Article Editor, Author at

The 20th Annual Darien Dash for Charity Is Coming Up

Article Editor on April 9, 2020

The Darien Dash race is an annual event that brings families and friends together for an exceptional experience. Over the years, the event has been used to connect people and give them another chance to have fun away from their busy schedules. The 20th annual race is scheduled for May 17, 2020, as from 8:00 am. Activity lineup for the day includes 1-mile, 5k, and 10k races. However, there will be plenty of other activities that will take place on the day to ensure you get as much fun as possible. Therefore, if you are yet to book your tickets, this is the right time to do so.

The Purpose Of The Darien Dash

Darien Dash is a sponsored fundraiser organized by the Darien Chamber of commerce. It focuses on celebrating Memorial Day and our veterans. Therefore, some of the proceeds benefit is given to benefit Darien Grade School or High School and a wounded veteran’s organization. However, for them to benefit from the collected proceeds, the institutions but have the highest number of registered participants in the event. If an institution registers at least 30 and above participants, they could be eligible to benefit from the event. The sponsors and partners of the Darien Chamber of Commerce are therefore responsible for the success of the event.

Where It Will Take Place

1001 Hinsbrook Ave is the location for the event. All participants will gather here at exactly 8:00 am for the briefing and commencing of the activities. The event will commence with a kid’s activity at precisely 8.00 am. The young once will line up for a warm-up race and impress the guest as the run. Participants for this event should be at least five years and below. After that, by 8.30 am, the 1-mile, 5k, & 10k race will kick off concurrently. All the 1001 Hinsbrook Ave streets will be in partial lockdown to facilitate the event and allow runners to have some quality time in all their respective races. There will be a lot of activities across 1702 Plainfield Road, Darien since this is the road that connects to the Darien City Hall. However, at the main Darien city hall, there will be plenty of other activities taking place for those who will not be running.

The activities will ensure that everyone will have something to be proud of the event. There will be a swag bag, jamming DJ, business EXPO with giveaways, and commemorative moisture-absorbing t-shirts for the first 300 registered participants, among others. The gathering will also enjoy the opportunity to dine with the runners at the pancake breakfast, which is sponsored by the Darien Swim & Recreation Club. However, this comes at an extra discounted fee.

Registration of the Event

Getting tickets is ongoing, and it is advisable you get yours now at a cheaper rate. The ticket prices are classified according to category and the event you intend to participate in:

• Kids’ fun run: This is the first category, and it focuses on kids between five years and bellow. Tickets are absolutely free. Therefore, feel encouraged to bring your kid to the event and enjoy as you nurture their running talent from a young age.
• 1-Mile race: The admission fee per entrant for this race will cost $30 for advance tickets. However, if you choose to register on the race day, the price will increase to $40.
• 5K: Advance tickets per entrant cost $35, which will change to $40 on the actual event day.
• 10k: For you to participate in this event, you are required to pay $40 for an advance ticket per entrant or $45 on the race day

For all the advanced tickets in any category, the exercise will run up to 11:59 pm on May 16, 2020. To avoid being locked out in the opportunity, get to the official Darien websites for tickets, and more registration details. CARA members will enjoy a $4 discount for any race category. After the race, the organizers have prepared awards for the top 3 participants in each category. Therefore, you are likely to get away with more than the initial registration fee. There will also be a Zumba warm-up where all participants get an opportunity to flex their muscles and have some fun.

Sequence of Events

Although the event is planned to take place on May 17, there are plenty of preparations that will take place prior to the main day. This is geared towards ensuring that the day is a success, and everything happens as planned. Therefore, on Friday, May 15, 2020, the race packet pickup will be available at the Darien City Hall from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. This makes it easy for the participants to understand the logistics of the event and the route to follow before the primary day. However, for those who will miss the packet pick up on the 15, will have an opportunity to go through the details on a material day.

The Darien Dash event is an essential activity for wounded veterans. As people come together to celebrate Memorial Day, the main focus is to ensure the veterans are accorded the necessary recognition due to their hard work. Therefore, as other people come together in different events within the same period, the Darien dash race focuses on giving the veterans exceptional support. Everything from the fundraiser to the sequence of events is geared toward appreciating all the veterans. Additionally, the semi-marathon races accommodate participants from all age groups, hence accommodating even the older people to participate in the run.

How Shasta Ventures Helps Encourage Tech Innovation

Article Editor on March 30, 2020

Venture capital firms have provided the fuel behind the modern technological explosion. The backing of these firms can grant a host of benefits to entrepreneurs, including funding, go-to-market support, institutional experience, and more. But not all of these firms are created equal. To get a sense of how a prominent firm can truly encourage innovation and the development of new ideas in tech, we turned to the case of Shasta Ventures, a prominent venture capital firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Company background

Shasta Ventures, founded in 2004, is one of the leading early-stage venture capital firms working in tech today. Under the guidance of Managing Directors Jason Pressman and Ravi Mohan, Shasta has worked with more than 100 startups focusing on enterprise software and technologies. Mohan, one of the firm’s co-founders, has a keen interest in SaaS applications, data and analytics, and infrastructure, and has served as a key advisor many of the entrepreneurs that the firm supports.

In his role as the firm’s other Managing Director, Pressman draws upon his professional operational experience. Known as a company builder, he made his mark as the leader in charge of launching Walmart.com in 2000 and selling it back to the company five years later. Today, it is one of the largest online retail businesses. That experience helped develop his understanding of the work required to scale fast-growing businesses while improving operations through the use of software. In his present role, he often acts as an advocate and counselor to entrepreneurs who are seeking to grow their businesses at scale.

