Sean Tissue, Centureon Investments, and the Beauty Off-Peak Real Estate

Many home buyers, real estate agents, and industry professionals recognize that spring is the proverbial bread and butter month for the real estate industry. While the sentiment can vary slightly based on location and seasonality, April showers tend to bring May open houses. With warmer temperatures bringing potential buyers out from hibernation to explore newly placed “For Sale” signs, it can be said that April showers bring May open houses. Throughout bustling cities, the sounds of new construction can be heard bright and early with industry professionals, like Sean Tissue, and brave novices scrambling to finish renovations before the culmination of the coveted season. With the spring season so ingrained in the mind of the industry, though, many investors overlook the idea of investing in real estate throughout the winter months, passing up golden opportunities to beat the rush and potentially set the market. With several benefits to pursuing this non-traditional route of investment, winter can prove to be a great time for real estate investment.

Location, Location, Location

As the most important deciding factor for real estate purchases, the location of potential homes, investment properties, and real estate can naturally create a blossoming opportunity, even in the midst of the coldest winter. While the national real estate market showcases ebbs and flows that can affect the majority of locations, certain “hot pockets” exist where the demand for modernized housing outweighs the current supply, and the supply of these properties can maintain speed throughout the winter as demand drops, creating an opening for savvy investors. In large cities, this can equate to swiftly developing trendy neighborhoods, which are not only convenient but also become coveted as a result of amenities, nightlife, aesthetics, and continued development. Once a modernizing pocket becomes popular, investment opportunities can grow within the winter months, in a perceived rush to capitalize on the trend of a particular neighborhood. While inventory may be a bit more limited, opportunities for investors, home buyers, and other professionals can be plentiful based on the popularity of a particular location.

A Slower Pace

In many bustling areas, homes are listed for sale on a particular day, receive multiple offers by that evening, and go under contract within three days, likely even above full asking price. Alternative sources of real estate investment like Sheriff’s Sales and Foreclosure Auctions also see this trend as they are seemingly bursting at the seams with potential investors looking for their next opportunity. Thus, winter offers a small reprieve from the potential chaos of real estate investment and provides better mobility for home buyers, potential sellers, and investors. Throughout this time, interested real estate investors take advantage of the slower market to focus on longer-term renovation projects, dedicating winter months to processes like full demolitions, complete renovations, and other extensive projects with the goal of placing their completed projects on the market in time for the spring market.

Practical Insights from Nature

In addition to the benefits the winter real estate market can give to those brave enough to venture out in the cold, winter’s natural elements can provide insightful clues about the status of a property, especially in harsh climates. For investors and homebuyers alike, the sight of a snow-covered roof can indicate in-tact insulation, as heat isn’t escaping and melting the snow. Additionally, snow-covered months would be ideal indicators of potentially leaking roofs, basements, and other crevices that could otherwise be missed throughout the summer. Thus, the harsher conditions of winter can be used as a tool to actively gain first-hand knowledge regarding a property’s condition.

Budgeting, Leverage, and Competition

While there are fewer available properties to choose from, there are also fewer competitors seriously perusing the market for available investment opportunities. Simultaneously, sellers who are looking to part ways with a property can be more willing to negotiate on pricing while the market is significantly slower than during the summer months. This gives real estate investors a unique leverage point throughout the winter, one that could save investors tens of thousands of dollars the right circumstances. In the case of Foreclosure Auctions or Sheriff’s Sales, it may make sense for financial institutions to part ways with properties at a lower cost, rather than waiting until Spring. Thus, winter is a great time to ask for concessions, submit lower offers, and take advantage of leverage that is not usually present during the spring months.

Professional Assistance

As the winter lull slows down many industries, real estate investors like Sean Tissue are more likely to receive swift, effective, and low-cost services within these associated industries. From working with agents who can dedicate more time to finding the perfect investment opportunity, to lenders who aren’t stretched too thin, and contractors who aren’t bogged down with Spring’s renovations, industry professionals are able to offer their services in a streamlined, effective, and cohesive manner. With daily operations slowing down across these service providers, investors can also negotiate pricing, and develop long-term relationships that would be harder to build throughout the busier seasons.

