. “New to Web Development, I believe there is a need to create websites that consolidate search results into streamlined directories for easier and quicker access of valuable information.”

Experts with various specializations can use New Age Prospects.com to help visitors seek new career ventures, self-employment and financial stability. New Age Prospects.com is designed to be an online research tool and outlet for professional organizations that want to offer educational advice and services for entrepreneurs. Vendors and owners of local or online businesses are encouraged to utilize the New Age Prospects.com portal to promote services and advertise their company.

Entrepreneurs can start creating online, local and franchise business opportunities by visiting http://newageprospects.com/.

About New Age Prospects.com:

New Age Prospects.com is committed to helping individuals and entrepreneurs stay inspired, express passions confidently and explore new opportunities. New Age Prospects.com is an online community, directory and resource for individuals who are seeking self-employment and financial success. New Age Prospects.com is targeted to assisting professionals who are interested in businesses such as baking, sewing, flower arrangements, personal training, cleaning and home painting businesses. New Age Prospects.com welcomes visitors passionate about any type of trade, interest or hobby. Businesses offering educational resources and self-employment opportunities or interested in advertising can visit http://newageprospects.com/ to learn more.

###

James Pearsell
New Age Prospects.com
1 (705) 457 9569
Email Information

View the original article here

IBM Launches Global Boot Camps to Help Small and Midsize Businesses Build Social Media Skills

ARMONK, N.Y., Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the expansion of a global skills initiative to educate clients and business partners on social media tools and techniques to showcase expertise and create new business opportunities.  To join in the conversation around IBM's Social Media Boot Camps, visit LinkedIn .

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )

With today's news, IBM is further investing in its clients and business partners across the world including emerging markets such as China, Australia and Saudi Arabia to develop the skills that will enable them to http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/36487.wss sharpen their social networking capabilities to build even stronger and more interactive ties with their clients. 

The IBM eight week social media boot camp is available to its business partners to provide the education and skills necessary to successfully engage in social media and begin driving the conversation around their brand.   This initiative provides IBM business partners and clients access to one-on-one social media coaches who set measurable goals for building and exercising social acumen.

This customized curriculum is designed for organizations to become more comfortable and effective in their marketing and sales efforts.  By using social networking tools and techniques participants learn to integrate social media into their daily business activities.

"Social media and social networking have greatly impacted the way we interact and communicate in our personal lives, how we promote our personal brands," said IBM Spokesperson. "But the real power of these concepts are still in its infancy in the business world. There are limitless opportunities for businesses to engage with their employees, business partners and customers over these social channels to help make better business decisions and reach new markets."

IBM Business Partners Gets Social

IBM Business Partner Starfire Technologies, Inc. was among the first organizations to enroll in IBM's Social Media Boot Camp. Prior to the program, Starfire's use of social media channels was limited. After enrolling in the eight week social skills program, Starfire is now leveraging social channels to re-architect the way it does business.

For example, as a result the tools and techniques offered by the Social Media Boot Camp, Starfire is reconstructing its company website, integrating social media tools and platforms to best interact with customers. The organization has transformed its business strategy by extending its reach through the social networks to create   significant interactions and two-way conversations with its customers.

"IBM's Social Media Boot Camp was instrumental in our understanding of how to effectively and strategically engage with our customers and business partners over social media platforms," said Mary Spurlock, Vice President of Marketing, Starfire Technologies, Inc..  "It also taught us enhanced ways to listen to our customers and engage in interactive conversations.  We learned to listen on the channels where our business partners and clients are participating, thus helping to identify and move opportunities faster through the pipeline. It's also helped us to create a valuable collaborative forum for marketing and client support."

Reaching Small and Midsize Businesses via Social

The amount SMBs spend on social media is set to almost double in 2012, according to recent market research. Almost two-thirds (64.4%) of SMBs currently market themselves via social media sites; however many still struggle in navigating the appropriate and relevant tools to harness business value for their organizations.

IBM Business Partner Key Information Systems serves SMBs in a variety of industries, encompassing 80 percent of the organization's client base, and agree that while social media is of profound interest to their clients, it is still posing a significant challenge. With Social Media Boot Camp, Key Information Services has not only better educated itself on how to better utilize social media resources, it is now sharing that knowledge with its clients and prospects.