Policy of support

Through the influence of its leadership team, the company is known in the tech community for its strong partnerships with entrepreneurs. Their business style is evident in the small number of companies the firm partners with each year — typically about ten — and allows the firm’s partners to give each entrepreneur a level of attention that is most conducive to a favorable outlook. The approach prioritizes patience, grit and long-term success, empowering entrepreneurs to grow their companies at a rate that makes organic sense.

In the pursuit of these partnerships, the venture capital firm seeks out entrepreneurs who are brilliant and driven by what they do. An entrepreneur’s track record of strong iteration is a priority. Shasta Ventures believes that driven professionals who are pragmatic and able to iterate are best at adapting to the demands and realities of ever-changing markets and customer needs. This is of paramount importance in a world where the realities of daily life are continually shifting and businesses are on constant alert for the ways in which they must adapt.

Portfolio examples

To better understand the work of Shasta Ventures, which focuses on enterprise software, let’s take a look at two notable companies in its portfolio. The first brand we’ll highlight is AppSheet, which has made headlines of late for its recent acquisition by Google. The startup, founded in 2014, helps businesses build data-based apps without the need for large development teams. The company already serves thousands of customers including Solvay, American Electric Power, and Boom Technology. To date, companies have used the service for a range of needs including inventory management and customer relationship management. Its broad existing customer base includes companies in fields such as manufacturing, scientific research, and construction.

Another standout from the company’s portfolio is Zuora, which offers software that helps any company create a cloud-based subscription business. The platform offers a number of SaaS applications to help companies manage different aspects of their recurring revenue streams, including billing, quotes, and orders. The Zuora Marketplace offers companies a chance to browse prebuilt apps configured to be of use for a number of needs specific to role, industry, and geography. With a majority of consumers in many parts of the world demanding new consumption models based on the subscription economy, the need for the types of services offered by Zuora has never been greater, a recurring theme of the companies reflected in the venture capital firm’s portfolio.

Power of products

The two examples above form only a piece of the firm’s experience and expertise but help to illustrate a key part of what motivates the team. With the state of the economy ever-evolving to keep pace with consumer needs and desires, new approaches to business are of consistent importance. This deep understanding of the fabric of modern society is a driving force for the company’s passion to seek out entrepreneurs creating the next wave of powerful tech innovation in the workplace. This commitment to development not only helps support entrepreneurs in bringing their unique ideas to market, but it also helps contribute to the vibrancy of the economy and its ability to act as a force for positive change.

That concept has helped technology alter much about life in the modern world and the way that change is delivered to the everyday person in the workplace. This high bar is not just an aspiration, it also helps to serve as a metric for evaluating startups and their creations. To determine whether a product truly meets its standard for excellence, the firm looks to a few key factors. Can the product serve a single purpose exceptionally well, create an outstanding user experience, and have a lasting impact? Potential products that demonstrate these characteristics are candidates for the company’s exclusive portfolio and are poised to help contribute to its extensive legacy.

By looking to the above overview, one can begin to understand the traits that help set Shasta Ventures apart from its competitors in the field of tech and elsewhere. From the experience and passion of its leadership team to the relentless search for products that can improve our everyday quality of work-life, Shasta is willing to work hard to promote excellence. In light of past successes, and with many of its exciting startups already making breakthroughs, those interested in software innovation would do well to monitor the firm’s moves as it develops into the future.

Gary Barber and Spyglass Entertainment the Focus of Protest Over Compensation of Weinstein’s Victims

Article Editor on March 6, 2020

Gary Barber, head of Spyglass Entertainment, was the focus of a protest outside his office on February 14. The protest was led by advocates of women sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. The protestors claimed that Barber and Spyglass Entertainment have failed to provide promised compensation to Weinstein’s victims.

Until 2017, Harvey Weinstein was best known as a successful film and television producer. He was chairman and co-founder of The Weinstein Company. He helped launch the careers of many famous actors, screenwriters, and directors. The Weinstein Company owned the rights to an extensive film and TV library.

Weinstein’s fame changed after a news report that alleged he had sexually assaulted many women over several decades and used his position to coerce them into engaging in sexual acts. Weinstein was removed as chairman of The Weinstein Company after the accusations were made public. As a result of Weinstein’s legal troubles and negative publicity, The Weinstein Company announced that it would file for bankruptcy in 2018.

After a few failed attempts by different groups hoping to acquire the company’s film and television assets, The Weinstein Company was purchased by Lantern Capital Partners. The film studio was reformed as Lantern Entertainment. This new film company partnered with Gary Barber in 2019 to market The Weinstein Company’s former media assets through Spyglass Entertainment. Part of the deal for the purchase of The Weinstein Company included money to be set aside for a victim’s compensation fund and to pay The Weinstein Company’s creditors.

According to protestors, Barber and Spyglass Entertainment have not made any offers of compensation to Weinstein’s victims. In an effort to urge the company to fulfill its promise, the protestors gathered outside Barber’s office in Century City on Valentine’s Day.

In a statement made at the conclusion of the protest, the protestors called on both Barber, the CEO of Spyglass Media, and Milos Brajovic and Andy Mitchell, managing partners of Lantern Capital Partners, to “do right by” the victims of Weinstein’s sexual assault.

The protestors described Weinstein’s victims as “patiently waiting” for Barber, Mitchell, and Brajovic to follow through on their promised compensation. The victims’ suffering could not be erased, the protestors said, but it appeared that what was taken by the victims as a “good faith offer” had been “only empty rhetoric” without any attempts to follow through with the financial compensation that had been promised.

The protestors advocating for Weinstein’s victims are not the only ones feeling slighted due to events surrounding Lantern Entertainment’s purchase of The Weinstein Company. A lawsuit related to the acquisition of The Weinstein Company alleges that the primary mover behind Lantern Capital Partners’ investment in the company has been completely cut out of the deal. Much like the protestors, the lawsuit suggests that Lantern Capital Partners has failed to fulfill the obligations it took on in the purchase of The Weinstein Company.