Marketing, Skill Development, and Investment Savvy

For real estate investors of all varieties, winter is also a great time to develop the skills that will translate into a fruitful busy season. For example, learning to take effective “before” and “after” photos can generate better listings and traction, while learning to market rental properties can result in successfully renting out space immediately. Winter is not only about finding the next investment property, but also about honing the skills that are needed to complete all tasks associated with the investment, and building a strong foundation for the busier months ahead.

From limited competition, to the increased pricing leverage, winter’s unique conditions can be lucrative, seamless, and fruitful for real estate investors across the board. By recognizing these potential benefits, dedicated investors can take advantage of winter’s opportunities, setting the tone for a successful year!

About Sean Tissue and Centureon Investments

Centureon Investments

Operating successfully for almost a decade within the Detroit, Midwest, and Southeast real estate markets, Centureon Investments is a real estate investment company specializing in providing investor partners with comprehensive services throughout the lifecycle of their investment. Unlike other turnkey real estate management companies, Centureon works in tandem with investor partners prior to investment, including forecasting local market trends, providing insight related to potential cash flow and rental success, and creating specific blueprints to meet unique investor needs. Centureon leverages the expertise of industry-leading staff to provide ongoing management tools for rental investors, including marketing and tenant procurement, maintenance and physical repairs, as well as ongoing tenant satisfaction through communication and management tools.

With varying entry points dedicated to meeting the specific needs of various investors, Centureon Investments provides investment opportunities in single-family homes in the Detroit market starting at $45,000, all the way up to multi-family units in the Midwest for up-to $$1,000,000+. With such vast offerings, the company has a unique ability to work with investors to expand their portfolios. Since its inception, Centureon has utilized this multifaceted approach to build a positive reputation among investors with also developing meaningful long-term relationships and growing the company’s own real estate portfolio.

At the helm of Centureon Investments is CEO Sean Tissue, who has leveraged his own personal experiences as a real estate investor and developer to create, maintain, and champion Centureon’s comprehensive investment platform.

Connect With Sean Tissue and Centureon Investments: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Crunchbase

There is More to the Internet Than Cat Videos: Come Out to the LA BookFest

If you’re a book purist, there is no substitute for the feel and smell of an actual book in your hand. But if there was ever a time to take a step forward into the digital world, it is now. Your favorite bookstore might be closed, but the LA BookFest proves that literature is still thriving online.

On Saturday, May 9th, the LA BookFest begins. If you’re sheltered at home, it’s high time to give your brain some much-needed exercise and a respite from the boredom. What better way to do it than with like-minded people from around the world? Join your fellow book lovers for a celebration of all things bookish. And after the event streams live, go back and check out all the archived content. LA BookFest is the gift that keeps on giving.

Billions at Play by NJ Ayuk

A Veritable Who’s Who in Established and Up-and-Coming Authors

Whether you’re looking for the latest from some well-established authors or looking for some new talent just making their way into the literary world, the LA BookFest will delight you with its line-up. You’ll start your journey with a keynote speech from NJ Ayuk as he discusses the African energy sector in relation to the current COVID-19 pandemic. And he’s a proper authority on the topic as the author of the Amazon best-seller, Billions at Play, a thoughtful exploratory on the rising energy companies on the African continent.

The Org by Scott Brody

Panels will have a strong focus on current events and how it affects the literary world. Sit down with some of the world’s most respected journalists, including former White House correspondent Dan Lothian and award-winning journalist Deborah Zara Kobylt and others as they candidly discuss: Integrity in Journalism in the Age of Covid-19, Fake News, and Partisan Politics.