"We're expanding and diversifying the way we connect with clients and prospects and honing in on what's relevant to SMBs," says Director of Marketing Pete Elliot, Key Information Systems. "We're hosting events where small and mid-sized organizations come together to learn about and collaborate on social media strategy. We're reaching new markets with creative social media marketing techniques. The IBM Social Media Bootcamp has helped take our efforts to a whole new level, further opening our eyes to the world of possibility and extending our ability to tap into new markets that we would have never reached without engaging over social media platforms."

After enrolling in IBM's Social Media Boot Camp, Key Information Systems has now integrated social into the work flow processes of every employee. Social has become a priority whether it's blogging or engaging with key constituents over Twitter, employees are dedicated to listening and interacting where their business partners, clients and prospects are talking.

IBM Business Partner Profitecture has played a leading role in working with IBM to deliver their Social Media Boot Camps for Business Partners and their unique process is helping to extend IBM's prowess in guiding organizations' transformation into social businesses.

At IBM's PartnerWorld Leadership Conference, IBM and Profitecture will also host mini Social Media Boot Camp sessions on Thursday, March 1 where more than 100 IBM business partners from across the globe will participate to discuss the opportunities of social media on a global scale. Business partners can also continue to work with their IBM/Profitecture social media coaches after the Boot Camp program for more advanced training or to fine tune their social strategies.

For more information about IBM's Social Media Boot Camps please visit click here.
For details on IBM's social business initiatives, please visit http://www.ibm.com/press/socialbusiness or follow #IBMSocialBiz on Twitter.  

Lizette Kodama

IBM Media Relations

646-675-0750

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Dubai Launches an International Campaign Highlighting the Opportunities for Global Business - Marketwatch

DUBAI, February 28, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- 'Dubai means business', an international print and online campaign commissioned by Falcon and Associates, launched today. The campaign emphasizes Dubai's strategic key geographical location between east and west and showcases its success stories in trade, infrastructure and entrepreneurship through the use of impressive facts and figures that show that 'when you run the numbers, Dubai means business'.

This press release containing the associated video is available here:

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/newsindex.shtml?/cgi/news/release?id=349675

The campaign's narrative is told by key representatives from the private and public sectors who speak about the opportunities that exist for business, from SMEs to large multinationals, in Dubai.

The campaign will target key international markets where Dubai has existing and growing business and trade relationships extending from Australia and China in the east, through to India and the UK, and as far west as Brazil and the US. Short edits of the films will run on international online media such as Financial Times, The Economist, Wall Street Journal and other leading websites to effectively reach audiences in each of the target markets as well as locally in the UAE and regionally in the Middle East.

Regarding the launch, Ahmad Abdullah Al Shaikh, Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office, commented "The campaign strongly demonstrates the energy, growth and opportunity that exist in Dubai. The UAE, and Dubai's, constant pursuit of excellence has solidified the leading global position it holds today. With half of the world's Fortune 500 companies having headquarters here, and 46% of the UAE economy comprising SMEs, Dubai is a global and enabling business hub strategically located between east and west, providing an ideal launching pad for companies of any size".

The campaign will run until June 2012 and will be supported with corresponding print and online banner ads. The films will be available to watch at http://vision.ae/business/numbers

About Falcon & Associates

Falcon and Associates FZ-LLC is an independent strategic advisory and implementation company that was established to deepen the understanding and appreciation of the vision of Dubai both nationally and internationally. Falcon delivers initiatives to help with the long-term strategic positioning of Dubai as part of the UAE, by partnering with businesses and government departments to deliver specific social, economic and trade-related goals.

SOURCE Falcon and Associates FZ-LLC

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

View the original article here

Dubai Launches an International Campaign Highlighting the Opportunities for Global Business - Yahoo Finance

DUBAI, February 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

'Dubai means business', an international print and online campaign commissioned by Falcon and Associates, launched today. The campaign emphasizes Dubai's strategic key geographical location between east and west and showcases its success stories in trade, infrastructure and entrepreneurship through the use of impressive facts and figures that show that 'when you run the numbers, Dubai means business'.