According to legal filings made in 2018 at the Los Angeles Superior Court, a lawsuit was brought against Lantern Capital Partners by Hollywood producer Marvin Peart for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of contract.

Marvin Peart’s lawsuit claims that he was responsible for bringing Lantern Capital Partners into the deal to purchase The Weinstein Company. Peart, who worked with The Weinstein Company as an executive producer, claims that his relationships with upper management at the company were vital in getting the deal off the ground. He describes himself as being responsible for matching the investment firm with The Weinstein Company. He also claims to have kept negotiations on track.

In return for brokering the purchase, Peart claims he was to receive a board position at the newly formed company now known as Lantern Entertainment. He would also be compensated over $10 million for involving Lantern Capital Partners as a principal party in the purchase, the lawsuit alleges.

Peart claims in his lawsuit that Lantern Capital Partners failed to fulfill its “contractual obligation” to pay him and seat him on the board of directors once Lantern Entertainment was formed.

Peart, who is African-American, also claims in his lawsuit that he was excluded from the deal and his promised compensation in part due to “institutional racism.” He alleges that Lantern Capital Partners attempted to erase his involvement in the acquisition of The Weinstein Company.

The lawsuit describes the acquisition of The Weinstein Company as the story of “how a Hollywood outsider landed the biggest entertainment deal of the year.” Peart argues that in telling this story in the press, Lantern Capital Partners has deliberately left out his part in the deal. He claims that the company’s press surrounding the acquisition was a “triumph of historic revisionism” due to its marginalization of Peart’s role.

This erasure of Peart’s contributions to the historic deal could only, Peart argues, be a result of institutional racism. His lawsuit is requesting $110 million in compensation. The case has not yet been decided in the courts.

CEO Spotlight: Francisco Faraco, CEO of Faraco Partners LLC

Article Editor on February 25, 2020

Francisco J. Faraco is CEO & Founder of Faraco Partners, LLC, incorporated in New York State in 2017. With many years of experience in the financial industry, he provides Wealth Management Services to corporations, families, and individuals. As a public figure and mentor, he regularly speaks at financial workshops and conferences. But who is the man behind the financial success he helps others achieve?

His Background

Faraco has worked with the greats in the financial industry, including the minds at J.P. Morgan and Merrill Lynch. He attended the University of Chicago, where he obtained his MS in Financial Mathematics, which integrated coursework that explores the deep-rooted relationship that exists between theoretical and applied mathematics and the ever-evolving world of finance. Faraco also holds an MA in Economics, with a concentration in Financial Economics and Economic Development Policies, from The American University of Washington DC, where he graduated at the top of his class. Before pursuing a more global perspective by attending universities in the States, he received his BBA in Banking and Finance at Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas, Venezuela, . There he graduated as valedictorian and won several athletic awards. Last, but not least, in 2012, Faraco passed the last, Level 3, exam of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program, which is a post-graduate professional qualification and considered to be among the most mentally grueling exam experiences on the planet. The program has the highest level of international legal and regulatory recognition of finance-related qualifications and covers a considerably wide range of topics relating to Advanced Investment Analysis, Security Analysis, Statistics, Probability Theory, Fixed Income, Derivatives, Economics, Financial Statement Analysis, Corporate Finance, Alternative Investments, and Portfolio Management.

As a globally educated athlete and an experienced financial expert, Francisco brings a unique personality and perspective to financial analysis and portfolio management for his clients across asset classes. He has been quoted as saying, “Be obsessively organized on everything you do.”, which shows in the results he helps his clients achieve. It’s no wonder that one of his favorite quotes comes from fellow athlete Babe Ruth, who famously said, “You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”

Most Exciting Trend Right Now

Faraco has said that he’s most excited about artificial intelligence. Not only does AI have considerable applications in business and finance; it also has the potential to transform our everyday lives, as we’re already seeing in many uses today. By nature, when technology can teach itself, the things we can achieve through this tech are virtually without limits.

While Faraco is optimistic about the future, he’s also been open about the challenges in his field.

Most Challenging Aspects of Being a Financial Consultant

He has said of finance, “{it} can be quite intense at times”. One must commit to working long hours, late nights, and getting almost no sleep sometimes. This is especially true when you’re just starting. But as you develop your career, you find the right work-life balance.

Additionally, Francisco has talked about overcoming mistakes. No one can predict every potential outcome in the markets and economy. And he’ll be the first to admit sometimes even he gets it wrong. But he says the important thing is not letting mistakes defeat you. Instead, learn from them and keep moving forward. The worst thing we can do to our financial portfolios is to let past mistakes cause us to live in fear because then we make it so much worse instead of making the best of bad situations.

Importance of Experience When Pursuing a Consulting Career

Francisco Faraco shares that experience is everything. The most desirable graduate positions with the companies you’ve actually heard of require experience. They’re not looking for someone who’s spent all of their time in the classroom. You need perspective you can only achieve through real-world experience. Faraco earned his first real experience at age 19 in Venezuela when he started working as a Prop Trader at Eurobanco. After less than 2 years in the job, he was overseeing all Local-currency and US Dollar Funding, Repo Trading, Short-dated Interest Rate Business and Emerging Markets Dollar-denominated Bond Trading. From this humble beginning, he learned the industry and developed the skills that would help him achieve his career goals and become the investment professional he is today.

Importance of Developing Productive Habits

Faraco believes that developing productive habits have been the key to his success. And when he works with clients, helping them develop productive investment and money habits is integral to their success. He says he wakes up every day with a “plan of attack”. This involves a schedule and structure, he works to stick with not just to get more done, but to get the essential things done.