Hiding in Plain Sight by Sarah Kenzior

Literature Comes Full Circle

If you feel online literature is some new-fangled oddity for a younger generation and Kindle readers are some Faustian trap to take away your beloved books, here is some food for thought. In the 19th century, most novels came in the form of periodicals, printed weekly or monthly. Even Charles Dicken’s famous The Pickwick Papers was originally published in a serialized format.

The Last Surviving Dinosaur by Steven Joseph

When you attend the LA BookFest you can hear directly form Mitch Albom who’s put a modern, digital twist on this most classic of formats with his new Human Touch. Human Touch is an online serialized story and a current work in progress. Albom is crafting a message of hope in uncertain times, Human Touch helping to transcend the current pandemic in search of a brighter future to come.

So, if you consider yourself a purist, traditionalist, old-fashioned, or just plain stubbornly clinging to those lovely yellowed pages of literary treasure, just know you’re picking up a story in the most traditional of formats, pioneered by the likes of Dickens, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Who’s traditional now?

Trejo’s Tacos Recipes &nStories from L.A. by Danny Trejo

Look at All Those Authors, Speakers, Celebrities, and Thought-Leaders

There is a long list of notable names who are part of the LA BookFest. You are sure to find your favorite, or meet your new favorite among these notables: Bilal Alaji; Mitch Albom; Maria Alexander; NJ Ayuk; Sheryl Benko; Scott Brody; Diana Lee Brown; Jenna Busch; LaFern Cusack; Bob Difornio; John Dracup; Celeste Duckworth; Debra Eckerling; Lisa Goich; Gerald Everett Jones; Steven Joseph; Sarah Kendzior; Kathleen Kaiser; Deborah Kobylt; Paul S. Levine; Dan Lothian; Kiera Lyons; Joanna Dodd Massey, Ph.D.; KJ Matthews; Jonathan Maberry; Monica Matulich; Bill MicCormick; Ray Mitchell, Esq.; Ora Nadrich; Russell Nohelty; Claudia Puig; David Ruggerio; Edgar Scott; Robin Quinn; Ray Richmond; Sue William Silverman; Ryan Southwick; Danny Trejo; and Sara Winokur.

It Is as Easy a Click of the Mouse

Your literary journey is only a click away. Go to LA BookFest to sign up to attend. The LA BookFest is hosted by the Greater Los Angeles Writing Society in conjunction with a host of other sponsors, including such well-known names as  Black Château Enterprises, Books That Make You, TEDxResedaBlvd and plenty more.

5 Tips From James River Capital to Stay Accountable While Working from Home

More people are working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic than ever before. While many workers are happy to cut out their morning commute and wear sweatpants to work, some employees are struggling to stay motivated. Between the temptation of Netflix, the distraction of kids and pets, and anxiety about the state of the world, it can be tough for newly-remote workers to stay focused. 

It’s hard to get into “work mode” when you’re working from your living room couch surrounded by the chaos of home life. However, you’re still fortunate enough to have a job and the means you have deliverables you are accountable for. As many workplaces lay off their employees, you need to demonstrate your value, and that means holding yourself accountable. 

According to Paul Saunders, the co-founder of James River Capital, remote work is synonymous with accountability. While real-world workplaces have built-in accountability, you have to keep yourself motivated to succeed in remote work. 

Let’s dive in to Paul’s advice for employees who want to stay productive and mentally alert while working from home. 

About James River Capital & Paul Saunders

Along with his business partner, Paul Saunders acquired James River Capital back in 1995. In the 25 years since founding the company, Paul has served as CEO and Chairman of the Richmond, Virginia, company. 

Today, Paul puts his 30+ years of experience in finance to work for James River Capital’s products. His goal is to find ways to balance portfolios to reduce risk and optimize return. Using alternative investments, James River Capital optimizes these investments for both parameters.

With over 25 years of experience in management, Paul has learned how to train his employees to stay accountable as they work remotely. As a manager, he has to trust that his team is equipped to handle the challenges of remote work. While the honors system is a big component of working from home, you do have to demonstrate enough value to stay gainfully employed. Here are Paul’s five tips for work-from-home accountability. 