This press release containing the associated video is available here:

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/newsindex.shtml?/cgi/news/release?id=349675

The campaign's narrative is told by key representatives from the private and public sectors who speak about the opportunities that exist for business, from SMEs to large multinationals, in Dubai.

The campaign will target key international markets where Dubai has existing and growing business and trade relationships extending from Australia and China in the east, through to India and the UK, and as far west as Brazil and the US. Short edits of the films will run on international online media such as Financial Times, The Economist, Wall Street Journal and other leading websites to effectively reach audiences in each of the target markets as well as locally in the UAE and regionally in the Middle East.

Regarding the launch, Ahmad Abdullah Al Shaikh, Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office, commented "The campaign strongly demonstrates the energy, growth and opportunity that exist in Dubai. The UAE, and Dubai's, constant pursuit of excellence has solidified the leading global position it holds today. With half of the world's Fortune 500 companies having headquarters here, and 46% of the UAE economy comprising SMEs, Dubai is a global and enabling business hub strategically located between east and west, providing an ideal launching pad for companies of any size".  

The campaign will run until June 2012 and will be supported with corresponding print and online banner ads. The films will be available to watch at http://vision.ae/business/numbers

About Falcon & Associates

Falcon and Associates FZ-LLC is an independent strategic advisory and implementation company that was established to deepen the understanding and appreciation of the vision of Dubai both nationally and internationally. Falcon delivers initiatives to help with the long-term strategic positioning of Dubai as part of the UAE, by partnering with businesses and government departments to deliver specific social, economic and trade-related goals.

View the original article here

Dubai Launches an International Campaign Highlighting the Opportunities for Global Business

DUBAI, February 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

'Dubai means business', an international print and online campaign commissioned by Falcon and Associates, launched today. The campaign emphasizes Dubai's strategic key geographical location between east and west and showcases its success stories in trade, infrastructure and entrepreneurship through the use of impressive facts and figures that show that 'when you run the numbers, Dubai means business'.

This press release containing the associated video is available here:

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/newsindex.shtml?/cgi/news/release?id=349675

The campaign's narrative is told by key representatives from the private and public sectors who speak about the opportunities that exist for business, from SMEs to large multinationals, in Dubai.

The campaign will target key international markets where Dubai has existing and growing business and trade relationships extending from Australia and China in the east, through to India and the UK, and as far west as Brazil and the US. Short edits of the films will run on international online media such as Financial Times, The Economist, Wall Street Journal and other leading websites to effectively reach audiences in each of the target markets as well as locally in the UAE and regionally in the Middle East.

Regarding the launch, Ahmad Abdullah Al Shaikh, Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office, commented "The campaign strongly demonstrates the energy, growth and opportunity that exist in Dubai. The UAE, and Dubai's, constant pursuit of excellence has solidified the leading global position it holds today. With half of the world's Fortune 500 companies having headquarters here, and 46% of the UAE economy comprising SMEs, Dubai is a global and enabling business hub strategically located between east and west, providing an ideal launching pad for companies of any size".  

The campaign will run until June 2012 and will be supported with corresponding print and online banner ads. The films will be available to watch at http://vision.ae/business/numbers

About Falcon & Associates

Falcon and Associates FZ-LLC is an independent strategic advisory and implementation company that was established to deepen the understanding and appreciation of the vision of Dubai both nationally and internationally. Falcon delivers initiatives to help with the long-term strategic positioning of Dubai as part of the UAE, by partnering with businesses and government departments to deliver specific social, economic and trade-related goals.

View the original article here

DDR Launches FranchiseConnect, New Service Connecting Franchise Opportunities and Entrepreneurs

BEACHWOOD, Ohio, Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DDR Corp. (NYSE: DDR - News) today announced the launch of FranchiseConnect, a new online platform connecting shopping centers, franchise opportunities and entrepreneurs.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110912/CL65938LOGO )

FranchiseConnect is DDR's latest program designed to provide business opportunities to aspirational entrepreneurs. DDR recently launched Set Up Shop, a program offering flexible terms at specific locations for entrepreneurs and expanding small businesses.