While he does focus on structure, he points out that we must be flexible with our days. Things don’t always happen exactly as you planned, so adapting on the spot is a quality he’s worked to develop. We can dig deeper into the minds of Francisco Faraco by exploring his passion for investments and wealth management.

The Most Rewarding Aspects of His Job

Faraco admits that the most rewarding thing about his job is knowing he’s using an understanding that comes very naturally to him to help others achieve their financial dreams. He has discussed how hard it is for the average household to build wealth between college tuition skyrocketing, home prices soaring, and the costs of many of life necessities increasingly out of reach.

Francisco enjoys helping people look past the day-to-day to find the money to invest and build a more prosperous and secure future for their businesses or families. He has also shared some of the most frequent concerns he hears from clients that he helps them overcome.

Common Investment Concerns of Clients

He’s found that clients are worried about the state of their current portfolios. They’ve been trying to build wealth or achieve other financial goals alone. And they feel their strategy is falling short. During the recent downturns, such as the housing crisis in 2007/2008, people saw a lot of their wealth evaporate. Francisco considers it his mission to help clients think bigger. This includes a variety of risk and reward levels from high risk-reward, to more stable investments. Diversification is the name of the game. But honestly, many diversification strategies aren’t that diverse when you take a closer look.
He enjoys helping clients develop a truly varied portfolio that can weather the storms we all know will come from time to time. We can further understand the man behind the consulting by considering what he would share with others looking to follow a similar path.

Advice for Someone Launching a Finance Career

Faraco says he would advise any up-and-coming investment professional or student to: “enjoy what you do”. If they don’t like the idea of sitting for hours, hovering over numbers, this isn’t for them. He wishes more people considering a career path had the opportunity to explore the day-to-day of the job before choosing a path in school. Because without the passion for it, people just won’t reach the levels they want to achieve.
He has also said patience and perseverance are essential. Success doesn’t happen overnight. Take the time to get the experience. Develop a plan to learn and do many things in the industry to broaden your horizons and best serve your clients. Faraco referenced Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, when asked about the vital importance of experience in financial consulting. You can learn this stuff in school. You need to live it and do it.
Ma said, “Before you turn 20 years old, be a good student, and get some experience. Before you turn 30 years old, it’s not which company you go to, but which boss you follow.”

Leading by Example Through Giving

While wealth-building often seems a one-way street, Francisco imparts to his clients and his children the importance of giving. He recently shared a story. It was around the Christmas holidays, and a local church had asked for partners to help supply meals to low-income families in the community.
The church took up a collection. But Francisco wanted his kids to be involved in the giving in the most meaningful way possible, and he knew this went beyond giving money directly. He took them to the grocery store and helped them carefully choose foods for the meals. He asked them to put themselves in the shoes of those less fortunate and consider what having a nice meal around the holidays means to them.
There are times to give and times to receive.

Who Is Francisco Faraco?

Francisco Faraco is a father and a scholar who understands the importance of experience and loving what you do. He’s passionate about putting his years of financial expertise to work to help individuals, families, and corporations build wealth.
He’s excited about the potential of technology to change how we live and work. And he’s dedicated to being “obsessively organized” about his work to help his clients achieve their financial goals and live their financial dreams.

Keep Up With Francisco Faraco on Medium & Crunchbase

Juan Monteverde Shows Importance of Choosing the Right Attorney

Article Editor on February 17, 2020

Determining that you are in need of an attorney’s services is an important first step to resolving many legal disputes. However, selecting the right attorney can be even more important in these situations. While simple in theory, finding the right attorney for your situation can be a confusing or difficult process for many. To help explain items you may want to consider in this search, we looked to the example of Juan Monteverde, a top attorney practicing in New York. Read on for a look at his career and an overview of things to consider when seeking legal assistance.

Area of expertise

An important consideration to be aware of early in the attorney selection process is what area of law is relevant to your dispute. While an attorney may come highly recommended and they may excel in their field, if they are not familiar with the area of law relevant to your issues then they will likely be of limited help. By contrast, an attorney who is skilled in the area of your dispute will be a much more powerful ally as you seek to rectify your situation. A good first step here is identifying the most relevant area of law so that you know where to look.

For example, the career of Juan Monteverde has focused in the area of securities law, which is a specialization that deals with legal matters related shareholder rights. In these matters, there are sometimes disputes between the sharheolders and a company seeking to effectuate a merger and he often deals with high profile mergers. In these disputes, he seeks to maximize shareholder value, recover damages and/or improve the financial disclosures regarding the merger.

Reputation

Once you have determined the area of law in which your attorney should be concentrated, it’s important to find an attorney who is highly regarded in their field. Attorney, like many other fields, have top practitioners as well as practitioners who may not be as effective in achieving a positive outcome for your situation. Selecting an attorney who is diligent and skilled can make all the difference here. Recommendations from colleagues or other acquaintances can be a good place to start here. There are also many independent review sites and services that can be used to gauge an attorney’s effectiveness.

This is an area where the example of the above attorney can again be instructive to those who are confused as to how to select their own legal representation. Not only is he highly regarded by those in the legal profession, he has also received many accolades that help to showcase his reputation. He has been selected as a New York Metro Rising Star in four separate years by Super Lawyers, an award that is given to less than 2.5% of a specific field’s attorneys. He has also been selected multiple times by Martindale-Hubbell as a Top Rated Lawyer.

Location and record

Since laws can vary by geography, it’s important to select an attorney that is familiar with the specific nature of your legal dispute as it relates to local laws. In some cases this can mean selecting an attorney who is local to your area, however, some disputes may require an attorney or firm who has experience at a national level. One way to gauge this can be to look at the record of the practitioner so that you can determine their success at varying levels. This can refer to locality but also their degree of experience at different levels of the appellate court system.