Five ways to boost accountability while working from home

Set goals

It’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole of Netflix and Instagram if you don’t have tangible goals to keep you focused. Goals give remote work a purpose. They motivate you to keep pushing through and keep you working, even when you’re tempted to take a nap or a longer lunch break. 

What goals do you have for the day, week, month, quarter, and year? While you don’t know how long you’ll be working remotely, it’s helpful to set short-term and long-term goals so you stay motivated and alert. 

According to Paul, managers shouldn’t be breathing down your neck right now. However, they do expect you to stay on task, and goal-setting is the best way to crank out high-level work. 

Keep a to-do list

If you aren’t already tracking your work tasks, now’s the time to start. Begin your workday knowing precisely what’s expected of you. Assign to-dos by order of importance, eating the elephant early in the day so you build the right momentum. If you don’t want to tackle huge projects at 8 am, start with small tasks, like checking your email. 

Although paper to-do lists are okay, Paul has seen better results at James River Capital with digital tools. Asana, Monday, Trello, and other project management apps will help you track your tasks, collaborate with teammates, and show your manager what you’ve accomplished. 

It’s also important that you stay realistic. Don’t put too much on your plate; otherwise, you’ll eventually burn out and get overwhelmed. On the flip side, you don’t want to run out of work by 9 AM. It might take you some time to balance your workload, but it will eventually settle and you’ll be better for it.

Track your time

How do you spend your time? It’s easy to fall into a glut of emails or run-on meetings in an organization that’s new to remote work. Track your time so you see where you spend most of your energy. 

Remote employees can learn so much about themselves when they use free time-trackers online. This isn’t about letting your manager record your screen or anything; the purpose of time tracking is to help you better manage your time to stay accountable. 

Start by batching similar tasks. That might mean checking Slack and email in a batch. Time how long you spend on each batch of tasks. The added structure will help you stay productive while you work from home. 

Overcommunicate

Accountability starts with your boss and coworkers. But as a remote worker you aren’t getting as much face time with your boss or coworkers right now. You have to make an effort to communicate effectively within your organization if you want to stay accountable. 

A good way to assure success with this is to schedule regular check-ins with remote employees and managers. Ask your manager how often they want to meet you, through what medium (Slack, video chat, phone call, etc.), and what you need to bring to the meeting. 

Always ask your boss for his or her expectations. What do they need from you right now? How can you improve your work while working from home? Regardless of your boss’s management style, you need to communicate with them. After all, this is the person who signs your paycheck. Stay accountable to them.

Minimize distractions

Distractions happen in an office environment for sure, but your home is full of distractions too. Between your phone, the TV, kids, and your spouse, there are plenty of boundaries in the home environment that kill productivity. 

It’s your responsibility to minimize distractions so you can stay accountable, and that means setting boundaries. Try these four tips for minimizing distractions:

  • Limiting your phone use: Set a timer on your phone to limit social media access to one hour during the workday. You can also block these apps during work hours if they’re too much of a distraction. 
  • Creating a schedule: A schedule keeps your mind healthy and alert during these uncertain times. Give yourself a sense of normalcy by committing to a set wake-up time, determining your work hours, and scheduling in important tasks like cleaning and exercise. 
  • Carving out an office space: You probably don’t have the luxury of a home office but you still need a private space that’s just for work. Push that dresser out of the corner in your bedroom. Put a TV table and kitchen chair in the corner of your room to use as a workspace. It’s not fancy but it will help you stay focused with fewer distractions.
  • Take breaks: It sounds counterintuitive but taking 15-minute breaks every few hours will boost your productivity. Check-in with your kids, grab the mail, do a load of laundry, or just relax. Use the breaks as your opportunity to return to work with less on your mind. 

The bottom line

You aren’t expected to run at 100% during these uncertain times but you still have to deliver on your work responsibilities. Unfortunately, it’s easier to sweep things under the rug when you work remotely. Instead of drifting through remote workdays in a haze, hold yourself accountable. Follow James River Capital’s five tips to not only stay more productive when you work from home but to stay focused and motivated during such a critical time. 