DDR developed FranchiseConnect in partnership with its franchise retailers to provide entrepreneurs with web-based tools to research local and site-specific franchise opportunities across the company's national portfolio of market-dominant prime shopping centers. FranchiseConnect will assist aspiring business owners by facilitating a connection to local franchise opportunities with some of the world's leading retailers.

"Franchisees are excellent tenants as they have a personal investment in their business and at the same time they are backed by a national brand, an existing customer base and a proven business model. We have many successful franchise establishments currently in our portfolio and look forward to expanding that category further," said Paul Freddo, senior executive vice president of leasing and development.

DDR uses geographic information technology and business intelligence systems to identify the best locations for each of its franchise partners. When analyzing the company's shopping center portfolio, DDR considers the franchisor's ideal requirements such as distance from the nearest location, trade area demographics, shopping center venue, tenant mix, competition, space size and location within the shopping center.

DDR currently has over 1,200 open and operating franchise establishments within its portfolio with reputable brands like Dunkin' Donuts, Great Clips, GNC, Subway, Domino's Pizza, Panera Bread, Massage Envy Spa, Menchie's Frozen Yogurt and The UPS Store, many of which have franchise opportunities listed on FranchiseConnect.

For more information about FranchiseConnect, visit it on the web at www.FranchiseConnect.com.  

About DDR
DDR is an owner and manager of 538 value-oriented shopping centers representing 134 million square feet in 41 states, Puerto Rico and Brazil. The company's assets are concentrated in high barrier-to-entry markets with stable populations and high growth potential and its portfolio is actively managed to create long-term shareholder value. DDR is a self-administered and self-managed REIT operating as a fully integrated real estate company, and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DDR. Additional information about the company is available at www.ddr.com.

Safe Harbor
DDR considers portions of the information in this press release to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, both as amended, with respect to the Company's expectation for future periods. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including, among other factors, local conditions such as oversupply of space or a reduction in demand for real estate in the area; competition from other available space; dependence on rental income from real property; the loss of, significant downsizing of or bankruptcy of a major tenant; constructing properties or expansions that produce a desired yield on investment; our ability to sell assets on commercially reasonable terms; our ability to secure equity or debt financing on commercially acceptable terms or at all; our ability to enter into definitive agreements with regard to our financing and joint venture arrangements or our failure to satisfy conditions to the completion of these arrangements; our ability to continue to pay dividends on our common shares at the current or higher rates; and the finalization of the financial statements for the three-month period and year ended December 31, 2011. For additional factors that could cause the results of the Company to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

View the original article here

Business Plan Challenge launches new features, opportunities for entrepreneurs - Miami Herald

At an event last week, an audience member gave an elevator pitch for his company called Sweat EquiTees, which sells t-shirts with slogans like “Run LLC” and “Kiss me, I’m an Entrepreneur.”

Yes, entrepreneurship is in fashion these days. The Startup Florida event, which featured speeches by six Miami area startups and mentoring sessions, was just one of dozens of meetups, workshops and other programs planned this month — and every month — around South Florida. That’s a good thing.

Yet, the Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge has been an annual tradition since 1999. Now in its 14th year, the entrepreneurship contest has remained popular despite what’s going in the economy. Today, marks our call for entries, and you’ll find contest rules, judges’ bios and more starting on page 16.

And just like the startups we spotlight inside, the Business Plan Challenge is growing and evolving, with new opportunities and features offered with the help of community partners:

• We’re bringing back the Business Plan Bootcamp. The workshop will be led by Melissa Krinzman, a veteran Business Plan challenge judge and expert in business planning, and will be held March 6 at Miami Dade College. More details to come, but we’ll be putting a big emphasis on financials in this seminar, an area that was generally weak in entries last year.

• As a partner benefit from the Miami Innovation Fund, which invests in very early stage companies, at least three of the Business Plan Challenge finalists will have the opportunity to present in a Shark Tank-like event and could receive a term sheet for up to $20,000 in funding. The fund will choose the presenters from among the finalists in all tracks, based on its criteria. For Challenge contestants, this partner benefit offers another potential opportunity for exposure, connections and education.

•  In coming days, we will be launching a blog called The Starting Gate. We’ll share news and views from entrepreneurial experts, shining a light on the rich resources our community offers. We hope you will find the blog useful and inspirational, whether you are running a company or just thinking about it.