Monteverde’s firm, Monteverde & Associates, is based in New York City, where there is a high need for securities attorneys, and the attorney himself is admitted to the NY bar as well as a in a number of Federal and Court of Appeals throughout the country. The firm has extensive experience operating on the national level and often participates in class action suits at this level. Through this work, the firm represents shareholders who have incurred financial loss due to misconduct by corporations. This work has seen the firm achieve success at many different levels of trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2019 alone, the firm obtained or secured six cash common funds for shareholders.

Strong communication

Another important consideration when selecting an attorney is their ability to communicate. While a legal practitioner may be talented in many aspects of their field, if they are unable to adequately communicate with you it may be difficult to form a beneficial professional relationship. This issue may be addressed by a positive recommendation or review, however, it’s often a good idea to evaluate this aspect of an attorney’s work as an issue unto itself, due to its importance.

One useful method of evaluation in this regard can be the practice of examining the written or spoken work engaged in by the attorney. To again take the career of Juan Monteverde as an example, the attorney shows his strong penchant for communication by regularly crafting articles for law publications to help clear up areas of legal dispute. He is also regularly invited to speak at law conferences, such as ABA, ACI, and PLI, regarding executive compensation and issues relating to merger litigation. By looking at his work in these areas, potential clients can have a better idea of his ability to communicate and inform others about his work.

While understanding the need for an attorney in a particular legal proceeding can be an important aspect of arriving at a successful outcome, it is also critical that you select the correct attorney for your circumstance. The overview above should help illuminate some of the items to consider when undergoing this process. This information, as well as the example set by Juan Monteverde, can be a vital touchstone as you start on this journey. Consider returning to these ideas if you do indeed need to move forward in the attorney selection process, as they can help you maximize your chance of finding a good fit.

Stream Energy Discusses the Power of Clean Living

Article Editor on February 11, 2020

The idea of clean living has hit the world by storm, with clean living essentials offered to people at every turn. Everywhere you look, there are people, products, and services promoting the positive effects of clean living. With all of this talk about clean living, we talked to Stream Energy to learn more about what it is and what we gain when we buy into the practice.

Clean living is more of a lifestyle than a movement. It’s focused on living a life that is healthy and natural. Instead of mindlessly going through your days, paying little attention to what you eat, use, and consume, it’s a practice of being mindful of the choices that you make. As a leading provider of affordable energy plans, Stream Energy experts explain that clean living doesn’t just have enormous benefits for the environment and our economy but also for your wallet and overall health.

Economic and Environmental Effects of Clean Living

You make choices every day when it comes to how you live. From the foods you eat to the clothes you wear to the mode of transportation you use, your lifestyle is primarily based on your personal preferences. In the 1970s, a clean-living movement developed when a surge of health-reform crusades emerged to “clean up” society. From anti-alcohol and social purity to diet, public health, and energy consumption, reform campaigns became the prime concern of millenials looking to create better living environments for themselves and future generations. Coined the “Clean Living Movement” by Professor of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana University Ruth C. Engs in 1990, clean living has become a lifestyle across the world.

It should come as no surprise that clean living has continued to remain a popular way of life for the past five decades. That’s because it’s not only good for the environment and the economy, but it also delivers excellent results for those who practice it. Let’s break down the benefits of clean living and ways that you can make small changes in your life to join the movement.

Positive Impact of Clean Living on the Economy

According to a Forbes article from 2019 titled “Renewable Energy Job Boom Creates Economic Opportunity as Coal Industry Slumps,” clean energy creates employment opportunities in the green job sector in the U.S. In 2018 alone, the renewable energy industry added 110,000 new jobs.

Clean living brings development to rural areas, where renewable facility locations often take advantage of ample space and resource potential, Stream Energy explains. Furthermore, building renewable energy is cheaper than running existing coal plants. That’s why states and utilities across the nation are setting 100 percent clean energy goals, inspiring workers to build solar panels and wind turbines and creating new economic opportunities as they go.

The truth is that we make choices every day that affect our ability to live clean, from wasting energy to using products that contain harmful chemicals, but there are several small shifts that you can make to live a cleaner life. When you commit to clean living, you open yourself up to the power of healthy choices. That power doesn’t just lie in the effects that clean living has on you today. It also lies in the change that you’re making for future generations by living a healthier life that bolsters the economy and the planet we call home.

Stream Energy Tips to Shift to Clean Living

Clean living doesn’t necessarily mean you need to make drastic, loud changes in your life to see progress. According to Stream Energy, there are several small things that you can do every day to live a cleaner life:

Avoid Toxins, Chemicals, and Synthetic Ingredients: The best rule of thumb is “if it doesn’t exist in nature, avoid it.” Unfortunately, the toxins and chemicals used in everyday household cleaners, beauty products, and hair styling products contain a long list of harmful chemicals and toxins that aren’t just bad for the environment but for your health as well.
Stay Hydrated: Your body runs best when it’s fully hydrated. Drinking water is great for your hair, skin, physical well-being, mental health, and more. When fueling up with H20, you must do so consciously. Not only should you drink a lot of water throughout the day, but you should also carry a reusable bottle with you to fill up on thirst-quenching water in an environmentally friendly way.
Go Green: From the foods you eat to the clothes you wear and the food you consume, there’s plenty of ways that you can go green. Check out the Stream Energy Green page for more facts on how going green can change your life. For starters, look at your diet. Plants contain protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals that keep your body running like a well-oiled machine. When you take care of your body, the rest falls into place. The healthier you eat, the more focused you’ll be, leaving you ready to make better living choices as you go.
Give Power Back to the Grid: The more renewable energy that’s created, the less dependent we become on harmful energy sources. That’s why Stream Energy offers renewable energy plans and upgrades that you can add to your current plan to help offset your carbon footprint. When it comes to energy-saving ideas, it’s not just about the extra money in your wallet; it’s also about the positive environmental effects of reducing energy consumption.