Connect with James River Capital: LinkedIn | Crunchbase | PeoplePill | Blog | Medium

Shopping Dr. Jennifer Walden’s Skincare Products

Renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Jennifer Walden has released her own line of skincare products, calling it a bucket-list project that she always hoped to check off. The high-quality, medical-grade products Dr. Walden is offering have been designed to help repair and rejuvenate the natural beauty of the skin. These offerings include an enhancing lip plumper that helps support the look of fuller lips, a hydrating daily face moisturizer that provides intense hydration, a fresh tea face mist rich in antioxidants that help promote toning of the skin, a dark spot formula that helps to lighten dark pigmentations, and a detox nightwear cream that is meant to help recharge and restore a youthful glow to your skin. Dr. Walden also offers a line of private-label CBD products including nighttime ageless serum and daytime ageless moisturizer.

Dr. Walden’s offerings also include a line of supplements geared towards both women and men. These products contain evidence-based active ingredients and are some of the most frequently requested products in her collection. This wide selection of supplements focuses on the support and overall health of the patient, as well as weight loss and energy supplements. Dr. Walden takes great pride in ensuring her skincare products and supplements are in keeping with her overall mission to provide the best quality, advanced medical-grade skincare and supplement line on the market. On top of that, Dr. Walden and her team have partnered with several charities so that the customer can feel good about every skincare product they purchase.

Dr. Jennifer Walden

Dr. Jennifer Walden is proud to announce that giving back is at the heart of her skincare and supplement lines and that for every purchase online, her team will donate 1% of all proceeds to the charity any customer selects. There are five different organizations that Dr. Walden’s team supports with their proceeds. The first is the Center for Child Protection, which is a children’s advocacy center with a mission to reduce the trauma for children during the investigation and prosecution of crimes against them, including being victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and for children who have witnessed a violent crime. The second non-profit they support is Fighting Pretty, which aims to help women feel strong and beautiful during and after all kinds of cancer treatments. The third foundation they support is the Heifer Foundation, which works in 21 countries around the world alongside local famers and business owners to support them and their communities as they mobilize and realize their futures and increase their quality of produce. The fourth organization Dr. Jennifer Walden’s team supports is the National Women’s Coalition Against Violence and Exploitation, which helps to inform, educate, and prevent violence and exploitation against women and children both nationally and internationally. Lastly, the fifth organization the team supports is Austin Fairy Godmothers, which aims to relieve the financial stress on ladies of all ages by helping them afford clothing for any formal event including prom, graduation, banquets, and other special events.

About Dr. Jennifer Walden

Dr. Jennifer Walden was born in Austin, Texas to a dentist father and surgical nurse mother. She graduated from Anderson High School and went on to obtain her undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Texas. Following her undergrad education, she received her MD from the University of Texas Medical Branch and graduated as salutatorian of her class.

Dr. Walden then went on to obtain a fellowship in aesthetic surgery at the Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. She stayed on at the hospital following the end of her fellowship and worked on New York City’s Upper East Side for seven and a half years. During her tenure in New York, she participated in clinical trials that led to the reintroduction of silicone breast implants.

In December 2011, Dr. Walden returned to Austin, Texas and opened up a private practice in Westlake Hills. The Doctor then opened a satellite office in Marble Falls, Texas in 2014. She has also been recognized as one of “The Best Plastic Surgeons in America” by American Way.

Dr. Jennifer Walden is known for using Vectra, a 3-D imaging technology that has the ability to visualize a patient’s look before surgery, and ThermiVa, a temperature-controlled, radio-frequency system for vaginal tightening and rejuvenation. Walden has also developed instruments for breast surgery, which are carried by Accurate Scientific and Surgical Instruments (ASSI).