•  An entrepreneurship class at Florida International University will work with about 10 Business Plan Challenge contestants on further developing their business plans. Professor Martin Luytjes presented the idea after the Challenge last year, and in the fall class members worked in teams with entrepreneurs from the Challenge. Students got a real-world view of starting a company, and entrepreneurs received help from the students. Luytjes is making the offer again.

• And Feb. 23, together with Florida International University’s Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center, we’ll be hosting another Small Business Forum. Hear from entrepreneurs who have been in the trenches of Web-based and international-focused businesses. Learn about financing your company. More information is available at miamiherald.com/smallbusiness.

We’ll be telling you more about all these opportunities in the weeks to come, as well as sharing advice and resources on entrepreneurship. Keep reading Business Monday and MiamiHerald.com/challenge and follow me on Twitter @ndahlberg to keep up with the latest.

Let’s make this our best year yet.

Nancy Dahlberg is an assistant business editor and Business Plan Challenge coordinator.

View the original article here

DDR Launches FranchiseConnect, New Service Connecting Franchise Opportunities and Entrepreneurs

BEACHWOOD, Ohio, Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DDR Corp. (NYSE: DDR - News) today announced the launch of FranchiseConnect, a new online platform connecting shopping centers, franchise opportunities and entrepreneurs.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110912/CL65938LOGO )

FranchiseConnect is DDR's latest program designed to provide business opportunities to aspirational entrepreneurs. DDR recently launched Set Up Shop, a program offering flexible terms at specific locations for entrepreneurs and expanding small businesses.

DDR developed FranchiseConnect in partnership with its franchise retailers to provide entrepreneurs with web-based tools to research local and site-specific franchise opportunities across the company's national portfolio of market-dominant prime shopping centers. FranchiseConnect will assist aspiring business owners by facilitating a connection to local franchise opportunities with some of the world's leading retailers.

"Franchisees are excellent tenants as they have a personal investment in their business and at the same time they are backed by a national brand, an existing customer base and a proven business model. We have many successful franchise establishments currently in our portfolio and look forward to expanding that category further," said Paul Freddo, senior executive vice president of leasing and development.

DDR uses geographic information technology and business intelligence systems to identify the best locations for each of its franchise partners. When analyzing the company's shopping center portfolio, DDR considers the franchisor's ideal requirements such as distance from the nearest location, trade area demographics, shopping center venue, tenant mix, competition, space size and location within the shopping center.

DDR currently has over 1,200 open and operating franchise establishments within its portfolio with reputable brands like Dunkin' Donuts, Great Clips, GNC, Subway, Domino's Pizza, Panera Bread, Massage Envy Spa, Menchie's Frozen Yogurt and The UPS Store, many of which have franchise opportunities listed on FranchiseConnect.

For more information about FranchiseConnect, visit it on the web at www.FranchiseConnect.com.  

About DDR
DDR is an owner and manager of 538 value-oriented shopping centers representing 134 million square feet in 41 states, Puerto Rico and Brazil. The company's assets are concentrated in high barrier-to-entry markets with stable populations and high growth potential and its portfolio is actively managed to create long-term shareholder value. DDR is a self-administered and self-managed REIT operating as a fully integrated real estate company, and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DDR. Additional information about the company is available at www.ddr.com.

Safe Harbor
DDR considers portions of the information in this press release to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, both as amended, with respect to the Company's expectation for future periods. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including, among other factors, local conditions such as oversupply of space or a reduction in demand for real estate in the area; competition from other available space; dependence on rental income from real property; the loss of, significant downsizing of or bankruptcy of a major tenant; constructing properties or expansions that produce a desired yield on investment; our ability to sell assets on commercially reasonable terms; our ability to secure equity or debt financing on commercially acceptable terms or at all; our ability to enter into definitive agreements with regard to our financing and joint venture arrangements or our failure to satisfy conditions to the completion of these arrangements; our ability to continue to pay dividends on our common shares at the current or higher rates; and the finalization of the financial statements for the three-month period and year ended December 31, 2011. For additional factors that could cause the results of the Company to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

View the original article here