Protecting the Environment

Clean living doesn’t just create a better economy; it creates a healthier environment and a healthier life. Choosing a clean energy plan helps avoid the emission of harmful pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, mercury, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide. And, unlike fossil-fuel extraction, clean energy plans don’t damage the land. Simply put, clean energy plans are made from unlimited renewable sources, concludes Stream Energy. Many of these sources use little to no water at all.

Clean living is a powerful movement that’s created a healthier, happier lifestyle for today’s generations and future generations. Its impact is felt around the world, from the work you do to the air you breathe to the food you eat. If there’s ever a reason to join the clean-living movement, there’s no better one than that.

Work by Paul Alan Smith Shows How to Make Social Impact

Article Editor on February 3, 2020

By many counts, social concerns are becoming more and more prominent in modern society, with the advent of the internet and social media bringing these concerns to the forefront of the public eye. In light of this, many people are now seeking ways in which they can have a greater impact on the issues they care about. To help us better understand how one can integrate their existing work with a drive to better their community, we looked to the life of Paul Alan Smith, an entertainment professional with a penchant for encouraging social and political change.

Personal history

Before diving into his work, let’s first look to the background of Paul Alan Smith, as this can help give an indication as to why he has been so committed to activism over the years. Though born in Los Angeles, he grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area during the politically turbulent ‘60s and ‘70s. His experience witnessing activism firsthand throughout his youth helped to inform his views later in life, creating a firm resolve to work towards social and political change wherever possible. This resolve has been further supported by both his travels and education in entertainment. His formal education saw him studying Theatre at both UCLA and NYU, though his love for the craft goes as far back as early childhood when he first fell in love with the musical Hair. His travels in life have seen him visit places across the globe to gain a firmer understanding of different cultures and their approaches to life. These journeys included time in India, Europe, Africa, Israel, and Palestine. Many of these locations have been repeat destinations for the entertainment professional, serving as places to be visited when he needed to reset and gain added insight into his own life.

Integrating work and activism

For many people, one of the challenges of engaging in activism is the context of their work situation and how it precludes them from living their life fully in accordance with their own values. In this area, efforts by the agent/manager can be quite informative. Though the field of entertainment can be quite competitive, with many people keeping the whole of their focus on ways in which they can get ahead, Smith was still able to create work environments that would help further his social and political values. An example of this is his efforts to institute recycling efforts in past workplaces. Even in ‘80s, when recycling was not always a commonplace practice, he was able to convince employers that it would be worthwhile from both an environmental and monetary standpoint — more recycling meant less trash and less money spent on waste disposal. Later in his career, when he started working to incentivize alternative transportation options, he was again able to institute policies that were not only beneficial to the environment but worked within existing fiscal constraints for the company and employees alike. These types of considerations have helped contribute sizably to the success of his efforts.

Encouraging gatherings

Another way to help move culture in a positive direction is through the spread of ideas. This is one of the reasons social media has helped push many political issues into the public consciousness. Never before has the spread of ideas been so easy, with more information on a given subject always just a click away when browsing the internet. However, though these technologies make the spread of information easier, they are still somewhat lacking when compared with in-person communication, which can often help a person think about an issue in a way that online communication cannot. Cognizant of this dynamic, the entertainment professional has made in-person gatherings another means by which he has helped spread social and political ideas. This work has included organizing events he has called Speaker Soirées. At these gatherings, members of the entertainment community could gather to eat, drink, and listen to orators who had interesting ideas about the world around them. Past speakers included Gore Vidal, Condoleezza Rice, Budd Schulberg, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee. In addition, leaders of organizations concerned with political and social activism would also come to speak on pressing issues at the forefront of their work.

Gaining control

While the above examples show how you can incorporate activism into your existing work, it is true that a certain amount of control over your own destiny helps to make these efforts easier to complete. An example of this from the agent/manager’s life has included his ascension through the ranks of the companies at which he has worked. Once it was clear that he could deliver results to his clients and employers, he was in a better position to negotiate the terms of his employment. These negotiations often involved acknowledgment of his ability to run his office in a manner he deemed to be socially conscious.

Of course, even the most favorably negotiated employment situation still can leave room to be desired. That is one of the reasons that the entertainment professional ultimately decided to go into business for himself. He is now opening his own firm, alongside business partner Lee Rosenbaum, known as New Deal Mfg. Co. The firm will serve as both a management company and agency to his dedicated group of film and television directors. The unusual move to create a company that handles two different aspects of representation is just one more way that he is bucking trends to create a work environment that he feels makes the most sense.

With the modern era affording unrivaled access to new ideas, social and political activism is seeing a newfound degree of interest. This type of activism, however, is not always easy to incorporate into one’s life, especially while working in a restrictive employment situation. The above examples of the ways in which Paul Alan Smith has engaged in activism while navigating various working environments should be instructive for those seeking to accomplish something similar. Those interested would do well to follow the entertainment professional’s career for continued examples of how to live according to one’s beliefs in today’s working world.

How TAMKO Focuses on Family and Community

Article Editor on January 17, 2020

The building supply company TAMKO has long garnered attention for its products and services. With a long history of producing quality roofing shingles, the company has been a resource for contractors and building professionals for years. However, in addition to its success in business pursuits, the company has built a name for itself through its focus on family and giving back to the community. To better acquaint readers with this multifaceted organization, we dove into TAMKO’s history and values. Read on to see how the company stands out from others in the field.