She is recognized as one of the first doctors to use laser machines to do a high volume of labiaplasties and vaginoplasties. Harper’s Bazaar listed Dr. Walden as one of the Best Beauty Surgeons in 2014. Walden is a member of Modern Aesthetics’ and Plastic Surgery Practice’s Editorial Board of Directors and is one of the few women to be elected to serve on the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Board of Directors.

Dr. Walden serves as a consultant for aesthetic companies including ThermiAesthetics, Venus Concept, Ideal Implant, and Sciton Inc. She has been a revered commentator on plastic surgery by ABC News, Fox News, VH1, E!, and Dr. 90210.

Connect with Dr. Jennifer Walden: Facebook | Instagram | Wikipedia | Website

Yanni Hufnagel Knows Communication is Key With Remote Workers

There’s nothing new about working remotely, but a shift to an entirely remote workforce for an unforeseen period of time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing businesses to implement

new strategies to ensure that communication remains smooth and workflow seamless during these uncertain times. Yanni Hufnagel, Founder and CEO of beverage startup Lemon Perfect is committed to maintaining a connection with his employees during the challenging days and months ahead – and using a number of digital tools to keep projects moving forward and responses timely. At times like these, Hufnagel advises, communication is key. 

Regularly scheduled meetings, preferably by video conference, provide needed structure to the workweek for remote employees and present opportunities for employees to receive quick responses to issues that may be arising, as well as a needed dose of face time. Due to pervasive high anxiety levels and various stressors impacting workers at this moment, it’s ideal, Yanni Hufnagel has found, to begin these meetings with a less structured moment of check-in, where employees can share how they are feeling. That ability to just connect and engage in casual discussion before launching into the meeting’s agenda can help employees feel connected and valued and provide that necessary human interaction that’s in short supply with mandated stay-at-home orders.

And there are other digital tools that are particularly useful right now for discrete groups within a company working on team projects remotely – like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Asana. Whichever platform is deemed the best fit for a particular company, Yanni Hufnagel recommends that there be ample opportunity for employees to learn how to use it. Companies can share available online tutorials and institute trial runs where employees can work out any issues with a platform and ask questions. If one worker is well-versed in a project management platform, consider designating him or her the point person. A platform is only as useful as the buy-in of the participants, Hufnagel notes. Providing ample opportunities for employees to learn the ropes will pave the way for successful adoption.

Remember that nuance can be easily lost in typed communications, whether that’s on Slack, or via email or text. In other words, communications can unintentionally come across as blunt or stern without the benefit of eye contact and body language cues. That means managers have to double down on enthusiasm and positivity in their communications to remote employees, advises Yanni Hufnagel.

Yanni Hufnagel Lemon Perfect

Hufnagel founded Lemon Perfect as a healthy alternative to existing high-sugar, high-calorie sports drinks with their added artificial colors and flavors. He wanted increasingly health-conscious consumers to have more beverage options and noted that many were beginning to drink lemon water, and loved the taste and benefits, but not the inconvenience. The beverage he created – Lemon Perfect – is a USDA-certified organic lemon drink from lemons hand-picked in Southern California and cold-pressed using high-pressure processing instead of heat to maintain the lemons’ many nutritional health benefits. Available in four fun flavors – Just Lemon, Blueberry Acai, Dragon Fruit Mango, and Peach Raspberry – the drinks replace lost electrolytes and provide needed hydration with only the best ingredients. And Lemon Perfect meets other strict certification standards as well—it is certified vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO Project verified. The company is also a member of 1% for the Planet, contributing at least 1% of annual sales to environmental causes.

Prior to founding his company, Hufnagel was a former basketball player and university-level basketball coach at schools like the University of Nevada Reno, University of California Berkeley, Vanderbilt University, and Harvard University. He brings high enthusiasm and positivity to his role leading his company and takes every opportunity to inspire his employees and recommit them to the company’s mission: “Democratize drinkable wellness.”