From Past to Present

TAMKO was founded in 1944 by E.L. Craig. At the start, the company had a single manufacturing location in Joplin, Missouri, that focused on the production of asphalt shingles. Since that time, it has expanded into a nationwide manufacturer with locations spanning the entire country. This expansion has coincided with an increase in the range of products manufactured by the company, which now includes roofing accessories, waterproofing supplies, and more. This growth has been part of an ongoing effort to build upon the company’s offerings to best meet the needs of industry professionals.

That effort has partly been the result of a push beginning in the 1980s, when the company formally launched its first continuous improvement program. The program was based on the work of Dr. W. Edwards Deming, a statistician famous for helping rebuild the Japanese industrial economy after WWII. The work with Deming’s theories allowed the company to develop a greater degree of efficiency, removing waste and other undesirable byproducts of manufacturing processes. This work not only helped the company better serve its customers, but it also supported its core values of honesty, integrity, and compliance.

Family Connections

One of the manifestations of the company’s focus on strong values is its ongoing status as a family-led organization. When E.L. Craig founded the company at the age of 69, he’d already had a vast degree of experience running companies in many different fields. When it came time to transition the leadership of the company, Craig opted to keep the business in his family and hand the reins over to his wife, Mary Ethel Craig. In addition to serving as a capable head of the company, Mary Ethel’s tenure also established a tradition of family leadership that has continued to this day.E.L. and Mary Ethel Craig’s grandson, David Humphreys, now serves as the president and CEO of the organization. In that role, Humphreys continues the tradition of relying on a culture of strong values to improve the work that TAMKO does. These values help the company hire and develop thousands of committed and hardworking professionals at its locations across the country. This focus comes alongside the CEO’s desire to use the resources at his disposal to benefit the communities where the company operates. One of his primary pursuits in this area is making educational opportunities available to young people.

Community Outreach

One example of how TAMKO’s leadership supports education is through annual grants to public and private schools in the Joplin-area, as well as supporting many academic teams and their activities. TAMKO also sponsors the area’s annual spelling bee through its support of Newspapers In Education. And the company stepped up to support its local public school district by donating $500,000 and inspiring another $250,000 gift towards rebuilding, after the company’s hometown was hit by an EF-5 tornado in 2011 and many of its school buildings were damaged or destroyed.

The company’s focus on giving back to the community extends beyond education and touches many other aspects of life in Joplin and beyond. One area that the company prioritizes is athletics, maintaining a firm belief that engagement in sports builds character early in life. This work goes all the way back to 1947, when the company sponsored the “TAMKO Roofers” basketball team as part of the YMCA Open League. Not only was the team successful, but it also got the opportunity to play against the Harlem Globetrotters. To this day, the company continues to sponsor teams across a number of different sports and places particular emphasis on supporting young women in their athletic pursuits.

Employee Culture

TAMKO also prides itself on supporting employees in their lives both inside and outside of work. Not only is the company known for providing well-paying jobs with an excellent array of benefits, but it has also put in place numerous professional development programs to help employees realize their full potential. These efforts all serve to underscore the family-oriented culture at the company, with employees being valued as contributing members of a larger team.

The company also places emphasis on honoring military veterans and hiring them whenever possible. These efforts stem from a deep recognition of the character and skills that veterans possess and has led to 15 percent of the company’s nationwide workforce being made up of those who have served in the armed forces. The company also seeks to support veterans through charitable initiatives of its own, such as a program to help transport wounded veterans for treatment via the use of corporate jets. The company also supports a number of veteran-related initiatives such as races, honor ceremonies, and philanthropic drives.

While TAMKO is widely known for the quality of its building supplies – especially its extensive line of roofing shingles and related products – it has also distinguished itself over its long history for a variety of other initiatives. The company’s focus on family values and leadership has seen it remain a family-led operation since it was founded in 1944. It has extended this focus on values to the work that it does in its community and in supporting veterans throughout the country. By understanding how the company works to go beyond its goals in business, it becomes increasingly apparent how it hasmaintained its high level of success for so many years.

Latest Flavorless Socati Water-Soluble Ingredients

Article Editor on January 14, 2020

Technological advancements in research have caused growing awareness about the benefits of cannabinoids, leading to a rise in demand for products containing CBD. However, since most plants that manufacture CBD also produce THC, removal of these intoxicating chemicals from hemp extracts has been a challenge, even with the help of chromatography on a larger scale.

Austin-based Socati is quickly becoming a key player in the booming CBD and cannabinoid industry. The company produces broad-spectrum hemp extract that contains high percentages of CBD, along with a special water-soluble CBD product, both of which are supplied to CPG manufacturers directly.

The company has gained recognition since its inception in 2018, leading to the funding of $42 million from just two rounds of investor funding. The team is continually researching and testing out new development techniques, including chromatographic processes, extraction procedures, and proprietary genetics.

As a supplier of hemp-derived ingredients for manufacturers, Socati was the first company in the CBD industry to develop large-scale chromatography processes intended to reduce the THC to undetectable levels.

Comprised of chemists, agronomists, industry executives, and geneticists, the Socati team can develop the next level of natural ingredients through revolutionary technological advancements. The company’s success is attributed to the team’s years of specialized experience and expertise. They are also credited with founding and running biochemical, healthcare, agribusiness, high-tech, and medical cannabis companies.

The two products developed by Socati contain high levels of CBD and CBG (cannabigerol), along with non-detectable levels of THC. As an ultra-high purity CBD oil product, this ingredient has targeted terpene profiles and low cannabinoid ratios. It is recommended to product brands and manufacturers who are looking for a scalable source of broad-spectrum, non-detectable THC extract. The water-soluble product consists of a stable water-soluble powder that has a high amount of CBD, providing reliable consumer experiences.