With a remote workforce, particularly in a time of such heightened anxiety and uncertainty, it’s important to find those opportunities to reconnect employees with the greater mission, Hufnagel says. This is a time where consistent, positive internal messaging is just as critical as the messaging going out to consumers via online ads and social media posts. Lemon Perfect is a beverage company, but it is also a wellness company, dedicated to health and the environment. Hufnagel is using this moment to remind employees of the importance of their larger mission – to provide healthy alternatives to sugary sodas, sports drinks, and juices, and reaffirm the importance of healthy living as people are self-isolating and looking for new ways to maintain their commitments to healthy eating and drinking.  

Of course, remote work still requires accountability. The best way to help remote employees stay on task is to set reasonable expectations, work with them individually to make sure they understand what is expected, and to provide opportunities for regular check-ins to ensure that everyone is managing well and meeting small goals. Daily check-ins can be incredibly effective, Hufnagel notes. Even just a 15-minute morning check-in to run through upcoming deliverables and gauge how employees are doing can provide a steady compass to guide the company forward through uncertain times.

And focusing on those deliverables, as opposed to more rigid schedules, is essential. Beyond the scheduled check-ins and virtual meetings, employees need a great deal of flexibility right now. Many are managing to work from home with children and need to work at odd hours and in shorter bursts to get their work accomplished. It’s important that CEOs and managers lead with compassion.

Yanni Hufnagel makes sure that his employees know they are valued and he has built a workplace that prioritizes openness and transparency. Bringing a perspective honed from his years coaching basketball teams, Hufnagel wants his employees, even if they are working remotely, to feel that they are a valued member of the Lemon Perfect team, and to know that the job of getting through the challenging months ahead will be a shared effort.

About Lemon Perfect
Lemon Perfect is a naturally refreshing, zero sugar cold-pressed lemon water with antioxidants and electrolytes. Certified organic and full of flavor, Lemon Perfect is widely considered by industry insiders to be one of the most scalable, exciting and innovative emerging beverage concepts in the marketplace.

About Yanni Hufnagel

Yanni Hufnagel
Yanni Hufnagel

Yanni Hufnagel is the Founder & CEO of Lemon Perfect, a naturally refreshing, zero sugar cold-pressed lemon water with essential antioxidants and hydrating electrolytes. Certified organic and full of flavor, Lemon Perfect – named “Best New Product” at BevNET’s Best of 2019 Awards – is widely considered by industry insiders to be one of the most scalable, exciting and innovative emerging beverage concepts in the marketplace.

Founded in 2017 and backed by an extraordinary team of investors, the company’s mission is to democratize drinkable wellness by making Lemon Perfect accessible for anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Before starting Lemon Perfect, Hufnagel served as an assistant men’s college basketball coach, with stops at Nevada, California, Vanderbilt, Harvard, and Oklahoma. Hufnagel earned the reputation as one of the most dogged recruiters in America, consistently lauded for signing nationally-ranked recruiting classes. In Hufnagel’s 10 years coaching college basketball, his teams reached the NCAA Tournament six times.

Connect with Yanni Hufnagel: Crunchbase | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Angel.co | Instagram

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

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.

Stream Energy Discusses the Power of Clean Living

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:

  1. 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. 
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.
  4. 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. 

Latest Flavorless Socati Water-Soluble Ingredients

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.

How travel can heal us from trauma

Did you know that 223.4 million people in the United States have experiences some type of traumatic event in their lives? That’s 70% of all adults. Trauma can lead to PTSD, severe depression, and several other symptoms that directly affect a person’s wellbeing. 

Healing that trauma can be a challenging process. Luckily, there are multiple approaches someone can take to get the process started. Traveling happens to be one way people can work through their traumatic experience and find healing. Here’s how it works. 

Being Present

No matter where you travel, it’s hard to be anywhere but in the moment. As you enter a foreign environment, you leave your comfort zone and begin to focus intently on what’s happening around you. Intuition sharpens as smells, sounds, and sights become more vivid. 

This is the mindset where people have epiphanies and find inspiration. People gain new perspectives, become more aware, and often find themselves refreshed. Just like a vacation can help you destress from being overworked, the same elements can help you heal from trauma. 