Flavorless Water-Soluble Ingredient

The company recently unveiled its latest ingredient, a water-soluble CBD powder, which is completely flavorless. The unique properties of this component enable manufacturers to add hemp-derived cannabinoids directly into their products without having to use surfactants, additional flavoring agents, emulsifiers, or other complex treatments.

The creation of these unique formulations was made possible by advanced micro-encapsulation technology. This process includes flavor solutions to make comprehensive ingredients for the development of a product and integrating natural antimicrobials and antioxidants to lengthen the shelf life.

According to Josh Epstein, chief executive officer of Socati, the hemp and CBD industry has long faced significant problems when it comes to adding cannabinoids to food, topical formulas, and beverages without changing the texture or flavor of the finished products. However, he speculates that the problem has been solved by this new flavorless ingredient, providing exactly what manufacturers need to meet the increasing demand for CBD and CBG products.

By taking advantage of the most advanced technologies in the food and beverage sector, this flavorless water-soluble ingredient also utilizes the chromatographic process to make sure that the finished product contains active CBD and CBG components while the THC content remains undetectable.

Additional Information

All Socati products are thoroughly tested by certified third-party laboratories that give a verified analysis showing THC is at a non-detectable level along with results of CBD and CBG levels. The company’s processing facilities observe GMP standards and are certified by SQF.

Work of Jonathan Cornelissen Shows Impact of Education

Article Editor on January 2, 2020

Education is a key part of what makes any economy function. As the population grows, jobs become increasingly specialized, requiring new and unique kinds of training to maximize effectiveness. One area in which this has become especially relevant is in the field of data science. To further explore this topic, we looked to the work of Jonathan Cornelissen, who has dedicated a large portion of his life to helping improve educational resources in the field. Read on for a look at this work and how these types of educational efforts fuel the modern workforce.

Company Creation

Much of the work of Cornelissen stems from his efforts to create DataCamp, an online resource aimed at educating people on issues related to data science, such as specific programming languages. The founder came up with the idea when he was pursuing his doctorate in econometrics. During that time, he was required to learn the programming language R, which he found difficult. Once he was teaching courses of his own, he saw that his students had similar difficulties with the programming language, so he sought out additional resources to make it easier for them to engage in their studies.

To his surprise, there weren’t any effective and engaging tools at the time for students looking to increase their understanding in this area. For that reason, the data scientist decided to build just such a tool that could help students grasp some of the more difficult aspects of the field. After developing the prototype with a small team, he partnered with existing educational platforms, such as those offered by universities, to provide access to the software. The results were immediate and encouraging, as students found the tools useful for furthering their abilities. Since that small beginning, the company has expanded to assist millions of additional students.

Education and Opportunity

The ability to build on one’s existing skill set, such as through the company’s offerings, provides learners with increased access to opportunity. This is one of the clearest ways that education can improve quality of life, since that opportunity can improve one’s job satisfaction, earnings, and general happiness in a work environment. When these aspects of a person’s professional life are maximized, they tend to perform better and make more impactful contributions.

These benefits have effects outside the workplace as well, with plenty of studies pointing to the profound effects that our experiences in employment can have on other aspects of our lives. One way that this manifests is through our social interactions. Many studies have drawn a connection between a person’s general happiness and their willingness to engage in social activities. Since education can increase a person’s happiness through professional opportunity, it also has an effect on a person’s ability to engage socially and connect to friends. This principle extends to all other areas of life as well, such as satisfaction with family and romantic partners. The ways that education improves one’s happiness at work can have sizable impacts on nearly every aspect of life.

Data Science

The educational work by the company founder is especially impactful when you consider the ways that the field of data science is expanding to touch many areas of modern life. This is evident in the nomenclature that we use to describe this period in history. While the recent past has been dubbed by many as the “Information Age,” many have taken to labeling the present period as the “Data Age.” This can be attributed to the many ways that data availability has increased starkly with the continued maturation of the internet and related technologies.

As a result of this increase in data availability, businesses and other organizations can now focus on data science in a manner that was never before possible. New data collection and analysis methods are illuminating paths toward increased efficiency and even entirely new methods of operation. While these changes are fueled by the general increase in data availability, they are equally driven by the ability of employees to work with the data at hand. In other words, without educational efforts to increase data literacy, the effect of new data flowing into organizations would be severely limited.

Expanding Effect

Due to the widespread need for data fluency, the data scientist’s company has seen its reach grow steadily over the years since its inception. This stands as a testament to the priority that people are placing on data and the need for individuals to fill more and more roles in the field. While the early days of the company saw it partnering with educational institutions based on the strength of its initial prototype, its current work is largely based on its independent platform that draws learners from all walks of life.

These students sign up with the company to learn basic data concepts and programming languages related to statistics and data analysis. With these tools, they can go back into the workforce and increase their ability to contribute to their organization’s goals. With that in mind, the company’s effect on the greater workforce has been expanding precipitously over the years. Now, as one of the go-to organizations for those seeking to improve data fluency, it contributes a sizable amount of talent and expertise to the overall economy.

From the above analysis, it’s clear that education is intricately connected to the viability of any economy. Without the ability for individuals to learn new skills, the potential for an economy to grow and change is extremely limited. This is relevant to the work of Cornelissen, as the economy once again makes a profound shift in focus. With the emergence of advanced data collection and analysis techniques, the work that the data scientist has done in creating new learning methods in the field is invaluable. For those interested in data science or the effect that a singular idea can have on others, the founder’s work makes for an interesting area of study.