Shifting Mood

People recovering after their personal injury claims often have a poor mood from missing work and the accident itself. Shifting that mood to a positive one isn’t always easy when you’re stuck at home, which is why traveling can help change the dynamic. 

New experiences, getting away from life’s worries, and enjoying a new location can all increase your mood and bring about healing. All of these things also focus your attention on the task of travel, which can help distract from the woes of your trauma. 

Self-Reflection

Traveling often involves time to relax and reflect. Whether you’re sitting on the beach watching the ocean waves or enjoying the peace and quiet of the woods, this is an excellent opportunity for self-reflection. 

As you clear your head, the difficulties you face from your trauma are easier to isolate and work through. People tend to see the bigger picture in relation to what’s causing them pain, making it easier to see a path through that pain towards a happier version of themselves. 

This trick works for more than just trauma, too. Professionals in psychology and at an employment law firm say that this type of self-reflection helps employees work through issues in the office and helps them identify when career changes need to be made. 

Cultivating Gratitude

Sometimes, trauma can cloud other aspects of life. Your pain may make it impossible to see the good around you. Traveling brings about a new perspective for most people, helping them realize what they have to be grateful for simply by removing them from their daily life. 

The ability to focus on these things and cultivate gratitude towards them can help increase your perception of the positives in your life, effectively overshadowing the negative elements that surround your trauma. It’s not a cure-all, but it does help to focus on the good things in life. 

New York Presents A Large Field of Nonprofits, But These 5 Organizations Have Separated Themselves From the Pack

New York City is home to one of the largest collections of nonprofit entities that can be found anywhere in the world. The city’s nonprofit sector is out there doing some outstanding work and making a real difference both locally and globally. Those who are interested in working for or supporting a nonprofit will have no problem finding a great organization if they are looking in the New York City area. With this in mind, these are five suggestions for nonprofits that are well worth looking into. These vital organizations have worked hard to separate from a dense pack of nonprofit sector entities that operate in New York City.

1. We Are Family Foundation

Launched in September of 2001 and doing amazing work since then, We Are Family Foundation has a mission to educate today’s youth about the benefit of understanding and respect. The organization works hard to help provide education to young people that will give them a true understanding and appreciation of the value of diversity. This outstanding New York-based organization was founded by renowned musician Nile Rodgers and it continues to this day to work on issues important both locally and globally.

2. Alliance for the Arts

New York City’s Alliance for the Arts has built a strong reputation over the years as one of the region’s top nonprofit entities. The organization works hard to promote cultural events and offerings that provide valuable educational lessons. This forward-thinking nonprofit is also notable for the way that it has embraced emergent forms of technology over the years to help in its mission. Through technology and a program that emphasizes the value that is present in personalized learning, Teach to One has made a dramatic impact on the lives of countless math students across the New York region since the nonprofit was first launched in 2009.

3. Urban Justice Center

The Urban Justice Center is another outstanding New York regional nonprofit that has made a significant impact on the community that it serves. The organization focuses its efforts on New York residents that live in poverty and has placed a large emphasis on finding ways to help minority groups across the city. The Urban Justice Center is known for providing key legal support in many critical issues that face vulnerable groups across the New York City region.

4. Phipps Neighborhoods

Phipps Neighborhoods has a special place amongst New York nonprofits as the city’s oldest entity working toward providing affordable housing to qualifying individuals across the region. The organization runs valuable campaigns aimed at helping New York City youth from underprivileged backgrounds to get the education and opportunities that they need to be able to thrive. This outstanding organization recently received a huge financial boost to the valuable work that it is doing. This came in the form of a contract from the city of New York that has a total value of $3.5 million. This valuable funding will go toward providing housing and emergency shelter.

5. Teach to One

It is no surprise that Teach to One has made it into this list of New York City nonprofits that are having a truly profound impact through the work being done. In this case, the focus is squarely on the education of today’s young people and specifically on today’s math students in middle school.